Why is SKY Changing its viewing card?

Twig

I hadn't heard about the cards being changed - does anyone know when this is happening?

Thanks

maemaesmummy

Twig wrote: »

I hadn't heard about the cards being changed - does anyone know when this is happening?

Thanks

I think the advert on TV last night said within the next few weeks,

almillar

dougz - 5 years - I hadn't realised that, where'd you get that from?
TIA

[Deleted User]

It comes up on channel 998, the channel that the box is always set to when you power it up from the mains. (I always switch my box off at the mains at night).

gjchester

Fifer wrote: »

Why didn't I think of that. :doh: Whip the card out and see what I lose.

There are three types of encryption on the Sky system.

Hard - You need a valid card and subscription to see the channel.

Soft - There needs to be the valid card in the slot, but it doesn't care about subscription status.

Hardware - As long as the decoder is there it will decode, (ie done in the hardware)

The First is used for normal sky channels

The second used to be used to ensure only Sky viewers shaw some channels (QVC used to use it, no idea why, maybe so they can do seperate channels for each country)

The third is just so you had the right hardware.

Depending on what the FTA are set with removing the card may or may not give you a true picture. I suspect it's soft encoding but who knows.

dougz_2

almillar wrote: »

dougz - 5 years - I hadn't realised that, where'd you get that from?

Carefully hidden by Sky in the middle of some small print on a page not easy to find :mad:
http://www.freesatfromsky.co.uk/terms-pay-once.aspx

If we re-issue viewing cards within 5 years [of you supposedly paying once to watch forever], replacements supplied free of charge, otherwise charges may apply.

almillar

Nice one, thanks, I'm not wildly worried as I haven't used the box in ages, nevermind an encrypted box, but I've only had mine about a year, so will be waiting very patiently for it.
As you say, this is certainly worth taking into account for anyone considering Sky 'Pay Once Watch Forever' - that really only means 5 years for the full 'Freesat From Sky' service that you revert to. Not nearly as good a deal, you still have to pay £20 every 5 years, not quite subscription free!

ShockingPink

We paid for Freesat from Sky a couple of years ago (Freeview isn't available in our area). Will we have to pay for a new Sky card? If so it's a blooming cheek and renders the "one-off fee" a lie :mad:

[Deleted User]

Has anyone got their new card yet? I haven't.

NonGeographicalMan

ShockingPink wrote: »

We paid for Freesat from Sky a couple of years ago (Freeview isn't available in our area). Will we have to pay for a new Sky card? If so it's a blooming cheek and renders the "one-off fee" a lie :mad:

Have Sky sent you a free replacement viewing card now as they should finally have sent them out to all Freesat From Sky and Sky Pay Once Watch Forever customers.

If not send an email to [EMAIL="jeremy.darroch@bskyb.com"]jeremy.darroch@bskyb.com[/EMAIL] with CC to [EMAIL="crsupport@bskyb.com"]crsupport@bskyb.com[/EMAIL] and [EMAIL="andrew.griffith@bskyb.com"]andrew.griffith@bskyb.com[/EMAIL]

See this other thread on the forum for more discussion of this issue:-

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=28324407&posted=1#post28324407