Sky and "Freesat from Sky" Satellite TV
Sky TV is a subscription service, with different programme selection options available at at different subscription rates. Additional services e.g. telephone and broadband are also available as bundled options. The easiest way to get Sky is to contact Sky directly.
Sky installers are required to complete installations as quickly as possible and hence will seek to install the dish in a location which has easy access and provides a short cable run to the TV. If you require your dish located somewhere that would take more time to install, or with a longer cable run, an independent installer (e.g. Jim's Aerials) can fix the dish and cables as required.
Freesat from Sky is the non-subscription service offered by Sky that carries many of the Freeview TV channels and quite a few others besides. Sky don't provide an HD Sky box as part of the Freesat from Sky package - they require a subscription, with minimum contract, to provide the HD receiver.
Non-Encrypted Sky TV Channels
Restricting ourselves to the Astra 2 satellite cluster, and using either a non-Sky satellite receiver or a Sky box without a viewing card, the following Sky TV channels can be received (1st November 2008):
(The number in the left hand column is the Sky program number).
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 101 | BBC1 (regional) |
| 102 | BBC2 (regional) |
| 103 | ITV1 (regional) |
| 104 | Channel 4 |
| 115 | BBC3 |
| 116 | BBC4 |
| 118 | ITV2 |
| 119 | ITV3 |
| 120 | ITV4 |
| 131 | ITV2+1 |
| 134 | S4C |
| 136 | E4 |
| 137 | E4+1 |
| 138 | More4 |
| 139 | More4+1 |
| 146 | ZoneReality |
| 147 | ZoneReality+1 |
| 148 | ZoneThriller |
| 149 | ZoneRomantica |
| 157 | Film24 |
| 166 | Information TV |
| 167 | Info TV2 |
| 168 | BBC Alba |
| 171 | My Channel |
| 178 | Men & Motors |
| 179 | ITV3+1 |
| 180 | Red |
| 184 | BEN |
| 187 | AIT Int'l |
| 188 | Showcase TV |
| 189 | Open Access 2 |
| 190 | Open Access 3 |
| 195 | propeller |
| 196 | Nuts TV |
| 197 | Pulse |
| 198 | BET |
| 199 | OHTV |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 201 | Paranormal |
| 202 | NTAI |
| 203 | Channel M |
| 204 | Pulse + 1 |
| 207 | Pulse + ½ |
| 208 | Pulse + ¾ |
| 210 | Nuts TV + 1 |
| 251 | Travel Channel |
| 252 | Travel Ch+1 |
| 253 | Travel Channel 2 |
| 260 | Rock-on-tv |
| 261 | Fashion TV |
| 262 | Real Estate TV |
| 263 | Real Estate+1 |
| 264 | Wine TV |
| 266 | Wedding TV |
| 267 | Wedding TV+1 |
| 270 | SA Direct |
| 271 | Luxe TV |
| 272 | Baby Channel |
| 274 | O'seasproperty |
| 275 | Body in Balance |
| 280 | Horse & Country |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 315 | Film4 |
| 316 | Film4+1 |
| 319 | Zone Horror |
| 320 | Zone Horror + 1 |
| 321 | True Movies |
| 322 | True Movies 2 |
| 323 | movies4men |
| 324 | movies4men+1 |
| 325 | movies4men 2 |
| 326 | movies4men 2 + 1 |
| 330 | AIT Movistar |
| 331 | World Movies |
| 333 | Nigeria Movies |
| 365 | Chart Show TV |
| 366 | The Vault |
| 367 | Flava |
| 369 | oMusic |
| 370 | channel U |
| 371 | Fizz |
| 372 | Bliss |
| 374 | Scuzz |
| 376 | Flaunt |
| 378 | Rockworld TV |
| 379 | Bubble Hits |
| 382 | NME TV |
| 383 | Clubland TV |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 418 | Setanta News |
| 427 | Fight Network |
| 456 | sportsXchange |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 501 | Sky News |
| 502 | Bloomberg |
| 503 | BBC News |
| 504 | BBC Parl'mnt |
| 506 | CNN |
| 507 | S4C2 |
| 508 | Euronews |
| 510 | CCTV-9 |
| 512 | Russia Today |
| 513 | France 24 |
| 514 | Al Jazeera Eng |
| 539 | CommunityChnl |
| 547 | Business Chn'l |
| 580 | GOD Channel |
| 581 | GOD Europe |
| 582 | Wonderful |
| 583 | TBN Europe |
| 584 | Daystar |
| 585 | revelation |
| 586 | UCB TV |
| 587 | Inspiration |
| 588 | Loveworld TV |
| 589 | EWTN |
| 590 | Gospel Channel |
| 591 | Word Channel |
| 592 | Genesis |
| 593 | Faith |
| 594 | KICC TV |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 613 | CBBC Channel |
| 614 | Cbeebies |
| 616 | POP |
| 617 | Tiny Pop |
| 621 | CITV |
| 625 | Tiny Pop+1 |
| 626 | PopGirl |
| 627 | Kix! |
| 629 | PopGirl+1 |
| 640 | QVC |
| 641 | JML |
| 642 | Rocks & Co. |
| 643 | TV Shop |
| 644 | Ideal World |
| 645 | price-drop TV |
| 646 | Pitch TV |
| 647 | Thomson TV |
| 648 | High Street TV |
| 649 | Best Direct |
| 650 | Jewellery Ch. |
| 651 | Ideal World 2 |
| 652 | Gems.tv 1 |
| 653 | TV Warehouse |
| 654 | bid tv |
| 655 | Thomas Cook |
| 656 | Gems.tv 2 |
| 657 | Pitch World |
| 658 | Best Direct+ |
| 659 | Shop on TV |
| 660 | Thane Direct |
| 661 | TV Warehouse 2 |
| 662 | JML Choice |
| 663 | Shop + Shop |
| 664 | BeverlyHillsTV |
| 665 | speedauctiontv |
| 666 | JML Beauty |
| 667 | JML Cook Shop |
| 668 | Ideal World 3 |
| 670 | Gems.tv 3 |
| 671 | Create & Craft |
| 672 | TeletextHols |
| 674 | JJB Sports |
| 675 | Max TV |
| 677 | Celebrity Shop |
| 680 | Screenshop2 |
| 682 | Entrepreneur |
| 684 | Tron Direct 2 |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 781 | B4U Music |
| 785 | PCNE Chinese |
| 786 | Bangla TV |
| 787 | mta-muslim TV |
| 789 | Zee Music |
| 792 | PTV Prime |
| 793 | MATV National |
| 796 | Abu Dhabi TV |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 801 | Record TV |
| 802 | DM Digital |
| 805 | Venus TV |
| 806 | Oneworld |
| 807 | Aastha TV |
| 810 | PTV Global |
| 813 | Islam Channel |
| 814 | Channel 'S' |
| 819 | Noor TV |
| 820 | Peace TV |
| 822 | Music India |
| 823 | jazeerachildren |
| 825 | GEO News |
| 826 | Channel S NTV |
| 827 | ATN |
| 828 | 9X |
| 829 | DD - India |
| 830 | Sunrise TV |
| 831 | NDTV Imagine |
| 832 | Glory TV |
| 833 | Brit Asia TV |
| 834 | Nepali TV |
| 835 | SupremeMastr |
| 836 | KBC |
| 837 | DBN |
| 860 | Jackpot |
| 861 | Gala TV |
| 863 | MonteCarloTV |
| 866 | Super Casino |
| 867 | Live Bingo |
| 869 | SmartLive |
| 870 | Casino TV |
| 875 | Dating Channel |
| 876 | GayDate TV |
| 877 | Gay Network |
| 878 | Chat Box |
| 879 | Chat Back |
| 880 | Teachers TV |
| 883 | OpenAccess |
| 884 | Audi Channel |
| 886 | Psychic TV |
| 888 | Ocaen Finance |
| 899 | Sky Cust Ch. |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 906 | Babestation |
| 907 | Friendly TV |
| 908 | Babeworld.tv |
| 909 | GetLucky TV |
| 910 | Lucky Star |
| 912 | Tease Me |
| 914 | Over 18 TV |
| 918 | SportxxxBabes |
| 948 | Tease Me 2 |
| 949 | House Of Fun |
| 950 | Livexxx Babes |
| 951 | Blue Kiss TV |
| 952 | The Other Side |
| 954 | Northern Birds |
| 955 | Essex Babes |
| 956 | HappyHourGirls |
| 957 | Live XXX |
| 970 | Sky Cust Ch. |
| 971 | BBC1 Scotland |
| 972 | BBC1 Wales |
| 973 | BBC1 N.I. |
| 974 | BBC1 London |
| 975 | BBC1 NE&C |
| 976 | BBC1 Yorks |
| 977 | BBC1 Yrks&Lin |
| 978 | BBC1 N West |
| 979 | BBC1 W Mids |
| 980 | BBC1 E Mids |
| 981 | BBC1 East(E) |
| 982 | BBC1 East (W) |
| 983 | BBC1 S East |
| 984 | BBC1 South |
| 985 | BBC1 Oxford |
| 986 | BBC1 West |
| 987 | BBC1 S West |
| 988 | BBC1 CI |
| 989 | BBC2 England |
| 990 | BBC2 Scotland |
| 991 | BBC2 W |
| 992 | BBC2 NI |
| 993 | ITV1 London |
| 994 | Channel 4 |
| 995 | Channel 4 + 1 |
| 996 | Chl Line-up |
| 998 | Sky |
| 999 | Sky Cust Ch. |
|
The following radio programmes can also be received:
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 0101 | BBC R1 |
| 0102 | BBC R2 |
| 0103 | BBC R3 |
| 0104 | BBC R4 FM |
| 0105 | BBC R5 Live |
| 0106 | Classic FM |
| 0107 | Virgin Radio |
| 0108 | talkSPORT |
| 0109 | Capital |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 0110 | Planet Rock |
| 0111 | XFM |
| 0112 | FUN Radio |
| 0113 | the Jazz |
| 0114 | Choice FM |
| 0115 | BBC WS |
| 0116 | BBC R Scot. |
| 0117 | BBC R Wales |
| 0118 | BBC R Ulster |
| 0119 | BBC Asian N |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 0120 | BBC6 Music |
| 0121 | Gold |
| 0122 | WRN Europe |
| 0123 | Premier |
| 0124 | Heart |
| 0125 | UCB UK |
| 0128 | Smooth |
| 0129 | Solar Radio |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 0130 | Panjab Radio |
| 0131 | BBC7 |
| 0133 | Sunrise |
| 0134 | UCB Bible |
| 0135 | UCB Gospel |
| 0136 | UCB Insp |
| 0137 | 1xtra BBC |
| 0138 | TWR |
| 0139 | BBC R n Gael |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 0141 | Raaj Radio |
| 0142 | RTE R1 Extra |
| 0143 | BBC R4 LW |
| 0144 | BBC R5 L Sport |
| 0145 | Club Asia |
| 0146 | Real Radio |
| 0147 | EWTN |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 0150 | Sukh Sagar |
| 0151 | Asian Gold |
| 0152 | BBC London |
| 0154 | BBC R Cymru |
| 0156 | CC Radio |
| 0158 | Gaydarradio |
| 0159 | FamilyRadio |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 0160 | RTE Radio 1 |
| 0161 | ArrwRock |
| 0164 | RTE 2 FM |
| 0165 | RTE Lyric fm |
| 0166 | RTE R na G |
| 0168 | Akash Radio |
| 0169 | Desi Radio |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 0170 | The Hits |
| 0171 | Galaxy |
| 0172 | Smash Hits! |
| 0173 | Kismat |
| 0176 | Amrit Bani |
| 0177 | LBC97.3 |
| 0178 | Kiss |
| 0179 | Heat |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 0180 | Magic |
| 0181 | Q |
| 0182 | MOJO |
| 0183 | Kerrang |
| 0184 | NME |
| 0185 | Spectrum1 |
| 0186 | Liberty |
| 0187 | punjabi radio |
| 0188 | Insight Radio |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 0190 | big L 1395 |
| 0194 | Colourful |
| 0195 | RTI Radio |
| 0199 | Caroline |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 0200 | VirginXtrme |
| 0201 | Virgin C Rock |
| 0202 | Virgin 105.8 |
| 0203 | Virgin Ignition |
| 0205 | DutchIntSv |
| 0206 | Recordbrazil |
| 0207 | Rainbow |
| 0209 | Yorkshire |
|
| Channel No. | Programme |
|---|
| 0210 | Newstalk |
| 0211 | BFBS Radio |
| 0212 | Hot Digital |
| 0213 | PRL 24 |
| 0214 | UCB Ireland |
|
With a "Freesat from Sky" card in the viewing card slot (a one-off payment of £20 has to be made to Sky for this), the following TV programmes are additionally available:
| | 105 | Five |
| | 108 | Sky Three |
| | 135 | Channel 4+1 |
| | 174 | Five US |
| | 175 | Five US + 1 |
| | 176 | FIVER |
| | 177 | FIVER + 1 |
|
|
With a full Sky subscription card, many more programmes are available, with the exact content being determined by the particular subscription taken out.
The Sky viewing card has to be "married" to a particular Sky receiver, which requires a phone call to Sky giving the details for the specific receiver which the card will be used in. After logging the details, Sky send a signal via the satellite to complete the process, which also sets the regional TV requirements for that particular Sky receiver / viewing card, based on the viewer's postcode.
Trying to use the Sky viewing card in another Sky receiver won't work, since it hasn't been "married" to that receiver. The receiver will still operate, and provide the unencrypted channels (just the same as it does without the viewing card inserted). The card can be married to a different Sky receiver (e.g. when upgrading to HD) by phoning up Sky and providing the approprate details for the new receiver.
Satellite Receiver Options
There are four kinds of Sky receiver available:
| Sky basic satellite receiver (std. definition, single receiver) |
| Sky+ satellite receiver (std. definition, dual receiver & PVR) |
| Sky HD receiver (high definition, single receiver) |
| Sky+ HD receiver (high definition, dual receiver & PVR) |
Sky receivers are available "subsidised" from a Sky approved source (when they are bought together with a Sky subscription). A basic Sky receiver could be "free" (depending on offers available), but will require a £30 installation charge and a minimum subscription of £16 per month. The basic Sky installation gets a standard minidish with very little finesse for the dish mounting and the associated cable run.
A non-subsidised "off-contract" Sky receiver can be purchased new, but isn't cheap - a basic receiver will be about £100. A high definition (HD) receiver will be near to £300 and a Sky+ box will be about £150. A Sky+ box with HD will be over £400.
The Sky+ service is "free" with an existing Sky subscription, but without the subscription the recording functions cannot be accessed and Sky charge £10 per month subscription to make this available.
Sky HD services are subject to an additional subscription of £10 per month, but may also depend on any existing Sky subscription.
Sky receivers are also available second-hand (e.g. on Ebay), particularly when Sky customers have upgraded from Sky to Sky+. These generally represent the lowest cost way of getting satellite reception, and can be bought for under £30. They still require a satellite dish and LNB to enable them to work however.
Non-Sky satellite receivers are made by many different manufacturers, such as Humax, Manhattan, Technomate and Topfield. These receivers are available in both HD and PVR versions, however due to the compression used for the Freesat HD services, some of these receivers may not be able to decode the signal (some work for MPEG2 HD only, not for MPEG4 HD). The additional complication for a PVR is that it needs an electronic programme guide (EPG) to make it useable. For recording, Sky's EPG is not accessible without subscribing to their Sky+ service, but the BBC / ITV "Freesat" service does incorporate an alternative EPG facility. Once Freesat PVR receivers are available, the take-up of the Freesat service could increase significantly.
Sky Remote Control Programming
The standard Sky remote control can be programmed to operate the basic functions on many TV sets in addition to controlling the Sky satellite receiver. Codes for a range of TV sets are held in a memory chip inside the remote, which has to be set up with the appropriate code. Instructions for programming the Sky remote are available on the internet (e.g. Sky Remote Control page). The latest set of codes for specific makes of TV is available using the Sky Interactive pages on a Sky satellite receiver. A list of the 4 digit codes for the rev. 8 Sky remote (check by looking at the label hidden in the battery compartment) is also available here. This is a complete list for the rev. 8 remote - any other codes entered will not work.
Note that newer TVs may not have the necessary operating codes included in the manufacturer's 4 digit code set, or are not listed as a manufacturer. This can be a particular problem with brands such as DMTech, UMC, Alba and Goodmans. For these TVs, it may be worth stepping through the different 4 digit codes to search for one that works, since the IR remote control chip set used inside the TV may well be common to another manufacturer.
N.B. This does not imply that a successful code will be found, even if there is a manufacturer's code present in the list - sometimes the set can be made to turn on and off, but functions such as volume and channel change may not work. Having a dialogue with the either the TV manufacturer or with Sky to attempt to obtain a working code may provide a result, but it can also result in disappointment or a list of codes that the remote does not recognise (and hence will not work).
The "big" TV brands such as Sony, Toshiba, Panasonic are very good at keeping to their existing IR codes, and in general these TV sets are much easier to set up to operate using the Sky remote.
A new rev. 9 Sky remote control is expected to be launched mid to late 2008, which should include codes for newer TVs.
