Can I use a NI sub in ROI?

Neffa2 · 14-03-2011 11:44am #1

Hi,

If you have a Sky+ HD box (not multiroom, just a single box) can you use it the Republic?

Would it "die" if it was connected to a phone line and worked out it was not in the "right" country?

Minstrel27 · 14-03-2011 11:51am

You'd be better off not connecting it to a phone line.

watty · 14-03-2011 1:16pm

No TV3

rlogue · 14-03-2011 1:56pm

Make sure you are not under any obligation to Sky to connect the box to a phone line. Then provided you pay your bills and never connect the box to a phone line in the Republic, you're all set.

If course if Sky didn't have these geographical restrictions then none of this would be necessary!

Neffa2 · 14-03-2011 2:52pm

watty wrote: »

No TV3

Sure, but I can get the Irish DTT channels, so I am covered there.

Minstrel27 · 14-03-2011 3:06pm

UTV pretty much covers it anyway.

watty · 14-03-2011 4:42pm

It wasn't a complaint.

reboot · 15-03-2011 10:35am

Minstrel27 wrote: »

UTV pretty much covers it anyway.

UTV Not HD of course in spite of what they told us,and the Queen?

Neffa2 · 15-03-2011 12:43pm

...and will red button / anytime work? Do they need phone access?

Cantona's Collars · 15-03-2011 1:12pm

Neffa2 wrote: »

...and will red button / anytime work? Do they need phone access?

Nothing changes if you move your box from one location to another,your package info is stored on the viewing card.An example of this are the pubs in Spain showing Sky tv.
Don't plug a phoneline into the box.It doesn't need to be.

irishpancake · 15-03-2011 1:38pm

watty wrote: »

It wasn't a complaint.

What about VB?? I'd miss him

Mr. Rabbit · 16-03-2011 9:05pm

Don't plug a phoneline into the box.It doesn't need to be.

Last time my phone line was disconnected they blocked all my subscription channels. I had to phone Sky to get them back.

Sky are very fussy about boxes being connected to phonelines, especially if you have multi room.

Don't think they'll worry if the phone line is in the ROI.

Cantona's Collars · 16-03-2011 9:55pm

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

Last time my phone line was disconnected they blocked all my subscription channels. I had to phone Sky to get them back.

Sky are very fussy about boxes being connected to phonelines, especially if you have multi room.

Don't think they'll worry if the phone line is in the ROI.

No phoneline needed if the op has just one box.True about the multiroom though-phoneline has to be connected,that would cause a problem.

Mr. Rabbit · 16-03-2011 10:01pm

yep, they told me it was to stop people in different properties using a £10 multiroom subscription as their main one, which is understandable.

Minstrel27 · 16-03-2011 11:16pm

reboot wrote: »

and the Queen?

?

Mr. Rabbit · 16-03-2011 11:22pm

Minstrel27 wrote: »

?

The Queen launched UTV HD in a blaze of glory about a year ago.

Only Virgin media viewrs can receive it, still. As yet, no service on Sky. What a joke. GRRRRRRG:mad:.

ITV 1 HD is unavailable in NI on the SKY EPG. The service is being blocked by UTV. GRRRRRRRR:mad:

Cantona's Collars · 16-03-2011 11:26pm

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

The Queen launched UTV HD in a blaze of glory about a year ago.

Only Virgin media viewrs can receive it, still. As yet, no service on Sky. What a joke. GRRRRRRG:mad:.

ITV 1 HD is unavailable in NI on the SKY EPG. The service is being blocked by UTV. GRRRRRRRR:mad:

Not much worth watching on UTV anyway:D

Minstrel27 · 17-03-2011 8:55am

I wouldn't be bothered really as ITV 1 has a better schedule than UTV.

vdubber9411 · 17-03-2011 1:38pm

You can take your box anywhere you like as long as you can pick up Astra! So you could take it to South of France, put up a 3m dish and away you go (not supposed to like)! If you have a multi room subscription and you're planning on moving just the one box this is the reason Sky insist on all boxes being connected to the same phone line - so they can check they're still in the same house and you're not splitting the bill with your mate or a second house. They're protecting their own interest! They'll just start charging you full price for all boxes not on the line after the 3rd snotty letter! If you've only got one box you can move it, not connect to a phone line and it won't have any effect on anything. The box, card and sky will still think its in NI. Have fun

muffler · 17-03-2011 4:39pm

A step further with this query.......

I have the usual sky sub here together with multiroom. The box in the bedroom is just a standard sky box. I have a friend in N.I. who has a half price sub with sky (think its about £8/month) and has a Sky+ HD box but he's never there and has only about 3 months contract left.

Is there any reason I cant bring that box from N.I. to here and set it up either in place of the multiroom or put it in a separate bedroom and use it to view/record?

I know I would have to change the lnb and bring in an extra cable or two depending on which bedroom it goes in.

vdubber9411 · 17-03-2011 4:54pm

You can do it! Your friend would have to buy out of his current contract so the box then belongs to him. He can do whatever he wants with the box then.

You can take that box, put your card in, upgrade your lnb and cable, ask sky to pair the card to sky+ they'll need the version, serial and card number and away you go. Enjoy!

reboot · 17-03-2011 4:59pm

Minstrel27 wrote: »

?

Did I not see the Queen visit the UTV studio some weeks go as they launched HD and Frank Mitchel explained it all?(UTV Reports 6pm show)

Minstrel27 · 17-03-2011 5:05pm

reboot wrote: »

Did I not see the Queen visit the UTV studio some weeks go as they launched HD and Frank Mitchel explained it all?(UTV Reports 6pm show)

You probably did. I didn't as I don't watch it.

muffler · 17-03-2011 5:29pm

vdubber9411 wrote: »

You can do it! Your friend would have to buy out of his current contract so the box then belongs to him. He can do whatever he wants with the box then.

You can take that box, put your card in, upgrade your lnb and cable, ask sky to pair the card to sky+ they'll need the version, serial and card number and away you go. Enjoy!

Thanks for that.

If I decided to keep it in his name (providing he gets another discounted sub) would there be a problem?

Mr. Rabbit · 17-03-2011 5:37pm

Minstrel27 wrote: »

I wouldn't be bothered really as ITV 1 has a better schedule than UTV.

Thankfully, UTV appear to have got rid of the dreadful "brainbox" so it's actually not bad now.

ITV 1 viewers have to put up with QVC and some awful gambling game shows.

If UTV could just dispence with the DOG it would now be OK.

vdubber9411 · 17-03-2011 5:38pm

You could but he'll end up paying full whack for both boxes, for example if your pal has a €70 package, he'll pay on top of that €15 for the first additional box (€10 currently) if you split the boxes and they are then not connected to the phone line, sky will charge €70 for both boxes (€140 total) This is why they have to be on the phone line because Sky need to make sure both boxes are in the same house!

Mr. Rabbit · 17-03-2011 5:40pm

reboot wrote: »

Did I not see the Queen visit the UTV studio some weeks go as they launched HD and Frank Mitchel explained it all?(UTV Reports 6pm show)

I thought that was sometime last year reboot ?

ITV 1 HD launched last April on channel 178. You can get it here under the other channels option, but it's not on the EPG in NI. Not sure if STV HD is on the Sky EPG in Scotland.

muffler · 17-03-2011 6:48pm

vdubber9411 wrote: »

You could but he'll end up paying full whack for both boxes, for example if your pal has a €70 package, he'll pay on top of that €15 for the first additional box (€10 currently) if you split the boxes and they are then not connected to the phone line, sky will charge €70 for both boxes (€140 total) This is why they have to be on the phone line because Sky need to make sure both boxes are in the same house!

Sorry, you misunderstand. Have a quick read again at my first post above.

He is in Northern Ireland and this is his HD box and is not connected to a phone line. He has no multiroom. If he continues to pay the sub what is to stop me from moving his HD box to my gaff so long as he pays the sub - Id be reimbursing him naturally but it would work out a lot cheaper for me.

vdubber9411 · 18-03-2011 3:53pm

Nothing, crack on and move it. Don't connect to a phoneline, for 1 box Sky are'nt bothered and won't ping the box. It'll work a dream, you'll just have to ring to buy movies, games etc;) as far as sky will be concerned the box will still be in NI in your pals house!

Neffa2 · 21-03-2011 4:43pm

Hi

Just a further question: how does the Sky box know where you are in the UK? do you type in a postcode as part of setup or do they link this to your card when you subscribe?

I have the option of getting someone in London to do it as well as someone in the North. But I'd really like RTE1/2 on the EPG if at all possible which is only possible in NI as I understand it.

Thanks for all the info, much appreciated!

watty · 21-03-2011 5:07pm

The Sky box has no idea where you are. The Card tells it what region or if Ireland. Otherwise it defaults to London.

Only N.I. Addresses get Cards that select N.I. and add RTE1, RTE2 and TG4.

(It doesn't really work like this, but it will appear to work like this, and it is to do with what Address that Sky have for your account and the fact you are using a viewing card related to that account)

vdubber9411 · 21-03-2011 10:46pm

When the card is activated it is activated to a region! IE if you are a Sky customer in Manchester you will get BBC1 North West, BBC2 North West, ITV1 (Granada) etc. In NI it will come in as BBC1 NI, BBC2 NI and UTV etc. In ROI you will get RTE1, RTE2, TV3, TG4, E3. If you move the box and card once active it will always think its in the region where first active (unless you tell Sky and they will repair it) no matter where you are! So if you move a box from London, don't expect to get RTE's, you won't. Sky boxes are'nt like Freesat boxes, you can't input a postcode. Have fun.:rolleyes:

Can I use a NI sub in ROI?

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