Upgrading Sky+

[aido]

Something came through the post today for me to upgrade to the Sky+ 160GB box today for a couple of hundred quid (I've already got the 40GB box)...

Now, I'm not sure if this interests any of you but if you are thinking about upgrading then you may as well just upgrade the hard disk in your existing box - it's easy!

I'm on my seventh Sky+ box as all the previous units (and this one) failed so this also resolved the System Fault message and failure to lock onto the second signal which is how a hard disk failure exhibits itself...

I picked up a Samsung 160GB IDE Hard Disk from PC World for 55 quid, and just stuck that into the Sky+ box (really easy, a few Torx screws removed from the back of the Pace box, take the lid off, remove four more Torx screws from the HDD caddy and swap the disks over - put it all back together and then fire the box up, press Services, then 4, then 0, then 1, then Select, and then do a full system reset!)

It now works a treat and it's loads cheaper than doing it the official way!

You can also go to bigger sizes of disks - I just went with the 160 at the time as it was pretty cheap from the store! I've got 13 films and a fair few shows on there and it's still got 73% free :)

There's more detail here:

http://www.humvee.co.uk/sky.htm

The leaflet today just jogged my memory!

Well off topic but may come in useful for some of you!

Sky's callout charge is 65 quid I think so for 50 quid you're onto a winner (as long as it is the disk that is broke otherwise the 65 quid option from Sky is the best option!!!!)

[MrADeveci]

This is legal I hope ?

[Ravstar]

This is legal I hope ? 

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Of course- Aido is a totally legit diamond geezer!

[Rodders_UK]

This is legal I hope ? 

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Yes mate - it's perfectly legal - you have to buy the Sky+ box and therefore own it.

Aido - I upgraded the fan on mine to +12v and to keep it "always on" too - as bigger hard drives can make more heat. The standard Sky+ fan isn't big enough to cool a large drive properly.

[terdancam]

thanks for that chappie, was considering it as our disc is being silly. Even when nothing recorded its only showing 40% left----i`m wondering if thats because it hasn`t got a scandisk?!

also considering what i already pay, that leaflet is extortionate--you can have the discounted box, if you keep the old one and pay multiroom on top......Takeshis castle upstairs as well?

good service sky, but can`t afford anymore! :D

[Rodders_UK]

thanks for that chappie, was considering it as our disc is being silly. Even when nothing recorded its only showing 40% left----i`m wondering if thats because it hasn`t got a scandisk?!

also considering what i already pay, that leaflet is extortionate--you can have the discounted box, if you keep the old one and pay multiroom on top......Takeshis castle upstairs as well?

good service sky, but can`t afford anymore! :D

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If you do a "services 401 select" and then select "housekeeping", the box will do a disk defrag and reset the capacity indicator properly.

[eXOBeX]

When buying a bigger drive, shop around. Different drives from different manufacturers draw different amounts of power.

Here are some examples:-

Hitachi 7K250 163.5GB 7200RPM: 5.9W

Maxtor DiamondMax 16 160GB 5400RPM: 5.6W

Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 160GB 7200RPM: 7.3W

Maxtor DiamondMax 10 160GB 7200RPM: not known

Samsung SpinPoint V80 160GB 5400RPM: 5.5W

Samsung SpinPoint P80 160GB 7200RPM: 7.0W

Samsung SpinPoint P80SD 160GB 7200RPM: 6.8W

Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 160GB 7200RPM: 7.5W

Western Digital Caviar 160GB 7200RPM: 8.1W

As you can see there's a variation of over 2.5 watts across the range, all of which needs to be chucked out as heat. The lower the power consumption of the hard drive, the less likely you're going to need to overdrive the fan. I've been using the Hitachi drives for a while now, the only one I had fail was a faulty drive that had been sent back to the company, only to be re-sealed and shipped back out as brand-new (have bought several thousand pounds' worth of drives since then, different supplier). These have all been used in devices where hot, greedy hard drives would cause problems.

[Webby@Scunthorpe]

Something came through the post today for me to upgrade to the Sky+ 160GB box today for a couple of hundred quid (I've already got the 40GB box)...

Now, I'm not sure if this interests any of you but if you are thinking about upgrading then you may as well just upgrade the hard disk in your existing box - it's easy!

I'm on my seventh Sky+ box as all the previous units (and this one) failed so this also resolved the System Fault message and failure to lock onto the second signal which is how a hard disk failure exhibits itself...

I picked up a Samsung 160GB IDE Hard Disk from PC World for 55 quid, and just stuck that into the Sky+ box (really easy, a few Torx screws removed from the back of the Pace box, take the lid off, remove four more Torx screws from the HDD caddy and swap the disks over - put it all back together and then fire the box up, press Services, then 4, then 0, then 1, then Select, and then do a full system reset!)

It now works a treat and it's loads cheaper than doing it the official way!

You can also go to bigger sizes of disks - I just went with the 160 at the time as it was pretty cheap from the store! I've got 13 films and a fair few shows on there and it's still got 73% free :)

There's more detail here:

http://www.humvee.co.uk/sky.htm

The leaflet today just jogged my memory!

Well off topic but may come in useful for some of you!

Sky's callout charge is 65 quid I think so for 50 quid you're onto a winner (as long as it is the disk that is broke otherwise the 65 quid option from Sky is the best option!!!!)

←

Cheers aido i was just about to order the sky+ 160 next week when my ntl contract finishes.

Will save myself some £££'s and order the standard one.

Thanks again mate

Webby

[gsportcars]

There are some crazy techno wizards on here

But hey, I was looking to get sky installed in my new house and have seen all these silly offers.

Do any of you guys know what is the best offer to go for if any?

I also have to get the phone line put in first and was gonna see if I could get an internet package in too as I have an old PC waiting. What is the cheapest way to get a fast internet connection (none of the 56k muck!) and phone line and Sky package all in and working???

I know very little about modems and PC's and stuff like that!

[terdancam]

thanks for that chappie, was considering it as our disc is being silly. Even when nothing recorded its only showing 40% left----i`m wondering if thats because it hasn`t got a scandisk?!

also considering what i already pay, that leaflet is extortionate--you can have the discounted box, if you keep the old one and pay multiroom on top......Takeshis castle upstairs as well?

good service sky, but can`t afford anymore! :D

←

If you do a "services 401 select" and then select "housekeeping", the box will do a disk defrag and reset the capacity indicator properly.

←

cheers bigears-----i really ought to search for the manual :D

[terdancam]

thanks for that chappie, was considering it as our disc is being silly. Even when nothing recorded its only showing 40% left----i`m wondering if thats because it hasn`t got a scandisk?!

also considering what i already pay, that leaflet is extortionate--you can have the discounted box, if you keep the old one and pay multiroom on top......Takeshis castle upstairs as well?

good service sky, but can`t afford anymore! :D

←

If you do a "services 401 select" and then select "housekeeping", the box will do a disk defrag and reset the capacity indicator properly.

←

don`t have that option on my sky+ box------services,4 then it only goes up to 7!!!

been through all menu options on services, and there isn`t one called 'housekeeping'---------any ideas?

[eXOBeX]

don`t have that option on my sky+ box------services,4 then it only goes up to 7!!!

been through all menu options on services, and there isn`t one called 'housekeeping'---------any ideas?

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Ignore what goes on on the screen. Services, 4, 0, 1, select. Now the installer menu appears. Same goes for all Sky Digiboxes.

[terdancam]

don`t have that option on my sky+ box------services,4 then it only goes up to 7!!!

been through all menu options on services, and there isn`t one called 'housekeeping'---------any ideas?

←

Ignore what goes on on the screen. Services, 4, 0, 1, select. Now the installer menu appears. Same goes for all Sky Digiboxes.

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got the special secret menu, but still no 'housekeeping'...............i therefore assume its either:

sky+ planner rebuild or

full system reset...............

and do i have to have a special handshake now?

[eXOBeX]

got the special secret menu, but still no 'housekeeping'...............i therefore assume its either:

sky+ planner rebuild          or

full system reset...............

and do i have to have a special handshake now?

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Just did a Google search for sky "full system reset", and it appears to be the option you're after - reformats the drive!

[Rodders_UK]

don`t have that option on my sky+ box------services,4 then it only goes up to 7!!!

been through all menu options on services, and there isn`t one called 'housekeeping'---------any ideas?

←

Ignore what goes on on the screen. Services, 4, 0, 1, select. Now the installer menu appears. Same goes for all Sky Digiboxes.

←

got the special secret menu, but still no 'housekeeping'...............i therefore assume its either:

sky+ planner rebuild or

full system reset...............

and do i have to have a special handshake now?

←

sorry mate - planner rebuild defrags the drive and recalculates free space etc.

there's no need to format the drive (and no option to either)

[terdancam]

cool, that got it---it was the sky+planner rebuild...........once you select that, then the 'housekeeping' bit comes up............few blips etc left it off for about 20 mins as per PC s.o.p., whacked it back on and hey presto got some space now!!!

cheers boys :D

[Steve ( West Mids )]

Anybody know if there is a new code for the normal Sky boxes? 401 doesn't work anymore on mine I think they must have downloaded me some new software because it certainly did along with some cheats ;)

[eXOBeX]

Anybody know if there is a new code for the normal Sky boxes? 401 doesn't work anymore on mine I think they must have downloaded me some new software because it certainly did along with some cheats ;)

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I just forced an update on mine, "Services 4 0 1 Select" still works.

Changing the dialling prefix isn't exactly a cheat, they catch up in the end :P

[Steve ( West Mids )]

lol , it worked for a while I believe, but they get wise to these things. Just tried it with select after the numbers and it goes into the menu OK.

[Kazi]

This is legal I hope ? 

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Are you never off duty?! :D

[rayg]

Right, I'm going to be upgrading my this weekend but I heard a rumor that the % free bar at the top of the page doesn't recognise the bigger disk so it says you have run out of disk when you actually have say 80gb free.

Is this true??

Thanks

[Rodders_UK]

Right, I'm going to be upgrading my this weekend but I heard a rumor that the % free bar at the top of the page doesn't recognise the bigger disk so it says you have run out of disk when you actually have say 80gb free. 

Is this true??

Thanks

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This used to be true, but has since been fixed by a firmware update - you'll be fine.

[rayg]

Thanks mate!

[eMJay]

I've heard of lots of people upgrading their own hard drives and I might do the same once the initial 12 months has passed.

[ColinBarber]

If you have a V2 Sky+ box then upgrading is very easy. I've had mine with a 200GB drive in it now for quite some time.

I wired the fan up to 5v. Spins slowly so you don't hear it but still keeps the unit nice and cool.