General Chat

Martin, My point is that the channels ARE in my box, but encrypted. Therefore it is only natural to expect that those channels will become available on Freeview. Also my box does not have a slot to put an upgrade card in. It is the equivalent of going to a Restaurant where they advertise "All you can eat for £10" and then, after paying your money, finding that most of the dishes are excluded from the offer.

I don't think the subscription channels are anything to do with FREEVIEW so there is little point in complaining to them. It is a bit like complaining to the BBC about adverts on ITV. MB

We have had a Freeview box for over a year now. We can also receive digital radio and we are very pleased with it. We live in an area of bad reception and can now view Channel 4 and ITV without the "fuzz" I have no intention of buying a "top up" box as we only watch a few "non terrestial " channels. I suppose if you have a large family it might be different but as there is only the two of us it is fine. Cant get the video to work though!!! brenda

Christine, You only pay your licence fee, to the government/BBC, for the PRIVELEGE of operating a tv set, whether you watch satt tv or terrestial stuff.......You even need a licence to watch Videos/Vcr/Dvd/Games through your tv...even your PS2!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ps. although the last two might only apply, if you use the aerial socket, and tuner!!

i have a freeview box, don't see why we should pay for ANY channel, we pay enough on the tv licence! and t goes up every year!

I bought one recently. My postcode was ok, it had coverage, but the literature said I may need an arial upgrade and suggested I got it 'surveyed'. The arial survey cost £80 quid and the freeview box was only £50 so I didn't bother with the survey, £80 to find out my arial is fine is a waste of money. I can only assume I should have an arial upgrade as whether or not I can get a signal strong enough to watch a program depends on the weather. The colder/icer the better! The only channels I can get at all times with no problem are the shopping channels. As my house is under threat of compulsary purchase/demolition, there is no way I am going to pay for a new arial only for it to be knocked down. It is a con! Sam

we have it as does our son (in same house) we all think its great and works ok even though not got special ariel

jim my hubby and i have just paid £80 for a freeview box for his elderly parents( both over 80) they will get all confused i will send hubby over tomoz thanks x

Being the divvy that I am, I understood that Freeview ment free to view once you've purchased the box, so why do we have to pay for other channels. Should they be made to change the name from Freeview to Payview?..........

I've got in touch with Ofcom before about dodgy programmes and adverts. They take their job seriously.

I phoned Freeview and they suggested I contact Offcom at 0845 456 3000 I suggest that all of us who are unhappy with this "Free"view situation should give them a ring and complain. I am still considering whether I have a case to put to Trading Standards because I feel the advertising was fraudulent. Jim

I think the Freeview thing is a sprat to catch a mackeral. The government want to turn off the analogue services, so having 30 supposed free channels to start with encourages people to buy boxes. Come is it 2012 they hope there will be enough digibox users to allow them to turn off analogue without a furore. When you look at the free channels available the only ones worth watching are the normal terrestrial channels we receive on our aerials anyway! Cable - at least ntl is better as at least you get Eurosport! However we have a Freeview box - Matsui - which also does digital radio, which I've cabled into our stereo, that is excellent.

Good thread! There are TOO many channels that are encrypted on Freeview now. From the Freeview site: How do I get in touch with FREEVIEW? Our address is: FREEVIEW, DTV Services Ltd, Broadcast Centre, (BC3 D5), 201 Wood Lane, London, W12 7TP For further queries, please call: 08708 80 99 80

I bought a Freeview box and am concerned that there are so many encrypted channels. I understood when I bought it that they would be adding channels but that hasn't happened. All I get is the offer to SUBSCRIBE to some of them. The whole idea of getting the thing was to stop having to pay a monthly fee. I feel I have been misled. Anyone else have this problem? ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Added by John at 52° 32' 10" N, 1° 25' 15" W on 28/12/2004 16:04:03 I've thought the same GJ. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Added by Stu in Hastings (TLI) on 28/12/2004 16:07:54 Grampa Jim, They have added extra free channels since I`ve had mine, but I agree with you about the subscription ones. It wouldn`t be quite so bad if they were on all the time but they are not. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Added by **♣\ Sue (Suffolk One) /♣** on 28/12/2004 16:09:56 We stopped subscibing to Sky as most channels kept repeating the same things over and over and got fed up with it. Felt this was just as much a con. Sue ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Added By ♫ Grampa Jim ♫ on 28/12/2004 16:11:47 | Update Message | Delete Message Stu, If they are not going to be freeview channels then they have no business being on my box! It is horrible having to navigate all the blank channels trying to find only the active ones. I have done a favourites list, but the online TV guide still lists the progs in numerical order. Jim

I don't want to hijack Mag's Thread so I have started this one. Who do I complain to about my Freeview Service?