Ebarmy !

[onthecut]

Hi all.

In a fit of feeling almost modern (slightly), bought Sky dish and box etc. No card. Only wanting to view the usual channels and not subscribe, apparently need the freeview card or whatever it's called. After several seconds research found that people are asking more for them on Ebay than they are new, legitimately from Sky ! Am I missing something ???

Mike.

[roddew]

Hi Mike,
can speak from experience on this one. Have used cards for the free channels for a while now in Portugal. ( Will be keeping an XM there for next year-driving 1700 miles down there in 4 weeks) There was a time when the cards were withdrawn and unavailable, so the only way to get these channels was to buy either a used card or a lapsed subscription card which worked the same way. These were fetching up to about £65 on Fleabay. The original cards were £23. Then the current generation of cards were quietly introduced ( aren't they a devil to find online, then you have to ring up and then again to activate it ). There are still enough gullible people out there who are unaware of this and still willing to part with more than the list price. The other aspect is that some who wish to use them abroad are not "au fait" with the activation procedure and are willing to pay to have it already done.
If there's any additional info I can impart on this one or if anyone fancies a holiday on the Algarve, I'll try to help.
Regards, Rodders

[onthecut]

Hi Rodders.

You're dead right they're hard to pin down on line. I simply couldn't see them at all on the official Sky site. Picked up the phone number off a satellite forum, after Googling it. One thing that did pleasantly surprise me however was when I rang Sky, there was absolutely no attempt whatsoever to persuade me to take a subscription package and the transaction was about as efficient as you might wish for.

Mike.

[roddew]

Hi again Mike, just a couple of other points, although if you've got a card coming it won't matter too much. Quite a few channels are available through the digibox without a card. ( they will work without anything in them, indeed we don't supply one for our visitors' TV setup ) Mainly it's just channels 4 and 5 that you need the card for.
A tip for when you activate your card. Have someone with you when you ring up and repeat the instructions they give you so that your accomplice can write that down. It may be useful if you have to use another box at a later date. (and I'd be grateful for a copy as I didn't realise when I did mine !!)
The phone number can be found through the website but it's extremely well hidden as they don't seem too keen on people having these cards.
As for the lack of subscription persuasion, you'll be getting plenty of junk mail from Sky with all their "special offer low cost startup" deals !!
Happy viewing...
Rodders.
PS just be grateful that you don't have to mess with dishes up to 6 feet in diameter!

[roddew]

Hi again Mike, just a couple of other points, although if you've got a card coming it won't matter too much. Quite a few channels are available through the digibox without a card. ( they will work without anything in them, indeed we don't supply one for our visitors' TV setup ) Mainly it's just channels 4 and 5 that you need the card for.
A tip for when you activate your card. Have someone with you when you ring up and repeat the instructions they give you so that your accomplice can write that down. It may be useful if you have to use another box at a later date. (and I'd be grateful for a copy as I didn't realise when I did mine !!)
The phone number can be found through the website but it's extremely well hidden as they don't seem too keen on people having these cards.
As for the lack of subscription persuasion, you'll be getting plenty of junk mail from Sky with all their "special offer low cost startup" deals !!
Happy viewing...
Rodders.
PS just be grateful that you don't have to mess with dishes up to 6 feet in diameter!

[roddew]

apologies for the double post. My broadband dropped out and I didn't think the first one had registered.

[robertxmb]

Unless I am missing something, can you not achieve the same result by buying the hardware independently of Sky, dish,sat. tuner etc and achieve the same result at far less cost? Lidl periodically sell a harware package for about £70 which you can self install. No Sky card required. The Sky EPG though is among the best if the difference is important to you. I have a profound dislike of the Sky dynasty, with their attempt to corner the market in films and sport and hold fans to ransom. I expect Freeview and Setanta will curb their excesses. Rant over.
Robert.

[roddew]

Yes you most certainly can and you don't have to go to Lidl, although I have not checked out exactly what you get there. All my hardware was bought on "Fleabay" for peanuts ( digiboxes about £28-30 for the specific type we required, 1.6 m. dish £28, 1.8 m. motorised dish £50 with 2 receivers thrown in. (Car looked a bit wierd with that lot on the roof !!)The only money that has gone Sky's way is a begrudged £20 for the card so that SWMBO can retreat from the heat of the afternoon sun ( she has MS ) and watch Countdown on Channel 4.
I, too, would not contemplate paying the extortionate rates that a certain sort of viewer deems "de riguer" for their televisual delights. £40 a month would buy a half decent XM once a year. (which for me is money far better spent than watching 22 overpaid GCSE rejects chasing an inflated pig bladder around ...)


My little rant over ... Rodders.

[Peter.N.]

If you need a copy of the Sky instructions, press 'record' on your answering machine when you phone. I know that sounds obvious but I probably wouldn't have thought of doing it, it was only while sitting here quietly it occurred to me.

Peter.N.