buying a s/h sky+ box - Techwatch Support Forums: Digital & Satellite TV, FTA, Cable, Computers, Mobile Phones, Apple and General Tech Forums

m47 · 02-11-10, 01:25 PM

Hi,

I live in France and see that there are many sky+ boxes for sale on ebay. I have a dish aligned to 28.8°E and only want to receive FTA programmes. I know that an ordinary Sky box will allow me to recieve FTA programmes, but my question is: will the recording functions of Sky+ also work without a card? If there are restrictions, do they apply to all makes/models of box?

Hope someone can help and possibly stop me from buying the wrong thing. Thank you.

iain66 · 02-11-10, 02:41 PM

Im not 100% sure but think that theres is a £10 a month charge to use the recording feature, if im wrong please put me right.

m47 · 02-11-10, 02:51 PM

if that's true Iain, it'll cut out buying a second-hand box. I'll have to go for a cheaper standard box or switch to Freesat. I already have a Freesat Humax HD PVR but want a cheap solution with similar facilties for a holiday apartment.

I am not at all interested in monthly subscriptions!!

brian · 02-11-10, 04:37 PM

Isn't FreesatfromSky just a one-off charge?

m47 · 02-11-10, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian

Isn't FreesatfromSky just a one-off charge?

Yes, Freesat is without monthly fee, but what I want to know is whether I can record FTA programmes on a Sky+ box without any sky card. Freesat PVRs are quite a recent thing and therefore still expensive even on the second-hand market. On the otherhand, old Sky+ boxes are cheap. But will they work for me?

unadkat · 02-11-10, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m47

Yes, Freesat is without monthly fee, but what I want to know is whether I can record FTA programmes on a Sky+ box without any sky card. Freesat PVRs are quite a recent thing and therefore still expensive even on the second-hand market. On the otherhand, old Sky+ boxes are cheap. But will they work for me?

recording requires a Subcription

if you dont want to subscribe to the PPV then you can pay just the 10 quid a month for the recording service.

m47 · 02-11-10, 08:34 PM

£120 a year! What a rip-off! You can buy a new Fressat PVR for only £209. I can't believe how easily the UK public seem prepared to accept the outrageous SKY charges.

But thanks for the clear answer. I shall have to settle for a £10 second-hand standard box it seems.

brian · 02-11-10, 08:46 PM

Alternatively, if you have a DVD writer or video recorder, you can simply connect the Sky box running FreesatfromSky into it to record.

Robbo · 02-11-10, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m47

£120 a year! What a rip-off! You can buy a new Fressat PVR for only £209. I can't believe how easily the UK public seem prepared to accept the outrageous SKY charges.

We don't have a choice other than pay for it or do without. Certainly is a rip-off I think too.

One cheap way to get recordings is to buy a pvr ready receiver and stick a usb hdd drive on it, that's what I use, no proper epg though.

waqasahmed · 07-11-10, 12:54 AM

Didn't read OP's situation properly

02-11-10, 01:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
m47 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 25 Thanks: 13 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	buying a s/h sky+ box Hi, I live in France and see that there are many sky+ boxes for sale on ebay. I have a dish aligned to 28.8°E and only want to receive FTA programmes. I know that an ordinary Sky box will allow me to recieve FTA programmes, but my question is: will the recording functions of Sky+ also work without a card? If there are restrictions, do they apply to all makes/models of box? Hope someone can help and possibly stop me from buying the wrong thing. Thank you.

02-11-10, 02:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
iain66 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 100 Thanks: 23 Thanked 20 Times in 12 Posts	Re: buying a s/h sky+ box Im not 100% sure but think that theres is a £10 a month charge to use the recording feature, if im wrong please put me right.

02-11-10, 02:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
m47 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 25 Thanks: 13 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: buying a s/h sky+ box if that's true Iain, it'll cut out buying a second-hand box. I'll have to go for a cheaper standard box or switch to Freesat. I already have a Freesat Humax HD PVR but want a cheap solution with similar facilties for a holiday apartment. I am not at all interested in monthly subscriptions!!

02-11-10, 04:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
brian Administrator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inverness, Scotland Posts: 3,801 Thanks: 286 Thanked 1,697 Times in 595 Posts	Re: buying a s/h sky+ box Isn't FreesatfromSky just a one-off charge? __________________ Sky+, 1m motorised dish, Vu+ Duo HD PVR, Panasonic 42" G15 Plasma HDTV, Playstation 2 + 3, Not enough time...

02-11-10, 08:34 PM	#7 (permalink)
m47 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 25 Thanks: 13 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: buying a s/h sky+ box £120 a year! What a rip-off! You can buy a new Fressat PVR for only £209. I can't believe how easily the UK public seem prepared to accept the outrageous SKY charges. But thanks for the clear answer. I shall have to settle for a £10 second-hand standard box it seems.

02-11-10, 08:46 PM	#8 (permalink)
brian Administrator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inverness, Scotland Posts: 3,801 Thanks: 286 Thanked 1,697 Times in 595 Posts	Re: buying a s/h sky+ box Alternatively, if you have a DVD writer or video recorder, you can simply connect the Sky box running FreesatfromSky into it to record. __________________ Sky+, 1m motorised dish, Vu+ Duo HD PVR, Panasonic 42" G15 Plasma HDTV, Playstation 2 + 3, Not enough time...

07-11-10, 12:54 AM	#10 (permalink)
waqasahmed Cost efficient muppet Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: W. Yorkshire TW area Posts: 4,547 Thanks: 2,387 Thanked 938 Times in 693 Posts	Re: buying a s/h sky+ box Didn't read OP's situation properly __________________ Sat set up: Openmedia 500CS Sky mini dish 1m orbital+dodgy Motek motor TG585 v7 bridged modem DIR-615 D2 DD-WRT router

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