Freesat from the BBC and ITV

Freesat FAQ

1. What is Freesat?

Freesat is a Free-To-Air digital satellite platform which has its own unique Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) and approved receivers. There are both Standard Definition (SD) receivers and High Definition (HD) receivers available.
Freesat is a joint venture between the BBC and ITV. Freesat came together formally as a joint venture in May 2007, and is funded 50/50 by its shareholders, ITV and the BBC.

2. What equipment will I require to view Freesat?

You will need a Freesat approved receiver, a satellite dish positioned to receive the signals from the Astra 2 group of satellites at 28.2° east, and a television. A HD ready television is required to view HD services in HD.

3. Where can I buy a Freesat system?

In the UK, you can purchase a Freesat receiver through national retailers like Argos, Comet, Currys and John Lewis. Some independent retailers also sell Freesat receivers.

4. Do I have to take the installation option offered with Freesat?

No, though some retailers will tell you otherwise. This is not the case and not official store or Freesat policy. If the sales assistent insists on selling you an installation, ask to see the manager and complain.

5. Can Freesat be viewed on a Sky receiver?

No, Sky receivers have their own EPG (Electronic Programming Guide). The channel line up is fixed by Sky, you can not move edit or delete channels.
All the channels on Freesat are available on Sky (except ITV HD), infact the channel lineup is larger on Sky at present. All the free channels not available on Freesat's EPG can be added by using the Manual Tuning function.

6. Can I receive Freesat in my area?

Freesat is delivered via satellite, almost every household in the UK will be in the coverage area, around 2% of the population may not be able to receive Freesat due to their location. The signal could be blocked by buildings or other obstructions, though in most cases solutions can be found.
You must have a satellite dish pointing at the Astra 2 group of satellites copositioned at 28.2° east.

7. Can I receive Freesat in the Irish Republic?

Yes, though Freesat is not officially available in the Irish republic, the whole of Ireland is within the footprint of the satellites used by Freesat. A UK postcode must be used during installation.

8. Can I receive Freesat in mainland Europe?

Yes and no, Freesat is not officially available outside the UK, some countries are inside the coverage area of the satellites used by Freesat. If you can currently receive services available from the Astra 2D satellite (BBC TV, ITV, Channel 4, E4, More4 and Film4), then reception should be possible.

9. Can I use my Sky dish to receive Freesat?

Yes, if you currently use this dish to receive services such as BBC and ITV (Sky Digital), then your existing dish is probably suitable for receiving Freesat. You could install a dual output LNB on your satellite dish and view both Freesat and Sky through their respective receivers.

10. Can I change the regional settings on my receiver?

Yes, this can easily be done in the Freesat intallation menu by changing the post code.
There are hundreds of post codes in the UK, to change region type in one of the following:

Region	Postcode
Anglia	NR1 3JG
Border	CA1 3NT
Central	B1 2JT
Channel	JE1 3ZD
Granada	M60 9EA
HTV Wales	CF5 6XJ
London	WC1X 8XZ
Meridian	ME14 5NZ
HTV West	BS4 3HG
Westcountry	PL7 5BQ
Tyne Tees	NE11 9SZ

Overseas Reception & Regional Settings

Outside the official Astra 2D footprint, reception of your default region may be difficult. Apart from some local variations, the BBC's and ITV1's programming is more or less identical.
All BBC and ITV regions are available on satellite, though only your regional ITV1 will be available on Freesat's EPG.
Some regions use horizontal and some vertical transponders. Signal strength from horizontal and vertical transponders varies considerably from country to country, so your default region may not give the best reception in your area.
Try one of the following combinations:

Region	Postcode	Area	Polarization
BBC One SE & ITV1 London	TN13 1AA	Seven Oaks, Kent	Vertical
BBC One Scotland and ITV Border North	TD7 5EA	Selkirk	Horizontal

11. Can I watch HDTV on Freesat?

Yes, BBC HD is currently the only HD channel available through the EPG.
ITV HD is a red button service available through ITV1 when HD programming is available.
Channel 4 HD is available exclusively on Sky HD, there is currently no launch date for Freesat.

12. Do I need an HD-ready television to watch High Definition (HD) programmes?

You need an HD-Ready television and an HD digital receiver in order to view high definition programmes in high definition. Your receiver should be connected to the TV through a HDMI cable.
HD channels can still be viewed on a non HD TV through an analogue scart cable, the video is not HD.

12. Does Freesat offer subtitling and audio description capabilities?

All Freesat receivers offer Subtitles and Audio Description, through the menu options for selecting them may differ slightly between manufacturers and models.

14. Does Freesat offer Red Button Interactivity?

Yes, Red button services are available through Freesat. The BBC offer a wide range of red button services including news, sports, business and entertainment.