Removing sky card to save energy

[thedavid2007]

I don't subscribe to sky, but I have a sky box and card. I've noticed how hot the card gets after a while. I imagine there's a lot of electronics inside that do nothing but check the card regularly for encryption purposes, even when it's on a free to air channel. I wonder if removing the card will deactivate a lot of internal processing and hence save energy long term. Just a thought.

[spiderplant]

I doubt the card generates much heat itself. More likely the card reader is sited over a hot chip.

Some of the old NTL boxes were notorious for causing the cards to turn broen and warp, but it only happened because the card was right above a very hot chip.

[vm_tech]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

I doubt the card generates much heat itself. More likely the card reader is sited over a hot chip.

Some of the old NTL boxes were notorious for causing the cards to turn broen and warp, but it only happened because the card was right above a very hot chip.

Haha reminded me of when I was a service tech, the old
Pace boxes used to make the original telewest cards go all brittle around the chip! Used to pull them out and they we pretty much shatter!

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by thedavid2007

I don't subscribe to sky, but I have a sky box and card. I've noticed how hot the card gets after a while. I imagine there's a lot of electronics inside that do nothing but check the card regularly for encryption purposes, even when it's on a free to air channel. I wonder if removing the card will deactivate a lot of internal processing and hence save energy long term. Just a thought.

Sky boxes use a lot more energy than other satellite boxes. If I were you I'd unplug it at night if you aren't recording anything.

They tell you not to do this because it may miss an update, but any updates will be picked up as soon as you plug it back in.

[ozsat]

That is not the case with most Sky boxes - if you miss an update it could be weeks before they send the trigger to you box and that will also be overnight - so switching it off will miss that one too.

You can force an update - but that will not work for the first few weeks of new software being available.

VirginMedia is the only one I know that does a software update check at startup.

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Sky boxes use a lot more energy than other satellite boxes. If I were you I'd unplug it at night if you aren't recording anything.

They tell you not to do this because it may miss an update, but any updates will be picked up as soon as you plug it back in.

[RichardCoulter]

Hmmm so it seems that Sky customers have no choice but to keep their boxes powered up or risk missing an update.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Sky boxes use a lot more energy than other satellite boxes. If I were you I'd unplug it at night if you aren't recording anything.

They tell you not to do this because it may miss an update, but any updates will be picked up as soon as you plug it back in.

They don't use that much energy, and also have lower power mode options for when the box is not being used.

Standby is enough to cool down and save energy though, no need to unplug it at all.

[muppetman11]

Switch the standby mode to Eco.

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/us...andby-settings

[RichardCoulter]

Some figures here:

https://www.sust-it.net/energy-saving.php?id=6

Think there must be an error and the in use and standby figures have been transposed as the standby figures are higher than the in use mode!