Sky+ HD 2TB box - dead HD

[#1]

Hi all,

I think I know what I am going to here, but just in case anyone has any better ideas.

Sky+ 2TB box, and annoyingly I haven't watched TV for a while (few weeks). Now the Winter Olympics is on, I want to.

Box which used to work fine, was playing up. Wouldn't switch on from standby, so I thought it was dead initially. My parents had an old Sky box which did this so it was only fit for the bin. Then it decided to switch on after a few unplugs/plugs about an hour later.

Error message saying recording/playback is unavaible. Watching TV works, but and recording and playback is a no go.

Went onto Sky's website and done all the resets I could, including the button combo which forces it to redownload the firmware. None of it works so looks like it is the hardware.

Most probably the HD.

I was thinking of buying a new HD and trying to fit a new one myself. Trouble is I get to thinking, that say if the controller has gone and it isn't the HD? Then I've wasted money on a new HD which doesn't fix the problem.

I think I will have to get Sky to come out and replace it for another one. Not worth the risk of trying to do the HD myself.

Annoying just gone out of warranty, typical the thing didn't decide to break for me whilst in warranty. Also they wrote to me offering Sky protect (basically monthly insurance payment). I bet if I took it out it wouldn't have broken, but as I didn't it has. 

New one was around £150 I think, but if they swap mine out for a fixed refurb, take my old one then fix that (so it will become a future fixed refurb) then hopefully it will be less.

The EPG is about as fast as a Spectrum ZX81, now too. I guess it caches files usually and because it can't this is happening.

Annoying it's happened in the first place, let alone when I really want to use it. Got to go out shortly, I would would have liked to have recorded this mornings events to watch later.

Oh well 

[#2]

It's reluctant to switch on AND it won't record.  It's not obvious why these two malfunctions should be related.  I see no point in trying to fix one problem if the other one persists.    

[#3]

I don't know if they are, but the switching on thing seems to have been only temporialy and a one off. No idea why.

Well phoned them up and they don't make that box anyone, so I would have to go onto SkyQ on a new 18 month contract. Errrm .. don't think so. 

I'll take my HD out of the box and see if it looks like it is dead on a PC. If so I will order a new drive otherwise it could be a eBay job for a new box.

[#4]

Right got another from eBay collect on Wednesday from me local Argos.

£60 is not too sad (though it would £60 I'd rather not have to pay).

The drives were as much as that anyway.

[#5]

Sounds like a case of power supply capacitor troubles, not exactly an unknown problem in sky boxes, usually an easy fix if you're handy with a soldering iron...

If you do want to get the thing fixed, it might be worth popping over to another asylum, I mean forum I'm a member of:

https://www.satellites.co.uk/forums/

Dedicated to satellite TV from lobotomised Sky boxes to feed hunting and international reception...

[#6]

Ok, so (sorry a few months later) sorted with a new Sky box.

Does anyone know of a place that I can donate the box to who might be able to fix and repair the old box for themselves to sell on?

All I want is postage costs paid and it seems a shame to chuck it if is any use to anyone.

PM me with details if someone knows a place.

[#7]

Take it to your local tip and put it in the electrical recycling skip, it's a worthless doorstop well past its usefulness...

[#8]

Probably yes - I was just wondering if it were any use to anyone?

Easiest solution for me would be to leave it outside my front door, and the metal scrap people will take it (they're rife around here). Done that before. No need to drive to my local tip - must be 6 miles from here as I know where it is. No point in wasting my time and petrol in disposing of something, when I can get it done for free.

My point is, given those boxes have been discontinued - is it of any use to someone?

[#9]

Stick it on ebay on a 99p auction, anything's better than nothing...