McLannahan
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 07:59 PM |
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Recommended Sky alternatives?
Evening all.
Came home to discover my Sky box ( just 14 months old) has packed up. I phoned Sky and informed them of this and they wanted 65 to sort it. I
complained and explained my current circumstances and it was reduced to 10. It's the principal though. I pay 20 a month which I now can ill
afford and then I should pay 10 just to get another box that'll break again like so many others....
So....Sky is going. Lovely and quiet here at home now but I'll need to fill the silence soon!
Has anyone a good Freesat box to recommend? We did use the record on the HD box but I might not be able to stretch to that?
We don't have an aerial at present but I could fall off a ladder and install one?
Thanks all
Michael
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Marcus
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 08:21 PM |
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Check out the Humax freesat+ HD boxes, hook up to your dish, loads of choice.
Marcus
Because kits are for girls!!
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AndyW
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 08:24 PM |
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Can offer advice of freeview, but I cancelled sky after 7 years and 7 sky boxes. Im now on virgin, they own the box so any problems and they replace
it. I also cut through the fibre optic cable whilst cutting a bush down in the front garden, phoned them up and they came out and fixed it, NO CHARGE.
A very happy Virgin media customer....
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McLannahan
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 08:33 PM |
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Thanks Marcus, will check them out. Any model in particular to get a thumbs up?
Andy, thanks for that. Many many years ago I had NTL. Loved it,very very fast, no issues and never any problems. Would happily have cable again but
sadly I now live in the sticks and no cable providers come to the village or area 
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Marcus
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 08:59 PM |
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A friend has one of these
Humax
Quality bit of kit.
Marcus
Because kits are for girls!!
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BenB
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 09:02 PM |
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I've got the freeview HD version of that. Very nice bit of kit as you say. Would def go freesat if I hadn't got freeview, though
it's worth getting a good STB, I had the misfortune of staying in a hotel the other week which had freesat on a rubbish box and it was just
painful.
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loggyboy
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 09:03 PM |
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Youve cancelled it and theyve not waived the fee... thats usual!
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fesycresy
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 09:10 PM |
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I've never paid for a box repair, a simple 'fix it free or cancel' always does the trick.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The sooner you fall behind, the more time you'll have to catch up.
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T66
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 09:13 PM |
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If I had an alternative Sky would be binned, their customer service is shite.
Using their really simple online service to move house last July, it took them 3 months to put me a phone line in.
£50 in mobile calls to them, lots of compensation, deals on the subscription all got taken back when I told them to ferk off.
Typical big company _ we can do anything stinking attitude.
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McLannahan
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 09:16 PM |
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Thanks chaps! Humax do seem to go for good money though, anyone have any cheaper alternatives?
Loggy...I know! They did discount from 65 to 10 but said that was as cheap as they could go? I guess a lot of people are trying to save money? This
was the cancellation team.
I've replaced loads of boxes now and it really annoys me that the boxes just don't last. I would have accepted a free repair but paying
for it and still paying my 20 odd a month just isn't on with my current circumstances.
As Andy said though, over the last 10 or so years I've had at least 7 boxes, normally bought second hand to replace the last broken one but this
current/last one was new from Sky and now that hasn't lasted either.
Will def miss Sky but at 10 a repair and then 22.50 a month I just find it difficult to justify.
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40inches
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 09:26 PM |
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I dumped Sky and got a Samsung HD FreeSat box about 6 months ago, bit easier to use than the Humax and just plug the dish connections in and its
P&P. Don't miss anything from Sky and they didn't give a s**t when I said I was cancelling.
Will only connect to BBC iPlayer at mo, not to ITV thingy though.But you can connect to YouTube and stream videos from PC.
Samsung PVR from Richer Sounds
[Edited on 5-3-12 by 40inches]
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McLannahan
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 09:37 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by 40inches
I dumped Sky and got a Samsung HD FreeSat box about 6 months ago, bit easier to use than the Humax and just plug the dish connections in and its
P&P. Don't miss anything from Sky and they didn't give a s**t when I said I was cancelling.
Will only connect to BBC iPlayer at mo, not to ITV thingy though.But you can connect to YouTube and stream videos from PC.
Samsung PVR from Richer Sounds
[Edited on 5-3-12 by 40inches]
40 thanks for that! Was looking at that model on EGay just then! Do you rate the model? I have a Samsung tv so it'd match nicely and would get
my "wife points"
Looks even more reasonable on there and quite a bit cheaper than the Humax?
Anything it doesn't do or should do and doesn't apart from Itv player? Anything it's bad at?
Thanks again
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40inches
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 09:52 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by McLannahan
quote:
Originally posted by 40inches
I dumped Sky and got a Samsung HD FreeSat box about 6 months ago, bit easier to use than the Humax and just plug the dish connections in and its
P&P. Don't miss anything from Sky and they didn't give a s**t when I said I was cancelling.
Will only connect to BBC iPlayer at mo, not to ITV thingy though.But you can connect to YouTube and stream videos from PC.
Samsung PVR from Richer Sounds
[Edited on 5-3-12 by 40inches]
40 thanks for that! Was looking at that model on EGay just then! Do you rate the model? I have a Samsung tv so it'd match nicely and would get
my "wife points"
Looks even more reasonable on there and quite a bit cheaper than the Humax?
Anything it doesn't do or should do and doesn't apart from Itv player? Anything it's bad at?
Thanks again
Had one ocassion when it wouldn't access recorded programs, downloaded a update and it was ok, didn't lose the programs though We have a
Samsung Plasma tv, nice to only have to use one remote and the tv turns the box off.
Apart from that no problems, the picture quality is superb in HD and SD, the son in law is impressed with UI and ease of use (he has the Humax)
Would buy again.
If you register on the Samsung website they have a forum with loads of info.
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McLannahan
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 09:54 PM |
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Spot on, thanks again 40!
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DavidW
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 10:18 PM |
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We ditched sky and bought the humax freeview+ HD pvr box and think it's excellent. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
David
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McLannahan
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| posted on 5/3/12 at 11:09 PM |
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Thanks everyone, much appreciated!
Good to hear positive things about ditching Sky too!
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coozer
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| posted on 6/3/12 at 11:02 AM |
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I have fresat and freview but they are nothing compared to my Sky Sports HD package.
If I ditch Sky where do I get all the live cricket and Soccer AM from?
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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40inches
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| posted on 6/3/12 at 12:33 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by coozer
I have fresat and freview but they are nothing compared to my Sky Sports HD package.
If I ditch Sky where do I get all the live cricket and Soccer AM from?
It really depends what you think it's worth, we didn't have Sports or Movies and still paid £35 a month for basic HD
So to me it just wasn't worth the money
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loggyboy
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| posted on 6/3/12 at 12:38 PM |
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Have you acctually canceled yet?
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McLannahan
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| posted on 6/3/12 at 12:49 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
Have you acctually canceled yet?
Yes, but with no box even to watch the service on we have 30 days left or something like that?
It's a disgrace. Can't even watch without a working box and I still have to pay?
Honestly...What a pile of...
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 6/3/12 at 01:59 PM |
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I used to pay umpteen pounds a month for the basic Sky package, and only ever watched about 10 of the available channels (of which there are hundreds
- mostly cr*p).
Now I pay zero pounds a month for Freesat and watch almost the same set of 10 channels - several of which are now available in HD. Freesat also has
cr*p channels, but at least I know I'm not paying to not watch them.
If you really must watch Sky Sports - I believe that they show some on Freesat, as pay-to-view (you have a card or something to plug into the box).
I'm not bothered myself.
The swap is easy - disconnect your Sky box, connect your Freesat box. Switch on, let it auto-tune for a few minutes. Job done.
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se7en
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| posted on 6/3/12 at 10:29 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by coozer
I have fresat and freview but they are nothing compared to my Sky Sports HD package.
If I ditch Sky where do I get all the live cricket and Soccer AM from?
Local pub, need an excuse
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