IRS being installed

Living in a block of flats, we had a Sky dish nailed to the wall last
year and are quite happy with the set-up, intending to get the LNB
changed later this year to a quad - yes, I know, but it was done in a
bit of a panic the same day we moved in. The management company sent a
letter today informing of their intent to install an IRS which, they
claim, will allow Sky+. My question is, would it be possible at the
time of install to ask for a second feed for another receiver or are
these things one size fits all? It's Saturday on a Bank Holiday
weekend so I can't ring the company.
Oh yes, they also state they'll be removing existing dishes to
"improve the appearance of the scheme". Yes, well (cough) perhaps they
ought to consider a lick of paint and some other general exterior
refurbishment first, but we'll likely be moving on before December,
isn't the dish my property??

"Harry" wrote in message
...
Living in a block of flats, we had a Sky dish nailed to the wall last
year and are quite happy with the set-up, intending to get the LNB
changed later this year to a quad - yes, I know, but it was done in a
bit of a panic the same day we moved in. The management company sent a
letter today informing of their intent to install an IRS which, they
claim, will allow Sky+. My question is, would it be possible at the
time of install to ask for a second feed for another receiver or are
these things one size fits all? It's Saturday on a Bank Holiday
weekend so I can't ring the company.

Write to the management company and tell them that you require a total of
four satellite feeds (2 to LR; 2 to bdms). Imply without actually saying so
that you already have this. Ask for an assurance that the new system will
continue this provision. Ask what allowance has been made for extra feeds
that might be required by you or your neighbours in the future. The head end
should have spare capacity of maybe 50%.

Mention that your dish must not be removed until the new system has been
'proofed', ie shown to be reliable and providing all the required feeds for
a reasonable period of time -- a month say. Ask what the arrangements will
be for repair in case of breakdown. Have they set up a maintenance
agreement; is there a time limit for response to breakdowns?

Ask if the IRS system will provide all the terrestrial signals. Ask if there
is provision for reception of other satellites if you think anyone might
want this. See our standard leaflet for residents.

http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/referen...idents2008.pdf

See also

http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/article...t-new-flat.pdf

Ask if the cables are internal or extrenal, what internal damage will be
caused, what effect the system will have on the external appearance.

The dish is your property but there'll be a covenant saying 'no external
appurtenances' or something. But ask for written evidence of this. In any
case, ask that your dish is given to you after they remove it. This keeps
them on their toes.

Bill

Bill Wright wrote:
Write to the management company and tell them that you require a
total of four satellite feeds (2 to LR; 2 to bdms). Imply without
actually saying so that you already have this. Ask for an assurance
that the new system will continue this provision. Ask what allowance
has been made for extra feeds that might be required by you or your
neighbours in the future. The head end should have spare capacity of
maybe 50%.

Harry is lucky to be getting a satellite feed at all. Our VHF-quality cable
of 1969 vintage is currently being "upgraded" with new cable which doesn't
look a lot more substantial to me. I suspect it will be just about "good
enough" for Freeeview at first but will then quickly deteriorate like the
previous system did.

The Housing Association's attitude to complaints: "Buy a Sky dish then or
else ****-off and live somewhere else."

(kim)

On Sat, 2 May 2009 14:53:44 +0100, "kim" wrote:

Bill Wright wrote:
Write to the management company and tell them that you require a
total of four satellite feeds (2 to LR; 2 to bdms). Imply without
actually saying so that you already have this. Ask for an assurance
that the new system will continue this provision. Ask what allowance
has been made for extra feeds that might be required by you or your
neighbours in the future. The head end should have spare capacity of
maybe 50%.

Harry is lucky to be getting a satellite feed at all. Our VHF-quality cable
of 1969 vintage is currently being "upgraded" with new cable which doesn't
look a lot more substantial to me. I suspect it will be just about "good
enough" for Freeeview at first but will then quickly deteriorate like the
previous system did.

The Housing Association's attitude to complaints: "Buy a Sky dish then or
else ****-off and live somewhere else."

Thank you Bill, you've covered some of that which crossed my mind and
all that didn't.
Not too certain about being "lucky", I'm being charged, albeit not
much, for the new "service" while all they need to do is get the
existing aerial aligned properly - we can already get Freeview, but it
disappears when the wind is in the wrong direction - and a lot of us
already have satellite installed. I reckon thos who don't won't be
looking to subscribe afterwards either.

"kim" wrote in message
...
Bill Wright wrote:

The Housing Association's attitude to complaints: "Buy a Sky dish then or
else ****-off and live somewhere else."

That's not too bad. The problem starts when they try to ban dishes but don't
provide an alternative.

Bill

Sounds like short sighted and wasteful attitude. What is the point in
spending money to upgrade the system if its all going to need doing again in
say five years time? Surely it would be better to just abandon it and let
everyone do their thing anyway from your comments, keep the costs down
certainly for the association.
Brian

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________


"kim" wrote in message
...
Bill Wright wrote:
Write to the management company and tell them that you require a
total of four satellite feeds (2 to LR; 2 to bdms). Imply without
actually saying so that you already have this. Ask for an assurance
that the new system will continue this provision. Ask what allowance
has been made for extra feeds that might be required by you or your
neighbours in the future. The head end should have spare capacity of
maybe 50%.

Harry is lucky to be getting a satellite feed at all. Our VHF-quality
cable of 1969 vintage is currently being "upgraded" with new cable which
doesn't look a lot more substantial to me. I suspect it will be just about
"good enough" for Freeeview at first but will then quickly deteriorate
like the previous system did.

The Housing Association's attitude to complaints: "Buy a Sky dish then or
else ****-off and live somewhere else."

(kim)

"Bill Wright" wrote in message
...

"Harry" wrote in message
...
Living in a block of flats, we had a Sky dish nailed to the wall last
year and are quite happy with the set-up, intending to get the LNB
changed later this year to a quad - yes, I know, but it was done in a
bit of a panic the same day we moved in. The management company sent a
letter today informing of their intent to install an IRS which, they
claim, will allow Sky+. My question is, would it be possible at the
time of install to ask for a second feed for another receiver or are
these things one size fits all? It's Saturday on a Bank Holiday
weekend so I can't ring the company.

Write to the management company and tell them that you require a total of
four satellite feeds (2 to LR; 2 to bdms). Imply without actually saying
so
that you already have this. Ask for an assurance that the new system will
continue this provision. Ask what allowance has been made for extra feeds
that might be required by you or your neighbours in the future. The head
end
should have spare capacity of maybe 50%.

Mention that your dish must not be removed until the new system has been
'proofed', ie shown to be reliable and providing all the required feeds
for
a reasonable period of time -- a month say. Ask what the arrangements will
be for repair in case of breakdown. Have they set up a maintenance
agreement; is there a time limit for response to breakdowns?

Ask if the IRS system will provide all the terrestrial signals. Ask if
there
is provision for reception of other satellites if you think anyone might
want this. See our standard leaflet for residents.

http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/referen...idents2008.pdf

See also

http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/article...t-new-flat.pdf

Ask if the cables are internal or extrenal, what internal damage will be
caused, what effect the system will have on the external appearance.

The dish is your property but there'll be a covenant saying 'no external
appurtenances' or something. But ask for written evidence of this. In any
case, ask that your dish is given to you after they remove it. This keeps
them on their toes.

Bill

A good reference guide for residents - I note that it does not mention
anything about Sky multi-room, only about 'slave' points in other rooms. The
problem with your suggestion that the OP contacts the management company to
arrange for separate feeds into the lounge and bedroom is how this would be
charged. Because this kind of work is usually priced at so much per point,
if a resident has two points they would have to pay twice. And if, like the
OP is planning, they later move out, the next resident will be stuck with
this double-charge when they move in. Many housing organisations use
lease-purchase agreements to pay for IRS systems, typically over ten years.
If an extra point is installed, they are locked in to pay for it for that
long. Of course if the OP is paying in one lump-sum for their share of the
IRS costs, then I guess they could pay two lump-sums...

"GTS" wrote in message
...

A good reference guide for residents - I note that it does not mention
anything about Sky multi-room, only about 'slave' points in other rooms.
We have a different version for the small minority of landlords/builders who
want to provide sat IF in more than one room.

The problem with your suggestion that the OP contacts the management
company to arrange for separate feeds into the lounge and bedroom is how
this would be charged. Because this kind of work is usually priced at so
much per point, if a resident has two points they would have to pay twice.
And if, like the OP is planning, they later move out, the next resident
will be stuck with this double-charge when they move in. Many housing
organisations use lease-purchase agreements to pay for IRS systems,
typically over ten years. If an extra point is installed, they are locked
in to pay for it for that long. Of course if the OP is paying in one
lump-sum for their share of the IRS costs, then I guess they could pay two
lump-sums...
We normally suggest a calculation based on a base price and a price per
outlet. If there are forty flats everyone pays one-fortieth of the base
price plus the price per outlet for each outlet they have. Where not all the
flats want the system initially we suggest a rather complcated sliding scale
idea the details of which escape at the moment, but in essence each time a
new subscriber appears they have to pay a diminishing fraction of the base
price, this resulting in a general ground-rent reduction for everyone else
(of about tuppence).

Bill