User's Manual

Hi Folks, me again! I have definitely established that I cannot watch another channel while the box is recording. There is definitely something wrong because, according to the manual, I should be able to record one channel and watch another at the same time. I've got 2 cables correctly connected to the sockets at the back and I was able to watch one channel and record another with the Sky + box. Also, another minor thing, I thought I would be able to receive the Sky News channel but can't seem to find it anywhere. Any help would be gratefully received.
 
Hi Folks, me again! I have definitely established that I cannot watch another channel while the box is recording. There is definitely something wrong because, according to the manual, I should be able to record one channel and watch another at the same time. I've got 2 cables correctly connected to the sockets at the back and I was able to watch one channel and record another with the Sky + box. Also, another minor thing, I thought I would be able to receive the Sky News channel but can't seem to find it anywhere. Any help would be gratefully received.

Sky news is not on the Freesat epg. You can add it if you wish to non-freesat mode. Do a factory reset from the menus. During the reset you should get a message 2 cables found. You can record two and watch a few 3rd channels as well if the box is working correctly.
 
I've done the factory reset and everything went ok, including the fact that I've got 2 cables connected. When the technicians were here they couldn't get the postcode to work, but it has worked ok for me. I'm wondering if whatever they did has caused the problem, in which case it may be ok now. I'll have to check, but will get back to you if all is not well - again!
 
I've done the factory reset and everything went ok, including the fact that I've got 2 cables connected. When the technicians were here they couldn't get the postcode to work, but it has worked ok for me. I'm wondering if whatever they did has caused the problem, in which case it may be ok now. I'll have to check, but will get back to you if all is not well - again!

Aha - try the recording test from post 17.
 
Hi Graham: Did the recording test and everything went ok. Thanks so much. I think the problem has been caused by those technicians when they couldn't get the postcode to work. They said they could install it without using the postcode and of course I didn't know any different. I've learnt a lot from you and am really pleased. Still can't find Sky News and would like to have it on my list, but I'm more than happy with the channels I've got and no sky contract - wow!! Can't thank you enough. I'm a 73 year old granny and hate modern technology to get the better of me, but most of the time it does!! Thanks.
 
Hi Graham: Did the recording test and everything went ok. Thanks so much. I think the problem has been caused by those technicians when they couldn't get the postcode to work. They said they could install it without using the postcode and of course I didn't know any different. I've learnt a lot from you and am really pleased. Still can't find Sky News and would like to have it on my list, but I'm more than happy with the channels I've got and no sky contract - wow!! Can't thank you enough. I'm a 73 year old granny and hate modern technology to get the better of me, but most of the time it does!! Thanks.

A tad younger than you at 68 :).

There are ways of getting Sky News, if you really miss the channel more than willing to explain how :). Basically Freesat is just an electronic programme guide, Sky has a similar programme guide.

Getting tad technical here (bear with me).

Broadcasts from satellite can be either broadcast without any form of protection that anyone with anyone with a digital satellite box can view (known as FTA, free to air), or encrypted that needs a Sky box with a card to view. In the case of Freesat some of these channels pay Freesat to be on the Freesat epg, some don't so you cannot see them (Sky News in your case). The same applies to the Sky epg, which has more free channels). The Foxsat can be used as a free to air digital sat box, which means you can view any free to air channels (Like Sky News) but when used like this there's no convenient epg.

There is even a way of adding Sky News so you can view it without switching the box to non-freesat mode but it does need a degree of PC experience to make it work.

If you still have the old Sky box you can still use it to view the free channels including Sky News. You just need a 3rd connection to your lnb just for the old Sky Box.
 
Hi Graham, It sounds a bit to complicated for me to receive Sky News, although I've still got the old Sky + box. I don't think my husband would take too kindly to having another hole drilled in the wall for a third cable and having the technicians messing about on the roof to change the lnb on the dish. He went mad when they drilled the second cable hole ... so I think I'll have to settle for no Sky News. I would have liked to have seen it listed along with all the other news channels, but I guess I'm just being greedy. It's Eamonn Holmes I'll miss more than the channel although, when any kind of disaster or extraordinary event is taking place, I always find Sky News has better coverage. e.g. the Chilean miners. Can't have everything, I guess.
 
Hi Graham, It sounds a bit to complicated for me to receive Sky News, although I've still got the old Sky + box. I don't think my husband would take too kindly to having another hole drilled in the wall for a third cable and having the technicians messing about on the roof to change the lnb on the dish. He went mad when they drilled the second cable hole ... so I think I'll have to settle for no Sky News. I would have liked to have seen it listed along with all the other news channels, but I guess I'm just being greedy. It's Eamonn Holmes I'll miss more than the channel although, when any kind of disaster or extraordinary event is taking place, I always find Sky News has better coverage. e.g. the Chilean miners. Can't have everything, I guess.

No need to change the lnb, the one you have will have 4 outputs (2 spare), all it needs is one extra cable.
 
Hi Graham, First want to tell you that everything, regarding recording one channel and watching another, is ok, so it was the fault of those blinking technicians I paid 50 Euros for, that caused me the problem. After the factory reset, which you advised me to try, this problem has been resolved. I owe you 50 Euros!!!! Now for the Sky News problem ... I spoke to a friend this morning who has a very old freesat box and she says she gets Sky News with no problem and she knows another friend gets it too, with the same setup, as she's been at her house when it's been on. Neither of them have a box like mine, with the recording facility. What would I have to do with the third cable? Would it have to come down the roof from the dish, or can I fix it myself at the back of the box if I put the redundant Sky+ box on top of the new Humax?
 
Hi Gomezz: I seem to remember that they all had to get cards, I think from the BBC, to use with their boxes, but they found a year or so later that when they took them out of the box it still worked with all the free channels, plus Sky News. So does that mean that I can't just 'add' the Sky News channel to my list? Graham mentioned that I could still get it with the old Sky+ box, but that sounds complicated if I have to get up on the roof to put another cable in. I think I'll just settle for what I've got, but if you have any simple bright ideas about getting Sky News, I'd be grateful. Thanks, you've both been so helpful.
 
Ah! So they are actually old Sky boxes which have a subtly different channel lineup from a Freesat box.
 
We all bought our boxes from UK originally, but I was the only one with a Sky contract, so I had a card anyway. I've always been a big fan of Sky News, so I'm a bit choked that I can't get it now.
 
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