Sky - any good?
Discussion
Many years ago, we swore blind we'd never use Sky again after a nightmare resolution to terminating an account when LadyV8 moved house.
I have a strong preference for cable because of its internet capabilities (no LLU in my town) but I have the type of drive which really doesn't appreciate being dug up and they have confirmed that they won't run it on the surface.
So, older and wiser, the anger having subsided, are Sky any good these days? Good install service, good support, good VFM?
Or should I stick with my Freeview box?
I have a strong preference for cable because of its internet capabilities (no LLU in my town) but I have the type of drive which really doesn't appreciate being dug up and they have confirmed that they won't run it on the surface.
So, older and wiser, the anger having subsided, are Sky any good these days? Good install service, good support, good VFM?
Or should I stick with my Freeview box?
It's OK. Plenty of channels to choose from, and for me at least there's seldom a time when there's not something on I can find to watch. The on demand aspect is OK but lacks any great amount of content.
Generally I use it more like a tivo to record series, then when I eventually get the time I'll sit and watch them all in one hit. I don't really get much chance to use it these days, so in terms of VFM, not good for me but if you watch an hour or two (or more) a day I suppose it probably is. I tend to use Lovefilm or downloaded stuff more.
Service is hit and miss, sometimes they're dire, other times they're less bad. Never brilliant, about on par with BT
Personally I'd rather do without them and keep the 50 or 60 quid a month they cost me, but freeview is useless in comparison, and the odd stuff I do enjoy makes up for it I suppose. In terms of broadcast service, really good. Only time we've had an outage has been in seriously foul weather like the snow last winter, and it was never for more than a couple of minutes.
Virgin always had better on demand stuff I found, but I haven't used it for a few years now.
Generally I use it more like a tivo to record series, then when I eventually get the time I'll sit and watch them all in one hit. I don't really get much chance to use it these days, so in terms of VFM, not good for me but if you watch an hour or two (or more) a day I suppose it probably is. I tend to use Lovefilm or downloaded stuff more.
Service is hit and miss, sometimes they're dire, other times they're less bad. Never brilliant, about on par with BT
Personally I'd rather do without them and keep the 50 or 60 quid a month they cost me, but freeview is useless in comparison, and the odd stuff I do enjoy makes up for it I suppose. In terms of broadcast service, really good. Only time we've had an outage has been in seriously foul weather like the snow last winter, and it was never for more than a couple of minutes.
Virgin always had better on demand stuff I found, but I haven't used it for a few years now.
Had Sky at parents and at my own home for about 21 years now, and never had any issues at all.
It's a touch expensive, but I think Sky Movies has got lots better over the last few years as I'm watching it more often. Don't do any sports channels.
So apart from maybe the Movies getting better, it's about the same as it's always been.
Their people on the phone have always been very nice whether upgrading or downgrading the subscription package etc.
Dave
It's a touch expensive, but I think Sky Movies has got lots better over the last few years as I'm watching it more often. Don't do any sports channels.
So apart from maybe the Movies getting better, it's about the same as it's always been.
Their people on the phone have always been very nice whether upgrading or downgrading the subscription package etc.
Dave
agree about the prices... bit too high for constant repeats of friends, we love raymond and csi
when we had our first installation it was horrid. constant disruption in service and it was very poor the guy came around twice and it didnt improve. i thought maybe it was due to traffic passing the dish
when i got the HD upgrade the guy came in and i told him about the service issue. he checked it before taking it off and showed me the guy hadnt aligned it properly. the new installation was bang on never had a service issue.
its in the news though the fair trade commission will pressure the govt to do something about the monopoly and the lack of value on the movie channels
when we had our first installation it was horrid. constant disruption in service and it was very poor the guy came around twice and it didnt improve. i thought maybe it was due to traffic passing the dish
when i got the HD upgrade the guy came in and i told him about the service issue. he checked it before taking it off and showed me the guy hadnt aligned it properly. the new installation was bang on never had a service issue.
its in the news though the fair trade commission will pressure the govt to do something about the monopoly and the lack of value on the movie channels
MadMullah said:
its in the news though the fair trade commission will pressure the govt to do something about the monopoly and the lack of value on the movie channels
I hope so, we really need to have a rival satellite company as I am fed up with all the good stuff being bought out by Sky... I've got sky+, talk & broadband. I agree their 'list' prices are high, but if you have the full package they will negotiate. I was paying £62 a month but after a 10miute phone call am now paying £46 for the next 6 months and got £50 cashback too. Once the 6 months is up i'll get a similar deal again.
I personally think they are s
te. I went back to freeview about 12 months ago because of extremely poor customer service and the ridiculous bills we started recieving. They just seemed to creep up and up.
I dont know if anyone else has had similar issues with sky, but i will certainly not be going back.
te. I went back to freeview about 12 months ago because of extremely poor customer service and the ridiculous bills we started recieving. They just seemed to creep up and up.I dont know if anyone else has had similar issues with sky, but i will certainly not be going back.
I like Sky. Never really had any issues with them, as far as I can remember.
Telewest/Virgin on the other hand were useless when I had then for a time.
Full Sky HD with movies/sports & phone & internet isn't cheap, but is worth it for me.
Plus things like Skyplayer/Sky Go are brilliant (free) extras... I'm sat in the office watching the cricket on my phone as I type. Which is nice.
Telewest/Virgin on the other hand were useless when I had then for a time.
Full Sky HD with movies/sports & phone & internet isn't cheap, but is worth it for me.
Plus things like Skyplayer/Sky Go are brilliant (free) extras... I'm sat in the office watching the cricket on my phone as I type. Which is nice.
Had Sky+ since December and for the £21 a month think it's pretty good. 
Hadn't recorded anything in years since the old VHS days, but now find there are all sorts of stuff I watch at my leisure. In fact at the moment I think there are 18 films, a few South Parks, and umpteen other things waiting to be watched. All that with some saved not to be deleted stuff, I still have 75% of my recorded memory left.
Where I live, I can't get telly by just an aeriel, so have had a dish since we moved in there, not paying and just having the freeview stuff. Like I said, for £21 and having 3 packages together with the ability to record and pause, it's well worth it.
We don't have the movies, sport, kids or MTV type stuff either.
Hadn't recorded anything in years since the old VHS days, but now find there are all sorts of stuff I watch at my leisure. In fact at the moment I think there are 18 films, a few South Parks, and umpteen other things waiting to be watched. All that with some saved not to be deleted stuff, I still have 75% of my recorded memory left.
Where I live, I can't get telly by just an aeriel, so have had a dish since we moved in there, not paying and just having the freeview stuff. Like I said, for £21 and having 3 packages together with the ability to record and pause, it's well worth it.
We don't have the movies, sport, kids or MTV type stuff either.
Have nothing but good things to say.
Have sky HD, broadband and sky talk, plus sports and movies, so pay a bit each month.
But I don't watch much tv. But when I do, its what I want (recorded) or I can always find something. And I can tell my box to record remotely. And I can watch movies and sports on my phone via Sky Go. And I love Sky Atlantic...
Have sky HD, broadband and sky talk, plus sports and movies, so pay a bit each month.
But I don't watch much tv. But when I do, its what I want (recorded) or I can always find something. And I can tell my box to record remotely. And I can watch movies and sports on my phone via Sky Go. And I love Sky Atlantic...
I prefer Sky to BT.
4 years of TV, Phone and Broadband with them - currently paying about £35 a month all in.
Just upgraded to a Sky+ HD box and not had to pay a penny. Wasn't prepared to pay for it mind, and was ready to move over to freesat.
I don't have movies or sports, but there's plenty of other stuff to watch. We have freeview in the other room, but tend not to watch it much as the program guide and the remote aren't as intuitive.
4 years of TV, Phone and Broadband with them - currently paying about £35 a month all in.
Just upgraded to a Sky+ HD box and not had to pay a penny. Wasn't prepared to pay for it mind, and was ready to move over to freesat.
I don't have movies or sports, but there's plenty of other stuff to watch. We have freeview in the other room, but tend not to watch it much as the program guide and the remote aren't as intuitive.
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