Question on Sky+

YvonneC · 09-11-2003 1:03pm #1

I have a Grungid digibox which turns off everytime I change channel. My question is, if I get Sky+, will the new box act as my receiver or will I still need my Grundig digibox also???

Many thanks for any help!
Yvonne

sceptre · 09-11-2003 1:10pm

Originally posted by YvonneC
I have a Grungid digibox which turns off everytime I change channel.

That has to be rather annoying

My question is, if I get Sky+, will the new box act as my receiver or will I still need my Grundig digibox also???

The new box will act as a receiver. No need for the old box if you don't want to try to get it repaired.

09-11-2003 1:12pm

The sky plus box is the receiver-yes

I recommend you order it especially if you have two premium channels as theres no fee then.

mm

YvonneC · 09-11-2003 1:17pm

Many thanks for your prompt reply.

Yes, I have got two premium channels, so my only cost will be installation?

byte · 09-11-2003 6:20pm

Originally posted by YvonneC
Yes, I have got two premium channels, so my only cost will be installation?

Yeah, you'll have to pay for installation, and also €299 for the Sky+ box.

eirebhoy · 09-11-2003 6:59pm

Save yourself the money and install it yourself.

Tony · 09-11-2003 8:00pm

Originally posted by eireboy
Save yourself the money and install it yourself.

Absolutely its not that difficult

oakers · 10-11-2003 1:29pm

I have to ask!

What actually is involved in installing Sky+ ?????

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks

ShaneOC · 10-11-2003 1:40pm

Assuming you already have Sky installed, you simply swap the existing LNB (the blocky thing at the end of the arm on the dish) for the one that comes with Sky+, run a second length of cable (CT100) from the dish to the Sky+ box, connect the two cables to the new LNB and the Sky+ box.

Simple.

Greenman · 10-11-2003 3:04pm

Make sure the box is switched off while connecting up the coax leads at the back.

lifeboatdoc · 11-11-2003 11:02am

does the Sky+ box need to be connected to the phone line to activate ?

also if you already have a quad LNB can you just ring up Sky yourself and ask them to change the card over to the Sky+ box or will they only do this for the installer ?

Mossy Monk · 11-11-2003 1:52pm

no phone line needed. the woman on the phone told me that

i had the card changed over myself. there is no problems with that

Gwynston · 11-11-2003 5:47pm

Originally posted by ShaneOC
simply swap the existing LNB and run a second length of cable (CT100) from the dish to the Sky+ box.
Simple.

But that doesn't sound simple to me

If I've got a single coax cable running through solid wall (presumably in some ducting), how do I stick a 2nd one through?

digitaldr · 11-11-2003 7:17pm

The guy that installed my original Sky box just drilled a hole right through the outside wall - use a long bit with the drill set to hammer action then tape your coax firmly to some coat hanger wire and push! You could seal up with some silicone when finished.

I've ordered Sky+ but am getting it installed as my dish is on the chimney and I don't fancy climbing up on the roof.

Tony · 11-11-2003 7:53pm

As satellite work goes this is probably this simplest job you can do.

Tony

Originally posted by Gwynston
But that doesn't sound simple to me
If I've got a single coax cable running through solid wall (presumably in some ducting), how do I stick a 2nd one through?

Gwynston · 12-11-2003 10:14am

Originally posted by digitaldr
The guy that installed my original Sky box just drilled a hole right through the outside wall

I presume than that the cable ran down the outside wall from the dish to the hole? Doesn't sound very neat to me - I don't want cable running all over the outside of my house....

Originally posted by Tony
As satellite work goes this is probably this simplest job you can do.

Thanks for the non-informative answer Tony

I'm sure that from a technical point of view it doesn't really tax your expertise in this field. However, from a DIY POV, I'm not clear how one goes about turning an existing single cable run through ducting in solid walls into a double cable run so I can have Sky+

Ludo · 12-11-2003 10:30am

I am due to have Sky+ installed some time next week and I am getting worried about it.
Current setup has wire from dish at back of house going into attic and then down behind the plasterboard and out by the tv at the front of the house which is ideal. I wonder what the Sky+ installer will try and do?

I have a look at a few other nearby houses on the way out this morning and noticed a lot of them simply have a wire draped over the roof and then straight down the front of the house and in by the front window...what a mess. I cannot believe that people let installers do this to their houses. The look awful.
When I pointed it out to the wife she said that if she better not come home next week to see a wire like this on the house or she will be ripping it off. To be honest I dont blame her. Installers dont seem to take any pride in their work by at least trying to hide the wire as much as possible.

I wonder would it be possible to run a second wire along the same route as the first?

If companies like eircom and NTL can manage do install wires "behind walls" then why on earth dont Sky?

ShaneOC · 12-11-2003 10:32am

Unless you have two cable runs in the walls already you will either have to do a lot of work to hide the extra cable or make do with it outside on the wall of the house.

Do you know what type of coax cable your system is currently using?

Quite a number of new houses that are being built down here have three cable runs from the main living room to the attic. (I got my electrician to put in a fourth one). If your house is new you may already have an extra cable there. Check in the attic to see if there is a loose cable near where the current Sky one is.

ShaneOC · 12-11-2003 10:38am

If anyone is interested this is what it looked like before the plasterboard went up. There are 4 tv cable feeds, speaker wire for surround sound, phone connection and power for 2 double sockets.

Ludo · 12-11-2003 10:41am

Originally posted by ShaneOC
Unless you have two cable runs in the walls already you will either have to do a lot of work to hide the extra cable or make do with it outside on the wall of the house.

Do you know what type of coax cable your system is currently using?

Quite a number of new houses that are being built down here have three cable runs from the main living room to the attic. (I got my electrician to put in a fourth one). If your house is new you may already have an extra cable there. Check in the attic to see if there is a loose cable near where the current Sky one is.

Dont know what type cable there is currently except it has Cablelink printed on it :-)
I think the previous owner got in a guy to do it for him as he had a German analogue satellite system. The guy who installed sky for me just swapped dishes and used the existing cable as I didnt want him screwing around running a wire over the roof.

I seem to remember some mention of a single cable with a twin co-ax in it earlier. If this exists wouldnt it be just a matter of pulling this through the same path as the existing? Anyone know if this does exist and where to obtain one?

Also, instead of draping the wire over the roof you would think they would at least run it around the side of the house hidden under the eaves. That would be fine and out of sight.

ShaneOC · 12-11-2003 10:59am

Originally posted by Ludo
Dont know what type cable there is currently except it has Cablelink printed on it :-)

There are some here who would say that cablelink cable is not of high enough standard for digital satellite signals, but if it is working then don't knock it.

Originally posted by Ludo
I seem to remember some mention of a single cable with a twin co-ax in it earlier. If this exists wouldnt it be just a matter of pulling this through the same path as the existing? Anyone know if this does exist and where to obtain one?

There is such a thing as twin core cable. They were using it in the UK. Not sure if they still do. I've not heard of anyone with it here. It is slightly thicker than the regular CT100 cable. It may be possible to replace your existing cable with the twin core but pulling cable through ducting can be very difficult.

Originally posted by Ludo
Also, instead of draping the wire over the roof you would think they would at least run it around the side of the house hidden under the eaves. That would be fine and out of sight.

You are getting a service so you should be able to specify how the cable is run. Under the eaves sounds fine and if you have a down pipe outside near the room that the cable is needed in the cable can be brought down beside (or behind) it. This will propably not be classed as a regular install and you may have to pay extra.

Independant installers tend to be better than the Sky ones.

Gwynston · 12-11-2003 11:08am

Well I did get some advice from a friend big into DIY saying the way he did it was to attach a doubled over length of CT100 to the existing single run and pull the two through. Afterwards the single length is discarded and the doubled over end of the twin run is then cut so that you have two cable ends.

He said this can be tricky though and often involves messy application of Fairy liquid

I'm interested to hear from Tony (or other installers) whether or not they ever bother pulling twin cables through existing ducting rather than going the easy outside route?

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