# issues with sky box



## Sandals (21 Jun 2011)

Basically our ordinary eight year old box broke last week. Went to shop who gave us a second hand one (€80) which he turned, eventually, to suit our magic eyes that we have on five tvs .  The trouble is the magic eyes arent working. This means we can only change the stations from the sky box, which is a real pain.

My husband checked last night and our booster box is at 68 and I seen the shopman set the box to 68. 

We couldnt find this section last night on the sky screen. Where is it, please.

Also the chap said if we get rid of our sky subscription we cant work the magic eyes and would need a separatesaorview box for each telly. We have two flatscreens that will pick up saorview.

Any help appreciated.


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## Woodie (21 Jun 2011)

The standard RF output for Sky is CH68.   If there is a clash with an internal RF output the you can change it using the hidden Sky menu press:
*Services > 4 Setup > 01 Select > RF Outlets*

You can obviously see the Sky screen so if the magic eye is not working it probably needs the Power option set to on in the menu rather than changing the RF channel.

No idea about ditching the Sky subscription and magic eye working or not, never tried.  I guess you could pop out the sky card and see what happens technically and you'll also see what you receive from UK without it Free To Air.  You then get Irish channels using Saor view as I think you indicated.


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## Leo (21 Jun 2011)

As Woodie says, as well as setting the output channel to 68, the magic eyes require the RF output voltage to be turned on.
Leo


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## Sandals (21 Jun 2011)

thanks woodie, will try that.

found a link to a good website (i hope) www.tvtrade.ie who iv emailed to see if any help about getting rid of sky package altogether and see theyv a combined free channel box with saorview but really need to have magic eyes working as three tvs on wall and not interested in having boxes/wires all over the place.

the sky system is very efficient we have in place with one box in bedroom and few magic eyes, just the sky box failed.


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## Woodie (21 Jun 2011)

Sandals said:


> thanks woodie, will try that.
> 
> found a link to a good website (i hope) www.tvtrade.ie who iv emailed to see if any help about getting rid of sky package altogether and see theyv a combined free channel box with saorview but really need to have magic eyes working as three tvs on wall and not interested in having boxes/wires all over the place.
> 
> the sky system is very efficient we have in place with one box in bedroom and few magic eyes, just the sky box failed.


 
Let us know how you get on with the free channel box / saorview / magic eyes, it may be of interest to someone.  Obviously people are looking to save a few quid longer term but it has to work.   As you say the Sky is system very efficient and with Sky+ it's super (only took that plung myself a couple of weeks ago with a HD box from eBay - no regrets at all on that)  That said I only have the Sky sub and free HD channels but will not pay the Sky HD pack on principle)


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## Sandals (21 Jun 2011)

checked box on the hidden menu and indeed box set to 68 and on. looks like this box faulty. chap in the shop has second box but it too has issues, cant transmit RTE 1,.....both €80 each.

the cheapest call out charge we could get was €100 and feel this is a pure waste of money as we know the box is the issue.

tvtrade got back to me about a Edision Argus Mini Satellite Combo Receiver for €151 but it doesnt do the 7 day EPG (ie you cant check like in sky whats on next day etc.) so thats out.

apparently according to tvtrade:


USE WITH SKY EYE
You will need to add
http://www.tvtrade.ie/triax-trilink-kit.html 
and connect into system that old sky box feed

will upate when any progress.


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## Sandals (21 Jun 2011)

Woodie, had looked on ebay.ie where I buy certain things already, can I just buy a regular box there and bring it home and it should work and continue my sub to sky. when we rang sky they went through turning on and off the power etc and when couldn't pick up a signal said ring engineer. just seen a box there now I actually could collect.


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## Woodie (22 Jun 2011)

Sandals said:


> checked box on the hidden menu and indeed box set to 68 and on. looks like this box faulty. chap in the shop has second box but it too has issues, cant transmit RTE 1,.....both €80 each.
> 
> the cheapest call out charge we could get was €100 and feel this is a pure waste of money as we know the box is the issue.


You seem sure that the box or boxes are the issue. If you are confident that is the problem and about what you are doing then you can buy from eBay just check the sellers warranty and approvals. Be sure you have everything plugged out when making connections to sat cables, I always do to avoid small chance of damage to the kit either box or on the dish end. 

If you buy a standard Sky box it's simply a swap out subject to NOTE below
If you buy a Sky Plus or Sky HD box you need two feeds from the satellite dish to get the full value of recording etc. 

NOTE : Any Sky box can be used without subscription but to match you existing card to a new box you need to ring Sky technical to match it. There is no problem with this I have done several times. There is no extra charge including for plus unless you buy a HD box and need to upgrade to HD subscription for blocked HD channels (you still will get some HD for free i.e. BBC).

The guy in the shop should have told you you won't get Irish channels unless you have an Irish Sky card in the box. The box otherwise will revert to London freeview but maybe missing some channels without a UK Sky Freeview card.
All the other channels UK versions of channels can be tuned in using Other channels option and they won't be in your program guide but they never were in Ireland in any case.
Best of luck and thanks for the info on magic eye.


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## Sandals (23 Jun 2011)

ok with an [broken link removed] and a tri-link kit one can have saorview and free channels using the magic eyes (with aerial) and no monthly subscriptions.  downside shop on line sold out on boxes!!!

update is I rang sky (and after three guys trying to sell me a upgrade package and I saying nope want to to cancel, cant afford etc, their service engineer is coming FREE to fix my box, 3 month warranty and no lock in on contact 0r for €37.50 new box and lock in 12 months).


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## Sandals (23 Jun 2011)

woodies def the box as system is working pref with second hand box from shop, just its not powering the magic eyes which means trips up and down to the bedroom and turning on/off that tv to check things unless one of the kids does the shouting thing up the hall.....


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## Woodie (23 Jun 2011)

Interesting option the combo box but note no MPEG5 (future textext) maybe covered with a firmware update.

Nothing like threatening to cancel.   That churn rate figure is uppermost in the mind of Sky.  They go mad to sell you the future proof HD box and the 12 month lock in.  If you don't have Plus at the moment you'll find it a dream.  I love it even without the HD sub, will never look back it's so simple, pausing Tv and all that.  Thinking now about swapping out the second box but that's another days work


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## silvermints (23 Jun 2011)

Sandals said:


> woodies def the box as system is working pref with second hand box from shop, just its not powering the magic eyes which means trips up and down to the bedroom and turning on/off that tv to check things unless one of the kids does the shouting thing up the hall.....


 
If you plug the magic eye straight into the RF2 in the box does it power up. If it does it maybe a cable fault.


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## Sandals (25 Jun 2011)

yahoo, sky out this morning and gave us brand new box and new remote....delighted, eyes working etc...never charged a penny. Thanks for all the help everyone.


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