Quote:
For the benefit of our U.S. audience, what's this "freeview" of which you speak? Can you get content via satellite without paying a monthly fee? That would certainly be nice...


Freeview is the UK digital terrestrial TV service, it is broadcast in the same frequency ranges as analogue broadcast TV. Using a $100 set top box and a TV aerial you can receive a range of channels without a monthly fee.

If you have the right Freeview set top box you can also pay a monthly fee to receive some extra channels.

Free TV channels
Free radio channels
Extra pay channels

The "free" satellite situation in the UK is a little more complicated. There are some channels that are "free to air" (FTA), some "free to view" (FTV) and some pay channels.

FTV channels can be received with any DVB-S receiver, for free. FTA channels are also free, but are encrypted. You can only receive FTA channels with a receiver that supports the Sky Digital VideoGuard system.

"Free" satellite TV channels
"Free" satellite radio channels

Some channels that are freely available on Freeview are FTV on satellite.

If you want to watch FTA and FTV channels then you either need use a Sky Digital receiver with a lapsed subscription, or you have to buy a viewing card for $40 from Sky.

Edit:
...and of course Wikipedia has a far better description of the situation than I managed:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-to-view
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-to-air
http://www.heyrick.co.uk/ricksworld/digibox/skyfrlst.html


Edited by andy (12/03/2006 16:43)
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Remind me to change my signature to something more interesting someday