Sky HD catchup

50Twuncle

If I connect my new HD sky box to my router - by cable - can I download catchup TV programs - to watch later ?
Or does the cable have to be connected whilst I watch the recordings ?

penrhyn

Why not try and let us know? My box is permanently connected and I'm not about to go scrabbling round the back to disconnect it.;)

Toxteth_OGrady

Under the "On Demand" menu the Showtime menu lists programmes that have been downloaded (usually overnight) via the Sky dish to the box's hard disk. These playback from the disk so you do not need to be connected to the router to watch these. In fact if you disconnect the router you will get the old-style Anytime menu and the programmes downloaded via satellite will be the only ones you will see in the menu.

With the router connected, programmes on disk already, via sat download, are denoted by the play symbol in the bottom RH corner of the programme's icon.

If there is no play icon then any such programme can be either streamed live or downloaded for later watching over your internet connection by pressing the Record button.

So the answer to your first question is yes.

50Twuncle

The problem is that I do not yet have a wireless adapter and to run a cable, permanantly is out of the question (door in the way) - so I was trying to find out whether I can download particular programs "as and when we want them" ?
Or whether the system is designed to be permanantly connected / downloading everything (overnight) ?
Anyway - reliable streaming requires a faster connection than we have - around 2Mbps !!

Toxteth_OGrady

Never tried that. Give it a go and see.

giraffe69

If you can't have a cable permanently and don't have a wireless adapter buy a pair of powerplugs. Job done and very reliable.

Fifer

giraffe69 wrote: »

If you can't have a cable permanently and don't have a wireless adapter buy a pair of powerplugs. Job done and very reliable.

We use powerline/homeplug adapters with Sky catch-up. Works perfectly.

AntJP

I believe that you can.

Although my HD+ box is connected all the time by cable there should be no reason why you cant as the shows are saved to your Hard Drive.

You won't be able to watch them as they are downloading, clearly, but will be able to set a load of shows off to download overnight and watch them as and when (before catchup expiry dates run out).


As a side point, I recently moved house and the guy and the guy said the Adapters were now ~£10 to buy rather than the original £60/70. On skys website they look like they are £21.95 - if you call them and say you want to start watching catchup but cannot connect wired they might offer some kind of deal to you.

chris-j

Yes, on demand programs get downloaded to box and go into your planner. Some have expiry dates so you need to view before this, but no need for connection to router after download complete.

[Deleted User]

Fifer wrote: »

We use powerline/homeplug adapters with Sky catch-up. Works perfectly.

So do I. Develo 500's. Never a problem so far.

[Deleted User]

AntJP wrote: »

You won't be able to watch them as they are downloading

Nonsense, you can watch the shows as soon as they become "available" which is typically after they have downloaded 1% of the film or programme.