The mystery of Channel 4

dgently

I've seen this issue discussed here before, but I thought I would ask again in case someone had some insight.

Why is Channel 4 missing from my default EPG on Sky (with no viewing card)?

Last night I forced a software upgrade, both without a viewing card and with my expired IRL card upside down. No effect.

The UK EPG that is displayed when there is no viewing card has BBC1 at 101, and nothing at all at 104 and 105. They're just missing.

I've tuned in C4 on Other Channels, have "now & next" but I hate the fact that it's missing from my Favourites EPG.

Is this just a function of the particular digibox I have? If I bought another one, would my chances be good?

watty

Presently you need a UK card. It doesn't need to be subscribed. That may change as with Five joining Freesat, the Sky Card scheme is nearly dead.

busman

dgently wrote: »

I've tuned in C4 on Other Channels, have "now & next" but I hate the fact that it's missing from my Favourites EPG.

Can you tune in Channel 4 without a card?
I have replaced a freesat receiver with a didgibox without a card for the better EPG but am missing Channel 4!
Would be nice to get it back :-)

mjsmyth

You sure can. Take a look at the sticky at the top of the forum.

MJ

fat-tony

There was a thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055355404

started about this some months ago by steveon which claimed that CH4 would appear on position 104 on a SKY box which had no card inserted. Most of us couldn't get this to work. I surmised that it might be some regional variation in the boxes - i.e. that boxes supplied directly to the UK market might default to CH4 on the EPG. Unfortunately steveon never detailed which boxes were working with CH4 on the default (free) EPG.

dgently

Thanks Fat Tony, I had missed that thread - it makes it very clear.

Tony

Sky boxes do not have any regional variations. The EPG changes as a result of a sky card insertion.

fat-tony wrote: »

I surmised that it might be some regional variation in the boxes - i.e. that boxes supplied directly to the UK market might default to CH4 on the EPG. Unfortunately steveon never detailed which boxes were working with CH4 on the default (free) EPG.

fat-tony

Tony wrote: »

Sky boxes do not have any regional variations. The EPG changes as a result of a sky card insertion.

Sorry Tony - I meant the default EPG, which you get as a result of having no card installed (or having the card upside down). I have not seen channel 4 appear at position 104, yet steveon had started that thread saying that it did. I get BBC1, 2 and ITV on 101/102/103. The next number in the EPG is 106, which is SKY1 - which you can't receive of course without the card.

What I surmised is that there might be some variation in the boxes which allowed CH4 to be received FTA at position 104 in the EPG.

watty

If so, it would be due to a card at some stage.

Since a particular SW upgrade most Digiboxes seem to remember a default EPG setting even if rebooted without the card. It seems to be related to the 1st card used with the box when 1st used. Even if not paired.

1) My box if powered on with no card gives Irish EPG.
2) If the card removed while in Sky Interactive on Sky News is done, it does the default UK EPG (BBC1 London & no C4 or Five).
3) If I put a UK card (without sub) in I get that UK region + C4 & Five.
4) If I replace with Irish Card (without sub) in State 2 or 3, I get Irish EPG, but the 4 Irish channels only havve teletext. (With sub they work).

Boxes with a UK card used 1st (or Irish Card that is UK Card at start*) lose Irish EPG and show UK EPG if booted without card.

(*Some Irish cards seem to be supplied as UK cards and changed "over the air" to Irish Cards, at which point BBC, C4 & Five are gone and 101 to 104 is Irish channels).

I've not tried a Sky Italia card on Hotbird. I'm told the box is identical. I'd suspect if you change default transponder and put Sky Italia card in it would after OTA software update go Italian. But I don't know that for sure.

So Stevon may be correct, but only because of particular viewing card 1st used in the Sky box, which could even be an Irish sub card 1st showing as a UK card till it got its 1st OTA keys & settings.

jonnygee

Is the ftv card dead now that ch 5 has gone or is going fta. Will sky still insist on a ftv card to view sky3 and the 2x 5 channels. As these will not be on freesat in the near future then there does not seem to be a logical reason why a card would still be required , or are there still some rights issues that would require these 3 channels to remain ftv and not fta.

jonnygee

Now that I think about it then I realise that of course we will still need a card as these 3 channels will still be encrypted.

Tony

fat-tony wrote: »

Sorry Tony - I meant the default EPG,

No problem

fat-tony

Tony wrote: »

No problem

Watty seems to have hit the nail on the head, though. The box seems to remember the last card installed in some circumstances. This might explain steveon's view that the box would display CH4 on 104..... Maybe he was testing a box which had a UK card (or FTV card) installed previously

Tony

fat-tony wrote: »

The box seems to remember the last card installed in some circumstances.

Yep, sky box will "remember" the last card inserted

watty

Or in case of my Sky box, it "remembers" the 1st Sky Card I used ever in it if powered on from scratch, not the last card used.

fat-tony

Right, so what you're saying is that there are no hard and fast rules about whether or not you are going to see CH4 on position 104 on the "cardless" EPG:D