SKY box -what to do with the old one!

Belfastbelle

What to do with my old SKY dish?

dmxdave

Belfastbelle wrote: »

Hi- just got SKY+ installed (how did I survive without it??!)
BUT
I'm now left with the old Dish still on my wall (2yrs old), box and remotes- Can they be used to run the free channels in my spare room? and how?
[Sky didnt want them- so I suppose that would be legal]



......and a question...
............................where do the old satelite dishes go when they're redundant (bit of an eyesore really- could plant flowers in them I expect...use them to drain a VERY big salad ?!)

Moneysaver SKY+ all in the same post!

marksimpson

Belfastbelle wrote: »

Hi- just got SKY+ installed (how did I survive without it??!)
BUT
I'm now left with the old Dish still on my wall (2yrs old), box and remotes- Can they be used to run the free channels in my spare room? and how?
[Sky didnt want them- so I suppose that would be legal]



......and a question...
............................where do the old satelite dishes go when they're redundant (bit of an eyesore really- could plant flowers in them I expect...use them to drain a VERY big salad ?!)

Did he install a second dish for Sky+? That seems odd, all he needed to do was replace the LNB on the old dish and run a new cable. The LNB (bit on the end of the dish) for Sky+ has four outputs and Sky+ uses two, so you could run a cable from the new dish to the old box with no problem.

You can use your old receiver as a FreeSat box. Unless they supplied you with a new card you'll probably want to buy a FreeSat card, which will put BBC ONE NI, BBC TWO NI and UTV in the right place on the programme guide, and allow you to watch C4 and Five. A Freesat card from Sky is £20, with no further charge. You can get one by calling 0870 240 5651. The list of channels you will get is on the page below.

http://www.freesatfromsky.com/?pID=3

On the other hand, assuming you have a decent aerial set up, you could spend your £20 on a Freeview box. It'll give you some channels (E4 for example) which you wouldn't get free on satellite.

For an extra £10 a month on your current Sky subscription, you can have a box installed in another room in the house with the same channels as on your Sky+.

As to what to do with an old dish, take it to the dump and put it in the scrap metal skip for recycling.

Belfastbelle

dmxdave wrote: »

Moneysaver SKY+ all in the same post!

thanks for the IMs and advice

marksimpson

Sky+ requires two feeds from the dish, this is either achieved by using two cables, or thicker dual core cable. This allows you to record/watch two channels at the same time.

Mounting a dish on a chimney is not usually recommended because the wind load on the dish *could* cause it to pull the chimney down. That's less of a problem these days though as dishes are smaller than they used to be, and in your case it might be the only solution if you're surrounded by trees.

You won't get E4, More4 or Film4 on Freesat from Sky; you will get those channels on Freeview. If you go down that route keep the old Sky box in the loft as a spare in case your Sky+ breaks down; you can use it as a temporary replacement until Sky+ is fixed.

jamstaruk

sell them on ebay

Belfastbelle

marksimpson wrote: »

Sky+ requires ............

Thanks Mark- useful advice
Bb

dmxdave

Belfastbelle wrote: »

seems a bit Xtravagant I know- BUT
(in me defence M'Lord)
I do work long hours and hate to miss Corrie!
Only kidding.
Really good pic- better than a video copy.

JK I'm jealous!

motorguy

sell the box on ebay, and the remotes.

we did this with our move from sky->sky+, then again when we moved from sky+ -> skyHD

also, dont forget to send the buyer your pin for the box. :-)

Artofdookie

Turn the old dish upside down and tie it to a tree with fishing gut, then wait until just before dark and take a picture. Next morning email it to the News Letter and offer to sell them your story of The night you came face to face with a UFO. Use the fee to pay for your sky+ sub and the moneysaving is back on track. Wee Buns!.:rolleyes: