sky into sky+

rachaelj_2

Hey guys,

I have an old sky box. I am looking into getting sky plus. Is there any possibility that i can get a second hand sky plus box connect it to my tv and just use it that way.
Or does it need more installation than i can actually do?

Any advice guys?

cheers

wealdroam

Well if you are hoping to record a different channel to the one you are watching, then you will need a second cable from the dish to the sky+ box, and a second LNB on the dish.

Maybe a bit more work than you were hoping for.

erasion

Given that Sky tend to offer a free box and free/cheap installation, plus the fact a new Sky+ box would have a warranty etc, and (unless you are planning to use it illegally) you would need a Sky subscription, it might just be easier, quicker and cheaper to get Sky to do a proper installation.

267

rachaelj wrote: »

Hey guys,

I have an old sky box. I am looking into getting sky plus. Is there any possibility that i can get a second hand sky plus box connect it to my tv and just use it that way.
Or does it need more installation than i can actually do?

Any advice guys?

cheers

In theory, yes you can, in practice, still yes but with some minor hurdles.

Any sky+ box will need two feeds from the dish, one to watch & one to record. If you also want a standard box (Bedroom) you will need a total of 3 feeds from the dish. This is dead easy, just get yourself a 4 way LNB (from e.g. ebay) as a direct replacement for your existing LNB and of course, some new cable runs.

The biggest obstacle is the sky+ box as the recording facility may have been disabled by sky at the end of contract.

If someone has sky+ and then cancels the contract they are given a turn off date (let's say 30 April) on or soon after that date, Sky send out a signal to that specific box to tell it what it can and can't do. The box and card then block access to certain channels and services. This signal is usually sent out for up to a couple of months.

If that box wasn't connected and powered on (let's say from 28 April) it can't ever receive that signal. After a couple of months it can then be reconnected and services such as recording would still be usable but, obviously only for channels you were able to receive, e.g. free to air channels.

This has been my understanding from a couple of sky engineer acquaintances.

spike7451

wealdroam wrote: »

Well if you are hoping to record a different channel to the one you are watching, then you will need a second cable from the dish to the sky+ box, and a second LNB on the dish.

Maybe a bit more work than you were hoping for.

Not quite correct,you have to swap the single feed LNB for a Quad (four feed) LNB,You can pick these up for a few quid online.If you get a new Sky+ HD box,you can turn off the second feed to the box;

http://www1.sky.com/HDGuide/pdf/HD_EPG_MICROSITE.pdf

prowla

Sky+ requires (a) 2 lines from your satellite dish, (b) a subscription to record.

A Sky+ box will allow you to view a single channel just like the basic non-recording box, but the hard disk inside will be a bit noisier.

I've got a Sky+ subscription and a couple of spare Sky+ boxes, just in case; the last time my supplied Sky+ box stopped working I just plugged in one of those and called the number for Sky to activate it.

SteveJW

I have just been given a Sky+ HD box, previously on a very old standard Sky box, with single LNB
The Sky+ HD box has a setting for single LNB, the box is very quiet

Only thing I had to do was ring Sky and get my existing card paired with the second hand box, they also switched on the + feature so it records and you get the free HD channels

Intend ringing in a couple of weeks and threatening to cancel and see what they have to offer

As far as I can see no free Sky+ or Sky+HD boxes on offer to existing customers

wealdroam

spike7451 wrote: »

Not quite correct,you have to swap the single feed LNB for a Quad (four feed) LNB,You can pick these up for a few quid online.If you get a new Sky+ HD box,you can turn off the second feed to the box;

http://www1.sky.com/HDGuide/pdf/HD_EPG_MICROSITE.pdf

OK, ok.
All I was doing was in very simple terms explaining that there was more to it than just swapping the boxes... which is basically what the OP asked.

:beer:

macman

erasion wrote: »

Given that Sky tend to offer a free box and free/cheap installation, plus the fact a new Sky+ box would have a warranty etc, and (unless you are planning to use it illegally) you would need a Sky subscription, it might just be easier, quicker and cheaper to get Sky to do a proper installation.

Why? If the OP already has a twin feed from the LNB, it's a straight box swap. Assuming they already have a Sky sub, the service is already included. Sky+ boxes are available for next to nothing on eBay, why pay Sky £65?
If the OP does not have a Sky sub, it won't work anyway, so hardly 'illegal'.
If no second feed, any local independent can provide that (and change the LNB if required) quite cheaply.

rachaelj_2

I do have a sky subscription. But only a sky box. Through sky they were offering an upgrade to sky + but i couldnt find out a way to do it without having HD too. I have no need for HD therefore only want sky+

macman

If you ask for a Sky+ box they are all HD-ready now.
Just get one off eBay and swap it-but do you have a twin feed?
Sky do not charge anything for Sky+.