Help with using Sky tv

teddysmum

We've had Sky installed today and now feel a little lost, having unplugged the Humax PVR (and realising that one thing missing is the clock). We've had a Freeview PVR since before Freeview tvs, but haven't had Sky for about 20 years, so it's unfamiliar.

I know that I could trawl through the website help section, but it's easier to ask specific questions, so I'd appreciate some help, please.

1)The Humax has to be left on standby, all the time, in order to update the guide, even when recordings are not booked. Is this necessary with a Sky box ?

2)If you have set recordings, do you just leave the Sky box in standby mode, as with the Humax ?

3)With the Humax it is easy to tell if on standby, as in this mode the time is displayed, while the programme and time elapsed are shown when switched on. Am I correct in assuming that the Sky box is in standby mode when the amber light shows ?

4)If the tv was switched off, but the Humax left on (ie not on standby), by mistake, it was obvious as the display didn't revert to showing the time. How can you tell that the Sky box has been left fully switched on ?

5)Sky is advertised as allowing you to record two programmes, while watching a recording (which is the case with the Humax, being twin tuner). However, it is possible to record two programmes and watch a third live, by putting the Humax onto standby and watching Freeview, but with no pause/rewind facility on the tv direct. Is this also still possible ?

penrhyn

You can set it to Eco mode and it will effectively power down, but will take longer to reboot. As standard they will automatically go into standby mode at night.
2)If you have set recordings, do you just leave the Sky box in standby mode, as with the Humax ?
Yes
3)With the Humax it is easy to tell if on standby, as in this mode the time is displayed, while the programme and time elapsed are shown when switched on. Am I correct in assuming that the Sky box is in standby mode when the amber light shows ?

Yes if its red its Off, to turn it off press and hold the power button on the box.
4)If the tv was switched off, but the Humax left on (ie not on standby), by mistake, it was obvious as the display didn't revert to showing the time. How can you tell that the Sky box has been left fully switched on ?
Green LED

5)Sky is advertised as allowing you to record two programmes, while watching a recording (which is the case with the Humax, being twin tuner). However, it is possible to record two programmes and watch a third live, by putting the Humax onto standby and watching Freeview, but with no pause/rewind facility on the tv direct. Is this also still possible ?

Yes.

teddysmum

Thank you. So more or less the same, with extra channels.

penrhyn

Don't forget to connect your box to an interweb. Loads of on demand stuff.

teddysmum

I haven't checked, but think the technician did that, as my modem was moved from its usual place.

Heinz

Why disconnect the Humax?

Why not have both?

I have SkyHD, a 160Gb Freeview HDD/DVD recorder/player and a smart twin HD tuner 1Tb Freeview HDD/Blu-ray recorder/player all connected without problems.