Does anyone have Freeview?

[Tissy]

I'm thinking of getting a Freeview decoder as I'm fed up with the choice we have on the telly, and am too tight to subscribe to a digital package and get loads of sports programmes I don't want! Does anyone else have Freeview, and if so, is it worth it?

Make sure you CAN get it first. We certainly can't and I've tested loads of other postcodes I know and none of them do either. So either I know loads of people in isolated areas or it doesn't cover that many people. If we could have got it I think it would certainly have been worth it, even if only for the decent picture you would get. Being in one of the many black spots we are having to sign up to sky instead which I really resent although after a year we can drop the contract and get a free card from the BBC to view the same channels so its not too bad.

Sorry meant to say you can check your postcode on the freeview website

Tissy, we've got it and love it! ...if only for Cbeebies

Hiya Tissy,
we already had an On Digital box so we didn't have to pay for a Freeview decoder, but the only channel we would really miss is CBeebies! DH watches the History channel sometimes and we occasionally put on the news channel if there's nothing else on. I definitely wouldn't take it if there was a monthly subscription involved, but as a one-off purchase ... maybe. Get somebody to get it for the family as a Christmas pressy?!?

Thanks Katherine - very helpful. We CAN get it: we are in a big town, but quite isolated.

Pamina - Cable is not too bad. You can go for the cheapest Package which I think gives you pretty much the same as preview for £100 installation up front and then £10 per month for a years contract. The give you the equipment worth £400 and at the end of the year you can get a free card from the BBC which does the same thing. The picture quality is excellent and you always have the opportunity to include other channels if you want to.

BTW Bit of a thicko here but when my dish arrives on Wednesday (woppee, we are down to viewing BBC1 at the moment as the others are unwatchable) does that mean we get the interactive stuff like pressing the red button to vote etc....?

Sorry meant Sky not cable. Can't get cables round here either!

Yes, Katherine, if what you're getting is Sky digital then you can definitely press the red button. don't hold your breath though!! It's not really very sophisticated, and is quite slow.

We have just bought our bbc box and are very pleased with it. However, we checked our postcode on the freeview website prior to buying and it said we would not receive any channels. Decided to try it out (ordered mail order, so could return if not suitable). Our picture on all channels is now excellent, dd loves being able to watch bear in the big blue house without the previous "snow storm". I agree, it is cbbc & cbeebies which is used most, though I do enjoy the history and music channel. If anyone wants a laugh the shopping channel is good too!

We got Freeview last week. As with everyone else DD loves CBeeBies. DH likes the Karrang radio and I've watched a couple of things on the Adam Hart-Davis Channel(UK History). Mind you I'm on Mum's Net now because there's nothing on. I only got it because I'm on mat leave and thought it might improve the daytime TV options -not much. Is rubbish daytime TV a government conspiracy to make people go to work?

Hi - another question about SKy (maybe I shoul,d start my own thred ) - Having been building up to the installation tomorrow when we can finally watch TV again (reception too bad at the moment), my neighbour has told me that you can only record the programme you are watching on Sky. This means that we can never tape something on the other side which defeats the object of having a video really. Is there any way round this? I know you can get kits to allow you to watch Sky on more than one TV - does that mean you have to have them all on the same channel. If so I can forsee bloodshed in our household in the near future. Help!

Tis true Katherine, but dh has wired our tv to be able to record/watch the terrestrial ones independently from sky. I'll ask him how to do it when he comes in.

Thanks lou33, problem is we can only get BBC1 on terrestrial TV as the reception is so bad. Hence Sky. Crumbs - can our marriage survive the Christmas viewing warfare?

I guess this high tech drawing on the back of a post it is useless then! The only other option you have Katherine is to get the deal they advertise, which means having another box so you can watch different programmes in separate rooms. Now you are going to say you only have one tv aren't you?!

I know what you mean though about blackspots, where I live we can't get cable and the reception is a bit woolly re terrestrial, we can't get channel 5 at all. Plus we are not in a broadband postcode, so of course I really really want it now, and my mobile phone doesn't like living here because there is v little reception. It's playing havoc with my texting !

Hey Lou33 - you don't happen to live next door do you - no broadband, no mobile reception, no freeview......I suppose its the pros and cons of living somewhere like the peak district. Beautfiul surroundings but dark ages technology!

We do have 2 TV's now, well 3 actually as we've got a new one for Christmas so at least when we've argued about which programme to watch we can go watch it is seperate rooms

Found a SKY thing in Dixons last night though which allowed you to watch on side and tape another and you didn't need a video either. Cost £300.. oh well maybe next Christmas.

No katherine, unbelievably I live in Surrey, which I would expect to be all up and running with this sort of technology. It is a small village though and surrounded by a lot of national trust land (i.e heavily wooded), which probably explains it.

lou33 are you anywhere near the Hants border? it sounds v like where a good friend of mine lives.

Yes Bundle I am!