Sky Plus Box help please

[Earlybird]

Ive just bought a cheapy second hand sky+ box off ebay.
Ive plugged everything in but all I get is a message saying its searching for channels.

I am using my old sky card which gives me so many free to air channels perfectly well on my old sky box.

Is there a different card for Sky+ or do I need to ring Sky to inform them to change the card to the new box?

Anyone else had this problem,? Thanks in advance...

 

[Northstander]

you may need to register the card to the new box by calling sky

 

[BattFink]

Does the card have an active sky subscription? If so you'll need to phone them up and get them to pair the card to the new sky+ box, but otherwise it should be the same card (presuming you've got the white card)

It'll probably be a good idea to go into the installers menu and go through the "new install" setup

 

[Earlybird]

Thanks, I'll give that a go

 

[Earlybird]

Does the card have an active sky subscription? If so you'll need to phone them up and get them to pair the card to the new sky+ box, but otherwise it should be the same card (presuming you've got the white card)

It'll probably be a good idea to go into the installers menu and go through the "new install" setup

Its the old blue card with yellow script

 

[martyn20]

Each card will only work in one box at a time, ring them and given the details of the new box and they will pair it up in seconds.

 

[martyn20]

Or if it is an old style card they will issue a new one for you

 

[c0lz]

you would still get free to air channels so not picking up a signal

lnb ? or cable connections ?

 

[Earlybird]

you would still get free to air channels so not picking up a signal

lnb ? or cable connections ?

All I want are the free to air channels.
Have treble checked the connections.
The ' channel search' come up in the old format & not the Sky+ shorted format on the screen which is why I thought maybe I needed a new, white card??

 

[c0lz]

All I want are the free to air channels.
Have treble checked the connections.
The ' channel search' come up in the old format & not the Sky+ shorted format on the screen which is why I thought maybe I needed a new, white card??

try forcing a update, turn the box off by the mains then hold down the back up button, keep it held down power up the sky box, still hold down till four lights come on now release the back up button, it will take about ten minutes and power off/on , see if thats helps

 

[Earlybird]

Thanks a million guys.
I'll try a few of these.
Fingers crossed!

 

[R. Slicker]

you would still get free to air channels so not picking up a signal

lnb ? or cable connections ?

D'oh Too late

correct, you should still get most free to air channels but usually if there is no signal it would usually give you a no satellite signal message.
It sounds like a dud one but try this 1st. (at your own risk, but it usually works )
remove power from box (take out figure 8 power lead or turn off at the plug if you can get to it)
hold in the BACK UP button on the box while re-introducing the power.
keep holhing the back up button until all 4 lights come on on front of the box.
This will force download the latest software and MAY sort it our.
it will take 10-15 minutes and then a further couple of minutes to switch the box back on.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Or if it is an old style card they will issue a new one for you

If they issue a new card it will cost £25 as it will be classed as a "Freesat from Sky" card (FSFS). This will give you all the "Free To Air" and "Free To View" channels. The FSFS card will also regionalise the box otherwise you end up with ITV Central West and BBC 1 London as the default setting.

 

[c0lz]

D'oh Too late

correct, you should still get most free to air channels but usually if there is no signal it would usually give you a no satellite signal message.
It sounds like a dud one but try this 1st. (at your own risk, but it usually works )
remove power from box (take out figure 8 power lead or turn off at the plug if you can get to it)
hold in the BACK UP button on the box while re-introducing the power.
keep holhing the back up button until all 4 lights come on on front of the box.
This will force download the latest software and MAY sort it our.
it will take 10-15 minutes and then a further couple of minutes to switch the box back on.

lol snap

 

[martyn20]

If you go into the signal page in the settings section you can check if the dish is receiving information, might remove one reason for no channels

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

D'oh Too late

correct, you should still get most free to air channels but usually if there is no signal it would usually give you a no satellite signal message.
It sounds like a dud one but try this 1st. (at your own risk, but it usually works )
remove power from box (take out figure 8 power lead or turn off at the plug if you can get to it)
hold in the BACK UP button on the box while re-introducing the power.
keep holhing the back up button until all 4 lights come on on front of the box.
This will force download the latest software and MAY sort it our.
it will take 10-15 minutes and then a further couple of minutes to switch the box back on.

If this doesn't work you've been sold a pup , check on the underside of the box to see who the manufacturer is , if it says Thomson either the hard disk drive is f***ed or the capacitors have bulged (basically the PSU or power supply unit overheating) and its on the way to digibox heaven.

 

[c0lz]

If they issue a new card it will cost £25 as it will be classed as a "Freesat from Sky" card (FSFS). This will give you all the "Free To Air" and "Free To View" channels. The FSFS card will also regionalise the box otherwise you end up with ITV Central West and BBC 1 London as the default setting.

But you don't need any card to view free to air.

 

[Earlybird]

Ive got the System Update message & the 10 minute wait....


Im sure you need some sort of card, even for the free to air stuff.

 

[happypig]

Hope you get it working, but if not, I have a nearly new sky box that I can sell you cheap.

 

[c0lz]

Ive got the System Update message & the 10 minute wait....


Im sure you need some sort of card, even for the free to air stuff.

The only channel you might lose without a card is normally channel 5 but even then there is a way round it but long time since i did it but there are forums around.