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Sky + but expired card


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Having spent a few minutes changing an LNB for some friends,   it turned out that the Sky + box they'd bought second hand wouldn't record,  and their exisiting Sky card is long expired.

Is there really no work around to use the PVR facilities of a Sky + box on FTA channels.

If not then Sky really are worse than the Victorian Mill owners!    But I suppose we knew that already.

I think they may have to save up for a freesat + HD box!

Any help gratefully received.

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Sadly Sky in their ultimate wisdom require you to have an active sky contract to record any stations on a Sky+ Box. Without the contract being active the Sky+ box will act as a normal FTA (Free To Air) box effectively allowing you to view the FTA stations but with no recording features. I suspect as the original owner of the box probably had been given it free by Sky, so their rule of being a subscription only service is not unfair.

The solution as you mentioned  would be the purchase of a freesat + HD box

Baz

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Thanks you two.    I wondered about a freesatfromsky card,   I'll go and see whether I can find out the details.

Certainly a while back I think you had to have a paying sub rather than a solus card,  but they might have changed it.

Thanks anyway.

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 Martin " I wondered about a freesatfromsky card".  Sorry to disappoint you, but this card will not allow the record facility to work a Sky+ box, the only option available is a subscription to Sky to enable the box to record.

Baz

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Don't know about that, I was referring to the EU courts and the strong possibility that companies like Sky and Canal+ will have to allow other people accross the EU to legally view their services. I did a post about this at the beginning of the year and it involved a possible ruling on a case of a pub owner getting football matches via another supplier and not Sky. I don't have the time to go looking for it but it's on the forum somewhere.
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Thanks Baz for the clarification.   I had a feeling that it was a paying only contract that did the stuff,   but you've saved me looking.

Although the European courts may well rule in that pub-owners favour,   my hunch is that Sky will at best drag its feet about making subs available outside Britain.   They'll blame everyone else of course ("protracted and difficult negotiations with the rights holders" would be one excuse no doubt) but I just don't see it happening for a while,   and probably not before they've got more of their stuff onto narrow beam transponders (which whilst a while off for the really narrow beams on Astra 2 are now on the horizon at other sat positions,   there's a new service for Ireland in the Ka band that really does stop pretty much half way across Wales!) and thus obviated the problem....

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This is what Q is talking about but I don't see it as a intimating an EU wide free for all as it hinges on the both the willingness and contractual ability of a provider to offer subscriptions to those residing out with their primary catchment area. Sky are very clearly not up for it on either score, nor do I believe can they be forced into it. The Greek provider in this case seems to have been willing and able enough though.

http://forums.tvcatchup.com/showthread.php?6138-Sky-loses-pub-footy-case

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On the point of the Skyfreeview card, I believe that this card is no longer required as my card expired in November last year and I’m still watching the same channels as before without any card at all.

It was announced by Sky that this card would no longer be required to watch the free view channels. Obviously a card is still required for the film, sports, and the unmentionable programmes.

 

I did this year purchase a HD free sat box, and like so many others I too am unable to utilise the teletext facility (red button) at present. I do have both boxes connected to the TV at the moment so that I still have the use of the teletext facility.                  

I believe that this may be down to the area where you live, or lived in the UK. Some areas have completed the change over while other areas are still in the process.

I expect that come September when the change over is completed I will then be able to view the teletext pages with the HD box which will then render the Sky box obsolete.

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its all very clever.  If i bring my uk sky card to france, it only works on a limited basis, and allows me to get a very few more channels.  |It wont let me get my subscribed channels and tells me im using the right card with the wrong box.  I assume that if i bring my uk card+ uk box, it will work fine..........

kim

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[quote user="kimg"]its all very clever.  If i bring my uk sky card to france, it only works on a limited basis, and allows me to get a very few more channels.  |It wont let me get my subscribed channels and tells me im using the right card with the wrong box.  I assume that if i bring my uk card+ uk box, it will work fine..........

kim
[/quote]

yes - each card is "associated" with a particular box when it is set up, so if you bring box and card it should work

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Not that it will help kimg but cards only need associating with Sky+ boxes or if you have movies and/or sports, I have none of that.

I have 3 standard Sky boxes in active daily service and a 4th in a guest bedroom and my card works in any of them, plus in the gaggle of spare boxes I have. I have to use it on a fairly regular basis to reset them to East region after the numerous power cuts we get here in France [blink]

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[quote user="AnOther"]I believe the only thing a card will do now is give you CH5 on 105 and the regional BBC & ITV programmes for the area of the address you gave when you bought it.

[/quote]and you lose 5US, Fiver, Motors TV plus a few other channels without the card (critical if you're me!)
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