Sky+ experience

[kenf]

I've recently had Sky+ installed (" months now) and found it great for ease of recording and playback. However I can't seem to get it to record programmes from some channels (eg Living, Alibi); but I can receive and watch these channels.

Also the Anytime TV service does not seem to provide anything.

At the moment I do not subscribe to the full monty but can't see that can affect anything. Surely if I can watch it I should be able to record it.

Anybody on here have similar experience. If not I will have to join the telephone queue - or not - its not that important.

 

[Smudger]

Aren't Sky Box Office movies encrypted in some way so that you can't record them? Maybe it's the same deal.

 

[Dibs-h]

Aren't Sky Box Office movies encrypted in some way so that you can't record them? Maybe it's the same deal.

We are with Virgin and it's the same. VOD can't be recorded to the inbuilt HDD, but every other channel can be. Must be something wrong with your Sky+ unit if you can't record off normal channels (some).

 

[kenf]

I can record msot of the channels, its just odd ones on the more obscure channels I can't record. I am not trying to record programmes from channels that are encrypted.

 

[ste_5150]

The hard disks they use in those boxes are cr@p (sometimes recon), so sometimes they just don't work very well. If you're having problems with it, call Sky asap and get them to replace the box. Given that you've only had it for the last 2 months or so, insist on a new box, not a reconditioned one - though you need to do it very soon or they'll only offer recon. In the last 2 years, I've had 5-6 Sky boxes, and the recon ones have always had issues with recording (particularly 2 channels at once). The only box I haven't had trouble with was the first one they gave me and that one got hit by lightning and...um...stopped working... Any problems with them on the phone, threaten to cancel. They respond to that. :wink:

 

[cambournepete]

Aren't Sky Box Office movies encrypted in some way so that you can't record them? Maybe it's the same deal.

Not exactly.
IIRC, you can record them on the box, but they are encryted somehow so you cannot record them onto another medium.
If you don't watch a box office movie you've recorded it gets deleted automatically after a week (I think) and you don't get charged.
It's quite clever really.

As for the original question, we've had issues where the box decieds it does't like a particular prgram.
E.g. on Sky1 HD it decided no to record half the last series of Eureka, but happily recorded Stargate, Bones, Battlestar etc, all on the same channel, some even at the preceding or following time. :duno:
Sometimes it gets confused when it's recording 2 programs, one finishes and a 3rd starts...

On a more practical note, make sure the disk is not more than 80% full if you have HD - it struggles to find disk space to record 2 programs onto at the same time otherwise.

The disk and power supply issues of Sky boxes have been discussed many times on avforums...

 

[jaymar]

You could try switching the box off at the mains for a minute, it is possible to reset the box but you will lose all the recordings if you do that. It is also possible to update the software

 

[matt]

Switch to Virgin and get a + box. They have their problems but Virgin just replace them when they go wrong :lol:

(And you don't have to have a wok on your house too...)

 

[kenf]

I have telephoned Sky and got through immediately! They are resetting the card remotely and so hopefully it should be sorted by the time I get home from work tonight.

Re Virgin, a friend at work has had Virgin back to her installation 6 or 7 times before they got it working at installation stage. I've been with Sky since it first started and apart from arbitrary price increases I have been reasonably happy.

Happy Christmas all. And I retire at the end of Feb 2010!!

 

[cambournepete]

Switch to Virgin and get a + box. They have their problems but Virgin just replace them when they go wrong :lol

But they have fewer HD channels, and not Sky1 HD, which has a lot of odd SF typre stuff that we like.

 

[yo_chuci]

recording box office recorded to another medium is only possible if you have a modified scart lead which is sorta against the rules so not allowed.

not recording some channels is more likely to be down to the lnb not working properly (bit on end of dish) or that the box is starting to play up.
the easiest way to check is to unscrew the sat cables on back of box and swap them over. this would show you if the lnb is at fault or the box as the lnb has 4 connectors. (4 lnbs) and if one is playing up on certain channels swapping these cables will mean that the box might then be recording of the better feed. it might show up also by getting pic break up on the channels you couldn't record on.
you can see roughly how good the signal is by pressing services, then 4 then 6 to see sig strengths. you can look at this while swapping cables too.
if the box is developing a fault it is usually input 2 on the box that fails first and as this is what you do 90% of you recording on you start to get faults like you have described.

if anytime isn't giving you anything go into services and anytime and turn it off. it only means the HDD is doing less work so can help.
also i would turn off autostandby and just turn the box off yourself when finished watching it. it was added as a save the planet feature (turning off all boxes could power the lights of birmingham) and when they first went onto standby about a third didn't turn back on in the morn without doing a software download.

software download is done by pulling power, press and hold BACK UP on front of box (top one of the 3 vertical buttons) plug power back in and keep holding BACKUP. after 20secs ish all lights will come on on front of box. leave it for 10 15 mins.

HDD organise can be found in the menu's.
services, press 4, then zero 1 select should get you to installer menu. 2 options at the bottom, one will delete all recordings, and one will defrag basically. that might help if lots of stuff has been recorded and deleted...

any more info yelp.

 

[Smudger]

Switch to Virgin and get a + box. They have their problems but Virgin just replace them when they go wrong :lol

But they have fewer HD channels, and not Sky1 HD, which has a lot of odd SF typre stuff that we like.

What do you think of Stargate Universe?

 

[misterfish]

This sounds just like the problem we had. We could watch all the channels we subscribed to, but could actually record very few channels.

It took three calls to sort out. The first two went through the standard routines of rebooting, disconnecting and reconnecting cables with a promise to call back after the second call (which never happened). I was convinced that the box was faulty.

The third phone call finally got through to somebody who knew what he was talking about and who diagnosed and solved the problem within a few minutes. It turned out that the 'installer' of the new box hadn't done the installation properly and hadn't paired the card to the new box. As soon as this was completed it all sprang into life - the Anytime stuff appeared over the next day and we could record all the channels.

So make sure the card is properly paired with the new box.

Misterfish

 

[cambournepete]

What do you think of Stargate Universe?

I quite like it so far, but it is a bit slow.
I'm still trying to figure out which characters I really like in it, but the whole setup is pretty good.

What do you reckon?

 

[OLD]

Ring SKY i had something similar fixed by sky during the call they said it was wrong from the install.

 

[Smudger]

What do you think of Stargate Universe?

I quite like it so far, but it is a bit slow.
I'm still trying to figure out which characters I really like in it, but the whole setup is pretty good.

What do you reckon?

Slow, slow and confusing. I took a while to get into the way the storylines were jumping about, and the stones thing really confused me at first.
I think it has missed the point about semi-jokey action which made the earlier series, it's too earnest. I still miss the younger O'Neil. I'm looking forward to stories with a bit more variety.

 

[Argee]

You could try switching the box off at the mains for a minute, it is possible to reset the box but you will lose all the recordings if you do that. It is also possible to update the software

Resetting and forcing an update to the latest software version is simple. Switch TV on, select Sky viewing channel. Pull the plug lead out of the back of the box. Wait around 30 seconds. HOLD DOWN the "Backup" button on the box itself, not the remote control. Plug the lead back in and CONTINUE TO HOLD the Backup button down until all the lights on the box come on together. A white text message on a black screen will appear on the TV, informing of the upgrade. Takes a few minutes. NOTHING is lost from the hard drive at all, IME.

Ray

 

[kenf]

Back to work today, so, some time to catch up on the forum!

Before Christmas when I 'phoned Sky they said they would reset my card. By the time I got home that evening all was working fine.

Now if only they could do something about the programmes...

 

[kenf]

Back to work today, so, some time to catch up on the forum!

Before Christmas when I 'phoned Sky they said they would reset my card. By the time I got home that evening all was working fine.

Now if only they could do something about the programmes...