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Sky Multiroom questions

don9999
Posts: 596 Forumite


Have been with Sky many years, swapping packages (Sky movies/sports/broadband) in and out as good deals come along.
I don't have an alternative (no BT/Virgin available) so just need to get the best deal I can.
At the moment Multiscreen is being offered at half-price = £6.25 per month, or £75 for the year.
Quidco are offering £100 cashback to existing customers who take out Multiroom.
So for a £25 SAVING, seems a good deal (I appreciate I am stuck for 12 months, but I don't intend to change anyway).
I have some questions about multiscreen:
* Do they only provide a connection to an 'external wall'?
The TV in the bedroom is actually against an internal wall, so would need to get the cable from external to internal wall - which involves crossing a doorway :-(
(Same will also apply to a power point, so may need to get an electrician to do that part at least).
* What happens if you move house?
I'm assuming I can take my normal Sky packgage with me, but would I then need to pay for the installation at the new house? And twice - once for the primary connection, and again for the secondary 'multiscreen' connection.
* I understand that the multiscreen Sky box is 'basic' - no recording facility. What's the best approach for getting recording ability? Purchase a Sky+HD box off ebay? Is it just then a matter of swapping the boxes, or is there some other configuration that needs to be done, perhaps by Sky?
(I've read on the forum that during installation I should ask for TWO cables from the dish to allow the recording facility)
* If I ask for TWO cables to be supplied from the dish to my multiscreen location, is there an additional cost for this?
* Apologies for the basic question, and I'm sure the answer is no, but....is there any way of transferring recordings from the primary box, to the second 'multiscreen' box? (Other than perhaps taking the Hard Disk out - which I did several years ago to replace the supplied 500Gb disk with my own 2Tb version.)
* Is there anything else I should be aware of when taking out multiscreen?
I don't have an alternative (no BT/Virgin available) so just need to get the best deal I can.
At the moment Multiscreen is being offered at half-price = £6.25 per month, or £75 for the year.
Quidco are offering £100 cashback to existing customers who take out Multiroom.
So for a £25 SAVING, seems a good deal (I appreciate I am stuck for 12 months, but I don't intend to change anyway).
I have some questions about multiscreen:
* Do they only provide a connection to an 'external wall'?
The TV in the bedroom is actually against an internal wall, so would need to get the cable from external to internal wall - which involves crossing a doorway :-(
(Same will also apply to a power point, so may need to get an electrician to do that part at least).
* What happens if you move house?
I'm assuming I can take my normal Sky packgage with me, but would I then need to pay for the installation at the new house? And twice - once for the primary connection, and again for the secondary 'multiscreen' connection.
* I understand that the multiscreen Sky box is 'basic' - no recording facility. What's the best approach for getting recording ability? Purchase a Sky+HD box off ebay? Is it just then a matter of swapping the boxes, or is there some other configuration that needs to be done, perhaps by Sky?
(I've read on the forum that during installation I should ask for TWO cables from the dish to allow the recording facility)
* If I ask for TWO cables to be supplied from the dish to my multiscreen location, is there an additional cost for this?
* Apologies for the basic question, and I'm sure the answer is no, but....is there any way of transferring recordings from the primary box, to the second 'multiscreen' box? (Other than perhaps taking the Hard Disk out - which I did several years ago to replace the supplied 500Gb disk with my own 2Tb version.)
* Is there anything else I should be aware of when taking out multiscreen?
There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't!
0
Comments
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1.AFAIA Sky installers will not route cabling internally,they certainly won't go in a loft!! -eg if the room you want serviced is on the other side of the house then they will "throw" the cable over the roof !!
2. The basic multiroom box doesn't allow recording but you can purchase a Sky + box from wherever then pair your viewing card with the new box. You do need a dual cable feed, but it shouldn't cost any more.
3. No easy way of transferring recordings over from box 1 to box 2.
4. House move ? Presume that you could negotiate on costs at the time.0 -
So you've got your answer about where they will cable - outside only. For the rest, if you just order the basic box, then treat the installer very well - cup of coffee, maybe offer extra money, flirt gratuitously, and ask him to run the 'shotgun' cable (2 cables in one) to the extra room, AND leave you plenty extra to get to the other side of the room, he should do it for you.
Recording can be done on Sky boxes with only 1 line, but obviously you're stuck recording 1 thing at a time, and watching it. I think there's a setting to enter on the box too.
You then get another box off eBay, and stick the card in it. I beleive with the new cards and/or boxes you have to call Sky to pair them, but it's no big deal.
If you've changed hard drives before, you know how to do this. Copy everything over to the new drive, then put both hard drives back into their respective boxes and you'll start with everything in both rooms.0 -
When my sky was installed (not multi room) the very kind Sky installer supplied me with a quad lmb and connected a large coil of cable to it and drilled the hole in the wall where I requested. I then went up into the loft and took the cable to the other side of the house where I wanted the extra sky box (non subscribed) to be installed, by me.YNWA
Target: Mortgage free by 58.0 -
Thanks everyone for your replies.
We've decided to go ahead with the multiscreen anyway. Am beffectively being paid £25 for a year's worth so seemed a no-brainer.
AND....they are giving free SKY GO EXTRA for as long as I have multi-screen (12 months!) So another bonus :-)
Just before I ordered, I specifically asked the question about whether the connection could be on an internal wall. I was very specific, explaining that the wall was NOT an external wall, but was an internal wall 'between' two bedrooms. The support rep had to go and check with a manager but came back and confirmed it WOULD be done as I requested.
I asked again, and double-checked saying that I had been advised that they would only provide cable to an external wall. They came back again, saying that they WOULD cable to an internal wall.
Am still sceptical.
But......I have a copy of the discussion, in case I change my mind.
One MORE question........ :-)
Where is the best place to get a second SKY+HD box? Am assuming SKY is the worst place to get it from...lol..
Are there any 'reliable' second-hand sellers, or do I just take the chance and buy a second-hand box off of ebay?
Which one? Is the DRX890 the latest one? I see 500Gb versions on sale for around £55 from companies. Suspect private sales will be cheaper. I haven't had a proper look yet, so will spend some time searching....There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't!0 -
I've also just read about the risks of buying a second-hand box.
I don't know if its true.
The claim is that Sky digitally connect a specific box to an account during the first 12 months. Hence anyone buying a box which is less than 12 months old might find that the box doesn't work :-(There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't!0 -
How much were Sky charging for a recordable box?0
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Car Boot sales I have aquired 3 boxes from (For me and family).
Most expensive a fiver.
Whenever I have paired them I always have a "joke" with sky that I hope they are not "stolen".
Never had a problem.0 -
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It would be interesting to know if you got this installed where you wanted. I spoke to a Sky engineer in the street a while back and said they only go through the external wall0
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I never even knew it was an issue. Had sky installed to an internal wall with no problem. Obviously the cable comes into the property, then they run the cable round the skirting board.
One issue you need to consider is that, for multi room, you need to keep both boxes connected to the same telephone line. This is to prevent you and your neighbour agreeing to share a sky account with one box each. So as well as sky cabling and a power point, you also need a telephone socket near the sky boxes. We used the wireless plug to phone connector kit.I'm a Forum Ambassador on the housing, mortgages, student & coronavirus Boards, money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.0
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