I had an email this morning informing me that my SKY viewing card is about to be switched off and I should buy a new, white viewing card at an introductory offer of 75 Euros.
Now I know that those of us (some 300,00 at the last estimate) have an illegally acquired SKY box and card and hopefully for the suppliers we will keep our mouths firmly shut about it, BUT, 75 Euros for a replacement card, which will also be illegally acquired, seems a tad too much.
I was told, severely, that I should be grateful as I do not have to pay a TV licence fee, it seems to have slipped their minds that SKY do not benefit themselves from the fee, and the BBC are not the only channel SKY provide.
Now SKY are not a fly-by-night green around the ears organization therefore I suspect that they know all about the Spanish situation and the British-owned companies that supply the service. If they were contacted about this latest money-making scheme perhaps they might join in themselves, offer us white viewing cards for - say - 10 Euros each (3m Euros less postage and packing), obtain a list of thousands of new customers whose details would be more than welcomed by marketing organizations who would like to target British expats in Spain.
ebay the best , telling me sky sent this email ? “I was told, severely, that I should be grateful as I do not have to pay a TV licence fee, it seems to have slipped their minds that SKY do not benefit themselves from the fee, and the BBC are not the only channel SKY provide. ”
who sent the email ?
It would be nice to think that they would but SKY will never offer this service to expats.
There are legal contractual and copyright reasons why Sky transmissions are aimed directly at the UK only.
Fringe reception such as is received in Spain is non- intentional on their part and is the reason you need such a huge dish.
If they were to offer a new card to expats they would be immediately in breach of contract with many if not most of the programme owners that they utilise.
I’m pretty sure also that Sky cards are matched to the receiver that they were supplied with and hence any new card Sky supply as a replacement will be specific to the same receiver.
So either way it looks like the 75 Euros quoted is a scam; not only will you probably not get your card but if you do the chances are that it won’t work anyway…
Jurdy,
Do SKY change them every year ? I’m concerned that if I get a Sky system from a local vendor, I will incur problems like the other posts when these cards get switched out.
I would be going through a British vendor in Spain when I decide to get hooked up, so me having a Sky card registered in the Uk is out of the question.
This white card switch sounds a nightmare for Spanish bought cards then eh ??
sky change every 5 year but we have extra year due two few problems but few new thinks on the card this year and people still waitting for card , as there was hold up in Ireland , been told few thinks and look like that where right again . still on old card here but at work in elchle we got the new card about 8 weeks ago from sky
if your getting sky do throught uk address where you have control off the card as sky have started to look in two mult card at the one address . (this some suppling sky to half off spain and make money off you aswell
Interestingly though, my parents have a Sky box and card that’s well over 5 years old and still works fine over here with their original card, regardless of there having been a couple of card changes in that time. I’ve a feeling that this will be much ado about nothing and there will be many dealers here in Spain looking to add to a potential panic, thus selling lots of new white cards.
I’m of the suck it and see pursuasion. If my card suddenly dies, then it dies. I’m sure I can live without the tv for a few days 😉 At least I know a very reputable installer who can supply me with a new card. Incidentally, if it was a major issue, then they would have contacted me themselves by now, which they havent. They usually contact me to let me know of any channel changes, so they would definately contact me if there was an issue with the cards. It’s also important to note that there’s quite a few makes of Sky digibox that will actually work well without the card even inserted.
So what I would say is hold onto your cash for the time being and wait a little longer to see what happens. Of course, if you’re using a contract card for any of the assorted packages, rather than just the free to view option, it’s a different matter.
Another alternative is that you can actually buy another box for as little as ?30 from any decent electrical goods store, or even Carrefour, to access just the free to view channels. They’re easy to setup and will simply connect to your existing dish and TV equipment.
Another alternative is that you can actually buy another box for as little as ?30 from any decent electrical goods store, or even Carrefour, to access just the free to view channels. They’re easy to setup and will simply connect to your existing dish and TV equipment.
i would becareful buy for this comapny , Yes it cheap and works but extra few Euros get a good system good Lnb and so on
there lot channels out there but in most area off spain we need 90 cm up 4 meter dish ... with Hd coming in over next few year only need to have it for 5 years and then hopful we chaning to HD all channels
Any one try to sell Sky card here will be Banned , are link two there website
If you dont watch much tele as I do then its worth it.
I don’t really watch much TV. Too much of the same crap on these days.
Normally if there’s a series I want to watch, like series 3 of Heroes for me at the moment, then I watch it free and legitimately online. Now my internet speeds are good, I can watch the episodes in streaming HD whenever I want to.
There’s plenty of legitimate sites to do this from. Just google “watch [insert series name] online” and you’ll find plenty of links.
As for the footy, there tends to be more English Premier League matches live on Spanish telly than there is on UK telly. Can either watch them via a normal TDT box and antenna, or go to one of the local bars - which is more fun anyway when you’re the only Brit there 😉
If you dont watch much tele as I do then its worth it.
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Normally if there’s a series I want to watch, like series 3 of Heroes for me at the moment, then I watch it free and legitimately online. Now my internet speeds are good, I can watch the episodes in streaming HD whenever I want to.
There’s plenty of legitimate sites to do this from. Just google “watch [insert series name] online” and you’ll find plenty of links.
As for the footy, there tends to be more English Premier League matches live on Spanish telly than there is on UK telly. Can either watch them via a normal TDT box and antenna, or go to one of the local bars - which is more fun anyway when you’re the only Brit there 😉
tdt and spanish tv show lot off it now adays and pubs , but pay throught websites ..... big no as the tv companys are hitting on as there not getting payed for there copyrights becareful pay good money this company
I don’t pay to view these programmes online jurdyr. The one’s I use for are paid for by advertising. Usually you’ll have a small DIVX screen, literally surrounded by advertising links. You don’t have to click on any of these links, plus of course, you can also watch stuff in full screen, so you don’t see the ads anyway. You might get the odd popup window now and again (unless you’ve already set your browser to block them), but that’s what the X button if for 😉
There’s certainly no way that I would pay good money to some of the sites out there though, because usually the programmes are out in the public domain and sponsored by advertising, plus I know the quality of the streams isn’t any better on the pay-sites.
