Blue Sky Cards ... RIP (March 2010)

Sky have updated their encryption system and, as a result, the Blue cards will no longer decode certain channels.

The channels that are definitely lost are FiveUSA, FiveUSA+1, Fiver, Fiver+1 and Sky Three. If you want to watch those channels, then you have to buy a new viewing card which will cost you £20.

If your original card was registered in London, Scotland or the North, then you will also have lost Five at channel 105. You can get this back by using the Other Channels method described in our factsheets. If your card was registered elsewhere, then you will still be able to view Five in its normal place.

Some ITV1 regions have also been lost, you can either watch ITV1 London on Channel 993 or add another ITV1 region using the Other Channels method.

The blue cards are not completely dead. They still allocate the BBC1 and ITV1 region in the Electronic Programme Guide.

CNBC joins Freesat (Feb 2010)

CNBC has joined the Freesat electronic programme guide on channel 210.

Also, there is now an Information channel for Freesat on channel 999.

CNBC Free to Air (January 2010)

CNBC has abandoned its Sky encryption and can now be received on Sky boxes (channel 505) as well as all Freesat boxes and free to air boxes.

CNBC is a much respected news and business affairs broadcaster but also shows the Late Show every evening and sports highlights at the weekends

CNBC doesn't yet appear on the Freesat EPG but it can be added as a non-Freesat channel ... instructions on how to do this are in your manual and on our website under the Freesat Factsheets. The channel can also be added to your free to air boxes ... we show you how to do that on the boxes that we've supplied over the years under 'Help'.

You will need to know the Transponder details which are:
Frequency = 11261
Polarity = H
Symbol Rate = 27.5

Technisat HDFS now PVR-Ready (09/12/09)

The long awaited upgrade for the Technisat HDFS High Definition freesat receiver has been released. The Technisat HDFS is already a very high quality, top of the range freesat receiver which has a manufacturer's guarantee of three years. With the new upgrade, it has become PVR Ready which means that it will record tv and radio programmes to an external hard disc drive or USB memory stick.

You can record instantly or plan a recording up to 7 days ahead by using the Programme Guide ... the Technisat also lets you pause Live TV.

The Technisat has two USB ports and all you need to do is plug in a memory stick or external hdd into one of them. The instruction manual for the new features can be downloaded from our website here.

The actual download to add the new PVR functions is available now on the Technisat website and will be available as an Over The Air download by satellite on Monday the 14th December.