What Can I Replace My Aging Sky+ HD Box With?

[Raistlin]

Simple question (possibly) .....

Our Sky+ HD box is getting on a bit (OK, a *lot*).

We're getting a whole load of 'Technical Fault 7' errors, which the general consensus of opinion seems to suggest are related to a dying HDD.

Thinking about replacing the HDD has got me thinking about whether or not it's possible to just replace the whole box with something that isn't 'Sky' necessarily, but which will do the same job (take a Sky viewing card, decrypt the feed, save to HDD).

This has the benefits of a) solving the current problem, b) giving me a shiny new toy to play with, and c) allowing me to leave the old one connected to the TV while we finish watching the previously recorded stuff.

Thoughts?

Thanks

[ferretuk]

Originally Posted by Raistlin

whether or not it's possible to just replace the whole box with something that isn't 'Sky' necessarily, but which will do the same job (take a Sky viewing card, decrypt the feed, save to HDD).

No. The Sky Videoguard encryption system is proprietary and only supported in hardware supplied by them.

if you have been a customer a long time I would call them explain the box is broken explain you are not prepared to pay for a tech so you are leaving . I always ended up with a free call out and new box

[Tezcatlipoca]

Crappy old Thomson box? If so, may well also be dodgy capacitors in the PSU, as well as (or instead of) a failing HDD.


Get it replaced by Sky, for free, with a nice new DRX890, which will have the benefit of being compatible with Sky On Demand and any other new features.

http://www.skyuser.co.uk/forum/sky-h...ox-scheme.html


Sky's run this offer a few times. Mrs D and I had our old Thomson box replaced for free last year.

[Raistlin]

Originally Posted by ferretuk

No. The Sky Videoguard encryption system is proprietary and only supported in hardware supplied by them.

Oh bum ..... I feared as much.

Replacement HDD it is then - don't suppose there's any way to copy recorded programs from one to the other?

---------- Post added at 20:34 ---------- Previous post was at 20:32 ----------

Originally Posted by Matt D

Crappy old Thomson box? If so, may well also be dodgy capacitors in the PSU, as well as (or instead of) a failing HDD.


Get it replaced by Sky, for free, with a nice new DRX890, which will have the benefit of being compatible with Sky On Demand and any other new features.

http://www.skyuser.co.uk/forum/sky-h...ox-scheme.html


Sky's run this offer a few times. Mrs D and I had our old Thomson box replaced for free last year.

I think it's a Samsung one :-/

[Tezcatlipoca]

Ah Try your luck anyway and phone Sky, see what they say

[Raistlin]

Will do. Ta!

I had a handful of boxes out of contract with the threat to leave they never called my bluff

[bubblegun]

Originally Posted by Raistlin

Oh bum ..... I feared as much.

Replacement HDD it is then - don't suppose there's any way to copy recorded programs from one to the other?

---------- Post added at 20:34 ---------- Previous post was at 20:32 ----------



I think it's a Samsung one :-/

Best offer box will be £29, install will be £30, £15, £5 or free depending on your tenure on your account. If you upgrade to multiroom you can get free install and maybe a free box with free service call on the existing box.

Best service call price is £15 (3 month warranty) or you can get a years extended warranty for £65 currently.

[dilli-theclaw]

if you get struck I can post you my sky+ he box as I didn't need it now