Every week at DTVS towers we get asked about Freesat, the free to air satellite television service and how you can get it.
There are lots of Freesat set top boxes, and our guide picks out the top 5.
Freesat is a relatively easy service to purchase, first and foremost you require a satellite dish, following by a digital television with a HDMI input if you want to watch high definition, and then you need a Freesat receiver which can be purchased from your local digital television retailer.
If you need to get your Freesat service installed, you can normally organise this when you purchase your Freesat receiver and installation charges can be fairly minimal depending on what set top box you buy.
With Freesat not only do you not have to pay any subscription charges or worry about any contracts, you can also get a wide range of digital TV channels including E4, 5USA, Film Four and kids digital channels CBBC and CBeebies.
In addition to this, you can also get a wide range of digital television channels in high definition including BBC One HD, and Channel 4 HD and catch up TV services like BBC iPlayer and 4oD.
If you are thinking about buying a Freesat service, read our information on the top 5 freesat set top boxes which are currently available.
5. Echostar HDS-600RS
The Echostar HDS-600RS is the first ever Freesat box which incorporates a Slingbox player meaning that you can use this Freesat boxto watch content from your Freesat box whether its live or recorded anywhere that you can access a broadband connection.
The Echostar HDS-600RS is a fully packed Freesat set top box with a slingbox incorporated
The box has a 500GB hard drive incorporated with a PVR (personal video recorder) meaning that you can record your favourite shows to the box and has HDMI ports for high definition viewing. The Echostar HDS-600RS also includes functionality to allow you to watch BBC iPlayer.
Normal Retail Price: £350
4. Humax Foxsat HDR
The Humax Foxsat HDR has been around for what seems like an absolute age, but that’s because it’s been hugely popular with many owners and has won numerous awards for the functionality and interface which means using it is incredibly simple.
The Humax Foxsat HDR box is one of the best in the market
The 320GB hard drive allows you to record around 200 hours of standard definition programming or around 80 hours of high definition programs, and the box also features the standard HDMI, and Scart inputs along with a front mounted USB port which will allow you to transfer MP3’s and JPEGs to the hard drive, or play them directly off a USB memory stick.
The Humax Foxsat HDR may seem short on features compared to newer boxes, but its clean user interface still makes it one of the best Freesat set top boxes in the market.
Normal Retail Price: £250
Compare the cheapest digital television packages using our comparison service at Digital TV Selector or call our team of experts on 0800 840 4942 today!
3. Manhattan Plaza DS-100
The Manhattan Plaza HD-S is a basic set top box for a good price
There are other Freesat set top boxes on the market which are packed with features compared to the Manhattan, but what makes this box so popular is the amazingly cheap price that it is available for whilst maintaining standards of quality.
The user interface is based on standard Freesat menus, and has two scart inputs. Retailing at around £50 it is the ideal set top box for those who either don’t want to purchase a full digital television service from the likes of Sky or Virgin Media, or cannot get Freeview services in their region for whatever reason.
Normal Retail Price: £50
2. Samsung SMT-S7800
One of the newer Freesat+ set top boxeson the market the Samsung SMT-S7800 feels like a refresh on the Humax Foxsat HDR. With a PVR built in and 500GB hard drive you’ll be able to record a wide range of content without worrying about running out of space.
The Samsung SMT-S7800 has the most features of all the Freesat set top boxes
There is also a set of integrated catch up TV features meaning that you can access BBC iPlayer, and a dedicated WebTV button in the menu screen will also allow you to access video sharing and streaming site YouTube.
The Samsung SMT-S7800 can also stream a wide range of content over a local area connection meaning that you can playback music and video stored on its hard drive on any device that is able to connect to it via the network. There is also a USB port allowing you to import music and movies directly onto the hard drive.
If you want a fully featured set top box for your Freesat service, the Samsung SMT-S7800 is one of the best on the market.
Normal Retail Price: £250
1. Technisat HDFS
Our most popular box is from German manufacturers Technisat, and whilst it does not feature a hard drive the build quality is fantastic as you would expect from a German manufactured product!
The Technisat HDFS is a well built box with a wide variety of features for a good price.
The box also features HDMI outputs for the high definition channels, and also has USB ports and a memory card slot which will allow you to playback JPEG images to your TV, so if you have a digital camera and want to see the images, simply drop your memory card into the Technisat HDFS and you’ll be able to see them on the screen!
The box can also be run either in Freesat mode with all of the standard Freesat menus and images or Technisat mode which gives you a set of personalised menus from Technisat.
In addition to these features the set top box can be used to stream media across a network as well as from a USB memory stick with all of the popular formats being supported. This is the Freesat box for people who want to have everything from their Freesat service.
Compare Freesat to other satellite television services using our comparison service at Digital TV Selector or call our team of experts on 0800 840 4942 for free impartial advice on the best services!
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