Jump to content
Complete France Forum

Problem with sky box


Recommended Posts

Have  a Panasonic sky  box, problem is that although we have gone through all the usual procedures such as turning off and resetting, when it is switched back on the search for listings banner just stays there and apparently cannot find the listings, applies to all sections.  If we punch in a channel number we have no problem in getting a picture.  Does this mean the box is on the blink. Programme planner does come up. Any suggestions gratefully received

Honeydo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Honeydo"]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a forced download, and how do I go about it.  Thanks

Honeydo

[/quote]

This is not something that you should carry out regularly as the box usually updates automatically when it receives a message from Sky. One very important thing is to follow the instructions exactly and do not get impatient.

Forced Download  Press and hold the "back up" button on the front of the receiver (Not the handset), whilst keeping the back up button pressed, switch the "receiver off at the mains" then back on. After approx 10 to 20 seconds all the lights on the front of the receiver will come on followed by a message on screen (If connected via a scart lead). The message will indicate that the system software is being updated and please leave for 10 minutes you can now release the "Back up" button. On some of the newer faster digiboxes this may only take 5 minutes, once completed the message will disappear from the screen, leave for approx 30 seconds and press the sky button to resume normal operation. By going to "Services" then "System Set up" you will see that the software version has now been changed and is fully updated.

The above instructions copied from http://www.satelliteonline.co.uk/index.htm

Baz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well that is a slight setback. 

The only other thing I can think of is that Sky are - from anecdotal evidence elsewhere - trying out some software mods at the moment,  at least in part for the changes to the numbering of channels which concerns - amongst other things - a complete change to the way radio channels are accessed.  From what I've heard,  not all the software changes are working properly on all the boxes out there,  so if it's a recent problem I think you may just have to sit tight and see if the problem clears itself.   If you still have problems after the new numbering comes in then maybe it's time for a new box.  But sit tight for the moment is my advice.

I take it that the signal quality indicator is high,  > 60%

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes the signal is fine.  I have just read on a satellite forum, two other people appear to be having similar problems so maybe it is a sky problem, will sit tight and wait and see what happens.  Really annoying though.  Thanks for the help and advice

Honeydo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is looking more like a sky problem, lets hope it will resolve itself.  At least it has stopped us immediately going out to buy a new box.  If we do eventually upgrade how do people find the new Sky+ and Sky +160 boxes, are they reliable or would we be better investing in the normal box.

Honeydo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not only Panasonic boxes I'm afraid: my elderly Pace has lost its listings too.

Sky is impementing new software to do with major changes in the EPG. Looks like its not exactly without bugs so far !

Let's hope there are sufficient UK-based Panasonic owners currently yelling down the phone to Livingstone.

p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The word seems to be that Sky have a major software problem. The latest version (which automatically downloads) is causing problems with Panasonic and severalother makes of digibox.  The Sky technical help line in the UK has apparently gone into meltdown !   They were telling people yesterday that they hoped to have the problem resolved by the end of the day but it seems they failed miserably.

A forced software download won't help as all that will do is reload the dodgy software. But if your box stops functioning all together then unplugging for 30 seconds might help.

No doubt Sky will have a team of boffins working on this and we can expect it to be resolved very soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Managed (eventually) to get through to a person at Sky who went through normal reset i.e switch off box at mains, switch on again and then leave in standby for 60 seconds before switching box on. After this period listings for "All Channels" was restored.  Advised NOT to try and bring up listings under individual groupings i.e Sport, Movies etc for the time being.  They confirmed it was a download problem which they hoped to fix in the next three/four days.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the information. This does seem to be a box-specific problem. Our Grundig Sky digibox here in France is working perfectly OK When installing a similar one at our maison secondaire in England at the end of last week I had all sorts of hassles getting it to update properly - neither box nor card had been used for some time, so the software version was probably several months old. At first all the wrong regions came up and it was ages before Ch4, five and Sky3 started working. It did all sort itself out eventually after being left on, set to Sky News, as recommended on the www.satcure.com site. This looks like a related problem.

So it looks like patience is required rather than a new box or dish.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be honest I expect you may have to wait a while before it all settles down.   These modifications were planned for December,  but Sky dread doing major revisions at that time of year in case they bring their entire platform to a shuddering halt on - say - Christmas Eve.   The fact that they're still tinkering suggests things are not going well from their point of view.

To be fair to them,  they are trying to get boxes (such as mine from 1999) to keep up with upgrades that test their capacities to the limit.   Whilst I'm no apologist for Uncle Ru,  other operators such as Canalsatellite in France have (rented) boxes out in the field that won't even store an adequate number of channels.   So Sky's record is not that bad.

Curiously our two 1999 Pace's are running as sweetly as ever (albeit very slowly compared to moderner boxes).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...