New SKY NDS viewing cards from April - what will happen? - Sky

blueplatinum · 22-12-2008, 07:00

This might seem like a boring topic, but not to the many expats. on this forum.

Is there any way of predicting when SKY will post out your card(s) or of "jogging the system" to initiate the process?

Analoguesat · 22-12-2008, 07:36

Assuming it goes ahead the cards will be posted out over a few weeks. Theres nothing expats can do to jog the system - the cards will appear eventually.

SkyPaulusPlus · 22-12-2008, 09:00

wierdly i am excited

billnot · 22-12-2008, 09:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueplatinum

This might seem like a boring topic, but not to the many expats. on this forum.

Is there any way of predicting when SKY will post out your card(s) or of "jogging the system" to initiate the process?

I wouldn't worry about it too much. If it's the same as 2003, you will have plenty of time between the card being sent out and the deadline for activating it - at least a month.

So all you have to do is to arrange for the card to be sent from the UK address you're using on to you.

I presume the agents (those few still in business) will make their own arrangements.

We'll know a lot more when the card change actually starts happening and there will be posts from some of the first to receive them.

Paddy C · 22-12-2008, 10:05

What about those with FTV cards as well as subscription cards? I didn't buy one of the cards from Sky but it has been registered to my address so will they be replacing it with a new card too?

Paddy

Nigel Goodwin · 22-12-2008, 10:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paddy C

What about those with FTV cards as well as subscription cards? I didn't buy one of the cards from Sky but it has been registered to my address so will they be replacing it with a new card too?

If it's an actual 'bought and paid for' FSFS Sky, and it's under three years old at the changeover, then they will replace it. If it's older than that, you have to buy a new one.

If you didn't buy the card yourself, then it's doubtful it would be replaced to you, even under three years.

KianD · 22-12-2008, 10:29

Have a couple of FTV cards 'acquired' from the UK, due to Five being FTA but not on the EPG I can see myself replacing the Sky boxes with Technomate units when the cards go...

blueplatinum · 22-12-2008, 23:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by billnot

I wouldn't worry about it too much. If it's the same as 2003, you will have plenty of time between the card being sent out and the deadline for activating it - at least a month.

So all you have to do is to arrange for the card to be sent from the UK address you're using on to you.

Thanks, but.... you obviously underestimate the lenghts we have to go to to get SKY service. Everyone I know in UK already has SKY or live in a region for which we cannot get ITV1 here (forget "Other Channels" - no SKY+ recording). So SKY have a ficticious address for me (conveniently in an ITV region that is transmitted from Astra 2B).

At best my new card will go in someone's bin, at worst it will be returned to SKY "Not known at this address".

I need to know when the card is coming to within a few days so that I can temporarily "move house" to somwhere where a friend can forward the card on to me....... this is going to be a nightmare!!!

Analoguesat · 22-12-2008, 23:42

Is ITV really worth the effort?

Once the card swaps are confirmed you need to get yourself organised nice and early - sods law says you will be one of the first to be done

Of course if you didnt have a Sky box but used another receiver you wouldnt have this crazy problem

coopermanyorks · 22-12-2008, 23:46

If you live in Gran Canaria , pop along to the harbour in Puerto Mogan and booger Sky TV

if English Tv is so important move back to blighty

Ps

Joking apart if you want a Uk address I am quite cheap and can offer a choice , seaside or home

smallbridge · 23-12-2008, 00:03

Has any Sky ASA on this forum confirmed that cards will be swapped next year? Or is it the rumour which has been going round for a year or so?

blueplatinum · 23-12-2008, 00:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Analoguesat

Is ITV really worth the effort?

I like my soaps without ITV2 logos and there are some good prime time shows too.

We expats like to recreate our British way of life "in the sun" and ITV1 is an important part of that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Analoguesat

Of course if you didnt have a Sky box but used another receiver you wouldnt have this crazy problem

And exactly how am I going to see 6 Sky mixes plus movies and subscription HD channels without a viewing card? ;-)

Quote:

if English Tv is so important move back to blighty

I am visiting "blighty" right now, and if it wasn't for the fact I am spending time with my 74 year old mother I would be hitching a lift to Manchester airport right now....the UK is hell on earth, would someone here please "smile".

coopermanyorks · 23-12-2008, 00:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueplatinum

....the UK is hell on earth, would someone here please "smile".

If its hell on earth take your Mum out of here with you !

Do you smile when you visit here , I think if was in Mogan I would smile like a Cheshire cat to

billnot · 23-12-2008, 10:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueplatinum

Thanks, but.... you obviously underestimate the lenghts we have to go to to get SKY service.

Do I? I think I can say without too much exaggeration that I am one of the most prominent expat posters on DS.

You have seen where I am located? What I do to earn my pocket money?

I know all the problems, and most of the tricks of the trade

Have you thought about setting up a Royal Mail redirection service from the UK address you use? That's what quite a few people are doing.

Analoguesat · 23-12-2008, 11:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueplatinum

And exactly how am I going to see 6 Sky mixes plus movies and subscription HD channels without a viewing card? ;-)

I wasnt suggesting not using a card - stick the card in a linux box and all the problems with regionalisation go away as you get all the channels in any combination you like. The better ones track any pid changes too, although you need to rescan if theres a frequency change.

denis1501 · 23-12-2008, 11:49

Seeing as we're talking about what could happen.......maybe sky have a few tricks up their sleeve to stop these new cards working in non-sky boxes?
It happened here in Italy with Sky Italia, the 02 latest card version doesn't work with dragon cams etc.
regards
D.

Paddy C · 23-12-2008, 12:03

Given the FTV cards are only required for Sky 3, Five (for now, I'm sure it will go FTA on Sky as well very soon), Fiver, Five US and Setanta Sports News, are they really going to develop them and make such a fuss over them for basically Sky 3 and Setanta Sports News? The Five family will be all FTA in the future so only 2 channels are actually depending on the FTV card. I'd say they either move FTA or join a subscription pack and Sky would drop the FTV card deal altogether.

Paddy

bignoise · 23-12-2008, 13:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paddy C

The Five family will be all FTA in the future

Don't count on that. Five have a whole transponder's worth of channels, including multiple Five regions and FiveUS/FiveR timeshifts, all with FTV encryption. In contrast they have just one Five region, with some programmes blacked out, going out FTA on transponder space donated by the BBC because there is simply no other room that they could use. And there really is no room - even ITV have had to re-encrypt some of their regional feeds because there's just no space available on 2D.

Nigel Goodwin · 23-12-2008, 13:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by smallbridge

Has any Sky ASA on this forum confirmed that cards will be swapped next year? Or is it the rumour which has been going round for a year or so?

You really think Sky keep the ASA's informed?

They rarely tell us anything - but the cards were due to be replaced last April or so, and they managed to negotiate an extension (presumably due to the pending start of Freesat) - it seems reasonable that such an extension would be for a year?.

Danny_B · 23-12-2008, 13:35

Sure if they got rid of some of the rubbish channels then there would be plenty of space...who needs a million shopping channels?

smallbridge · 23-12-2008, 13:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

You really think Sky keep the ASA's informed?

No, I didn't really. Sky seem to work on the FUD principle (fear, uncertainty and doubt)

rai uno · 23-12-2008, 13:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny_B

Sure if they got rid of some of the rubbish channels then there would be plenty of space...who needs a million shopping channels?

But the Shopping Channels aren't on 2D.

However, there are five Transponders on Astra 2D containing BSkyB Encrypted stuff which , from a technical point of view, doesn't actually need to be on the narrow beam.

I should be surprised if wheeling and dealing between BSkyB, SES-Astra, Freesat and Broadcasters isn't being done right now. But time will tell.

blueplatinum · 23-12-2008, 20:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by billnot

Do I? I think I can say without too much exaggeration that I am one of the most prominent expat posters on DS.

You have seen where I am located? What I do to earn my pocket money?

I know all the problems, and most of the tricks of the trade

Have you thought about setting up a Royal Mail redirection service from the UK address you use? That's what quite a few people are doing.

Sorry .. I didn't mean to be abrupt. Mail redirection is not possible. The Royal Mail have a mechanism in place to trap fake applications.

Analoguesat. These other boxes sound interesting, but I have made a big investment in SKY HD. Also as another poster said, the new cards may have extra security making them compatible with SKY boxes onlt..... who knows?

Thanks for your replies.

billnot · 24-12-2008, 07:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueplatinum

Sorry .. I didn't mean to be abrupt. Mail redirection is not possible. The Royal Mail have a mechanism in place to trap fake applications.

I, too, was a bit snappy - so apologies also

hedgidj · 24-12-2008, 08:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueplatinum

Sorry .. I didn't mean to be abrupt. Mail redirection is not possible. The Royal Mail have a mechanism in place to trap fake applications.

Analoguesat. These other boxes sound interesting, but I have made a big investment in SKY HD. Also as another poster said, the new cards may have extra security making them compatible with SKY boxes onlt..... who knows?

Thanks for your replies.

Solution for cheap address:

Buy a cheap caravan (say about £200-300); find a site that allows permenant pitches (usually farms etc) and that will accept mail for you.

Permenant pitches here in Lancashire are usually around £500 a year.

Stick your dish up on your caravan, and inform Sky you have moved in to that address. (use the unit number for your pitch in the address).

Voila, you have a genuine UK address and a holiday home in the UK if you wish to use it. If you get it near your Mum's you can use it when you come to the UK.

You'll get a clean, dry, caravan for about that money and it doesn't need to be that roadworthy as you'll only be moving it to the site once!!

Problem solved.

22-12-2008, 07:00	#1
blueplatinum Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Gran Canaria, Spain Services: ADSL 1 Meg., SKY HD (Thomson DSI8215WD), Sky+ 160, TDT (Spanish freeview) Posts: 875	New SKY NDS viewing cards from April - what will happen? This might seem like a boring topic, but not to the many expats. on this forum. Is there any way of predicting when SKY will post out your card(s) or of "jogging the system" to initiate the process?

22-12-2008, 07:36	#2
Analoguesat Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Scottish Borders Services: Sky Digital, and fta from /5E/7E/9E/10E/13E/ 16E/19E/23E/28E Posts: 17,232	Assuming it goes ahead the cards will be posted out over a few weeks. Theres nothing expats can do to jog the system - the cards will appear eventually.

22-12-2008, 09:00	#3
SkyPaulusPlus Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: England - Geordie land Services: Sky+HD(Sammy), Sky+, PS3, PSP, 37" HDTV, VOD, HDD DVD Recorder, K800i Posts: 1,477	wierdly i am excited

22-12-2008, 10:05	#5
Paddy C Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,122	What about those with FTV cards as well as subscription cards? I didn't buy one of the cards from Sky but it has been registered to my address so will they be replacing it with a new card too? Paddy

22-12-2008, 10:29	#7
KianD Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Dublin Services: Irish DTT & DAB, motorised 1M, Technomate + other decoders, Sky+ Posts: 4,735	Have a couple of FTV cards 'acquired' from the UK, due to Five being FTA but not on the EPG I can see myself replacing the Sky boxes with Technomate units when the cards go...

22-12-2008, 23:42	#9
Analoguesat Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Scottish Borders Services: Sky Digital, and fta from /5E/7E/9E/10E/13E/ 16E/19E/23E/28E Posts: 17,232	Is ITV really worth the effort? Once the card swaps are confirmed you need to get yourself organised nice and early - sods law says you will be one of the first to be done Of course if you didnt have a Sky box but used another receiver you wouldnt have this crazy problem

22-12-2008, 23:46	#10
coopermanyorks Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pontefract -In Gods Own County Services: Pace & Thomson HD & Pvr3's in Multiroom-Sky 6 mix & Sports - BB Max Posts: 16,760 Blog Entries: 1	If you live in Gran Canaria , pop along to the harbour in Puerto Mogan and booger Sky TV if English Tv is so important move back to blighty Ps Joking apart if you want a Uk address I am quite cheap and can offer a choice , seaside or home

23-12-2008, 00:03	#11
smallbridge Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Kent. Services: Thomson HD, Pace 2600, Humax Foxsat HDR, Virgin cable Posts: 277	Has any Sky ASA on this forum confirmed that cards will be swapped next year? Or is it the rumour which has been going round for a year or so?

23-12-2008, 11:49	#16
denis1501 Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Italia Services: Thomson Sky HD , ESPN, Sky Italia su misura, 1 meg broadband Posts: 463	Seeing as we're talking about what could happen.......maybe sky have a few tricks up their sleeve to stop these new cards working in non-sky boxes? It happened here in Italy with Sky Italia, the 02 latest card version doesn't work with dragon cams etc. regards D.

23-12-2008, 12:03	#17
Paddy C Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,122	Given the FTV cards are only required for Sky 3, Five (for now, I'm sure it will go FTA on Sky as well very soon), Fiver, Five US and Setanta Sports News, are they really going to develop them and make such a fuss over them for basically Sky 3 and Setanta Sports News? The Five family will be all FTA in the future so only 2 channels are actually depending on the FTV card. I'd say they either move FTA or join a subscription pack and Sky would drop the FTV card deal altogether. Paddy

23-12-2008, 13:35	#20
Danny_B Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Athlone, Ireland Services: Technomate TM 6900 Combo Super, Sky+ HD (Full Sub) Posts: 342	Sure if they got rid of some of the rubbish channels then there would be plenty of space...who needs a million shopping channels?