newbie questions

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johnc2k

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hello all,

im new to this forum, and I must say theres a whole lotta useful info on here so thanks for that! :D

anyhoo im looking at getting a Sky Digital install at home, but I have a few questions....

Should I get a OEM Sky Digital Box, or should I go with one of the third party boxs such as the dreambox?
I have a general understanding about CAMS & Cards and there uses ;) so I will be wanting a digi box compatible with those.

Are most DigiBoxs able to read any card? eg Would a Sky OEM box be able to read a thirdparty card without any problems?

What are the differences between the different types of cards? Eg tit, opus, pentacard etc?

Is it possible to clone an activated Sky Card for use somewhere else in my house?

no doubt i will think of more questions as i read through the forum

thanks

John
 
Hi John

If you want Sky then you should really get a Sky digibox. You can use the card in a dreambox, but it needs to be activated in a digibox first (with its own serial number), also, at some point in the future the Sky card may stop working in the dreambox.

You can't use any other cards or cams in any of the Sky digiboxes.

If you want to do anything with card and cams you will need another receiver (and really a dish setup able to look at something other than 28e, the satellites sky come from).

If you think you are going to have Sky for at least a year your best option might be to get sky installed while you look around at what you need for a non-sky setup and how to integrate the two systems. There is a minimum contract of a year for sky.

If you are not bothered that much about Sky then you could forget all about it and start looking for a non-sky cam/dreambox type setup.
 
thanks for the reply polomint,

can a sky card be activated in any digibox, or does it have to be a OEM Sky Box?
 
"Digibox" is the term normally used for all Sky digiboxes, and only Sky digiboxes. They are not made by Sky, but by Pace, Panasonic etc and all have the Sky logo on them, and versions of Sky's EPG software.

A Sky viewing card has to be activated with the serial number from one of these Sky digiboxes. :)
 
hmmm ok, can any of the third party digiboxs be modified (eg updated rom/software etc) to accept third party cards?

also I noticed this today:

Sky cam released - The NDS cam has arrived ! A software patch for a multicam (Preditor cam ) has been released on the Internet that allows NDS channels to be decoded. Once the cam has been updated with this firmware it allows you to watch Sky UK or Sky Italy using a standard digital receiver and valid subscription. This is the first time a non Sky box has been used to watch Sky digital UK. It's expected other cams will also become available in the near future.
Click to expand...
so it looks like it could be possible to watch sky with a non-sky digibox ? :-idea
 
Yes, Sky can be watched on non-sky receivers, but only once the (valid) Sky card has been activated, which brings you back to the original problem of needing a digibox.

If you mean can non-Sky services be watched on non-Sky receivers, then yes, many other pay services are available with some equipment and knowledge. If you start a thread about it in digital systems section people will be able to give advice on what's available etc.
 
if i activated the sky card on an OEM SkyBox and then tried to use it on a third party box, would that work? Or would it detect its on a different system?
 
On the non Sky box you need to enter the serial number of the Sky box you activated it in. Then it should work fine (I believe the card updates OK, someone here should be able to confirm), for the time being, it seems unlikely that Sky won't retaliate against this somehow/sometime.
 
would sky be able to detect that there our multiple systems running with the same serial number and card?

for example: i get a sky install downstairs for me and then another sky install upstairs for the kids? and have one system running a OEM box and original card, and the other system running third party box with modified serial and cloned card.
 
That idea wouldn't work John, as you can't clone a Sky card. Yes, you can watch Sky in non-Sky receivers, but you still need a valid Sky card for that receiver.

You could have Sky upstairs in a digibox, and use the same card downstairs in a dreambox, but you would only be able to use the card in one box at a time.
 
It needs to be ACTIVATED in a Sky digibox. Then and only then, you can use it in a Dragon cam or a dreambox, using the serial number from the original digibox.
 
Analoguesat said:
It needs to be ACTIVATED in a Sky digibox. Then and only then, you can use it in a Dragon cam or a dreambox, using the serial number from the original digibox.
Click to expand...

So if you subscribe to the full Sky pachage, activate the card in a digibox and then move it to a non Sky box as you describe. And then you change your subscription to the basic package, are Sky able to update the card whilst it is in the non-digibox, or will you continue to receve the originally subscribed channels?
 
I think that's very unlikely BP as the card can still receive updates when in the non-sky box. But maybe someone who has tried can confirm that.
 
But, I thought the minimum Sky subscription was for 1 year?

If you take Sky "on trial", then change your mind, I'm pretty sure the viewing card will stop working (on subscription channels), whether or not it's in a digibox.

Sky have been very careful with their propriety encryption scheme, I don't think there's any way it can be cracked, or "got round"!
 
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