Sky Digital Installers Malta

[nickMT]

Dear All,

I've seen a couple of posts here relating to reception issues of Sky in Malta, with people unable to receive 2D.

My post relates specifically to the installers/retailers offering Sky in Malta and I encourage people to post their experiences they have had with those installers who offer Sky Digital.

I am looking for a system myself and have been shopping around so to speak and prices and systems certainly do vary. If we exclude 2D from the discussion as I don't think anyone is going to buy a 3m dish due to the high costs associated with a dish of this size, I'm curious to know who is offering what/who has purchased what and for what price.

They all seem to be able to offer Sky Subscription packages, however dish sizes, and material types as well as the Digibox itself all seem to vary.

I can't seem to find anyone who can offer a Channel Master dish in either 1.8m or 2.4m, so if anyone knows someone who can, please do reply.

List of suppliers I have so far is:

SHS Ltd in Swieqi - Lm580 with a 1.2m alu offset (Pace 2600c1)
Telestarr Ltd in Mosta - Lm475 with a 1.5m alu offset (Pace 2600c1)

Nick

 

[ynot62]

Nick
do you know of anyone who is receiving Astra 2D in Malta, even an installer who has a big dish and if You did see it yourself? I live in Sicily and Nobody can assure me that i will be able to receive Astra 2D. I just need to know that we receive teh signal and then I will buy the dish..i know it will be around 3 mts size but how can you spend so much money without being 100 % sure that yo ureceive the signal??
Concerning your request I can give you a few company names here in italy, but tehy all from the north..let me know what you think
Ciao
Tony

 

[geoffreys]

Nick
do you know of anyone who is receiving Astra 2D in Malta, even an installer who has a big dish and if You did see it yourself? I live in Sicily and Nobody can assure me that i will be able to receive Astra 2D. I just need to know that we receive teh signal and then I will buy the dish..i know it will be around 3 mts size but how can you spend so much money without being 100 % sure that yo ureceive the signal??
Concerning your request I can give you a few company names here in italy, but tehy all from the north..let me know what you think
Ciao
Tony

Well Tony, would you be prepared to pay the installer (say) 300 euros for
his time if the dish did not work?
Geoff
Cyprus

 

[nickMT]

Tony,

I have to say that I asked myself about receiving 2D and was told that I would need a 3.5m dish which was beyond my budget. However even then no one could guarantee me reception.

No one I spoke to has a dish installed that I could use for test purposes as I presume there simply isn't the demand to justify it. I reached the same conclusion as you in that without a guarantee I certainly wouldn't spend that kind of money either.

My advice would be to try and speak to a local installer and then try and get him to contact a distributor who has dishes of that size and get one on a Sale Or Return basis. However once again as demand is low I don't think a distributor would offer an installer a dish on an SOR basis. If it didn't work the installer would be stuck with a dish that is difficult to sell and highly pricey.

I think when you are out of the official SES footprint nothing is 100% certain, its all theoretical reception. I've seen the 2D footprint that shows Astra 2D worldwide and that would put you in the 3m category.

I would say that if you really want those channels you might have to be the ginuea pig to prove if theory is fact or not and spend the money! What you can say I think is that even if you don't pick up 2D you should get a much more reliable signal for the North Beam channels. And from what I've read on this site, a dish of that size is likely to be a Petal based dish which are prone to warping etc. It would need to be two piece I think I read or at least not aluminium if its more than two piece. There was a thread on large sats which is worth reading and Old Satellite had some good advice I think.

I'm sorry I can't offer any more help as I won't be going down the 2D route myself. I think its about time that Sky consider a European Service with a footprint that would cover the whole of Europe and acquire the broadcast rights accordingly even if the subscription for such countries would be higher I think the demand exists.

Nick

 

[nickMT]

Well Tony, would you be prepared to pay the installer (say) 300 euros for
his time if the dish did not work?
Geoff
Cyprus

That's a fair comment I guess, though I would see it more as a Pilot project for the installer. At the moment the installer is not in a position to provide an answer, and depending on the results he would then be in an informed position. Lets assume it did work and Tony paid his money for the dish and installation, the installer would now know that this is a solution that works and would be in a position to market himself accordingly with a reference site to back up his claims. I would say that in itself has in an inherent value to it!

On the other hand if the customer wasn't satisfied the installer would know that this wasn't something that works and therefore wouldn't waste any time in the future if he had a similar enquiry.

I suppose ultimately it depends on the installer and also the issue of who would pay for the dish that doesn't do the job. I doubt the installer would be able to return it back to the supplier with no charge! Seems like a lose-lose situation either way!

Nick

 

[ynot62]

Well Tony, would you be prepared to pay the installer (say) 300 euros for
his time if the dish did not work?
Geoff
Cyprus

Geoff,
yes i would be prepared to pay the installer for his time if the dish did not work!
Its always better then paying 2000/ 3000 Euros and not getting anything.
The problem is that nobody of the installers I know would even think to do this kind of things.
They dont need to get updated about thisReception.
They make enough money to install the stupid Digital systems that we have here in Italy with less work and good money!!!
So Im thinking I am going to buy the dish myself and see if I can get Astra 2D!
If you can help me or you know anyone who is able to sell me a dish of that size. I will buy it
Thank you so much
Tony

 

[ynot62]

Tony,

I have to say that I asked myself about receiving 2D and was told that I would need a 3.5m dish which was beyond my budget. However even then no one could guarantee me reception.

No one I spoke to has a dish installed that I could use for test purposes as I presume there simply isn't the demand to justify it. I reached the same conclusion as you in that without a guarantee I certainly wouldn't spend that kind of money either.

My advice would be to try and speak to a local installer and then try and get him to contact a distributor who has dishes of that size and get one on a Sale Or Return basis. However once again as demand is low I don't think a distributor would offer an installer a dish on an SOR basis. If it didn't work the installer would be stuck with a dish that is difficult to sell and highly pricey.

I think when you are out of the official SES footprint nothing is 100% certain, its all theoretical reception. I've seen the 2D footprint that shows Astra 2D worldwide and that would put you in the 3m category.

I would say that if you really want those channels you might have to be the ginuea pig to prove if theory is fact or not and spend the money! What you can say I think is that even if you don't pick up 2D you should get a much more reliable signal for the North Beam channels. And from what I've read on this site, a dish of that size is likely to be a Petal based dish which are prone to warping etc. It would need to be two piece I think I read or at least not aluminium if its more than two piece. There was a thread on large sats which is worth reading and Old Satellite had some good advice I think.

I'm sorry I can't offer any more help as I won't be going down the 2D route myself. I think its about time that Sky consider a European Service with a footprint that would cover the whole of Europe and acquire the broadcast rights accordingly even if the subscription for such countries would be higher I think the demand exists.

Nick

Nick first of all thank you for your advices.
I already spoke to many local installers and they dont care at all about my requests. They make enough money already with much less work then what would be requested for what I asked.
So I probably am thinking to buy the dish anyway if i get a good price and see if i can get the bloody Astra 2D. Those people (The Installers) seem not to be very interested in a new project, they are happy for what they have got! ( what a boring!!!)
Anyway lets see how it goes...I think after Christmas I will go to buy a dish. I took it as a personal challenge and Now im ready to risk my money just to satisfy my curiousity.
Thank again and if you get to know anything new and interesting please let me know..I will do the same with you. Did you ask any bars owner? THey probably could be the only ones ready to spend this big money on a dish, BBC would increase their businness as it used to be before the bloody 29 May 2003.
Take care
Talk to you soon
Tony

 

[geoffreys]

Nick first of all thank you for your advices.
I already spoke to many local installers and they dont care at all about my requests. They make enough money already with much less work then what would be requested for what I asked.
So I probably am thinking to buy the dish anyway if i get a good price and see if i can get the bloody Astra 2D. Those people (The Installers) seem not to be very interested in a new project, they are happy for what they have got! ( what a boring!!!)
Anyway lets see how it goes...I think after Christmas I will go to buy a dish. I took it as a personal challenge and Now im ready to risk my money just to satisfy my curiousity.
Thank again and if you get to know anything new and interesting please let me know..I will do the same with you. Did you ask any bars owner? THey probably could be the only ones ready to spend this big money on a dish, BBC would increase their businness as it used to be before the bloody 29 May 2003.
Take care
Talk to you soon
Tony

Interesting discussion. Here in Cyprus the installer I use IS prepared to install a larger dish in an attempt to receive 2D, and gives a 90% chance of solid
reception. If he installs it and it doesn't work, then he IS prepared to take it down and return it to his shop, but would charge about CYP300 (about 500 euros) for his time/effort/knowledge. I don't want to afford a larger dish, BUT if I did then I think such a charge would be reasonable. The REAL problem with receiving 2D on the fringes of Europe is the high cost of large dishes, yet we know that in many other parts of the world they are so much cheaper.
Regards, and Season's Greetings to everyone,
Geoff
Cyprus

 

[Old Fred]

Geoff, whereabouts in Cyprus?

In Paphos a 2.4m dish just about hacks it, with 2.7m guaranteed. Use a Pace BSKYB2600 Digibox or a Panasonic TU-DSB30 to be certain. Limassol needs 3.2m and further east/north you'll need 3.8m.

I have several friends in Cyprus and they gave me this info.

 

[geoffreys]

Geoff, whereabouts in Cyprus?

In Paphos a 2.4m dish just about hacks it, with 2.7m guaranteed. Use a Pace BSKYB2600 Digibox or a Panasonic TU-DSB30 to be certain. Limassol needs 3.2m and further east/north you'll need 3.8m.

I have several friends in Cyprus and they gave me this info.

Hello Fred, Season's Greetings!
I am in Vrysoulles, just on the Greek-Cypriot side of the 'border', 5 mins
by car (crossing the border) to Famagusta. Can see Famagusta from here.
Vrysoulles is adjacent to the Ayios Nicholas British base, we drive through
the base to get to the border crossing point. At our side the checkpoint
is operated/manned by British base staff (NOT Greek-Cypriot) and as you
cross over coming back from the Turkish-Cypriot side you see a HUGE
Union Jack on the side of the checkpoint building, as it is SBA (Sovereign Base Territory); quite bizzare really! I think you'll find it OK on the map.
Geoff

 

[Zorba]

Geoff, whereabouts in Cyprus?

In Paphos a 2.4m dish just about hacks it, with 2.7m guaranteed. Use a Pace BSKYB2600 Digibox or a Panasonic TU-DSB30 to be certain. Limassol needs 3.2m and further east/north you'll need 3.8m.

I have several friends in Cyprus and they gave me this info.

All correct,but I wouldn't recommend the tu-dsb30.I have a 2.4m prime focus and I have fitted the extensions which make it a 3.1,and the invacom quad lnb.I have the panasonic and pace,and when the panasonic starts "breaking up",the pace is still working.
By the way,Geoff,there are now 4.2m dishes in Cyprus if you are interested.

 

[Rabbit]

As I visit Malta very regularly from Sweden, I know that the Liverpool Supporters Club in Mosta has Sky TV, but I am not sure if they receive channels on the 2D beam. Contact Joseph Attard (secretary) and he might provide you with some information on installers, costs ect.Tel number is 00356-21418532. Also the Man U supporters club has it. Hope this will help a little.
/Rabbit