Sky+ and Communal Dish - any options?

scottishgirl87

Well we got our Sky+ HD box today and got the dreaded news that as it's from a communal dish we only have one feed and therefore cannot record and watch something else at the same time. I ordered online and wasn't aware of this other than from things I had read in the past. Coming from Virgin Media, who we'd prefer to go with but can't at our new flat, it's going to be hard going from being able to record 2 things and watch a 3rd at the same time to nothing, really!

Kind of debating whether to cancel Sky now while we can (I think) as I'm struggling to see the point. The engineer did mention something about a de-stacker but I'm reading hits and misses online with this and don't want to shell out £100 for nothing.

Is that our only option to potentially use Sky+ as it's intended?

Owain_Moneysaver

The other options are:
- get a second cable from the communal head-end
- borrow a satellite feed from a neighbour if they're only watching terrestrial
- use an internet-based Tv service

[Deleted User]

scottishgirl87 wrote: »

Is that our only option to potentially use Sky+ as it's intended?

Don't forget that, if you connect your Sky+HD to the Internet, you'll also receive "On Demand" with catch up services. It's not ideal and I agree Sky+ can do so much more if properly equipped with two feeds.

Also remember that, as you can't get Virgin, none of the other providers have anywhere near the channel choice provided by Sky.

It's a choice between this channel availability and full PVR capability. Personally, I'd choose the former.

Gordon_Hose

I live in a flat and use Sky+HD from a communal dish. Only having one feed is a massive pain, but you get used to it.

We watch a mix of Sky and Freeview (TV has it built in). So if programmes clash we'll record one on Sky+ and watch the other on Freeview (if available). If both channels are specific to Sky then we either have to sacrifice one, or find a +1 channel.

If there's no other option then we record one on Sky and use catch up TV at a later date to watch the other.

It's by no means ideal, but it works.

Dalov

Although you have a communial dish that is no reason for a dish of your own not being installed unless the engineer physically cant get up to your level (balcony is an option facing se)or the building management wont allow it. Its just a lovely job for the engineer when its communial feed.

(ex Sky engineer)

Gordon_Hose

Management won't allow any other dishes to be erected.

trickydickyy

i had the exact same problem with the flat we are currently renting/living in which has a communal feed and a single point in the living room as they were installed before sky+ had been even thought of.

normally the communal feed for satellite is piggybacked on the aerial feed which is then split off with a sat/tv faceplate on the wall. the faceplate in the bedroom had no sat connector so i had the faceplate changed to have one, signal checked to ensure it had a satellite signal (rhe faceplate also has as a normal tv connector for freetv tc) then ran a cable from the bedroom to the living room giving the necessary 2nd feed for sky+

This works a treat but i had to get permission from the owners of the flat to have a hole drilled in the wall between bedroom and living room etc. i also got the 50% off deal:j

just a thought and worth having any other aerial feeds in another room checked and do it this way?

Bonking_Mad

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

Management won't allow any other dishes to be erected.

Seems to be a common feature :mad: :mad:

scottishgirl87

trickydickyy wrote: »

i had the exact same problem with the flat we are currently renting/living in which has a communal feed and a single point in the living room as they were installed before sky+ had been even thought of.

normally the communal feed for satellite is piggybacked on the aerial feed which is then split off with a sat/tv faceplate on the wall. the faceplate in the bedroom had no sat connector so i had the faceplate changed to have one, signal checked to ensure it had a satellite signal (rhe faceplate also has as a normal tv connector for freetv tc) then ran a cable from the bedroom to the living room giving the necessary 2nd feed for sky+

This works a treat but i had to get permission from the owners of the flat to have a hole drilled in the wall between bedroom and living room etc. i also got the 50% off deal:j

just a thought and worth having any other aerial feeds in another room checked and do it this way?

Thanks for this, there is another aerial port in the bedroom but how would I go about getting it tested? I doubt it will be a satellite connection but worth a shot.

trickydickyy

scottishgirl87 wrote: »

Thanks for this, there is another aerial port in the bedroom but how would I go about getting it tested? I doubt it will be a satellite connection but worth a shot.

i managed to find out who the communal system installer was and they came out, not only did they test the signal but also installed the wiring too setting up a dual socket in the living room with the original feed and what was the bedroom feed; obviously there was a fee for the wiring / drilling / new sockets.

i found out who installed our system as the electrical cupboard outside my flat has all the sat kit for the flats and luckily the company name and number was on a sticker. I would assume the management company for your flat(s) should also knowthis info as there "should" be an ongoing maintanence contract on the communal/system dish etc paid for ultimately by your fees...

lastly what you need to know although it may sound obvious is that sky will only cover from the sky box to the socket on the wall, everything beyond this i.e. from wiring to communal system sky wont touch and would be covered by this other company. so ideally youll need to know who they are in case you have any problems in the future, as any issues with the signal they would be the first port of call before speaking to sky.

hope that ll makes sense....

trickydickyy

btw the one in the bedroom could be useable mine was it just simply didnt have a faceplate with a satellite socket (to save money!!) this was verified by the communal system company checking the signal. if yours was tested and it didnt have a satellite signal going through it they my be also able to make it so it has.