Sky/saorview

NEDDURC

A sky fella called today and offered to update our sky boxes.
We already have 2 sky plus boxes but we want to get another one in the house however it would obviously cost an extra 15 euro a month.
The fella told us that we could keep one of our old boxes and put it in the kitchen and not have a sky viewing card in it which would mean we wouldnt get the irish channels.

My question is if i was to buy a saorview approved tv it would give me the basic channels but could i also connect up one of my old sky boxes to this tv and we would get all the channels?

I hope i've made myself clear

Thanks in advance

zg3409

NEDDURC wrote: »

A sky fella called today and offered to update our sky boxes.

Firstly beware of these door to door sales people. They don't work for Sky. They are "agents" out for commission. Often they have no details on you or your subscriptions as Sky does not want to share your details with them. Naturally they are out for a sale and may be "restrictive" with the truth. Their main interest is their commission and they may promise you the sun moon and stars. Some of it may be true, some less so. The installer who actually turns up on the day may be told differently and what you expect to get may actually be extras, payable to the installer as a seperate charge on the day.

Anyway scare story aside, to get the basic channels on a Saorview TV you need a TV aerial, not a dish. To get the Irish channels from a dish you need to subscribe to Sky (except for Saorsat but that is not relevant here)

Generally what they have told you is true, however if you want the Irish and free stations on this extra TV you would need a TV with Saorview (or a Saorview box) and an aerial installed. Also if you wanted to have an extra channels in an extra room this room would need TV aerial cabling AND satellite cabling, and possibly an octo LNB. Some of the door to door sales people may not even realise this but the installer who arrives may look for hundreds for extra setup and cabling. The installer may not even have a TV aerial with them.

Personally you have a few choices:
1) stay as you are (I still don't know exactly but assuming Sky+ non HD box and one multiroom subscription)

2) Add a magic eye and a cable from the main box connector RF2 to the TV in Kitchen. This would allow you to view all the channels from the main box, but the catches are you would need to only watch the exact same channel as the main TV. If done by DIY the cost is say 40 Euro once off with no extra monthly payments. Professional install say 90 Euro. You would get RTE and access to all recordings, but you could not watch a different station to the main box. You could sling two or more TV's off the main box. How often do you need to watch more than 2 different channels and cannot wait to record one?

3) Assuming you are out of your years contract with Sky ring them and play hard ball. Decide what you want and what you are willing to pay. Depening on how much you are paying per month and how much they think you will leave and the person you speak to the better the deal you will get. If you actually leave they will come begging even more.

Some people have gotten 3 boxes multiroom for only one payment of 15 euro instead of 3, but it does depend if you have the movies etc. One danger on upgrading the main box is you will probably lose all recordings so possibly best to move it to another room. Extra boxes in the house will require extra cabling. Sky may do it for free or charge you 100 euro dependong on the deal. You might get a brand new dish while you are at it. This dish would need an "octo LNB" if you want one main box and three multiroom boxes.

4) Go the route you suggested, buy a Saorview TV, get a TV aerial installed, and pay a single extra multiroom subscription. The TV alone will be a fair bit, the aerial install will be a fair bit and the extra 15 per month will add up.

Personally I would say one multiroom subscription and a Sky eye to every other TV is more than enough for even large families. If you need to watch more than 2 different shows at the same time then just record them. It also allows access to recordings on the main box to most if not all TVs which normal multiroom does not.

So have a look into Sky eye's and beware door to door sales. Consider the true long term cost vs what you really need.

If you have any questions or are unsure on anything please ask.

NEDDURC

Thanks for the reply. It doesn't look like there is a simple solution here.
I have two sky + boxes (not hd) - I downstairs and one upstairs. So I pay 15e extra a month for the multiroom.

I would like an extra tv in the kitchen (as kids often watching cartoons in the sitting room).

1) I would like to avoid the 15e charge for another box
2) I don't really want to put up a new aerial on the outside of my house
3) I want as many channels as possible.

Best option as you suggest could be the sky eye. You mention that this connects to our main box. How do I know which is our main box?
Would it be possible to have it connected to the upstairs box and operate it from the kitchen? Is it best to get someone who knows what they are talking about to install it?

zg3409

NEDDURC wrote: »

I have two sky + boxes (not hd)

How do I know which is our main box?

Normally multiroom boxes do not record but your case is different. Just check each box has a connector marked RF out 2 like in this photo

http://www.cyberselect.co.uk/photos/SkyHD_rear_2.jpg

Would it be possible to have it connected to the upstairs box and operate it from the kitchen?

If the upstairs box has RF out 2 then yes.

Is it best to get someone who knows what they are talking about to install it?

Yes. It might save you 2 or 3 hours of grief. However you need to be certain what you want and agree a price before any work starts. As I said it would be about 40 euro for all the parts DIY and 90 for a professional. You do not need to go to Sky for this. Any half decent installer will know all about Sky eyes. Sky just sub out the work and you pay more. I would try contact a local installer and get a fixed price. Installers are going to be crazy busy for the next month.

Assuming your box upstairs has RF then what you need

1) The right connector to connect to RF out 2 and to fit the magic eye.
2) A TV cable ran from RF 2 upstairs to the kitchen
3) In the Kitchen a "Sky magic eye" fitted beside the TV
4) The magic eye other side connected to to the TV
5) Enable the RF2 power on the box in the bedroom (hidden Sky menu)
6) Tune in the TV in the kitchen and confirm everything is working OK
7) Supply a spare Sky remote to save you "borrowing" the bedroom one each time.

There is quite a good guide to the setup here:
http://www.sky-remotes.com/setup-sky-magic-eye.shtml

Let us know how you get on.

Fromthetrees

Hi lads,

Don't mean to hijack the thread but I'm fairly sure my question is similar.
My dads currently paying SKY 91 euro per month for 2 SKY+ boxes with Sports and Movies. He said to me he just wants to get rid of the lot and just read more, don't think he means it though.
Would the following be correct;
I said cancel the whole SKY package (he's out of contract) and he'll have the basic free British channels in both rooms.
He should get Saorview installed in the back room for about 100.
His bill will go from 91 per month to nothing over night yeah (bar the one off 100 Saorview instalation)?.
I assume it'd be easy to switch between the domestic Saorview box and the free Sky box channels in the back room relatively easily.
Would there be anyway he can do the above but have Sky Sports? So he'd only be paying the 33 euro per month for the whole thing?
Either way I have to convince him that it's at least possible to pay nothing forever for a very decent selection of channels.

zg3409

Fromthetrees wrote: »

Hi lads,

Don't mean to hijack the thread but I'm fairly sure my question is similar..

Firstly nothing free compares to Sky. So it will be an inferior setup. Even if he switched to Sky's most basic setup it would only be 30 per month.

Basically what you say will work but:

1) I would recommend trying it out first before cancelling Sky, especially if you are used to the Sky box and setup. It could be very hard when used to Sky

2) A saorview install would cost possibly 100 PLUS at least 50 for a box and possibly 80 Euro.

I assume it'd be easy to switch between the domestic Saorview box and the free Sky box channels in the back room relatively easily.

Yes but you may end up with 3 remotes (Sky, Saorview and TV). For some people they would be driven insane.

3) You need to be aware when you cancel Sky the Sky box will no longer record and most existing recording (saved shows) will no longer be available

4) If recording is currently being used a Satellite and Saorview recording setup for free is quite expensive and is not easy to use.

Would there be anyway he can do the above but have Sky Sports?

In simple terms no. If UPC was available at your location they offer Sky sports but it's not really any cheaper.

I would say you would need to look at an actual Saorview box and a non subscribed Sky box and see if it is realistic.

It might be better to drop multiroom and haggle for the cheapest Sky. This might get him down to 40 per month. You would need to haggle hard and possibly even leave.

watty

Firstly nothing free compares to Sky

Only if you MUST have Sky sports.


A Freesat HD + box is now a far superior solution to Sky box out of contract which is crippled.

You need Saorview built in or TV or Saorview box or Saorsat. Despite what many say if you don't have Saorview built in a Freesat + HD (PVR) and Saorview box is superior to any combo on the market. It's no big deal to have an extra remote or program a universal.

Sky is very very expensive for only 8% of viewing time when you look at Annual Cost. Really live sport only on Pay TV is the only justification for it.

Fromthetrees

zg3409 wrote: »

Firstly nothing free compares to Sky. So it will be an inferior setup. Even if he switched to Sky's most basic setup it would only be 30 per month.

Basically what you say will work but:

1) I would recommend trying it out first before cancelling Sky, especially if you are used to the Sky box and setup. It could be very hard when used to Sky

2) A saorview install would cost possibly 100 PLUS at least 50 for a box and possibly 80 Euro.



Yes but you may end up with 3 remotes (Sky, Saorview and TV). For some people they would be driven insane.

3) You need to be aware when you cancel Sky the Sky box will no longer record and most existing recording (saved shows) will no longer be available

4) If recording is currently being used a Satellite and Saorview recording setup for free is quite expensive and is not easy to use.



In simple terms no. If UPC was available at your location they offer Sky sports but it's not really any cheaper.

I would say you would need to look at an actual Saorview box and a non subscribed Sky box and see if it is realistic.

It might be better to drop multiroom and haggle for the cheapest Sky. This might get him down to 40 per month. You would need to haggle hard and possibly even leave.

Yeah, the house is used to SKY, have had it since late nineties, getting rid of one of the boxes isn't an option because of the soaps vrs. sports divide.
This package saves him 30 euro a month if he switches from SKY so this is an option; Fibre Power Essential: Fibre Power Broadband 50Mb, Digital Select Extra, Digital+, Home Phone, Anywhere 100, FREE wireless modem. €69.00One-off cost €90.00Add Digital TV to another room €5.00One-off cost €45.00Add Sky Sports€33.54
€107.54Monthly cost
Otherwise I think they'd be better off going Saorview/Freeview because I don't think it's worth paying for it monthly without sports.
I played "hard ball" with UPC by accident, I have basic bb and tv, thought what's the point in paying for the tv I barely watch so I rang up and cancelled it, they offered 43 per month to keep both, I said I'm fine, then checked their site and because of the standalone charge I'd be paying 45, works out 2 euro cheaper to keep the tv, rang them and said I'd keep it, weird but good result.

ariesman77

Hi All, with the recent economic downturn, we had to reduce our Sky Bill as it was €90 a month and we work all day every day, so only really watch at weekends and evenings for an hour. We had sky movies, sky sports & multiroom X 1

Heres what our set up was, we have satellite on roof and the below :

1.) Samsung LED TV (2 yrs old) in front room with Sky+Hd box
2.) Samsung LCD TV (4 yrs old) in kitchen, with SKY HD box (mutiroom)
3.) Bush LCD TV (4 years old) in bedroom hooked up with a sky eye from front room tv

So we have to watch whats on in sitting room upstairs. We cancelled the multiroom in kitchen and sky movies.

Now our TV in kitchen only receives the free UK channels, is there anyway I can hook up to receive all the channels? Or put a saorview box or aerial to it and what whould the best thing to do be? Please all help appreciated!!

Cantona's Collars

Your older tv probably won't receive saorview so you can pick up saorview boxes and use them in conjunction with the existing Skyboxes or sell the Skyboxes & use the money to buy combo boxes that pick up both satellite fta channels (UK) and Saorview (Irish).

You'll need an aerial for Saorview but depending on your location an indoor aerial might be ok.