Can't watch recorded movies!

[Surfer01]

Due to a change in our circumstances we had to downgrade from Sky HD movies to the normal vareity pack. We cannot stop it altogether as we are in the HD contract for another 8 months.

While we had the movie channel we recorded a number of movies but now we cannot watch the movies although we recorded them when we had paid for the subscription.

Surely they cannot do this as you are paying for a facility but cannot use it if you downgrade? What is the point of being able to record movies if you cannot watch them at your leisure at later date. If I had known that, we could have recorded them on either a VCR or DVD recorder. I am fuming.

How do I stand legally as I would like to challenge them on this? Also they want us to pay over £3 per month if we cancel our DD. Is this right and can they impose this charge? We would be paying by debit card on or about the normal date in relation to the nearest Friday when my wife's wages go into the bank.

[IdaInFife]

i'm afraid that you can only view recorded channels that you are currently paying for. you are not paying for recording and as such can only record and playback what you are effectively paying for

tre dd, sky charge an admin fee of £3.91. you can avoid this is you paid at least 15 days before your payment due date

 

also this may be of help if needed:

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-consumer-issues/205578-important-pending-consumer-action.html

 

ida x

[Surfer01]

What is the point then of having Sky + or Sky HD with a hard disc for recording? I would have been better off recording them on a seperate unit. As I said at the time I had a fully paid up subscription entitling me to watch and record movies thereore I should be entitled to enoy the facility that I paid to have. Maybe Sky should refund me for the nights when we are unable to watch Sky as in my opinion that is the same thing!

[IdaInFife]

there are over 1 million people in the uk that do no have a sky subscription but pay £10 per month for the recording facility.

 

it would be better if it worked that way but sky are a business and would lose alot of revenue if it worked like that

[Surfer01]

My argument which you seem to be missing is the fact that we PAID to record those movies therefore we should be entilted to watch them at my leisure. After all I could have used my VCR or DVD recorder to record them and the watch them at our leisure. Sky have hoodwinked us depriving us of something that we paid for.

Edited October 16, 2009 by Surfer01

[andydd]

My argument which you seem to be missing is the fact that we PAID to record those movies therefore we should be entilted to watch them at my leisure. After all I could have used my VCR or DVD recorder to record them and the watch them at our leisure. Sky have hoodwinked us depriving us of something that we paid for. Do you perhaps work for Sky?

 

Just because someone points out the facts to you, doesnt mean they work for sky.

 

Personally I have virgin cable but wouldnt buy their hd/recording box as its a rip off. I use a pc running windows media centre which is connected to my cable box and has a freeview tuner, this gives me all the features of virgin+/sky+ recording, guides, series recording, etc but at no extra monthly cost.

 

Sky+/Cable+ are good for the non tech minded perhaps but people should be aware of the limitations/cost before they buy, you arev right you would be better off by using a HD Recorder, but bit pointless moaning at people on here, moan at sky.

 

Andy

[Surfer01]

I offer an apology but the post did sound as if they worked for Sky. At least we now know to record on DVD or VCR. Still think we are being ripped off as this was never mentioned when signing up for the HD package. I have been looking at all the termsand conditions and this is not mentioned at all so I guess a preliminary letter to Sky is the next step. There must be loads of other people in a similar situation.

[citizenkain]

I think ida does work for sky actually but shes posting you the facts so there ya go!

[IdaInFife]

I do work for sky

 

i am just pointing out the process', i didn't say whether i agree with them or not

 

if you read other threads there have been many success stories where sky have been int he wrong or given bad service and i just try and help point in the right direction

 

also when you call to take off movie chanels they do normally say that you will lose any recorded ones as this changes peoples minds.

 

but basically you are trying to view channels you do not currently subscribe too, whether recorded or not.

 

i understand where you are coming from and i would be miffed too if i didn't know

 

you asked

'Surely they cannot do this as you are paying for a facility but cannot use it if you downgrade?'

 

am i just merely answering that question by saying yes they can as you are not paying for tha actual facility at the moment

 

and if you do resubscribe to movies at a leter date then you can then watch anyones previously recorded.

 

ida x

[Surfer01]

Thanks Ida and aplogies if my post came across as rude. Sometimes like emails a post does not convey its true meaning and can be interpretated differently.

[IdaInFife]

[alxkp]

I am in the same boat. Cannot watch movies anymore which I recorded whilst paying for movie packages.

I was not informed when downgrading that I cannot watch recorded movies anymore. Considering that I presumed that recording movies on the box has same properties like what it used to be to tape a video or record a DVD - I do feel cheated.

 

Guess SKY think they are clever by trying to force people to stay on their packages, in order to watch recorded movies. Well they got my defiance up, so instead of resubscribing to movie packages in a few months (gets over the re-runs on the packages, plus there is a limit to how much one can record on the box, so with recording regular series/ movies and watching whatever recorded movies there might be, those who can afford it and have the time will probably re-upgrade even if taking a break form time to time (for whatever reason)) - I will do my utmost to never subscribe to their movie packages again. And I'll get DVDs out instead of buying their premier movies.

Even if they view me as a cheapskate for downgrading ones in a while, this way, in my case, they will make less money off me in the long run.

 

Also the Help Centre guy just e-mailed me back, saying that I cannot watch recordings if not paying at ANY time, I could watch them if I re-subscribed (doahw!) and that I am not being cheated!

Who teaches these guys? I expresses my opinion and instead of apologizing, stating their policy, telling me he cannot do anything else for me and giving me possible escalation routes, he pretty much voices his opinion and starts to argue. I.e. he just pours oil on my enflamed defiance and upset.....