FreeSat from Sky: HD Box for £175 - is it a good deal?

AMO

Hi all,

My parents have just bought a Sony Bravia HD TV.

Their 10+ year old Sky box has conked out and I think that there is something wrong with the LNB / wiring as only some channels could be received and some channels degrade depending on the weather.

My parents mainly only watch PCNE Chinese and I was looking for the best option for them.

I think that the best way forward is to splash out £175 for a Sky HD box.

A few questions....

1) Is this the best option?

2) Is there any discounts / cashback links to get this price down?

3) Is the HD Box they give you a good one, or is it a first generation HD box that's possibly a bit rubbish?

4) If you know a Sky bloke, is it possible to get him to do the job on the cheap giving all the equipment and an up-to-date viewing card?

Thanks

AMO

davemurgatroyd

The FreesatFromSky box is the very latest DRX595 and the installation by them would include a full 12 months warranty on site on the whole system including dish and cabling.

The new box can be purchased seperately for £95 from sites such as this
http://www.thedigiboxshop.com/standard-sky-boxes-sky-drx595-sky-hd-digibox.html.
In addition you would need a FreesatFromSky card for a one off payment of £25 (which should last for 3 to 4 years) and gives an additional 10 encrypted Free To View (FTV non subscription) channels, you would also need your existing system sorting out and unless you DIY (cost £6 plus 50p per metre for cable) this will cost around £50 by an independant installer. This way any warranty problems would involve returning box to retailer (if faulty) and/or calling out your installer if problem is with dish/cabling. Again there is the alternative of purchasing a second hand box from ebay etc for £30 or so upwards but no warranty this way. So basically for new equipment it is a pretty reasonable deal. The other option is a freesat box (the BBC/ITV one) with boxes from around £80 upwards with less channels and IIRC PCNE is not on their EPG list and so you would have no programme information beyond "now and next" and the channel would have to be viewed in "non freesat" mode.

You will not find cashback deals for this type of setup as there is no subscription profits for Sky to pay out to Quidco etc. Sky installers would be unable to supply any of the equipment cheaply as stock is issued to them for a particular job, unless it has fallen of the back of a lorry and this is decidely dodgy as Sky's stock control systems are now pretty tight recording all box serial numbers and are thus traceable although they may do a "private" installation (if you supply digibox) but if he actually works for Sky he risks his own job for doing such installs.

macman

if the LNB or cabling is the issue, then how do you think that a new HD box is going to solve the problem?
Cheapest option surely is to get an independent out to sort the former and then just get a replacement Sky+ box on eBay for next to nothing.

AMO

macman wrote: »

if the LNB or cabling is the issue, then how do you think that a new HD box is going to solve the problem?
Cheapest option surely is to get an independent out to sort the former and then just get a replacement Sky+ box on eBay for next to nothing.

Because a new box from Sky includes re-installation of everything.

macman

So fine if you want HD. But an expensive way of getting a repair for around £50 and a Sky+box for £20!

AMO

True, but then there's the cost of the viewing card and as you say, there's the HD. Also, the Sky+ box you don't know how much mileage there is left before it goes faulty. Can't really compare new latest box with one that's used and quite old.

macman

You only lose about 3 channels without the viewing card anyway.
I'm not comparing one with the other, since the cost factor is totally different. You'll get more options with the HD route, but much more expensive.
Why not just go for Freesat, and then you'll get the 4 HD channels for nothing?

AMO

Well I guess its possible to just go FreeSat, but this is my parents. Also us I guess. With FreeSat from Sky, my parents know how to navigate the menus etc as they've been doing it for the last 20 years. If I get Freesat which is more in the minority, they'll have more hassles as will we in getting things working etc. If I get the FreeSat from Sky, they'll notice that everything works as it did, but the box is speedier and they get HD. With other options they'll always compare how the old system was easy to use and that they were used to it.

davemurgatroyd

macman wrote: »

You only lose about 3 channels without the viewing card anyway.
I'm not comparing one with the other, since the cost factor is totally different. You'll get more options with the HD route, but much more expensive.
Why not just go for Freesat, and then you'll get the 4 HD channels for nothing?

Rubbish try getting your facts correct - it is 11 channels - Pick Tv, Pick TV+1, 5*, 5*+1, 5 USA, 5 USA+1, LFC TV, Viva, Motors TV and Channel 5HD.

Also PCNE is not on the freesat EPG although available in non freesat mode - not exactly a user-friendly way to view the channel.

macman

That's 10 channels...of which 3 are the same ones with a one hour delay.
And none of them exactly essential viewing...