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Which is better a Thompson or Pace box?

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 463
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in Sky #1
Sky are replacing my faulty Amstrad box. I requested either a Thompson or Pace, to which they have agreed. Which is the best out of the two makes? Thanks

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  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,422
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    #2
    miss_chaos wrote: »
    Sky are replacing my faulty Amstrad box. I requested either a Thompson or Pace, to which they have agreed. Which is the best out of the two makes? Thanks

    Pace are by FAR the best Sky+, although there's no guarantee the installer will have one - there's no system at Sky for supplying specific makes.
  • digitalsatmandigitalsatman Posts: 7,057
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    #3
    Pace are generally better, but if there are no Pace, get a Thomson. Try to get a new box (only if you think you deserve it - like you are on a high package, have been with them for a while). :)
  • Mark AMark A Posts: 7,689
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    #4
    Seeing as Sky now own Amstrad it seems unlikely they'd push anyone else's boxes. It can only be a matter of time before the name Amstrad is dropped and you start getting Sky branded boxes.

    Regards

    Mark
  • davemurgatroyddavemurgatroyd Posts: 13,328
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    #5
    Mark A wrote: »
    Seeing as Sky now own Amstrad it seems unlikely they'd push anyone else's boxes. It can only be a matter of time before the name Amstrad is dropped and you start getting Sky branded boxes.

    Regards

    Mark

    Brand names on Sky boxes actually dsappearred some time ago except on white sticky labels on the bottom.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5,528
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    #6
    davemurgatroyd wrote: »
    Brand names on Sky boxes actually dsappearred some time ago except on white sticky labels on the bottom.
    Though [Services],4,5 remains pretty unequivocal.
  • ilovekrysilovekrys Posts: 1,612
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    #7
    miss_chaos wrote: »
    Sky are replacing my faulty Amstrad box. I requested either a Thompson or Pace, to which they have agreed. Which is the best out of the two makes? Thanks

    i would say the pace boxes are the most trust worthly boxes out of the lot of them
    :p:p
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 463
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    #8
    Sky said they will def give me a Pace or Thompson. I complained about the rubbish Amstrad, plus Sky have given me a hard time with bad engineers so they are now being very nice to me.
  • coopermanyorkscoopermanyorks Posts: 21,215
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    #9
    After having or still have all variants of Sky+ box , I would place them in this order

    1) Pace

    2) Amstrad ( close second )

    3) Thomson ( miles behind )
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 184
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    #10
    coopermanyorks wrote: »
    After having or still have all variants of Sky+ box , I would place them in this order

    1) Pace

    2) Amstrad ( close second )

    3) Thomson ( miles behind )

    I have also had all the sky brands i would say pace is first (mines still going strong and had no failed recordings or problems:D). I would then say both amstrad and thomson are equally bad and a long, long way off from pace.
  • coopermanyorkscoopermanyorks Posts: 21,215
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    #11
    lewi123 wrote: »
    I have also had all the sky brands i would say pace is first (mines still going strong and had no failed recordings or problems:D). I would then say both amstrad and thomson are equally bad and a long, long way off from pace.

    We had an Amstrad recently fitted ( about April 2008 ) as a replacement for a failed Thomson PVR3 (Thomson was fitted in Oct 2005) . The Thomson was very noisy ( fan ) and had poor PQ , it was sluggish in response to the remote commands and had a known clash when used with a Samsung Lcd .

    All these were correct with the Amstrad box , personally I cant fault it so far

    Components can vary in box models , looks like I got a good one . :D
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    #12
    Having had the delight of experiencing all 3 brands of PVR3, I'd agree 100% with CoopermanYorks ordering of the units in his post above.

    I currently have a Pace, and can't knock it.

    My original box was an Amstrad and the only fault was the sound occasionally dropping out. Being a little pedantic, it was sometimes a little slow in the menus.

    I very briefly had a (new) Thomson, and I couldn't wait to get shot of it! Terrible PQ, very slow, VERY noisy (cooling fan).

    If the Sky man has a Pace, it's your Lucky day. If he only has Amstrad, it's not the end of the world. :)
    If he only has a Thomson, threaten to cut of his dangly bits with the bluntest and rustiest knife you can find! :D:eek:

    Dave
  • :manson::manson: Posts: 817
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    #13
    Pace





    Thomson







    Amstrad.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 463
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    #14
    Thanks for all your input.

    The engineer came but only had Amstrad boxes. I phoned Sky and they said they were promised by the guy's manager that i would get a pace or thompson box. The engineer phoned around and managed to locate a Pace with another engineer. He was annoyed that he had to go and get it but it wasn't his fault that he wasn't told which box to install.

    So in the end I got a brand new Pace box installed. It is so much quicker to respond to commands than the Amstrad box.
  • coopermanyorkscoopermanyorks Posts: 21,215
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    #15
    miss_chaos wrote: »
    Thanks for all your input.

    The engineer came but only had Amstrad boxes. I phoned Sky and they said they were promised by the guy's manager that i would get a pace or thompson box. The engineer phoned around and managed to locate a Pace with another engineer. He was annoyed that he had to go and get it but it wasn't his fault that he wasn't told which box to install.

    So in the end I got a brand new Pace box installed. It is so much quicker to respond to commands than the Amstrad box.

    Great you got a result , it was a brand new one in a white box ?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 184
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    #16
    coopermanyorks wrote: »
    We had an Amstrad recently fitted ( about April 2008 ) as a replacement for a failed Thomson PVR3 (Thomson was fitted in Oct 2005) . The Thomson was very noisy ( fan ) and had poor PQ , it was sluggish in response to the remote commands and had a known clash when used with a Samsung Lcd .

    All these were correct with the Amstrad box , personally I cant fault it so far

    Components can vary in box models , looks like I got a good one . :D

    Maybe i just had bad look with my amstrad:( The engineer told me that it was extremely hot when he changed and said it was over heating and that the fan probably wasnt working, Also i agree with you on the thomson, i have a samsung LCD and it clashed, the Sky engineer told me that thomson boxes are incompatible with most samsung TV's. Funny thing is is i always get the same engineer and every time he comes he just shouts through the window which one is it now as i have multi-room:p. (that's if the window is open of course):p
  • Skylover4lifeSkylover4life Posts: 1,310
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    #17
    No problems with Thomson here, only had 1 or 2 failed recordings, manually due to no desk space or clashes.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 463
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    #18
    coopermanyorks wrote: »
    Great you got a result , it was a brand new one in a white box ?

    Yes it is brand new in white box. Thanks to everyone on Digital Spy I learned a while back not to accept a brown box. Last time they came they tired to give me brown box and I didn't accept it
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