Getting Smartlink to work with Sky+

I have a Sony video with Smartlink and Sky+, but cannot get the Smartlink to
work.

I have L1 on the video connected to the VCR SCART on the Sky+ box. There is
no direct connection between my video and TV.

Any ideas as to why Smartlink doesn't work and how I could get it working?

Cheers,

Charles

Charles Elliott wrote:

I have L1 on the video connected to the VCR SCART on the Sky+ box. There is
no direct connection between my video and TV.

Any ideas as to why Smartlink doesn't work and how I could get it working?

To use Smartlink you will need a direct connection between the VCR and
the TV and so will either need to use three scart leads like this:
TV = Digibox1, Digibox2 = VCR2, VCR1 = TV (scart socket accepting
Smartlink)
or two leads like this:
TV = VCR1, VCR2 = Digibox1

Neither is ideal though the former is better.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/yvnsy
How to get UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
Fed up with logos / red buttons? : http://logofreetv.org/
BBC gone? : http://www.astra2d.co.uk/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)

Thanks, I'll try that.

In my simple world the Smartlink signal would come from the Sky+ box to the
video. I can't understand why the connection to the TV is necessary. Is
there a quick explanation as to why??

Charles

On 26/9/04 7:54 am, in article ,
"Jomtien" wrote:

Charles Elliott wrote:

I have L1 on the video connected to the VCR SCART on the Sky+ box. There is
no direct connection between my video and TV.

Any ideas as to why Smartlink doesn't work and how I could get it working?

To use Smartlink you will need a direct connection between the VCR and
the TV and so will either need to use three scart leads like this:
TV = Digibox1, Digibox2 = VCR2, VCR1 = TV (scart socket accepting
Smartlink)
or two leads like this:
TV = VCR1, VCR2 = Digibox1

Neither is ideal though the former is better.

Charles Elliott wrote:

In my simple world the Smartlink signal would come from the Sky+ box to the
video. I can't understand why the connection to the TV is necessary. Is
there a quick explanation as to why??

That isn't how Smartlink works. It enables communication between the
VCR and the TV only. The Sky box doesn't support Smartlink at all.

In fact I don't quite see why you want Smartlink.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/yvnsy
How to get UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
Fed up with logos / red buttons? : http://logofreetv.org/
BBC gone? : http://www.astra2d.co.uk/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)

Thanks again Jomtien. Maybe there is some misunderstanding - I have Sky+ and
in the manual it tells me that when I am copying from Sky+ to tape it will
automatically control (i.e. Start recording) a Smartlink compatible video.
This is what I'm trying to get to work - at the moment my video does not
recognise any Smartlink signal from Sky+.

Cheers,

Charles

On 27/9/04 7:27 am, in article ,
"Jomtien" wrote:

Charles Elliott wrote:

In my simple world the Smartlink signal would come from the Sky+ box to the
video. I can't understand why the connection to the TV is necessary. Is
there a quick explanation as to why??

That isn't how Smartlink works. It enables communication between the
VCR and the TV only. The Sky box doesn't support Smartlink at all.

In fact I don't quite see why you want Smartlink.

On 27/9/04 7:27 am, in article ,
"Jomtien" wrote:
That isn't how Smartlink works. It enables communication between the
VCR and the TV only. The Sky box doesn't support Smartlink at all.

In fact I don't quite see why you want Smartlink.

then Charles Elliott wrote:
Thanks again Jomtien. Maybe there is some misunderstanding - I have Sky+ and
in the manual it tells me that when I am copying from Sky+ to tape it will
automatically control (i.e. Start recording) a Smartlink compatible video.
This is what I'm trying to get to work - at the moment my video does not
recognise any Smartlink signal from Sky+.

This puzzled me for a while before I gave up and just hit Record on the
video at the same time the Sky+ box started playing. Would be interested to
know if it is possible to "autostart" recording on the video...


Stu
--
get rid of nospaam. when emailing

Charles Elliott wrote:

Maybe there is some misunderstanding - I have Sky+ and
in the manual it tells me that when I am copying from Sky+ to tape it will
automatically control (i.e. Start recording) a Smartlink compatible video.
This is what I'm trying to get to work - at the moment my video does not
recognise any Smartlink signal from Sky+.

Ah. That isn't what I would call SmartLink (a proprietary name). I
would call that auto-record.

For this to work you have to connect the VCR to the VCR socket on the
Sky+. Some VCRs will also require you to use VCR scart socket 2 for
this. See the VCR manual. Then you probably need to put the VCR into
standby having previously switched on the auto-record option in the
VCR menu. Then the VCR will respond to the digibox VCR scart pin 8
going high.

This is exactly the same technology as autoview recording using a
regular Sky digibox, though the Sky+ doesn't directly support this for
obvious reasons.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/yvnsy
How to get UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
Fed up with logos / red buttons? : http://logofreetv.org/
BBC gone? : http://www.astra2d.co.uk/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)

Stuart Nuttall wrote:

Would be interested to
know if it is possible to "autostart" recording on the video...

See my other reply. It certainly is possible on some VCRs, even the
very cheap ones.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/yvnsy
How to get UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
Fed up with logos / red buttons? : http://logofreetv.org/
BBC gone? : http://www.astra2d.co.uk/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)