Digital TV Cost Cutting Article - Discuss What You've Been Offered

strin287 · 27 November 2005 at 10:38AM

Binxy,

Re: Your Sky+ box not working correctly.

Have you tried disconnecting the power cable from the rear of the Sky+ box then holding the 'Backup' button on the front face of the box whilst reconnectin the power cable? After between 30 and 60 seconds all of the lights on the front of the box will illuminate and you will get a system message on your tv screen stating something such as the system is downloading new firmware.

This possibly could clear the faults you are experiencing. If not then stick to you guns and insist on a new box from the engineer. We had a similar fault on a previous Sky+ box and had it exchanged because the reset option didn't clear the fault. The engineer that came out was really helpful, typically the fault didn't manifest itself while he was here but he still exchanged the box anyway.

daveboy · 27 November 2005 at 1:16PM

I'm looking at cutting the cost of Sky down slightly, I currently have what was based on the old system - everything except the movie channels.

Now, with these packs, I just want to take the Variety Mix and the News and Events Mix, along with all the Sky Sports channels.

Is it just a case of ringing them and asking to change? I think it may only save me £2 a month, but it's £24 a year.

I can't yet play the 'I'm leaving' trick as I'm tied in until April 2006. Believe me, I will be doing it!

Scrumshie · 27 November 2005 at 10:55PM

Binxy

Unacceptable response from sky. You have a 12 month warranty on sky+. Do not delete any failed recordings as they contain messages that the engineer can "read" to see what caused the fault.
Loads of sky+ owners ( myself included) are suffering software issues since the last update in Sept. Including not being able to use live pause or rewind, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. They are aware of it, though they will try to deny it. BUT that is not going to cause you all your problems.
Demand another box/engineer visit. Speak to Customer Care( escalations department) not Customer service or tech help.
Have you tried a planner rebuild?
use services button, press4, press0, press1, press SELECT. Press 7 Planner rebuild.
It will switch off your sky+, give it at least three minutes before you try to switch it back on. It should start again from the intro channel 998?. this might be a temporary fix, but worth a try.

gatra_2 · 28 November 2005 at 1:50AM

Binxy wrote:

Thanks Scrumshie - but we're already on the 2nd box. It does lots of things:

If you pause live telly and try and play back - it won't play and hasn't actually recorded anything.
Fails to record set programs at random.
Records, then that program vanishes.
Records but refuses to play back.
Freezes at random.

And lots of other things too. The engineer reckons someone is using a walkie talkie and it's interfering with one or both signals (sounds a bit weird to me though) He also says if it doesn't 9and of course it doesn't) happen while he's there, he can't do anything.

I've just had enough basically.

*ADDED*

Just spent ages on the phone to find out we are tied in till July - at £46 a month - no way to get out of it whatsoever. Effing bloody marvelous.

Have you tried housekeeping yet?

Press the services button option 4 then 0 1 then press select button this brings up a hidden menu, then option 7, if this fails to work try option 8 but this will wipe the hdd and reset as new, it sounds as if you use the hdd a lot and although you delete the old programmes it still need cleaning up as some crap is still left on the drive.

Look on it like defraging the hard disc.

gatra_2 · 28 November 2005 at 1:54AM

Mine was doing all the things yours does and this cured mine.

Moonchester · 28 November 2005 at 11:30AM

I was sick of all the offers for sky plus being for non-subscribers of sky ( i was a digital customer) and we got nothing. So I threatened to leave and I got the following.
Sky plus's new 80gig box with 40 hours recording facility, Free instalation, NO need to pay an extra £10 per month and with 5 months half price subsciptions all for a one of payment of £65....... As the usual price for this box is £249 i have nade a saving of £296.... Not bad eh!! :j :j :j

wackojackouk · 28 November 2005 at 12:13PM

Hi guys

I got normal Sky and I tried the 3 months half price thing in July which worked fantastic so thanks for the tips. I remember the guy on the phone saying call back at the end of October and we'll see what we can do for you then.

Anyway I've been away so forgot about it until now. What's the best way of going about getting another discount? - i.e. Do I say you said to ring back or just threaten to leave.

I'm a bit worried they won't do anything as I have the Prem + season ticket and they will probably be able to see that on their systems.

Might also consider the Sky+ option as my missus would really like that although we don't use another TV so the multi-room wouldn't be needed - can we get around this?

Cheers WJUK

tunneller_2 · 28 November 2005 at 4:16PM

I live in a part of Warwickshire that does not receive freeview - according to the "enter your postcode" site, yet when my son recently passed me a faulty Samsung freeview box to repair I found that I could receive all the freeview channels from a standard aerial which was IN my loft, and using the standard TV co-ax. There was nothing wrong with the set-top box either which was an added bonus.

Ivenofinmoney · 28 November 2005 at 6:46PM

Moonchester wrote:

I was sick of all the offers for sky plus being for non-subscribers of sky ( i was a digital customer) and we got nothing. So I threatened to leave and I got the following.
Sky plus's new 80gig box with 40 hours recording facility, Free instalation, NO need to pay an extra £10 per month and with 5 months half price subsciptions all for a one of payment of £65....... As the usual price for this box is £249 i have nade a saving of £296.... Not bad eh!! :j :j :j

How long ago was this ?? I rang a month ago and got a fairly dim 40% off for 2 months, asked about sky+ and they wouldn't budge on standard exsiting customer offers with multiroom.

Moonchester · 28 November 2005 at 7:07PM

i had my sky+ installed last week after complaining the week before..... stick to your guns and ask for the offer that is offered in Dixons to new customers

Sky+ for £45 plus free instalation and half price subscriptions for 3 months. Explain that you are happy to pay the same amount for your sky+ and you are happy to sign up for a further 12 months if the deal is right. But explain you do not want the multiroom pack. If you pay more than £30 per month you will not have to have the multiroom pack anyway.

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Digital TV Cost Cutting Article - Discuss What You've Been Offered

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