Sky HD installation in 11 to 16 weeks (whats virgin like?)

[evil len]

Probably no great suprise, but I'm FUMING at Sky. I've been a Sky customer for about 11 or 12 years now. About 5 weeks ago I signed up for an HD box (just bought a new telly ) and I keep getting emails every two weeks saying the same thing, "installation in 2 to 4 weeks" ... I've just had another update email saying it will be another SEVEN TO TWELVE weeks !!!! FFS, not happy at all.

I've fired off a snotty email to them (I'd ring, but you try finding a telephone number for their complaints dept) but my whole point of this post is ... what is the Virgin Media V+ HD box like ?

I can get TV, phone and broadband within 7 days, and save myself about 400 quid a year over Sky. Okay I know there's only about 6 HD channels on Virgin (though thats increasing), and no HD Sky movies, but my movie needs can be satisfied with lovefilm.com (OT, who are brilliant by the way) and my blueray player.

Is there any major PITA with Virgin ? Whats the GUI like ? Are the menu systems faster than Sky ?

Ultimate question is ... would I be better off waiting another 2-3 months (or more) or just s*d 'em and go Virgin ?

Thanks !

[johnfm]

just ring sky. They're number is easy enough to find.

I've never had anything but top class service from sky for years.

[evil len]

I will do. But in my annoyance I've been looking at Virgin and have realised I could save a shed load of money ...

[Silent1]

Can't you install it yourself I upgraded from sky to sky+ changed the LNB ran dual wires and called sky to change it, surely sky+ to sky HD is just a box change?

[tim2100]

Silent1 said:

Can't you install it yourself I upgraded from sky to sky+ changed the LNB ran dual wires and called sky to change it, surely sky+ to sky HD is just a box change?

It is.

Just got to maplins. They sell the satalite cable and f-type clips, get a quad LNB, and run a 2nd cable alongside your existing cable, through the wall and into the sky box.
Get a 2nd hand HD box and bingo.

[evil len]

Where do I get a Sky HD box from though ?

[5pen]

Instead of ordering the box through Sky, have you tried a local installer? I had my HD box installed a few days after calling a local contractor - he seemed to have plenty of HD boxes in stock and charged the same £49 upgrade as Sky. Then I just called Sky to get my subscription updated to include HD.

[E31Shrew]

5pen said:

Instead of ordering the box through Sky, have you tried a local installer? I had my HD box installed a few days after calling a local contractor - he seemed to have plenty of HD boxes in stock and charged the same £49 upgrade as Sky. Then I just called Sky to get my subscription updated to include HD.

Exactly!

[bodhi]

Sorry to hijack but what's the costings like for HD in a multiroom set up? The lounge still only has a CRT so that is fine with Sky+, but the box in my room is a) starting to fail (lose sound every so often, need to turn it off and back on again to fix) and b) hooked up to a 1080p LG panel.

Do I just pay the 49 quid install then is it still an extra tenner a month?

[Silent1]

evil len said:

Where do I get a Sky HD box from though ?

I bought my Sky+ box from eBay

[JJCW]

Virgin have hardly any HD service compared to sky.
I think we have 1, maybe 2 HD channels

[evil len]

5pen said:

Instead of ordering the box through Sky, have you tried a local installer? I had my HD box installed a few days after calling a local contractor - he seemed to have plenty of HD boxes in stock and charged the same £49 upgrade as Sky. Then I just called Sky to get my subscription updated to include HD.

Didn't know you could do this ! Will investigate, thanks !!

[E31Shrew]

bodhi said:

Sorry to hijack but what's the costings like for HD in a multiroom set up? The lounge still only has a CRT so that is fine with Sky+, but the box in my room is a) starting to fail (lose sound every so often, need to turn it off and back on again to fix) and b) hooked up to a 1080p LG panel.

Do I just pay the 49 quid install then is it still an extra tenner a month?

You can take an RF out from your Sky box if you want to watc hthe same channel in the other room. If you want another box its an extra £10.00 a month...Or if you call Sky perhaps they'll give you some sort of deal. Tell them youre thinking of Freesat!

[Plotloss]

E31Shrew said:

bodhi said:

Sorry to hijack but what's the costings like for HD in a multiroom set up? The lounge still only has a CRT so that is fine with Sky+, but the box in my room is a) starting to fail (lose sound every so often, need to turn it off and back on again to fix) and b) hooked up to a 1080p LG panel.

Do I just pay the 49 quid install then is it still an extra tenner a month?

You can take an RF out from your Sky box if you want to watc hthe same channel in the other room. If you want another box its an extra £10.00 a month...Or if you call Sky perhaps they'll give you some sort of deal. Tell them youre thinking of Freesat!

All the outputs remain active so you dont have to use just RF with its Mono sound.

With a bit of Cat5e you could sling any of the outputs to a remote room.

[bodhi]

E31Shrew said:

bodhi said:

Sorry to hijack but what's the costings like for HD in a multiroom set up? The lounge still only has a CRT so that is fine with Sky+, but the box in my room is a) starting to fail (lose sound every so often, need to turn it off and back on again to fix) and b) hooked up to a 1080p LG panel.

Do I just pay the 49 quid install then is it still an extra tenner a month?

You can take an RF out from your Sky box if you want to watc hthe same channel in the other room. If you want another box its an extra £10.00 a month...Or if you call Sky perhaps they'll give you some sort of deal. Tell them youre thinking of Freesat!

Ah apologies if it wasn;t clear but we already have multiroom set up (i.e 2 different boxes). I'd just like to upgrade one to Sky HD if at all possible.

[Plotloss]

bodhi said:

E31Shrew said:

bodhi said:

Sorry to hijack but what's the costings like for HD in a multiroom set up? The lounge still only has a CRT so that is fine with Sky+, but the box in my room is a) starting to fail (lose sound every so often, need to turn it off and back on again to fix) and b) hooked up to a 1080p LG panel.

Do I just pay the 49 quid install then is it still an extra tenner a month?

You can take an RF out from your Sky box if you want to watc hthe same channel in the other room. If you want another box its an extra £10.00 a month...Or if you call Sky perhaps they'll give you some sort of deal. Tell them youre thinking of Freesat!

Ah apologies if it wasn;t clear but we already have multiroom set up (i.e 2 different boxes). I'd just like to upgrade one to Sky HD if at all possible.

You can upgrade both to HD if you want to.

We've just put 4 into a place in Central London.

[clonmult]

We had V+ at the old house, and I've used Sky+ on and off for years.

The menus have no comparison - the V/V+ box menus are an utter abortion, Sky is a total breeze to use in comparison.

Virgin HD content is virtually non-existent as well, although having said that Sky don't exactly have a long list of decent HD channels .. yet.

[E31Shrew]

bodhi said:

E31Shrew said:

bodhi said:

Sorry to hijack but what's the costings like for HD in a multiroom set up? The lounge still only has a CRT so that is fine with Sky+, but the box in my room is a) starting to fail (lose sound every so often, need to turn it off and back on again to fix) and b) hooked up to a 1080p LG panel.

Do I just pay the 49 quid install then is it still an extra tenner a month?

You can take an RF out from your Sky box if you want to watc hthe same channel in the other room. If you want another box its an extra £10.00 a month...Or if you call Sky perhaps they'll give you some sort of deal. Tell them youre thinking of Freesat!

Ah apologies if it wasn;t clear but we already have multiroom set up (i.e 2 different boxes). I'd just like to upgrade one to Sky HD if at all possible.

No worries. Just call your local indie Sky bod and he should be able to get as near as dammit to the Sky price

[GregE240]

OP,

Where in the Midlands are you? Near Birmingham (by that I mean within a 35 mile radius)

[evil len]

I'm in Ashby de la Zouch, Greg

Following the advice above, have just rung a local cable/satellite place, and they can supply and install for £99 (£49 for box, £50 for install) within a week ! Okay, that's £20 more than Sky, but heck I dont care. How on EARTH are Sky running at such a backlog / long delay ?!? Wish I'd posted on here / thought about this myself 4 weeks ago (just assumed that you could only get Sky HD from Sky)

Thanks ! You've solved my problem guys

(p.s. did ask if they sold the boxes stand alone ... I can install it myself ... but they wanted £299 for just a box)