MTV channels frozen on old SD boxes

[V4MPR]

Last week it was reported that Sky changed the video encoder configuration on most of MTV's music channels (350 to 356) to upgrade the resolution from 544x576 ro full PAL (720x576). Unfortunately this seems to have caused a problem on older SD boxes (mine is an old Pace unit) in that the sound is still decoded ok but the video isn't ,so you just get the frozen image of the last working channel you were viewing.

This seems ot have affected a number of people - there is an ongoing thread on Sky's support forum and the @SkyHelpTeam twitter accound has had at least 2 enquiries about it in the past week. However, Sky's customer support call centre drones are denying there is a problem.

Is anybody else out there experiencing this problem?

 

[timo_w2s]

Just checked and the MTV channels are working fine on a Pace D430N.

 

[Analoguesat]

Welcome to the forum


I would be surprised if there are more than a couple of our members still running Sky boxes as antiquated as that. The best thing to do is probably get yourself down to the local cash converters and buy a newer box for 20 quid or so.

 

[V4MPR]

Thanks for the welcome and the replies.

Mine is the original 1st-gen black Pace 2200 box that we got on the analogue to digital switchover. It's given sterling service all these years, it seems a shame that it will be consigned to the tip because of MTV finally getting a resolution upgrade.

I've seen a couple of Sky+ boxes (the pre-HD type) going cheap for local pickup on ebay so I might put a bid in I take it I'd need to set the box to single feed mode (as I've only got a single LNB and it's right up on the chimney) and then get my card paired with the new(er) box?

 

[Analoguesat]

See if you can get to see them working before parting with money - many of the old Sky+ boxes have tired capacitors in the power supply area which can cause all sorts of odd problems.

Yes you will need to get the card paired & if you ask Sky they will activate the recording facilities for free - thats what I did when our first gen Grundig box died many years ago. Recording will be limited to some degree by only having a single feed but if you find its useful you can always have someone recable from the dish.

 

[timo_w2s]

In my opinion the Pace 2200 is horribly slow and unresponsive and not worth saving. I threw mine away years ago and replaced them with a Pace D430N and 2600C1 which are pretty responsive but now most of those have been replaced with HD boxes.

 

[wod]

Still got a pace 2500 sd receiver here that is working fine no issues

Can't say I've watched mtv for a long time, it isn't a music channel anymore.

 

[Journey]

I am over my parents for lunch tomorrow, they both have the old sd receiver's so i will have a quick check of mtv whilst there

 

[davemurgtroyd]

Please note that the old SD Sky+ do NOT have a single feed mode (only the HD+ boxes do) so if you intend recording then there is a work round I published many years ago - please ask if you need it and I will try to find it and post it. Note also that there are many rumours that the old SD boxes will cease to decrypt channels on the next card swap (overdue now) - this has already happened with HD channels on Thomson HD+ boxes. Note also that there will be no further software updates for any box other than the Amstrad/Sky DRX 890/895/595s.