Might new Sky Software spot FTV cards?

mike2084

http://www.media247.co.uk/skydigital/newsarchive/2005/04/skyview_begins.php

I know you have to sign up to it, but if the new software can spot what we are watching, surely it means they can tell if we're using a FTV card? What do ye all think?

shinobi

You would have to have the digibox connected to the phoneline for them to know. If you use a FTV card with the box plugged into the phoneline it will be deactivated.

watty

They have always known if you have a FTV card.

The more paranoid among us disconnect the phone line when not needed. Even on a contract box Sky won't complain if the phone is only connected 4 or 5 times a month.

There will not be any phone connection requirement for non-contract cards.

I wouldn't buy a Dreambox for Sky though, though even to use a legitimate card, as Sky/NDS/Murdoch wants a closed system to keep out Pay TV competitors. The Dreambox or any other non-Sky CAM for real Sky cards is likely to periodically stop working.

I also beleive the main reason for a HDTV Sky+ is again to "lock out" competion, not because Sky is particularly interested in promoting HDTV.

Pro Seiben in Germany are now transmitting free HDTV. I'll bet you can't record it on the new HDTV Sky+.


The major reason for a new SW update is to prepare for a new EPG system as the existing one is past its sell by date.

If they had all the PPV only under the Sky Box office button instead of main EPG it would be more sensible. Also having ALL the radio/Music Choice on a separate EPG would reduce pressure by 100 and also make Radio more accessible.

Almost every non-Sky Digital Sat box has a TV/Radio button.

watty

shinobi wrote:

If you use a FTV card with the box plugged into the phoneline it will be deactivated.

Do we know this for definate?

It might be illegal, as a box could have been sold to someone in the UK. They would need more proof to disable a card.

Also the contract regarding limiting viewing area DOES NOT apply to the viewer, only a civil contract between NDS/Sky and the Program providers.

Under EU law if the card is legitimate and legitimately obtained it can be used anywhere. It does belong to NDS and they can ask for it back. But turning it off arbitarily & automatically is of questionable legality.

Of course it is questionable if Sky's closed system and the promotion of it in Ireland UK and Italy is legal. They are breaking the spirit of EU competition law, even if they are not actually in the wrong.

They need to either allow 3rd party CAM on digibox or sell NDS to 3rd party Digital receivers. The Sky+ should be able to timer/manually record Sky or non-sky without subscription. Making a rental for auto recording using the Sky EPG is I suppose marginally acceptable. Selling a recorder that won't record at all with out a sub, and is the ONLY recorder for ITV/C4/C5/RTE Satellite is unacceptable.

I promote a boycott of Sky+ till it does FTV and FTA recording on at least a manual timer entry without a rental.

arkles

watty wrote:

The Dreambox or any other non-Sky CAM for real Sky cards is likely to periodically stop working.

i have downgraded a sk* sub in a dreambox no prob, also reactivated a ftv card in same, so the signals sent to the card are being picked up while cards are in the dream,

usefull info me thinks

watty

arkles wrote:

i have downgraded a sk* sub in a dreambox no prob, also reactivated a ftv card in same, so the signals sent to the card are being picked up while cards are in the dream,

usefull info me thinks

You miss my point. Only a Sky box will continue to work with a Sky card. Especially a Subscription one.

But if you had no Sky box it would be a foolish waste on money to buy a Dreambox for Sky. Murdoch can make it stop working anytime.

If I had a sub, I'd make sure I have a Sky box and was buying a dreambox for other vendors pay cards or FTV only TV.

JohnDigital

watty wrote:

Do we know this for definate?

Not in my experience, I regularly leave my FTV card in the box with the phone line connected as I use the FTV mainly on the contract box in the sitting room. I have watched the box go online loads of times and the call never connects to the UK. I it is dialling without an international dialling prefix so the call is never successful. I have picked up the phone a few times when the online light has been on and you hear the Eircom no connection tones.