Digibox (Software) Problems

Hello,

I have 2 Sky+ boxes, which both recently expired from warranty
(original 1 year), not so suprisingly, both have started acting
strangely.

They frequently stop playing channels, all I get is a blue screen and
the EPG info (no error), recordings do not get past the EPG ... now,
this clearly isn't a hardware fault. The hard drive must work as it can
record sometimes, the tuners can't be broken as they work sometimes ...
so its software.

Now, I'm not usually a conspiracy guy ... but clearly, Sky have vast
control over the machines ... they can change channels, pins ... from
HQ, what is to stop them creating bugs for those who don't renew
warranty?

I don't think Sky are stupid, so clearly when weighing the odds of me
paying for warranty (against 2 boxes) with me stopping my sub (£50 a
month), they would loose out by me leaving, but I can't help feeling
this is phishy - one box has not had a single problem in the 12 months
I have had it, its been wonderful.

I think I'll phone Sky and just yell the conspiracy theory, how I'm
moving to cable ... how I have been a customer for 13 years, and maybe
they will stop the bugs if they are making the problems .. if not,
maybe I'll get a nice offer or something.

I forgot to add, a reboot solves all of these problems, but I'm having
to do it atleast twice a day .. I'm not paying £50 a month for the
pleasure or unplugging my murdoch box.

wrote:

I have 2 Sky+ boxes, which both recently expired from warranty
(original 1 year), not so suprisingly, both have started acting
strangely.

Your legal rights extend far beyond any warranty period.


They frequently stop playing channels, all I get is a blue screen and
the EPG info (no error), recordings do not get past the EPG ... now,
this clearly isn't a hardware fault. The hard drive must work as it can
record sometimes, the tuners can't be broken as they work sometimes ...
so its software.

Turn off instant rewind.
Does live TV now always work correctly? If not, swap the two LNB feeds
over at the back of the box. Does live TV now always work correctly?

Try these, in order. Stop if successful.

Planner rebuild.

Firmware reload.

Full system reset (this will erase your recordings).

--
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. ;-)

wrote in message
ps.com...
Now, I'm not usually a conspiracy guy ... but clearly, Sky have vast
control over the machines ... they can change channels, pins ... from
HQ, what is to stop them creating bugs for those who don't renew
warranty?

For a box out of warranty Sky charge £65 for engineer call out and a refurb
box..this is probably not even covering their costs, so your conspiracy
theory makes no sense at all. And apart from the crazyness of your idea, it
would literally be impossible to implement.

A much more likely theory is that the boxes arent that well built and are
relatively likely to break after a year or so, there are many people who
have reported their boxes breaking after a few months.


BTW, many of the faults you indicate could well be hardware issues even
though you think not...the disk in particular. Try what Jomtien has
suggested re rebuilds.

--
Tumbleweed

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

I do rebuilds, firmware upgrades and system resets, but the problem
always comes back.

The Sky+ becomes a dodo, no live TV or watching recordings ... and
sometimes any recordings in progress don't work (Technical Error), but
they do sometimes.

I can't see how that could be a hardware fault, I have never had a
fault that comes and goes like that.

I do think it would be easy for Sky to do, they can send software over
the air and messages to the box, what is to stop them? Its closed
source.

The warrantty, is highly over priced - £200 for the 2 boxes, they'd
love that.

On 22 Nov 2006 18:32:32 -0800, wrote:

I do think it would be easy for Sky to do, they can send software over
the air and messages to the box, what is to stop them? Its closed
source.

Yes, and did you know that Marks & Spencers deliberately put
ingredients in their underpants which makes them disintegrate after
the warranty has expired?

Fetch me my tinfoil!

--

Zero Tolerance wrote:
On 22 Nov 2006 18:32:32 -0800, wrote:


I do think it would be easy for Sky to do, they can send software over
the air and messages to the box, what is to stop them? Its closed
source.


Yes, and did you know that Marks & Spencers deliberately put
ingredients in their underpants which makes them disintegrate after
the warranty has expired?

And they don't have the warning "May contain nuts" !

wrote in message
oups.com...
I do rebuilds, firmware upgrades and system resets, but the problem
always comes back.

The Sky+ becomes a dodo, no live TV or watching recordings ... and
sometimes any recordings in progress don't work (Technical Error), but
they do sometimes.

I can't see how that could be a hardware fault, I have never had a
fault that comes and goes like that.


Actually, I think you've got one!

And you've never had a car with an intermittent fault? You havent lived!

--
Tumbleweed

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

What piece of hardware could it be?

I really don't figure the odds of 2 Sky+ boxes exhibitting the same
faults, after near-perfect (perfect in the case of one box) bevahiour
for a whole year.

I would personally weigh the odds of Sky trying to get more money over
2 boxes breaking at the same time with the same issues.

Tumbleweed wrote:

wrote in message
oups.com...
I do rebuilds, firmware upgrades and system resets, but the problem
always comes back.

The Sky+ becomes a dodo, no live TV or watching recordings ... and
sometimes any recordings in progress don't work (Technical Error), but
they do sometimes.

I can't see how that could be a hardware fault, I have never had a
fault that comes and goes like that.


Actually, I think you've got one!

And you've never had a car with an intermittent fault? You havent lived!

--
Tumbleweed

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

wrote in message
ups.com...
What piece of hardware could it be?

Ah, a troll. PLONK!

--
Tumbleweed

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