Help for the Barman

[Berek]

and a blatant request for Karma

this works for me:

WARNING - following this advice is totally at your discretion and anything which happens to your digibox as a result is your responsibility, not mine. You will lose all recorded programmes from your Sky+ Planner.

Sky tech support can talk you through performing a system restore over the phone. To do this yourself, press 'services' on your Sky plus remote, then select option 4. Next press 0, 1, select - you should now see the engineer's menu. Choose option 8, 'Full System Reset'. The box will now take a few minutes to reset itself.

Try pausing or recording again, and if the problem persists disconnect the digibox from the mains power. Press and hold the 'left' and 'right' navigation buttons on the front of the digibox whilst you reconnect the mains power. Continue holding the buttons in for about 20 seconds, and when the ring of light on the front comes on, press the 'select' button on the front of the digibox (between the left and right buttons you were holding). The Sky+ recording logo lights will spin backwards and, according to the Sky engineer, this will "clear the hard drive".

Once this is done, disconnect the digibox from the mains power again and this time press and hold the 'back up' button whilst you reconnect the mains power. Continue holding it for about 15 seconds until 3 lights on the front of the box come on and you get a full-screen message saying "Updating system software. Do not disconnect mains supply or satellite dish."

Leave the digibox doing its thing for about 10 minutes and it should be fixed! Try pausing and recording things again... hopefully you've just saved yourself ?65.

If you've not been so lucky, you'll have to get Sky to fix it for you. Some people report that if you ask to cancel your subscription Sky sometimes offer a free callout to fix the problem - you're more valuable to them as a paying customer than the cost of an engineer callout.

[Barman]

I?ve done that ? I think the problem is that the dish has moved a little ? my signal is so tiny that it has to be perfectly aligned and we had a big storm last week. I can get Sky okay, Sky news, Discovery, etc. but the signal is too small for BBC which are not (I think) encrypted in the same way as the other channels or something.

Thanks for your help tho.

[Uncle Mort]

What is it with these boxes?

Every so often my Freeview/Top Up TV box locks up and I have to switch it off from the mains to get a reset. It used to take about three goes to get it working again but I've had a software download and it resets first time. It still needs resetting though. 

[Darwins Selection]

What is it with these boxes?

Every so often my Freeview/Top Up TV box locks up and I have to switch it off from the mains to get a reset. It used to take about three goes to get it working again but I've had a software download and it resets first time. It still needs resetting though. 

Somebody told me there is a little computer inside them.

All is explained.

[Barman]

What is it with these boxes?

Every so often my Freeview/Top Up TV box locks up and I have to switch it off from the mains to get a reset. It used to take about three goes to get it working again but I've had a software download and it resets first time. It still needs resetting though. 

Too clever by half ? that?s the problem.

Little computers inside them, minds of their own?mutter?

[Misunderstood]

I?ve done that ? I think the problem is that the dish has moved a little ? my signal is so tiny that it has to be perfectly aligned and we had a big storm last week. I can get Sky okay, Sky news, Discovery, etc. but the signal is too small for BBC which are not (I think) encrypted in the same way as the other channels or something.

Thanks for your help tho.

BBC (and ITV) are not encrypted at all. But are transmitted on a different satellite that is on a lower frequency and tightly focussed on the UK.
 
Because the programming is not encrypted, coryright holders insist it can only be receivable in the UK, so they have already got away with as much as they are going to I suppose.
 
Reports of good signals have been received from central France but any further and you can consider yourself lucky to receive even with large dishes.
 
A system of microwaved relays are getting the service to Spain because of the demand there, but soon you will be able to watch the BBC via the internet as it gathers pace with it's service and is beginning to overcome difficult copyright issues.

The problem with encrypted digital satellite receivers is that they are computers and the key that is inserted into the programme to unscramble is part of a systematic process.  Thus when a signal loss occurs a part of the running program is missing and the program stalls. if it is a cascade error then the program crashes and needs to be reset.

As far as the BBC is concerned, in is simply a weak signal that switches out on threshold errors rather than the old-fashioned fade with analogue where a lock was maintained regardless.  For weak signals digital sucks - ask Nick!

[Bar Wench]

A system of microwaved relays are getting the service to Spain because of the demand there

We were always told it was because of beaming it to Gibralter.

[Darwins Selection]

A system of microwaved relays are getting the service to Spain because of the demand there

We were always told it was because of beaming it to Gibralter.

Silly girl, that was Star Trek.

[Misunderstood]

A system of microwaved relays are getting the service to Spain because of the demand there

We were always told it was because of beaming it to Gibralter.

There is truth in that. but the effect is only felt about as far as Marbella

Places like Alicante were totally devoid - short of a 2 metre dish - and yet are comprehensivly served via local cable companies.

Sky of course use easily receivable signals.
It has long been felt that Sky are quite well aware of what is happening and is content to rake in the ex-pat revenue.  The EU supports the notion that nationial TV should be available to ex-pats abroad (within Europe) and are trying to make it happen.

[Bar Wench]

A system of microwaved relays are getting the service to Spain because of the demand there

We were always told it was because of beaming it to Gibralter.

There is truth in that. but the effect is only felt about as far as Marbella

Places like Alicante were totally devoid - short of a 2 metre dish - and yet are comprehensivly served via local cable companies.

Sky of course use easily receivable signals.
It has long been felt that Sky are quite well aware of what is happening and is content to rake in the ex-pat revenue.  The EU supports the notion that nationial TV should be available to ex-pats abroad (within Europe) and are trying to make it happen.

Oh of course they are! When Tim Lovejoy tells people from Spain live on air to stop calling in because you don't have Sky  I think you have to be pretty sure they know. 

[grumpyoldsoldier]

I?ve done that ? I think the problem is that the dish has moved a little ? my signal is so tiny that it has to be perfectly aligned and we had a big storm last week. I can get Sky okay, Sky news, Discovery, etc. but the signal is too small for BBC which are not (I think) encrypted in the same way as the other channels or something.

Thanks for your help tho.

BBC (and ITV) are not encrypted at all. But are transmitted on a different satellite that is on a lower frequency and tightly focussed on the UK.
 
Because the programming is not encrypted, coryright holders insist it can only be receivable in the UK, so they have already got away with as much as they are going to I suppose.
 
Reports of good signals have been received from central France but any further and you can consider yourself lucky to receive even with large dishes.
 
A system of microwaved relays are getting the service to Spain because of the demand there, but soon you will be able to watch the BBC via the internet as it gathers pace with it's service and is beginning to overcome difficult copyright issues.

The problem with encrypted digital satellite receivers is that they are computers and the key that is inserted into the programme to unscramble is part of a systematic process.  Thus when a signal loss occurs a part of the running program is missing and the program stalls. if it is a cascade error then the program crashes and needs to be reset.

As far as the BBC is concerned, in is simply a weak signal that switches out on threshold errors rather than the old-fashioned fade with analogue where a lock was maintained regardless.  For weak signals digital sucks - ask Nick!

You are very clever for a bouncer! You could get a proper job

[Misunderstood]

You are very clever for a bouncer! You could get a proper job

Correction.  Used to be clever - I need to get this stuff out somewhere before it all just fades away.....

[grumpyoldsoldier]

Outstanding... I know who to contact when the bloody thing goes tits up... again

[Misunderstood]

Outstanding... I know who to contact when the bloody thing goes tits up... again

I am very good at coping with tits up situations!   

[Snoopy]

I assume you will approach such situations in a spirit of missionary zeal.