Other Channels keep disappearing on Sky+

Owenw

Hi Guys,

Has anyone else had a problem where the Other Channels (eg all the FTA BBC channels) keep disappearing every second day or so?
This has only occured on my Sky+ since the Dual Record update.
It's becoming a real annoyance having to manually add in the channels over and over.
:mad:

DMC

Hi Owenw,

How many channels do you have saved in "other channels" at any one time?

I haven't had a problem with my main sky plus box, it's still got what "other channels" I had stored and they've never disappeared.

But on saturday I put it's card into the spare box in the kitchen to watch sky one/missworld.

It initialised as cards do on their first entry to a new box, but this wiped out the other channels on that box strangely

They were gone when I put it's p2 ftv card back in , re tuning was required.

mm

Pat Gleeson

Hi Owenw,

I thought it was only myself with this problem, although I've had it well
before the dual record update.

I've narrowed down my problem to this: every time I go to digital text -
BBC , Sky etc. or go interactive e.g. Sky News Active - it's then my
'Other Channels' disappear - every time.

This only happened after I added more channels to the BBC ones I tuned in since the day I got Sky+, sometime in October.

Right now it makes no difference whether I have 1 or 49 channels stored - press red or text and bam! channels gone.

Really annoying :mad:

Owenw

Thanks for the replies everyone

DMC: Usually I put in the 15 channels below.

TV:
1. BBC1 London
2. BBC1 Scotland
3. BBC1 South East
4. BBC2 England
5. BBC2 Scotland
6. BBC 3
7. BBC 4
8. BBC News 24

Radio:
1. BBC Radio 1
2. BBC Radio 2
3. BBC Radio 3
4. BBC Radio 4FM
5. BBC Radio 4LW
6. BBC Radio 7
7. BBC World Service

At the moment I only have 1 channel in the list so I'll see if that disappears.

Pat: That's interesting. I haven't investigated the problem myself as it only cropped up in the last week or 2 on my box. I'll try out the BBCi and Sky Active Services tonight and see what happens.

Pat Gleeson

Any news on on checking that Owenw?

I'd be very interested to know if we could nail this problem down.
My installer is ringing me back today (Friday) to see if he can shed further
light.

Owenw

Originally posted by Pat Gleeson
Any news on on checking that Owenw?

I'd be very interested to know if we could nail this problem down.
My installer is ringing me back today (Friday) to see if he can shed further
light.

Hi Pat,

Well I tried out the interactive services (BBCi) after adding just 1 channel to the Others Channels List and sure enough it was gone just as you had discribed.

I suspect it's just a software glitch. Anyone know who to email at Sky about such issues? If enough people complain about the bugs they might be fixed sooner rather than later.

Are you using a V1 or V2 box? I heard some people are having trouble updated V1 boxes for DR.

EDIT: I also noticed that the other channels disappeared between last night and this afternoon without anyone using the interactive stuff. I'll be monitoring this between tonight and tomorrow morning to see what happens.

Owenw

Did you get to talk with your installer yesterday, Pat?

I had a quick look and the Other Channels are still listed (approx. 24 hours since I added them to the list).

No one was using the interactive services at all today and the box was only used to watch about half an hour of TV and to record 1 programme then left in standby.

byte

I remember the Pace 2500 digiboxes and probably others having this very same problem that was usually caused by more than 20 or so channels added to Other Channels. I doubt if Sky are too worried, as they'd prefer you used the Sky Guide.

BTW, howdy Pat, long time no see about these parts!

Pat Gleeson

Sorry about the dely in replying OwenW, I have been busy.

My installer will have a look at my system as soon as we can agree a date.
Regarding your question, I have a V2 box.

Your problem seems exactly the same as mine, although I don't recall my
other channels disappearing without using interactive / digital text.

I agree it sounds like a software glitch.

I'll get back to you ASAP.

Pat Gleeson

How's it going, byte.


I should be posting a bit more often now !

ShaneOC

I have a V1 Sky+ box bought the first week they were available in the UK. I have not had any trouble with the other channels and use BBCi regularly. It might be a V2 issue.

Pat Gleeson

My installer is still waiting for Sky to get back to him.
It sounds like Sky are passing the buck.

When they hear I'll cancel my sub, they might change
tack...

:mad:

Pat Gleeson

I contacted Sky yesterday (Saturday).
After waiting 45 minutes go get through, I was finally forwarded to the
dedicated Sky+ technician. To be fair, he was very helpful, and said he had'nt
heard of this problem before.
He was very interested to hear of the same problems being discussed
on this forum - which I did'nt name.

He talked me through a setup option which may help you out there,
although it did'nt help me,unfortunately.

It's called 'housekeeping'

Press 'Services' then '4' (System Setup)
then 0,1 'Select'

This brings up the installer menu.
Number 7 is 'Housekeeping'

Press 'Select' to access housekeeping.

BEWARE: If you have any saved programmes in your Sky+ planner they will be erased. Copy them to DVD or VHS before you use housekeeping.

Hope this helps somebody.

I'll let you know how I got on again with Sky when I tell them it did'nt work for me.

Mike 1972

I find sometimes if you teset (ie plug out and plig in again) the box you casn get the missing "other channels" back again

However you have to do go into the other channels menue BEFORE the EPG starts to download again
If you go into the other channels menue DURING the EPG download you end up with some EPG channels missing.

I wish theyd update the software the present version is badly designed and riddled with bugs :mad: