How useful is SKY+

C

css_jay99

Regular Member
My Location
Bromley london
i have been to the local market and found a SKY+ box for sale for about £100

I wanted to know if :-

1) I can swap my old digibox for this
2) If i can use the SKY+ for normal TV recording without extra subcription to SKY

Thanks

css_jay99
 
Hi

Obviously it's chancy buying second hand equipment and in this case it's for an item that may increasingly frustrate you because you won't be using the main features of the box. I read quite a good independent review on the Sky+ box on the following link
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_9_1/pace-sky-plus-pvr-3-2002.html. This could help.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Jimbo
 
I think that Methos-de is the resident expert on the Sky+ box, but one thing that I would say is that the price seems on the low side, this may indicate a less than legal acquisition on the sellers part.

To make it work you would need to phone Sky and ask them to change your card over to the new box, but I believe that you need to pay an added subscription to make it work fully.
 
Actually Rolf it doesn't really require an expert as the requirements to use the Sky+ boxes are quite straight forward. I based my comment on the fact that CSS didn't want to make any changes other than swap the box. To use it fully, apart from an increased subscription of about £10 per month to utilise the enhanced EPG, a quad LNB is required. The link I posted earlier explains it very clearly.

Jimbo
 
Sorry Jimbo, wasn't suggesting that your information wasn't valid, just that I believe Methos has more than one so knows the operation back to front.

The more important point I was trying to make was that if the box is somewhat less than legitimate, then authorising the card in the new box may cause problems.
 
I am not sure about the legitimacy of the drive but as a rule of thumb when buying from a market, i always assume that the item is highly likely not to be legit.

I actually want to be able to use the sky+ like a VCR (i.e no satellite signal) rather than recording off Sky broadcast. I will not be using it to replace my existing digibox

css_jay99
 
If you just wish to use the SKY + box you normally need a dual feed output LNB with both feeds connected to the SKY + Box Tuner for the purpose of utilising the recording modes etc. This is how you gain the additional functions for the recording modes while being able to watch a other channel etc
And so yes it would need to be connected to an on air signal from SKY , and has stated in the thread the extra subscription to sky is also required.


Regards

Old Satellite
 
Hi, I did have 2 SKY+ boxes up until shortly. SKY now insist on all boxes being rigged up to the telephone line if you have any cheap subs. I've now only got one as when having one you don't have to have it rigged up.
You do have to pay 10GBP a month extra to have the record facility activated. Although if you manage to get hold of a second hand box by which the record facility wasn't deactivated, once you have your card married to it the record facility will also work. I have tested this so I know it does work.
SKY can also only deactivate the record facility using the modem. Should they see in some record that the record function was never deactivated they could however just turn your card off until you agree to pay the extra tenner a month.
You can't use the box like a VCR in that respect. You do have to have at least one tuner connected. You don't necessarily have to have both to record. Should you only have one rigged up you can't watch one channel and record another.
I have to admit though 100GBP is suspectly cheap )(-)( Although should you not want it, just let me know and i'll have it :D
Methos.
 
SKY can also only deactivate the record facility using the modem. Should they see in some record that the record function was never deactivated they could however just turn your card off until you agree to pay the extra tenner a month.
Click to expand...

Hi methos,

I would like to get Sky+ and not having a fixed line at the moment I wanted to approach Sky and use the fact that I am an expensive package subscriber generating a way above average income for them to get them to allow me to have the recording features for the additional ten pounds/month but without a telephone connection. After having read your post I wonder whether that would be possible technically if the recording features can be activated solely through a modem connection and I do not have a fixed line to connect my Sky+ box to?

Can you confirm that the recording features can be activated solely through the modem and not via satellite?
 
Hi, unfortunately the facility can definately only be activated via phone line. I had my box sent to me in Germany before it was activated. I told SKY on the phone that I was having problems with my telephone and asked if they could activate this via sat. They told me I should contact them once the line is operational as its only possible via modem. I then had to have it sent back to England for activation.
Once the record facility has been turned on you don't need it connected anymore. Mines been disconnected now for well over a year. If you get a SKY+ box new from SKY you have to have it connected to the phone line for a year. However if you get a second hand box you onnly have to have it on the line to be activated and then you don't have to have it connected.
If you look around the auction sites there are plenty going around.

Methos.
 
Let me get this straight.

I have always fancied a Sky+ (or a TiVo) but not wanted to pay a subscription to use it.

So if I understand this correctly, If I am able to buy one second hand, that has the recording feature enabled, and I NEVER plug it into a phone line, so it can't be disabled, then I can continue using the recording features for ever free of charge.

I'll bet that will only work until a software update disables the recording, requiring it to be re enabled again:mad:
 
This was a point I was pondering, when installing Sky + a callback must be made first using the new installation option, only then will the help desk send out the signal to the card to pair it with the box/activate it. Now whether this is a control measure from Sky to ensure that the box is operating from the correct location, or a technical requirement, is another matter. After the callback has been made from the box, the card still does not work, it requires the manual activation so I believe that it is more likely a control measure.
 
After having my SKY+ activated in England I had it sent to me in Germany and I needed to have my card paired up to it. I never had a problem doing this. I just phoned up SKY and told them that the wrong card had been married to the box during the installation and that I wanted a different card in the box. I then just had to give them the card no. serial no. and after 10 minutes all channels were working.
Methos.
 
So it would definitely appear that the new installation callback (by modem) is to activate the record functionality, then the manual activation (over the air) is simply to pair the card. I would guess it may be that once activated, the box cannot be deactivated by remote means at all, the deactivation of the card being the only sanction short of a workbench switch off.

As a matter of interest Methos_de, do your other cards work successfully on the non-premium channels using the record mode?
 
I don't have the other card paired up to the SKY+ box anymore. I had the other one paired up for a few days and the record facility worked for everything.
This was however over a year ago and since then they've updated the software so the info is not really up to date.
It does however state in my contract that if I decide to not subscribe to the SKY+ features I do, even if outside of the initial 12 months, agree to connect the box to my phone connection for deactivation or SKY has the right to deactivate the card and not have to reimburse me for any subscription time I have paid for and would lose through this.
One interesting thing. I put a friends card in my box. As usual some channels worked and others didn't as they weren't paired up and the record facility did work, as did the live pause.
Again this was shortly after I got the box which is well over a year ago.
I'll get his card off him again and see what happens this time.

Methos.
 
Hi there,

I don't want to bend the thread too much, but, someone had previously mentioned the 'enhanced EPG'.

I never got to the bottom of this one. So, 2 Q's:

1. What's the (SKY+) 'enhancement' beyond the seven day EPG of a standard box?

2. Is the MODEM used at any time to update this 'enhanced' EPG?

Have Fun,

Mark.
 
I can confirm that the Sky+ recording features CAN be activated without a call-back. I am a Satellite retailer and we have a fully-functional demonstration Sky+ box that has never been connected to a phone line.

It has a 120Gig hard drive in it too, but thats another story ;)
 
Did you perhaps receive the box with the function already activated as you are a retailer ? I ask this as I know sky have problems sending signals to boxes which are connected to telephone systems using junctions. A lot of retail outlets use these so perhaps sky sends them the show model activated to prevent any problems.
Methos
 
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