How to get Channel 5 and BBC One HD on your Irish EPG and Recordable!!

pbarr

Ya Muffler is right the BBC channels show it as well. If you waitch the ITV or BBC local news it'll confirm it further for you.

tdonegan1990

pbarr wrote: »

Ya Muffler is right the BBC channels show it as well. If you waitch the ITV or BBC local news it'll confirm it further for you.

Thanks. Found out the card is from London. Kinda wish they would send 1 from NI. Got channel 5, Channel 4HD, and ITV Encore HD on my favourites list now. Sky + features working on them aswell. Great find!

muffler

I haven't used the card trick for some time now but decided to do it today to see if I could get Encore. Damn thing wouldnt work at all for me. When I swapped the cards and brought the box out of standby it stuck on the Uk EPG

twinklerunner

muffler wrote: »

I haven't used the card trick for some time now but decided to do it today to see if I could get Encore. Damn thing wouldnt work at all for me. When I swapped the cards and brought the box out of standby it stuck on the Uk EPG

Cleaning the gold strip on the card usually solves this for me. Just wipe it with a tissue.

Citizenpain

twinklerunner wrote: »

Cleaning the gold strip on the card usually solves this for me. Just wipe it with a tissue.

Same here . Full card trick .. Box crashes when I rewind sometimes . So had to reload the ni card recently . Took several attempts to get it to recognise Irish card ! Thought sky had done something !

jca

Citizenpain wrote: »

Same here . Full card trick .. Box crashes when I rewind sometimes . So had to reload the ni card recently . Took several attempts to get it to recognise Irish card ! Thought sky had done something !

I find if you tune to sky news before doing the trick it works better.

Citizenpain

How did you figure that out !!

jca

Citizenpain wrote: »

How did you figure that out !!

501 is common to both epg's and the the box doesn't seem to get as confused.

tdonegan1990

How would one get his hands on an NI fta card?

irishfeen

I wonder will the card trick still work with our old white cards when sky re-issue new cards? (scheduled for later this year)

gtg60

irishfeen wrote: »

I wonder will the card trick still work with our old white cards when sky re-issue new cards? (scheduled for later this year)

Why wouldn't they? The old Blue ones still work.

Besides that re-issue of cards is pure conjecture and the last swap took 18 months from start to finish so don't even start worrying about it for a few years...

irishfeen

gtg60 wrote: »

Why wouldn't they? The old Blue ones still work.

Besides that re-issue of cards is pure conjecture and the last swap took 18 months from start to finish so don't even start worrying about it for a few years...

Ah OK I didn't know that the Blue Cards still worked - that's good to hear... all is working perfectly here with the NI card... full EPG without any bother at all.

Citizenpain

jca wrote: »

501 is common to both epg's and the the box doesn't seem to get as confused.

Good to know .. When switching from ni card to Irish card I used to use channel 5. Sky will work too ?

muffler

muffler wrote: »

I haven't used the card trick for some time now but decided to do it today to see if I could get Encore. Damn thing wouldnt work at all for me. When I swapped the cards and brought the box out of standby it stuck on the Uk EPG

twinklerunner wrote: »

Cleaning the gold strip on the card usually solves this for me. Just wipe it with a tissue.

Tried cleaning the little strip but no good Im afraid.

Cant figure out whats wrong as I can get the full UK EPG from boot up and then when I change the cards on standby the EPG stays the same (UK). In saying all that the box has seen better days. Maybe there's a problem there.

Tried to do the forced update one day when on the phone to Sky (holding backup button when booting up) but that wouldnt work so the box isnt performing properly.

Citizenpain

What channell do you have it on when you so the standby switch ?

muffler

Citizenpain wrote: »

What channell do you have it on when you so the standby switch ?

501.

I havent added or removed anything from the favourites but I'll check that now again shortly

Citizenpain

Favourites shouldn't matter .sorry . Maybe try chan 105

muffler

Just after doing it all over again and set it at channel 105 but when Im finished it stays stuck on the UK EPG. I have to reboot again with the Irish card.

What I have noticed is that there are only 3 channels in the favourites...all music channels I think.

I tried the forced software update procedure again and it doesnt work. Its a pain the proverbial as it takes the box somewhere about 3 or 4 minutes to boot up.

jca

muffler wrote: »

Just after doing it all over again and set it at channel 105 but when Im finished it stays stuck on the UK EPG. I have to reboot again with the Irish card.

What I have noticed is that there are only 3 channels in the favourites...all music channels I think.

I tried the forced software update procedure again and it doesnt work. Its a pain the proverbial as it takes the box somewhere about 3 or 4 minutes to boot up.

One of the posters here had your problem too, he took the top off the box and cleaned around the card slot and it was perfect.

pbarr

Muffler if you boot with the Irish card in the box will it recognize it then?

twinklerunner

jca wrote: »

501 is common to both epg's and the the box doesn't seem to get as confused.

It's not common to both, unless you have a HD subscription. There is a separate Irish SD version with Irish ads.

jca

twinklerunner wrote: »

It's not common to both, unless you have a HD subscription. There is a separate Irish SD version with Irish ads.

Both 501's are Sky News is what I mean but I think you know that.

muffler

pbarr wrote: »

Muffler if you boot with the Irish card in the box will it recognize it then?

Sure does

After the standby part of the trick when the Irish card is reinserted I have to reboot anyhow as the box just wont recognise the card.

pbarr

muffler wrote: »

Sure does

After the standby part of the trick when the Irish card is reinserted I have to reboot anyhow as the box just wont recognise the card.

Its the sensor at the back of the card slot thats stuck or faulty. If you take the cover off the box and use one of those aerosol can air spray cleaner things it might shift whats blocking it. I never did it but an op here did.
If you want to be sure its the sensor is the problem just swap cards while the box is switched on. If it doesn't see the cards being changed then the sensor's the problem.

gtg60

pbarr wrote: »

Its the sensor at the back of the card slot thats stuck or faulty. If you take the cover off the box and use one of those aerosol can air spray cleaner things it might shift whats blocking it.

No, not necessarily...

I often have similar problems after testing a new batch of UK cards, when I stick back in my Irish one it just won't load back up the Irish EPG unless I reboot the box. Most times it will work after the reboot though, if it's still giving trouble I remove, wait and reinsert the card. Sometimes it can take a few goes...

BTW the sensor is actually to the right of the card and if it wasn't working then it would not read ANY card, this is easily verified by going into the menu under system details and looking for the Card Number, if the sensor was malfunctioning it would say 'No Card' instead of the card number.

muffler

The box I have has probably seen better days. I was switching it and other items off at night so didnt get any downloads over the last few months. When its turned on just before 1 every day it takes about 3 - 4 minutes to boot up. It's also very slow to respond when using FF or RW while in playback mode.

One night it wouldnt play any of the recordings as it just went straight to the 2 x speed and obviously without sound. I had to reboot and it worked alright then. The following day it did the same and I contacted Sky and having failed with the forced software download they agreed to replace the box free.

But in between times I cancelled my sub over something else so the changing of the box never occurred. I have since agreed to stay with them so I must chase them up for the same offer of getting a different box.

pbarr

gtg60 wrote: »

No, not necessarily...

I often have similar problems after testing a new batch of UK cards, when I stick back in my Irish one it just won't load back up the Irish EPG unless I reboot the box. Most times it will work after the reboot though, if it's still giving trouble I remove, wait and reinsert the card. Sometimes it can take a few goes...

BTW the sensor is actually to the right of the card and if it wasn't working then it would not read ANY card, this is easily verified by going into the menu under system details and looking for the Card Number, if the sensor was malfunctioning it would say 'No Card' instead of the card number.

Hmm.. That's interesting but the sensor I meant is the one that detects any card being inserted even if it was a credit card it should activate it. Wonder is that a different one to the one you mean.

gtg60

pbarr wrote: »

Hmm.. That's interesting but the sensor I meant is the one that detects any card being inserted even if it was a credit card it should activate it. Wonder is that a different one to the one you mean.

It is one and the same, a simple switch (off the top of my head is Normally Closed) that signals to the Sky box a card is inserted, in fact if you look at any used Sky card you can see a slight mark where it rests, it's approx 15mm down on the right hand side, it's very obvious when you have a bunch of cards stacked together.

twinklerunner

jca wrote: »

Both 501's are Sky News is what I mean but I think you know that.

I know what you mean, but they are different. I go to a channel that's common to both cards, usually BBC1 HD.

Citizenpain

twinklerunner wrote: »

I know what you mean, but they are different. I go to a channel that's common to both cards, usually BBC1 HD.

I had to do the trick again last night - NI Card - Used c105 - took 3 attempts

muffler

Just a wee update on my previous problem. The EPG was staying in UK mode when I swapped the cards, booted up, went on standby, swap cards again and bring out of standby. I had to reboot every time with the Irish card in so effectively my UTV card was useless in a way.

Anyhow I managed to get another box from Sky...the usual reconditioned one they give you with a service call out. I tried the trick again but it still wont work. I can load the UK EPG and while this box doesnt stick on that EPG it just reverts to the Irish version when I swap the cards back and bring it out of standby mode.

I though t may have had something to do with the on demand box being connected to the router but having switched it off the trick still doesnt work.

Not the end of the world as I can still access a good few of the channels via the blue button but its a lot handier to have them on the EPG though.

jca

muffler wrote: »

Just a wee update on my previous problem. The EPG was staying in UK mode when I swapped the cards, booted up, went on standby, swap cards again and bring out of standby. I had to reboot every time with the Irish card in so effectively my UTV card was useless in a way.

Anyhow I managed to get another box from Sky...the usual reconditioned one they give you with a service call out. I tried the trick again but it still wont work. I can load the UK EPG and while this box doesnt stick on that EPG it just reverts to the Irish version when I swap the cards back and bring it out of standby mode.

I though t may have had something to do with the on demand box being connected to the router but having switched it off the trick still doesnt work.

Not the end of the world as I can still access a good few of the channels via the blue button but its a lot handier to have them on the EPG though.

Have you got the HD sub? It won't work with the HD active.

boardzz

I found it stuck with the UK epg but I just took out the ROI card and put it back in again. Then it worked.

muffler

jca wrote: »

Have you got the HD sub? It won't work with the HD active.

No HD sub.

pbarr

muffler wrote: »

I can load the UK EPG and while this box doesnt stick on that EPG it just reverts to the Irish version when I swap the cards back and bring it out of standby mode.

Muffler I don't really follow. You say that the " box doesn't stick on that EPG it just reverts to the Irish version when I swap the cards back and bring it out of standby mode". I'm not trying to be smart but isn't that how its supposed to work. I'm sure you know well at this stage how to do the card trick but the way you describe whats happening is the way it should happen or else I'm missing something.
Have you the trick channels in the other channels?

muffler

pbarr wrote: »

You say that the " box doesn't stick on that EPG it just reverts to the Irish version when I swap the cards back and bring it out of standby mode". I'm not trying to be smart but isn't that how its supposed to work. I'm sure you know well at this stage how to do the card trick but the way you describe whats happening is the way it should happen or else I'm missing something.

I only got a different box last week and the previous box was sticking on the UK EPG and had to be rebooted with the Irish card inserted in order to get the normal Sky+ features to work so the trick didnt work.

I may not have explained it fully but what I meant is that with this new box everything goes according to plan as such but the ITV channels etc dont appear on the EPG when Im finished. All this worked fine last year and it was very handy when looking to see what was on or setting up something to record.

pbarr wrote: »

Have you the trick channels in the other channels?

Yes.

I have done this lots of times in the past so I think I have a fair idea what to do and what not to do.

May be something to do with the region of the FTV card that you are using or the boxs have the most recent software upgrade.

I have a FTV card for the ITV Central region and it only allows me to access the ITVs,Channel 5s on the blue button!

irishfeen

Have a UTV card here and all is still working fine.. tried the trick from the beginning again just there with no problems.

jca

irishfeen wrote: »

Have a UTV card here and all is still working fine.. tried the trick from the beginning again just there with no problems.

Mine is working perfectly with my UTV card too.

pbarr

muffler wrote: »

I only got a different box last week and the previous box was sticking on the UK EPG and had to be rebooted with the Irish card inserted in order to get the normal Sky+ features to work so the trick didnt work.

I may not have explained it fully but what I meant is that with this new box everything goes according to plan as such but the ITV channels etc dont appear on the EPG when Im finished. All this worked fine last year and it was very handy when looking to see what was on or setting up something to record.


Yes.

I have done this lots of times in the past so I think I have a fair idea what to do and what not to do.

Strange, its acting as if you have a HD sub even though you don't.
Wonder wonder would a full system reset help.

muffler

Problem sorted. I have 2 cards....UTV and Granada regions and I always keep the UTV card beside the Sky box. As it turns out one of the young lads took it to his room a while back to do the trick on a multi room box and instead of returning it he left the Granada card back.

So I was trying to do the trick with a Granada region card all along which as you know was never going to work. I only spotted it when I was trying it again around tea time and I noticed Granada News listed on channel 103.

Apologies to everyone for the confusion

jca

muffler wrote: »

Problem sorted. I have 2 cards....UTV and Granada regions and I always keep the UTV card beside the Sky box. As it turns out one of the young lads took it to his room a while back to do the trick on a multi room box and instead of returning it he left the Granada card back.

So I was trying to do the trick with a Granada region card all along which as you know was never going to work. I only spotted it when I was trying it again around tea time and I noticed Granada News listed on channel 103.

Apologies to everyone for the confusion

Luckily my UTV card is white and the itv London one is blue. I would dearly love to know why only Channel Islands and UTV cards work.

gtg60

jca wrote: »

Luckily my UTV card is white and the itv London one is blue. I would dearly love to know why only Channel Islands and UTV cards work.

I've all mine labelled including the Irish Sub one but then I probably have more cards than most

Yes, the NI and CI cards are a mystery, to be honest I kinda understood when the NI one worked as those are the BBC's on our EPG so that made sense that it integrated properly but the CI one??

muffler

gtg60 wrote: »

but then I probably have more cards than most

Never!

WeHaveToGoBack

Looks like its stopped working on my box, a Samsung as far as I know.

Citizenpain

WeHaveToGoBack wrote: »

Looks like its stopped working on my box, a Samsung as far as I know.

Full Card trick or Blue Button?

jca

WeHaveToGoBack wrote: »

Looks like its stopped working on my box, a Samsung as far as I know.

Has the box been updated and then stopped working.

WeHaveToGoBack

Was previously using the blue button trick to get the favourites as the update to the new EPG meant no more Channel 5 on the EPG.

I'm not sure if there was a software update, at first I assumed the box must have been plugged out and I didn't set it up again ; this was a week or two ago, but now Ive tried again a few times and no joy.

jca

WeHaveToGoBack wrote: »

Was previously using the blue button trick to get the favourites as the update to the new EPG meant no more Channel 5 on the EPG.

I'm not sure if there was a software update, at first I assumed the box must have been plugged out and I didn't set it up again ; this was a week or two ago, but now Ive tried again a few times and no joy.

What region card are you using? I presume you haven't upgraded to HD, have you changed your sub at all, cancelled movies or sports etc?

WeHaveToGoBack

jca wrote: »

What region card are you using? I presume you haven't upgraded to HD, have you changed your sub at all, cancelled movies or sports etc?

ITV Central West.
Have had HD for months and it worked fine. Cancelled sports a few months ago, but again, it worked fine up until a week or two ago.