Sky dishes

[robby50x]

How are Sky tv allowed to get away with selling people such crappy dishes that rust and fall of the wall after a couple of years. You'd think that with the prices that they charge you would at least get a decent dish that would last a lot longer

[angela5]

With the amount of money they charge to watch the rubbish, you'd have thought they would automatically replace dishes after a certain period.:confused

[mareng]

How are Sky tv allowed to get away with selling people such crappy dishes that rust and fall of the wall after a couple of years. You'd think that with the prices that they charge you would at least get a decent dish that would last a lot longer


Sky are a bit like shipowners of the past - not to be confused with Benevolant Societies.

They sell you the cheapest of gear to get you up-and-running - then you are hooked.

On a serious note - it is worthwhile nailing the brackets to the wall using stainless fittings and a plastic insulator - the rust stains down walls are almost impossible to remove.

[angela5]

They sell you the cheapest of gear to get you up-and-running - then you are hooked.


Aye, hooked to channel searching looking for something decent to watch.:lol:

[Bobinovich]

We were getting an extension put on the back of our house which meant our Sky dish was going to have to be moved, however it was very rusty so I thought it would be better to get a new one. In addition our Sky box had developed a fault which, while not affecting our viewing did affect it's capabilities, so I felt it too needed replacing.

I contacted Sky and said I wanted a new box and dish, and that the dish had to be relocated higher to keep it out of the way of our extension.

They said that would be no problem and the cost would be X, to which I replied that, as a long term Sky subscriber who had never missed a payment, I was not willing to pay and would rather go to Freeview.

Minutes later I was transferred to a manager who approved the new dish, box and associated labour all at no charge.

My advice? Stand your ground and insist on new equipment - they'll soon decide that they want to keep your business and try to keep you happy.

[mareng]

My advice? Stand your ground and insist on new equipment - they'll soon decide that they want to keep your business and try to keep you happy.

Bound to work - like mobile phone companies........... you've paid for a new installation each year anyway.

[footie chick]

I had sky on the phone tonight offering 3 months half price!! Thats a joke for the last year when it was windy we couldn't watch sky cos the picture was flikkering! Got a new digi box didn't improve got another which was not under guarantee was told in no uncertain terms by a MANAGER that it was no longer skys problem!
Our response that our £37.00 subscription was no longer skys problem and that it would be better off in a savings account.

Whos laughing now???

[jimbews]

How are Sky tv allowed to get away with selling people such crappy dishes that rust and fall of the wall after a couple of years. You'd think that with the prices that they charge you would at least get a decent dish that would last a lot longer

Dishes are not difficult to replace if the existing one is within (safe) reach.

I bought a 85cm dish, wall mount, LNB, non-Sky receiver, etc from Lidl for about 60 quid (of which 40 was for the receiver).

They also do a kit for about 60 which has a smaller dish, twin output LNB, mount, cable, receiver, alignment meter for the same price.

With that you could have the Sky system fed from one LNB output, and the Lidl receiver from the second output - giving free channels from the Astra2/Eurobird satellite.


The Lyngsat website shows the free channels in pale yellow:

http://www.lyngsat.com/28east.html

I have no experience of whether the smaller dish would be suitable for Caithness. I also noticed that the kit with the small dish has a much flimsier wall mount.

I chose the bigger dish because I was actually setting up a system for my stepson (and his Polish partner) with two separate LNBs to receive the Astra1 satellite at 19east and Hotbird at 13east.

Works well, as the Lidl receiver gets quite a good writeup in the "What Satellite" magazine.

As you may have guessed I'm a bit of an enthusiast, with a motorised 88cm dish so I can "see" all the satellites from about 40east to 40 west.

I never found aligning the dishes much of a problem - if you already have a receiver which is programmed (as your Sky box would be).

Other comments have been on variable signals. The signal is drastically affected by rain. A good reason to get a bigger dish. On the other hand a bigger dish is more affected by the wind. If you can get a sheltered spot which can "see" the satellite so much the better. But remember that the satellite signal will not pass through trees, bushes, etc.

A quick lookup at:

http://www.satellite-calculations.com/Satellite/lookangles.htm

indicates that Astra2 (Sky) is about 18 degrees above the horizon.

Good luck

Jim

[Cattach]

Dishes are not difficult to replace if the existing one is within (safe) reach.

I bought a 85cm dish, wall mount, LNB, non-Sky receiver, etc from Lidl for about 60 quid (of which 40 was for the receiver).

They also do a kit for about 60 which has a smaller dish, twin output LNB, mount, cable, receiver, alignment meter for the same price.

With that you could have the Sky system fed from one LNB output, and the Lidl receiver from the second output - giving free channels from the Astra2/Eurobird satellite.


The Lyngsat website shows the free channels in pale yellow:

http://www.lyngsat.com/28east.html

I have no experience of whether the smaller dish would be suitable for Caithness. I also noticed that the kit with the small dish has a much flimsier wall mount.

I chose the bigger dish because I was actually setting up a system for my stepson (and his Polish partner) with two separate LNBs to receive the Astra1 satellite at 19east and Hotbird at 13east.

Works well, as the Lidl receiver gets quite a good writeup in the "What Satellite" magazine.

As you may have guessed I'm a bit of an enthusiast, with a motorised 88cm dish so I can "see" all the satellites from about 40east to 40 west.

I never found aligning the dishes much of a problem - if you already have a receiver which is programmed (as your Sky box would be).

Other comments have been on variable signals. The signal is drastically affected by rain. A good reason to get a bigger dish. On the other hand a bigger dish is more affected by the wind. If you can get a sheltered spot which can "see" the satellite so much the better. But remember that the satellite signal will not pass through trees, bushes, etc.

A quick lookup at:

http://www.satellite-calculations.com/Satellite/lookangles.htm

indicates that Astra2 (Sky) is about 18 degrees above the horizon.

Good luck

Jim



I was tempted by the Lidl gear bit did not buy. Found your message very helpful. Can you tell me if you are based in Caithness and where? Will maybe purchase next time around.

[Rheghead]

press e red button
and scroll through more news
more flesh and mutton
for the winter blues.
With many channels and naff all on
we get a dish that doesn't stay on.

More toons and kids stuff,
Choose e Beeb and Fox,
Bring back 'Call my Bluff'
Still nowt on e box.
We scrimp n save for extra package,
With Jobs left undone in e garage.

I'll tell you this ode
in the hope you will
stop the signal code
and their monthly bill.
Lets free ourselves from more Murdoch lies
because a fullfilling life is the prize!

[Cattach]

press e red button
and scroll through more news
more flesh and mutton
for the winter blues.
With many channels and naff all on
we get a dish that doesn't stay on.

More toons and kids stuff,
Choose e Beeb and Fox,
Bring back 'Call my Bluff'
Still nowt on e box.
We scrimp n save for extra package,
With Jobs left undone in e garage.

I'll tell you this ode
in the hope you will
stop the signal code
and their monthly bill.
Lets free ourselves from more Murdoch lies
because a fullfilling life is the prize!


I can find lots of great programmes on Sky - Old comedies are great, news, History Programme superb, sport excellent. Great value for money. Watch it far more than terrestial which has mostly junk programmes.

[Bobinovich]

I have to agree with you Cattach - if I could ditch the terrestrial TV licence I'd do it in a shot but then the Government and the BBC know that [evil].

[mareng]

I have to agree with you Cattach - if I could ditch the terrestrial TV licence I'd do it in a shot but then the Government and the BBC know that [evil].

I can't understand why the BBC are taking up air-time, advertising how good they are?

Since they are preaching to an audience, who are already hooked in to them to the tune of the annual license fee................. who are they trying to attract/keep?

[jimbews]

I was tempted by the Lidl gear bit did not buy. Found your message very helpful. Can you tell me if you are based in Caithness and where? Will maybe purchase next time around.

I'm in St Andrews in Fife, but was brought up in Wick a LONG time ago.

Just remember that the Lidl receiver is "free to air" only. There is no way of accessing channels which need a Sky subscription. Still leaves BBC, etc, etc.

Looking at other satellites gives even more choice, including lots of radio channels. Current favourite is a French jazz channel, although I've since discovered it streams over the internet.

Cheers

Jim

[JAWS]

I can't understand why the BBC are taking up air-time, advertising how good they are?It's because they are frightened to death they might lose hand out that we have to pay to protect them from reality.
They think that if they repeat the lie about "how good they are" loudly enough and often enough they might brainwash people into believing it.

I remember how they wriggled, squirmed and whined when ITV started Broadcasting 50 years ago. It was going to be the end of Civilisation as we know it.

It was almost another 20 years before they had competition from Commercial Radio. They were scandalised that people might be able to listen to "Pop Music" all day. Good Grief, people would be able to avoid being taught to be cultured.

When Classic FM started Broadcasting there were screams from the BBC that, unlike Radio Three, Classic FM would concentrate on Classical Music that people wanted to listen to and people would not be “introduced” to other pieces.

The problem the BBC has is that they really do believe their own publicity and are convinced that without them people would revert to becoming "Uncultured Savages".

They are frightened to death that they might have to exist without the free handout which we are forced to pay them.