Sky+ recording without subscription?

nick_gilbert · 12-08-2009

Hi All this is my first post. I fould this forum using google!

I was thinking of canceling my subscription and just using the box to watch free channels but I understand the recorder will not work?

Is this true and if so is there any way around it as I have seen card for sale that aparently keep this working?

I didnt want to fork out the money for a freesat+ box if I didn't need to seeing as I have a box already.

Hope you guys can let me know, thanks.

**satelliteman** · 12-08-2009

Welcome,

The plus recording facility is £10 monthly I believe without subs or it's a freesat PVR route.

**Crisbe** · 12-08-2009

I believe that you will find that your sky box will work okay as a freesat from sky box as long as you keep the card in it, but the recording functions will cease to work as that is part of what you pay the sky + subscription for. The sky + box has two tuners to allow recording on one channel while watching a different channel and I believe you will find that one of them is controlled by the authorisation on the card, so that if you are not paying for the + you don't get allowed to record. But I could be wrong!

barrie.lamb · 12-08-2009

As far as I know the 'Recording Function' will only be 'activated' if you suscribe to Sly, maybe someone else will come up with a better answer.
Cheers, Barrie.

nick_gilbert · 12-08-2009

Thanks for the replys,

So it looks like I will lose the recording facility then and the options I have are to buy a freesat recorder box or pay sky?

I haven't done any research about the freesat boxes available, I won't want HD (old TV set!) I just want to be able to record. Do any of you have any you can recommend that are cheap to buy, I was hoping to keep the cost down to around the £100 mark?

I am assuming I can plug the freesat box into the sky dish and it will work OK?

**satelliteman** · 12-08-2009

Originally Posted by nick_gilbert

I haven't done any research about the freesat boxes available, I won't want HD (old TV set!) I just want to be able to record. Do any of you have any you can recommend that are cheap to buy, I was hoping to keep the cost down to around the £100 mark?

I am assuming I can plug the freesat box into the sky dish and it will work OK?

Yes it's the same satellite feed.

Getting a PVR for under £100 may prove difficult.

**PaulR** · 12-08-2009

I've seen it reported that if the $ly+ box is left unplugged from the mains for a number of months then it misses all the signals sent out to "kill" the recording function of a desubscribed box. How many months exactly? Not known but I wouldn't try reconnecting it in less than three months at least.

After that length of time the card would also need reactivation, normally not a problem if you leave the card in an active box overnight, but you haven't said whether you have one of the old yellow house cards or a new white card.

If you have a yellow card then this will stop working as an FTV card soon and whether you would still have the recording function after that is completely unknown. Even the white card reaction is unknown as this may behave in a different way to the yellow house card.

In short, you have a very difficult set of decisions to make.

jasonx1 · 13-08-2009

hi its £9.75 a month if you want the recording for sky +
as for the recording once you cancel your card it be turned off leaving you
with a freeview box you lose all recording

there is a hack for the yellow card if you have mutiroom . but the new white card is here now so the hack is usless now

the freesat recorders are good . when you bear in mind that £10 a month for sky then you count freesat pvr at £2?? plus its yours and free recording for life seams a good choice

**Analoguesat** · 13-08-2009

Not only does the recording cease if you stop your Sky subs but any programmes you have recorded from encrypted chanels become unavailable as well.....

mhla200 · 13-08-2009

Before you call sky disconnect your box from the mains and remove the telephone line, then give them a call. Reconnect ur box, but dont connect ur phone line, the PVR will work but all the encyrpted channels recorded wont play back. You can still record all the FTA channels and playback normal, its been working for me for the past two years.

**Analoguesat** · 13-08-2009

The phone line has nothing to do with the kill commands - its sent via satellite!

jasonx1 · 15-08-2009

mhla200 is right . the card still stays on my brother did it
with mutiroom the phone light comes on every so often on the box thats it . the only thing is sky has sent him a white card which he dont sub anymore and now has a message on screen telling how to change card .
i got a £10 bet he lose he free recording lol

**PaulR** · 15-08-2009

Originally Posted by jasonx1

i got a £10 bet he lose he free recording lol

Be sure to tell us if that happens. There are many people who do not believe that $ly will remove the recording function if you stop paying.

**Analoguesat** · 15-08-2009

There are plenty of posts on the DS forum from disgruntled members who have cancelled their sky sub and found they can no longer record.

Sometimes if folks disconnect the box and leave it off for 6 months or more then the box misses all the "stop recording kill commands"

Of course with the threat of Freesat its quite possible Sky have quietly relaxed their policy in recent weeks.

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Sky+ recording without subscription? Sky+ Plus General and technical support forum for the Sky+ personal video recorder system and PVRs generally.

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