Sky Subscription - Upgrading to + & HD Question

ofjames

Hi, i'm looking for some advice regarding the optimal arrangements regarding TV for my household.

I live with my parents and my older brother. At present we have 3 tv's in the house that are hooked up as follows:

- all three are connected to NTL analogue and have been for decades

- two of the others are hooked up to the NTL digital platform, with the basic subscription package (ie. no sky sports or movies)

- the other tv is hooked up to SKY, with the premium subscription package of SKY Sports / Setanta / Sky Movies.

As far as i know, the bill for NTL is 50 per month and for Sky is 70 or 80 (+20 for setanta).

We've had Sky for years but only added the NTL subscription for the other TV's around 2 years ago. Overall, we have been delighted with the Sky service. However, I cannot say the same about NTL. We have had lots of technical problems with the NTL boxes and find the platform itself to be inferior to sky. The main reason we got it was to ensure my Mam had access to quality reception on UTV and Channel 4 which she watches more then anything else.

However, we are now considering terminating the NTL subscriptions and going purely on to SKY multiroom.

Presuming we cancel the NTL, a sky rep at their blanchardstown store told us to do the following:

- terminate our existing SKY subscription and re-order SKY under a the name of a different account holder within the household. By doing this, he maintained that we could add as many multiroom connections as we wanted and pay just 15euro per month on top of the 70/80 for the premium subscription. He said that if we were to go multiroom as an existing subscriber (i.e. upgrade) we would have to pay 15 per month for EACH extra connection.

This sounds good but i am curious to know is this arrangement only for the first 12 months of the contract... reverting back to 15 per month per box thereafter?

Also, my mam records most of the stuff she likes (usually programmes on before or around midday) and watches it later at night. As the stuff she records is typically off ITV and channel 4, i was wondering whether you guys could offer any advice on the following questions -

1) Can you set Sky + to record off saved channels like UTV that arent available on the basic platform?

2) How good/reliable is the Sky + function for recording programmes

3) Given the difficulties with regard to some of the programming being blocked on Channel 4, is it worthwhile keeping the analogue NTL connection live?

4) Is Sky HD worth the extra money each month?

byte

I'll answer your queries as best I can.

1) Unfortunately not.

2) Sky+ would be about 95% reliable. There are occasions where recordings can fail.

3) Depends if you wish to watch or record some of the US imports that get blocked.

4) Well, if you watch a lot of Sky Sport or Sky Movies, then maybe. Otherwise, no.

With relation to what that Sky rep in Blanchardstown told you, I suggest you ring Sky yourself and find out the charges for Multiroom. I'm nearly sure that the €15 per month (regardless of number of boxes) is the same for existing customers as well as new... But ring Sky first to be sure.

steveon

Their is no need to cancel your exsiting account in order to upgrade I would suggest the following..

Upgrade your account to Sky plus multiroom

Will cost
€149 for sky plus box
€69 for standard box.

Installation will vary on work required.
Also note a landline will be required to be connected to all boxes.

Sub prices will increase to €15 for each additonal box after the first one so for example if you currently are paying €70 then it would increase to €100 for the 3 box subscription for the month.

Also you need to pay setanta a further €2.50 a month per box if you wish to add setanta to any additonal box.

keith_d99

Yeah isn't muti-room €15 per box???? Not €15 for 1 or more boxes?

steveon

Yes multiroom costs €15 extra per box...however the latest offer for new customers as of this month is half price multiroom subcription for 12 months i.e. €7.50 per box for the first 12 months...only for new customers however...