RazMan
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 12:25 PM |
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Nice timing Sky - Grrrrr
Just when it is most needed and the mother-in-law has planted herself in front of the telly for the duration of the Xmas holiday, my Sky+HD box has
gone FUBAR.  So this morning I called Sky and after a couple of 'secret' button sequences (already tried them earlier  ) they decided
that the Sky box needs replacing. The trouble is that it is 3 weeks outside the guarantee and a new one is going to set me back £199 PLUS £60
'installation' (basically plugging it in!)
What a ripoff 
Has anyone got a second hand box going spare? Beer tokens waiting
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
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blakep82
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 12:33 PM |
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whats wrong with it?
basically whoever you spoke to is just trying to get a sale out of you. there's no need for an installation as you already have sky+hd, if you
upgrading from standard sky, then yes you'd need and engineer, but not in this case. they should just send one out if you do need a new box.
[Edited on 24/12/10 by blakep82]
________________________
IVA manual link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1081997083
don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
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ChrisW
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 12:36 PM |
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I've got several that could 'get you working'. Just regular Sky tho, no HD or +. You're welcome to one if it's any
use.
I'm going up the M11 in a couple of hours so could meet you somewhere? Assuming mother-in-law is in Essex too?
Chris
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RazMan
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 12:47 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
whats wrong with it?
It keeps freezing and not allowing any menus to work (remote and box controls) I have done the usual reset and software reloads but it only works for
a few minutes before freezing again. It often refuses to come out of standby too. I have heard that it is often the PSU that goes in these boxes.
I'm wondering if its worth messing around with when I can get a refurbed one on eBay for about £50.
Chris - Thanks for the kind offer mate, but I think my sis in law has a spare standard box which I can pinch if necessary 
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
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phoenix70
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 12:51 PM |
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Can you not try the old "I'm cancelling my subscription unless you give me a new box" routine, normally works for me.
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ChrisW
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 12:52 PM |
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No problem. It'll be the capacitors in the PSU most likey. Repair kits are available from places like
Satcure.
If you're not handy with a soldering iron I can do it for beer as long as you can get the box to me.
Chris
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blakep82
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 12:56 PM |
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ah, yeah, theres no resets you can really do over the phone for that kind of thing. guess where i had the misfortune of working earlier this
year...
they should have at least offered an engineer visit (i'd have put it as a free visit too) to look at it before trying to charge you £200 for a
new one. tbh, think whover you spoke to just wanted a sale. and the comission that goes with it
theres always a full system reset, which deletes everything out the hard disc (did you do that one?) might help for a bit. and software download where
you switch off at the wall, and switch on while holding the backup button on the top of the box for about 30secs. did they do that with you?
________________________
IVA manual link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1081997083
don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
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RazMan
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 01:53 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
ah, yeah, theres no resets you can really do over the phone for that kind of thing. guess where i had the misfortune of working earlier this
year...
they should have at least offered an engineer visit (i'd have put it as a free visit too) to look at it before trying to charge you £200 for a
new one. tbh, think whover you spoke to just wanted a sale. and the comission that goes with it
theres always a full system reset, which deletes everything out the hard disc (did you do that one?) might help for a bit. and software download where
you switch off at the wall, and switch on while holding the backup button on the top of the box for about 30secs. did they do that with you?
Yep, I did both of those - I found one of the repair manuals on Bittorrent. There are capacitor kits are about a tenner on eBay, but they are for the
Thomson box and mine is a Samsung so I doubt they would be suitable
Chris - Thanks again
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
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McLannahan
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 01:58 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by phoenix70
Can you not try the old "I'm cancelling my subscription unless you give me a new box" routine, normally works for me.
I tried that and got nowhere! In the end I left and rejoined under my name (not wife's) and got a new box. Result.
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PSpirine
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 02:22 PM |
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Remember, goods have to last a "reasonable amount of time". You're well within your rights to argue that 3 weeks out of warranty is
premature failure for a sat box. Just mention the Sale of Goods Act, and say you can get industry data to back up the fact that a sat box should last
on average longer than 55 weeks or however long you've had it, hence yours was of inadequate quality.
Ask to speak to their supervisor/manager directly about it if they have a problem with it - the manager is more than likely to subdue the situation by
sending you out a new one!
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AndyW
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 03:17 PM |
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I got rid of sky after 7 years for that reason. In 7 years with them I had 4 new box's "installed". Turns out each "new"
box was a refurb. Their customer service was so poor that I cancelled tv phone etc. Now with Virgin, tv phone and broadband. Cound not be better.
Every thing works and has done so far all year without a glitch. Which is longer than any peice of sky equipment ever did. And I also get rid of that
dam dish of the side of my house.......
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RazMan
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 04:18 PM |
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Ah the wonders of eBay - I just picked up a 6 month old identical unit for £60 and its just a few minutes drive away so I'm off to collect it. I
can dismantle the old unit an pinch the hard drive for one of my computers too!
Crisis averted and I'll have a peaceful Xmas, especially when Come Dancing's on 
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
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JoelP
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 04:21 PM |
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very poor show by sky there, virgin own their boxes and so replace them free normall. Sadly i left virgin because their staff were rude, but when the
sky+ box goes i'll definately be back to virgin.
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RazMan
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 05:01 PM |
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Sadly, Virgin is not an option to me out in the sticks (well according to Virgin) Personally I would love to cancel Sky, but the Mum-in-Law would
probably get a contract out .... on me!
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
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daniel mason
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 05:19 PM |
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sky will definately give you a box and pretty much evrything you ask for if you threaten to quit. i have had 2 new HD boxes free cos i complained that
id lost all my programmes stored on the box.and threatened to quit. they will do anything not to lose customers! trust me. i regularly call them,
complain about prices,ask for deals etc. and a couple of times when there is no deals available they have put £25 into my account for me! the only
problem is that sometimes they do let you cancel,but always ring back a week or so later offering their 'latest' deals
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Paul TigerB6
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 06:08 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
Sadly i left virgin because their staff were rude
Am i the only saddo that had the idea of a rude virgin running through my head?? Sounds quite appealing actually
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Confused but excited.
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 07:50 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by PSpirine
Remember, goods have to last a "reasonable amount of time". You're well within your rights to argue that 3 weeks out of warranty is
premature failure for a sat box. Just mention the Sale of Goods Act, and say you can get industry data to back up the fact that a sat box should last
on average longer than 55 weeks or however long you've had it, hence yours was of inadequate quality.
Ask to speak to their supervisor/manager directly about it if they have a problem with it - the manager is more than likely to subdue the situation by
sending you out a new one!
Glad you got sorted mate. For future reference, this is the main part of a letter that I sent to Argos after my sis-in-law's washing m/c packed
up:
"The washing machine suddenly stopped working several days ago. The power indicator neon does not even light.
I have had the supply to the machine checked and that is OK. I have checked the fuse in the plug and that is OK. So the problem is within the
machine.
As the machine is only a little over two years old, I feel that you should repair it. Under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (Section 14.2), all goods
should be of satisfactory quality. Plainly this one is not, as I and indeed anyone else would expect to get considerably more use from a washing
machine than this.
I therefore expect the machine to be repaired at your expense, within the next ten working days of receipt of this letter. I feel that this is a
reasonable time for you to be able to effect repairs on this equipment."
I was told to word the letter thus, by a Trading standards Officer.
It was nearer three years old and they replied to her within three days, telling her to pick a new washing m/c. It was delivered four days later.
By the way, a guarantee isn't worth the paper it is written on. You have statutory rights under the law. These rights trump any guarantee.
HTH.
[Edited on 24/12/10 by Confused but excited.]
Tell them about the bent treacle edges!
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PSpirine
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| posted on 24/12/10 at 10:58 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Confused but excited.
By the way, a guarantee isn't worth the paper it is written on. You have statutory rights under the law. These rights trump any guarantee.
HTH.
[Edited on 24/12/10 by Confused but excited.]
True but don't dismiss it, particularly lifetime warranties etc. Also, a lot of items are fairly ambiguous in their life expectancy, so the
written warranty will actually sometimes outlast that which you'd be entitled to under statutory rights. Halfords and other lifetime guarantee
on tools is a prime example - make sure you keep your warranty/receipt/proof that it's their tool (branded) as they aren't legally bound
by any requirement to replace it.
I'd also like to point out that before you start playing the Sale of Goods Act card, it's worth just asking - Homebase in particular have
been very good and have replaced broken items no questions asked even when slightly out of warranty, and once even without a receipt. The rights
letter/speech is there on standby for when they give you a hard time.
In this case though, I'd say it's a no brainer and Sky will cave in.
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