Activating Card - Are Sky ok with this

coolsparx

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It seems from the messages on this forum, that I could buy a sky+ box from say e-bay & install it myself simply, by following this procedure:
  1. Swap LNB
  2. Run 2nd cable down to box
  3. Swap Box
  4. Call Sky to activate Sky+ on my card
Is it that simple & are Sky generally happy with this?

Also if I run a 3rd lead into my bedroom, am I correct that I can get the free channels on that box? Will I still be able to watch Sky+ chanels on my bedroom TV as well?
 

xerxes

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I was googling about yesterday and came across the site: www.skycards.net/shop/index.html

If you click "SKY DIGIBOX" on this site you will see they are offering new, unsubsidised PACE SKY PLUS boxes for 275 pounds.

I phoned them up yesterday and they confirmed the set-up would be exactly as you describe. In particular they stated at no time would it be necessary to connect the SKY PLUS box to a telephone line.

Being slightly paranoid, I have asked someone in the UK to phone up SKY to confirm that this is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

It's a bit on the expensive side - you have to add 50 pounds for the P&P, and a new twin INVACOM from ebay would cost about 50 euros - say about a total of 500 euros.

Xerxes
 

xerxes

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My contact in the UK phoned up SKY and was told that SKY PLUS simply won't work without a permanent phone connection - needed for upgrades and other software.

Can anybody confirm that this is definitely a complete load of old cods?

Has anyone actually succeeded in getting SKY to activate a SKY PLUS box without linking it to a phone line? The postings I've read so far in the other threads seem to be variations of "it ought to work but I haven't actually tried it myself yet"

Xerxes
 

rolfw

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Whenever I've telephoned to get one activated, they always ask if I have done a callback and ask whether the box is still connected to the phone line.
 

xerxes

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Are you saying here, RolfW, that the SKY PLUS box does in fact have to be connected to a phone line, or that SKY will simply take your word that you are (without checking)?

What I was really hoping to find out from SKY is if they distinguish between subsidised and un-subsidised SKY PLUS boxes, as I was told they do when I phoned the SKYCARD company. Looks rather as if they don't - in which case hardly any point buying an un-subsidised box.

Xerxes
 

rolfw

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Not saying that it definitely has to, just that Sky seem to make it appear so.
 

Leee

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My Sky+ box was activated without being connected to the phone line. When it was done, the first call suggested it might need a callback to be initiated - second call resulted in the recording features being switched on and no callback was required.

It's happily running with no phone line and the phone cable is still nicely sealed in its bag.

If you have a discounted second sub, they will check that both boxes are connected to the same phone line. I think with full subs, they don't seem to care as much.

BTW my box was £199 from the local Dixons/Comet/Currys-type place.
 

xerxes

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Sorry to want everything nicely spelt out, but I'm concerned I'll splash out 500 Euros and then be told by SKY I can use the SKY Plus box - just as soon as I connect it to a phone line in the UK (which might be a bit tricky, living in S. Germany as I do).

Are you saying, Leee, you had to make 2 calls to SKY? And what exactly is a "callback"? Is this something the SKY Plus box is supposed to do, or is it something you the customer has to do?

Incidentally, I dropped into a big Curry's outside of Southampton at Christmas, and they told me they couldn't sell me a Sky Plus to take away with me. How actually did you manage to get hold of one, Leee?

Xerxes
 

Leee

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Xerxes - the callback is I think also known as a new installation - Services - 4 - 0 - 1 - Select. But this was not needed.

My Dad popped into a local Dixons, I believe, and ordered one. Supplied 3 days later without LNB as my Dad stated he already had himself cabled-up. I reckon it's pot luck - try another place and be insistent that you're already already cabled and thus don't need installation.
 

nick6470

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Bought mine in dixons and at first they didnt want to sell me one but then i told them i was doing the installation myself and they reluctently sold me one, 199 without LNB.
 

xerxes

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I contacted a dealer in the UK about buying Sky Plus from them last week. They recommended sending my SKY Card to them, so that they could activate it for me. If it didn't work for any reason, then it was agreed I wouldn't go ahead with the purchase. Well, I'm not going ahead with the purchase, and am I'm not going to get Sky Plus.

I phoned the dealer this morning to find out how they were getting along, and they told me that Sky were making a lot of difficulties for them to activate the card. They told me that Sky were about to clamp down on "unauthorised" use of Sky Plus boxes, and that they couldn't recommend that I go ahead with the purchase.

So it's back to Plan B: viz buying a gadget called a Phantom PVR, which sits between the Digibox and your video recorder. This device allows you to control the VCR by using the Autoview function of the SKY digibox (which switches automatically to programs you've pre-selected). The gadget picks up a signal from the scart cable when Autoview switches channels, and controls the VCR by sending out the appropriate "record / stop recording" infra red signals for the VCR. Hardly in the same class as SKY Plus, but it does only cost 30 quid, including postage to Germany, and has been getting good write-ups.

Xerxes
 

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I bought a Sky+ box last year & after installing myself called Sky & told them it was installed & needed card switching to the box. They asked if I had phone connection, which I dont, and they said it was NOT compulsory. The card was paired with no problem. I live outside the UK.
 

ianwoodside

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Pacho,
Did you have any problems calling Sky from outside the UK?
Having a problem getting my card activated in Europe and not sure if I can them or not from here. Any replies from anyone who has been in the same situation would be appreciated.
 

Pacho

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I call using different methods (e.g.UK calling card) which dont allow S*y to detect the origin of call or even if it is international. As long as they think you are at the address registered for the card they are happy.
 

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@Ian,

I have phoned SKY from outside the UK for the best part of four years without any problems: just recently activating a FTV card.

Scare stories have been abound since that "SKY Abroad" website started. Reading that site put the willies up me: like Rupert would knock on my door himself. Don't believe any of it.

If you sound like you are in the UK when you phone them (so avoid letting them hear local emergency vehicles wailing in the background :rolleyes: ) you should be okay.

Another hint: Ignore that website. Don't rehearse ridiculous stories - your wasting your own viewing time: like my old endeavours - "my mother is partially blind and can't really see the menus, I bought SKY for her so she could listen to Radio 2" (my mother has never listened to Radio2, is not partially blind and, more to the point, doesn't have my digibox).

The better/more expensive packages seem to attract a better 'service' experience.

Technical Note: whether this is true I don't know - but, it won't harm to do it anyway: leave your Digibox in the ON position and NOT in STANDBY during the activation period.


Hope this helps - Have Fun,

Mark.
 

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I have recently purchased a new SKY+ v2 box and fitted it myself, I live in Norway and when I phoned SKY to get my card married to the new box and activate SKY+ features, I had no problems from SKY. I didn't use any special phone or dialling system, just dialled on my home phone (in Norway), they didn't ask where I was calling from, I told them I didn't have the SKY box connected to my phone line, to which they just pointed out that I couldn't order SKY Box Office movies or use online facilities. Everything was updated within 5 minutes, and SKY+ was sorted. I was worried about ringing SKY after reading all the forums dotted about, but after all that it was relatively painless.:-righton
 

telly2

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Lucky you , It took 2weeks and a replacment card before I got my german girfreinds dad card to work .
 

pat_1

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sky+ confusion

I rang SKY today pretending to be a UK customer thinking of upgrading to Sky+.

I have a UK sub.

I was told the following;

1. The sky + box is not subsidised.

2. If you want to marry your old card, you ring them but your box will have to call sky centre back.

3. That software downloads are being sent via phone line when sky+ box calls back, guy said last dual recording one was done like that.

Is all this true? I thought the software updates were done over air via the satellite itself?

If it is, there's no point trying to marry my UK sub to a UK bought sky plus box?

Can you get the card married to the Sky+ box and get the Sky+ features activated without phone connection.

Was planning to up grade sub too from fam pack as only a few £ more than paying the additional £ 10 for the sky+ features.

Suppose i could always threaten to cancel my sub and so the operator loses an upgrade and a sub??

Any advice /thoughts??
 

xerxes

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No matter who you speak to at SKY or what argument you use you will be told it is impossible to have Sky Plus without being connected to a phone line.

I, however, have never found any posting on any forum from anybody who has actually failed to get Sky Plus activated when not connected to a telephone line - everyone has succeeded.

Apart from me - but then I decided in the end that not only did I not want SKY Plus, I didn't even want SKY, and have gone the Free2View path instead.

I reckon in a couple of years things will be looking very different for SKY. Their UK customer base will be threatened by the explosive growth of Freeview (gaining over 1 million customers a year at the moment). Most popular TV shows and films can be got on DVD (which you can rent over the internet here in Germany, 4 per month for a cost of 10 euros). And of course, DVD writers and hard-disk PVRs are set to fall drastically in price over the next year or so.

Can it be long before SKY will be offering SKy Plus as their standard digibox, without any additional charges for its use, and without any absurd requirement for it to be connected to a telephone line?

Xerxes
 

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I had my box installed in the UK (ie. card married)
I installed it here and tried dual record
It wouldn't work so I forced the software to re-download
Dual record works

No phone line was involved at any time

I would like to complain that they've forced me into getting a DVD-R machine too. And I watch more TV now. But at least it's my own channel thanks to Sky+ :)
 
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