SKY+ external hack? Plus multiroom query

[foraminafera]

Has anyone tried attaching an external, hard disk to a SKY+ box? (long IDE cable and external bay)? Should allow attaching / swapping multiple cheapo disks and "banking" recordings by swapping disks. I believe 5400 RPM is mandatory?

Also: Had a SKY engineer call this week to install SKY+ (Thomson box - works just fine) - but I believe I can now get multiroom with my original SKY box at no additional cost (just ask for the card)? Am I going to have to get an independent engineer to run a cable from the (quad) LNB through the wall and what should I expect to pay? (No - I don't climb ladders for very practical reasons :-(

Location: Thame/Oxon.
TIA

 

[Starburst]

That method has been used for the SKY+ HD using it's internal SATA, not sure about the standard IDE of the SKY+ but I would have thought it was certainly possible. Older versions of SKY+ tend to like 5400 while newer models have no issues with 7200 drives.


The multiroom subscription costs £10 a month and requires both boxes to have the same phone connection. You can get a freesat card from SKY for £20 which gives you CH4, Five (US and Life) plus SKY3 as well the FTA BBC and ITV channels.
Either way you will need a third LNB feed for the digibox, the installer would probably have done this for a small consideration but now you will have to get someone in unless you can get SKY to do the work by taking out a SKY multiroom subscription.
Independent charges vary wildly, impossible to predict especially when comparing a one man operation and a franchise setup.

 

[foraminafera]

Tried that with the (friendly) Sky engineer - unfortunately he was under some time pressure apparently. So multiroom is going to cost me an additional sub on top of my sky+ sub? If so I will stay with Freeview.
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Never mind the Nac Mac Feegle - wait until I tell you about the hot air babboons.... (short fan story available on request)
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Insider news: New service launching next year SKY++ (doublePlus)*. You've seen that you can pause and rewind live TV feeds; now you can Fast Forward live TV feeds too.
* additional power supply may be required.
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[Starburst]

Tried that with the (friendly) Sky engineer - unfortunatley he was under some time pressure apparently. So multiroom is going to cost me an additional sub on top of my sky+ sub? If so I will stay with Freeview.

Multiroom provides the same channel lineup on a second box as the primary box and costs £10 a month but you can have a second SKY digibox using a £20 (one off payment) which provides just the FTA and FTV channels.

If you already have good Freeview reception then I would use that as a second digital source, while there are more free channels on Dsat the main ones most people require are on Freeview plus the likes of E4, FTN etc

 

[FRANTIC FRANC]

Has anyone tried attaching an external, hard disk to a SKY+ box? (long IDE cable and external bay)? Should allow attaching / swapping multiple cheapo disks and "banking" recordings by swapping disks. I believe 5400 RPM is mandatory?

Location: Thame/Oxon.
TIA

It does work but you need to format new drives with the digibox. Also you need to power off from the mains when swapping the disk caddy over. You need to use PATA HDD's and an IDE caddy bay with any number of caddys.

Cheers, Franc