Getting Sky for my Room

[Graham M]

I want to take advantage of the free installation, free box, 3 months half price offer from Sky to get TV in my room. Is there anything I need to be aware of (the offer is extended until January 4th) Do Sky boxes have standard RF out?

Thanks

Zeph

[quadplay]

Be aware that each household can only benefit from the free box & installation offer once. I don't know whether you live with you parents, but if they ever got a free box (as early as SkyDigital's launch), you're not eligible for another and will have to pay for box & install.

On another note, as far as I'm aware all Sky boxes (including Sky+) have RF out.

[Graham M]

Nope, theres never been any form of Sky at this property. Is there anything that could make the install not free and there is no monthly charge for the Standard Sky Box I take it?

Thanks

[handyman]

Be aware that each household can only benefit from the free box & installation offer once. I don't know whether you live with you parents, but if they ever got a free box (as early as SkyDigital's launch), you're not eligible for another and will have to pay for box & install.

On another note, as far as I'm aware all Sky boxes (including Sky+) have RF out.

I hope thats not true as zephs post set me thinking that it might be nice to get sky plus for our room (living with claires folks).

They have sky+ upstairs and a normal sky in their room. The whole house is wired for the rf feed from the arial/sky+/dvd but the pic qual is crap exept on the sky and dvd.

So on the rare occassion the sky+ is not being used I get to watch what I want. This is normally 1 night a month :( and stuff I record on the sky+ gets deleted to make room for corry :(

Might give sky a bell tm

[skyalways]

I hope thats not true as zephs post set me thinking that it might be nice to get sky plus for our room (living with claires folks).

They have sky+ upstairs and a normal sky in their room. The whole house is wired for the rf feed from the arial/sky+/dvd but the pic qual is crap exept on the sky and dvd.

So on the rare occassion the sky+ is not being used I get to watch what I want. This is normally 1 night a month :( and stuff I record on the sky+ gets deleted to make room for corry :(

Might give sky a bell tm



if you supply sky with a different surname then the world is your oyster ;)

[quadplay]

I hope thats not true as zephs post set me thinking that it might be nice to get sky plus for our room (living with claires folks).

That is exactly true - check the T&Cs of the discount offer! If you register under a different name, they might not notice but assuming the existing sub is still active, I doubt they would allow it.

I get the feeling they'd do the install if you're willing to pay, but you'd be charged the full cost of the Sky box (at least £99, I think) and installation (£100, I think).

[skyalways]

That is exactly true - check the T&Cs of the discount offer! If you register under a different name, they might not notice but assuming the existing sub is still active, I doubt they would allow it.

I get the feeling they'd do the install if you're willing to pay, but you'd be charged the full cost of the Sky box (at least £99, I think) and installation (£100, I think).


but if you dont try then you will never know ;)

[quadplay]

handyman, probably a better bet for you would be an extra Multiroom sub - there will be a spare port on the LNB, you'll get a STB for £49, free install (I think), and only have to pay £10 per month sub to get all the channels on the other boxes in the house...

[handyman]

Balls to that as they say. They either take my custom as a new account at the advertised rates or they can shove it. I'm not going to pay £200 for a standard sky box.

[quadplay]

but if you dont try then you will never know ;)

But if you do try and Sky find out, there's always the risk they'll send you a bill for at least £149 for being in breach of contract...

---------- Post added at 20:24 ---------- Previous post was at 20:22 ----------

I'm not going to pay £200 for a standard sky box.

I did... ;)

That was in 1998 at my parents' address, though. And it was discounted under the Interactive Discount Agreement - meaning my parents couldn't get another free box if the now 7 year old digibox dies.

[Graham M]

Anyone got an answer to my second post?

[handyman]

handyman, probably a better bet for you would be an extra Multiroom sub - there will be a spare port on the LNB, you'll get a STB for £49, free install (I think), and only have to pay £10 per month sub to get all the channels on the other boxes in the house...

Fancy sky plus but as you point out theres only one lnb output left. Guess i'#d be able to watcha pre recorded show whils recording another but i want full functionality and i dont mind paying the advertised price.

---------- Post added at 20:26 ---------- Previous post was at 20:25 ----------

But if you do try and Sky find out, there's always the risk they'll send you a bill for at least £149 for being in breach of contract...

---------- Post added at 20:24 ---------- Previous post was at 20:22 ----------



I did... ;)

That was in 1998 at my parents' address, though. And it was discounted under the Interactive Discount Agreement - meaning my parents couldn't get another free box if the now 7 year old digibox dies.

amazing what hapens if you say you'll disconect though.

[quadplay]

Fancy sky plus but as you point out theres only one lnb output left. Guess i'#d be able to watcha pre recorded show whils recording another but i want full functionality and i dont mind paying the advertised price.

Then you'd need either a second dish (which would require planning permission from the council) or a LNB with more than four outputs (a non-standard installation, which is chargable). Just one of the reasons ntl is better... ;)

:Sprint:

[Graham M]

Im gonna link my Sky (if and when i get it up to a TV card (which ive yet to get but have my eye on the Hauppage Analogue/DVB USB 2 stick http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=100525 ) to use it with, this would allow Scheduling (to record), Time Shifting, etc. on my PC

[quadplay]

Nope, theres never been any form of Sky at this property. Is there anything that could make the install not free and there is no monthly charge for the Standard Sky Box I take it?

Thanks

If there's never been Sky at the property, the box will be free and legally yours (ie, not rented). However, if it breaks down after 12 months you'll have to pay for a replacement.

The install will be free unless it is a non-standard install (e.g., the dish needs to be installed at a height greater than second storey, it's a very long cable run, etc.). You also should check whether you might need planning permission for a satellite dish on the property - this particularly applies to listed buildings or properties in conservation areas.

Anyone got an answer to my second post?

How's that? ;)

[Graham M]

If there's never been Sky at the property, the box will be free and legally yours (ie, not rented). However, if it breaks down after 12 months you'll have to pay for a replacement.

The install will be free unless it is a non-standard install (e.g., the dish needs to be installed at a height greater than second storey, it's a very long cable run, etc.). You also should check whether you might need planning permission for a satellite dish on the property - this particularly applies to listed buildings or properties in conservation areas.

Cool, should all be ok then :)

---------- Post added at 20:32 ---------- Previous post was at 20:31 ----------

Excellent, thanks :)

[handyman]

Then you'd need either a second dish (which would require planning permission from the council) or a LNB with more than four outputs (a non-standard installation, which is chargable). Just one of the reasons ntl is better... ;)

:Sprint:

this just gets worse, might have to add another multi room and sulk.

[quadplay]

One thing I would say though Zeph, is that if you're planning to have the Entertainment pack (6 mixes) on Sky, you'd be better off just getting an additional STB from ntl, since you've already got Family pack. This would cost £15 a month instead of the £21 you'd be paying Sky after the first three months.

Taking account of the offer, that makes the first year £180 with ntl and £220.50 with Sky - plus the facts that if the box breaks after that first year ntl will replace it free of charge, and you're not tied to a 12-month contract for an additional ntl box.

[MadGamer]

When my parents had Sky+ installed, i got the non Sky+ box in my room. I dont know how they did it. Would they have had it as a free install?

[quadplay]

When my parents had Sky+ installed, i got the non Sky+ box in my room. I dont know how they did it. Would they have had it as a free install?

Probably. When my parents upgraded to Sky+ a year ago tomorrow, they got the install free as long as they kept the old box as a multiroom sub.

[Graham M]

One thing I would say though Zeph, is that if you're planning to have the Entertainment pack (6 mixes) on Sky, you'd be better off just getting an additional STB from ntl, since you've already got Family pack. This would cost £15 a month instead of the £21 you'd be paying Sky after the first three months.

Taking account of the offer, that makes the first year £180 with ntl and £220.50 with Sky - plus the facts that if the box breaks after that first year ntl will replace it free of charge, and you're not tied to a 12-month contract for an additional ntl box.

Sky is more suited to me as im not in a place in the house where the NTL cable could be routed to neatly. No Digisenders isnt good enough as I want to be able to watch what I want at the time. The Sky dish can be mounted on the wall outside my bedroom window and a cable straight through the wall to the box, sorted!

[quadplay]

Fair play!

And you're right, digisenders aren't brilliant, especially if the distance from transmitter to receiver is quite far or the house has thick/metal walls/floors.

[Graham M]

Ive thought some more on this. 2 Mixes for £7.50 (first free months - £15 thereafter) or Full Entertainment pack for £10.50 (first free months - £21 thereafter). Depends how my budget is tbh :) Can you downgrade or are you locked into those Mixes for 12 months?

[quadplay]

You can downgrade after the first month, I think - but do check!

[Graham M]

Thankyou for all your help. If you can think of anything extra, please post it here!

[ian@huth]

I hope thats not true as zephs post set me thinking that it might be nice to get sky plus for our room (living with claires folks).

They have sky+ upstairs and a normal sky in their room. The whole house is wired for the rf feed from the arial/sky+/dvd but the pic qual is crap exept on the sky and dvd.

So on the rare occassion the sky+ is not being used I get to watch what I want. This is normally 1 night a month :( and stuff I record on the sky+ gets deleted to make room for corry :(

Might give sky a bell tmYou could try ringing some of the independent Sky installers to see what they can offer and at what price. They may be willing to fit an octo LNB in place of the quad that is currently in place. That would enable up to two extra sky+ boxes to be run from the existing dish. Some independents offer the same packages as Sky do direct such as free digibox, free installation and reduced price initial monthly subscription charges and will also try to fit in with your requirements such as fitting octo LNB's.

[Graham M]

I have an Engineer coming on Wednesday for the install, got my Viewing card and Documentation today. Is there anything I should know?

[quadplay]

Remember the digibox has to be plugged into a phone line - although the installer will run an extension up to 20m (I think), they won't usually try to hide the cabling, so the closer you can site the digibox to the phone socket, the better!

[Graham M]

Remember the digibox has to be plugged into a phone line - although the installer will run an extension up to 20m (I think), they won't usually try to hide the cabling, so the closer you can site the digibox to the phone socket, the better!

Easy! There's a phone socket next to where I want the digibox, will the Engineer have Socket Doublers or will it pay to have one of these handy?

[quadplay]

Can't hurt to have one spare just in case. ;)

[Graham M]

Cool. The leaflet I got through says that they will not run cable through a Cavity wall.

1. Why is this?
2. My Room has a Cavity Wall how will they then get the cable in?

---------- Post added at 00:59 ---------- Previous post was at 00:26 ----------

Right I want to run some Coax through the ceilings upstairs to get the Sky into the other bedrooms. Will the attatched diagram work?

[Graham M]

Anyone?

I just got my TV Tuner today! Yay!

http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/pages/products/data_hvr900.html

One of those, plugged into my Aerial picks up all the Freeview channels with no hassle, the Aerial that comes with it didnt get anything.

[Graham M]

Anyone got anything further to add or can answer my questions?

Thanks :)

[Graham M]

Sorry to bump again! But anyone?

[Paul K]

Think they mean they won't run the cable inside the cavity wall, they will drill and pass the cable through it to the room inside though. Just won't run the cable around your house inside the void to hide it ;)

[Graham M]

Think they mean they won't run the cable inside the cavity wall, they will drill and pass the cable through it to the room inside though. Just won't run the cable around your house inside the void to hide it ;)

Thanks :) How about the wiring Diagram, will that work ok?

[Paul K]

Not sure to be honest, I'm not the wiring guru here lol. I would be tempted to put the booster before the splitter though but then like I say.... I'm not the wiring guru :D

[Graham M]

Okey Dokey, well the engineer is supposed to be ringing before 9am tomorrow to give me an ETA. Wish me luck! Anything else I should know?

[Graham M]

Engineer just phoned about 10 mins ago, im booked in for 8-8.15 in the morning! Yay! lol *pours coffee*

[quadplay]

Don't tell me you're going to be up all night!? :D

[Graham M]

I normally go to bed around 2, hardly seems worth going to bed :D

[Graham M]

There, it's all installed and appears to be working without a hitch (fingers crossed, touch wood) My TV Card only gives Mono through the Coax so ive put a cable from the Phono outs on the back of the Sky Box to my Line In on my Sound Card and sound's great! (good for the music channels :))

Thanks for the help guys, the Sky Installer did have a Phone Socket Doubler on him :) and it was installed and working within 20 minutes. Nice one Sky :) Reps for all those helpful posts I havent repped yet :)

[Graham M]

Can anyone tell me if the following is an acceptable signal strength and quality for Sky? It's just I've had some random dropping out a few minutes ago (corruption, freezing, etc.) for the first time today. The only thing that I can see that has changed is that next door's heating is now on and the fumes from their boiler outlet are going toward my minidish, could this be a problem?

Cheers.

http://www.zeph.co.uk/images/signal.jpg

[quadplay]

That signal quality does look on the low side. I don't know about steam from a boiler affecting the signal, but then cloud cover does so I guess it's possible!

[Graham M]

Ill check again tomorrow when ims ober :) Cabt qyute yse OC atn

[Paul K]

I would think the steam may be condensing on the dish which could be affecting your signal issue. Check it again today and see what the strength and quality are and if they are still low ring Sky and complain as the installer may have installed it in a stupid place. Could it have been placed higher or in a different site on the wall away from the boiler vent?

[Graham M]

Hmm possibly, Im keeping an eye on it, if I have any more problems I'll ring em.

Another thing, the Thomson Sky Box I was given has 2 Antenna outputs 1 saying +9v DC 50ma MAX, is there any problem with feeding this output into a booster and piping it into another room? Why is it powered?

Cheers.

[quadplay]

You can feed it into a booster, that's fine - the voltage is turned off by default. All Sky boxes have the voltage available on RF 2. It's for the Sky TVLink, which allows you to control the STB from another room. Most boosters won't pass the voltage through though.

[Graham M]

OK Cheers! Well I phoned Customer Services today and the guy at the end of the phone was very polite and helpful and took me through a few steps to check my signal, etc. And said to phone back if the problem persists, it still is so I will probably phone them tomorrow. Cheers guys.