A "no contract" Sky type box that records...

[AnonymousBird]

PIL's live in a development of approx 6 houses. They share a Sky dish amongst the development and everyone then has a separate feed and viewing box. PIL's only have freeview channels provided through Sky through a regular Sky box and it is not Sky Plus.

We stay with them a lot, and really miss Sky Plus when we are there, especially for the children, so I had thought about trying to buy them a viewing box that would suit their set up (ie. freeview access through Sky) but that could also record. I don't want to incur them any extra Sky plus type fees on an ongoing basis if possible. Can I just buy a Sky Plus (or similar) box and plug in? IIRC, Sky Plus requires two feeds and I don't think they have that....

Any recommendations or ideas please?

There are a few Freesat boxes with dual tuners and built in DVRs, here - these sound like they would work with what you describe (but you'd need to check the details to see if they need two inputs) and would allow pausing/recording of the channels they get at present.

We have a hard disc recorder that does all of sky plus stuff, but with no contract. we only get the freeview channels but can pause live tv, record and all the other things- its great.

Missmapp, can you watch one thing and record another with that (which is what the two feeds is all about I think).

If they have only one feed, and no prospect of installing a second (could be tricky due to the property rules and regs of their development) then I assume we could only record what is on, not record and watch another programme.... but better than nothing anyway, at least if we can have a few things recorded it would be a great help especially when the weather is usually crap!

Thanks for the tips, this gives me something to be getting on with.

You can , but only if you have another feed. You can record on the 'box' channel and watch something else on your sky channel , but only if you have both channels at one time IYSWIM.

all of the Freeview+ boxes I have had (more than 4) have a standard aerial in (from the aerial in the loft or whatever), then a v small aerial lead going out of the box and then in again, and then a standard aerial out (which you connect to your tv to view).

This effectively provides a dual-in feed as it is doubling up the signal and allows two programmes at the same time (watch one & record one or record ).

But the Sky input wouldn't work with this, do they have a separate standard aerial?

Sorry - I got distracted from thinking about this. Now getting back on the case.

I am not very good at all this and am a bit confused! They have no separate standard aerial (haven't they all been switched off now anyway?) and I need to assume that we have to use the Sky feed - major restrictions on any changes whatsoever to their property as it is owned by the National Trust. So the option of changing or adding to the existing feed is probably not there.

Sounds like we might only be able to record one channel and watch something already recorded, rather than record one channel and watch another "live" channel.... which is better than where we are currently at it has to be said! Just the ability to record something to watch later would be a big step in the right direction.

Will a non-sky box be compatible with a sky input lead?!

If I am missing the point here, or am off on a wobble please please feel free to set me straight!

TIA. (but also a bit )

Yes, a FreeSat box has the same type of connector, and just plugs in in place of the Sky box. It needs no viewing card (as far as I know, the Sky box may have a viewing card to allow for the 'Free to Air' [FTA] channels, and if they decide to 'expire' the card, one has to pay a fresh fee to Sky for a fresh viewing card, so another good reason, if only the Free channels are being used, to switch box to one which can handle FreeSat, and be able to record).

Also, if you go for FreeSat with HD, it would mean that any free HD channels could be watched if at some future time your PILs got a new HD capable (eg 37" or 42") TV. With Sky, HD costs extra.

Sky does offer 'Freesat via Sky' as an option for a once-only 175 pounds (I think that's the current price, it was 75, 100 and 150 at different times) which may include the ability to record. However that may not apply if there's already some box in place and anyway, you cannot get the second feed added because of the rules regarding that development.

Do check, also, whether PILs use any of the radio stations on the Sky box. There are some subtle differences (I have a Sky box to allow listening to World Radio Network, which is not available on my FreeSat box, unfortunately).

I live in a block of flats with a shared Sky dish, my feeds come from a junction box type thing. It may be that your PIL could get another feed from the box if they are on the same type of system and there is a room in the box for another feed. Its only one extra wire coming from the existing set up so the NT might not have a problem with it. I think they would probably have to ring a local satellite installer to come out to see whether it would be possible though.