Why ntl and not sky?

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by mdean

I would definitely stick with NTL.
There are extra channels on Sky - but none which you would waste the bandwidth on.

Most importantly THERE IS NO RED DOT ON NTL

The 'interactive services' are mainly cr@p to seperate fools from their money- and the red dot ruins the picture --- yes I know you can press back up --- not when its a video you can't. If you have not had Sky you cannot estimate how irritating it is. See http://dvdfever.co.uk/pressrel/pressred.shtml for more details

Similarly Sky+ is overhyped junk designed to lock you into Rupert cos you have bought kit which only works on sky (by another PVR)

NTL is a little cheaper if you have all 3 services CF sky. Customer service is way better and did I mention NO RED DOT

I believe that the red dot is coming soon to NTL and when it eventually does it will be just as bad as it is on Sky.

It was nice to be able to choose which Champions League game you wanted to see on Sky using thee red button but you wouldn't know if you only have NTL.

Please remind me, are the interactive games free on NTL?

My Sky+ box was well worth the money and only working on Sky isn't a problem as at the moment, and for the forseeable future, Sky beats NTL hands down. Where can you buy a PVR for your NTL setup that has dual record facilities.

I don't know about Sky customer services as I have never had to call them but I do know how long I had to wait to get through to NTL CS>

[Enterian]

Originally Posted by ianathuth

Please remind me, are the interactive games free on NTL?

No they are not! I recently found that out when it seems my 6-year old had been 'fiddling'. Also there appears to be no way of applying any form of parental lock on these things!

[Big Ted]

No one seems to have mentioned that with sky, you buy the digibox so if it breaks down after the warranty period (and I don't know how long that is) you have to pay for the repair. Sky does offer insurance but I think this costs around £200.

With ntl, the box is included as part of the rental so when it goes wrong, they fix it free.

[zoombini]

Originally Posted by Enterian

No they are not! I recently found that out when it seems my 6-year old had been 'fiddling'. Also there appears to be no way of applying any form of parental lock on these things!

Ditto!

With NTL, despite many requests to turn off the games etc all together, they keep returning & little amounts pop up on the bill...

I have been told by Sky that they can turn the interactive services to use a PIN.

[andrew_wallasey]

Id stick with NTL... I have had problems recently but that is due to us getting extra services and being quite a distance from the CAB.

I personally do not think the picture quality of sky is as good and as someone said above it is affected by bad weather which isnt good is this country, lol.

Originally Posted by zoombini

I have been told by Sky that they can turn the interactive services to use a PIN.

I have to enter a PIN to access the interactive on my NTL box.

[mdean]

Originally Posted by ianathuth

I believe that the red dot is coming soon to NTL and when it eventually does it will be just as bad as it is on Sky.>

If they bring it to NTL I will be seriously fed up and will consider my subscription

Originally Posted by ianathuth

It was nice to be able to choose which Champions League game you wanted to see on Sky using thee red button but you wouldn't know if you only have NTL..>

Only if you are a serious footy anorack...but It is wrong that Sky refuse to give NTL subscribers to Sky sports (like me) all the programmes. There is no reason why this can't be done by having SSX1 SSX2 SSX3 etc

Originally Posted by ianathuth

Please remind me, are the interactive games free on NTL?.>

Dunno I am a grown up

Originally Posted by ianathuth

My Sky+ box was well worth the money and only working on Sky isn't a problem as at the moment, and for the forseeable future, Sky beats NTL hands down. Where can you buy a PVR for your NTL setup that has dual record facilities.>

Why would i want dual record ? Better not to be locked into propriatory technology (esp when owned by Rupe)

[etccarmageddon]

Originally Posted by mdean

Why would i want dual record ?

it's handy when for example, "cutting it" is on one side and "CSI" is on the other with no chance of repeats except in the long term.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by mdean

Why would i want dual record ? Better not to be locked into propriatory technology (esp when owned by Rupe)

But you can always rip the HDD out of the box when you are done with it. At £200 its pretty subsidised. A standalone PVR is £400+, and its another box under your TV.

[Charlie_Bubble]

Originally Posted by Big Ted

No one seems to have mentioned that with sky, you buy the digibox so if it breaks down after the warranty period (and I don't know how long that is) you have to pay for the repair. Sky does offer insurance but I think this costs around £200.

With ntl, the box is included as part of the rental so when it goes wrong, they fix it free.

Actually, unless you are very stupid, you are given the box for free. I've also posted in another thread on this subject that my parents have been given 2 box replacements by sky, way outside the 12 month initial contract and not been charged for the engineer visit or the box. Even so, if they did try to make you pay, which I'm sure they wouldn't if you said you would quit, you can buy a sky digibox on ebay for about £20-30.

[Overkill]

1st post -

Originally Posted by mdean

If they bring it to NTL I will be seriously fed up and will consider my subscription

I've noticed the 'Press Red' box appearing in the corner of the screen a lot on BBC channels, and it's far more intrusive than the red dot, but it does go away if you leave it for a while.

They by no means have a full 'red dot' package, but the bloody thing never works anyway.
I tried it when the snooker was on and I ended up having to unplug the box to get back to TV.

The reason I left SKY for NTL was the reliability of their Digibox, the first one failed completely within a month, the next was was burnt out after a lightning storm, so was the next, the next 2 had chennels stuck and refused to change, by the time this happened, warrantly has run out and each call out would cost £50, so I got fed up and moved to NTL. You think the NTL CS was bad? Wait till you see the SKY CS, they were rude and once they even slam the phone on me. They took money from my credit card without authority. It was a nightmare !!

The NTL STB failed only once since I joined 3 years ago. Other than that, no problems. SO good luck to those who move to Sky !

Originally Posted by Charlie_Bubble

you can buy a sky digibox on ebay for about £20-30.

As far as my experience went, you need a SKY engineer to come to "marry" your card to the box, and they do not come out for free.

[paulyoung666]

Originally Posted by eastwind

The reason I left SKY for NTL was the reliability of their Digibox, the first one failed completely within a month, the next was was burnt out after a lightning storm, so was the next, the next 2 had chennels stuck and refused to change, by the time this happened, warrantly has run out and each call out would cost £50, so I got fed up and moved to NTL. You think the NTL CS was bad? Wait till you see the SKY CS, they were rude and once they even slam the phone on me. They took money from my credit card without authority. It was a nightmare !!

The NTL STB failed only once since I joined 3 years ago. Other than that, no problems. SO good luck to those who move to Sky !

but by the same token i have had no such problems and have had sky for as long as i can remember , mind you yesterday is as far back as my memory goes

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by eastwind

As far as my experience went, you need a SKY engineer to come to "marry" your card to the box, and they do not come out for free.

Sorry, but that is absolute B$.