Sky dish needs repair. Alternative options? 10 February 2021 at 9:21PM in Phones & TV 10 replies 141 views

Type_45

Hi all,
I have a slightly rusty sky dish which was blown off it's necessary angle last night. I don't subscribe to sky so I only watch the free stuff.

To get the dish straightened will cost about £100.

Am I advised to do that, or are there other options? (Bear in mind that I shan't be subscribing to anything).

Options could include:
- for the cost of £100 to straighten the dish, it could be an option to get a new one?

- is sky now viewable through broadband, thus eliminating the need for a dish?

- is Now TV (or other free service not requiring a dish) an option? 

[Deleted User]

If you're only watching freesat channels, then Freeview via an aerial would be a very similar replacement.

Sky is viewable through broadband (Sky Q), but if you don't want to subscribe to anything, that's not an option.  Equally with Now TV.

GrumpyDil

If it's I a position where you can safely replace the existing dish buy a new one around 20.00, although I wonder if the 100.00 quote is really for a new dish plus installation. 

Type_45

GrumpyDil said:

If it's I a position where you can safely replace the existing dish buy a new one around 20.00, although I wonder if the 100.00 quote is really for a new dish plus installation. 

I was recently charged £80 to fit an alarm box to the side of my house. So I am guessing that a handyman would charge £100 to adjust my satellite dish (which is quite high up).

That's what made me wonder about the cost of getting a brand new dish fitted, which perhaps wouldn't be much more? 

GrumpyDil

Apologies as I misread the original post when it referred to straightened as meaning it had been damaged (it's been a long day!).
If the dish is not damaged then there would not really be any benefit in buying a new dish. If it's at a height you wouldn't want to work at then give a local TV aerial company a call to ask for a price to come and realign the dish. 

Type_45

GrumpyDil said:

Apologies as I misread the original post when it referred to straightened as meaning it had been damaged (it's been a long day!).
If the dish is not damaged then there would not really be any benefit in buying a new dish. If it's at a height you wouldn't want to work at then give a local TV aerial company a call to ask for a price to come and realign the dish. 

Thank you for that. Yes, I think that will be my first port of call.

Other things have been mentioned to me too, such as Roku sticks. I've no idea what they are but apparently they are a good alternative.

macman

Anyone in possession of a long ladder and a spanner can fix it for you. Window cleaner, roofer working down the road? Half an hour's work, maybe £50 tops, unless the height and position are challenging.

Bigphil1474

OP, if you have decent broadband, you can stream Sky channels through Now TV - no need for a dish. The 3 main packages are entertainment, movies, and sports. Each package needs a pass which is monthly. You can usually get some decent discounts, but the entertainment costs about £10 a month, movies £13, and sports £33. Sign up via their website. Can be cancelled and restarted as and when you want to.

brewerdave

Just had my Sky dish and LNB replaced by local firm. Because it was higher than normal it cost £120 all in

littlemissbossy

My sky dish fell off as it was completely rusted.  I called Sky and they replaced the dish for £60, this was about 3 months ago.
HTH

Tokmon

Type_45 said:

GrumpyDil said:

If it's I a position where you can safely replace the existing dish buy a new one around 20.00, although I wonder if the 100.00 quote is really for a new dish plus installation. 

I was recently charged £80 to fit an alarm box to the side of my house. So I am guessing that a handyman would charge £100 to adjust my satellite dish (which is quite high up).

That's what made me wonder about the cost of getting a brand new dish fitted, which perhaps wouldn't be much more? 

Just borrow some ladders from someone you know and do it yourself, it's pretty simple and you just need to move the dish while someone looks at the signal meter on the box to get it in the correct position.