Sky Plus

[keithlbw]

As from 1/July Sky are no longer charging extra for having a Sky Plus box.
Can I buy a Sky Plus Box and just swap it with my existing ordinary box and Sky card or does it have to be installed by a professional.
My local TV people have quoted �99 plus �30 installation.

[Mattk]

sky+ requires two cables whereas normal sky only requires one.also,sky+ is only free if you subscribe to a package(i believe).

I'll know more next week when I contact them to reduce my subscription now that sky+ allows.

[poinsy]

As far as I know, the box has to be paired with the Smart card, which is typically done by the engineer. Also, I think you still have to subscribe to Sky+ (even if they now waive the �10 subscription) to have Sky+ functionality.

[Whickerman]

Guys - it's not just the box that changes. Your dish has a little doohicky sitting in front of it - the part that sits facing the dish on an arm, and the wiring comes from this. This unit is your LNB. This is what decides what codes are needed to go through the cable to your box. Standard Sky LNBs have one output, but Sky + has two, and two cables from it. Note that you can get 4 outputs cheaply enough too, in case you ever want to put in another box.
SO: The box changes, but so does the physical dish configuration.

[keithlbw]

Thanks guys.
I do subscribe to Sky --- think i'll just get a cheap box off Ebay and pay an engieer to fit it.

[keithlbw]

* engineer

[BRIGHT SPARK]

We told sky that we were leaving and hey presto they offered to install sky + to keep us. We only have the basic package. They cant afford to lose custom as virgin media offer a better deal.Go for it.

[Mattk]

havent virgin and sky fallen out ie you cant get sky channels on virgin?

the trouble with this country is that sky have such a monopoly they dont have to offer incentives.

the quicker a rival emerges the better imho