C4 E4 And More 4 Gone

bryaner · 11-01-2011 7:51pm #1

Hey

Came in this evening and the above channels are asking me to insert a sky viewing card.

I'm using the sky box as a freesat box since november and they have all worked up till now.

Can anyone enlighten me to what could be wrong..

Cheers Bryan

bryaner · 11-01-2011 7:57pm

And all the feckin ITV's have disappeared of the epg..:eek:

snaps · 11-01-2011 8:15pm

bryaner wrote: »

Hey

Came in this evening and the above channels are asking me to insert a sky viewing card.

I'm using the sky box as a freesat box since november and they have all worked up till now.

Can anyone enlighten me to what could be wrong..

Cheers Bryan

Is it a sky HD box or normal Sky box?

bryaner · 11-01-2011 8:22pm

It's a HD box.

With regards to film4 thats fta as I've had that since canceling my sub last november.

snaps · 11-01-2011 8:24pm

bryaner wrote: »

It's a HD box.

With regards to film4 thats fta as I've had that since canceling my sub last november.

There was a software update recently that made all Sky HD boxes useless for FTA boxes. If you can get hold of a FTV card that will solve your problems and give you channel 4 and Five HD.

Corkfeen · 11-01-2011 8:24pm

bryaner wrote: »

It's a HD box.

With regards to film4 thats fta as I've had that since canceling my sub last november.

Sorry misread the topic, will start another. Apologies...

bryaner · 11-01-2011 8:27pm

snaps wrote: »

There was a software update recently that made all Sky HD boxes useless for FTA boxes. If you can get hold of a FTV card that will solve your problems and give you channel 4 and Five HD.

Ahh me rocks, where can I pick up a ftv card please? :mad:

Mayo Exile · 11-01-2011 8:28pm

Interesting. I have a Sky+HD box with a UK FTV card. Removed the card and rebooted the box. The default EPG is now the Irish one! When I bought the box (new, unsubsidised) originally it had the UK default EPG. I then had an Irish subs card paired to the box for Sky Sports etc. This subscription has now expired.

UK EPG reloaded when I put the FTV card back in.

So is it the case now that Sky boxes (HD ones anyway) will no longer allow access to the UK EPG to view FTA channels (ITV etc) if they were paired with an Irish subs card at any stage?

EDIT: Just seen snaps post above. Another sneaky move by $ky. Why would they do this?

mgbgt1978 · 11-01-2011 8:37pm

How recent was this update?
Came home this afternoon and most of my "other channels" have vanished.
Also had a problem with the hdmi cable....not the cable itself but kept getting a message on screen telling me to switch to scart connection because the hdmi was no longer working. Areboot of both sky hd box and the tv sorted that out.
Does this update mean that an irish sky hd box will not revert to english epg when card is removed ? I thought that this was the case anyway.

bryaner · 11-01-2011 9:03pm

I have a mate in London could I get him to ring sky and look for a replacement card and get him to post over his old one?

NIMAN · 11-01-2011 9:08pm

bryaner wrote: »

I have a mate in London could I get him to ring sky and look for a replacement card and get him to post over his old one?

Not sure if it still applies but with the old Sky boxes, including Sky+, the card was matched to the serial number of the box, so you simply could not take a card out of one and use in another. You would have to phone Sky and ask them to match the card to the new box if you did this.

I'm sure it still applies. Or it if applies to FTV cards from Sky.

Mayo Exile · 11-01-2011 9:15pm

bryaner wrote: »

I have a mate in London could I get him to ring sky and look for a replacement card and get him to post over his old one?

Does he have an FTV card currently? I believe a person in the UK can order up to 4 FreesatfromSky (FTV) cards for the same address (UK only). He could order another one. Once received, he would need to contact Sky to get it activated in his box before he would send it over to you.

bryaner · 11-01-2011 9:27pm

Mayo Exile wrote: »

Does he have an FTV card currently? I believe a person in the UK can order up to 4 FreesatfromSky (FTV) cards for the same address (UK only). He could order another one. Once received, he would need to contact Sky to get it activated in his box before he would send it over to you.

No he is paying Sky a sub.

Gipo3 · 11-01-2011 10:14pm

I got two from here some months ago. All I did for the address was for huose no. put in street name, for street I put county, for town put in rep of Ireland and then put in some northern post code. They cost twenty pound.

bryaner · 11-01-2011 10:17pm

Gipo3 wrote: »

I got two from here some months ago. All I did for the address was for huose no. put in street name, for street I put county, for town put in rep of Ireland and then put in some northern post code. They cost twenty pound.

Here where what? More info please dude.

Mayo Exile · 11-01-2011 10:19pm

bryaner wrote: »

No he is paying Sky a sub.

Wouldn't say it would matter really. He'd still be able to acquire an FTV card regardless I'd guess.

bryaner · 11-01-2011 10:31pm

Gipo3 wrote: »

I got two from here some months ago. All I did for the address was for huose no. put in street name, for street I put county, for town put in rep of Ireland and then put in some northern post code. They cost twenty pound.

And it got to your southern address with northern postcode?

Did you use a credit card with a southern address as well?

And last question how did you fare out activating it or did you have to?

Thanks in advance.

Kristopherus · 11-01-2011 10:34pm

That Freesat from Sky dosen't have to be activated either. Leave it in the box & it will work.
@ Bryaner. You can order the card yourself and pay for it with your own credit card. However, put your friends details on the online form when you are completing it. Get him to post it on to you when he gets it. Note that ITV will be matched to whatever address he has. UTV will only be available via Other Channels.

bryaner · 11-01-2011 10:36pm

Mayo Exile wrote: »

Wouldn't say it would matter really. He'd still be able to acquire an FTV card regardless I'd guess.

Cheers lot of feckin hassle why did those dirty sky fcukers mess with the HD boxes in the first place..

Silly me it's hardly about money.

bryaner · 11-01-2011 10:39pm

Kristopherus wrote: »

That Freesat from Sky dosen't have to be activated either. Leave in the box & it will work.
@ Bryaner. You can order the card yourself and pay for it with your own credit card. However, put your friends details on the online form when you are completing it. Get him to post it on to you when he gets it. Note that ITV will be matched to whatever address he has. UTV will only be available vuia Other Channels.

Sweet at least one of us is thinking, thanks man.

snaps · 11-01-2011 10:52pm

bryaner wrote: »

Cheers lot of feckin hassle why did those dirty sky fcukers mess with the HD boxes in the first place..

Silly me it's hardly about money.

Yeah i agree with you, its bad enough you cant record without a sub, but changing the epg to an Irish one is worse still, least it forces people to get a Freesat box:D

Mayo Exile · 11-01-2011 10:58pm

Kristopherus wrote: »

That Freesat from Sky dosen't have to be activated either. Leave it in the box & it will work.

Dont think thats correct. I believe you must ring Sky to activate a FreesatfromSky card if bought new.

@ Bryaner. You can order the card yourself and pay for it with your own credit card. However, put your friends details on the online form when you are completing it. Get him to post it on to you when he gets it. Note that ITV will be matched to whatever address he has. UTV will only be available via Other Channels.

Safer to for him to get it and activate first, then send it on.

Gipo3 · 11-01-2011 11:10pm

Got delivered to address no probs. Just put card in box and it was activated automatically. Regional variations go by the post code used. If your not bothered abut them just get it sent to your london contact.

bryaner · 12-01-2011 10:47am

Just like to say thanks to ye all for the help.

Bryan

ninja 12 · 12-01-2011 11:52am

snaps wrote: »

There was a software update recently that made all Sky HD boxes useless for FTA boxes. If you can get hold of a FTV card that will solve your problems and give you channel 4 and Five HD.

I've been using my Thompson Sky HD box without subscription for over a year (it has the UK epg , including BBC HD ,BBC 1 HD , ITV HD) .

All the channels that the original poster is missing are all still available , so far .

Will there be an update to stop me recieving C4 etc with my Thompson box ?

watty · 12-01-2011 12:24pm

Unlikely.
As that would block boxes with no Cards in UK. That would not be politic for Sky.

Johnmb · 12-01-2011 12:36pm

watty wrote: »

Unlikely.
As that would block boxes with no Cards in UK. That would not be politic for Sky.

It would also be shooting themselves in the foot. If everyone who cancels a Sky subscription still uses the box for FTA, there is a decent chance they'll phone up and resubscribe, even if its just for movies at Christmas, or some major sporting event (and then there is a chance they won't unsubscribe afterwards). But if they have to buy a Freesat box on cancellation, chances of them keeping the Sky box hooked up as well are slim, and spur of the moment decisions to resubscribe are no longer possible.

ninja 12 · 12-01-2011 1:43pm

Thanks ,
How come the original poster (Bryaner) lost some channels ?

What about the post by snaps that I quoted earlier ?

There was a software update recently that made all Sky HD boxes useless for FTA boxes.

Johnmb · 12-01-2011 2:52pm

ninja 12 wrote: »

Thanks ,
How come the original poster (Bryaner) lost some channels ?

What about the post by snaps that I quoted earlier ?

Just because doing something could be regarded as shooting themselves in the foot doesn't mean Sky won't go ahead and do it any way!

The only Sky box still being used in my house is the Sky+ (not HD) box using the old multiroom connection. Nobody has mentioned any problems on that to me. My HD box is packed away somewhere ever since I replaced it with a FTA system to control a motorised dish, so I can't comment on the latest update's effect on that.

weeder · 12-01-2011 8:13pm

is it possible to format the hdd in the box and get back the uk epg?

bryaner · 12-01-2011 8:27pm

ninja 12 wrote: »

Thanks ,
How come the original poster (Bryaner) lost some channels ?

What about the post by snaps that I quoted earlier ?

My box is a Samsung one (don't know if that makes a difference)

Strange that no one else is on complaining tell me I'm not the only one

so far..:(

snaps · 13-01-2011 3:15am

ninja 12 wrote: »

Thanks ,
How come the original poster (Bryaner) lost some channels ?

What about the post by snaps that I quoted earlier ?

I think if an HD box used to be married to an Irish card then the software update only affects those boxes.

If the box originated from the UK then you should be fine. But if you get hold of a FTV card then like i said you will get the full UK epg including CH4HD, FiveHD, Five US, Fiver, Viva and sky3.

If you have an HD box and its hooked up to an HD tv, then personally i think its worth it.

Just a shame you cant record on it.

Personally, like i said earlier, i think that move by Sky is rediculous as if you wanted FTA on your old sky box you could have it, But now it forces people to go down the FTA/Freesat route instead, so any spur of the moment subs that sky might have got is dwindled.

Cantona's Collars · 13-01-2011 10:32am

My HD box that is used for FTA got that update yesterday-the missus was well p;ssed off.Call me cynical but Sky could be hoping that people will go through the EPG and see what they're missing and decide to subscribe beleiving that they lost their free channels.Ah well it's a FTV card for that box now,had been threatening to fet one for a while and this is the push to make me.I have a couple of spare FTA boxes but the HD channels have me spoiled plus the missus prefers using the Sky epg.

snaps · 13-01-2011 10:55am

If you dont want to go through the hassle of getting a FTV card from the UK, Try Dave at tvtrade.ie, he has some there last year reasonably priced and acctivated in the SW region.

bryaner · 13-01-2011 10:57am

zerks wrote: »

My HD box that is used for FTA got that update yesterday-the missus was well p;ssed off.Call me cynical but Sky could be hoping that people will go through the EPG and see what they're missing and decide to subscribe beleiving that they lost their free channels.Ah well it's a FTV card for that box now,had been threatening to fet one for a while and this is the push to make me.I have a couple of spare FTA boxes but the HD channels have me spoiled plus the missus prefers using the Sky epg.

Your right on the money there, I'd say sky know most people are well happy using the hd box as freesat with the english epg.

My missus is well pissed off too so it's a ftv for me as well, I'd enjoy sticking a cactus up murdoch's ass.

C4 E4 And More 4 Gone

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