Partly dead Sky+HD box. What to do?

[Deleted User]

ImranQ wrote: »

Yes! Fwding through some of the youtube videos, I saw the process was not straight forward to take out the HDD. I thought the same as you - that the boxes were designed not to be opened LOL!

I took the HDD out of one years ago to use in a PC and it really is a royal pain to get out, and this is from a box that I was intending to throw away after I had the HDD out. If replacing then you can't be as heavy handed and of course you've got to repeat the process in reverse. It's really not worth the effort.

As regards reliability, you could replace the HDD and then find that the MB is on the way out. Just buy a 2nd hand one as people have suggested all along.

Neil_Jones

Usually in the Sky boxes the hard drive is the first thing to go. Everything else just keeps going. The original Thomson boxes (and the initial Amstrad range) had issues with their power supplies which was later traced to capacitor problems, although since Sky don't support the Thomson box now anyway (for technical reasons) it's moot anyway.

Of course if the card reader for the viewing card packs up on any of them the entire thing is toast anyway as I believe its soldered onto one of the circuit boards inside, so at that point it's replacement box time.

[Deleted User]

ImranQ wrote: »

I remember the rebooting! My original box got rebooted 50 times a day! That's why I ended up replacing it! The current one has been so reliable - maybe a reboot every blue moon...

If Sky+HD is set to ECO mode, it shuts down almost completely in the early hours and is then re-booted every night. This keeps the need to re-boot manually down to an absolute minimum and saves some electricity too.

almillar

3) After doing a little bit of internet research, I believe you can buy a box from Amazon or Ebay and get Sky to pair it with your card (you can't supposedly change a bought Sky Q box though)??

Or Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace to find one locally and pick it up. Should be <£20. You'll kick yourself once you realise how easy it is to do compared to giving Sky £65! Plug it all in, set up the internet on the new box BEFORE putting your card into it, and it might even pair automatically. If not it's really easy and fast. You might also want to consider buying a 2TB box if yours was full, or taking your own apart and putting a (desktop) hard drive in to replace the faulty one. The box will automatically format it. I wouldn't waste my time putting less than a 1TB drive in.

[Deleted User]

almillar wrote: »

Or Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace to find one locally and pick it up. Should be <£20. You'll kick yourself once you realise how easy it is to do compared to giving Sky £65! Plug it all in, set up the internet on the new box BEFORE putting your card into it, and it might even pair automatically. If not it's really easy and fast. You might also want to consider buying a 2TB box if yours was full, or taking your own apart and putting a (desktop) hard drive in to replace the faulty one. The box will automatically format it. I wouldn't waste my time putting less than a 1TB drive in.

It's been a while since I've needed it but they made it possible to pair the card yourself from the online account, I'm guessing it's still there.

baza52

i chucked a working one in the bin last week that had sat on a wardrobe for a couple of years unused.

sal_III

baza52 wrote: »

i chucked a working one in the bin last week that had sat on a wardrobe for a couple of years unused.

I try to use the likes of Freecycle in such cases - helps both the environment and someone in need. It takes minutes to put on an listing and then couple of e-mails to arrange for the pickup.

Carrot007

sal_III wrote: »

I try to use the likes of Freecycle in such cases - helps both the environment and someone in need. It takes minutes to put on an listing and then couple of e-mails to arrange for the pickup.

Nah, FC etc are for professional car boot sellers to get stuff to resell for nothing. They will also complain it you won't deliver or take them back home after they pick it up going to a pub for a meal on the way with you paying!


Either find a specific forum with people who would like it or take it to the council recycling centre. However GP you you psot, no don't throw it in the bin breaking all rules, this is why bins will soon be checked catagorised and charged on what you throw away. Thanks for that.

almillar

It's been a while since I've needed it but they made it possible to pair the card yourself from the online account, I'm guessing it's still there.

You're right, but using my method above means you don't even have to use a computer! Box pairs online if you give it an internet connection.