New Sky+ user

R

rendez2k

Member
My Satellite Setup
Sky+ Thomson 160
My Location
United Kingdom
Hello! I've just signed up to Sky+ last night, and I thought I'd ask a few questions before the box arrives at the weekend!

Firstly, what kind/make/HDD size of Sky+ box am I likely to get (it was £89 directly from the Sky website). Is the HDD of these upgradeable in the future?

Secondly, I have a Sony DVD/HDD recorder. Is it easy to link the two up? Is recording from Sky+ to DVD just a matter of playing recordings in real time and hitting record on the Sony? I also believe theres a copy button - whats the function of this?

Lastly, possibly a bit of an odd question, but if theres a power cut, do I loose all my saved timer lists? Just thinking if I'm away for two weeks and have programs set up to record.

I'm sure I'll have more questions when the box arrives! Thanks.
 
You should receive a 80gig version.
Yes its upgradable :)

the copy feature is so things that are already recorded can be copied to VHS.....maybe you could use this to copy to your Sony? let me know about that, i would be interested in the result too :)

if there is a power cut you wont loose your recordings, but im not sure about the timer list. i would have to say no though :)
 
Thanks for the reply! How many hours of recordings does an 80gig HDD hold? Do you have a selection or recoding qualities? Also, is it just a standard PC IDE drive (I have a 250gig sat at home!). I'm guessing this voids the warranty!? Is it a simple job to do?

I'm assuming then that the copy button just sets up a playlist of items to copy and not some kind of high-speed dub feature!?

Thanks again.
 
40hrs I believe
No
Yes
Yes
Yes

Yes

:)
 
$ky+ is great, one recommendation though... turn to standby when not in use or moving it about! (HD powers down in standby), and don't let it get too hot (open cabinets are best):)
 
Thanks again for your help guys - can't wait to get it. Not sure if its worth taking it apart straight away to put my 250gig in - does it need to be formatted in any special way? Also, what sockets are on the box - how many scart connections etc? Just wondering the best way of connecting to DVD recorder.
 
Haven't seen one of the new ones yet, I'm sure it will have the standard pair of scart sockets, so one to the TV, the other to the DVD.

PS. There are a couple of threads about replacing the drive, it is quite straightforward, but some drives are better than others and they preferably need to be the slower ones.
 
rendez2k said:
Thanks again for your help guys - can't wait to get it. Not sure if its worth taking it apart straight away to put my 250gig in - does it need to be formatted in any special way? Also, what sockets are on the box - how many scart connections etc? Just wondering the best way of connecting to DVD recorder.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't fiddle with it yet!, I tend to store about 10 films and whittle 'em away to my dvd recorder as I was them (for me old man who ain't got $ky)....
No special format, you may find the 80 o.k... it holds a lot of tv
2 scarts, 1 to tv, 1 to recorder, av's too
Hopefully you'll get a pace box, these tend to be more reliable!
 
OK, got it installed today! Took a few days longer as I opted for the 160 version. Everything is working fine, and all linked up to the DVD recorder which works great. One small issue is that it sometimes looks like theres very faint large blocks and pattens moving in the background - any ideas?
 
The large blocks are pixellisation, also known, not surprisingly, as blocking!

There are a number of possible causes, not all of them solvable. Firstly the signal may have been compressed too much, the minor channels tend to suffer from this but even the Beeb has been known to wobble occasionally.

Next, there could be a problem with box. Let's hope not in this case! Sometimes unplugging from the mains can effect a solution.

Finally the signal getting to the box night be a bit weak. Check satellite alignment, cable and LNB skew here.

If it's not too objectionable ignore it! :)
 
Its not the kind of blocking I'd associate with compression - its large moving blocks almost full screen. I'm wondering if its a duff scart cable. I'll try swapping it tomorrow. I’ll look into the other issues if unsuccessful.

On a side note, if I watch a program from the beginning, then decide 20 mins into it I should have recorded it, can I get it from the beginning? Is it just a matter of live rewinding then hitting record?
 
I think that if you press the select button, and then record, it will save the whole programme. Try it and see, but I'm sure that works.
 
them blocks you see moving around :)

try a different scart socket and make sure nothing else thats using a scart is in use.
i get the same problem, if the kids leave the xbox on, when i turn it off they disappear :)

for those that dont know what its like... its kinda like watching itv and having a very dark but faint, BBC1 rolling past in the background!!!
err does that make sense :D
 
RedDevil_UK said:
for those that dont know what its like... its kinda like watching itv and having a very dark but faint, BBC1 rolling past in the background!!!
err does that make sense :D
Click to expand...
This sounds like a poor quality scart lead. The ghostly picture is what the TV is tuned into and bleads into the signal carried from the satellite box along the scart lead. Solution: screened individual leads inside the scart cable.
 
The 'ghost' problem appears to have gone now I've replaced the scart lead.
I've focused my attention on the quality through the DVD Recorder. The menus (such as the TV guide) look 'fuzzy' when viewed through the DVD R and the colours look a little off (although I don't notice it too much on actual programs). Is it better to use a S-VHS cable than scart to connect sky to the DVD R? Obviously when archiving programs to DVD I want the best quality I can get!
 
I'd use s-video + cinch audio to connect to DVD recorder....
 
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