Sky World & Family Pack - questions

Sorry to cross-post this - I meant to put it here but put it in 'tech'
originally by mistake.

Anyway.

As a means of getting a 'cheap' installation and 'free' kit I was
thinking of going for the online offer of the Sky World & Family Pack
(£1 install, 'free' kit, £38 per month).

Is this classed as Sky+ ?

I ask as my plan was to get the kit installed and after a month
downgrade my £38 World & Family sub to the basic £12.50 sub (and after
a year cancel even that).

However, as there are multiple channels on this package, isn't it
classed as Sky+ ? If so, won't I then need to pay an extra £10 per
month on top of the above costings?

I'm puzzled. Talk about a mystery minefield!

"starman" wrote in message
...
Sorry to cross-post this - I meant to put it here but put it in 'tech'
originally by mistake.

Anyway.

As a means of getting a 'cheap' installation and 'free' kit I was
thinking of going for the online offer of the Sky World & Family Pack
(£1 install, 'free' kit, £38 per month).

Is this classed as Sky+ ?

I ask as my plan was to get the kit installed and after a month
downgrade my £38 World & Family sub to the basic £12.50 sub (and after
a year cancel even that).

However, as there are multiple channels on this package, isn't it
classed as Sky+ ? If so, won't I then need to pay an extra £10 per
month on top of the above costings?

I'm puzzled. Talk about a mystery minefield!

Sky+ has nothing to do with what channel package you have. Sky+ is the Sky
equivelent of TIVO.

The digibox has a hardrive in it, and has the capability to record one
channel while you watch another, schedule recordings (Think VCR), Link
series and record (Think smart VCR). The digibox is currently £199 + £1
installation with the on-line deal. They are offering a break on moving
your current sky box to another room if you want.

Sky has been promising an upgrade for some time to allow you to record two
programs at the same time (but you would not be able to watch a third
through that digibox).

The current on-line offer waives the £10 sky+ subscription fee if you have a
certain level of program package. Most here could never figure out exactly
what that £10 was paying for since you get the EPG without sky+. With TIVO,
it was the EPG data you were paying for, which in turn allowed all the neat
scheduling/searching features.

The one function Sky+ does not offer that I miss from my TIVO is
suggestions. TIVO recognized that I watch/recorded the various Star Trek
shows, and automatically started recording Andromeda and Farscape (among
other things). As TIVO learns what you like/dislike by you giving things
thumbs up or thumbs down (up to three each way), what it records
automatically becomes more refined.

On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 11:53:39 -0000, "John"
wrote:

snip

Thank you John.

So if I order (online) the £38 Sky world and Family Pack (£1
installation, free kit), will Sky still try and flog me an (optional?)
Sky+ box?

"starman" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 11:53:39 -0000, "John"
wrote:

snip

Thank you John.

So if I order (online) the £38 Sky world and Family Pack (£1
installation, free kit), will Sky still try and flog me an (optional?)
Sky+ box?

They might do but you dont have to buy it as the previous poster said its
entirely separate.
FWIW, if you want a Sky+ box, you shouldnt let them persuade you to buy one
straight away because you will end up with just a SKy+ box. If you instead
go for the main package you ahve mentioned, (which you can downgrade after a
month if you want), and then later order Sky+, say a few weeks later, you
end up with a free Sky box (the original one) PLUS the Sky+ box. You can
then either sell or have in another room as a 'freeview' box the original
sky box .
Strangely, there is no discount if you just get a Sky+ box as a new
subscriber even though Sky would gain by not giving you the free Sky box.

--
Tumbleweed

Remove theobvious before replying (but no email reply necessary to
newsgroups)

On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 12:23:25 -0000, "Tumbleweed"
wrote:


So if I order (online) the £38 Sky world and Family Pack (£1
installation, free kit), will Sky still try and flog me an (optional?)
Sky+ box?

They might do but you dont have to buy it as the previous poster said its
entirely separate.

That's good. Just wanted to check I'd understood correctly.

FWIW, if you want a Sky+ box, you shouldnt let them persuade you to buy one
straight away because you will end up with just a SKy+ box. If you instead
go for the main package you ahve mentioned, (which you can downgrade after a
month if you want), and then later order Sky+, say a few weeks later, you
end up with a free Sky box (the original one) PLUS the Sky+ box. You can
then either sell or have in another room as a 'freeview' box the original
sky box .
Strangely, there is no discount if you just get a Sky+ box as a new
subscriber even though Sky would gain by not giving you the free Sky box.

That IS strange. I guess they have their reasons though.

BTW, if I have a 'standard' Digibox I can of course only record the
channel that the box is tuned to, is that right? (although as I'll
leave the terrestrial aerial installed I can record, say, a programme
on C4 via DSAT and hop back to terrestrial via the TV for the wife to
watch, say, Eastenders).

And if I had a Sky+ box I could record one channel and watch another.

Just verifying things here for my own peace of mind.

"starman" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 12:23:25 -0000, "Tumbleweed"
wrote:


So if I order (online) the £38 Sky world and Family Pack (£1
installation, free kit), will Sky still try and flog me an (optional?)
Sky+ box?

They might do but you dont have to buy it as the previous poster said its
entirely separate.

That's good. Just wanted to check I'd understood correctly.

FWIW, if you want a Sky+ box, you shouldnt let them persuade you to buy
one
straight away because you will end up with just a SKy+ box. If you
instead
go for the main package you ahve mentioned, (which you can downgrade
after a
month if you want), and then later order Sky+, say a few weeks later, you
end up with a free Sky box (the original one) PLUS the Sky+ box. You can
then either sell or have in another room as a 'freeview' box the original
sky box .
Strangely, there is no discount if you just get a Sky+ box as a new
subscriber even though Sky would gain by not giving you the free Sky box.

That IS strange. I guess they have their reasons though.

Its hard to see what they are though. My guess is that the vast majority of
people go to SKy+ from Sky, so its not worth their while to have a package
for those who go direct to Sky+, and that of that minority, very few are
aware they can get a free box by making the order in the right way.



BTW, if I have a 'standard' Digibox I can of course only record the
channel that the box is tuned to, is that right? (although as I'll
leave the terrestrial aerial installed I can record, say, a programme
on C4 via DSAT and hop back to terrestrial via the TV for the wife to
watch, say, Eastenders).

Exactly correct, assuming you allow Eastenders in your house :-)

Or vice versa (obviously)

And if I had a Sky+ box I could record one channel and watch another.


Just verifying things here for my own peace of mind.


Seems you got it :-)


--
Tumbleweed

Remove theobvious before replying (but no email reply necessary to
newsgroups)

As a means of getting a 'cheap' installation and 'free' kit I was
thinking of going for the online offer of the Sky World & Family Pack
(£1 install, 'free' kit, £38 per month).


Yes you can do this fine but it is going up to £40

Is this classed as Sky+ ?


No with the above you get a standard box. Sky+ is a special box that lets
you record
and pause live TV.

I ask as my plan was to get the kit installed and after a month
downgrade my £38 World & Family sub to the basic £12.50 sub (and after
a year cancel even that).


Yes you can do this but as I said it is a standard box.

However, as there are multiple channels on this package, isn't it
classed as Sky+ ? If so, won't I then need to pay an extra £10 per
month on top of the above costings?

See above. There is no extra subscription for Sky+
but it costs more initially for box and installation.

Hopefully you are not so confused now
SM