Problem with Sky+ box

For some time now I've been having problems with my Sky+ box.

Initial symptoms were that recording playbacks would freeze. Going back
to the planner you could restart it and it would lock at the same place,
although you could FF through it sometimes, or start it just after the
time when it froze.

A couple of months ago when we got back from a trip to the UK we found
that the system was completely locked. A call to Sky (on my UK mobile !)
advised me how to do a system reset from the installer's menu and that
fixed the problem (with the loss of all the recorded programs), but
gradually it started to go wrong again and in trying to watch something
2 weeks ago I locked the whole system up again.

The system reset fixed it again and I setup all my recordings again, but
when we got back from our last trip it was all locked again.

To start with I couldn't get anything to work, but having switched in my
old Sky box and seen that that worked I put the Sky+ box back in and can
now watch my programs again, but can't make anything record. Whenever I
try I get the message "Sky+ playback and recording unavailable" followed
by the Sky number to call for assistance.

I have tried the system reset several times, cleaning the viewing card
and even the factory reset as mentioned by Bletchley Don recently.

I don't want to call Sky again as they'll want to send an engineer, so
if anyone has any suggestions of things I can try it will be much
appreciated. My own feeling is that the hard disk has died.

Box is a Pace 4.008p, Version # 9F2105,
OS Version # 1.31B00, EPG sky+4.10c

TIA for any help.

BrritSki wrote:

To start with I couldn't get anything to work, but having switched in my
old Sky box and seen that that worked I put the Sky+ box back in and can
now watch my programs again, but can't make anything record. Whenever I
try I get the message "Sky+ playback and recording unavailable"

You put your Sky+ enabled card into another box, didn't you?

You should not do this. It doesn't like it.

Assuming that your hard drive is working, you may need to ring Sky and
get them to re-marry your card to your Sky+.

As for fixing the Sky+ problem, try these in order. Stop when
successful.

Planner rebuild.

Full system reset.

Reload firmware.

Drive format : Unplug from mains. Hold down the right & left cursor
buttons on the front of the Sky+ box and do not release. Plug mains
back in. Do not release buttons until the record light comes on. When
it does, press the select button twice on the front of the Sky+. Wait.

Replace hard drive.

Buy new Sky+.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/8vef5
UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
BBC/ITV reception trouble? ; http://www.astra2d.com/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)

Jomtien wrote:
BrritSki wrote:


To start with I couldn't get anything to work, but having switched in my
old Sky box and seen that that worked I put the Sky+ box back in and can
now watch my programs again, but can't make anything record. Whenever I
try I get the message "Sky+ playback and recording unavailable"


You put your Sky+ enabled card into another box, didn't you?

You should not do this. It doesn't like it.

Assuming that your hard drive is working, you may need to ring Sky and
get them to re-marry your card to your Sky+.

Yes I did swap the cards over but I could only get the FTA channels as
the card was "wrong format for this box" or something.

When I put it back all my subscribed channels were still there, so do I
really need to call Sky to remarry it ? Note that I do not have the
Sky+ box connected to a phone line.

As for fixing the Sky+ problem, try these in order. Stop when
successful.

Planner rebuild.

Full system reset.

Reload firmware.

Drive format : Unplug from mains. Hold down the right & left cursor
buttons on the front of the Sky+ box and do not release. Plug mains
back in. Do not release buttons until the record light comes on. When
it does, press the select button twice on the front of the Sky+. Wait.

Already tried all the above except reloading the firmware. I'll give
that a try and then proceed to the next step if necessary.

Thanks as usual Jomtien...

Replace hard drive.

Buy new Sky+.

Jomtien wrote:

Replace hard drive.

Buy new Sky+.

If it comes to this (haven't tried software reload yet), what would
people recommend:
- replace hard drive (probably with something bigger) OR
- complete new box (possibly with HD) ?

Anyone have any estimates of the costs of replacing a hard drive vs.
costs of a new box with/without HD (no HD TV yet, so ? may be moot) ?

TIA again

BrritSki wrote:

You put your Sky+ enabled card into another box, didn't you?

You should not do this. It doesn't like it.

Assuming that your hard drive is working, you may need to ring Sky and
get them to re-marry your card to your Sky+.

Yes I did swap the cards over but I could only get the FTA channels as
the card was "wrong format for this box" or something.

You should have been able to get the non-premium pay channels and the
FTV channels when using the card in the wrong box. Or is this a
multi-room setup?
However this is not the issue. See below.


When I put it back all my subscribed channels were still there, so do I
really need to call Sky to remarry it ?

Yes, because it is the Sky+ function that has been lost, not the
channel authorisation.

I have come across this before. Don't put Sky+ cards into other boxes.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/8vef5
UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
BBC/ITV reception trouble? ; http://www.astra2d.com/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)

BrritSki wrote:

- replace hard drive (probably with something bigger) OR
- complete new box (possibly with HD) ?

New hard drive = £35 and up.

New HD box = £275, plus activation issues.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/8vef5
UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
BBC/ITV reception trouble? ; http://www.astra2d.com/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)

Jomtien wrote:
BrritSki wrote:


You put your Sky+ enabled card into another box, didn't you?

You should not do this. It doesn't like it.

Assuming that your hard drive is working, you may need to ring Sky and
get them to re-marry your card to your Sky+.


Yes I did swap the cards over but I could only get the FTA channels as
the card was "wrong format for this box" or something.


You should have been able to get the non-premium pay channels and the
FTV channels when using the card in the wrong box. Or is this a
multi-room setup?
However this is not the issue. See below.



When I put it back all my subscribed channels were still there, so do I
really need to call Sky to remarry it ?


Yes, because it is the Sky+ function that has been lost, not the
channel authorisation.

I have come across this before. Don't put Sky+ cards into other boxes.

Called Sky and discussed the situation with them. They said that if the
card needed to be remarried I would get a msg saying it was the wrong
type of card (which I got when I put the Sky+ card in the old Sky box)
and that the msg I was now getting indicated a bad hard disk.

Only thing I haven't tried is the EPG software reload - is that really
likely to make a difference ? Is it dangerouis in any way ?
I really don't want to miss the rugby tomorrow

BrritSki wrote:

I have come across this before. Don't put Sky+ cards into other boxes.

Called Sky and discussed the situation with them. They said that if the
card needed to be remarried I would get a msg saying it was the wrong
type of card (which I got when I put the Sky+ card in the old Sky box)

"Wrong type of card"? I have never seen a message like that. Has
anyone?

The only message I have ever seen that is similar to that is the
standard "wrong card for this box" message, and that is to do with
channel authorisations, not the recording functions.
As I mentioned, I have come across this Sky+ problem before.


and that the msg I was now getting indicated a bad hard disk.

Yes, it could indicate a disk fault and it could also indicate that
the card no longer has the correct recording authorisation for your
box, as I mentioned. Any Sky+ box that doesn't have the Sky+ functions
activated displays the "service not available" message when you hit
the record button.


Only thing I haven't tried is the EPG software reload - is that really
likely to make a difference ?

It may. Though I suspect that your card has simply lost its Sky+
authorisation due to you having put it into another box. As I
mentioned, I have seen this happen before. Sky can reset this if you
call them.

That or the drive is dead. You can pull the drive and test it in a PC
very easily and, if faulty, replace it.


Is it dangerouis in any way ?

Not as long as you don't stop it part way through.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/8vef5
UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
BBC/ITV reception trouble? ; http://www.astra2d.com/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)

Jomtien wrote:
BrritSki wrote:


I have come across this before. Don't put Sky+ cards into other boxes.


Called Sky and discussed the situation with them. They said that if the
card needed to be remarried I would get a msg saying it was the wrong
type of card (which I got when I put the Sky+ card in the old Sky box)


"Wrong type of card"? I have never seen a message like that. Has
anyone?

The only message I have ever seen that is similar to that is the
standard "wrong card for this box" message,

Yes, that's what I meant. I saw it when I put my Sky+ card in my years
old Sky box.


and that is to do with
channel authorisations, not the recording functions.
As I mentioned, I have come across this Sky+ problem before.



and that the msg I was now getting indicated a bad hard disk.


Yes, it could indicate a disk fault and it could also indicate that
the card no longer has the correct recording authorisation for your
box, as I mentioned. Any Sky+ box that doesn't have the Sky+ functions
activated displays the "service not available" message when you hit
the record button.



Only thing I haven't tried is the EPG software reload - is that really
likely to make a difference ?


It may. Though I suspect that your card has simply lost its Sky+
authorisation due to you having put it into another box. As I
mentioned, I have seen this happen before. Sky can reset this if you
call them.

Well I'll try again, but how do I persuade them to do it today when they
wouldn't do it yesterday ?

BrritSki wrote:

It may. Though I suspect that your card has simply lost its Sky+
authorisation due to you having put it into another box. As I
mentioned, I have seen this happen before. Sky can reset this if you
call them.

Well I'll try again, but how do I persuade them to do it today when they
wouldn't do it yesterday ?

Ring the dedicated Sky+ number.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/8vef5
UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
BBC/ITV reception trouble? ; http://www.astra2d.com/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)