A question-whats the best freesat box ?

[argonsixar]

I finally had enough of paying for sky Q and am trying to cancel (that's a story in itself).
Has anyone on here replaced sky with a freesat box and if so, are there any issues and whats the best one to buy ?
Thoughts and guidance appreciated.

 

[legrandefromage]

Streaming is cheaper and better picture quality if your telly can handle it

And if you ask for a freesat card for your sky box, use that

 

[FluffyChicken]

What TV do you have, if it is LG or some Samsung you may already have it built it. Then drop an external drive and you have a bit of simple PVR.

Other than that it's probably 4K Freesat one., start around £250


What do you want it for, while I use freesat over Freeview all the time on my TVs, I'd just use Freeview if I had to pay for it.
I wouldn't even bother getting my old FoxSatHD out.

 

[argonsixar]

Solid advice so far. Any one know if there are any pitfalls/dodgy devices to avoid?

 

[nstarmore]

Can't advise on box as last time I had one was probably about 10 years ago, it was humax recording box and it was crap as it froze constantly.

In all honesty though we just have an xbox series s that we just stream on instead. Can be picked up for £200 new and the remote you can get for it works flawlessly. Ongoing Disney+ and Prime subsriction and every now and then do Netflix or NOW TV for a month.

Well done on dumping Sky though, greedy barstewards, they are.

 

[FluffyChicken]

A FireTV or Chromecast TV dongle is a lot cheaper the an XBOX-S if streaming is the only thing, both have all the apps and more.

Unless they brick the SkyQ or really really want it back, then you should be able to get free to air channels (or check they didn't stop Freesat on sky) and still use the streaming apps as well. I have a feeling they ask for them back and lock them now?


Check Sky and Freesat website.

What TV is it used with?

 

[argonsixar]

Thanks for all the guidance so far. I am going to see what happens when the box stops working and take a decision then. So I may update this thread in a couple of weeks. As an interesting aside, Sky bounced me all over the shop when I called to cancel, so I emailed customer servic e and cut off my standing order. I have since been bombarded by call centre spam calls (unanswered by me of course) and a snarky email threatening to charge me extra if I didn't set up new DD right away.

 

[Siish]

The best thing I found for streaming was a roku device you can pick a basic donglr up from as little as £30, but depending on which apps you want will depend on what device suits best

 

[argonsixar]

A quick update.
Sky box now locked down by them, so only basic receiver working. I have no problem with that and have turned it off anyway.
They have so far ignored three emails to customer service, with two of them being requests from me for details of an address to return their kit.
Coincidentally, I have been receiving a triple amount of spam type voice calls since I requested to leave (all unanswered by me).

More importantly, the wife has learned to embrace streaming and catch-up TV services (advice from my fellow RBers was sound) and she has just about stopped grumbling about losing the sky interface, which is truthfully very good !

I am now saving myself the best part of a hundred quid a month.

It must be new bike time...

 

[nstarmore]

Hearing people finally freeing themselves from Sky genuinely gives me joy, congratulations on your liberation