What is Sky HD installation exactly?

artvandulet

Like many, I'm now considering the sky HD box as its €149 and has bigger HD than Sky+ so why not as they're the same price. (I realise I'll then have extra €15 per month though).

I rang sky and find out they want to charge me €50 for installation. Surely I'm just getting a delivery of a new box.
No install involved. Am I right? Or is there some other cable to run? I assume not.
Anyone managed to argue this with Sky?
If not, I'm gonna give it a go; assuming my assumptions are correct.:D

byte

They don't nor won't post out a box to your door for DIY install.

If you're upgrading from basic Sky, there will be more cabling needed. Otherwise it can be a straight swap.

I know of somebody who did argue it out with Sky some months ago, but got nowhere. Still, no harm in trying.

artvandulet

I have standard Sky, not Sky+, so in that case does that mean I do in fact need some work done other then a box swapped out? Surely the cable is the same though, no?
Cheers.

CL32

For Sky+ (and SkyHD) they will need to run a second cable from your dish to the Sky box.

This is to do with the functionality of Sky+ rather than anything to do with a High Def picture.

artvandulet

Thanks!
Now I won't feel like I'm paying the €50 for nothing!

KoolKid

Im getting this in on Thursday €149 + €50 with cables in place
Still a good deal in my opinion.
Beware & only deal with SKY directly. I went to 2 different SKY shops one on Omni & 1 in Charlstown both were trying to charge higher for the box & dearer installation. The guy in Charlestown even had the nerve to blame SKY for the extra charges.

artvandulet

Will do. Thanks.
So, what you paying €50 for exactly? Delivery?:D

I'd like to get in writing from sky, what installation of a HD box involves, when upgrading from sky+. What is the 50 quid covering?
"Unplugging of the existing Sky box and plugging in of SkyHD box." God knows you'd need a qualified technician to do this.;)

Tony

artvandulet wrote: »

So, what you paying €50 for exactly? Delivery?:D

Yes delivery and a call back to make sure the box is installed where its supposed to go, sky are not about to start sending expensive boxes directly to customers and bear in mind not everyone is capable of self installing.

Tony

koolkid wrote: »

Beware & only deal with SKY directly.

Don't tar everyone with the same brush, I'm sure there are independents out there who will do it at the same price as sky and you will generally get better service.

KoolKid

Tony wrote: »

Don't tar everyone with the same brush, I'm sure there are independents out there who will do it at the same price as sky and you will generally get better service.

I'm sure there are. But I didnt find one! & if its at the same price what would be the better service? I got a 3 day installation insted of 2 weeks.
The Guy in Charlestown couldn't even take credit card payments:eek:

Tony

koolkid wrote: »

I'm sure there are. But I didnt find one! & if its at the same price what would be the better service?

Surely you know what better service is? just because you did not find a good dealer does not mean that everyone has no option but to deal directly with sky. Before anyone asks I am not taking part in this offer so have no particular axe to grind on this.

Liam Byrne

Off the top of my head, here's what you're getting for "installation" (open to correction, but here's how I see it)

A satellite dish needs a direct cable from an LNB for each channel being "accessed"; a standard Sky box therefore has one cable.

The Sky+ box needs 2 cables - one for watching, one for recording.

1) Remove existing single LNB & replace with dual LNB (you can't just split it because that would just send the same channel/signal to/from the LNB)
2) Run second parallel cable from LNB to location of Sky (Sky+) box
3) Connect and replace the box

Depending on how easy #2 is, you could do it cheaper (e.g. 1 hour @ what, €25 ?) would easily cover it) but likewise it could be a major pain so it could possibly take 3 hours (€75) crawling around attics/upstairs, drilling holes, masking cables, etc.

So I'd guess that €50 is a fair enough average between those two ?

KoolKid

Tony wrote: »

Surely you know what better service is?

Yes 3 day installation as oppossed to 2 weeks & not even a definite date
A proper contact & not just a mobile
The ability to pay by credit card

Tony wrote: »

just because you did not find a good dealer does not mean that everyone has no option but to deal directly with sky.

I never said people have no option. I said beware of the rip off prices some of these are charging.
If you can offer cheeper that what SKY is I can see the benefit. Otherwise for me personally I would rather deal with SKY directly.
To reiterate that is my personal preferance I am not demanding everyone must do this..

Tony

koolkid wrote: »

I never said people have no option. I said beware of the rip off prices

Actually what you said was

koolkid wrote: »

Beware & only deal with SKY directly.

artvandulet

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Off the top of my head, here's what you're getting for "installation" (open to correction, but here's how I see it)

A satellite dish needs a direct cable from an LNB for each channel being "accessed"; a standard Sky box therefore has one cable.

The Sky+ box needs 2 cables - one for watching, one for recording.

1) Remove existing single LNB & replace with dual LNB (you can't just split it because that would just send the same channel/signal to/from the LNB)
2) Run second parallel cable from LNB to location of Sky (Sky+) box
3) Connect and replace the box

Thanks, thats the exact bit of info I was looking for. Cheers.

-=al=-

i upgraded to sky+ yesterday from standard sky, thats pretty much what happened in the last quote ^^

only upgraded cause standard sky box here was causing some problems, so instead of paying for a replacement/repair, just a few more $$ for sky+ seemed like the better idea... but yeah thats what happened, took about an hour to do, but it was a simple instalation job for the guy that came out.

bala

Just got of the phone to sky . Here is the explaination I was given for the €50 charge,

The shift from SKY+ to SKY HD is not as simple as replacing one box with another. Standard cable from the dish to the box need to be replaced with a hdmi cable too.

Is this true ?

KoolKid

From the dish to the box?? thats one long HDMI cable..
The HDMI goes from the box to the TV..
Hmmm I wonder do the rip off merchants supply that cable as well?

Tony

No the cable from the dish is not HDMI, HDMI goes from the box to the HD Tv and is supplied with the sky HD box.

bala wrote: »

Just got of the phone to sky . Here is the explaination I was given for the €50 charge,

The shift from SKY+ to SKY HD is not as simple as replacing one box with another. Standard cable from the dish to the box need to be replaced with a hdmi cable too.

Is this true ?

dmeehan

bala wrote: »

Just got of the phone to sky . Here is the explaination I was given for the €50 charge,

The shift from SKY+ to SKY HD is not as simple as replacing one box with another. Standard cable from the dish to the box need to be replaced with a hdmi cable too.

Is this true ?

no
the HDMI cable goes from the box to your telly

bala

koolkid wrote: »

From the dish to the box?? thats one long HDMI cable..
The HDMI goes from the box to the TV..
Hmmm I wonder do the rip off merchants supply that cable as well?

The conversation went like this

Sky : Do you have a HD ready tv
me : Yes
Sky: Good , In that case we can offer you €149 + €50 for installation
me : Why do i need an install as I already have a sky + .
Sky : it is not as simple as swapping the boxes
me :There are 2 cables connected to the sky+ box. Does HD require additional cabling?
sky : Do you have HDMI cable.
Me : Yes
Sky : No I mean HDMI cable from the dish to the box ?
Me : No
Sky : well that is what needs to be installed

bala

dmeehan wrote: »

no
the HDMI cable goes from the box to your telly

That I am aware

bala

Tony wrote: »

No the cable from the dish is not HDMI, HDMI goes from the box to the HD Tv and is supplied with the sky HD box.

Thanks Tony...

So would it be right to say that switching from SKY+ to SKY HD is as simple as switching the box

Tony

bala wrote: »

Thanks Tony...

So would it be right to say that switching from SKY+ to SKY HD is as simple as switching the box

From a practical point of view yes but this seems more about sky wanting a little extra security as to where the box goes. They are not explaining the charge very well unfortunately, may have been better to go with 199 and not mention any installation charge.

kbell

Just a couple of other points to consider if questioning the €50 install charge if sky + is already installed....

Yes it maybe just as simple as swoping out the + box for the HD but..

If your existing box is feeding sky to another room(S), would you know how to change the RF output of the HD box to match that of its predecessor or if there are magic eyes installed how do you make sure that they are made work with the new box.

Your new remote will have to be set up properly too.

Tuning in BBC HD??

"Callback failed" What if you get this message???

If you run into any problems at all do you then spend time and money calling Sky cs to help you out.

Of course all the information needed is available on line, most of it here.
But for the sake of €50 and a warranty would you not be better off getting the professional who knows what he/she is doing to do it for you.

magentis

this is skys way of responding to the free to air HD boxes just coming out.

KoolKid

Tony wrote: »

Don't tar everyone with the same brush, I'm sure there are independents out there who will do it at the same price as sky and you will generally get better service.

Not better prices on the site in your sig anyway

SKY HD box Price: €448.99
(Including VAT at 21%)

SKY Plus Price: €298.99
(Including VAT at 21%)


Deffo better value from SKY

Our man in Havana

Is this upgrade to HD offer available via independents at that price of €149? I will not allow Sierra/Sky employees onto my property under any circumstances.

KoolKid

Bond-007 wrote: »

Is this upgrade to HD offer available via independents at that price of €149? I will not allow Sierra/Sky employees onto my property under any circumstances.

Not from anyone I went to . They are all quoting rip off ammounts of money .
What did Sky do on you Bond???

Our man in Havana

Long story koolkid. Many years ago, best leave sleeping dogs lie.

I think ebay might be a better option, you can get boxes for around the €300 mark.

KoolKid

you could always order form sky & when the engineer arrives tell him thank you but I'll install it my self. Its a handy one for him. If that doesnt work trow him €50
Still be cheaper that what some are charging. TBH I wouldnt let rip off merchants into my house .