How to self upgrade from Sky to Sky+

tikigod19

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Hi all,
I recently upgraded from Sky+ to Sky+ HD and I want to give my box to a friend who currently has standard sky.

I asked sky and they said thats fine, however my friend has been quoted £100 to have it installed.

As far as I'm aware its a care of replacing the LNB for a quad (quad or duo or does it not matter) and running a 2nd cable through to the box.

I just wanted some clarification of whether that really is all thats necessary before I start looking at parts and costing it up.

Many thanks.
 
You are correct.

After the "work" you need to call Sky and get the card paired and + features activated.
 
thanks.
Just out of interest how would you attach the cable to the outside of the house? I know cable tacks would work fine inside but surely just 'nailing' into brick isnt the way to do it?
 
google isnt giving me much love on the external cable clips front. Do you have any links to what you mean?
 
how would you attach the cable to the outside of the house?
The same way as it's done with the present cable, the same way as you probably have yours now!
Why the question? :confused:
Quad is the type of LNB that's required, and the only other parts are the cable and those clips.
Whether the LNB will fit the dish bracket depends on how old that is.
 
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because i didnt fit mine and i'm not at home to look.
To be honest I didnt think it'd be as simply as nailing into my house but alas, it seems it is!
Thanks a lot for that.
Logiciel, is there anything that I can look out for on the dish that would point out whether its new enough to not cause issues when swapping the LNB?
 
That's OK and when you check out your own wiring you'll most likely find the cable clips neatly tapped into the mortar between the bricks. It's something that's so simple that even I have done it, and I'm not the sort who takes climbing up ladders to dishes as a normal thing to do. :blush: That means the details of the fittings on the dish are way out of my experience, but it's to do with the size of the LNB and the thing it fits into. There will be plenty of other posters who will come in on these details for you. :thumbsup:
Logi
 
is there anything that I can look out for on the dish that would point out whether its new enough to not cause issues when swapping the LNB?

The only sure fire way is to get up the ladder and look.
(Most LNB's come with various fixing adaptors.)
 
Thinking about this some more, your friend may be better off just signing up for HD for a year, (£120 + the VAT increase in Jan), and getting a free HD box with, most likely a brand new Dish and LNB.
 
they cant afford that plus theres the £60 install fee to add on. Also they dont even have a HD tv...
 
Just a thought - you could have talked away the £60 installation charge.
 
hmm im obviously not persuasive enough as I tried but they weren't having any of it!

Seeing as I have a box with no home and this LNB thing really does sound simple (especially since the knowledge that I wont need to drill another hole) I think it should be a cheap and easy job... just dont move the dish!
 
When you're looking at the way the cable is clipped to the wall now you might find that the hole where it enters the house is not large enough for an extra cable. :(
 
When you're looking at the way the cable is clipped to the wall now you might find that the hole where it enters the house is not large enough for an extra cable. :(

Apparently there is a slim line double cable that's the same size as the single cable so it should be as simple as removing the single and poking through the double.

I'm just very worried about misaligning the dish...
 
I'm just very worried about misaligning the dish...

That's why I suggested you might want Sky to do it.
You can buy a cheap "satellite finder" but if the dish has been up any length of time you will probably find all the bolts and metalwork rusted solid and any fine adjustments you try to make virtually impossible.
 
Replacing the single cable with a double rather than adding another single would probably solve the potential "hole" problem. If the dish is as secure as it needs to be I don't see moving it out of position as a problem, but the condition of the arm and everything about it and the LNB holder are likely to be problems as SN suggests, so his solution in post #12 would be well worth considering.
 
they really cant afford HD and its a waste not having a HD tv. I thought the install was easier to be honest but now I'm worried. i do sort of know a sky man so I'll ask him and hope he doesnt quote £100 too.
 
What was included in the £100 quotation?
I would have thought you could get a new dish, LNB, and cabling, for less than that.
 
What was included in the £100 quotation?
I would have thought you could get a new dish, LNB, and cabling, for less than that.

You wouldn't get me up a ladder, at my age, for less than £100 :D
 
You'd never have got me up one at any age for any price - not that I could have done anything when I go there.
But prices are higher in Stevenage than here.;)
 

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