Why should I buy a satellite Receiver

[canuck79]

Hi all

We have just moved into a lovely house, in the middle of nowhere. It's fantastic but has two main problems:

1) rubbish internet - 2mbps is usually the best we can muster
2) main room doesn't have a satellite feed, only aerial - and with solid walls and floor getting a feed in is difficult - after last night's conversation it would be drill through the external wall and run cables behind skirting (which would need to be routered first)

So - why should I bother with the hassle of running cables etc so I can have a satellite box??

I'm seriously thinking of just getting a Freeview HD box that can record 1 and watch another - has a smart element that includes BBC Iplayer etc. - we don't have a smart TV

[john doe]

ever thought of iptv? although 2mbps is not great. but then they say a minimum of 2mbps for a Linux receiver. try fining a ISP with good speed and then consider iptv, plenty channels

[canuck79]

try finding an ISP with good speed and then consider iptv, plenty channels

Thanks - unfortunately we are too far from a cabinet AND our exchange is even further away AND it is not a LLU exchange. Essentially it is either BT or Plusnet.

We are actively looking at a rural broadband scheme, but that is a pipe-dream at the moment after a few meetings at the pub.

A freeview HD box would keep the family happy - and then I was thinking a IPTV box, loaded with Kodi etc. I'm genuinely interested in what Satellite would offer me, as I understand you can't get HD channels other than FTA - are the SD channels worth it quality wise, given that my internet is poor and it would be unlikely I could get HD through that route?

[ronand]

You don't need an internet connection to get subscription satellite tv legally. If you are not willing to pay for it then you are on the wrong forum.

[ccs]

I only use freeview/VIX and it's great. HD on bbc, itv etc. It all depends what "extras" you want/expect from satellite.

I only use/need internet access for box updates.

[john doe]

Thanks - unfortunately we are too far from a cabinet AND our exchange is even further away AND it is not a LLU exchange. Essentially it is either BT or Plusnet.

We are actively looking at a rural broadband scheme, but that is a pipe-dream at the moment after a few meetings at the pub.

A freeview HD box would keep the family happy - and then I was thinking a IPTV box, loaded with Kodi etc. I'm genuinely interested in what Satellite would offer me, as I understand you can't get HD channels other than FTA - are the SD channels worth it quality wise, given that my internet is poor and it would be unlikely I could get HD through that route?

you can get satellite broadband, but costly. seems you are stuck

[roy0110]

what is your mobile internet like?...maybe you could tether.

[adm]

You don't need an internet connection to get subscription satellite tv legally. If you are not willing to pay for it then you are on the wrong forum.

You don't need a subscription to get UK satellite legally. Freesat as its name implies is Free to Air.

[ronand]

Very true but the op was talking about sky c/s in a roundabout way.

[canuck79]

My situation is at the moment as follows:

Amazon Prime - we really like it, living in a remote part delivery is certainly a help - makes it better than Netflix in our opinion - Being able to download to a tablet is also helpful for the family (we tend to download over night)

We have no other way other than tablet and laptop of watching Amazon Prime or catch up services, hence the thought of a Freeview HD box.

At around £230 for a 1TB box it seems a good option, no wiring needed just the aerial. And it has the 'Smart' features like catch-up services

Are there FTA channels on satellite (we just have a standard, I imagine old Sky dish) that I could pick up, that I can't through Freeview? - Could we get RTE for example (living in NI) - If with a bit of work with cabling, could I get the same thing, but better.. or cheaper using satellite

[Rob van der Does]

2) main room doesn't have a satellite feed, only aerial - and with solid walls and floor getting a feed in is difficult - after last night's conversation it would be drill through the external wall and run cables behind skirting (which would need to be routered first)

Main room doesn't actually need a COAX-connection (feed from dish) at all; you can place your receiver at any place in your house (or shed/garage) that suits you.
You connect the receiver to your LAN, or can even use Wireless-LAN or homeplugs, so a (cheap) secondary box (may even be without any tuner) in the main room (and/or other rooms) can use the tuners of the remote box. The user experience will be the same as when using the main box with feeds connected, provided your (W)LAN is stable enough.