Sky Card & decoders?

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10
Forum Member
Good afternoon everybody. I wonder if I can pick your collective brains as I am now somewhat out of touch with these systems. In my analogue days I had D2mac etc but since going digital some 8 or 9 years ago I have been using the standard issue Amstrad box with a sky card sticking out the front. I have a subscription covering sports/films etc. I have recently bought a uk holiday home & have been taking the box/card with me when I go away but would ideally have a second box. The first question is that I remember something about the card & decoder being linked & thus buying a cheap box & just taking the card would be a problem - is this true?

The second item is that I am thinking of going HD soon but have no intention of doing this in my holiday home. If I take a sky HD subscription/box etc at my main residence can I put the old box/card in my holiday home or am I missing something important here - Your advise on this would be gratefully received.

Many thanks
Marco

Comments

  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,330
    Forum Member
    stonkn wrote: »
    Good afternoon everybody. I wonder if I can pick your collective brains as I am now somewhat out of touch with these systems. In my analogue days I had D2mac etc but since going digital some 8 or 9 years ago I have been using the standard issue Amstrad box with a sky card sticking out the front. I have a subscription covering sports/films etc. I have recently bought a uk holiday home & have been taking the box/card with me when I go away but would ideally have a second box. The first question is that I remember something about the card & decoder being linked & thus buying a cheap box & just taking the card would be a problem - is this true?

    Yes, but only for premium channels, for the normal 'mixes' it doesn't matter,

    The second item is that I am thinking of going HD soon but have no intention of doing this in my holiday home. If I take a sky HD subscription/box etc at my main residence can I put the old box/card in my holiday home or am I missing something important here - Your advise on this would be gratefully received.

    To have two cards at a single address requires multiroom, which costs £10 extra for the second subscription - this requires BOTH (or all) boxes to be permanently connected to your registered home landline number - this is to specifically prevent what you're wanting to do, and to prevent you selling the subscription to someone else.

    If you break the rules you will get warning phone calls, letters, then your direct debit will be increased to full price subscriptions - which may be what you wanted in the first place?.
  • davemurgatroyddavemurgatroyd Posts: 13,328
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    The other alternatives for your holiday home are

    1 a Linux satellite receiver such as the TM9100 which will allow full use o a Sky subscription card (without any need for pairing or risk of card deactivating - box will pass "keep alive" signal to the card)

    2 Any satellite receiver with CI slot and a Dragon/TRex/Diablo CAM which will also allow full use of a Sky subscription card BUT the card will need to live overnight every 4 weeks or so in a normal Sky dodgibox to receive the "keep alive" signal.

    Both of these options however will not give a full EPG merely a "now and next".

    I personally use both of the above methods for holiday viewing with a full Sky World subscription card and both work well allowing for the limitations stated.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10
    Forum Member
    Many thanks to you both for your replies. Can I question you further as I mentioned, I am behind the times here!

    I have a full subscription but not Multiroom or HD. I must admit that I have never had the decoder conected to a phone line & the holiday home is not on the phone anyway.

    Firstly - does HD have a card? Secondly Is it true to say that if I go HD my old decoder is not going to give me the full range that I pay for at my other address? I would need to put the card in the TM9100 or the other 3 mentioned & bring the card home & put it into my existing (new HD?) box every couple of weeks or so but what is EPG??

    I can see how the additional card/decoder would work for me from a multiroom application but would I not have to bring the card home from that as well?

    HELP? I am really not that stupid - just doing a good act on this subject.
    Many thanks

    marco
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 524
    Forum Member
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    "EPG" = Electronic Programme Guide equivalent to the TV guide on a Sky box but not as sophisticated.

    The card would be the same one you're using now.
  • Orry VerducciOrry Verducci Posts: 2,829
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    Sky HD uses your current card, just upgraded to HD subscription. You can get Sky Boxes for your holiday home easily online, eBay is a good place to look. When it comes to the card, just take your normal card with you, it will work on everything but the premium channels (movies and sports, which require the box the card is paired to).
  • davemurgatroyddavemurgatroyd Posts: 13,328
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    With my two suggestions you would be able to use any Sky sub card at either location for full use of all channels (except HD on a non HD box). With the linux boxes the card is happy to live in those indefinitely, using the CAMs in the other altrnative the card would need o live overnight in any genuine Sky every 4 weeks or so - this could be your old Sky box when you upgrade it. This way you would still be able to view the full Sky EPG in one box and receive all the non Premium channels in that box and merely swap the card to the other box to watch Movie or Sports channels.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10
    Forum Member
    Many thanks again to everybody for their info.

    In summary then if update to sky HD I can put my old std box at the other address & take the card with me but I wont get my movies etc which I subscribe to - which is a pain.
    With the Linex & other alternative boxes I can take the card with me (std or uprated to HD) & put it into the boxes & get everything inc. sports/movie that I subscribe to but with the CAM equiped boxes I need to put it in a sky box ever so often. Is one rouute cheaper/better than the other?

    What The only way to get the premium channels I subscribe to is to go Multiroom & borrow the decoder.

    Thanks again

    Marco
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 486
    Forum Member
    Yes, but only for premium channels, for the normal 'mixes' it doesn't matter,



    To have two cards at a single address requires multiroom, which costs £10 extra for the second subscription - this requires BOTH (or all) boxes to be permanently connected to your registered home landline number - this is to specifically prevent what you're wanting to do, and to prevent you selling the subscription to someone else.

    If you break the rules you will get warning phone calls, letters, then your direct debit will be increased to full price subscriptions - which may be what you wanted in the first place?.

    I understand there is a way to circumvent this, which isn't widely known, you can pay a one off charge of £20 (per box, I believe) not to have it connected up to a phone line.
  • givecreditgivecredit Posts: 488
    Forum Member
    Generix wrote: »
    I understand there is a way to circumvent this, which isn't widely known, you can pay a one off charge of £20 (per box, I believe) not to have it connected up to a phone line.

    The above statement is incorrect. You must have all digiboxes connected to same operational phoneline for multiroom subscription.

    The £20 refers to new sky subscribers for single digibox and no phoneline.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 486
    Forum Member
    givecredit wrote: »
    The above statement is incorrect. You must have all digiboxes connected to same operational phoneline for multiroom subscription.

    The £20 refers to new sky subscribers for single digibox and no phoneline.

    Well mine aren't hooked up to a phone line as I paid the £20 per box. Never been sent a bill (although I have a top tier package anyway); still if I was clever I could have a top tier package at two premises.
  • d3mond3mon Posts: 1,003
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    Generix wrote: »
    Well mine aren't hooked up to a phone line as I paid the £20 per box. Never been sent a bill (although I have a top tier package anyway); still if I was clever I could have a top tier package at two premises.
    If you're on Multiroom, you MUST have the line connected, irrespective of any 'one off' fees you've paid.

    If you don't connect it, your subscription price is adjusted so that you pay the price for each box that is in breach of sky's T&C's (i.e. 2 boxes on Sky World would be £90/month).

    hth
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10
    Forum Member
    So multiroom & borrowing one of the decoders is not an option as both decoders need to be on one phone - line? (& I am not on the phone at my second address)

    So its back to a TM9100 or Dragon/TRex/Diablo ? What would people go for & what are the relative costs?

    Regards

    Marco
  • maccymaccy Posts: 6,909
    Forum Member
    The multiroom conditions state that all boxes must be permanently connected to the same, fixed phone landline.
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