Sky+ versus UPC

Leonita

Hi All,

I am strongly considering changing from Sky to UPC. The main reason I am thinking about this is because I can record the UTVs, BBCs and other channels that I normally watch. However I have a few questions for the experts out there which I hope can help me to decide!

1. Can you record 2 things at the same time and watch something else like you can do with Sky?

2. Does UPC provide a HDMI cable? If they do is that extra on top of the €30 installation fee or does it come with the box?

3. If I order a non HD subscription now will I have to get a new box installed in the future if I decide to go for HD? i.e. are all new UPC boxes now HD like the Sky ones?

Thanks in advance for all replies!

djimi

1. Can you even do this on Sky? I was of the impression that if you are recording 2 things you must be watching one of them.

On UPC you can record two things at once, but the box must be in standby to do so. If youre watching something else then you can only record one channel at a time.

2. HDMI cable comes with the HD box anyway. Not sure about the non-HD box, if it even supports HDMI.

3. AFAIK you will only get the HD box if you order the HD subscription. Tbh for the sake of €5 a month its worth it to get the HDMI connection.

Leonita

Hi djimi thanks for your reply. Maybe I have a unique sky box? Sometimes while I'm watching something from my planner 2 other programmes are recording at the same time.
The HD tv is in the bedroom which is why I'm not sure whether to get the box installed up there or in the living room to my non hd tv. I have read on other forums that I can use a transmitter to send the signal downstairs so HD might be the way to go!

djimi

My experience of the Sky+ box (unless its changed with the HD box) is that if youre recording something and watching something else, if a recording wants to kick in on a third channel it will pop up a box asking you to either switch to one of the recording channels or else cancel a recording to continue watching what you are watching.

Those signal transmitters arent great from what Ive read; too many things such as wifi signals will interfere with them. Tbh the best thing to do is contact UPC and ask them what is the story with the HD box. They might give you one regardless, or you might be able to get one if you upgrade to HD at a later date (I presume you would have to). They should be able to tell you all anyway.

Leonita

Thanks for the advice djimi. One more question! Does the UPC box have an "other channels" section like the sky box? Or is it just the epg?

djimi

Its just the EPG. Sky being a satelitte system means you can tune in other channels it picks up on the Astra satelitte. UPC however is cable, so its just whatever channels they put on the system.

cgarvey

leo78 wrote: »

1. Can you record 2 things at the same time and watch something else like you can do with Sky?

A few months ago I switched from Sky+ to UPC, and it was one of the worst consumer decisions of my life. I've just finished a long drawn-out process of trying to get out of the contract (TV portion).

The HD box is really of poor quality, even if it is Cisco branded. You can only record 2 channels if the box is off (i.e. you can't watch one of the 2 channels being recorded, or a previous recording, like you can with Sky+).

This completely breaks any overlap settings you have set, even if the same channel is involved in overlap timing. So if you're recording 2 half hour programs on RTE1 (back to back), and have a 5-minute overlap set (to cater for running over-schedule), the 5 minute overlap between the 2 programs is considered recording 2 channels, so you the box has to go in to standby (or your recordings break). Nevermind recording a second channel! Our primary use of the PVR is to record the soaps at peak time. Completely impossible with UPC HD without missing the start or end of some of them.

The box is completely unreliable at recording as well. Recordings disappeared, randomly stopped recording (i.e. stop after 6 minutes without any explanation, or clashing recording, etc.). It often thought it was recording a second channel (even if there's no recording within hours of the 1 current recording), so you had to turn off the box, or stop the recording. Lots, and lots, of small stupid stuff like that. None of which I experienced with Sky+ (and it doesn't happen with Virgn's media box, or Tivo, etc.)

Sorry for the rant, but you asked a specific question that would suggest you like this part of Sky+, and I just wanted to convey my experience of going down the route you went. I'll be going back to Sky next week. UPC were prepared to let it drag on, until I threatened legal action as a result of no resolution to a formal complaint. I've been refunded the "+" portion of the service that has never worked for me satisfactorily, so I'm happy with the eventual outcome, but I really do not recommend going down this route unless you only casually use the PVR and have no interested in recording 2 channels.

Or, to put it another way, we've never successfully recorded a day of Coronation Street and Eastenders (no matter what overlap settings we had, or what channel we used, given we had a choice). That's over 3 months.

leo78 wrote: »

2. Does UPC provide a HDMI cable? If they do is that extra on top of the €30 installation fee or does it come with the box?

Yes, free.

leo78 wrote: »

3. If I order a non HD subscription now will I have to get a new box installed in the future if I decide to go for HD? i.e. are all new UPC boxes now HD like the Sky ones?

It's the same price (an additional €5/moth) to get the "+" box (the PVR) whether it's a standard or HD box. So, if you're getting "+" on your Digital package, it makes no sense to get the standard box; get the HD box (it's faster, better looking, and has HD channels which are still much better quality watching on a SD set while you wait to get a HD set). Not all new boxes are HD, like with Sky. However, UPC do give you free HD channels unlike Sky. With UPC you just need the box, with Sky you need the box + a HD sub.

Leonita

Thanks for that information cgarvey. Based on all the information I've received here maybe I'm better off staying with sky for the time being. Can you buy a virgin media box here in Ireland? I think that I am going to look into buying a non sky pvr that will record both terrestrial and satellite programmes. Can anyone recommend a decent one that doesn't cost a fortune?

Minstrel27

leo78 wrote: »

Can you buy a virgin media box here in Ireland?

No.

Solair

leo78 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice djimi. One more question! Does the UPC box have an "other channels" section like the sky box? Or is it just the epg?

No, it's cable; any channels that are available are on the box. There are no 'other channels'. It's a closed system managed by UPC.

It's different on satellite where there may be other channels on air which are not included in the Sky EPG.

Also, Virgin Media is a cable system in the UK. You can only use their boxes on their network. If you're on UPC cable, you have to use a UPC Mediabox. They supply all the equipment, you don't purchase it like on Sky. They continue to own the set-top box until you cancel your subscription and they will take it back at that stage too.

It's handy in some ways as they will always replace your box if there is a problem, unlike Sky who will often force you to buy a new box once it's outside warranty as you own it, they just subsidise it like a mobile phone contract.

10000maniacs

You can only record 2 channels on the UPC HD box simultaneously if you put the box into standby. Otherwise you are prompted to stop one of the recordings. if I need to record two channels simultaneously (Which is rarely), I watch the analogue verson of the channel while the two digital channels are recording.