New sky install with old black box.

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DarkCypher

80 posts

Master Geek

#93299 17-Nov-2011 17:22

Is it common practice for new sky installs to be installed with the old black box?

The thing is nothing but slow and sluggish and doesn't seem to support Scart >> component.

My mother was also having issues with sky this week and today had her silver box replaced with one of the black ones. When she asked about why they still supply these his response was that they have to "recycle them."

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6434 posts

Uber Geek

#546601 17-Nov-2011 17:42

They probably have thousands of the things from people who have upgraded to MySky. Probablyis quite common.

When we added multiroom we got one of those old crummy boxes too.

Trunks2

224 posts

Master Geek

#546614 17-Nov-2011 18:18

We recently got sky, they gave us a little black box and an old gold sky card, thing is useless, half the time the guide doesn't load.

Spyware

3761 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#546615 17-Nov-2011 18:24

Funny stuff as hardly top secret that Sky use 1998 technology. The boxes would have no real value on paper after all this time but using them saves $50M in upgrade costs. Sad to think that these boxes will go on being used until everyone notices the abysmal image quality and the poverty of service that Sky actually provide.

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#546640 17-Nov-2011 19:41

If you do your research first, you can specify the decoder type you want at install to avoid this.

I did it a few years ago, when I moved from UHF and wanted the then new Pace box, which was the only one that did component out at the time. Rang up for the install, agreed that would be the box I got and install wouldn't proceed without it. Installer turned up, tried to install a crappy old refurb unit, and I told him to check his notes. He went back to his van and got the correct box - and remarked that he had recently started getting a few people with specified box types on the install request, so I assume I wasn't the only one doing it.

Bottom line - they will save by saving cost fobbing you off with refurbished junk if they can, but if push comes to shove they also want to keep you as a subscriber and will do better if pushed.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#546643 17-Nov-2011 19:46

I think lots of us have to remember that the vast majority of the population don't actually care, and couldn't spot the difference between composite and component. Just look at the number of people who watch TV in fatovision mode.

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#546677 17-Nov-2011 21:26

sbiddle: I think lots of us have to remember that the vast majority of the population don't actually care, and couldn't spot the difference between composite and component. Just look at the number of people who watch TV in fatovision mode.

Sad, but true. Some don't even care after it is slowly explained to them, but their loss I guess.

Mainly I was trying to help out those on GZ who know enough to know what they want, and may not have realised that Sky can be persuaded to install a better box than the geriatric refurb units they are trying to palm off on the unsuspecting......

Niel

3267 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#546721 18-Nov-2011 06:08

If you have a large TV with component input then you can ask for the silver Pace box. If the installer happens to have one in his van you can get it. The guide on the small silver box is also frequently lost.

You can never have enough Volvos!

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illicit

553 posts

Ultimate Geek

#546728 18-Nov-2011 07:32

I don't understand why people complain to others (in life or on the internet) about the guide not working on the old decoders but I haven't heard of anyone ringing to complain.

I'm not having a go at anyone, just curious to hear if anyone has called sky about it, and what the response was (if any)

Spyware

3761 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#546741 18-Nov-2011 08:26

I thought issue related to the watching of certain free to air channels on transponders that don't feed the guide data. Sky CSRs have certainly been queried by many people but have limited understanding of the issue let alone a solution. Quite odd to me to believe that Sky CSRs have digital satellite TV systems engineering experience or the education to even be interested in technical details of such systems.

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#546784 18-Nov-2011 10:10

DarkCypher:
The thing is nothing but slow and sluggish and doesn't seem to support Scart >> component.

Why not ring Sky and tell them it's not performing and you want a new silver one?
If they won't play ball then quote the CGA. It must be fit for the purpose i.e. component or HDMI to your modern TV..

Niel

3267 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#547145 19-Nov-2011 07:47

illicit:
No I have never complained about the lost guide, because everything else I have ever complained about resulted in being told to reboot the device, wipe the card contact, etc. and phone back the next day if the issue is still there. The one time I did percevere and got a replacement, the replacement was just a used box with scratches on. The issues I see do not show up with a few minutes of bench testing, it only shows up with use. One issue I had was the box would freeze for a moment, then jump to a random channel with volume at maximum (no I do not have a receiver, I control the volume with the STB). I can't be bothered with the lengthy process with the CSR, then with the installer.

Spyware:
TVNZ and other non-Sky channels do not carry the guide. Also the guide is cleared every day at midday (I'm told) so if you leave the STB on one of those channels then when you get home after work you will have no guide. This is not the issue we are talking about. I have actually seen it while paging through the guide around 8 or 9 at night that some channels guides disappear (say when page up and then page down) and then the whole guide disappear. Or watching say Discovery then looking at the guide, there is no guide any more.

Solution: buy your own (PVR) STB (if you have a blue access card). They cost almost the say as the "service charge" for renting a My Sky HDi+, but so much more flexible. And you own it. The Vu+ Duo is a good option, but there is now another one (easier to setup/manage) where you can swap out the 2 satellite tuner cards for any combination of satellite or terrestrial tuners. Short supply in NZ, but available same price (shipped) on eBay AU. The optional hard drive it comes with is a PVR grade, not a desktop hard drive. I'll find the name later, unless someone else knows what I'm talking about.

You can never have enough Volvos!

Niel

3267 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#547219 19-Nov-2011 14:10

The box that is easier to manage is the UltraPlus X-9200HD. There are a few on TradeMe, but also available on eBay.

You can never have enough Volvos!

John2010

532 posts

Ultimate Geek

#547803 21-Nov-2011 12:16

DarkCypher: Is it common practice for new sky installs to be installed with the old black box?

The thing is nothing but slow and sluggish and doesn't seem to support Scart >> component.

If it is the black Motorola DTH335 then it will do component from SCART (the one marked "TV") if it has recent firmware in it, which it should, it just likely has not been set up for it. If you don't need HD then there is no real problem with this box compared to other SD. To activate component you have to enter the menus (righthandmost button on front), select spanner icon and then Advanced Setup via your PIN.

old3eyes

9119 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#547819 21-Nov-2011 12:39

DarkCypher: Is it common practice for new sky installs to be installed with the old black box?

The thing is nothing but slow and sluggish and doesn't seem to support Scart >> component.

My mother was also having issues with sky this week and today had her silver box replaced with one of the black ones. When she asked about why they still supply these his response was that they have to "recycle them."

I doubt that you would notice any difference between component and Svideo with Sky's SD output.. It's usually crap which ever way you look at it.

Regards,

Old3eyes

Kyanar

4089 posts

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#547830 21-Nov-2011 13:05

B1GGLZ:
DarkCypher:
The thing is nothing but slow and sluggish and doesn't seem to support Scart >> component.

Why not ring Sky and tell them it's not performing and you want a new silver one?
If they won't play ball then quote the CGA. It must be fit for the purpose i.e. component or HDMI to your modern TV..

I don't think the CGA applies to the hardware which they loan you. It's theirs after all. You could claim the service isn't fit for the purpose you intended, but you'd then have to prove that either you expressly told them that you intended to watch on a big screen TV without quality loss, or that they told you this was possible.

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