Can you help me work out how best to get our TV?

[Daisybell1]

I'd appreciate some help finding my way through technology! Most of this is common place but we're in a technological backwater!

We currently have sky+ costing £33 a month. We don't have sports but OH likes to have the documentaries option. DD likes nick jn.

We can't have free view as there's no tv signal. We have just got unlimited broadband but it's not fibre optic or anything. Finally our TVs are older so no HD or Internet enabled.

We're getting cross at having to pay sky every month for a box which doesn't reliably record any more.

We also bought a second hand wii at the weekend and were very surprised to find iplayer on it.

If it wasnt for oh's desire for documentaries or Dave, I'd get rid of the sky subscription and go onto freesat. I'm going to put you tube onto the wii and am considering paying for netflix. We can't get 4OD though.

Apologies for the essay, but what would you do???? We are considering getting a new TV which would have internet but not yet...

[nannynick]

I would try Netflix. Free 1 month trial, then £6 a month.
You can download the Netflix app for Wii from the Wii Shop channel.

You can easily cancel it (by clicking a link on the website), restart subscription. Probably best to sign up via a webbrowser on a laptop/tablet, easier than using the Wii remote to enter details!

Netflix UK Full Catalogue - there are documentaries for DH and some old reruns.

There are children's shows and movies - Max & Ruby, Care Bears, Clifford, Dora the Explorer, Angelina Ballerina, Bugs Life, Cars

Netflix removes content and replaces it, so it's not like recording something on Sky+ to watch later. There have been times when I have thought of watching something to then find it has been removed.

The Wii interface for Netflix is a bit slow but you get used to it. Depending on net speed it will buffer for a bit before playing.

Give it a try, you can always cancel it and you get first month for free.

Go To Mumsnet Netflix microsite and then click the banner to signup.

Then if you find that is enough to keep you happy, along with iPlayer and YouTube (some 4OD content on YouTube) then you can dump Sky.

[nannynick]

4OD has removed a lot of content from YouTube alas. Do you really need to watch any of it? Use a laptop/desktop/tablet.

[nannynick]

When you get a new TV you don't need to get a smart one, use ChromeCast or similar to make it smart. Likely to be lower cost.
Tech is changing frequently so easier to replace the ChromeCast than entire TV each time something new is created.

[Daisybell1]

Thank you so much. I replied earlier but it never appeared

I've downloaded netflix and OH spent last night going "it's got this", and this! and this!!!!

So sky may be on the way out!

[eurochick]

Dave is on Freeview, btw.

[Daisybell1]

Thanks Eurochick but unfortunately it's not on sky's freesat service, they include it in their pay for channels...

[Subhuman]

Regarding Chromecast, it is great for Netflix and turning a TV into a smart TV (if you have a HDMI slot free) so we have one in each TV. Pause a film downstairs, head upstairs and carry on watching from where you were.

NOW TV from Sky is now compatible with it as well and the entertainment pack (including Sky 1, Atlantic, Living, FOX, Discovery, Disney, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr) on that is £4.99/month. No recording, and different lifecycles of programmes, but might be worth a try. There are sports and movie packs as well. Movies looks a reasonable price (£8.99/month) but sports is expensive (£6.99 day pass)