Sky or NTL cable

[ColinEssex]

We currently have the basic Sky package (£24 per month, no Skysport or films channels) and we continually have trouble with our Digi-box "locking up" so that we can't access anything via the remote. We have to unplug the Digi-box from the mains, leave it for a minute or two then plug it in again and it "reboots" itself. Its happening 4 or 5 times a week now

We had this problem a couple of years ago with an Amstrad Digi-box and Sky gave us a new Grundig Digi-box - cost £65. Now its back again

Is there any mileage in going down the NTL road? - we currently have our phone on NTL so we have the cable coming to the house.

Do you get the same channels on NTL as on Sky? How much is it? and any problems with it?

Col

 

[emcf]

We currently have the basic Sky package (£24 per month, no Skysport or films channels) and we continually have trouble with our Digi-box "locking up" so that we can't access anything via the remote. We have to unplug the Digi-box from the mains, leave it for a minute or two then plug it in again and it "reboots" itself. Its happening 4 or 5 times a week now

We had this problem a couple of years ago with an Amstrad Digi-box and Sky gave us a new Grundig Digi-box - cost £65. Now its back again

Is there any mileage in going down the NTL road? - we currently have our phone on NTL so we have the cable coming to the house.

Do you get the same channels on NTL as on Sky? How much is it? and any problems with it?

Col

Hi Col,

one of my friends is buying a house and can only get cable there - not sure what company it is but the amount she is being charged for combined broadband, phone and cable tv is pretty expensive for what it is....about £90 per month for the lot and the broadband is not that quick.

my sis has a digi box and also had problems with it locking up - i think their problem was a poor signal...i guess the engineer would have checked that for you?

but seriously - sky without sky sports.....are you mad?!? all those glorious games of footy, rugby union & league, aussie rules, tri-nation rugby, extreme sports and motocross sure beat the likes of the home improvement channels!

 

[nikkypickles]

NTL vs Sky

The channels are more or less the same. If you bundle it cable is cheaper. And I think Telewest have that thing where they download programmes so you can watch them whenever you want to.
My boyf would probably recommend NTL. He never had any trouble with broadband or phone or the channel choice.

I'm just jealous either way. Can't get Sky - costs too much and I'm in a flat and would need to get special permission - and can't get cable - they won't install it here on the coast.

 

[ColinEssex]

Thanks for the replies.

Since I posted, I've done some research and spoke to friends about it.

It seems that Sky do have a problem with the digi-box locking up and Sky is not cheap. NTL / Telewest have the phone package at £11 (which we have) and the cable telly bit is £19.50 per month. Total £30.50 per month. We currently pay £35 with phone and Sky. NTL do free repairs whereas Sky charge £65 to knock at your door.

NTL with their family package also have extra features included, like email via the telly - we don't have on-line PC at home. NTL family package is basically the same as Sky basic package. I compared the channels and they seem very similar. Plus of course with cable you don't get the satellite dish going funny in heavy rain or snow.

NTL are also doing the family package at half price for 6 months at the moment.

I think we'll go for it when I get back from holiday at end of october.

emcf - did you get your bike?

Col

 

[Brianwarnock]

My son in law has trouble with his Telewest digi box needing to be rebooted occasionally, apparently its normal with all digi boxes, i know my freewiew suffers.
He intends to switch to Sky for extra facilities on the sports channels and he is interested it their TPV TPO?? well clever recording thingy

Brian

 

[Hayley Baxter]

My son in law has trouble with his Telewest digi box needing to be rebooted occasionally, apparently its normal with all digi boxes, i know my freewiew suffers.
He intends to switch to Sky for extra facilities on the sports channels and he is interested it their TPV TPO?? well clever recording thingy

Brian

Oh yes, I was one of the first to get to play with the Sky plus box and attempt to break it whilst I worked there in the Technical team. It was great getting a free shift just to play with all the new features

It was great when I used to get all the channels free working there, still it was a small price to pay from escaping from the place

I still have my sky package, have no issues with the box or the signal, generally very happy with it.

Sorry to hear you are having lots of problems with your box Col

Hay

 

[ColinEssex]

Sorry to hear you are having lots of problems with your box Col

Hay

Yes its a real sod.

It happened when we had our Amstrad box, so we coughed up £65 to Sky -now its the same with the Grundig box

Col

 

[Hayley Baxter]

Yes its a real sod.

It happened when we had our Amstrad box, so we coughed up £65 to Sky -now its the same with the Grundig box

Col

Yeah It doesn't really matter what box you have to be honest, they will all eventually go on the blink.

I've had mine for approx 4 years though and had no problems with it whatsoever, been quite lucky I guess. The signal strength is always pretty good as well.

Hay

 

[Rich]

i know my freewiew suffers.

Brian

So does mine, though not that often

 

[emcf]

emcf - did you get your bike?

Col

not quite yet, i did do my bike theory test this week and passed - 34 out of 35 for questions and 50 something out of seventy something for the hazard perception videos.....i got disqualified in one of the 14 videos for over-exuberant clicking

i've also seen a 2nd hand fazer 600 (older version with the better (but more polluting!) engine) at the place where i'll do the training. £2,200 for it and about 19/20K miles....front forks are a bit pitted but looks in good nick other than that. I'm thinking of putting down a deposit for it....

 

[carlnewboult]

i have recently switched my digi tv to sky from NTL as the box locked up one a week and all NTL would say is restart it. After a while I think they got the idea that i was not happy and sent 4 boxes and 2 engineers to try and fix it.

After this and also finding out that sky were doing sky sports for FREE it was a simply decision of finding out where to sign. Since I have has sky not has 1 problem. The only thing i will say is that should you cancel sky then you will need to get a new box as sky boxes without subscription will not received all of the freeview channels.

Cheers