Freeview & Sky tv battle

**Hitech** · 21-05-2007, 11:41 AM

Looks like the battle of sky tv and freeview is heating up over the use of skys dish.

On ringing several satellite installers this morning most of them have told me i would have to get a second dish on my roof because sky are stopping freeview customers from using their dish.

Also as yet sky haven't switched to horizontal polarisation yet which is supposed to be happening on may 26th, even if this does happen all of the installers have said you will still get some freeview channels if you have sky but after a while you decoder will freeze up and you wont see anything.

This will continue to happen until you get another dish installed despite the fact they both use the same spot beam, sky are altering the frequency to make it harder for you to use their dish if you are a sky customer wanting to also get freeview.

One of the installers told me over the phone that as of this morning freeview have announced that their new news channel and home channel will be digitally encrypted so sky cant muck about with those channels.

Oh what a wicked world we live in when it comes to sharing.

**Breezzee** · 21-05-2007, 01:39 PM

ummm makes me think of Sky in the same boat as Telecom. Had the market share for far too long.

Nice to hear there is a home channel coming online. That will keep the "dragon" happy when I finally dump that over priced other service.

On a side note, does anyone know where to purchase in NZ a Topfield PVR?

Here's a helpfull comparison list:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~toppytools/compare.html

**paulw** · 21-05-2007, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by Breezzee

On a side note, does anyone know where to purchase in NZ a Topfield PVR?

Here's a helpfull comparison list:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~toppytools/compare.html

I suspect that you maybe out of luck as I believe that the Ozz DVB system is rather unique in the world (Holden Rules mentality) and may not work here..

**Hitech** · 21-05-2007, 02:32 PM

topfield pvr go to freeviewshop.co.nz

**Breezzee** · 21-05-2007, 02:51 PM

Thanks for the link Hitech.

Seems they are all out of stock at the moment.

paulw, if they're selling them in NZ already (as per Hitech's link), does that mean they have a firmware update maybe to let them work in our country?

**Hitech** · 21-05-2007, 03:07 PM

Try this link for trade me and type in topfield.

Heres one here for you for less than $300

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics...030556.htm?p=1

**Clod** · 21-05-2007, 03:31 PM

You didn't really think Sky was going to give free use of the dish to freeview did you. As far as I understood it Sky was happy to leave their dishes on a house in the hope that the new occupant if it was sold or rented out would think about subscribing. Would you let someone move into your house just cos they liked your view?

**pctek** · 21-05-2007, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by Hitech

sky are altering the frequency to make it harder for you to use their dish if you are a sky customer wanting to also get freeview.

Who cares? TV1, 2, 3, C4.

**rogerp** · 21-05-2007, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by pctek

Who cares? TV1, 2, 3, C4.

Some people get sky, solely so they can get those channels. If they have a free alternative, then sky are going to lose quite a few customers. Sky will also have increased competition from TV and videos delviered over broadband, as well other some other satellite providers who are looking at entering the market. Maybe it s agood time to sell my sky shares.

**rogerp** · 21-05-2007, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by pctek

Who cares? TV1, 2, 3, C4.

Some people get sky, solely so they can get those channels. If they have a free alternative, then sky are going to lose quite a few customers. Sky will also have increased competition from TV and videos delviered over broadband, as well other some other satellite providers who are looking at entering the market. Maybe it s agood time to sell my sky shares.