Sky messing with my Sky+ box
Discussion
I'm getting rather suspicious here....
My sky+ box was connected to the phone line like it's supposed to be.
I don't have the suggested stupidly priced sky+ box repair cover.
Just lately, my skybox has been getting progressively slower, jamming up, not switching on/off and generally messing about. I've just sorted it again using the tried and tested off at the mains for 5 minutes trick and have now switched it back on without the phone line connected and guess what....
It's much faster and switches off and on as it should with no problems...
Can the folk at he Sky tv HQ remotely send signals down my phone line to bugger up my sky box in an attempt to get me to take out their insurance...?
My sky+ box was connected to the phone line like it's supposed to be.
I don't have the suggested stupidly priced sky+ box repair cover.
Just lately, my skybox has been getting progressively slower, jamming up, not switching on/off and generally messing about. I've just sorted it again using the tried and tested off at the mains for 5 minutes trick and have now switched it back on without the phone line connected and guess what....
It's much faster and switches off and on as it should with no problems...
Can the folk at he Sky tv HQ remotely send signals down my phone line to bugger up my sky box in an attempt to get me to take out their insurance...?
Wouldnt surprise me, they farted about when we cancelled to go to virgin" oh we can offer you a sky plus box at reduced rate" me" yeah, but the service we get from you is s
t, half the time we cant get most of the channels" them" well there isnt any service problems in your area" me "byeee"
t, half the time we cant get most of the channels" them" well there isnt any service problems in your area" me "byeee"I don't think it's that sinister, but I had a similar progressive degradation on mine and Google advised me to run an admin command to rebuild the hard drive (that's not the term they used, but I forget what they called it). It cured the symptoms and the problem hasn't come back since.
But unless you're using multi-room or pay-per-view I think you could just leave the phone line disconnected if that works for you.
But unless you're using multi-room or pay-per-view I think you could just leave the phone line disconnected if that works for you.
Glade said:
Plotloss said:
No, its an outbound only.
Leave it unplugged from the phone line, it doesnt do any harm.
What about remote record? They must be able to send signals.Leave it unplugged from the phone line, it doesnt do any harm.
I doubt they would intentionally bigger the boxes, but then I'm not one for conspiracy theories.
The Skybox has a modem inside it, if they wanted to access that from outside, your phones would ring.
Plotloss said:
Glade said:
Plotloss said:
No, its an outbound only.
Leave it unplugged from the phone line, it doesnt do any harm.
What about remote record? They must be able to send signals.Leave it unplugged from the phone line, it doesnt do any harm.
I doubt they would intentionally bigger the boxes, but then I'm not one for conspiracy theories.
The Skybox has a modem inside it, if they wanted to access that from outside, your phones would ring.
Then I realised that the modem light was flashing on the sky box when the phones were ringing.
So I wouldn't be surprised if they were doing things like that.
Your Sky box will periodically do a "callback" to Sky. It does this for many reasons.
1. After a new installation, a callback will initialise your viewing card.
2. A week or so later again. This is mainly to ensure the engineer done his job properly by connecting to the phone line.
3. Callbacks are used to verify the box is still in the house it was originally installed.
4. Used for interactive services.
5. I also think that the box sends back anonymous viewing stats, like what time people are watching what channels etc. Supposedly so they can improve their services,
Also under a new contract you must leave it connected to the phone line. If not they'll start sending letters saying they'll start charging you the full price of your TV package.
If you are no longer in contract and under warranty, I think after 1 year, then you can unplug and they shouldn't contact you.
Bud
1. After a new installation, a callback will initialise your viewing card.
2. A week or so later again. This is mainly to ensure the engineer done his job properly by connecting to the phone line.
3. Callbacks are used to verify the box is still in the house it was originally installed.
4. Used for interactive services.
5. I also think that the box sends back anonymous viewing stats, like what time people are watching what channels etc. Supposedly so they can improve their services,
Also under a new contract you must leave it connected to the phone line. If not they'll start sending letters saying they'll start charging you the full price of your TV package.
If you are no longer in contract and under warranty, I think after 1 year, then you can unplug and they shouldn't contact you.
Bud
Have you had the box over 12 months ?
When they give you a box at a discounted price, the ts & cs say it has to be connected to the phone line for 12 months.
After that you can disconnect it.
They do sue if you disconnect while still contracted . . . as my brother in law found out when he took his abroad.
When they give you a box at a discounted price, the ts & cs say it has to be connected to the phone line for 12 months.
After that you can disconnect it.
They do sue if you disconnect while still contracted . . . as my brother in law found out when he took his abroad.
Budaholic said:
Your Sky box will periodically do a "callback" to Sky. It does this for many reasons.
1. After a new installation, a callback will initialise your viewing card.
2. A week or so later again. This is mainly to ensure the engineer done his job properly by connecting to the phone line.
3. Callbacks are used to verify the box is still in the house it was originally installed.
4. Used for interactive services.
5. I also think that the box sends back anonymous viewing stats, like what time people are watching what channels etc. Supposedly so they can improve their services,
Also under a new contract you must leave it connected to the phone line. If not they'll start sending letters saying they'll start charging you the full price of your TV package.
If you are no longer in contract and under warranty, I think after 1 year, then you can unplug and they shouldn't contact you.
Bud
Callback does not send any viewing stats back to Sky. It is used for interactive services which will always tell you it is dialling out and to verify that the box is still at the registered address.1. After a new installation, a callback will initialise your viewing card.
2. A week or so later again. This is mainly to ensure the engineer done his job properly by connecting to the phone line.
3. Callbacks are used to verify the box is still in the house it was originally installed.
4. Used for interactive services.
5. I also think that the box sends back anonymous viewing stats, like what time people are watching what channels etc. Supposedly so they can improve their services,
Also under a new contract you must leave it connected to the phone line. If not they'll start sending letters saying they'll start charging you the full price of your TV package.
If you are no longer in contract and under warranty, I think after 1 year, then you can unplug and they shouldn't contact you.
Bud
The software download is done via satellite.
Vee said:
Have you had the box over 12 months ?
When they give you a box at a discounted price, the ts & cs say it has to be connected to the phone line for 12 months.
After that you can disconnect it.
They do sue if you disconnect while still contracted . . . as my brother in law found out when he took his abroad.
Didn't think they'd sue When they give you a box at a discounted price, the ts & cs say it has to be connected to the phone line for 12 months.
After that you can disconnect it.
They do sue if you disconnect while still contracted . . . as my brother in law found out when he took his abroad.
- I unplugged mine the minute the eingeer left the house after installation and have only ever plugged it back in once, was never a problem.......although now 3 years in to the contract so not a problem.....Dover Nige said:
I'm getting rather suspicious here....
My sky+ box was connected to the phone line like it's supposed to be.
I don't have the suggested stupidly priced sky+ box repair cover.
Just lately, my skybox has been getting progressively slower, jamming up, not switching on/off and generally messing about. I've just sorted it again using the tried and tested off at the mains for 5 minutes trick and have now switched it back on without the phone line connected and guess what....
It's much faster and switches off and on as it should with no problems...
Can the folk at he Sky tv HQ remotely send signals down my phone line to bugger up my sky box in an attempt to get me to take out their insurance...?
OH's + box worked faultlessly until a week after the cover ended and she refused to renew it - all of a sudden many channels randomly wont even play, it does the recording but not actually recording trick, it stops, it crashes. All too coincidentalMy sky+ box was connected to the phone line like it's supposed to be.
I don't have the suggested stupidly priced sky+ box repair cover.
Just lately, my skybox has been getting progressively slower, jamming up, not switching on/off and generally messing about. I've just sorted it again using the tried and tested off at the mains for 5 minutes trick and have now switched it back on without the phone line connected and guess what....
It's much faster and switches off and on as it should with no problems...
Can the folk at he Sky tv HQ remotely send signals down my phone line to bugger up my sky box in an attempt to get me to take out their insurance...?
Hi mate
If its only recently it could be the result of a sky software upgrade not installing correctly, you can force another software update by unplugging the box at the back and holding the backup button on the box for 15-20secs once you put the power back in (ie-unplug figure of 8 lead at back of box, hold back up button on box itself and reinstall lead, wait 15-20 secs and all light on box will go on and diplay system software updating on screen), even once this is complete (10mins) it can take another 5mins for the box to come back on. This normally works for most slow down/lock ups/ no signal messages. If it is the hard drive you can access this through the 'secret' installers menu, so to services press 4 for system options then once in the menu type 0 1 select this will bring up the installers menu one option is for planner rebuild, this may work, but you will lose everything on you planner when doing this, so make sure theyres nothing you want to lose. If it is the HDD you can upgrade this yourself look on the google for guide and part numbers for HDDs that fit (dont buy overpriced kits though) all you need is the right HDD, a torx screwdriver (about £2) and the guide. You can also threaten to cancel sky if they try to charge for an engineer call out, most people that do this have good luck with this. The only other option is to buy a complete + or even HD box off ebay and install it (only a few plugs on back), if you do this you will have to call sky with the box number (available from menu) and you viewing card number. Try the software forced installation first if that doesnt work, call sky and threaten.
Best of Luck
John
If its only recently it could be the result of a sky software upgrade not installing correctly, you can force another software update by unplugging the box at the back and holding the backup button on the box for 15-20secs once you put the power back in (ie-unplug figure of 8 lead at back of box, hold back up button on box itself and reinstall lead, wait 15-20 secs and all light on box will go on and diplay system software updating on screen), even once this is complete (10mins) it can take another 5mins for the box to come back on. This normally works for most slow down/lock ups/ no signal messages. If it is the hard drive you can access this through the 'secret' installers menu, so to services press 4 for system options then once in the menu type 0 1 select this will bring up the installers menu one option is for planner rebuild, this may work, but you will lose everything on you planner when doing this, so make sure theyres nothing you want to lose. If it is the HDD you can upgrade this yourself look on the google for guide and part numbers for HDDs that fit (dont buy overpriced kits though) all you need is the right HDD, a torx screwdriver (about £2) and the guide. You can also threaten to cancel sky if they try to charge for an engineer call out, most people that do this have good luck with this. The only other option is to buy a complete + or even HD box off ebay and install it (only a few plugs on back), if you do this you will have to call sky with the box number (available from menu) and you viewing card number. Try the software forced installation first if that doesnt work, call sky and threaten.
Best of Luck
John
Maxf said:
Vee said:
They do sue if you disconnect while still contracted . . . as my brother in law found out when he took his abroad.
What do they sue for? How do they prove loss?Dover Nige said:
I'm getting rather suspicious here....
My sky+ box was connected to the phone line like it's supposed to be.
I don't have the suggested stupidly priced sky+ box repair cover.
Are you sure the stupidly priced Sky repair cover was genuine. There are companies that pretend they represent sky who call you up and try to get you to take out cover. Sky's actual cover is through Legal and General and they don't try to push it. If it was any other company contacting you saying they were representing sky then its false.My sky+ box was connected to the phone line like it's supposed to be.
I don't have the suggested stupidly priced sky+ box repair cover.
The insurance is an utter waste of cash
In first year of contract, its covered by warranty
After that your not in contract, so if something goes wrong you call them upand say:
"problem with the box"
"certainly sir, that'll be X for the repair, or X for a repair insurance"
"nah, cancel the sky then"
"oh? well, how about if we fixed it for free then, will you stay?"
"that'll do nicely, cheers!"
In first year of contract, its covered by warranty
After that your not in contract, so if something goes wrong you call them upand say:
"problem with the box"
"certainly sir, that'll be X for the repair, or X for a repair insurance"
"nah, cancel the sky then"
"oh? well, how about if we fixed it for free then, will you stay?"
"that'll do nicely, cheers!"
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff