Sky+ box dead

[Rathion]

Came home late last night popped on the tv and after a couple of minutes the picture went black and the box switched itself off.
All the front panel lights were on and none of the contolrs would work. I tried rebooting and it seemed ok for about another two minutes!!
Tried this twice same thing gave up and went to bed.
Same thing this morning

Phoned Sky they think its a hardware problem! (you don't say! )

Waiting for a callback next week to arrange a service call.

Anyone had this before and does anyone know how long I'm likely to have to wait for an appointment?

Any way of saving whats on my hard drive?

Also what can I realistically expect in way of compensation?

Thanks

try a software d/load might cure it,

unplug from mains,

hold back-up on box

plug mains back in

keep back-up pressed until all lights appear on box,

wait 10 mins ,

leave a few mins too settle down,

give it a go.

its a long shot but worth a try

Mine broke on the 22nd December after just ten days - after about twenty phone calls they have still failed to repair it. I've had four failed arranged visits when they just didn't show - they subcontract to a firm called NESN, who then subcontract again. Sky themselves seem all very embarrassed about it, but to no avail.

I'm at my wits end. Ask for your money back - hopefully you'll get more joy than me!!

Wooooooooooaaaaah Hold on a moment...

I've had this 2 or 3 times... and so far managed to recover.

I think it's caused by overheating.
I installed a MAXTOR 120 GB / 7200 rpm hard disk before Xmas.
It runs very hot inside the case (can't hold bare fingers on it). The original HDD was the same, but the new one probably runs even hotter.
At this time I had re-fitted the outer case and it was almost closed (not screwed on) - so there no additional venting compared to normal.

Just after returning from being away over Xmas to a nicely filled new hard disk - I got a system screw up while checking some of the recordings... and couldn't operate the menu's anymore even tho it was all still switched on. Re-started (mains on/off) and then it had "lost" all the recordings.
I had to do a full system reset and then it all worked fine... but with empty disk again.

THEN sometime later I had the problem you mention... it just switched itself off and wouldn't respond to buttons, or after a mains re-start. (Outer case still fitted at this point).

Can't rem what I did that time... I maybe put the old disk back in again or took out the new one changed the jumper from position CS position to MASTER & back again... and eventually it all came back on again... with recordings still showing in Sky+ planner.

THEN it happened again - only more scary. It just switched itself off again, but I could NOT get it to start.
(with mains on/off power up, the red power & IR LED's would flash & come on, then the control lights on the left would flash green, then everything would go off again. When it's really coming back on, this can take a couple of minutes and there's some worrying hard disk activity which sounds similar to the full system reset... then it'll comes back onto Ch 998).

Swapped new disk for old... swapped jumpers from CS to MASTER on both disks and still wouldn't start...

Left it unplugged overnight to really cool down and resigned myself to another system reset and 70 hours of lost recordings.
Next morning - Tried again with old HDD and after a few re-starts it eventually re-started (listings appeared OK)... swapped it back again for the new HDD and then THAT TOO Started... WITH recordings !
Voila !

Since then, as temp solution, I leave the outer case open by a few inches to leave half the HDD uncovered to let out some of the hot air , and have now installed a HDD cooler installed below the disk but replaced original fams with a single 40mm fan from an old P2 CPU PC (original 2 x 50mm fans were too noisy and am looking for quiter repacements)

In addition to all this - another time I was watching a recorded progr. and it started to break up into squares (like when signal qlty goes down) and to jump ahead / skip bits. The outer case was still almost closed at this time and for sure - the HDD was very hot... Took it out and replaced w old disk again... waited till new disk cooled down a bit... put it back in.. and the same progr which before was acting up (like there was poor signal) - was now PERFECT...
That's when I decided to get a HDD cooler / leave the case open...

I have posted a couple of times about HDD coolers, but responces haven't helped so I'm trying to find a practical solution on my own.
Will report back when solution is found.

So - if it seems to break down and won't re-start, leave it unplugged for a few hours and try again.

Steve

[Rathion]

Well the box was left unplugged all of yesterday I tried it agin late at night and it seemed to be ok so I left it on all day today and it seems fine I agree with Steve1138 in that it was over heating!
Mine is a non modified box! I'm waiting till its out of warranty before doing that.
Surely we shouldn't have to put up with overhating boxes especially standard ones :

Will see what Sky say when/if they call me back

[BrianC]

I had the same problem with my first (unmod'd) sky+ box. It had to be replaced within the first seven days as it kept having to be reset and losing all of the recordings.

Its nice to know that the problem is/was caused by the disk overheating as I am planning on upgrading the HD in a few weeks so I will upgrade the fan at the same time.

[Dave777]

My first Sky+ didn't even last a day. It wouldn't record and was very very noisy and hot. Having seen on this forum that there was a noise issue with some boxes I was concerned (as was my wife!) about the noise.

I got a new one and the difference was amazing. Almost completely silent and runs much much cooler. Touch wood no problems at all now and is a great product with great picture.

When they work they are the greatest!!!


Cheers

Dave

[Rathion]

Had a call today from the service compnay they are changing the box! Not even coming to look at it! Said they have ordered a new box and will call back to arrange an appointment to fit it

Hope it's soon!

[hunts1uk]

Originally posted by Rathion
Had a call today from the service compnay they are changing the box! Not even coming to look at it! Said they have ordered a new box and will call back to arrange an appointment to fit it

Hope it's soon!

Is it all sorted now?

[Rathion]

Still waiting
called the repair company and they said my box was ordered and I was "in the next batch" which should be delivered today or tomorrow

Just waiting patiently for a call to arrange an appointment.

[jont]

Just remember the sky+ box needs space on the sides as well as the back to cool ... don't put it in a snug cabinet or it *will* overheat and fry ;-)

Jon

[Brigadeer]

My box packed up yesterday after < 2 months...no recording or playback and software re-load didn't work. Is this common ???