new box will my card work

[supershaw123]

Hi
I reside in Albatera spain...Just got a s/h sky + box and need to know if my old freeskycard from my old pace box will work in the new box.
If not how do i get a new card ?
Thank you
Ken

[satandpcguy]

Hi,

Your freesatfromsky card should work fine and "unlock" the free to view channels in the sky+ box - ie Motors TV, Viva Tv, Sony Movies, and the other one or two channels

If it is a sky+ activted "freesatfromskycard" which you pay £10 per month for the Sky+ to work, then it may record and playback only the free to air channels, and not the "free to view" / encrypted channels until you get the card paired to the box by contacting Sky.

If you do not have Sky+ activated on the "freesatfromskycard" then getting a Sky+ box is a bit pointless - as you cannot use the hard drive functions without a subscription...

Also, if you have a Sky+ box, and do not have two cables from the LNB feeding the box, then sometimes the box will try and use the unconnected input 2, resulting in "no signal messages". This is not a problem on Sky+HD boxes, which you can pop into single feed mode, but Sky+ boxes do not have this.

[supershaw123]

Thank you Sat and PC Guy......The card was got from the UK about 4 years ago from a relation who had the sky package and has worked fine in the pace box. When we tried it in the + box it would not work.....the message was "insert viewing card " altho we did get programmes but not our regional programmes we got on the pace

Is it ok to contact Sky from Spain to activate the card and will i have to pay ?
We really want to be able to record programmes without using a separate dvd recorder.

[satandpcguy]

When we tried it in the + box it would not work.....the message was "insert viewing card " altho we did get programmes but not our regional programmes we got on the pace

Are you sure you are inserting the card into the Viewing card slot?
Boxes have two slots, and the "interactive" card slot, will not read a sky card....

And this is probably the reason why your are still being asked to "insert your card".

Also, make sure you are inserting it correctly, chip down ,and first.

Is it ok to contact Sky from Spain to activate the card and will i have to pay ?
We really want to be able to record programmes without using a separate dvd recorder.

As long as you use caller ID block, or a UK mobile, or may be seen skype, hen they should not be able to tell where you are.
Yes you will have to pay for the call....
To reactivate the card you will need all the previous sky details from the friend - ie the address, maybe thier conttract number, maybe their sky passwords....maybe you wil have to pretend to be them at the same addreess, but simp[ly change the bank details to your bank details...

[supershaw123]

Thanks again S/PC/G....Following on from above I understand that the Humax PVR box can be adapted to record one programme whilst watching another ...with only one cable from the dish ...Is this so and will any other boxes (recordable) do this

[satandpcguy]

I understand that the Humax PVR box can be adapted to record one programme whilst watching another ...with only one cable from the dish ...Is this so and will any other boxes (recordable) do this

In a way yes.
The Humax PVR has a "loop" so you can loop the signal to input 2 as weel as input 1.
However, your "record one programme whilst watching another" will be limited to channels that are on the same frequency and polarisation group
There are 4 "group" : vertical high, vertical low, horizontal high, horizontal low.
So you will be able to watch BBC2 England, and record Channel 4 as these are both on horizontal low.
But you will not be able to watch BBC2 England and Channel 4+1 as the former is on horizontal low and the latter is on vertical low.
The humax does "grey out" the channels that will be unavailable to help you see what is available and what is not.

Is this so and will any other boxes (recordable) do this

There are a number of "non sky" and "non freesat" PVRs available.
Not all have the loop.
And they wil not have the 7 day EPG like the freesat and sky boxes have...so planning recordings in the future can be a pain....