My Sky HD box is FUBARed isn't it?!

[Digger]

Went to turn on my Sky HD box and the red light does not turn to green. Using the remote there is no corresponding remote flash on the front panel. Using the power button on the box elicits no response either so it is not the remote. Powered box off for several minutes, and also did a forced update power up holding down the Back Up button on the box itself. Nothing. . .nada . . .

Normally when powering up you can hear the hard drive (presumably) clicking and whirring into life. Cant hear any noises apart from a very faint internal electrical buzz. Assume its the hdd? Could it be a power supply problem. Box is out of warranty.

Particularly annoying as it is a rare HD box with component outputs as my Panny PW6 does not accept hdmi.

Any thoughts before I ring Sky, cancel my Sky subs, and post up a What New 3D 42" Panny Plasma FreesatHD/FreeviewHD Telly thread?

[justtourin1]

Recently (within the last week) had the same problem. My box is 18 months out of warranty. Had a look on AV Forums for some suggestions of what to do next.
It was suggested to contact SKY via ‘My Sky’ online account & sent an ‘email’ via the ‘contact us’ page detailing the problems etc stating the box wasn’t fit for purpose. Also went on to explain I’d been a long standing customer and that I have my broadband, telephone & TV package through them.
I ask for someone to contact me to discuss & politely mentioned that I might take my business else where. All very nice.
Within 48 hours I received an email back stating it was out of warranty, but under the circumstances etc they’d sent out an ‘engineer’ to have a look (FOC). Yesterday I had a new dish and a brand new box installed FOC! No great explanation given by the Engineer, he just did it. Had a call off someone today asking was I happy with the service & apologised for the inconvenience.
Got to be worth a try?

[miniman]

Is it a Thompson box? If so it is probably the PSU so it is fixable - you can buy kits on eBay - so if you desperately want to retain the component out this may be an option.

If not, call Sky, tell the call centre person you want to talk to disconnections and they will normally send an engineer out. In my case:

"Its a Thompson box"

"I'll get a new one out of the van"

[Gurbinder]

1. Unplug power cable from back of Sky box
2. Remove Skycard
3. Wait 5-10 mins.
4. Re-plug power cable
5. Put Sky Card back in.
6. It should power up
7. Turn on it will start just wait.

If this don't work phone Sky!

If it work's a thank you will do, if not you can call me a tt

[VEX]

How hot does it get.

I found that putting my clients HD boxes on Laptop coolers works wonders keeping them alive.

V.

[Digger]

I cant really involve Sky as they will want to replace the box for £65 like for like age-wise, and NO way will they be able to find within their refurbed stock a box with component outputs. When I signed up for SkyHD nearly 3 years ago it took 3 visits before they supplied me with a component box.

[Plotloss]

Digger said:

I cant really involve Sky as they will want to replace the box for £65 like for like age-wise, and NO way will they be able to find within their refurbed stock a box with component outputs. When I signed up for SkyHD nearly 3 years ago it took 3 visits before they supplied me with a component box.

HDFury2

[Digger]

Plotloss said:

Digger said:

I cant really involve Sky as they will want to replace the box for £65 like for like age-wise, and NO way will they be able to find within their refurbed stock a box with component outputs. When I signed up for SkyHD nearly 3 years ago it took 3 visits before they supplied me with a component box.

HDFury2

Quel mucho?

Somewhere I have an excellent JS Tech RGB Scart to component converter.

Edited by Digger on Wednesday 6th October 00:25

[Plotloss]

£150 ish as I remember, haven't used them for a while though.

[Digger]

Out of interest how can I tell if it is the HDD thats broken rather than the PSU?

[NDA]

Digger said:

Particularly annoying as it is a rare HD box with component outputs as my Panny PW6 does not accept hdmi.

Any thoughts before I ring Sky, cancel my Sky subs, and post up a What New 3D 42" Panny Plasma FreesatHD/FreeviewHD Telly thread?

My Sky HD box went into smoke mode at the weekend and needed a replacement. The Sky guy said that all the boxes with the component outputs were starting to fail.... Don't know if that's true, but it's what he said and I'll pass it on.

The box failing would not be a reason for me to cancel Sky. I don't think our family could function without it!

[JustinP1]

NDA said:

Digger said:

Particularly annoying as it is a rare HD box with component outputs as my Panny PW6 does not accept hdmi.

Any thoughts before I ring Sky, cancel my Sky subs, and post up a What New 3D 42" Panny Plasma FreesatHD/FreeviewHD Telly thread?

My Sky HD box went into smoke mode at the weekend and needed a replacement. The Sky guy said that all the boxes with the component outputs were starting to fail.... Don't know if that's true, but it's what he said and I'll pass it on.

The box failing would not be a reason for me to cancel Sky. I don't think our family could function without it!

I don't think failure is a symptom of any particular make box over another. We've had 4 Sky plus boxes upstairs and 4 HD boxes downstairs in the last 5 years.