Some sons do 'ave 'em......

[sonnetpete]

Just prior to visiting my Mum she decided to cancel her sub to Mr.Murdoch. It was still on while I was there but has subsequently ceased. I was at great pains to emphasise that she could still use her retained HD+ box to view channels and that there was no need to do anything...she would still receive the same line up as on Freesat but without the same numbering scheme shown in her magazine for Freesat.

She has two boxes, one in the lounge and one in her bedroom. The one in the bedroom being donated by a relative and it has a viewing card as of course has the one which is now ex subscription.

So, last night she tells me she has had a 'man in' (recommended by the friends who came here with her a while back and managed to burn down one of my barns..not my favourite people) and he told her that the existing HD+ box wouldn't receive Freesat channels. He supplied a bog standard Bush SD Freesat box (sourced through retail), charged her £70 for that and added a £30 call out. To say I was peed off is understating matters......

She still has both the other boxes, but I do have a question. With the viewing card in place does this enable the HD flavours of the main ITV channels?.......I.E. ITV2, 3 and 4....she is a Morse and Lewis fan but I'm confused as to whether she is viewing in HD or is just getting her channel numbers mixed up.....

 

[davemurgtroyd]

ITV 2, 3 and 4 HD are all subscription only

 

[sonnetpete]

Thanks Dave, as I suspected she is getting her numbers mixed up and has been viewing SD versions on the second box.....

 

[Analoguesat]

She may well have been watching the HD versions prior to cancellation - Once the sub is cancelled the epg HD simulcast channels change around so the SD channel will be on the old HD number.

 

[sonnetpete]

Epilogue...

The Freesat SD box kept going into standby while she was viewing. She rang the engineers up and asked for her money back but they insisted that the engineer who supplied the Freesat box returned to check it out. He reprogrammed it as it has a power saving setting like the $ky box ( I wasn't aware it had). Mum still insisted she wanted her money back, however after a phonecall from the guy's supervisor they both agreed to a refund of £30.

Yesterday she got another 'man in' to swap her $ky+ box back into the lounge and the Freesat box into her bedroom. All working very nicely though Mum is another £50 out of pocket. The other plus point is despite $ky ringing her practically every week to try and get her to keep some of her subscription she's resolutely refused to do so. So $ky rang her last week, they have reactivated her card and it will be valid until February....for free....

I only hope it isn't one of those deals where they begin taking money out for the sub unless you ask them to cancel...

 

[timo_w2s]

Sounds like a good deal in the end from Sky, but I bet they will start taking money out after the free offer unless canceled in advance so check the small print and make a note in the diary taking into consideration the required notification period too.

It is a shame there is so much missinformation and misunderstanding regarding free satellite channels.

 

[sonnetpete]

Sounds like a good deal in the end from Sky, but I bet they will start taking money out after the free offer unless canceled in advance so check the small print and make a note in the diary taking into consideration the required notification period too.

It is a shame there is so much missinformation and misunderstanding regarding free satellite channels.

Thing is Timo, she hasn't signed anything more than her original contract with Sky..It would probably be best if she cancelled her direct debit with Sky, which should by rights not be paying out anything. I agree about the free channels. I spent a half hour on the phone one night and more than that when I was there trying to explain the difference between Freeview and Freesat. It wasn't helped when her 88 year old neighbour got a new Samsung LED Smart tv with a built in Freesat tuner which Mum was convinced worked via the aerial socket.

Incidentally Mum moved into this new build accomodation two years ago and Freesat won't recognise their postcode. They had to provide their old postcode to enable local programming.

 

[hexah]

I suspect Sly will be sneaky so cancelling the direct debit would be a good idea. You know what they are like.

How did they manage to burn the barn down? No hardship for the goats, I hope.

 

[sonnetpete]

I suspect Sly will be sneaky so cancelling the direct debit would be a good idea. You know what they are like.

How did they manage to burn the barn down? No hardship for the goats, I hope.

My Mum keeps a weather eye open on her account so I can't see them getting away with anything.

Luckily the barn concerned was not habitable (or insured), even by goats. The fire was caused by some glowing embers from a bonfire they'd lit the day before and a complete change in wind direction and strength. We ended up with 17 pompiers, 3 appliances, the 'chef's' car and three gendarmes. I did post a thread about it with photo's but I can't locate it....well it was over 3 years ago...

 

[hexah]

I remember now. What a nightmare. It is a good reminder to always get the hose out and make sure the ashes are soaking wet. Summer is over now so not much call for that until next year. A few trees are slowly changing colour already and I have thrown in the towel and put the heating on for a bit in the evenings. No doubt the ludicrous :mad: oil price increases are just around the corner.

 

[sonnetpete]

Well since then I haven't had a bonfire...once bitten etc. Just the first signs of Autumn here, my anthracite is paid for but not yet delivered and I hope to coordinate a firewood delivery with an English holiday home owner shortly. Managing without any heating thus far, usually it's towards the end of October before I cave in and light the Rayburn...