Upgrading to SKY HD

LauraFoster

I'm considering upgrading to SKY HD. I currently have a Sky+ box, if i upgrade and get the new HD box what would happen to this box?

Would i be able to put it into another room in the house? I would just like to be able to watch Sky upstairs occasionally (Im happy to view the same channel that is on downstairs?

boliston

LauraFoster wrote: »

I'm considering upgrading to SKY HD. I currently have a Sky+ box, if i upgrade and get the new HD box what would happen to this box?

Would i be able to put it into another room in the house? I would just like to be able to watch Sky upstairs occasionally (Im happy to view the same channel that is on downstairs?

I've heard people talk about "magic eye" to get sky on another TV set in another room, but have not seen it in action. I don't think you will need the old box though. I'd keep it as a spare or put it on ebay.

LauraFoster

We have a magic eye thing that works ok, problem is we constantly get interference on it (tried all sorts to get rid of it but no luck). Just wondered if using the old box in another room would work better.

free_korps

when they deliver/install new HD box ask for the installation to be upstairs so you have a new twin feed from your dish to new Sky+ HD box. Once installed just swap your old Sky+ box from downstairs with new HD box from upstairs.

If you don't want multiroom you can use old Sky+ box to watch the free-to-view channels / or get another Sky card for £20 so that you can view Freesat channels / it would also be possible to switch Sky card between the boxes so that you could view anything previously recorded on the old Sky+ box, obviously you'd have to make sure no recordings were due to take place on HD box!

Hope this makes sense. This is what I did yesterday when installing Sky HD to house with old Sky+ set up - box, dish & twin feed already downstairs... although I would like to point out that I made the mistake of thinking my twin feed downstairs worked when in fact only one of the cables does, doh! Means I can record downstairs but not change the channel as other cable not receiving a signal...

free_korps

ps the reason i did this was because our freeview signal only picks up BBC channels and rather than get new aerial / wire a magic eye / use an AV sender / this seemed the best option for best picture possible upstairs.

parallax_20

The Sky installers will be able to move your old box into another room for you to view free-to-air channels. Or you could pay an extra £10 a month for Multi-room subscription, to duplicate your viewing.

But if you want to watch your full subscription from only your main SkyHD box. Look at video senders. We had one when we only occupied one room at a time. It was great as no wires were necessary. The signal quality will depend on the make of the sender. You will also get the ocassional interference from microwaves, etc. But never enough to spoil the viewing, I mean how often does the get microwave turned on after 10pm?

Good luck.

Edited: Looks like "free korps" got in there before I did.

System

parallax_20 wrote: »

The Sky installers will be able to move your old box into another room for you to view free-to-air channels. Or you could pay an extra £10 a month for Multi-room subscription, to duplicate your viewing.

This is what we did. daughter now pays us £10 a month and she has a Sky+ box in her room. Saves the downstairs box getting filled with Hannah Montana etc!

LauraFoster

Thanks both of you for that. I will speak with the engineer when he comes!

Parallax_20 - My neighbours microwave is exactly my problem!! I have no idea what on earth he does with it but he seems to be using it for most of the evening either that or he has some other gadget thats interferring with my signal!

boliston

Gamer wrote: »

Multiroom is the way to go and for only £10 more a month you will be able to have recordings in the new location too!

If you have an iPhone why dont you download the sky+ app!

If you have multiroom they have a rule that the boxes have to be plugged into your phone line. I had problems with the sky box interfering with my broadband and it reduced my speed by about 2mb/s due to the interference.

will-in-estoril

LauraFoster wrote: »

I'm considering upgrading to SKY HD. I currently have a Sky+ box, if i upgrade and get the new HD box what would happen to this box?

Would i be able to put it into another room in the house? I would just like to be able to watch Sky upstairs occasionally (Im happy to view the same channel that is on downstairs?

Both the magic eye and extra digibox options require a cable run: using your old digibox will give far better picture and sound quality (RGB) than a magic eye (composite).

Without a card you will get only the free to air channels; a Freesat from Sky card will additionally get you FIVE, FIVER etc, Sky 3 and Liverpool FCTV.

Kurtis_Blue

LauraFoster wrote: »

We have a magic eye thing that works ok, problem is we constantly get interference on it (tried all sorts to get rid of it but no luck). Just wondered if using the old box in another room would work better.

Not sure if you have tried this:
Go into the installers menu, change the channel (68 is normal) and retune the receiving TV, hopefully that will cure your interference.

If not I would suggest its the connectors.

(To access the Installers Menu, use the following set of key presses: SERVICES, 4, 0, 1, SELECT)

OH and keep your eyes/hands on the old box during the upgrade it is not unknown for the old box to walk to the fitters van, as not every one is aware that they own the box after the 12months.