# SKY+ "freezing"



## danole (14 Mar 2009)

I've been recording "24" on Sky+ with no probs.........until now! I've the latest episode recorded & it won't play! It'll do nothing at all....... I've noticed this happening once before.Anyone know what causes this?!
Also,I think Sky1 runs "24" during the week again,late at night.Anyone know the time/dates? Thanks!


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## Smashbox (15 Mar 2009)

I've had this before with various programs on different channels. I rang and asked Sky and they kinda didn't believe me! 

I have been switching the box off at the wall, leave it a few minutes and then switch it back on. MOST TIMES the program then plays. Might be worth a try.


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## RMCF (15 Mar 2009)

Sounds like your hard disk drive in your box is dodgy.

I have seen this on mine before I changed the drive. 98% of your drive is probably ok but you have just recorded on a bad sector on the HDD.

It will happen to anything new you record on that piece of disk. You might get lucky and any further recordings will be ok, but if you delete that affected show then you will free up that bad bit of disk to be used again. 

I would leave the bad show there and continue using the box to see if it runs ok. Don't delete it for the meantime.


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## ninsaga (15 Mar 2009)

Yep it freezes (not recordings but live transmissions)......switching off at the wall for a few mins also fixes this.

Have got into the habit of switching off at the wall every night anyway so have not had the problem in a while. Couldn't be arsed trying to get SKY to resolve as I don't fancy spending have an hour on the phone right now but will get it sorted soon enough


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## TheShark (15 Mar 2009)

How long have you got your Sky+ box? If its less than a year Sky will replace it FOC. Even if you have it longer its worth trying to get them to replace it - telling them that you are considering switching to a different provider might swing it for you. Worth a phone call.


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## CCOVICH (15 Mar 2009)

It happens every so often (when we record something) on our box. Having had the box replaced once already, I'm not inclined to bother again.  Shows like 24 are repeated so often (was on Sky2 last night IIRC) and are available on SkyAnytime and SkyPlayer, so it's not a big deal.


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## Smashbox (15 Mar 2009)

TheShark said:


> How long have you got your Sky+ box? If its less than a year Sky will replace it FOC. Even if you have it longer its worth trying to get them to replace it - telling them that you are considering switching to a different provider might swing it for you. Worth a phone call.


 
I've had mine replaced 3 times this year already, all refurbished boxes and still we are having problems with 'technical faults', items clashing when nothing else is recording, 'power cuts' when there isnt any and programs freezing!

Having an engineer out tomorrow so perhaps 4th time lucky?!


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## eeyore2502 (15 Mar 2009)

Im glad its not just me!  Ours has done it a few times too. Will have to give sky a call.  If they replace it am in right in saying they just give you a new box and take the old one?


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## Smashbox (15 Mar 2009)

Yes, but they give you a REFURBISHED box, not a new one, taking away the old one to fix and then pass on to the next person as refurbished.


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## eeyore2502 (15 Mar 2009)

So we will lose everything that we have recorded!


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## CCOVICH (15 Mar 2009)

Yes.  If it's only done it a few times, it may not be worth getting it replaced-as I say some of our recordings fail, and sometimes the box sounds like it is going to explode, but it doesn't happen often enough to be a real problem.

You could copy the contents of the box to a DVD/DVD HD if you have the know-how and the equipment.


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## Smashbox (16 Mar 2009)

eeyore2502 said:


> So we will lose everything that we have recorded!


 
Yep, happens everytime! So this time the guy changed the cables at the dish instead of getting a new box.. will see how it works..

I never realised how pretty 8am is...


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## wheels (16 Mar 2009)

Smashbox said:


> I've had mine replaced 3 times this year already, all refurbished boxes and still we are having problems with 'technical faults', items clashing when nothing else is recording, 'power cuts' when there isnt any and programs freezing!
> 
> Having an engineer out tomorrow so perhaps 4th time lucky?!



When we first got Sky a number of years ago, we went through over eight boxes in two years. It was a joke but unfortunately no other service comes close to Sky in usability and usefulness so I've stuck with them. Thankfully my boxes have settled down.


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## zealot (3 Apr 2009)

Had the same problem with my screen freezing. it was happening with live TV and on recorded programs it was cutting deom mid-scene to mid-scene. 
Resetting the box by removing power and turning it back on was resolving for days or even a week at a time. Eventually Sky sent out an engineer - I met him as he was going to the house and described the problem as freezing. 
That was all he needed to hear - replaced the LNB on the dish and hey presto - problems solved!


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## Smashbox (3 Apr 2009)

Whats an LNB?


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## Leo (6 Apr 2009)

LNB = Low Noise Block, it's the module that attaches to the arm of a satellite dish.
Leo


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## Smashbox (6 Apr 2009)

Thanks for that Leo.
My box is broken again, so fifth callout this year alone will be on the way.


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## pikey-71 (18 May 2009)

hi zealot ... has the lnb change fixed the problem completely?
i'm having same issue


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## Lorz (19 May 2009)

I've had sky out 4 times with the same problem and they've replaced the box twice - meaning I lost all my recorded programmes.  Anyway, the end result, Sky told me that my problem was because I had a cordless phone plugged in near my Sky+ box.  When I plug out the phone it doesn't freeze.  Seems crazy TBh - it never happened with our ordinary sky box - just the Sky+.


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## eeyore2502 (19 May 2009)

Thats an odd one!!


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## jimbo123 (19 May 2009)

We had the same problem numerous times and the last guy mentioned that the cable being used was the old chours/ntl one which did not connect properly to sky attachments so he replaced to the sky one's, been about 3 weeks without it going wrong which is the longest period it has worked for about 4 months.


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## dinjoecurry (19 May 2009)

My sky boxes x3  freeze when there is a lot of rain +wind I think the dish might move slightly due to the combination of both. Engineer is going to look at it over the weekend so fingers x


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## pikey-71 (19 May 2009)

if the problem is LNB related has anyone tried replacing the sky+ lnb themselves?
sky+ uses a quad LNB i think .... obviously a better quality one can be purchased. question is how difficult is the replacement job ... 
is re-allignment necessary? or can the replacement be slotted in place with min difficulty? also is there any particular brand name that stands out as being infinitely better than sky standard issue???

any help is much appreciated!!!!!


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