SKY / SATELLITE TV

[katie b]

Hya, can anyone help re Sky / Satellite tv over there?
We have heard that Sky Plus boxes are more expensive in Portugal and wondered if it would be worth buying one in the UK to bring with us, or if indeed it would be compatible with the system in Portugal.
We are coming to live in April and so will no longer have a UK home.
Any thoughts or info will be gratefully received. Thanks a lot. katie b.

[flying fish]

Katie, try e bay... they seem to be giving them away with cornflakes, plus you need a "free to air" card to get you going

[steve]

Sky+boxes are much cheaper in the UK but my information is that they will not work without a Sky+ subscription card. I was going to get a new Sky+HD in the UK and use my current Sky+ box elsewhere in the house but I was told that I needed to get a special card from Sky to use it in this way. Perhaps it could be used simply as a normal Sky box but I have not tried.

[shanagarry]

There have been regular posts on this very subject and it appears that if you bring your UK system (Sky+ box and card) with you - you will continue to receive as you did at home.

I know of many people who (for the sake of peace and quiet with their kids) bring the box and the card even for short visits. I also recall a post from an individual who stated that he kept his Sky account going in Portugal by relying on a UK address that he had not lived at for something like 5 years.

[rodstocker]

Legally you are not permitted to "receive" Sky signals here in Portugal (because of licencing restrictions). However, it is an open secret that many people have a Sky box and receive Sky programmes exactly as they do in the UK (after all you cannot stop a satellite being accessed from within the footprint area). So, most people either buy a Sky box (or Sky+) with Card either in the UK or through one of the many Companies here who offer the service. You simply need a UK address (friend or releative if you don't own property in the UK) and you then see all the channels just like in the UK. What you do not do is telephone Sky to complain when there are problems!!!!! Once Sky know that you are receiving Sky transmission and not living in the UK they will cut you off!

[Bruce Wallis]

Legally you are not permitted to "receive" Sky signals here in Portugal (because of licencing restrictions). However, it is an open secret that many people have a Sky box and receive Sky programmes exactly as they do in the UK (after all you cannot stop a satellite being accessed from within the footprint area). So, most people either buy a Sky box (or Sky+) with Card either in the UK or through one of the many Companies here who offer the service. You simply need a UK address (friend or releative if you don't own property in the UK) and you then see all the channels just like in the UK. What you do not do is telephone Sky to complain when there are problems!!!!! Once Sky know that you are receiving Sky transmission and not living in the UK they will cut you off!

That is exactly the case with SKY.

So why does every bar have SKYSPORTS showing?

The majority of them are doing so illegally, and every so often SKY will take a bar owner to court, but there are so many across europe that it is like Canute trying to stop the sea coming in

[katie b]

Thanks everyone for the info regarding receiving Sky tv in Portugal. Our problem is we are in rented accomodation at the moment in the UK and don't have existing Sky box or account. We do have relations here whose address we could use so could we buy a Sky box and card in the UK , without actually being connected, and bring it with us to use in Portugal?
Thanks again in advance!! Only 4 wks to go!!!
katie b

[maccasa]

Hi Katie - just going through a similar exercise and was in CVO this week. Basically you have a couple of options
1) buy a sky box off e bay for £20-30 and simply plug it in to a satellite system in CVO, but you wont get all of the freesat channels - for that you need a sky freesat card for £75 - again you can buy these off ebay or satellite shops in UK - you dont necessarily need an existing account.
BUT you will need a sat dish of 1.3m as a minimum, so you have to calculate the total (box, card, dish, fitting etc £250-300?)
2) Go to someone like RJTecnica - they are doing a deal at the moment for €425 which is the complete system of sat dish, sat receiver(not sky box), installation etc and no other fees - with this you get ALL the channels you will need, not just Sky, and its guaranteed - I believe there are 2 other places in silves and Lagoa doing similar deals. Note that the sat receiver will normally have a USB output so you can use it to record programmes just like sky+, and you have a larger storage system)

[md 600 driver]

if anyone wants a sky subscription arranging or a new sky box i will do at the same price as if it was in the uk please contact me

i i work for a sky independant dealer in the uk i have a villa on the algarve

[shanagarry]

I sent you a PM requesting your contact details - but never got a response?

[md 600 driver]

i replied imediately look in your in box

[EMM]

Its technically illegal ( so Sky say ) to use a Sky card outside of the UK.

A freesat box is your best bet if you want to avoid paying any subscription, also SKY are replacing all their existing cards with a new ones, its not outside of the scope of technology for them to identify scources who have and issue multiple cards and take action ( like cancelling them ).

[alf1956]

could anybody please enlighten us on the freestat box&freestat card set up,if you buy a freestat box&card can you receive all the sky channels inc the full sky sports package?we currently have a 1.5 mtre dish fitted. we have just fell foul of the sky tv in portugal scenario&sky have cancelled our sky in portugal as it is a breach of contract although we paid it for a year&it was all set up in portugal so we have cancelled the uk package that we also had so they are £101 worse off

[Michael Crane]

.....if you buy a freestat box&card can you receive all the sky channels inc the full sky sports package?......

Take a look HERE to see what channels you will get.

[shanagarry]

Alf - How did SKY know/find out you were in Portugal?