# Replacement Sky box



## kellyj (5 Apr 2012)

My almost 11 year old Sky standard box (Grundig) is on the blink. It was given its last rites this morning by Sky's customer support. The box is one of two I have as part of a multiroom package (the other is a '+' box). They offered me a couple of alternatives, none of which I'm that keen on ...
1. Go for a HD package, which would cost me €15 extra per month 
2. Go with another standard box at a cost of around €100 to cover the installation and new box

Wondering though if there are other cheaper options out there? I see you can buy them on ebay but not sure then if I would have a problem getting my viewing card to work with a device not purchased with Sky themselves.

Note I am not at present interested in free to air options at present. Happy with what is provided on Sky (e.g. channels such as FX and Sky Atlantic are a must have).

Any advice in this area would be greatly appreciated.


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## Smashbox (5 Apr 2012)

I don't see why a second hand one wouldn't work. Ash around, some people who upgraded to Sky+ or HD may still have their old box.


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## Magpie (5 Apr 2012)

I've found in the past that telling them you will move to upc can get you a nice new free box from sky.


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## SparkRite (5 Apr 2012)

Magpie said:


> I've found in the past that telling them you will move to upc can get you a nice new free box from sky.




+1 to the above comment, but they may well call your bluff.

If you don't want to go down that path, just buy a second hand one if you wish and only if you have the "premium" channels ie. sports and/or movies will you need to ring Sky to have them "marry" your new box and card.

This they do willingly


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## basamin (5 Apr 2012)

Hi Kellyj ,I have a spare sky box for free if you want . Im in dublin 18


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## serotoninsid (5 Apr 2012)

basamin said:


> Hi Kellyj ,I have a spare sky box for free if you want . Im in dublin 18


Take basamin up on that offer - no brainer.  If for some reason that doesn't work out, adverts.ie - pick up a box for 20-50eur.


Don't waste your hard earned $ on a new box.


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## Sandals (5 Apr 2012)

Our sky box died l;ast year, threatened to cancel our subscription to the point of nearly actaully doing, eventually put through to an irish guy, following weekend new box fitted free of charge and he threw in a new remote. 11 yrs is a long time, we were with them 8.


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## ericsson (5 Apr 2012)

I moved from sky to UPC there a few months ago and sold my old sky + and sky + HD boxes on adverts. They were working perfect. Definately wouldnt fork out 100euro for one!


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## Guest125 (5 Apr 2012)

ericsson said:


> I moved from sky to UPC there a few months ago and sold my old sky + and sky + HD boxes on adverts. They were working perfect. Definately wouldnt fork out 100euro for one!


Yikes


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## ericsson (6 Apr 2012)

caff said:


> Yikes


 
Why the yikes??


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## Tv Trade (6 Apr 2012)

SparkRite said:


> If you don't want to go down that path, just buy a second hand one if you wish and only if you have the "premium" channels ie. sports and/or movies will you need to ring Sky to have them "marry" your new box and card.
> 
> This they do willingly



+1 this is defo your best option, pairing your card is easy and only takes a few minutes if you have to do it at all.


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## Guest125 (12 Apr 2012)

Shocking service tbh.


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## murphy05 (13 Apr 2012)

I bought a HD box on donedeal over a month ago. Got onto SKY a week later to marry my sky+ card with the HD box. Would not do it as the previous box owner's cancellation was not on their record. They then tried to sell me a box for €49.99 with €60 installation!!  (Installation took me 5 minutes when I set up the HD box prior to calling SKY).  Needless to say I turned down the offer.
Maybe I was unlucky with the SKY rep. I will try again at the weekend.


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## Leo (13 Apr 2012)

caff said:


> Shocking service tbh.


 
What's so shocking about the service? Offering the choice of a free box with the upgrade to HD or charging €100 for a new box and installation doesn't seem that shocking to me.

No explanation on the 'yikes' either?


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## kellyj (26 Jul 2012)

First of all sincere apologies for not acknowledging everyone who responded to this post from some months back*,* especially basamin with his kind offer of a spare box. 

At the time this occurred we 'fixed' the problem with an old fashioned bang to the box which got it going again. It subsequently died again a month later. This time around I rang their Cork based Customer Service as opposed to technical support. I played 'I'm leaving Sky unless this can be sorted reasonably'. This approach worked in that I got a brand new Sky+ HD box as a replacement, on the standard subscription without the pay HD channels turned on (I do get the free to air HD channels like RTE, BBC & ITV). The new box was installed & configured as my main box in my sitting room with my old standard Sky+ becoming the secondary box. 

All of the work was done for the princely sum of €29. As mentioned previously my monthly subscription remains the same as I'm not taking on the paid HD channels.


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