FREE SKy+ and installation + no monthly charge

irvind

Got Sky+ for my dad for £49 and free install. Brand new box. Just threatened to cancel so was referred to cancellations on 08700 248 973.

kevinyork

mandy wrote: »

a couple of questions please
I have received my sky + box it's a pace 80gb is this any good?
it doesnt seem to have sky anytime is this extra?
thanks
Mandy

This is an older box. The later ones have 160GB drives. Anytime is only included in the later boxes. Unless you have the full Sky packages, you probably would not find Anytime that usefull as much of the content is on the Premium Channels. Anytime also reserves half the disc space for that service too.

Stefano_2

Just a warning to check your sky account if you don't get a "paper" statement.

I had the free Sky + offer (after threatening to cancel) and was specifically told that Sky would waive the £10/month immediately from the installation date (June 5) - I still opt to get a paper statement & lo and behold they charged me the pro rata Sky + charge for June (£8.67).

I called them on the 05xxxxx number and really had to bark quite loudly at them to ensure they credited me back the overcharge. The dopey CS was quite adamant that I had been told that it would be £10/month (I wasn't) and I was suprised how dogged they were over 8 quid!!

So do check your statement/ direct debit amount, as after all every little helps!

Stefano.

sco0ter

mandy wrote: »

a couple of questions please
I have received my sky + box it's a pace 80gb is this any good?
it doesnt seem to have sky anytime is this extra?
thanks
Mandy

Sky Anytime (SKY SPAM) is not an extra or indeed anything usefull.

Scenario 1 (what should happen)

Lets say you watch BUFFY on sky 1 But have never seen an episode of ANGEL. Your Sky+ box should detect this (either through call back or some other method) and record an episode of ANGEL for you as the 2 programmes are similar and it might be something you would like and therefore get you more from your sky package.

Scenario 2 (Sky Spam in action)

Sky detect what package you are on and if you are on the basic 2 or 4 mix then they more often than not record premium channel content that requires you to upgrade your package to watch. In other words Sky waste half your hard drive trying to convince you to upgrade your package and if you dont want to then the hard drive is filled with unwatchable stuff.

BTW things recorded on that part of the hard drive are deleted when SKY want and are not under your control..

nathanhill69

kevinyork wrote: »

This is an older box. The later ones have 160GB drives. Anytime is only included in the later boxes. Unless you have the full Sky packages, you probably would not find Anytime that usefull as much of the content is on the Premium Channels. Anytime also reserves half the disc space for that service too.

You're sort of correct but I suspect Mandy has a 160GB PVR3 unit NOT an older box. The latest Sky+ boxes (PVR3's) are 160GB BUT only 80GB is partitioned for your use, with the other 80GB partitioned for Sky Anytime. The new 160GB boxes, rather misleadingly, have 80GB written all over the cardboard box they come in to reflect the 80GB that you have carte blanch over even though it's a 160GB HDD installed.

MANDY:

To confirm what you have check the technical specification details in the instructions manual and I bet you' ll see you've got a 160GB drive in there. Also, if you're not sure what box you have check this link out:

http://sam-radford.me.uk/skyplus.htm

My guess it's the PACE TDS470N 160GB (80GB) = PVR3 - [9F22nn], if that's the case then feel very pleased indeed as many rate this as the best Sky+ unit due to it's quiet operation and responsiveness with regards to channel switching and menus.

As far as Sky Anytime goes, only the newest batch of Amstrad boxes come with it pre-installed, however If your box is indeed a PVR3 then Sky Anytime will probably appear in the next few days when the box picks up the software update (you can tell it's been updated as the Sky Anytime option will appear in Red in the bottom left hand of the screen when you select TV GUIDE). Just remember, allow a few days after the software update appears for it to pick up some content. If you do like any programme that Sky Anytime downloads onto your box all you need to do is press the RECORD button when it's highlighted in the Anytime Planner and then it will then be permanently SAVED in your Personal Planner.

Hope this helps

spcdust

Dpk

Just had a Pace box fitted. Seems to be quite noisy when the sound on the TV is turned down. Is this normal??

nathanhill69

Dpk wrote: »

Just had a Pace box fitted. Seems to be quite noisy when the sound on the TV is turned down. Is this normal??

The noise level any unit makes is so subjective - what you describe as noisey another may describe as acceptable. Saying that your Sky+ unit may indeed be unacceptably noisey in its operation and be above what one would expect compared to it's peers but that's hard to tell without direct comparisons.

For your reference, I can hear my PACE units HDD spinning but it's very faint indeed, more of a very dull whirr which, in a silent room, you're vaguely aware of but is in no way irritating. As far as any fan in my Sky+ unit I don't hear that in the slightest (possibly as my TV stand is an open unit the ventilation is good and the fan possiibly never kicks in?) I'm personally very happy at the quiet operation of my PACE box - and I'm pretty fussy about such things. I suppose what you want is the noise level to be no where near as loud as a desktop PC and actually much quieter than many older VHS machines. Ultimately these units have HDD and fans which are bound to make some ambient noise BUT some are irritatingly louder than others due to the way the components have been assembled.

spcdust

sco0ter

Dpk wrote: »

Just had a Pace box fitted. Seems to be quite noisy when the sound on the TV is turned down. Is this normal??

What version of box is it ... I have a PVR1 Pace box with an upgraded hard drive and its in the same room I sleep in and there is no noise at all... Even if I am really close to it..

Dpk

sco0ter wrote: »

What version of box is it ... I have a PVR1 Pace box with an upgraded hard drive and its in the same room I sleep in and there is no noise at all... Even if I am really close to it..

Its a Pace TDS470N. It's like stated above that its not noticeable when the tv is on. Only noticed it when it the tv was switched off - seems to be mpre of a whirring sound of the fan and opnly when the unit is on.

Dpk

mandy wrote: »

a couple of questions please
I have received my sky + box it's a pace 80gb is this any good?
it doesnt seem to have sky anytime is this extra?
thanks
Mandy

Its probably this one
http://www.pacemicro.com/emea/products/productDetails.asp?nav=products&productID=DSAT-TDS470N