Canceling Sky+

TOM ALLEN

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Hi Guys, Anyone know if I can continue to the use the recording facilties on the Digibox with Freeview if I cancel my subscription with SKY? :confused:

regards

Tom
 
Fairly certain that you need to have subscription of some sort. They only wave the £10 Sub if you take out a premium package of some sort.
It'll just op as a normal skybox

John
 
Nope, don't pay the £10 (or have premium subscription) and you can not record anything ... not even FreeSat.

StooMonster
 
This is why Sky want to make Sky+ boxes as cheap as possible, big disincetive to cancel if you then have to buy a DVD recorder or some other form of recording medium.
 
does anyone actually know how they disable the recording facility?
is it thru phone line? simple to solve hey
or some sort of signal thru the sat?
if thru the sat is it a possibility that maybe the signals only sent to disable recording etc for one day or so many days then the signal meant for your box giving it the command to disable +facilities will be stopped for obvious technical reasons/bandwidth?
if so perhaps keeping your box switched off and fully unplugged for one week to prevent it getting the signal?
any ideas / theories?
 
Disabled via simple authentication. You need satellite signal to play recorded material on Sky+, if you unplug your dish you can't watch anything live or recorded. Your box will simply check with Sky that you can record/playback whenever it is on; not simply once.

StooMonster
 
I'd been meaning to ask/find out...

Why on Earth do you need a satellite signal to watch even recorded items?!?! (Sky+160) :confused:

So when the rain stops you from watching something live - you can't even then resort to your recordings!!

Seems like the most perfectly-designed strategy to p155 a customer off.
 
Arif said:
I'd been meaning to ask/find out...

Why on Earth do you need a satellite signal to watch even recorded items?!?! (Sky+160) :confused:

So when the rain stops you from watching something live - you can't even then resort to your recordings!!

Seems like the most perfectly-designed strategy to p155 a customer off.

It's done for the same reason that most things are done in this country, to stop people abusing the system. If people didn't "try it on" like krismc then it wouldn't be necessary to put in these safeguards. Sorry, krismc, but if you want to steal from Sky, don't ask for help here, because it's not allowed on the forums.
 
i would imagine anyhow that the system would be able to get enough of a signal through rain to allow a recording to play, just not watch live transmission.....
 
Nick_UK said:
It's done for the same reason that most things are done in this country, to stop people abusing the system. If people didn't "try it on" like krismc then it wouldn't be necessary to put in these safeguards. Sorry, krismc, but if you want to steal from Sky, don't ask for help here, because it's not allowed on the forums.


How exactly is Krismc 'trying it on' or 'wanting to steal from Sky'?

Do you regard expecting your own HDD recorder to perform a basic function like recording to HDD without payment to Sky as being unrealistic?

You really should get a sense of perspective. First you acted like a spokesman for Sky in trying to deny any problems existed with the last firmware upgrade when they manifestly did, now you are accusing other Forum members of being wannabe theives.


Gav

Gav
 
I seem to have put the cat amongst the pidgeons, however, I think SKY have a cheek.
I'm left with box that is almost useless, Freeview isn't exactly the dogs ........; will have to look for a good deal on a DVD & Hard Drive as I couldn't go back to VCR.

WINDY
 
i must admit, given that you pay for the box as well as the Sky+ subscription (altho incentivised to take on premium channels to get the + free) i would expect to be able to use the basic record facility (but not the live pause/rewind feature).....if i hadnt paid for the box then fair enuff.....or if i'd only paid a £50 fee then fair enough because thats as cheap as a freeview comes and at that price they quite often dont have a card slot either.....however for people who paid £100 or £200 or whatever, it is a bit of a cheek losing the HDD recording ability once u stop paying Sky money...
 
however, im assuming its in the T&C, which if it is leaves no room to query, you signed the form, you accept it......cant be arsed myself...lol
 
gavan said:
How exactly is Krismc 'trying it on' or 'wanting to steal from Sky'?

Do you regard expecting your own HDD recorder to perform a basic function like recording to HDD without payment to Sky as being unrealistic?

You really should get a sense of perspective. First you acted like a spokesman for Sky in trying to deny any problems existed with the last firmware upgrade when they manifestly did, now you are accusing other Forum members of being wannabe theives.


Gav

Gav

Trying to get something (that others pay for) for nothing is stealing. If you think I'm acting incorrectly, then report me to a moderator. You know the Terms & Conditions of Sky+ when you buy it - if you don't like them, nobody is forcing you to have it. Sky is not a HDD recorder - it's a multi-function box which works on subscription. If you don't pay the subs, it doesn't work. Which part of that don't you understand ?
 
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooowww!
 
Nick_UK said:
Trying to get something (that others pay for) for nothing is stealing. If you think I'm acting incorrectly, then report me to a moderator. You know the Terms & Conditions of Sky+ when you buy it - if you don't like them, nobody is forcing you to have it. Sky is not a HDD recorder - it's a multi-function box which works on subscription. If you don't pay the subs, it doesn't work. Which part of that don't you understand ?


I'm fully aware of how the Sky+ system works. However, I don't think that someone asking if there's a technical dodge to get their bought and paid for Hard Drive Recorder to record on the hard drive without paying Sky for the privilege warrants an immediate accusation of 'Thief'. I guess it just boils down to your own standard of civility.



Gav
 
StooMonster said:
Nope, don't pay the £10 (or have premium subscription) and you can not record anything ... not even FreeSat.

StooMonster

Hopefully when we get the full Freesat service from the main terrestrial channels - ie FTA instead of just FTV on Sky's encryption system - we'll see a decent choice of hardware including HDD sat. PVRs and kit with DVI output and built in deinterlacers.

I guess at that stage, Sky will be forced to stop making users pay to use the basic features of their own hardware.

Gav
 
gavan said:
I'm fully aware of how the Sky+ system works. However, I don't think that someone asking if there's a technical dodge to get their bought and paid for Hard Drive Recorder to record on the hard drive without paying Sky for the privilege warrants an immediate accusation of 'Thief'. I guess it just boils down to your own standard of civility.

No, I think it boils down to your own standard of morality. Fiddling with your Sky+ box to make it do what it would normally not be able to do without subscription is theft. There's no dodging it - rather like putting a six-inch nail across your electricity meter to get free electricity - it's stealing
 
Nick_UK said:
No, I think it boils down to your own standard of morality. Fiddling with your Sky+ box to make it do what it would normally not be able to do without subscription is theft. There's no dodging it - rather like putting a six-inch nail across your electricity meter to get free electricity - it's stealing


Let's see: On a personal level, If I want to record a FTA programme, or one from a subscription channel which I have paid for, to the HDD of the HDD recorder box, which I have paid for, in order to time shift it ... well, I certainly don't regard that as 'stealing' from anyone.

Therefore, I really don't care that Sky want someone else to pay for the privilege of recording to their own Sky+ box: I don't find anything immoral in that someone trying to circumvent their T&Cs in order to enable what should be a basic function of the hardware they bought. Good luck to them, if I knew a way to do it I'd tell them. As it happens, it's a moot point for me as I have a full sub anyway and therefore get 'free' Sky+ functionality.



You on the other hand seem to think the heinous crime of expecting to be able to record on one's own video recording device for free deserves the tag of 'thief'. I frankly find that quite bizarre and unwarranted, just as I find the notion of paying to use your own hardware bizarre and unwarranted. Hopefully in time, commercial pressure will force Sky to drop this restriction which is only possible because of their monopolistic business practices and they way they have locked down the market with their proprietary encryption.


Gav
 
gavan said:
You on the other hand seem to think the heinous crime of expecting to be able to record on one's own video recording device for free deserves the tag of 'thief'. I frankly find that quite bizarre and unwarranted, just as I find the notion of paying to use your own hardware bizarre and unwarranted. Hopefully in time, commercial pressure will force Sky to drop this restriction which is only possible because of their monopolistic business practices and they way they have locked down the market with their proprietary encryption.

Don't put words in my mouth. I didn't say it was a "heinous crime", I said it was theft, and it is theft. If your moral principles don't comprehend the concept, there's no point in my wasting your time trying to explain it to you again.

" I frankly find that quite bizarre and unwarranted, just as I find the notion of paying to use your own hardware bizarre and unwarranted. "

Well, since you hate Sky, and the Sky box, and don't agree with Sky's usage T & C's, why did you sign up ? There's plenty of HDD recorders out there that don't require a subscription. Why choose the only one that does ? Were you not aware that the hardware only works with a subscription ?
 
:)
Nick_UK said:
Don't put words in my mouth. I didn't say it was a "heinous crime", I said it was theft, and it is theft. If your moral principles don't comprehend the concept, there's no point in my wasting your time trying to explain it to you again.?

Perhaps you should read before you post - I never quoted you as having used the words "Heinous crime". I used the words sarcastically to highlight the IMO ridiculous stance you are taking about the subversive notion (hint: more sarcasm) of people using their video recorders without paying to do so. I really can't see why the fact that many people regard this as out of order should rile you so.

Well, if your 'moral principles' are such that someone asking if they can record on their own HDD recorder for free causes you to launch vitriolic accusations against them, then that's your problem Nick. Quite why you think Sky need you to verbally abuse their unsatisfied customers is beyond me.


Nick_UK said:
" I frankly find that quite bizarre and unwarranted, just as I find the notion of paying to use your own hardware bizarre and unwarranted. "

Well, since you hate Sky, and the Sky box, and don't agree with Sky's usage T & C's, why did you sign up ? There's plenty of HDD recorders out there that don't require a subscription. Why choose the only one that does ? Were you not aware that the hardware only works with a subscription ?

First: When did I say that I hated Sky? I quite like the system and before the recent upgrade disaster was singing the praises of it. What I don't like is the way that Sky have released an 'upgrade' that actually degrades the system for many and then refused to admit that anything is wrong (witness the posts from people calling their national-rate helpline who have been told that this is the first time anyone has complained.....).

That's completely unacceptable behaviour. Why you feel the need to continually defend this behaviour from them is unfathomable. Or maybe you just like to argue with people (judging from your continually antagonistic turn of phrase)?


Second: If you bothered to read my post properly, I stated that I have a full Sky sub - therefore Sky+ functionality was enabled for 'free' when I bought my box. If I'd had to pay an extra tenner a month on my sub there's no way I would have bought Sky+.

I do however feel sympathy for people with Sky+ boxes who find that they are faced with having to pay an extra 10 quid a month for the privilege of using them to record programmes. Especially when many boxes aren't even functioning properly following the upgrade.


Rest assured that when a suitable alternative comes out (truly FTA Freesat or Freesat with a standard CAM) I'll be giving it serious thought. Topfield make some great _standards compliant_ boxes. I already tried a HDD/DVD combo but it just didn't integrate as well with Sky (my sole source for digital TV) as I wanted it to.

Since Sky insist on strictly controlling the hardware that can be used to receive their service, I don't have much choice when chosing a digital HDD and Sky+ was pretty much the only game in town. And, it was actually a great product WHEN IT WORKED PROPERLY.



Gav
 
gavan said:
:) Well, if your 'moral principles' are such that someone asking if they can record on their own HDD recorder for free causes you to launch vitriolic accusations against them, then that's your problem Nick. Quite why you think Sky need you to verbally abuse their unsatisfied customers is beyond me.

Well, I think I'd better ask a moderator, if you think discussions on how to defraud Sky out of £10 a month is acceptable on the forum.

gavan said:
Why you feel the need to continually defend this behaviour from them is unfathomable. Or maybe you just like to argue with people (judging from your continually antagonistic turn of phrase)?

I'm not defending Sky - why should I want to defend them? However I am a realist, and I realise that you can't just snap your fingers, and make all the problems disappear. Sky+ boxes are complicated boxes, you can't expect them to fix problems that quickly. Ranting, raving, and stiring other people up is not going to make them do it any quicker. Maybe you'd prefer it if they rushed out a fix, and caused even bigger problems? The pause thing is a minor inconvenience, and for most people that's all it is.
 
hmmmm......Nick, I think you're being a little on the harsh side.... And I tend to agree with Gavan. I think you need to cool down a bit.

It's not unreasonable to find out if a sky box that ultimately becomes your property through subscription ( much like HP) cannot be adapted or used for other purposes. There is not theft or crime there. Perhaps you ought to be a little bit more tollerent before you get on your soap box and say "I'm gonna tell daddy about you" - as per your remark about moderators - who if they have any sense will not be in the least bit interested in your posts about this subject.
 
Maybe you'd prefer it if they rushed out a fix, and caused even bigger problems?

why can't they go backwards and release an 'upgrade' to the last working version?
 
Nick_UK said:
It's done for the same reason that most things are done in this country, to stop people abusing the system. If people didn't "try it on" like krismc then it wouldn't be necessary to put in these safeguards. Sorry, krismc, but if you want to steal from Sky, don't ask for help here, because it's not allowed on the forums.

actually i was just wondering how it worked? i like to know how things work.
i know how to steal cars but i dont go around bloody doing it. i also know how to break a window and throw punches etc but i dont go around doing it.

at no point did i ask how to steel from sky or anything even close.
my home simply cud not function peacefully without sky and would grind to a hault without sky +
wud just be nice to know. spesh for people who have paid for the sky+ box etc and subscription for years and who would now like to use freesat after giving sky circa : £500 a year.
especially nice to know as on a few occasions during bad rain after a lightning flash my box switched off, when i switched it back on i lost all signal for around an hour and a half, and it would of been nice to watch a previously recorded programme, bearing in mind in thoery there should be no reason why i would need a signal to watch a programme stored on MY device which i HAVE PAID FOR and for which i PAID TO VIEW/RECORD the programme as part of my subs.
so a way to disable the check for customers paying monthly subs shouldnt be a crime
 

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