Best Sky+ Box

[japenger]

Evening All,

First of all sorry if this has already been covered but I did a search and couldn't come up with anything.

I'm getting Sky+ installed next Friday and want to know what is the best box to ask the installer for when he rings in the morning to confirm time of install.

I've read lots of things about noisy fans and poor software etc. but which box is best????

I was just told by sky that it would be the latest box.....whatever that is!

So should I ask for a PVR2 or 3 and what make, Pace Sony Panasonic etc

Any help will be greatfully received!!

Pretty

Cheers

Paul.

[davemurgatroyd2]

The only manufacturers ever on Sky+ boxes have been Pace (stopped manufacturing last year), Amstrad and Thomson.

Pace were the best ( but there are very few new(unused) ones around now amongst the installers.

Amstrad used to have the worst reputation but it would seem that their latest one is more reliable than the latest Thomson (it would seem all the previous complaints have born fruit)

The software problems have affected all makes at different times (Pace least of all)

Usually you will get what the installer has on his van.

If you are not happy after the install complain to Sky and get them to swap the box

[japenger]

Thanks for your quick reply Dave.

I guessed it would probably be pot luck on what box I get but if I know which one I want it can't hurt to ask in the hope that he can put that one on the van for me

So at the moment where saying ask for a Pace if available or the latest Amstrad?

[neilmcl]

Originally Posted by davemurgatroyd2

The only manufacturers ever on Sky+ boxes have been Pace (stopped manufacturing last year)

Where have you got this information from. AFAIK The Pace pvr3 boxes are far from rare, are still be supplied by Sky themselves, as well as 3rd-party retailers, and is even still being advertised on PACE's own website.

[neilmcl]

Originally Posted by japenger

Thanks for your quick reply Dave.

I guessed it would probably be pot luck on what box I get but if I know which one I want it can't hurt to ask in the hope that he can put that one on the van for me

So at the moment where saying ask for a Pace if available or the latest Amstrad?

You can ask all you like but you'll only get what the installer has in his van on the day, something most installers won't know until the day nor have any control over.

[FRANTIC FRANC]

Like I said I'm still fitting Pace PVR3's for Sky! But I'd still rather have the Pace PVR2!!

Cheers, Franc

[jenic]

Well i have a 1st generation Pace PVR1 refurb and it has been very reliable, it has failed 1 recording in 13 months of constant use.

Its big, its ugly but it works so who am i to argue, its not like its even visible under the TV.

[dudeness]

I just had my install and was worried as you are, i asked the Engineer when he called and asked for a Thompson and he said aslong as they load the van with them in the morning he'd let me have one. The hard drive and fan are abit loud on the Amstrad, and the sky engineer agreed with that.

[davemurgatroyd2]

Originally Posted by neilmcl

Where have you got this information from. AFAIK The Pace pvr3 boxes are far from rare, are still be supplied by Sky themselves, as well as 3rd-party retailers, and is even still being advertised on PACE's own website.

http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/...d.php?t=424097

http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/...ace+production

New model due from Pace soon - said August

[neilmcl]

Originally Posted by davemurgatroyd2

http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/...d.php?t=424097

http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/...ace+production

New model due from Pace soon - said August

The first link doesn't say anything about pace no longer manufacturing Sky+ boxes and the second is hardly conclusive.

[FRANTIC FRANC]

You must never listen to what some person on end of the phone at Sky tell you, they are 50% wrong or missinformed. I had a customer last week told he could have a new Panasonic! He wouldn't believe me when I told him they went out of production 3 years ago so I called engineer's technical support and got him to confirm what I was telling the customer.

I've lost count of the times I've heard someone at sky say to the customer 'well I don't know why you were told that' - Sky need to brief their operators or at least send them on training courses every copule of months so that they are all clued up on the latest developments.

Cheers, Franc

Bring back Panasonic and Sony as manufacturers and there wouldn't be half the posts on this forum as there are know!

[neilmcl]

Originally Posted by FRANTIC FRANC

Bring back Panasonic and Sony as manufacturers and there wouldn't be half the posts on this forum as there are know!

As long as the consumer expects to pay peanuts for their SKy boxes, or indeed expects them for nothing, the the overall quality is bound to be poor and I'm afraid Sony and Panasonic would be in the same boat as the other makers. Probably a good reason for them to pull out of stb manufacture for Sky.

[Gixxerblade]

I'd get the installer to leave 1 of each boxes and then you may get 1 that works as it should and save yourself a couple of phone calls.
I had SKY+ installed last week - for some bizarre reason 1 installer came to fit the dish and LNB and another came to fit the box, there didn't seem to be any organisation to this and it was just lucky the dish guy came first .....
The first box turned out to be an A grade Amstrad PVR2 with EPG 4.01A as installed, unfortunately the picture broke up several times the first night with sound drop outs and 2 test recordings were unwatchable due to the same problem - the signal strength varied each time I looked but was generally around 60% sometimes less and occassionally slightly more. The box has been swapped with a Thomson PVR3 with epg 4.10c and the LNBs were replaced at the same time, this new set up is a big improvement with just the occasional freeze up and the "no signal" message once. I've got to say when the thing works it's a great piece of kit and considering I got it for £49 with free installation and half price Sky World for 4 months I can put up with a few glitches - not too many though.
p.s. It would have been nice if I'd been told at the order stage the box would be refurbished but I knew when I got the paper work pre-install when it said A Grade. It doesn't really bother me considering the deal package as an whole but I note from some threads it does some people. There seems to be some debate about whether the box will be covered for 90 days or 12 months, I'll have to fight that battle later if needs be.

[LiFo]

[quote=FRANTIC FRANC]:
I've lost count of the times I've heard someone at sky say to the customer 'well I don't know why you were told that' - Sky need to brief their operators or at least send them on training courses every copule of months so that they are all clued up on the latest developments.

Cheers, Franc
QUOTE]

Or the customer has to stop lying and saying that sky said this just to try and manipulate one of the lesser experienced enginners