RTE In the UK - Can you help?

Ian_ExManchester

Hello.

I'm in Dublin and my father is in Manchester.

I'd like to try and get him the RTE channels over in the UK.

I am living in a house in Dublin with no phone connection so subscribing to Sky is a no-no according to the high st stores.

I'm sure there is a way around this. Is it possible to buy a 2nd hand Digibox from somewhere/someone that has the RTE channels on it (or get my dads UK box which isnt subscribed to anyone over there anymore) and get a connection over here that gets RTE etc/or by subscribing to SKY and then get the channels?

Another Question for you - If I have to subscribe to Sky Ireland to get RTE, after the mandatory minimum 1 year subscription length, would I continue getting the RTE 1/2 and TV3 ?

denis1501

Hi Ian,
There is a way to do this.
Ring Sky and tell them to send you out a contract to your Dublin address telling them that you have an 'out of contract' box already in your possession and don't require an installation.Fill out the contract and send it back.
When you get your card take note of the number and send it to your Dad in Manchester.
Tell your Dad to go into the Services menu of his digibox and write down very carefully the serial number of his box and version number. Then ring Sky from Ireland and tell them you have received your card and require it to be activated. Make sure your Dad knows what time you're ringing Sky so that the card is in the digibox and ready to receive the over the air activation.
The Sky representative will take the box and card details and the card will be activated!
Your Dad will be watching the GAA in no time!
regards
D.

denis1501

The answer to the second part of your question is no. You can not watch RTE with a card that has expired. You have to keep the subscription going.
regards
D.

lifeboatdoc

I've done more or less the same thing for my Dad. Tell him to NEVER plug his box into the phone.

Ian_ExManchester

Cheers Guys, Ill give it a go.

Ian_ExManchester

I've just spoke to Sky and they are gonna send a contract to me , to fill in.

A question for you - My Dad already has a Digibox in the UK, he hasnt been with Sky for over a year. If I sent him the Irish card (and got the necessary details/numbers from him/and made sure that the card is in when I ring Sky up and activate it) -and At the moment he has UK channels through the UK card thats in the digibox. When he puts the Irish card into the box, would it automatically reconfigure the channels to the Irish settings ie RTE,1 and 2, TV3 and TV4 or would I have to manually tune them in.

Any help that you can give would be great

lifeboatdoc

What he could do is ring up Sky and cancel his UK sub. Then ring up Free to View 08705 438000 and request a FTV card. When this comes he rings them and they will activate the FTV card which will give him BBC/ITV/Ch 4 Five News 24 etc. They will ask for the box details as found in the System Details menu. It can take up to three days for all the channels to come up.

Once he has done that he takes out the UK FTV card and inserts the Irish Sky card sent by you. You ring Sky and give them the box details and the Irish address and they will activate the Irish card. When he wants to watch FTV put that card in and it will call up the UK EPG and likewise for the Irish card: it will automatically call up Irish EPG with RTE 1 ON 101. Net 2 on 102 etc.


So this way he has only one sub (Irish) be it Family Pack or Sky World. but can access the UK Channels not on the Irish EPG


Alternativley he can get a second box for FTV.


Or get a Freeview Digital Terrestrial Box from Argos- one off £99 ish, has all the free digital channels received from terrestrial transmitters

lowtechguy

Thanks for the helpful forum threads, everyone. Knowledge is power.

I'm thinking about getting an ROI SKY subscription sent to my parents in ROI and an old box off Ebay so that I can watch RTE in the UK.

I have a few questions regarding this solution to RTE in the UK. I'm very sorry if they have been answered elsewhere, or are annoyingly basic:

(1) Even if you say to Sky "I have an out-of-contract box and don't require an installation", when new contract and ROI viewing card are sent out, won't the new contract still say that you need to plug it in to the phone line for the first year? Or is that strictly only for new boxes installed?

(2) I have Sky+ with multiroom. One dish. How can I set up a third box? (I'm not too bothered about recording my RTE on Sky+ although that would be an ideal situation). Can I simply split the antenna cable from the dish, attach both boxes and switch on the relevant box when required, or is it more complicated than that?

(3) My parents have sky already in ROI for more than a year (- They have a second house in the ROI, so I could get a new card/contract that way). But, I could also convince them to upgrade to Sky+ and I could keep their old box. Would sky take back or switch off the old card after the Sky+ upgrade, or might I be lucky?

How would you do this? Grateful for answers.

denis1501

1. You do not need to connect to the phone line for 12 months on a second-hand contract.
2. Check your lnb to see how many outputs it has. If there is a spare one you need to run a new cable to your new (RTE) box.
3. Your parents 'old' card would be used for the Sky + upgrade, a new card would not be required.
regards
D.

lowtechguy

Thanks vey much denis1501.

Last question - if I don't have a spare lnb (haven't climbed up to the dish yet), do I need a second dish for my RTE box then?

denis1501

No need for a new dish, you just need a quad lnb installed. You may even already have one (You certainly have at least a 'twin' if you have Sky +).
regards
D.

mackerorama

Hi,

I live in Edinburgh. I'm thinking on getting my Mum to get Sky installed in Dublin and then I bring the box and viewing card over to UK and connect to an existing Sky dish here will there be any problems?

If she had a multi room installation could I bring one box over here and leave one for her use?

Cheers for any help,
mackerorama

denis1501

To answer the first part of your post, no, there will be no problems providing the digibox being used by your mother is not subsidised, ie you don't get it free from sky. Reason being if it's subsidised it has to be connected to an Irish phone line for 12 months.
Part 2 of your question, No, no chance of taking a multiroom box, these MUST be connected to an Irish phone line at all times.
regards
D.

benifa

mackerorama,

Condiser VoIP.

www.freespeech.ie offer free Irish local numbers. Use a good quality ATA, G711a codec and make sure your internet connection has enough bandwidth up and down. It works for me..

easkey

RTE in the UK or any other place. If your dad or
whoever or where ever wants to see GAA game or any special
events from home why not think about a SLINGBOX.

denis1501

Slingbox needs a fast internet connection (at least 1mb imho) and costs £150....maybe a better choice for someone who can't get Astra 2D in Europe rather than someone in Edinburgh with family in Ireland.
regards
D.

mackerorama

Thanks Denis1501. I've read the T&C to which you refer. If I disconnect my Mums box and bring it to the UK Sky will charge 130 euro to reimburse for the equipment. If I paid that would that be the end of the story?

What about another possibility. Can I get an Irish viewing card and get it validated by taking my digibox to Ireland and connecting to my brothers phone and dish. He already has his own Sky subscription.

denis1501

Providing your Mum hasn't already subscribed, you could simply give her your box and tell her to ask sky for a second hand contract, ie just a viewing card. That way there are no subsidies involved. The card comes and she rings Sky with the box (your box) details, no phone line even required.
The answer to part 2 is yes, you could do that too.
regards
D.

john_graydon

Havent read all the thread, but if you want rte in england use an old digibox or get one off b&Sell. get the basic package and get it activated here, then send the box & card over . He just has to connect the power, feed & scart. That would stop all the activation hassle. There is an easier way as well, but its probally already mentioned above.

Happy Dreaming

mackerorama

John,

Can I clarify your posting

1. I live in the UK and have an out of contract SKY box and card.
2. If I send this box and card over to my brother in Ireland and he connects it to his dish then the Irish channels will be activated on my card no contact required with SKY?.

Questions.
- Does this overwrite the UK free channels
- I thought RTE etc were only available to subscribers.

Thanks for your help

benifa

Not quite. RTE channels are neither FTA nor FTV. A subscription is required. If you live in the UK and have an out of contract SKY box and card, but want RTE, you can do this:

1. Remove your out of contract UK card and put it to one side - this is now an FTV card, needed for CH4, five, five US, five life and Sky3.

2. Send the digibox by itself over to the emerald isle, where your brother will need to call Sky and request a second hand contract - or viewing card only subscription (no new equipment / installation). This will be at least 2 mixes. Current price is €21.50 per month for this, current offer is first month free (regardless of chosen package). Packages here: https://survey.sky.com/order/Default.asp

3. When he receives the card from Sky, he calls to activate it. Upon activation, the account is live and 12 month minimum term contract begins.

4. Once activated, your brother sends the digibox and new card back to you in the UK for you to enjoy. Don't forget it's a 12 month contract with Sky though.


You will have, in your EPG:
RTÉ One
RTÉ Two
TV3
TG4
BBC One (Northern Ireland)
BBC Two (Northern Ireland)
Channel 4 (some programming blocked - this may change in 2008)

You can manually tune in to:
BBC One (All Regional Variants)
BBC Two (All Regional Variants)
BBC Three
BBC Four
ITV1 (All Regional Variants)
ITV2
ITV3
ITV4
UTV

You will not have:
five
five US
five life


If you can get it, the best subscription would be a Northern Ireland one. You'll get everything in your EPG then, except for ITV1 (UTV replaces it) and TG4.

mackerorama

Hello again,

I have received an RoI sky card. It was sent to me in the UK and I phoned the Rep of Ireland sky number from UK (hid my number). The card was activated but Irish channels are showing up as "This programme is not available" . Should I phone SKY again to tell them this or will this blow my cover. Any advice gratefully received.

denis1501

Do you have RTE 1 as channel 101, RTE 2 as channel 102 etc.??
Does your card open channel 5 uk????
regards
D.

mackerorama

Yes RTE 1 101, RTE2 102, TV3 103 TG4 104
all showing This programme is not available with blue screen


No CH5
BBC NI
Incidently no CH4, Cbeebies,CBBS either

denis1501

Call Sky with caller id blocked on your phone. Use the Irish name and address to which the card is registered. Tell them your problem and they will fix it.
regards
D.