"die-hard fans of the sport will no doubt stump up the cash regardless"

I've been watching F1 since 1979 and you are completely and utterly wrong with regards to this statement. I will not be forking money over for a Sky package.

I will be sorting out the satellite disk that is on my house (mounted by previous owners) and using the German F1 coverage to watch the race. Seeing as I speak German at home, I have no need to find any English coverage although I'm not happy about having to watch RTL's adverts :-(

Still not sure what to do

85cm dish is a must.

I will need a sat meter.

Also will need new quad LNBs anyway

But do I get RTL and use my Humax HDR?

Or do I get TNTSat and a TNTSat box?

Or do I get a Dreambox, almost tempted to do a single LNB on Astra1 and get a Dreambox and TNTSat card and use TF1.

My daughter knows some German and some French I know some French.

Decisions decisions

Though I big F1 fan, I had already told the missus-to-be that I would not be paying extra for F1: I already hate paying for Sky, even on the basic (HD) package, and will not pay extra. She blames me for getting her into F1.

Luckily, I have been reliably informed that the F1 channel will be free if you have either Sports or HD packages, so I should get it for no extra.

If not, I can get my motorsport fix elsewhere: MotoGP anyone?

This is just a game to you?

That's not a real photo is it?

On topic, I'm not going to sign up to a sports package just to get F1. I want to watch the F1 not the football.

Any word on whether this is in HD on Virgin?

How it works

And Murdoch wonders why so many people resort to torrents, streaming and binaries, then bleaks like a baby when SOPA takes a hit in the US. I can only use foul language to describe this individual, so I wont.

Here is how it has worked for the last 20 or so years: Find some thing every one could use for free. Add things to it that no one asked for, then charge for it so less people have the opportunity to use it, and even less people get rich off the back of it.

Best bit, is that the well off sheep of the world just go along with it, ensuring the exclusion every one else because they are just fine mate. Just selfish and self serving.

I don't blame Sky or Murdoch when the people support him so profitable., and the BBC cowardly and spinelessly jump in to bed with him. F1 could have been on Channel 4. The BBC didn't float the idea first like they did when they wanted to save Radio 6. Oh no, behind closed doors, deal done.

The whole thing is a shameful stitch up.

Bad Miscalculation by F1

"While World+Dog barked viciously at the new arrangement, die-hard fans of the sport will no doubt stump up the cash regardless, reluctantly piling their pounds into Murdoch's packed pockets."

Really? That's a bad miscalculation by F1. I and many others will not knowingly put a penny into Murdoch's pocket. F1 will go the same way as football and cricket in the UK: millions will stop watching it which, as already proven, will rip out young grassroots growth leaving an ageing audience with little relevance to sponsors.

It is the death-knell for F1.

No way I'm paying the Murdoch tax either

Been watching since the Mansell/Senna battles myself.

It annoyed me when it went over to ITV having to watch the ads, but there's no way I'm going to pay for some sky an then on top of that some sky sports subscription full of stuff I don't want to see that funds those overpaid football players for one.

I like the idea of the Satellite - in whatever language I suppose and could just have whatever English radio broadcast instead of the original language.

Wouldn't it be good if someone put up loads of advertising on how to watch without having to get suckered in to having to pay multiple subscriptions to these bunch - how about take the pi** completely and take an ad out in some of the large newspapers on how to, hmmmm :)

Freeview Addon?

Does anyone know if you can get this channel as a paid extra on compatible Freeview boxes? I was under the impression you can get Sky Sports on Freeview now, could anyone clarify?

I'm hoping the BBC's extended highlights (2hrs IIRC) will be adequate and am not going to get Sky, but a cheaper solution might just tempt me.

Remember the FTA & FTV broadcasters

France Germany Austria all have FTA F1 on satellite.

France has free HD F1 but you need a card.

Anyway if you have LNBs for 5W (Atlantic) 13E (Hotbird) 19.2E (Astra 1) and of course 28.2 (Astra 2) you can get FTA & FTV F1.

Most are on Astra 1, BBC HD is on Astra 2. HD is on Atlantic and Astra1 with long term cards

For FTV F1 (Free but cards) look at Fransat and TNTSat.

So are premiership football clubs.

MotoGP

Whilst I will miss watching F1, I will get used to not watching it in the same way as I have with football and cricket. The chap who mentioned MotoGP has a point that I'd forgotten. I watched it a few times last year and was bitten by the bug, massively more entertaining in every way compared to F1: closer racing, more exciting spectacle, down to earth competitors and commentators, and a lack of the pompous, politically correct, up my own orifice BS that beleagures F1.