We have an issue with our Sky HD Plus box freezing constantly and failing to record. The box goes into standby and won’t turn I with the power button, you have to unplug the power cable and wait for it to initialise. Also regularly programs part record or fail to record alltogether. You would assume we have a faulty box, but it’s been replaced twice by Sky and still the issues continue.

I spoke with someone on the helpine and he mentioned it could be a compatibility issue with the box/TV but wouldnt really expand on it when asked. The service engineers that have been out seem at a loss as to what can be the problem. I’ve never heard of modernish TVs not playing nicely with Sky, has anyone else? The TV is a Toshiba Regza, about 6 years old.

I have had a similar problem, there are issues with the 1tb Sky HD boxes, was replaced for a 2tb box and has been fine since. HTH

Well that’s odd, I’m having exactly the same issues with exactly the same TV! I’m just going to ask for a new box when the engineer comes out.

Common fault I’m afraid go into the settings and turn off hd control. Green button to save .
Hitachi tvs are often affected too. Failing that if you don’t have the hd pack put a scart lead in and remove the hd lead.

Pink & mix new box won’t help it’s a software issue

I spoke with someone on the helpine and he mentioned it could be a compatibility issue with the box/TV

Bollocks.

HTH.

Pink & mix

Love my new name 😉

The other box I had on this tv was fine so I think a new box will sort it.

No its true I’m afraid it’s to do with the standby options on the tv. Power is sent down the hd lead to the sky box and it powers down .take out the hd lead replace with scart problem disappears.

Power down not to be confused with standby.

Sorry pick N mix.

For what it worth a new box won’t sort it. It will until the affected software hits the box then your back square 1. Swap the hd lead to a different input.

From above it sounds like the lead, however our box had similar symptoms, a new box fixed it but not before Sky changed the cruddy LNB at the dish, as apparently a short in the coax can freeze the box.

As a ex Sky engineer i’d say the problem will either be with the dish/lnb or Cabling from the dish.

Its a time saving bodge by the engineer to swap the box out rather than finding the underlying problem.

Normally what happens is there is some signal related issue that causes the Set top box to work overtime correcting errors which it will only do for so long before it gives up the ghost.

New box gives the illusion its sorted until it too gives up the ghost with similar symptoms.

Wouldn’t surprise me if you have water in the cable from the dish shorting out the signal from one of the feeds.

What will happen there will be the good primary feed will allow you to watch live TV, the secondary feed with the bad signal will then fail any recordings your box tryst to make using it.

Only way to fix it is for the engineer to get busy doing proper fault finding replacing any damaged cables or lnb, checking dish alignment and for interference from outside sources such as alarm motion sensors, speed cameras, mobile phone masts and even aircraft!

I’ve been having similar problems, try these tips:
http://help.sky.com/articles/problems-with-your-recordings-and-planner
I haven’t done a full reset yet, but deleting all the ‘deleted’ programmes then rebuilding the planner can certainly help.
It does mine, but the problem does come back. It’s a fairly recent issue, and my HD box is fairly elderly now, so I’m inclined to do a full system reset, which is fairly drastic, it wipes everything, basically, so you have to set the planner up from scratch.
A pen and paper to list all your current series links would be a good idea. 😀

Bollocks.

HTH.

Not Bollocks.

Ex Sky STB SW Engineer.

HTH.

We’d regularly get specific models of TV turn up with compatibility problems to sort out. Different models of the sky box had issues with different TVs.

However.

The failed recordings wouldn’t be something I’d pin on the TV; dish install sounds much more likely.

Or the engineer could read the brief that sky issued regarding toshiba tvs and the new software on the box.

The new (non crap)software with a slightly different epg is currently being tested.

@Countzero,
If its a old box and your doing the planner rebuild(basically defragging the hard drive) quite often to get things working then its highly likely the hard drive has had it.

If its a really old Thomson HD box then the power supply is probably faulty too.
Sky did a recall on the old Thomson boxes a few years back as they had component HD connections allowing you to circumvent copyright protection on recordings as well as the duff power supply.

Might be worth checking what make of box it is and giving them a call if it is a Thomson box.

Otherwise you can replace and upgrade the hard drive itself which is fairly easy to do plenty of guides online.
I left before this latest updated epg was rolled out ,all I will say is don’t believe everything they release in briefs!

OK, I’ll get the engineer back out and stop shopping for new teles 😀 Thanks all.