Sky Digital Satellite Receivers / Decoders / Digiboxes / Set Top Box

In order to view satellite channels you will require a digital satellite receiver, also known as a decoder, digibox or set top box. These convert the digital signals received by the dish and LNB, and convert them into audio and video signals to be displayed on a TV screen. Some digital satellite receivers also allow the viewing of encrypted Pay TV channels via the use of a viewing card.

Any Sky viewing card will work in any sky decoder, to an extent. You will be able to view the majority of channels that a Sky viewing card grants access to, like the Sky 6 channel mixes. However, Sky Sports and Sky Movie channels will only be able to be viewed on the cards "home" receiver, the one that the card and receiver were paired together by Sky. If you do try to watch Sky Sports or Sky Movies and you get the message on screen "This card does not belong to this set top box" then your card has not been paired to the decoder. This is one advantage of Multicam decoders.

Sky Receivers

Sky decoders are known as Sky Digiboxes. These decoders are able to receive the free to air, the free to view and encrypted Pay TV Subscription channels offered by Sky TV. The boxes have a card slot which allows the use of a Sky viewing card, which allows the viewing of the Sky subscription channels. Note that these decoders cannot be used to receive channels from other satellite providers or read other companies viewing cards. These boxes are also able to update their software and channel lists automatically when required.

Basic Sky Decoders

It is generally acknowledge that the best Sky decoder / receiver for Spain is the Pace 2600C1 and its sister Pace DS430N. Their sensitive tuner is considered to work marginally better in a weak signal area. The Pace 2600C1 and Pace DS430N are no longer available to buy new – they are only available as used second hand decoders, but these can command a high price due to their effectiveness in Spain and their short supply.

The latest decoder from Pace is the Pace DS445 (N), although now most installers in Spain now use the Thomson model DSI4214 because of their availability and are also deemed to be the best of the new design boxes.

There are other makes and models of Sky Digiboxes, but their sensitivity and reception of channels are varies. Many of the older models are slow in operating, and are also prone to overheating, but there is no difference in the quality of the pictures output to the TV’s.

Sky Plus Decoders

Sky Plus digiboxes are available and do work in Spain. These are Personal Video Recorders and, with the use of its internal Hard Disk Drive, will allow you to record and pause (sometimes known as Timeshift) satellite TV. They also allow you to watch one satellite channel whilst recording the other by the use of its twin tuners, which does require two cable connects from the dish to the Sky Plus decoder. Currently the Sky Plus functions are available for free with any Sky TV subscription. If you do not have a Sky subscription you can for a £10 per month subscription activate these functions on the Sky Plus decoder.  You can use a Sky Plus digibox without any recording functions activated, in which case it will act as a basic Sky digibox.

The recording functions are determined by the signal on the Sky card, you must have a Sky card that has been activated for Sky Plus for the recording functions to work. Any Sky viewing card that has been activated for Sky+ recording function will work in any Sky+ receiver, again to an extent. You will be able to record and view any free tv channels, but not any Sky Pay TV channels. Again this will only work in the cards "home" receiver, the one that the card and receiver were paired together by Sky.

Here is a quick list of Sky Receivers that tend to perform well on the Costa Blanca

Basic Sky Receivers

Amstrad DRX 100 (Discontinued)

Amstrad DRX 200 Same tuner as the Panasonic 30, discontinued.

Amstrad DRX 550 Not as good as the Pace 2600 C1, though a good receiver.

Grundig GDS300 (Discontinued)

Pace 2600 C1 The best Sky receiver for fringe areas, discontinued.

Pace 430n Not as good as the Pace 2600 C1, though a good receiver, discontinued.

Panasonic TU-DSB 20 (Discontinued)

Panasonic TU-DSB 30 This receiver does work well in fringe areas and has a low threshold, however there is a software bug with this model and it will crash when no or not enough signal is available. No longer in production.

Thomson DSI4214 the best of the new Flow design boxes

Pace TDS470n Sky+ V3

Thomson Sky HD receivers There are apparently three versions of the Thomson HD, with no identifying features. Some early versions had a high failure rate

Here is a quick list of Sky Receivers that tend not to perform well on the Costa Blanca

Pace 2500s Very poor Ziff Tuner, discontinued.

Pace 2500 (Discontinued)

Pace 3000

Pace 440 Poor tuner - not ideal for BBC or ITV on a big satellite dish (but OK for small dish installations)

Pace 445n Poor tuner - not ideal for BBC or ITV on a big satellite dish (but OK for small dish installations)

Sony Receivers (all models)