Amstrad A2P0524 Information PLEASE!

[casselle]

Having seen an advert for Sky+ box offering up to 40 hours recording time I decided to make the purchase. I checked with the sales person that I would get 40 hours recording time and again with the Installation Engineer - both confirmed I would.

An Amstrad A2P0524, Version 4F2109, was installed last week. The Specifications in the manual state: Hard Drive: 160 Gb (with 80 Gb for personal use); the packaging also has 80GB in bold letters on it.

When I set a programme to record in the Planner and checked the amount of HD space would be used it showed 2% for a 1/2 hr programme, and 4% for a one-hr programme. I therfore calculated that the total disk would only hold 25 hours of recordings, not up to 40 as stating in Sky's advertisement.

Following extremely lengthy phone calls (terminated by being cut off!) I have sent e-mails to Sky. They are saying that they no longer issue 160/80 Gb Sky+ boxes - only 40 GB with 20 hours recording time - which is what has been installed for me!!! Surely this duplicity should not be allowed to continue.

Can anyone please confirm whether the aforementioned Amstrad box has a 40 Gb or 80 Gb Hard Drive please?

[casselle]

Hi again,

I've just looked on the Sky+ packaging which has a bold 80 GB Personal Storage on it. Looking more closely, the Model is shown as: DRX 280 - not A2P0524 as actually installed!

No doubt the DRX 280 model will have been 80 Gb and Sky are putting the Sky+ boxes into the wrong packaging - not accidentally I would have thought!

[davemurgatroyd2]

The version number 4F2109 is a DRX280 PVR3 with 160 Gb Hard disk 80 for personal use (which is approx 40 hours recording depending on the bit rate of the channel recorded).

The model number shown in "System details" shows the version of software loaded on that box.

The version numbers change on every minor internal change (change of chip supplier, hard disk supplier etc) and often the model number shown will change because of this. Rather like cars will change slightly between different model years.

[casselle]

Dear Murgatroyd2, Many thanks for your very helpful advice. To try and get a clearer picture of the amount of disk space the Sky+ is actually using I recorded the following programmes earlier today:

1 x 1hr programme (shows 3% used)

1 x 1hr programme (shows 3% used)

1 x 2hr programme (shows 5% used) Totalling 11%, but the PLANNER shows 90%
disk space remaining.

So, as you say, that would be about 40 hours total disk space available.

I cannot understand why the staff at Sky are e-mailing me, adamantly stating that all their Sky+ boxes are now 40 Gb, providing 20 hours recording time (even though they advertise 40 hours!).

Your information has put my mind at rest - why couldn't Sky staff be as accurate! Once again, my sincere thanks for your help, it is very much appreciated.

[davemurgatroyd2]

Originally Posted by casselle

Dear Murgatroyd2, Many thanks for your very helpful advice. To try and get a clearer picture of the amount of disk space the Sky+ is actually using I recorded the following programmes earlier today:

1 x 1hr programme (shows 3% used)

1 x 1hr programme (shows 3% used)

1 x 2hr programme (shows 5% used) Totalling 11%, but the PLANNER shows 90%
disk space remaining.

So, as you say, that would be about 40 hours total disk space available.

I cannot understand why the staff at Sky are e-mailing me, adamantly stating that all their Sky+ boxes are now 40 Gb, providing 20 hours recording time (even though they advertise 40 hours!).

Your information has put my mind at rest - why couldn't Sky staff be as accurate! Once again, my sincere thanks for your help, it is very much appreciated.

The "metering" of space used and free is very pessimistic and particularly so on estimated space required for future recordings but that is better than having insufficient space for a recording.

[casselle]

Thanks again Dave, I was just trying to get an initial idea as to the actual size of the Hard Drive/Recording time available, after receiving such conflicting information from Sky. Your earlier posting has now clarified that for me.