PIN number on odd channels

Both Horror channel and sometimes TCM are suddenly asking for a PIN number
intermittently. Does anybody have any idea why and if it is now suddenly
necessary, what PIN number is it asking for?

Thanks in anticipation.

"Brian" wrote in message
.uk...
Both Horror channel and sometimes TCM are suddenly asking for a PIN number
intermittently. Does anybody have any idea why and if it is now suddenly
necessary, what PIN number is it asking for?

Thanks in anticipation.

I think (IIRC) its any film recorded after a certain time, eg the
'watershed', probably 8 or 9pm or so hence the 'randomness'.

Default for the PIN is the last 4 digits of your card, if its not that
you'll have to phone them.

--
Tumbleweed

email replies not necessary but to contact use;
tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com

"Brian" wrote in message
.uk...
Both Horror channel and sometimes TCM are suddenly asking for a PIN number
intermittently. Does anybody have any idea why and if it is now suddenly
necessary, what PIN number is it asking for?

Thanks in anticipation.



T'is a pain in the arse.

Happened to me last night on the Horror Channel too.

And if you take your $ky card out, it insists you reinsert it, so I guess
this is one more way that Sky can envelope their tentacles of evil around
Free-To-Air users.

We will still need a Sky card, even for Free-To-Air channels to ****ing
enter this PIN rubbish.

You can't win.

In article , Brian
wrote:

Both Horror channel and sometimes TCM are suddenly asking for a PIN number
intermittently. Does anybody have any idea why and if it is now suddenly
necessary, what PIN number is it asking for?

Thanks in anticipation.

Sky has brought in a parental control arrangement which asks for a PIN
for any 12 or 15-rated film before 2000 and any 18-rated filmi before
2200. PG films do not require PIN entry, nor 12/15 after 2000 or 18
after 2200. If you have Sky+ you will be asked for the PIN if you watch
a recording before the watershed for its rating.

The major problem with this is that if TCM show an 18-rated film
before 2200 (which they quite often do) then you can't record it
unattended from an ordinary Sky box because all you will get is a
recording of the PIN demand.

These controls can not be turned off: nothing in the 'Parental Control'
setting will remove them. It's a nonsense - yesterday I had to enter my
PIN on Sky+ to watch a 12 rated film at 1855 - and I'm 63. For families
with kids it's still a nonsense - if your (hypthetical) 12-year-old
wants to watch a 12-rated film he needs the PIN, and now he can access
18-rated films!

Numerous protest have been made to Sky. They have indicated that they
are not going to remove these controls but will modify the software to
make it easier to use (whatever that means). Hopefully adult users will
be able to choose to enter the PIN just once to disable this nonsense.

"Roger Wilmut" wrote in message
. ..
In article , Brian
wrote:

Both Horror channel and sometimes TCM are suddenly asking for a PIN
number
intermittently. Does anybody have any idea why and if it is now suddenly
necessary, what PIN number is it asking for?

Thanks in anticipation.

Sky has brought in a parental control arrangement which asks for a PIN
for any 12 or 15-rated film before 2000 and any 18-rated filmi before
2200. PG films do not require PIN entry, nor 12/15 after 2000 or 18
after 2200. If you have Sky+ you will be asked for the PIN if you watch
a recording before the watershed for its rating.

The major problem with this is that if TCM show an 18-rated film
before 2200 (which they quite often do) then you can't record it
unattended from an ordinary Sky box because all you will get is a
recording of the PIN demand.

These controls can not be turned off: nothing in the 'Parental Control'
setting will remove them. It's a nonsense - yesterday I had to enter my
PIN on Sky+ to watch a 12 rated film at 1855 - and I'm 63. For families
with kids it's still a nonsense - if your (hypthetical) 12-year-old
wants to watch a 12-rated film he needs the PIN, and now he can access
18-rated films!

Numerous protest have been made to Sky. They have indicated that they
are not going to remove these controls but will modify the software to
make it easier to use (whatever that means). Hopefully adult users will
be able to choose to enter the PIN just once to disable this nonsense.



* It forces FTA channel users to use a Sky Viewing Card.

On Wed, 02 Nov 2005 16:00:39 GMT, "Brian"
wrote:

Both Horror channel and sometimes TCM are suddenly asking for a PIN number
intermittently. Does anybody have any idea why and if it is now suddenly
necessary, what PIN number is it asking for?

It's an Ofcom rule - 18-rated movies shown before 10pm must not be
viewable without a PIN.

Horror channel, PIN number required ......

However, the videostream isn't actually encypted (which you can prove
by pulling viewing card out, after entering PIN). So it should still be
fine on non-Sky FTA receivers.

I realise this is no help to people watching on Sky digiboxes! However,
surely it's better to have this, rather than Horror Channel being
unable to show some films?

In article , Zero Tolerance
wrote:

On Wed, 02 Nov 2005 16:00:39 GMT, "Brian"
wrote:

Both Horror channel and sometimes TCM are suddenly asking for a PIN number
intermittently. Does anybody have any idea why and if it is now suddenly
necessary, what PIN number is it asking for?

It's an Ofcom rule - 18-rated movies shown before 10pm must not be
viewable without a PIN.

Actually, it's not as simple as that. I wrote to OFCOM about this: they
referred me to their website at

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/codes...ngu18/?a=87101

and added:
"You will see from the Code that we do not require PIN protection on 15
or 18 certified content if it is broadcast post-watershed, neither do
we require that a PIN protection system be in place when recorded
programmes are wateched prior to the watershed. If Sky Plus has taken
the decision to build a mandatory PIN protection into the recording
facility on their equipment then this is a commercial decision for
them."

You will note that the watershed is 2100, or 2000 in certain cases
(e.g. subscription movie channels). Therefore 18-rated material shown
at 2100 should be fine. Also there is no requirement to PIN protect
recordings. Sky have thought that one up all on their own.

"Roger Wilmut" wrote in message
. ..
In article , Zero Tolerance
wrote:

On Wed, 02 Nov 2005 16:00:39 GMT, "Brian"
wrote:

Both Horror channel and sometimes TCM are suddenly asking for a PIN
number
intermittently. Does anybody have any idea why and if it is now suddenly
necessary, what PIN number is it asking for?

It's an Ofcom rule - 18-rated movies shown before 10pm must not be
viewable without a PIN.

Actually, it's not as simple as that. I wrote to OFCOM about this: they
referred me to their website at

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/codes...ngu18/?a=87101

and added:
"You will see from the Code that we do not require PIN protection on 15
or 18 certified content if it is broadcast post-watershed, neither do
we require that a PIN protection system be in place when recorded
programmes are wateched prior to the watershed. If Sky Plus has taken
the decision to build a mandatory PIN protection into the recording
facility on their equipment then this is a commercial decision for
them."

You will note that the watershed is 2100, or 2000 in certain cases
(e.g. subscription movie channels). Therefore 18-rated material shown
at 2100 should be fine. Also there is no requirement to PIN protect
recordings. Sky have thought that one up all on their own.



I.e.., anyone with a Sky box wanting to watch these services FTA at peak
time, now needs a working Sky card to enter the stupid PIN.

Follow the money... who is the beneficiary of this... Sky.

In uk.media.tv.sky on Thu, 3 Nov 2005, Zero Tolerance wrote :
On Wed, 02 Nov 2005 16:00:39 GMT, "Brian"
wrote:

Both Horror channel and sometimes TCM are suddenly asking for a PIN number
intermittently. Does anybody have any idea why and if it is now suddenly
necessary, what PIN number is it asking for?

It's an Ofcom rule - 18-rated movies shown before 10pm must not be
viewable without a PIN.

Hasn't anyone told Ofcom the watershed is 9pm, anyway?
--
Paul 'US Sitcom Fan' Hyett