A question for offical Sky Installers

chernobyl

This is something which has been itching me the wrong way for a while.
I was under the impression that when you signed the contracts with sky you stated that you would never place a dish on a chimney, but yet i keep seeing more and more dishs up on chimneys...
Does the customer have any cover in a worst case scenario and is the installer completely liable or is the customer?

Tony

Originally posted by chernobyl
This is something which has been itching me the wrong way for a while.
I was under the impression that when you signed the contracts with sky you stated that you would never place a dish on a chimney, but yet i keep seeing more and more dishs up on chimneys...
Does the customer have any cover in a worst case scenario and is the installer completely liable or is the customer?

I'm not aware of any such provision in our agreement with sky. We do not install on chimneys simply because its bad practice unless there is no alternative and the customer is made aware of the risks involved including planning objections from others. I know Sierra did not fit on any roof because they did not have insurance cover although this may have changed. I was at an installation yesterday when a wall mount was possible but the installer insisted on chimney mounting presumable because the cable run was less time consuming. I can sympathise to a degree beacuse they are paid so badly but in the end its the customer who suffers. The non connection of phoneline is also another problem at present.

Hope this helps

Regards Tony

chernobyl

Im almost positive Tony that it sez in the customer contract that the dish cant be put on the chimney, will have to dig it up.

byte

Originally posted by Tony


The non connection of phoneline is also another problem at present.

How do you mean? Do some installers not connect phoneline? I know I have to regardless of where the phone socket is. In some cases this proves more time-consuming than installing the Sky system

rymus

objection to a little dish being put on yer roof? If someone objected to my little dish (no little dish jokes please) I'd go round their house with a chainsaw and a sledgehammer. Some people are so sad.

Isint the non connection of phone line just a case of plugging the line into the box? Theres something seriously wrong if some installers are not bothering to do that during an installation.

My fecking dish is going on the chimney anyway and my neighbours can bite my shiny fat ass if they have a problem with it

Regards,

Rymus
Neighbourhood Watch Chairman

Lenny

I couldn't get my dish install on the chimney, I got it done by Sierra a few months back.

chernobyl

Originally posted by rymus
objection to a little dish being put on yer roof? If someone objected to my little dish (no little dish jokes please) I'd go round their house with a chainsaw and a sledgehammer. Some people are so sad.

Its not about the visual aspect but the safety.

Tony

Originally posted by chernobyl
Im almost positive Tony that it sez in the customer contract that the dish cant be put on the chimney, will have to dig it up.

Perhaps it does, I was referring to the contract we have with sky. There may have been mention of adhering to CAI guidelines which also prohibit chimney mounting without the use of a lashing kit. I would also not be certian that all installers carry public Liability insurance either. There was a famous case some years ago where an installer brought a satellite reciver and a portable tv up onto the roof, anyway the tv fell nd landed on the roof of the customers car. The best bit was hat he had borrowed the tv from the customer.

Regards Tony

Tony

Originally posted by irishblimp


How do you mean? Do some installers not connect phoneline? I know I have to regardless of where the phone socket is. In some cases this proves more time-consuming than installing the Sky system

Well I spoke to a senoir sky exec who told me that phonelines were not being connected in a lot of cases. I asked him how they were able to authorize cards and he told me that they were still being enabled by Sky customer services which seems strange to me as it runs the risk of the retailer not being paid. I suggested to him that the way to stop the problem was simply not to enable cards manually so I can only presume that they would rather not lose a sale because of this issue.

Regards Tony

b20uvkft6m5xwg

Chernobyl
Whatever the case is -ie- whether they specify it or not that it shouldn't go on the chimney- if anything happens just take a civil case in tort and sue them for negligence in the installation of the equipmnet. For instance if lightening struck the dish and it then travelled down the chimney and electrified you while your happily watching the Sunday Footie then you have a case:)

Tony

Originally posted by 80project
Chernobyl
Whatever the case is -ie- whether they specify it or not that it shouldn't go on the chimney- if anything happens just take a civil case in tort and sue them for negligence in the installation of the equipmnet. For instance if lightening struck the dish and it then travelled down the chimney and electrified you while your happily watching the Sunday Footie then you have a case:)

How would aerial installers fare out in this scenario as aerials are usually installed at the highest point of the building.

Regards Tony

b20uvkft6m5xwg

I'm couldn't comment any particular case, except to say if the installation agreement says a chimney shouldn't be used and it is, then...
1. Its a potential breach of contract
2. If causes structural or any consequential damage, then posssibly its the basis for a civil case in tort for neglegence

The Godfather

I rang sky the other day and they would not sign me up as I do not have a land line!!!! When I asked why he said that I would not get the full value of Sky Interactive........Who wants to interact????? I just wanna watch it. Is there any way around this???

Tony

Originally posted by 80project
I'm couldn't comment any particular case, except to say if the installation agreement says a chimney shouldn't be used and it is, then...
1. Its a potential breach of contract
2. If causes structural or any consequential damage, then posssibly its the basis for a civil case in tort for neglegence

As far as I am aware there is no such provision in the Sky customer agreement however I do agree if any structural or other damage is caused then there is case for professional negligence.

Regards Tony

b20uvkft6m5xwg

Originally posted by The Godfather
I rang sky the other day and they would not sign me up as I do not have a land line!!!! When I asked why he said that I would not get the full value of Sky Interactive........Who wants to interact????? I just wanna watch it. Is there any way around this???

Possibly its a secruity issue- ie they are giving you some free hardware and they want to be able to prove you are who they think you are if you decide to run of w/ it. I suppose its like when you sign up for an a/c in a video shop- the stipulation is that you must have a landline, for security reasons to prove you live where you say you do or have precedence of providing such personal information to a reputable company like €ircom (exclude reputable though when referenced to €ircom:p)

Richard

Originally posted by The Godfather
I rang sky the other day and they would not sign me up as I do not have a land line!!!! When I asked why he said that I would not get the full value of Sky Interactive........Who wants to interact????? I just wanna watch it. Is there any way around this???

When SkyDigital launched in the UK, one of the conditions was that you had to have the box connected to the phone line for a year after purchase. At least you did if you wanted to avail of the "interactive discount" from BIB - owned by Sky and BT - it later became "Open...". Otherwise you had to pay £120-odd for the box (you were still entitled to the Sky Discounts).

When the 'free' box offer launched in ROI, the subsidy was paid by Sky and eircom, and there was nothing from "Open...."

I suppose Sky can do what they like since they now fully own "Open..." abnd have renamed it "Sky Active". But it does seem a little harsh.

Part of it may be due to the fact that eircom are subsidising the thing and they want to make sure you have a phone line. Part of it may be technical - the installer will register the box by connecting it to the phone line.

A way round it may be to buy a second-hand box on the internet, getting it installed yourself and then connecting to Sky. Others may be able to give you tips on doing this.

madyoke

I got Sky DIgi installed last X-mas.

Whoever installed it made a meal of it. A hole was basically drilled through the wall of the house. There isn't any slack on the line. It enters the house and isn't longer than 1 metre (much less actually), if I was to move the tv an inch or 2 away the line wouldn't reach it.

He gave us the crappy black grundig box - ugly as hell, esp. when the tv et cetera is a silver finish (a week later some friend got it installed with a silver digibox).

He didn't even mention the fact that the phone line should be hooked up to it for it to work properly ... the phone line doesn't run anywhere near the room where the tv is ...

it works well though!

bubbles

Hmmm My dish is installed on the chimney. When the Installer came around we aggreed on the position of the satalite, and he mounted it on the wall. He however had problems getting a signal, so he said he had to pick up something to finish the installation.

7pm that evening he returns to finish the job. (was this time last year) and I assumed he just finished setting it up.

The next morning however, I went out to look at the dish and noticed it suck on the chimney. I never worried or bothered about it untill i read this thread.

What excatly is the problem with having it on the chimley, and should I be getting onto sky to correct the installation?

Cheers,

bubbs

byte

Originally posted by Richard


When SkyDigital launched in the UK, one of the conditions was that you had to have the box connected to the phone line for a year after purchase. At least you did if you wanted to avail of the "interactive discount" from BIB - owned by Sky and BT - it later became "Open...". Otherwise you had to pay £120-odd for the box (you were still entitled to the Sky Discounts).

When the 'free' box offer launched in ROI, the subsidy was paid by Sky and eircom, and there was nothing from "Open...."

I suppose Sky can do what they like since they now fully own "Open..." abnd have renamed it "Sky Active". But it does seem a little harsh.

Part of it may be due to the fact that eircom are subsidising the thing and they want to make sure you have a phone line. Part of it may be technical - the installer will register the box by connecting it to the phone line.

A way round it may be to buy a second-hand box on the internet, getting it installed yourself and then connecting to Sky. Others may be able to give you tips on doing this.

The main reasons are that for one, it would be much easier to order Sky Box Office movies and events and for them to be able to contact box monthly to see what you've used so they can charge you.

Seconldy, they intend for email and other interactive services to be available in ROI early next year which is probably where €ircom get some money (as if they need it ).

Our man in Havana

Does it actually say in the Irish T&C 's that a phone connection is needed?

What if you have a second hand box. I hear that sky can be awkward in regard to second hand boxes. Can anyone confirm?

Bond

Our man in Havana

Further to my last post. My sister has been trying to get a sky box for a few weeks. She dosent have a landline but she has found an installer willing to install with out a phone connection.

Bond

Originally posted by Bond-James Bond:

What if you have a second hand box. I hear that sky can be awkward in regard to second hand boxes. Can anyone confirm?

Sky were very nice to me when I asked for this.
Remember they are promoting mirror subscriptions now.

Also the reason for the phone line with first time connections is obviously to do with Eircom subsidising the Digibox and of course so Sky can make money from interactive services etc .

There Could be no issue with a second hand box as Eircom, have nothing to do with it-you just pay the installer what he asks and thats it-and get Sky to send you a card if thats what you want-at least thats been my experience anyhow.
mm

Victor

Originally posted by bubbles
What excatly is the problem with having it on the chimley, and should I be getting onto sky to correct the installation?

It's unsafe to install and maintain (for example if a gale blows it out of alignment).

There is the issue of needing planning permission, if it is visible from the street.

Chimneys aren't designed to have 'large' un-aerodynamic objects attached to them. In extreme weather the dish could come free and / or the chimney could be cracked (with a resultant risk of it falling).

bkehoe

I never had my old digibox, a Pace, connected to the phone line here, not even when it was installed 12 months ago. When I rang sky to re-pair my card for the new box, they asked if I had it connected to the phone line. I said no, and they said "that's fine", and in 5 mins the card had been re-paired.