Evening all.

My Sky+ box has died ( suspected psu) and it had 80% of the hdd full with SWMBO programmes. Now I know I could change it into the new box ( well I can can't I??) BUT it occured to me that the old and the new boxes ( both thompson units) have a usb port on the front and rear. I alos have a HDD caddy with a usb plug.

SO is it possible to connect the old hdd up as an external drive and view the programmes OR is there any other way of solving this issue.

Thanks in advance

I suppose it's possible. On the other side knowing sky the files will be in a proprietary format, and knowing computer stuff you can't just swap the drives over because that's too much sense..

the usb ports were put on for a 'future upgrade', but obviously we have HD boxes now, so the upgrade never happened, as such, the USB ports apparently don't actually work.
yes, you could take the HD out and put it in another box though. how, i don't know, never tried. it should be the same as a standard PC HD.
you will need to call sky to pair the card and the box to ensure you get sky+ functions back properly(sometimes it does, mostly it doesn't). if you swap and it doesn't work, that doesn't necesarily mean the swap didn't work.

I have heard of folk putting a 1tb disc in a standard (non original 1tb box) HD box, so a swap is definitely possible

Seems to be working OK Blake. They are identical boxes/manufacturers but obviously with different serial no's.
I might get a new psu for the old box but I would not have a card for it. I don't want to pay for another card/multi room though.

Hi Omega

I work for sky as an engineer
and as blakep82 says the usb ports have never been switched on by sky, so you cant transfer the files from one hdd to another, the files are in an encripted format so you cant use them in a pc, but yes putting the old hdd into the new box shouldn't be a problem
just need to get the card paired by sky, simple call to customer service and tell them you have purchased a second hand box and they will pair it up. would need a torx bit to swap hdd.

Andy

Cheers Andy. The card is working fine in the new box. i.e my original card in the new box.
The problem with the old one was the stand by light had a flicker on it ( red) and the picture was non existant TBH also it was changing up and down channels on its own. Do you think it'd be repairable??

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace may be of interest if you're handy with a soldering iron......

Strange - that's not what I called that link....!

[Edited on 21/8/11 by GeoffT]

Is it easier to swap the Power supply board ?

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Is it easier to swap the Power supply board ?

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Having probs with the new one now. It's gonna need paired with the card OR PERHAPS I have connected the 2 inputs from the lnb in the wrong way round. Does it matter which way round they go??

In short nope as they usually come from the same twin lnb.

Cheers

Rich

I will need paired mate, easy call to Sly.

Do a search for Sky Copy+

Try here http://www.skycopyplus.co.uk/instructions32.php
And here http://www.free-sat-tv.co.uk/SkyRepairs.php

Hi M8

yeah if the red light is flickering and wont come out of standby then defo PSU(power supply unit)
you can get it fixed or sometimes just as cheap to get one second hand.

if your recordings are not playing back with the new box, says recording interupted, then you need to get the card paired, check out a premium channel like sports or movies and it should says its the wrong card, just ring sky they will ask for the serial no.s from the new box and pair it up, no questions asked.

it doesn't matter which cable is on which input both the same just make sure that the central core of cable is not bent over and finger tight.

Andy