topic Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-( in Archive

Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

Tara100 — Sun, 23 May 2021 19:05:26 GMT

Hello. I hope someone can help; I'm really anxious and struggling 😔

My set up now is Sky HD+, but due to storms all week, it seems the dish or cabling is damaged. It's all almost 20 years old, so when I called Sky last week to explain, they said I can have a Sky Q box, new dish, and cabling for £29.00.

I thought it was a great offer, and paid over the phone.

Now I'm thinking the new set up may not work for me...

I don't have broadband here, just unlimited mobile data which suits me well.

● Do I need broadband here to use Sky Q please?

Just as worrying, due to disability and being bed bound upstairs a lot, I use a magic eye in the bedroom. I've just read these don't work with Sky Q, so I'll be stuck without TV!

● If broadband isn't needed, that'll be great news, but how will I be able to watch TV upstairs please? (my TV's are old at 12-15 years each if that's helpful to know)

I'm embarrassed I'm just not clued up on this stuff 😔

Thank you in advance

Tara

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

nigea99 — Sun, 23 May 2021 19:43:49 GMT

HI @Tara100

SKy Q is not really designed to be used without a broadband connection but I believe it is possible to use SKY Q without broadband but functionality is restricted.

Most of the functions are over and above what you have on SKY HD so you may not be too bothered about them but you may find it more difficult to use.

Regarding your upstairs TV - SKY Q does not work in the same way and you cannot feed your bedroom TV via the RF aerial cable as you do now.

The SKY Q solution is to use a SKY Mini box (separate smaller box) which usually connects via it's own wireless connection to the main box and this needs a subscription to SKY Multiscreen which currently costs £15 per month .

The SKY Q main boxes connect to the TV via an HDMI cable and the mini does likewise - although the mini does have a separate output that can feed older connections but this needs an additional cable (that SKY do not provide).

The HDMI connection may not work with very old TVs but just how old I am not sure.

Sorry this may not be what you are hoping to read

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

Tara100 — Sun, 23 May 2021 19:54:00 GMT

Thank you for your reply.

None of this was explained to me, even though I did say twice I had no broadband here, when they tried to upsell Netflix and other packages same time. I also discussed how I needed TV in the bedroom, as it's my main base.

I feel quite ill now, as I can't think of a workaround.

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

bob1234 — Sun, 23 May 2021 20:04:50 GMT

@Tara100I fear the answer is to phone Sky and cancel Q, explain you were miss sold it and you wish to retain +HD. Sky record all calls so they can check.

You then need to pay an independent satellite installer to fix the dish, (get a quote) that way you should have many more years with +HD.

Sorry but that is the best I can think of, even if you get Q your TV may be too old to have an HDMI socket and connection may not be the easiest without getting other cables which Sky do not supply.

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

nigea99 — Sun, 23 May 2021 20:11:09 GMT

@bob1234 wrote:
@Tara100I fear the answer is to phone Sky and cancel Q, explain you were miss sold it and you wish to retain +HD. Sky record all calls so they can check.
You then need to pay an independent satellite installer to fix the dish, (get a quote) that way you should have many more years with +HD.
Sorry but that is the best I can think of, even if you get Q your TV may be too old to have an HDMI socket and connection may not be the easiest without getting other cables which Sky do not supply.

I echo what @bob1234 says.

You mentioned the upsell including Netflix - Netflix does need broadband (or other high data alternative) which you indicate you do not have so this adds to my mind that you have not been properly advised & that your needs have not been assessed correctly.

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

Rhonny — Sun, 23 May 2021 21:56:18 GMT

@Tara100

I have escalated this to Sky for you, suggesting they cancel the order for Sky Q as you look to have been misadvised, that you get on perfectly well with Sky+HD, and request they look into fixing your dish and cabling instead.

You'll get either an email or a direct message through this forum. Please keep an eye out for it over the next few days.

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

Tara100 — Sun, 23 May 2021 23:16:01 GMT

@Rhonny I need a new sky HD+ box too.

Do they still have those?

Thanks

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

TechmanagerMal — Mon, 24 May 2021 00:10:05 GMT

@Tara100 wrote:
@Rhonny I need a new sky HD+ box too.
Do they still have those?

Thanks

They are currently in short supply which is why they suggested upgrading to Sky Q, I would ask when and if they contact you.

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

Rhonny — Mon, 24 May 2021 05:13:11 GMT

@Tara100

As @TechmanagerMal mentions, ask them when they contact you. But if not, you can get refurbished ones for £30 on eBay. They are in plentiful supply there, and unlike Sky Q boxes, it's fine to buy second hand Sky+HD boxes.

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

Chrisee — Mon, 24 May 2021 06:40:39 GMT

@Tara100 hopefully you have sorted this with the agent over a private chat but if you haven't I suggest you register with Sky's accessibility team who should be able to support your additional needs see https://www.skyaccessibility.sky

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

bob1234 — Mon, 24 May 2021 07:00:01 GMT

@Tara100 wrote:
@Rhonny I need a new sky HD+ box too.
Do they still have those?

Thanks

This is new I had assumed the +HD box was OK and it was only a problem with the dish.

Now I know there are more problems if it has not been resolved @Chrisee suggestion will be best as it is starting to get more complicated.

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

Tara100 — Mon, 24 May 2021 10:32:53 GMT

Hello.

Much like myself, the box is ancient, and needs replacement. I'm thinking if a sky engineer does come out to replace the dish / cabling, then it made sense to get a new HD+ box. It works ok, but has been prone to freezing up in the past.

The major current problem isn't the box - when the high wind drops, I can get 2-3 channels, namely BBC1 and Gold. When the wind gusts start up again, they also disappear, leaving me with none.

The loss of all channels happened in the storms we've had for a week.

I've just spoken to Sky team on here, who recommend cancelling the proposed new set up booking, but still getting an engineer out.

Thanks

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

SDR — Mon, 24 May 2021 10:47:59 GMT

@Tara100 wrote:

Hello.

Much like myself, the box is ancient, and needs replacement. I'm thinking if a sky engineer does come out to replace the dish / cabling, then it made sense to get a new HD+ box. It works ok, but has been prone to freezing up in the past.

The major current problem isn't the box - when the high wind drops, I can get 2-3 channels, namely BBC1 and Gold. When the wind gusts start up again, they also disappear, leaving me with none.

The loss of all channels happened in the storms we've had for a week.

I've just spoken to Sky team on here, who recommend cancelling the proposed new set up booking, but still getting an engineer out.

Thanks

That's good sound advice.

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

Rhonny — Mon, 24 May 2021 11:03:35 GMT

@Tara100

I'd imagine your box is okay, if it's only storm and dish alignment related.

But the engineer can advise best. Just make sure he or she doesn't try to get you to change to Sky Q!

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

TimmyBGood — Mon, 24 May 2021 11:41:43 GMT

@Tara100 wrote:

I'm thinking if a sky engineer does come out to replace the dish / cabling, then it made sense to get a new HD+ box.

There are no 'new' HD boxes: they haven't been manufactured since 2015 when production switched to Q. Sky may have refurbished stock: they are currently paying ex-HD subscribers who had a particular model to try and get them to return it.

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

Tara100 — Mon, 24 May 2021 18:40:47 GMT

Thank you everyone, I'm on the way to getting sorted out now 😊

The Sky agent was very helpful in cancellations - the Sky Q installation has been swapped to a normal engineer visit at no charge (due to the inconvenience caused), and if I should need a replacement HD+ box, I can have one.

The £29 paid is being refunded, and a free movie was sent to my account.

I'm very happy things can stay as they are Sky box wise! (and that I can watch TV again soon)

Thank you again.

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

nigea99 — Mon, 24 May 2021 18:43:41 GMT

Great news @Tara100 hopefully you will soon be fully back up and running, the way you are used to & you can rest easy

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

Raider999 — Mon, 24 May 2021 19:12:10 GMT

@TimmyBGood

Any idea how much they are paying?

i have a 2Tb box and a standard box that I no longer use.

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

oj01 — Mon, 24 May 2021 19:51:24 GMT

@Raider999 Think I read £20, but only one particular model (not sure which)

Re: Moving to Sky Q, but will it work in my home? Help an oldie non-tech savvy person please :-(

TimmyBGood — Mon, 24 May 2021 19:52:44 GMT

@Raider999

I believe it's£20 for the model they are after: there was a post in Account and Billing. Mine isn't returnable: a 2TB hard drive is worth more than that, even second-hand.