SKY - installing digital decoder with existing cabling

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › SKY - installing digital decoder with existing cabling

aschteev

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#13761 28-May-2007 11:38

Hi,

Our flat in Fendalton, Christchurch (yes, there are flats in Fendalton

) has a satellite dish and cabling already installed. Is it possible to get a digital decoder and connect it all up and it will be sweet? Say, if my parents back home got the 2nd digital decoder for $25 a month or whatever it is, and we used that one up here...

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Snowflake

#72506 28-May-2007 12:16

i seriously doubt that SKY would allow you to take your parents "second" decoder to another location and install it there. Also you can bet that there are SKY people who read these forums and if your real name is indeed the same as the one on your profile then don't be surprised if your parents are prevented from obtaining a second decoder, or if they get an "audit" visit from a sky tech some time in the future....

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xcubed

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#72520 28-May-2007 14:31

While Sky might disapprove with this technique, I do know someone who has done it successfully in the past.

richms

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#72571 28-May-2007 19:45

Yeah, I also know of people that have gone flatting and taken the second sky box with them, no real way for sky to know where the box is, and if they do turn up to "audit" then you just ask them to leave.

Richard rich.ms

hairy1

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#72574 28-May-2007 20:55

Does Sky do audits? Surely they wouldn't bother with such a large subscriber base and would only go to an address if there is a problem?

My views (except when I am looking out their windows) are not those of my employer.

kevthesparky

79 posts

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#72900 30-May-2007 21:09

yes the decoder would work it is not location dependant as the sky card marries up with decoder. But if you connect the phone line which is generally used for movie purchases and possibley epg updates that may not work.

grant_k

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#72902 30-May-2007 21:30

kevthesparky: ...But if you connect the phone line which is generally used for movie purchases and possibley epg updates that may not work.

No, that's not correct. I can tell you from personal experience that it DOES work.

We have two properties and before getting MySky, we used to move our Sky Digital Decoder from one to the other.

The PPV Movie Purchase worked fine at either property even though the phone numbers were totally different.

kevthesparky

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#72903 30-May-2007 21:36

like I said may not work. But whats to say sky dont have a software system in place checking on the phone numbers to see if they match up with account details. wouldnt be to hard for them.

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Americancars

223 posts

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#72904 30-May-2007 21:49

The decoder should work anywhere.

I have relations in Europe, they have several different houses, Switzerland, Italy and England. They have UK Sky installed for their English house and they take their sky box to their other European houses when ever they are there. The Sky box works fine (apart from Pay to View).

I have to agree with Regs, hide your name. I wouldn't be surprised if Sky did do something about your parents getting two decoders with your name on here.

Can't beat the burble of that American V8. Ohh yea!

grant_k

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#72905 30-May-2007 22:08

kevthesparky: ...But whats to say sky dont have a software system in place checking on the phone numbers to see if they match up with account details. wouldnt be to hard for them.

Agreed, it wouldn't be hard, but they don't seem to do it, otherwise how could this work?

Sky Digital signed up at Auckland address (order PPV movies works -- of course...)

Moved decoder to Northland property...

* Sky Digital NOT installed so far as Sky knows (but we have an existing dish).
* Phone number changed from previous owner
* PPV Movie Order works

Since then we got MySky at our Northland property...

* Existing phone number was 09-403-xxxx
* Change phone number to VFX 09-950-xxxx
* PPV Movie Order still works

If they had some fancy computer system checking on phone numbers, how could that work?

More to the point: Why would they care? You are still paying money to them...

cokemaster

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#72906 30-May-2007 22:29

Alternatively, outgoing caller ID witholds on all calls always stop those pesky caller IDs.
-or-
Just don't plug the phoneline in.

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cyril7

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#72937 31-May-2007 07:55

Sky UK does check CLID to see if the box is where it was installed. Further your card will not work until it has been activated by calling in. This only applies to normal SkyUK subs, not to the FreeSat subs that sky operates.

SkyNZ have been asked about this in the past, and have stated that they do not check CLID nor at this point have no interest in it. We regularly move our Sky Box to our holiday home at the lake, it works just fine.

That said unless you are using the PPV service the phone line can remain disconnected.

Cyril

Americancars

223 posts

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#73002 31-May-2007 12:28

But Cyril, they don't have the phone line plugged in so I don't think that it would make a difference where it is. I know that the only time that it didn't work was when it was snowing very hard in Switzerland but it worked when it wasn't snowing.

Can't beat the burble of that American V8. Ohh yea!

cyril7

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#73004 31-May-2007 12:42

The ASTRA satellites at 28.3/28.5E that Sky use can be received in parts of central/western europe but you are pushing on the edge of the beam, therefore rain fade (or snow in this case) becomes a big issue.

Yeah if the phone line is disconnected then there is no problem. SkyUK have been going through a process where Sky+ decoders (our MySky PVR) must remain on a phone line. If the box does not callin within a certain number of weeks then a letter is sent to the sub asking it to be sorted. If the box remains incomunicado then the service is suspended. This has been done particularly to stop Sky reception in Europe.

Cyril

Americancars

223 posts

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#73007 31-May-2007 12:48

That is kind of stupid. Why would they want to stop sky reception in Europe? They are still getting money. It is likely that my relations would get rid of sky if it didn't work in Europe and go for a European provider. That is then a loss to sky.

Can't beat the burble of that American V8. Ohh yea!

allstarnz

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#73010 31-May-2007 13:19

Americancars, I guess it'd be to do with TV rights, particularly football. In saying that, many sports that Sky carry aren't shown in Europe, especially things like rugby, cricket etc.

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