sky and limiting there service

[gregers]

dont know if any else has had this,but every now and then a pop up appears on the screen informing us that (sky)we will lose this channel shortly,now apparently they are stopping the free channels.

i have sky+downstairs,subscribe
eldest boy has our old system free channels
and my bedroom another sky+ free channels

i ran the other 2 systems myself so that we could watch the free channels,anyone know what i can do to over come this?
are there cards you can but to ensure i can still watch the free channels?

or does this mean ive got to shell out more dosh for multi room?

where we are we are not going digital until 2012 so me thinks sky are trying to cash in?

any pointers muchly received.
gregers

 

[ChrisJ78]

Have you put the new cards in them all?

 

[ChrisJ78]

Looks like the cards will cost you £20 for the free to view channels.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1162894

 

[ericmark]

ChrisJ78 link is very good. Reading that and from own knowledge the number of channels which are FTV rather than FTA have reduced and Fiver and FiveUS seem to be about the only remaining.

Originally BBC also did a so called once only payment card to watch FTV channels but seems now only done by sky.

However I also have one Ex Sky box and having to wade through all the channels I can't get is pain in neck and I would prefer to lose the 3 or 4 FTV channels and use a FTA box and not have to wade through all those encrypted channels.

Also means I can get rid of all sex and shopping channels too.

 

[gregers]

chris,no the sky boxes upstairs are only for free to veiw channels,we subscribe to sky + on the main downstairs tele.
a few people ive been talking to today have had there service totally stopped.they cannot watch anything,by all accounts?

 

[ericmark]

Free to Air boxes will of course not be affected but the inner working of a Sky box is quite complex and I think Sky+ boxes record the encrypted signal this allows:-
(1) Your not charged for a film until you watch it.
(2) The information button still works with recorded programs.
(3) Once your subscription ends you can't watch recorded films.

As to pure Sky without the + up to date they have not failed for free to air channels and since Sky sell cards with one off fee of £20 to watch free to view it would seem a good idea to switch off the boxes which don't have the free to view card.

However although this may get a few people back with FTA boxes only £40 and they have proper standby feature i.e. less than 1W on standby it is more likely people would bin their Sky boxes and buy FTA boxes. Once this has happened you don't see what you are missing as no need to wade through programs you can't receive and when they every round again Sky try phoning you with a deal to get you back with Sky they would need to provide a new box. So they would not be able to persuade you to return so easy.

So in the long run to disable the boxes would be shooting them selves in the foot so I think it is unlikely.

 

[gregers]

well my m/in law has another box in her spare room and she cannot recieve anything on it now,and a few friends are having the same problems.

the missus is keen to get a full sky package for our bedroom,i think not.


a local retailer was asked about the cards,and there reply was they havnt had them for a few months.
think ill play the waiting game to see if sky do turn off the 2 free boxes??