SKY+ Problem

danpol

I tried to record the match today and when I pressed the record button a message
came on screen SYSTEM FAILURE playback and recording are unavailable contact sky
I unpluged sky+ to reset it now it will not even turn on any ideas

PK - the king

Have you got a Pace sky+ box or an (muffled laughter) Aamstrad sky+ box? Did you ring sky? It sounds like your subscription has been deactivated when it says "PLAYBACK AND RECORDING UNAVAILABLE" but if it won't switch back on... :dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

danpol

I have a pace digibox
I tried to do a force software update which I think worked
but after it finished updating it switched off again and I cannot turn it on
anyone got any ideas

I presume this is the older pace box ( not the white smaller one )
Your problem is a hard disk failure and happens a lot to the older bigger sky plus boxes.
I haven't heard of it happening to the newer ones yet.

The box puts up that message when this happens.
Of course if you ring sky they will go throught the usual list software download, reboot etc...
But they will eventually tell you to call out an engineer and ultimately you will need a new or refurbished box.

Is it still under guarantee? At least then it will be replaced.

You could try leaving the box in a cool place and unplugged for 48 hours.
That got mine going for another few months and then the message and the problem re-appeared.
There is at least one other poster here that I know of with the older pace box who also had this problem and ended up with a new refurbished box under guarantee.

hope that helps.

Originally posted by PK - the king
"PLAYBACK AND RECORDING UNAVAILABLE" but if it won't switch back on... :dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

Nope thats the message you get when the hard disk fails, it even tells you to ring sky...for all the good that will do[read:will not do!!]

danpol

I only have the box about 4/5 months I will ring the shop I bought it from tomorrow
and see what they say
Thanks for the information

Good
Insist on a new box by the way.
As you are under guarantee don't get fobbed off and make sure it is the smaller white one with the less noisy fan.

Wheels

I've had the same problem this week too. Had sky+ since november and recently been getting a number of failed recordings and lost signal ones but my sigal is always pretty high on the meter thing. Last week I couldn't play back anything and then after plugging it out and putting everything back in it said it was unable to record call sky etc. So I did and they did a system re-set but it's acting up again and recordings are playing back and pausing again so I've an engineer coming on Thursday. Question though, I'm not sure which box I have, its a white pace one with the little circle thing at the front. Doesn't seem all that small to me though. And can I just insist to the eningeer I get a new one and will he give me one.

Thanks in advance.

Tony

Originally posted by Wheels
I And can I just insist to the eningeer I get a new one and will he give me one.

Thanks in advance.

I think that really depends on the policy of the retailer. We get our boxes through Armstrongs who in turn negotiated a replacemnt warranty with pace the manufacturer.

Tony

ShaneOC

Originally posted by Wheels
Question though, I'm not sure which box I have, its a white pace one with the little circle thing at the front. Doesn't seem all that small to me though. And can I just insist to the eningeer I get a new one and will he give me one.

Thanks in advance.

Yep, that is the new Sky+ box. The old one was much bigger (slightly wider, but much deeper). If your box is under guarantee then you should be able to ask for a new one.

PK - the king

What differences are there (apart from size, weight & reliability) are there in the new sky plus boxes?

Are they faster/have they more features etc....

features are the same.
They depend on the software and permissions from sky
for example dual recording etc...

The fan is much quieter on the newer white ones and not on as often.

ShaneOC

Some of the newer Sky+ remote controls are more programmable than older ones in that you can use the volume keys on the remote to change to volume on an AV amp.

See the FAQ for details.

But other than that the functionality of the box itself is identical.

navi_5445

How can you insist on a new box? I had a 30min argument with a Sky call centre guy re: this issue before Christmas. My Favourites don't work and while the box is still under guarantee they categorically refuse to give me a new one. It has to be a recon. They told me take it or leave it, that was the policy and it's in the contract I signed. I haven't checked if it is or not.