Sky+ and phone lines
Author
Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

85 months

Monday 13th February 2006
quotequote all
I've got sky+ and when I try to record or watch anything recorded I get a message saying:

SYSTEM FAULT
Sky+ playback and recordings are unavailable
Please call 0875 800800 for assistance

My phone line has never been plugged in as the +box and phone socket are at other ends of the room.

Before I call them do I have to have it plugged in for the entire contract?

Has anyone else had this before.

Plotloss

67,280 posts

301 months

Monday 13th February 2006
quotequote all
I think so.

If you went from normal to plus and multiroom then both boxes must be in the same phone line.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

85 months

Monday 13th February 2006
quotequote all
I've had skyplus for ages with just one box but this fault is a new event.

I just wanted to know where I stood before I call them.

I thought that the box only had to be connected for a set period of time

Plotloss

67,280 posts

301 months

Monday 13th February 2006
quotequote all
Could be that the HDD or some other component is knackered.

I'd just call them to be honest.

ridds

8,373 posts

275 months

Monday 13th February 2006
quotequote all
Mine has only ever been connected for the initial system set up by the "engineers" (snigger).

I always unplug them after.

I have a mobile, if they think I'm going to get a phome line just for their box they can pay me the line rental!

pcwilson

1,259 posts

267 months

Monday 13th February 2006
quotequote all
stovey said:
I've got sky+ and when I try to record or watch anything recorded I get a message saying:

SYSTEM FAULT
Sky+ playback and recordings are unavailable
Please call 0875 800800 for assistance

My phone line has never been plugged in as the +box and phone socket are at other ends of the room.

Before I call them do I have to have it plugged in for the entire contract?

Has anyone else had this before.


You must have the phone line connected for the first 12 months. I have Sky+ with multiroom and I had to have both boxes plugged in for the first year. I forgot to reconnect my Sky+ box after decorating last summer and started to receive "threatening" letters from Sky saying I must keep both boxes connected or I would be charged full price for the second card. Not sure what the penalty would be if you only have the one box.

ultimasimon

9,646 posts

289 months

Monday 13th February 2006
quotequote all
The reason that they stipulate to use one phone line is stop corporate customers from putting multiple boxes aroung the building on one set top box, so I was told.

Plotloss

67,280 posts

301 months

Monday 13th February 2006
quotequote all
ultimasimon said:
The reason that they stipulate to use one phone line is stop corporate customers from putting multiple boxes aroung the building on one set top box, so I was told.


Its also to stop you giving Sky to your mum for £10 a month...

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

85 months

Monday 13th February 2006
quotequote all
Thanks guys i'm in the long phone queue to talk to someone. . . .

evolutionvalet

907 posts

251 months

Monday 13th February 2006
quotequote all
I got the threatening letters from Sky too saying I had unplugged the box. After checking and rechecking and getting three letters, I finally phones them. First thing the guy says is ' are you ex-directory???' 'Yes' I said....' oh thats why then...????????
If I had ignored the letters, the price would have shot up to over £100. I got into an arguement by saying that if you now being ex-directory is a problem why not ask that i the very first letter to avoid me be charged....well you can guess the reply.....

Basically, I had to set the system up again and notify Sky...

Anyone know if a 9Volt battery connected to the phone line into the box activates the 'pay per view' channels?

GreenV8S

31,027 posts

315 months

Monday 13th February 2006
quotequote all
evolutionvalet said:
Anyone know if a 9Volt battery connected to the phone line into the box activates the 'pay per view' channels?


I doubt it, I'm pretty sure you have to actually pay for them (which would presumably need the phone line to be connected).

Incidentally, you can get a gadget that sends the phone signal over a mains circuit so you don't have to string the phone line across the house.

>> Edited by GreenV8S on Monday 13th February 20:27

CombeMarshal

2,030 posts

257 months

Monday 13th February 2006
quotequote all
2 things, yeah, for your first year your contract says you have to be conected to a bt line and secondly, the Battery thing does work, but, you have to do it each time, and the card stores information that you have watched PPV, and they can ask for the card back and get that info off of it, also, as soon as you plug the box back into the phone socket it tells sky what you have viewed and charges you, It makes the box think the line is engaged, Oh, and the card will only let you do it so many times before it locks it
I'm not telling how to do it though!!

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

85 months

Monday 13th February 2006
quotequote all
Got it sorted by Sky doing a 'systems reset' which involved various remote control jiggerypokery and the like.

Lost all recorded stuff.

I've never had the phone line conected or recieved a letter from sky ? Wierd.