Calling Sky experts

[canarysid]

If I buy a Sky HD box, can I use my existing Sky standard box card?

[ZappaRocks]

Yes, the newer white cards of course. Only useful nowadays if you have paid for a package as free to air channels no longer use it except for channel 5.

[KateandTim]

Yes and No. You can't just slot any sky card (with subscription) into any box and have it work. Each card needs to be paired to its box which means one card to one box. Sky do this to stop people taking cards to friends houses and watching sky there. They also do it to stop people taking cards abroad. To get the card paired just call Sky (08442 414141) takes literally 1minute. Hope this helps!! :0)

[KateandTim]

If you have a HD tv and now a HDbox, why not upgrade to Skyhd??? Well worth it for the extra quality!!!

[ZappaRocks]

A white sky card will work in any box.

[potash]

The best bet is to get a satellite receiver box for fuerty ie spider box or Blade  they will read any card including your sky card.  Using the your sky satellite dish with out your sky card you can receive all Astra  free to air channels. 

[Globetrotter]

not ALL channels, depends on size of dish, ask Zappa.

[ZappaRocks]

As gt says you're still restricted by the size of the dish if you want BBC, ITV etc.

There are many types of boxes which do much the same thing with what is called an 'Openbox' going for around 50 quid. Whichever you choose be careful of Chinese clones (even though they're usually Chinese anyway) These boxes basically rely on another provider supplying the codes over the internet that a card normally does. Which obviously means you need the internet too.

These boxes require special software updates for these extra features but some also have a safeguard against clones and if you try to upgrade a clone it will lock the box up and be useless. So best to buy from somewhere like Ebay in which the seller gets a rating, so always ask if the firmware is already installed.

Generally you get what you pay for and often the cheaper ones are what are called closed systems which means any further upgrades or fixes come from the team that sell the box. If the satellite provider like Sky make major changes you then have to trust they will provide an update. Obviously the sooner the box you've bought becomes obsolete the sooner they make another sale, so there are no guarantees but for people that can't afford the near £100 p/m for all channels, £10 p/m becomes very attractive.

Something like a Dreambox for example has hundreds of hobbyists throughout the world providing their own home made updates, even to the point of controlling the box from a smart phone. But they're not as cheap. I'll just add that I don't supply any of these boxes as of course they are illegal.

[woe10]

Yes and No. You can't just slot any sky card (with subscription) into any box and have it work. Each card needs to be paired to its box which means one card to one box. Sky do this to stop people taking cards to friends houses and watching sky there. They also do it to stop people taking cards abroad. To get the card paired just call Sky (08442 414141) takes literally 1minute. Hope this helps!! :0)

DONT call Sky. Once you tell them you are in the Canaries, they will block your card.

[ZappaRocks]

You can call as long as you turn off your number first, I would imagine they could tell if you're calling from a foreign network but I know plenty have phoned without problems.

Or you could tell them you're on holiday and claim the rest of the family back home haven't a clue.

[KateandTim]

Yes and No. You can't just slot any sky card (with subscription) into any box and have it work. Each card needs to be paired to its box which means one card to one box. Sky do this to stop people taking cards to friends houses and watching sky there. They also do it to stop people taking cards abroad. To get the card paired just call Sky (08442 414141) takes literally 1minute. Hope this helps!! :0)

DONT call Sky. Once you tell them you are in the Canaries, they will block your card.

Why would anyone tell them that they are in the Canaries??

As long as you dont tell them that you are living abroad and want to get Sky going you will be fine.

[KateandTim]

A white sky card will work in any box.

But will only work fully when paired to said box.

[Globetrotter]

Yes and No. You can't just slot any sky card (with subscription) into any box and have it work. Each card needs to be paired to its box which means one card to one box. Sky do this to stop people taking cards to friends houses and watching sky there. They also do it to stop people taking cards abroad. To get the card paired just call Sky (08442 414141) takes literally 1minute. Hope this helps!! :0)

DONT call Sky. Once you tell them you are in the Canaries, they will block your card.

Why would anyone tell them that they are in the Canaries??

As long as you dont tell them that you are living abroad and want to get Sky going you will be fine.

And if you ring from Fuerte just do it when no planes are due over unless you give a UK address that is right near an airport, or they may question you why the planes are so loud.

[satandpcguy]

Any Sky card will work in ANY Sky box for most channels without pairing.

Hoiwever, the card needs to be paired to the box for Sky Sports, Sky Movies some HD channels, and recording on Sky+ or Sky+HD boxes.

YOu can get BBC1HD, BBCHD, ITV1HD, C4 HD and NHKHD for free with no additional subscription.

[Globetrotter]

Any Sky card will work in ANY Sky box for most channels without pairing.

Hoiwever, the card needs to be paired to the box for Sky Sports, Sky Movies some HD channels, and recording on Sky+ or Sky+HD boxes.

YOu can get BBC1HD, BBCHD, ITV1HD, C4 HD and NHKHD for free with no additional subscription.

Not in Fuerte though.

[satandpcguy]

Oops.
Sometimes forget where I am posting to!

[Globetrotter]

Oops.
Sometimes forget where I am posting to!

lol