Sky + questions

Hello all,

I am looking to have Sky + installed this week for use with my projector, but have a few questions:

(1) Audio - I know I can use a digital optical cable for DD5.1 output (where Sky broadcasts it) but do I still need twin phono leads for all non 5.1 output or will the digital audio lead still function for all other audio?

(2) Sky cards - why is it that putting your card in someone else's decoder doesn't work, and does this mean that if I keep my existing non Sky+ decoder, that I won't be able to use my new card in it? I was hoping to take the card out of one and take it upstairs to use in the other decoder?

(3) If I wanted to watch Sky in only 2 rooms, is my best bet to have the 2nd decoder physically wired up to the minidish? Basically I do not want to pay another £10 a month for the 2nd box, but want to watch regularly in two rooms (not concurrently though!)

Thanks guys!

[Starburst]

1) The optical connection is all you need.

2) Some channels are locked to a certain combination of digibox and smartcard, some are not. As a basic rule SKY's movie and sports channels can not be viewed on a digibox the card is not married to. For a permenant moce the smartcard can be married to a new box by simply calling SKY.
You do not get a new smartcard if you already have an existing SKY subscription, that card is swapped over and married to the SKY+ and then upgraded with the SKY+ subscription.

3) A second digibox connected to the dish is great but is limited to the FTA channels if you do not have a second smartcard which means £10 a month sicne the official FTV cards are no longer sold. Barring that the TVlink or Videosender style of devices are fine for watching the same channel in two rooms.

[Too Tall]

1) Only the movie channels output DD. For some films it's DD2.0 and for others it's DD5.1. For all other channels PCM audio is ouput via the optical cable. So the answer to your question is, no you don't need to have the Sky+ box connected with 2 phonos as well.

2) The sky cards are lock to the box and so will not work on any other box. If you want to use you current box in other room you will have to get a 2nd box sub (for £10).

3) As answer 2 this will not work as you can't transfer the card. Your best bet is probably be a video sender. Or if you can connect the TV in the other room via a coax (normal TV cable) to the Sky+ box then you can use a Sky remote eye.

Too Tall.

Thanks guys.

So what happens if my decoder broke down after the 12 months, or I simply bought a better one from someone other than Sky?

How would I get the card "married" to a new digibox?

Do Sky only allow one "marriage" per subscription and how is it policed?

Many thanks!

[Too Tall]

You can just ring them on the helpline number to get the card married to a new box, no problem. All the boxes have a unique serial number, the card is programmed with that number so it can't be used on any other box.

Too Tall.