Sky - two self install HD boxes

chou-chou

Hi there.

Not a Sky user myself - posting on behalf of someone - so forgive me if I don't use the right terminology and feel free to ask for any more info!

So, currently have two non HD Sky boxes (is it called multiroom?) and want to get them both upgraded to HD. From discussion with Sky it appears the options are:

1. Sky will provide two boxes including installation charge for £259 (plus the additional monthly HD fee).

2. Sky will send one box free of charge in the post for self installation (plus the additional monthly HD fee). Then at a later date customer can order a second HD box at a cost of £149 (which includes installation charge).

Sky have said they won't send both boxes for self installation even if they are done at separate times.

Has anyone got any other options that can avoid the £149 charge or reduce it in any way?

Thanks!!

chrisw

I got the free HD box for downstairs and then bought a HD box off ebay for £11 to replace the upstairs box. HD subscription is included with the main box and it just needed a call to Sky to pair the card to the ebay box.

Points to consider - old 'standard' sky boxes have one satellite feed, sky+ and HD boxes have 2. I had Sky+ downstairs so it was a straight swap for self install, however, I had an old box upstairs so although my new box can record it's restricted to 1 channel at a time or what you're watching. Someday I might get the cable replaced for a twin feed but it's not used much. Alternatively, you can get a non-recording box for the second box.

Boxes to look for are Amstrad DRX890 for recording (or 895 for more recording space) or DRX595 non-recording.

Hope that helps.

macman

This is presumably so that the installer can check that both boxes are connected to the phone line in order to pass the Multiroom callbacks.

chou-chou

Thanks for the replies.

Am not very technically minded (although more so than the family member I'm posting for!) so the bit about mulitroom callbacks has passed me by I'm afraid.

Just for some more info, both existing boxes are Sky+ TDS470N which were installed by Sky at the same time. As they're both Sky+ already doesn't sound like we should have any issue with twin feed cables (??) so in theory it should be a straight swap out.

Does this mean they could just go onto somewhere like ebay and buy an HD Sky+ box for the second room? How complicated is it to setup yourself?

:beer:

Heinz

Yes. Except for the addition of an HDMI socket, HD box connections are the same as standard Sky+ boxes (scart/HDMI, power, phone and 2 x feeds from the dish).

You'd have to phone Sky to pair the Ebay box with your multiroom card though.

macman

Yes, if you already have Sky+ on both boxes then you already have a twin feed-you don''t need any additional feeds to get HD.
In order to get the Multiroom discount, both boxes must be permanently connected to a phone line. The boxes perodically 'phone home' and the system checks that they are on the same number. If the boxes fail this check, then Sky will assume that they are not being used at the same address and bill you for the full 2 subscriptions. It's to stop people sharing a Multiroom sub at different addresses.