Multiroom without Sky + ?

ANGLICANPAT

Hello
We have had a sky setup for several years , no Sky+ and no HD tele. We would like to add multiroom so we can watch tele upstairs. Anyone know if its possible to have multiroom set up with

a) a non HD ready TV
b) using the old Sky boxes? (we have a spare ordinary sky box and have no desire for the different format and extra facilities of sky+ anyway)

Thanks

penrhyn

You don't want Sky +? Anywho, all Sky boxes will work with standard definition TVs.
You'll probably need a new LNB for your dish, both boxes connected to your telephone line.
See what offers Sky have atm, you can usually get a free upgrade with a multiroom subscription.

The HD multiroom box offer looks like your best bet.
http://www.sky.com/shop/customer-shop/add-boxes-multiroom/


The cheap option would be to get a magic eye and run a feed from the RF2 output of your Sky box to the bedroom TV aerial input.

ANGLICANPAT

."Why not Sky+?" Presumed it would cost more per month, and I dont need recording facilities or pausing etc .

I will look at that link now. Looking on Sky website, I see its £10.25pm for multiroom - is it an extra £10pm on top of that if you do have HD?

Ah, I see that it IS extra for the HD , but you dont have to have it.
Thanks.

penrhyn

Sky have not charged for Sky + for at least four years. Maybe you should rethink your requirements.
The standard box now Sky+HD. You can view the free to air HD channels on it without an HD subscription.

ANGLICANPAT

Thanks Penrhyn - think Ill go for the HD multiroom and not take the subscription out for the HD. Looks like Ill get installation free, but probably not the new box - it excludes everyone who already has had a free standard box (Hmm, I thought pretty much everyone was given their first skybox free? - so not many will qualify.
Im puzzled by one more thing. I looked to remind myself what my 'package' was , as I remembered it as being standard offerings, plus the News package and Discovery packs (and those are the extras we get) . However, it just says Im getting
" Sky entertainment extra" and doesnt show the breakdown of what packs I get, anywhere. Am I missing something ? ps- didnt fancy magic eye as I think you need to be a bit techy savvy for it to go smoothly, and that Im not!
Thanks.

smackaine

In September '11, the packages were changed from the six separate mixes, to two only, Entertainment, with Style and Culture and Variety, and Entertainment Extra, with the rest. Anyone with one of the four packs 'exclusive' to EE was automatically given an upgrade to EE with a price freeze, likely effective until August of this year. Hence why you may come across channels on your current pack that you weren't aware that you had!

I believe the 'standard' box is alluding to the lack of a Sky+ function, so you may well get the whole thing for free. Definitely worth looking into this, however.

spike7451

ANGLICANPAT wrote: »

Thanks Penrhyn - think Ill go for the HD multiroom and not take the subscription out for the HD. Looks like Ill get installation free, but probably not the new box - it excludes everyone who already has had a free standard box (Hmm, I thought pretty much everyone was given their first skybox free? - so not many will qualify.
Im puzzled by one more thing. I looked to remind myself what my 'package' was , as I remembered it as being standard offerings, plus the News package and Discovery packs (and those are the extras we get) . However, it just says Im getting
" Sky entertainment extra" and doesnt show the breakdown of what packs I get, anywhere. Am I missing something ? ps- didnt fancy magic eye as I think you need to be a bit techy savvy for it to go smoothly, and that Im not!
Thanks.

The first box you get is heavily subsidised (Used to be by BIB <British Interactive Broadcasting) which was free if you took the HD pack but chargeable if you don't. Any subsequent boxes after that are chargeable at full price (unless on offer) as,unlike VM,you own all the boxes you get from Sky but with VM,you only lease them.

iainscomputer

Hi, Only subscribe to multiroom if the occupants want to watch different programs at the same time. I have connected the Sky+ RF2 output to the upstairs TV & use a magic eye to change channel. Its really good, very neat, no box upstairs,no mains power used.
My friend has 1 sky box which is connected to 3 TV's via a sky splitter as there is only him & his wife in the house. Remember multiroom is over £120 per year.

iainscomputer

Hi, I also bought a Sky+ box from ebay for £25 to replace my 2nd Sky box & called Sky to set it up with my card, a lot cheaper than buying the 2nd box from sky.

macman

And with Multiroom you must have both boxes permanently connected to the phone line for the callbacks.

ANGLICANPAT

Much appreciate the help folks. (Seriously, so many things I do would take so much longer without the pointers I get for all sorts of things on these forums- everyone is so obliging)
'iainscomputer' -- Yep, the toddler grandchildren DEFINITELY dont want to watch MotoGP races , and OH DEFINITELY wont miss them !
You say about taking a card from your first box . If you werent replacing your old box, would you have to pay (how much?) to get a viewing card for the sky+ box you got secondhand?
Ive nearly discounted using the old style spare Skybox Ive got here , but may consider it if Sky squeeze me into a place where they want me paying Lord knows what for box/install etc.
'Macman' - not too worried by having both boxes to a phone line , but what do you mean by callbacks?
'Spike' and 'smackaine' hopefully then if Im only on a 1994 subsidized box, subsidized doesnt mean free, so haggle room there for a freeby.
Yes we DO get channels we didnt know we had , bit of a perk there then . Wonder how much they will bang it up in Aug then .