First, let me make two things clear - I am genuinely looking for info and I
am not getting at anyone.

I have been watching this newsgroup for some time, and the other day
enquired for a friend about Sky boxes for use in France for FTA.

I had one response which amounted to "Don't do that, tell your friend to get
a French FTA box - the Sky boxes are useless".

A few weeks ago, however, I noticed someone ask about getting FTA boxes
abroad and they were told that by far the best way was to get a Sky box from
a local supplier.

Clearly two totally opposing views.



Right - to my questions...

1 If, as some on here seem to suggest, the Sky boxes are so unreliable,
how do ordinary punters who just have them to watch tv (rather than as a
technical hobby) manage to cope? There must be several million of them, and
I do not seem to see anything in the press about these massive problems.

2 Are they really so unreliable, or is it more that some people just love
to play with the settings and then get themselves into trouble?
(Contravertial question I know, but it is a genuine one, not a troll).

3 If the standard minidish has a special LNB because it is oval (as
stated by Martin Pickering in "Understanding Sky Satellite TV"), what would
be the correct type of LNB to use with a Sky box and a large round dish as
would be needed in southern France now that Astra 2D is in use?


OK folks, I would appreciate some sensible (and reasonably simple) answers
please.

Smithy

Smithy wrote:
| First, let me make two things clear - I am genuinely looking for info
| and I am not getting at anyone.
|
| I have been watching this newsgroup for some time, and the other day
| enquired for a friend about Sky boxes for use in France for FTA.
|
| I had one response which amounted to "Don't do that, tell your friend
| to get a French FTA box - the Sky boxes are useless".
|
| A few weeks ago, however, I noticed someone ask about getting FTA
| boxes abroad and they were told that by far the best way was to get a
| Sky box from a local supplier.
|
| Clearly two totally opposing views.
|
|
|
| Right - to my questions...
|
| 1 If, as some on here seem to suggest, the Sky boxes are so
| unreliable, how do ordinary punters who just have them to watch tv
| (rather than as a technical hobby) manage to cope? There must be
| several million of them, and I do not seem to see anything in the
| press about these massive problems.

My Panasonic DUB20 has been very good to me over the years. No problems at all.


|
| 2 Are they really so unreliable, or is it more that some people
| just love to play with the settings and then get themselves into
| trouble? (Contravertial question I know, but it is a genuine one, not
| a troll).
|
Possibly. I don't think they are unreliable, I think that sometimes when Sky have a big
software update, older boxes tend to cry about it, until there is a fix.


| 3 If the standard minidish has a special LNB because it is oval (as
| stated by Martin Pickering in "Understanding Sky Satellite TV"), what
| would be the correct type of LNB to use with a Sky box and a large
| round dish as would be needed in southern France now that Astra 2D is
| in use?
|
|
maybe someone else could answer this one.

Smithy wrote:

First, let me make two things clear - I am genuinely looking for info and I
am not getting at anyone.

Read the URLs in my sig. They should cover most of what you want. If
not, ask again here.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/4f9c
How to get UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
Fed up with logos / red buttons? : http://logofreetv.org/
BBC gone? : http://www.astra2d.cjb.net/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)