Sky Digital Installations, the best decoder...

[damienb]

Hi Gang,

I am just looking to start a Dig subscription (and I do have to question why with all the problems everyone seems to have!). Looked at Telewest Dig website, to get the Sky Movies and Sky Sports channels would cost over £50 (although that would include phone line rental). Couldn't get the price off Sky's web site (what bo**ocks) so had to call them. The same package with Sky is only £34. Thinking of the new BT offer of £3 off line rental per month blar blar... was still considering it. Asked the guy i spoke to at Sky about the box that would be installed, i.e. what make/model would it be, the reply, "Can't say mate, just depends on what the engineer brings with him!"
What sort of an answer is that? That would be like walking into a TV rental shop and saying that you will pay £50 installation, and £34/month (for 12 months) totalling £458 for the first year, and the best bit, they choose what telly you get! I thought he would give me a list of boxes, then I was going to ask in here to see what people would recommend, and then I could choose. Stupid of me I know to expect anything like common sense from these people!

Still I would like to ask the question, of the free boxes that Sky Dig give with the one year subscription, which is the best? WHY i hear you ask? The reason is this: even after the above rant, Sky Dig are the only real choice so I am stuck with them. But my hope is that the engineer who turns up to install the dish and box, fancy's a backhander to let me choose the box, i.e. he'll come back tomorrow when he has a stock of X boxes. I know some of them are bribeable, as the father in law paid his guy to run another aerial through to a second TV in another room for him, I know it means that he can only watch the same channel as is on the Sky box, but it suits him. So I hope a nice chap, looking for £20 quid in his arse pocket turns up. So please let me know your opinions on what box is best and why, and I will let you know how I get on over the next couple of weeks...

Regards,

Damien

Slightly different situation, as in theory all the Sky digiboxes are the same, regardless of manufacturer. Sky control the specification, and won't licence it to anyone who doesn't toe the line. Having said that, a quick read of this site will tell you that there are differences in speed of the EPG, reliability etc so a lot of people try and find a friendly installer.

As for TV in another room, I think your father-in-law may have been ripped off! You don't need to bribe an installer to do that!
All Sky digiboxes are already set up to do that and have a second RF output. You can buy a TV Link pack that comes with a second remote control and a IR extender. It's only about 20 quid to buy a kosher one (plus cable) so I hope your FIL didn't pay too much!

[damienb]

Thanks Keith,

The in law didn't get ripped off, isn't able to have run the cable himself due to health, he only bunged the guy £10, not bad as he had to move loads of furniture, and TV, stereo, video... in the second room. Also retuned TV channels for him as pics weren't great. In the end he had to force him to take the cash! Apparently there are still some nice guy's out there, just hope I get a similar guy!

Damien

[GarryF]

When I was wanting digital in last october I wanted the sony box, I ended up going to a local shop and paying about £75 for installation but I got the box I wanted no hassle.

Dunno what is best now but when I was looking sony & panasonic were best followed by grundig with pace and amstrad last (which is what you'll probably get from sky :-)

Sony is still the only one with optical digital out, which works if you follow some of the instructions in this forum.

[Neil Watson]

Blimey, Telewest are expensive
NTL Digital in the Thames Valley area only charge £44 for all the channels and telephone which compares quite well with Sky @ £34 + BT @ 9.99.

They even made sure that all 6 of my phone sockets still worked after the phone install which had a bonus of upping my internet bps via 56k modem to over 52000 from 45000 when on BT! It will be even better when I get my NTLWorld CD as internet access will be free!

Granted I had to wait six weeks between the cable and phone installs as I kept my existing number but so far customer services have been great. I had a picture problem with the RGB connection and they came out the follwoing day and replaced the pace decoder.

Still, I am not siding with them as I think the up and coming Skyplus looks great and wish NTL would do the same as I used to have there analogue service which could be programed to turn on/off & change channels so that I could record different cable channels whilst on holiday. At the moment you can't do that on the digital service