View Full Version : Is Sky more reliable than Freeview?
Sorry as I know I asked a similar question before but I have been really fed up these past few days with Freeview breaking up on a lot of channels.
Not sure whether it is weather related or what the problem is? I've checked all connections and rebooted the system but nothing has helped.
It was okay for a while this afternoon but has gone doolally again now!
So I wondered whether Sky was prone to similar break up as I am seriously tempted to change to this from Freeview.
Don't really want to as it will be quite expensive but would be worth it if it was more reliable.
Thanks!
You would think in this day and age we could get a more reliable TV service?:(
Funny I was thinking of asking about this myself as mine seems to be breaking up a lot and I thought maybe it was just that my box is so old (it was one of the first). So must be the signal.
Something very strange happened on my old kitchen, non-digital tv the other night. It was switching between BBC 1 and 2. I was washing up, looking over my shoulder occasionally, and noticed it suddenly didn't look like the sci-fi programme I thought I was watching on BBC 2, then it was, then it wasn't again and I realised the second time looked more like the one about the girl who kept running away on BBC 1. After it went back to 2 again I switched to 1 and found it was (about the girl I mean). It's a very old tv with no remote but buttons to change channels. Spooky.
Thanks Badger!
Maybe it is down to the weather then? Can't remember whether it is low or high pressure which affects the signal.
I found Film 4 on the analogue channels the other day so something weird going on!!!
Are all your channels affected?
Wish I wasn't such a TV addict!:eek:
S ky digi boxes are notoriously unreliable and have been for years.
Even the new sky+ boxes are a hit and a miss in certain weather conditions as to whether you will get a signal on a certain channel or if the programs you have set to record actualy do.
I'd stick with freeview until sky sort out the gremlins in their technology.
S ky digi boxes are notoriously unreliable and have been for years.
Even the new sky+ boxes are a hit and a miss in certain weather conditions as to whether you will get a signal on a certain channel or if the programs you have set to record actualy do.
I'd stick with freeview until sky sort out the gremlins in their technology.
I have had Sky for many years since the mid '80's and had no problems or very little, and a couple of years ago went to Sky+, and also very little problems, once Sky+ failed, and we got a new box the next day, I will concede that I live nearer to Livinston the Scottish Hq of Sky.
Any problems are usually fixed easily by myself, by switching off and unpluging the system, removing the card, waitting 1 minute, plug in, return card, switch on, up to now that has never failed for me.
I think it can depend on the make of Sky box you get with Pace being the best?
I really don't want to spend money on Sky if it is going to be prone to problems the same as Freeview.
I wonder whether it is High Pressure today as know this can affect the signal?
BBC Channels are mostly okay along with some others like Hits; Ideal World etc.
Just hope it sorts itself out for Christmas!
alanatkie
21-Dec-07, 20:40
Well i have both freeview & Sky.
Sky is in the sitting room & (touch wood) I have never had any problems what so ever & i have had it for over 9 yrs in this house. Freeview is a bit unpredictable well signal quality is but this is in the bedrooms so dosent get watched that often unless kids cant decide on the one programme on main tv. :roll:
Tugmistress
21-Dec-07, 20:48
another option is the icy weather, do you have an outside aeriel? there could be icing in any outdoor connections and as we had a slight thaw today then re-ice it may be playing havoc.
hell raizer
21-Dec-07, 20:59
it must be the weather my sky was so bad this morning i could hardly make out the picture
I have had Sky for many years since the mid '80's and had no problems or very little, and a couple of years ago went to Sky+, and also very little problems, once Sky+ failed, and we got a new box the next day, I will concede that I live nearer to Livinston the Scottish Hq of Sky.
Any problems are usually fixed easily by myself, by switching off and unpluging the system, removing the card, waitting 1 minute, plug in, return card, switch on, up to now that has never failed for me.Maybe we have just been unlucky but no kidding, we have had four sky+ boxes since we changed over from the standard sky digital.
Problems include channels stating there is no satellite signal then after a few minutes the channel appears, Intermittent broadcasts which are akin to watching Norman collier in action, faulty modem which sky charge you for as they think your phone-line is not connected, frozen and alternatively blocky pictures, programs half recorded. I don't know if it is a problem with the new technology but we never had any problems with the analogue system. I know about unplugging the box and removing the card but should we really have to do this?
S ky digi boxes are notoriously unreliable and have been for years.
Even the new sky+ boxes are a hit and a miss in certain weather conditions as to whether you will get a signal on a certain channel or if the programs you have set to record actualy do.
I'd stick with freeview until sky sort out the gremlins in their technology.
I have the sfirst sky box from the start, I then went over to Sky Digi box and have now had sky plus for a year. I have never had any bother with any of them and have always had great receprtion and great service throughout this period. TV is one almost everyday for the whole eveing and often for quite long periods during the day.
I am surprised by those comments about sky box and I certainly have no reason to complain.
Green_not_greed
21-Dec-07, 21:29
I'd say Sky is far more reliable
I've had few problems with it over the years.
Our freeview signals are far less reliable and have broken up a lot over the past few days. Most likely the weather. I'm in Reay and not even supposed to receive Freeview and so probably on the fringes for reception in any case. After digital switchover the digital signal strengths will be increased (when analogue is switched off) and so Freeview should be far more reliable then. Provided there's not some great big windfarm between you and Rumster.
You might need an uprated aerial to get the best from Freeview. I think it's a wideband aerial you need if you are in a poor signal area.
Maybe we have just been unlucky but no kidding, we have had four sky+ boxes since we changed over from the standard sky digital.
Problems include channels stating there is no satellite signal then after a few minutes the channel appears, Intermittent broadcasts which are akin to watching Norman collier in action, faulty modem which sky charge you for as they think your phone-line is not connected, frozen and alternatively blocky pictures, programs half recorded. I don't know if it is a problem with the new technology but we never had any problems with the analogue system. I know about unplugging the box and removing the card but should we really have to do this?
Do you not think you should get your dish checked out, sounds like a bad signal quality to me.
Do you not think you should get your dish checked out, sounds like a bad signal quality to me.Could it be a faulty Lnb as although we have had some days of high winds the dish doesn't seem to have moved?
Green_not_greed
21-Dec-07, 22:59
Maybe we have just been unlucky but no kidding, we have had four sky+ boxes since we changed over from the standard sky digital.
Problems include channels stating there is no satellite signal then after a few minutes the channel appears, Intermittent broadcasts which are akin to watching Norman collier in action, faulty modem which sky charge you for as they think your phone-line is not connected, frozen and alternatively blocky pictures, programs half recorded. I don't know if it is a problem with the new technology but we never had any problems with the analogue system. I know about unplugging the box and removing the card but should we really have to do this?
If you are running them all from one LNB rather than dual or quad LNBs then you may be splitting the signal too much. Two boxes per LNB maximum is what I was told by a well-known local satellite installer.
If you are running them all from one LNB rather than dual or quad LNBs then you may be splitting the signal too much. Two boxes per LNB maximum is what I was told by a well-known local satellite installer.We have one box from the lnb with another two boxes upstairs running from the spare sockets on the main box.:confused
I got a new wideband aerial and cable installed a few months ago and everything has been fine until now so probably is the weather.My signal quality is usually always 100% on all channels.
I may just stick with Freeview and see whether it improves when analogue is switched off. Hoping no windfarms get in the way!:eek:
It is really annoying with all the progress made in technology that we can't get a more reliable TV service! What annoys me as well is there are so many rubbish channels crammed into Freeview (probably Sky as well) that the quality suffers. ITV2 etc are really bad for pixellation because of this.
Really hoping it will be okay for tomorrow's Strictly Come Dancing final!
Thanks for all the replies.:)
I've got both sky and freeview and sky( in separate rooms ), reception wise is always the best.
In over 5 years of sky the only real reception problems I've had have been because of snow on the LNB, easily sorted with a brush!
Other than severe hunderstorms and the above, sky shouldn't be affected by the weather. Anybody who's having problems, I'd suggest they get the alignment of the dish checked. Even if it's only moved a few degrees in the wind it can make all the difference.
Think the cost is O.T.T though, especially for sports fans!
Weather. People forget that the atmospheric conditions effect electromagnetic waves enourmously. Our signal is weather dependant, but compared to the old analogue, a couple of glitches is fine on freeview!
Liz, We've had sky since 1991 and only got the dish replaced in 2005 apart from that no problems whatsoever. We also have freeview(a present) and on the odd occasion get a bit of interferance. I have to say sky for me is the easiest to work with and much less hassle.:roll:
We've had Sky/Sky+ for many years now without any complaints. A couple of the more obscure channels do seem to freeze the box up on occasion, but an immediate reboot seems to fix that. Hope that helps, Liz.:)
Cheers everyone!
My Freeview is back to normal now so it must have been the weather (think there was high pressure).
I will just see how things go.
I am on freeview and scince the day i got it installed and payed for it to get up and running my box loses signal constantly at sumpoint everyday no matter wot channel im on...i rarely watch tv but when i do its quite annoying when ur trying to get into a programme and it keeps cutting out...if i could afford sky tv then id go for it...:)
I am on freeview and scince the day i got it installed and payed for it to get up and running my box loses signal constantly at sumpoint everyday no matter wot channel im on...i rarely watch tv but when i do its quite annoying when ur trying to get into a programme and it keeps cutting out...if i could afford sky tv then id go for it...:)
It shouldn't be as bad as that. How old is your aerial?
I got a new aerial but still had problems and then found out there was a problem with the cable so needed this replaced which made a big difference.
There is still the odd glitch but it doesn't really spoil viewing. It's only weather conditions which seem to really badly affect it.
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