Freeview in the UK

[Kristan]

Probably going to look like a total noob but here I go anyway

Playing with my new DVB-T box last night it successfully discovered several channels like UKTVGold, Discovery etc. In the crappy KWorld software it puts a little no-entry sign by them - any idea what this is? It doesn't seem to be signal related as other channels on the same mux (is that right?) are viewable.

Are some of the freeview channels encrypted or something and I need some sort of CAM to decode them? I've seen posts saying that gbpvr won't support QAM due to the cost (which is fair enough!), is that what this is about?

[stu8080]

Are some of the freeview channels encrypted or something and I need some sort of CAM to decode them?

Thats right, to get those channels you need a set-top box that accepts 'Top-Up TV' cards and you have to pay a fee to get them. There are no freeview PC Tuner cards available that will allow you to view these.

In config, when you map channels you can deselect theser channels and they wont show up in GBPVR.

[stefan]

PC Tuner cards with CA modules do exist, it's just that GBPVR does not support that feature.

[Kristan]

Ta guys, so basically everything listed here I should be able to get into gbpvr (assuming I can get a signal)?

[melearp]

Yes, but you might not want to risk the teletext channels. I am in the UK and have two DVBT tuners and I get everything including the radio channels. GBPVR doesn't support the radio side very well, but I understand that might be coming sometime. It would be good to record the radio properly.

[herbs]

I wouldn't bother with a cam/ci for freeview for the UK as topuptv is changing it's model. As it has lost more channels (to five live and five usa) they are bringing out http://www.topuptv.com/newcustomer/home.html

[Kristan]

I wouldn't bother anyway as I've already got sky, I just wanted to have a play with this so I can PVR stuff from freeview while watching sky and vice versa. For the price topup tv are charging it's not far short of getting a normal sky package anyway.

[Benz]

It took me a while to work out why I couldn't see those extra channels :-) Can't work out why they are also visible on my freeview box even though it doesn't support Top Up TV. Wish I could get rid of them.

Anyway my (related) question is: can you downgrade a Sky subscription to Freeview / Free To Air? And do you need a new card for the box?

We have the basic Sky Package as I'm not into Sport and get all of my movies from other sources; cinema/DVD/etc.... Maybe I'm a bit of a 'tight git' but I begrudge paying for a Sky package that is only slighly better than Freeview.

[nemulate]

I think if you cancel the subscription (apart from offering you good deals to stay!) you will still receive the FTA channels. Bear in mind not all freeview channels are FTA (free to air) channels on Sky. No E4 for instance! http://www.freesatfromsky.co.uk/ has all the info you need!

[martint123]

Anyway my (related) question is: can you downgrade a Sky subscription to Freeview / Free To Air? And do you need a new card for the box?

Pull the card out and see what you can watch. These would be the free-to-air channels. With a card, but no subscription, you will get a few more channels. If you cancel your sub, you keep the card and it will keep working for the free-to-view channels until all the cards are replaced. I think they sell a free-to-view card for around 20 quid.