Should I cancel Sky

tombrown

I'm now a little concerned, based on a few comments above. I had SkyQ put in a few years ago...technically I love it, financially not so sure

But if I do end up cancelling Sky and following through on it, will a regular satellite receiver not work with the LNB they would have put in?

Johnboy1951

tombrown wrote: »

I'm now a little concerned, based on a few comments above. I had SkyQ put in a few years ago...technically I love it, financially not so sure

But if I do end up cancelling Sky and following through on it, will a regular satellite receiver not work with the LNB they would have put in?

That depends on the LNB used ........ but a replacement LNB, if necessary, is not costly and is easily fitted and connected.

Boxcar_Willie

Lex Luthor wrote: »

does a Sky Q box work with the dual LNB?

You need a wideband LNB for SkyQ

swoofer

A sky Q lnb is dual and a hybrid has 6 outputs. And yes only sky q works with sky q lnb, sky are pretty nifty and when you cancel they take box back. Its a case of buyer beware.

Here as on ebay a sky q dual

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Fits-Sky-Q-2-OUTPUT-Wideband-LNB-for-new-Q-Boxes-MK4-Zone-1-2-Satellites-Dish-/133210704320?hash=item1f03fa09c0

and here a sky q hybrid

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Compatible-Sky-Q-6-Output-HYBRID-LNB-For-Sky-Q-HD-Freesat-Same-Satellite-Dish-/373059555652?hash=item56dc151144

sparrowcar

sparrowcar wrote: »

Out of curiosity.

I'm paying €95 pm with virgin media for TV, broadband and home phone. I have Netflix HD for additional €12pm so €107 pm in total.

I can get the same product with Sky for €68 with netflix and HD for 12 months.
The cost of broadband alone is around €30pm for 6 months and then about €55-60 pm after 6 months. Even at €30 for 6 months thats only an additional €38 pm for HD TV, netflix and phone.

When you add up Now TV or similar products I'm looking at saving about €15-20 a month. Am I missing something or is that right?

Genuine question.

Anyone advice on the above?

Lex Luthor

swoofer wrote: »

A sky Q lnb is dual and a hybrid has 6 outputs. And yes only sky q works with sky q lnb, sky are pretty nifty and when you cancel they take box back. Its a case of buyer beware.

Here as on ebay a sky q dual

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Fits-Sky-Q-2-OUTPUT-Wideband-LNB-for-new-Q-Boxes-MK4-Zone-1-2-Satellites-Dish-/133210704320?hash=item1f03fa09c0

and here a sky q hybrid

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Compatible-Sky-Q-6-Output-HYBRID-LNB-For-Sky-Q-HD-Freesat-Same-Satellite-Dish-/373059555652?hash=item56dc151144

thanks for the links and clarity

what I'm trying to work out is that I have a hol home with a satellite dish on it with a dual LNB. When we are there I can bring the SKY +HD box and plug in and we're up & running

however if I get a SKY Q at home, then I would need to upgrade the LNB at the 2nd house

if that was the case would it be a special cable or can the existing cable be used with the Sky Q LNB for the Q box?


BTW, I was onto Sky today and changed my basic package from the Variety Pack to the Signature pack.

I was paying €42 for Variety & €17 for HD

The Signature pack is now €44 and includes HD and boxsets

dubrov

You could use the existing cable but would need a new LNB on the dish to support Sky Q

dubrov

sparrowcar wrote: »

Anyone advice on the above?

You should be able to get Sjy Broadband for €30pm for 12 months.
The other thing is that Virgin Broadband tends to be much better than Sky/Eir. Maybe ask a neighbour to see if they are using it.

Boxcar_Willie

dubrov wrote: »

You could use the existing cable but would need a new LNB on the dish to support Sky Q

Existing cable should be fine.

batistuta9

Copied from bargain alerts:
The sports packs are now half price for 3 months on nowtv.
https://www.nowtv.com/ie/sports-overview

Ball boy

Re: The availability of sports channels..

Do you need an active sky subscription to subscribe to the likes of LFC TV or MUTV ?

trigger26

I love the sports too and wont do without so Now TV sports is the ticket there, if you time it right and you can get it half price most of the time.

I got a smart tv with a freeview and saorview connection, plug your existing sky satellite cable into the freeview and get a little aerial for the saorview, boom most of the channels you had with sky, then all you need is some broadband connection for the Now tv and maybe an external hard drive if you want to pause live tv, record shows.

Now TV - €19.50 a month for basic sky sports package, €34 with all BT channels
Freeveiw and Saorview - free for life
Netflix €8 if you want it

Your looking at a savings of over €1k a year for a bit of time and effort to get it setup

tombrown

Update, for those interested - I requested cancellation online yesterday (decided the 20 minute waiting time on the phone when getting charged for it wasn't a good idea). I got an acknowledgement and was told someone would be in touch within 48 hours to discuss.

My backup option is NowTV for the Sport.

Can I buy just the Sport packages on NowTV, or do I need to purchase a base package and then add sports as extras?

Bowlardo

I was a VIP customer with sky and I was paying €70 a month
Sky sports at half price €20
Movies @10 halftime price
HD/boxsets @ €6/9
Basic package minus documentary’s kids and music for the rest

The only channels I watched that weren’t free to air was sky atlantic , sky arts and sports channels and the movie.

I used to rent/buy a good few movies regularly which I have no doubt pushed me I. To the VIP bracket and allowed me to get great deals.
anytime I rang the offered me something at half priceAnd I usually accepted.
Once I got a bill that had a full charge for any of thenI tang to cancel all of them and was truthfully said I was happy to pay the 70 for what I was getting bit won’t ever after that.

€150 sound an awful lot for what you are getting but I assume you have the internet with them too.

I would recommend ringing them to you are not willing to pay that anymore and see how it goes

tombrown

I am also VIP, having been a customer for over 20 years, but I find the benefits with the VIP package are of no value to me. I keep feeding back to them that the ultimate benefit they can give their VIP customers is an automatic matching of any deal they offer to entice new customers - that would keep me loyal.

Anyway, the regular agent I spoke to could only reduce the price by a small amount, and that was by removing the kiddie channels, so now I have taken the step to request cancellation to either force the issue & get a good discount or to go through with the divorce...

Oh - I dont have broadband with them, as when we got fibre in our area, they werent offering it, so I had to jump to Eir

tombrown

Got a call back today, was told they could get me a deal at €130, then reduced it to €114, but still not close enough to what I am willing to pay. SO confirmed go ahead of cancellation in 30 days.

Looks like it is Now TV for me, now.

Shame - I've been with Sky for around 20 years, and, pricing apart, am very happy with them

TheFactMan

tombrown wrote: »

I know - only i can answer this question, but looking for input anyway

The amount I pay Sky TV is now getting ridiculous; for myself the value is the sports packages as my passion is Liverpool FC, but with all the sports channels (no option to subscribe to soccer only, as I would have in UK), HD and multiroom, the price I pay is over €150 per month!

I just called them saying I was thinking of cancelling altogether and was offered a package at €129 (just dropping kids channels) but it required a 12 month contract, and it still is overly expensive in my view. I said I would think about it, but I guess I need to get back to them with a decision one way or the other.

If I push my threat to cancel altogether will I get better pricing or is this really "the best they can do" as I was told? Not sure I can do without Liverpool matches, so if I do make the leap and cancel my subscription I would need some alternative lined up.

Advice always welcome ...

PS - My phone & BB is currently with Eir, I only have TV with Sky at the moment

Yeah sky is daylight robbery , and there are a million ways to watch stuff these days, sky hasnt really got much . Cancel eir while your at it aswell! I found virgin media bundle decent value

Deebles McBeebles

tombrown wrote: »

Can I buy just the Sport packages on NowTV, or do I need to purchase a base package and then add sports as extras?

You can just buy the sports channels. One package for Sky Sports, another for BT/Premier. Both going for half price, 3 month deal, until early October.

trigger26

you can get 11 sky sports channels off the basic sports package for €19.50 at the moment which is the base package, if you want the bt sports channels aswell then that's an additional cost, bout €15 extra

tombrown

Am I right to assume that Now TV is a month by month subscription, so come next June I can stop paying for 2-3 months and just re-enable it when the season restarts?

Sultan of Bling

tombrown wrote:

Am I right to assume that Now TV is a month by month subscription, so come next June I can stop paying for 2-3 months and just re-enable it when the season restarts?

Do sky own now tv?

If so, whats the reason they wont give the same deals and choices to their tv subscribers?

Sultan of Bling

Qq about now tv.

If i suscribe online and download the app can i use it on chromecast only and not have to buy a now tv stick or box.

tombrown

Sultan of Bling wrote: »

Do sky own now tv?

If so, whats the reason they wont give the same deals and choices to their tv subscribers?

Sky own Now? Oh bugger .... so I've been threatening to leave Sky and go to Now. Bet that hurt them 🀣

Sultan of Bling

tombrown wrote:

Sky own Now? Oh bugger .... so I've been threatening to leave Sky and go to Now. Bet that hurt them 🀣

You have more freedom with now tv though in terms of no contract and not having to sign up to a basic tv pack if you just want to watch sports.

Errashareesh

I was going to get rid of Sky Plus also and get Freesat (I don't want just streaming - I like having standard TV too) but honestly I would really miss the recording/pause/FF/RW. Just saying I would leave was enough for them to reduce my TV/broadband bill by €12 a month though, which I'm happy with.

Deebles McBeebles

tombrown wrote: »

Am I right to assume that Now TV is a month by month subscription, so come next June I can stop paying for 2-3 months and just re-enable it when the season restarts?

Yep.

Sultan of Bling wrote: »

Do sky own now tv?

Yep.

Sultan of Bling wrote: »

Qq about now tv.

If i suscribe online and download the app can i use it on chromecast only and not have to buy a now tv stick or box.

Not sure how or if it functions with Chromecast but you can stream no issue on a PC/laptop, no need for the box or stick.

Errashareesh

NowTV is compatible with Chromecast indeed.

bmc58

dxhound2005 wrote: »

How much of the viewing in your house would be Free to Air channels like BBC?

BBC are showing hardly any sport nowdays.

muffler

bmc58 wrote: »

BBC are showing hardly any sport nowdays.

As a little aside they have secured the rights to the Leicester v Burnley match on 20th September at 7:00pm which is a Sunday.

FastFullBack

Peacock TV is NBC FPL streaming service in the US $4.99 a month.
We are being completely ripped off over here.

dulpit

FastFullBack wrote: »

Peacock TV is NBC FPL streaming service in the US $4.99 a month.
We are being completely ripped off over here.

Soccer would be relatively niche in the USA. Sky know their market, they charge the high rates and people still (largely) pay.

Davexirl

I have the basic pakage and HD, it's costing me €48 a month. I cancelled on the online form on Friday and I got a call yesterday offering my current package for €40 a month for 12 months. I said No. I will see what they come back with.

Gun Monkey

Is it just Sky Q boxes they are offering new customers now or can someone still sign up as a new customer for sky+ hd box with a multiroom add on? Have been a sky+ hd user with multiroom for years now but am long out of contract and currently being ripped off at 55 (i think) per month for basic package. Wondering if i cancel and they dont offer the reduced price available to new customers then am i gonna be stuck with a problematic sky Q box subscription if i sign up in the mrs name to get the lower rate for 12 months?

Masala

Gun Monkey wrote: »

Is it just Sky Q boxes they are offering new customers now or can someone still sign up as a new customer for sky+ hd box with a multiroom add on? Have been a sky+ hd user with multiroom for years now but am long out of contract and currently being ripped off at 55 (i think) per month for basic package. Wondering if i cancel and they dont offer the reduced price available to new customers then am i gonna be stuck with a problematic sky Q box subscription if i sign up in the mrs name to get the lower rate for 12 months?

I have to say... Sky Q is a brilliant product. Much better that the old Sky+ option. Instead in Muktiroon - you get an Minibox that again is a great piece of kit. I can’t knock Sky Q

icdg

dulpit wrote: »

Soccer would be relatively niche in the USA. Sky know their market, they charge the high rates and people still (largely) pay.

It’s a totally different market over there and not all for the good. Want to watch Game of Thrones (or at this stage, whatever the next Game of Thrones will be?) That’ll be another $15-20 a month for HBO on top of your cable subscription. Maybe we should tell the Americans they’re the ones getting ripped off since Sky Atlantic (Which also includes Showtime programmes, typically another $11 or more pm) is basic tier?

Different market, different structure. Sports is mostly FTA or basic cable but you will pay for premium drama that we expect to be FTA or basic (or mostly did before Netflix came along).

gimli2112

I was in the same boat several years ago. Bit the bullet and cancelled Sky Sports (via Virgin Media). I still have their broadband and just bought a sim card deal but I've never regretted getting rid of Sky Sports. I miss certain things including Liverpool's glorious rampage through the premier league the past couple of years but still happy with the decision.
Their prices just don't make sense. The pompous presentation and 4 hour specials for one game became tiresome. I think one of the problems with me was I was also buying ESPN or BT (at least one additional package to get more Liverpool games). Somewhat ironically the EU looked to break the Sky monopoly, which ended up costing the consumer more although arguably giving us more games.

tombrown

gimli2112 wrote: »

I miss certain things including Liverpool's glorious rampage through the premier league the past couple of years but still happy with the decision.

You see, that's just a non negotiable matter for me, but I have Now TV to fall back on to fill that gap - i'm going to get a weekend pas this week to try it out. I still have Sky until mid October, but after the initial call where they offered me €112 per month for 6 months (which I said was till way too much), they have not got back to me, so it looks like it is going ...

gimli2112

yeah I know and I get that. my road to Damascus moment was a Spurs Liverpool game a few years back. It may have been the infamous Lovern game. I had wanted to do something else but hung around the house a couple of hours to watch it. 2-0 down after 5 or 10 minutes, weekend ruined, I was like a bear.