Is NTL the only option?

rubadub

I moved into a house and just want basic TV with 6 points in the house. I have read about FTV but I presume we would all be stuck watching the same channel so is NTL basic the only option?
Could I have one dish and 6 decoders/boxes?
Should I get them to install the extra points or is it cheaper in the long run to do it myself?
Do they charge for installing each point or is it free at time of connection?
Is there any fear of them telling TV licence people saying you should have 6 TV licences?

In my old place we had NTL for free, seems they never disconnected, when I rang NTL twice they kept asking was I sure I didn't already have it. Do they have to come out to physically disconnect it and sometimes not bother? Is there much involved in them reconnecting us?

stiofanD

Thats a lot of questions in one go...

rubadub wrote:

I moved into a house and just want basic TV with 6 points in the house. I have read about FTV but I presume we would all be stuck watching the same channel so is NTL basic the only option?
Could I have one dish and 6 decoders/boxes?

I personally feel that NTL is the only real option for multi-room viewing. Maybe its possible to run 6 sky boxes off one dish, but I imagine you'd need a subscription for each one, which would make it pretty pricy...

Should I get them to install the extra points or is it cheaper in the long run to do it myself?
Do they charge for installing each point or is it free at time of connection?

Hmmm. I think they may install 2 points for free BUT then they will charge you rental on each point they've installed every month ad infinitum. DIY is definitely the way to go in this case.

Is there any fear of them telling TV licence people saying you should have 6 TV licences?

You only need one license per house - doesn't matter how many TVs you have.

In my old place we had NTL for free, seems they never disconnected, when I rang NTL twice they kept asking was I sure I didn't already have it. Do they have to come out to physically disconnect it and sometimes not bother? Is there much involved in them reconnecting us?

They do have to send an engineer out to reconnect you, which is a bit of a pain because they will only give you a 'window' during which he might arrive - so be prepared to take some time out of you life to sit at home waiting for him to arrive

icdg

For the set up you are asking NTL is definitely the best way to go.

NTL will wire up to two extra points for you, but they'll charge you (at around EUR2.50 a month). If you don't have digital you could wire them yourself using extension leads. On the other hand, if you want NTL Digital, you'll need them to do it, as a DIY job could render the signal too weak for digital.

Sky - you are talking EUR450 per box if you install them yourself. Plus you'll need multiple LNBs on your dish. If you want pay-TV, you'll need a sub per box.

rubadub

Thanks for the advice. I further tested it and I am actually still connected, like ntl had said on the phone. They sent a letter before saying you are on our records as being disconnected (aka not paying).

I was pretty sure you needed one licence per TV, I worked in a hospital and they needed one for every TV with no discount at all.

I am going to give the cabling a go myself, otherwise I will have to pay for cable from now on if I get them to do it.

I may still get the FTA dish for just my own room.

Thanks again,

DMC

Just to say on the TV licence...

It is ONE licence per HOUSEHOLD. You could be holding a shedful of TV's from your local repair guy in your front room, but all you'd need is one licence. EDIT: I cant understand why the hospital had to have several licences. Thats plain odd.

http://www.rte.ie/about/organisation/tvlicence.html

Every Household or business or institution, which has a television set (within the meaning of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1972), must, by law, be in possession of a current TV licence.