What can you do with old Sky +HD box? - SV650.org

_Stretchie_ · 10-08-12, 07:17 PM

We're currently with BT for phone, internet and TV and the TV is CRAP, it's horrible to use and not very reliable, we just don't like it, but to go back to Sky or go to Virgin it will cost twice as much to get the extra frills that we would want them for (movies, food channels, Discovery Shed and the like)

Been thinking about getting a free sat box with internet connectivity and subscribing to Netflix for movies and staying with BT for the phone and high speed internet (as they keep ringing me up and trying to get me to sign up to it), it's only the BT TV that we don't like.

SOOOO, just dug out the old Sky+ HD box and plugged it in to make sure the sky dish is working fine and found it gives us quite a few channels but we cannot pause, rewind, record or watch anything that we previously recorded to it.

I'm not after 'chipping it' or whatever and getting free channels but is there anyway to unlock the pause, rewind and record functionality or any other cool tricks mods that can be done?

If it helps, the box was last plugged in and used nearly 18 months ago and is a Samsung

maviczap · 10-08-12, 07:50 PM

Gt a Freesat card for this Sky+ box, sky will charge you £27 for the card, but you should get some more channels.

But you won't get the pause, rewind or record function back.

Ge a freesat decoder box and plug that into the sat dish, as SKY & Freesat are beamed from the same satellite.

You can get Freesat boxes with a built in HDD drive, or one that records to a connected USB device. Handy if you've got any old external HDD drives or an old HDD you can put in an exclosure.

Sell the Sky+ box

maviczap · 10-08-12, 07:53 PM

Or build a media centre PC with a satellite tuner card and have it connected the internet, so you can watch Netflix, Love film, BBCi player, ITV player Youtube etc

muzikill · 10-08-12, 08:08 PM

You have to subscribe to activate the pvr.

maviczap · 10-08-12, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by muzikill

You have to subscribe to activate the pvr.

And impossible to hack a sky box I think

gruntygiggles · 10-08-12, 09:12 PM

Neither of us would ever hack...just put BT box back on as we have become too attached to the ability to pause and rewind.

Really annoying thing though is that I have watched all of the equestrian events at the Olympics on the laptop...when if he had tried the sky box before, I could have watched it all on the tv

Oh well, no matter...we won 3 golds a silver and a bronze so that kind of makes up for it!

maviczap · 11-08-12, 07:26 AM

You can pause and rewind using some of these satellite boxes too, and I can with my media PC.

Just unfortunate that Sky perfected it before anyone else

NTECUK · 11-08-12, 07:33 AM

Humax do a nice but expensive sat pvr .

maviczap · 11-08-12, 07:51 AM

But once you've paid for it, that's it, no more Sky payments

NTECUK · 11-08-12, 09:13 AM

True but Dave and a few other good channels are missing on free Sat but on terrestrial free.
Unfortunately sky has you painted into a corner .

10-08-12, 07:17 PM	#1
_Stretchie_ Large Member Mega Poster Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minsterworth, Gloucester Posts: 2,353	What can you do with old Sky +HD box? We're currently with BT for phone, internet and TV and the TV is CRAP, it's horrible to use and not very reliable, we just don't like it, but to go back to Sky or go to Virgin it will cost twice as much to get the extra frills that we would want them for (movies, food channels, Discovery Shed and the like) Been thinking about getting a free sat box with internet connectivity and subscribing to Netflix for movies and staying with BT for the phone and high speed internet (as they keep ringing me up and trying to get me to sign up to it), it's only the BT TV that we don't like. SOOOO, just dug out the old Sky+ HD box and plugged it in to make sure the sky dish is working fine and found it gives us quite a few channels but we cannot pause, rewind, record or watch anything that we previously recorded to it. I'm not after 'chipping it' or whatever and getting free channels but is there anyway to unlock the pause, rewind and record functionality or any other cool tricks mods that can be done? If it helps, the box was last plugged in and used nearly 18 months ago and is a Samsung __________________ How to amuze an idiot: Look right-> <-Look Left

10-08-12, 07:50 PM	#2
maviczap Member Mega Poster Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 9,097	Re: What can you do with old Sky +HD box? Gt a Freesat card for this Sky+ box, sky will charge you £27 for the card, but you should get some more channels. But you won't get the pause, rewind or record function back. Ge a freesat decoder box and plug that into the sat dish, as SKY & Freesat are beamed from the same satellite. You can get Freesat boxes with a built in HDD drive, or one that records to a connected USB device. Handy if you've got any old external HDD drives or an old HDD you can put in an exclosure. Sell the Sky+ box __________________ We're riding out tonight to case the promised land Make everyday count RIP Reeder - Jolly Green Giant and comedy genius

10-08-12, 07:53 PM	#3
maviczap Member Mega Poster Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 9,097	Re: What can you do with old Sky +HD box? Or build a media centre PC with a satellite tuner card and have it connected the internet, so you can watch Netflix, Love film, BBCi player, ITV player Youtube etc __________________ We're riding out tonight to case the promised land Make everyday count RIP Reeder - Jolly Green Giant and comedy genius

10-08-12, 08:08 PM	#4
muzikill Member Mega Poster Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Dunfermline Posts: 1,712	You have to subscribe to activate the pvr. __________________ Learn to maintain your bike, take it apart, rebuild the engine & more (using better bolts ), drop it & fix it again! K3 Job c.v: Engine:remove/split/rebuild/refit. Replace:Gearbox,Fuel pump,Gaskets. Piston clean,rings. Overhaul:Throttle body,Injectors,Brakes,Forks. Remove/refit:Exhaust,Radiator,Oil cooler,Throttle,Air filter,Tank. Replace: Oil,Coolant,grease,brake hoses & bleed.

10-08-12, 09:12 PM	#6
gruntygiggles DaffyGingerBint Mega Poster Join Date: May 2008 Location: Melksham Posts: 1,577	Re: What can you do with old Sky +HD box? Neither of us would ever hack...just put BT box back on as we have become too attached to the ability to pause and rewind. Really annoying thing though is that I have watched all of the equestrian events at the Olympics on the laptop...when if he had tried the sky box before, I could have watched it all on the tv Oh well, no matter...we won 3 golds a silver and a bronze so that kind of makes up for it! __________________ 2012 Welsh TT http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=171244 RIP Hovie baby

11-08-12, 07:26 AM	#7
maviczap Member Mega Poster Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 9,097	Re: What can you do with old Sky +HD box? You can pause and rewind using some of these satellite boxes too, and I can with my media PC. Just unfortunate that Sky perfected it before anyone else __________________ We're riding out tonight to case the promised land Make everyday count RIP Reeder - Jolly Green Giant and comedy genius

11-08-12, 07:33 AM	#8
NTECUK Member Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: essex Posts: 5,314	Re: What can you do with old Sky +HD box? Humax do a nice but expensive sat pvr . __________________ Raisin cookies that look like chocolate chip cookies are the reason I have trust issues.

11-08-12, 07:51 AM	#9
maviczap Member Mega Poster Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 9,097	Re: What can you do with old Sky +HD box? But once you've paid for it, that's it, no more Sky payments __________________ We're riding out tonight to case the promised land Make everyday count RIP Reeder - Jolly Green Giant and comedy genius

11-08-12, 09:13 AM	#10
NTECUK Member Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: essex Posts: 5,314	Re: What can you do with old Sky +HD box? True but Dave and a few other good channels are missing on free Sat but on terrestrial free. Unfortunately sky has you painted into a corner . __________________ Raisin cookies that look like chocolate chip cookies are the reason I have trust issues.