Important Information For FTV Card Users

eirman

Are you fed up swopping your Irish and UK cards. Here is a solution .......

Upgrade your FTV card to a full UK subscription. See this thread I started in Digital Spy .....
http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35015

All you have to do is get an agreement posted to the UK address Sky have for your FTV card. Fill it in with your viewing card number and cc details. Post it to Sky from within the UK.

You could avoid much of the above and do what I did, take the train up to Belfast, go into Dixons and get a blank agreement and post it from Belfast.

All this will work with no problems if you are using an out of contract digibox. Either way you will have to decide if you want to keep your irish sub. All you will loose is is the epg info for the Irish stations.

seano

Top Marks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TVDX

It seems like a long winded route just to get those channels on your subscription when you can buy a second hand box and ftv card for next to nothing on Ebay.

Then you truly have two boxes for two different channels.
I dont agree with people who get the FTV card and swap between, it doesnt work right, you need it to be constantly receiving the signal.

bkehoe

Yep, I use the 2 box solution here; very handy; can be recording say ITV, and watching sky movies/one/bbc/etc.

Kramer

Originally posted by TVDX
you can buy a second hand box and ftv card for next to nothing on Ebay.

What do you consider "next to nothing" ?

FTV cards sell for approx £20 - £ 30 sterling. That's nearly €40.

Second hand digiboxes (with or without FTV cards) go from £80 - £150.

Between delivery, money transfer, currency conversion etc.. will cost approx €150 minimum.

Not everyone likes buying on Ebay. What if you sends your money & get a dud box, no card, or worst of all - nothing!

But I agree, trying to get a UK sub is too much hassle, unless you've friends/relations in the UK. Plus, as mentioned, you'd loose not only the Irish EPG, but the Irish channels.

I'm happily using a FTV card with my Irish box. Swapping cards isn't that much of a hassle. I have the Irish channels, + UK FTV.

TVDX

150 euro is a small pirce to pay to have a second choice of TV without the hassle of having to ring, get activated and set up an FTV card.

Ebay merchants have a rating that denotes how good they trade, you dont buy without reading feedback from other customers and seeing how many good sells they have made.

Icehouse

Someone ought to rename this thread as it doesn't contain anything important in the way of info for FTV card users! I am sure also that $ky have spies checking out this type of thread and trying to come up with a way to nab all the ftv 'pirates' (sic)

Anyways in reply to the above comment about Ebay, I paid £130 for a Panasonic digibox with card that I never received, but the money was paid back by Ebay's free fraud protection programme.

Admittedly I had to wait 6 months but I was protected. I in the meantime I had used Ebay again and got a box for £140

telecinesk

I bought 3 digiboxes via ebay.Seems ok this end, just check the feedback of the seller.It tends to be a good way of checking.
I have to laugh tho, who would bother getting a uk subscription for the expense of it.A second box is the way to go. Unless an NDS cam eventually turns up. enough said thought police>

bkehoe

Yes, you should always check a sellers feedback rating. I never get stuff off anybody with less than a rating of 10, usually 50+, and with few bad feedbacks, and have never had a problem.

alastair

Originally posted by TVDX

I dont agree with people who get the FTV card and swap between, it doesnt work right, you need it to be constantly receiving the signal.

You may not agree with it, but it hasn't caused me any problems, and I don't want ANOTHER box cluttering up the sittingroom.

So, to clarify: It works just fine. Don't listen to scaremongers.

byte

This is a good idea as Family Pack @£;16 works out at €25.07 and would include talkSport and ITV2. Sky World would work out at €58 (£37) which is a bit cheaper than the €60 Sky World is from September.

Only snag for me is that I have paid €64 for Prem+ which would be void once I cancel my existing sub. Plus I need the permission of FTV card "addressee". Plus I'm waiting for the interactive features in ROI.

Apart from C4 and UTV (which should be avialable by end of year), the only other channels I would like is ITV2 and Radio 5Live. That's it.

TVDX

Quote from Alastair "You may not agree with it, but it hasn't caused me any problems, and I don't want ANOTHER box cluttering up the sittingroom.

So, to clarify: It works just fine. Don't listen to scaremongers"

How am i a scaremonger?, i am just saying that the second box is better for reliable operation. Anotehr box cluettering up your room, yeah they really are big arent they?.

When Sky finally get smart, they will check those boxes that are subscribed to Irish packages and will if they took your serial number back then shut off your card.
If you have a mismatched card and box then, your not getting the full FTV package. anyway.

Aquos76

As far as I know sky will never start recording serial numbers of your digibox because remember after your initial 12 month contract the box is yours. Also there is such a thing called Freedom of movement act, where by you are free to move what is yours anywhere you like.
If this was the case your digibox would be of no use if you decided not to continue with sky after your contract ends.

Kramer

Originally posted by TVDX
i am just saying that the second box is better for reliable operation

I don't agree. Been using my FTV card for months without problems.

Anotehr box cluettering up your room, yeah they really are big arent they?[/QUOTE]

For a second box will also need daul/quad LNB (or even extra dish in the absence of either ), extra cable run, plus the problem using 2 digiboxes in the same room (remote control probs!).


If you have a mismatched card and box then, your not getting the full FTV package. anyway. [/QUOTE]

My FTV card is matched to my Irish box. It's very easy marry a FTV card to a (even subbed) digibox.

Sure a second digibox is an option (albeit expensive) for some, but the use of a second FTV card in one's existing box is more than reliable, & far easier for many.

TVDX

Quote Dave letterman"No mention of the daul/quad LNB (or even extra dish in the absence of either - no, maybe you continuously swap the co-ax cable between boxes! now that would truly be "reliable operation"),"

Good god, read the posts before you jump in like a fool,
Dave letterman your an idiot, I have a dual output lnb, the second box serves another room and is blocked so that remote signals dont change channel with it but it can be viewed in the main room as well. You ****in idiot.

Quote Dave letterman "Who uses a non-activated FTV card?"

Did i say that at all, no i didnt, i said mismatched, learn to read.


Quote Dave letterman "We all have our views & opinions, but you shouldn't be so quick to dismiss other members setups & methods (especially as a NEW member)."

Originally posted by TVDX
i am just saying that the second box is better for reliable operation

---

Quote Dave letterman "Total rubbish! How can you make such an uninformed statement? How many Irish people & members here have been using FTV cards trouble free?"

Yeah look at my first statement, i was really ramming it down peoples throats wasnt i?.
You total Hypocrite, are you not denying me a right to reply?.
When have i criticised?, i am simply offering my opinion.
i have not dismissed anyones opinion.

Quote Dave Letterman "Good job on rapidly upping you post count with numerous new threads! 9 in as many days "

Jesus you must be some geek if you think people actually care about something as stupid as post counts, i am simply interested in what goes on here and have many questions.
So screw you, ill post as much as i want. You not the mod so go away and get some anger managment courses.

This place will have many new members coming in the months to come, so get used to the fact that you wont be recognised as much for being here OH SO SO SO long, what a git you are.

Tony

Guys I think we can do without the insult swapping.

Tony

Originally posted by TVDX
Quote Dave letterman"No mention of the daul/quad LNB (or even extra dish in the absence of either - no, maybe you continuously swap the co-ax cable between boxes! now that would truly be "reliable operation"),"

Good god, read the posts before you jump in like a fool,
Dave letterman your an idiot, I have a dual output lnb, the second box serves another room and is blocked so that remote signals dont change channel with it but it can be viewed in the main room as well. You ****in idiot.

Quote Dave letterman "Who uses a non-activated FTV card?"

Did i say that at all, no i didnt, i said mismatched, learn to read.


Quote Dave letterman "We all have our views & opinions, but you shouldn't be so quick to dismiss other members setups & methods (especially as a NEW member)."

Originally posted by TVDX
i am just saying that the second box is better for reliable operation

---

Quote Dave letterman "Total rubbish! How can you make such an uninformed statement? How many Irish people & members here have been using FTV cards trouble free?"

Yeah look at my first statement, i was really ramming it down peoples throats wasnt i?.
You total Hypocrite, are you not denying me a right to reply?.
When have i criticised?, i am simply offering my opinion.
i have not dismissed anyones opinion.

Quote Dave Letterman "Good job on rapidly upping you post count with numerous new threads! 9 in as many days "

Jesus you must be some geek if you think people actually care about something as stupid as post counts, i am simply interested in what goes on here and have many questions.
So screw you, ill post as much as i want. You not the mod so go away and get some anger managment courses.

This place will have many new members coming in the months to come, so get used to the fact that you wont be recognised as much for being here OH SO SO SO long, what a git you are.

DMC

And we'll stop right there.

I didnt rebuke Dave Letterman, because I wanted to give TVDX the right to reply, but both of you went way over the mark, its unreal.

Now, please be civil to each other. A lot of folk here commend the ICDG board for being a great forum on boards.ie, because we dont slag each other off and we dont scoff at newbies. We want to keep it that way.

ICDG and boards.ie don't do handbags, but if we did, they'd probably be the best handbags in the world.

As I normally say in these situations, chill.

Kramer

Originally posted by DamoDMC


but both of you went way over the mark, its unreal.

Sorry guys

I've edited my post (agreed "slightly" inflamatory) now, but:

Holy smokes, what an attack.

Damo, I think you'll agree my iniyial reply wasn't all that bad, else you would have deleted/edited it right away.

But come on, that "personal attack" by is by no means justified, or acceptable.

Some quotes:

Dave letterman your an idiot

You ****in idiot

learn to read

You total Hypocrite

you must be some geek - So screw you

what a git you are

Did you ever see an attack like that. Was my post anywhere near that sort of personal abuse? I think not.

Anyway, as I've said, have removed any inflamatory material, & expect the above offensive post will be removed also.

TVDX should chill.

carrolls

Yeah, I think the weight of TVDX's attack is the issue here.
There's handbags at five paces and then there's this.

Kramer

Originally posted by carrolls
Yeah, I think the weight of TVDX's attack is the issue here.
There's handbags at five paces and then there's this.

Thanks for the support

I know my post may have been a little provocative, but this personal abuse/language needs to be reprimanded.

byte

Aaaanyway! Trying to bring this thread back on topic, does anyone have a UK subscription? Seems like an interesting idea. Does new subscription not require a phoneline connection, just subsidised setups?

eirman

Yes I have a full UK sub here in Dublin. It is quite handy having the bbc/ch4/ch5/itv2/sports/movies/gold/5live etc all on the one box. I get the Irish channels on my basic NTL analogue sub.

There is nothing wrong with the two box solution. I'm surprised my post caused flaming.

Maybe I should have titled the post as: Useful Information .....
Anyhow I just wanted to let everyone with a FTA card know that they are already 70% of the way towards having a full UK sub.

alastair

Originally posted by TVDX
How am i a scaremonger?, i am just saying that the second box is better for reliable operation. Anotehr box cluettering up your room, yeah they really are big arent they?.

I don't want to revist the insult fest. Only checking back into the thread now.

You were scaremongering by claiming that two cards/one box 'didn't work right'. That's patently untrue, and a lot of people may believe otherwise if they take your post as gospel.

And I don't want an unnecessary second box in my living room. I've already got a dvd, a video, an amp, and a digibox, with various remotes making the place look like dixons. And as was pointed out, a dual LNB and laying new coax is a mighty pain in the arse to go through.

So, to re-iterate. You don't need two boxes, one box/two cards is a perfectly workable solution. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise.

Here endeth the lesson.

plainOldBob

I don't want to get into the argument about which system is best. However it does look like some of the people contributing to this thread can answer my question.

I am trying to buy a box/ftv card combination from ebay. Most of the systems for sale actually use an exsubscription card instead of a real bbc card.

I have heard that these exsubscription cards can at times be deactivated. This never happens to a BBC card.

Can anyone shed light on this?

Best Regards,

PS: I can see the merits in both the two card one box approach and two box two card approach. I have thought long and hard before going down the two box route.

Mossy Monk

is it normal for BBC1 to be showing the dreaded "This programme is not available" banner when waiting for it to activate. all the others are working fine

Mossy Monk

all is well now 35 hours later :eek:

Kramer

Busy week for you.

Back at school since Monday

Ah well, your absence is.........:rolleyes:

freetoair

Here's my tuppence worth!
Its over a year ago since I sat on the sidelines on the ICDG forum and gathered what information I needed to proceed with getting a FTV card.
Decided on the ebay route, the full whack 2nd Digibox rather than card swapping.
If the wife isn't there to do it for you, then card swapping means getting up off your backside which I thought would decrease my viewing pleasure.

Anyway, to make a long story that bit longer. Had dual LNB installed, cabelling down the back of the house, and my brand new digibox with FTV card for the back room. Everything worked fine.

However, the back room was intended for the kids, toys everywhere etc, and all they watch is Boomerang on the 2nd Digibox (Boomerang is available without a card; wait for the post from the guy who tells me he knows that already).
So when I want to watch Channel 4, do you think I sit on a beanbag in the kids room, you gotta be kidding, after all my investment in LNBs and extra boxes, I prefer to card swap !
But the 2nd box is great for keeping the kids out of the main room so I can watch the telly in peace.