Sky + (Sky Plus (Sky+))

Member Name: chris212

Product:	Sky Plus (Sky+)
Date:	22/05/09 (177 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to set up to record

Disadvantages: Reliability of the Sky+ Box

The Sky + system is one of the greatest features (When it functions properly) that Sky have rolled out, as it allows a person to record a program without the need for a VHS tape recorder or a DVD recorder.

We upgrade and purchased Sky + when we installed a second box in another room of the house, the normal box was moved to the new room, while a new box needed to be purchased for the living room. We decide to on a Sky + box due to ease of recording programs and we could make space with the removal of the tape recorder.

The way the box works is buy have two signals being sent from the disk outside into the sky box. By having the two feeds it allows for a program to be recorded while a person watches another channel or allows two different programs to be recordered if no one is watching the TV through the Sky box. One problem that I have with this is the box only has two feeds, while other forms of TV such as Virgin media allow three feeds meaning two programs can be recorded while a person watched another channel. As what we have found is different people want to record programmes at the same time, meaning we have to wchose which programe to record.

To set up a recording it is simply done by pressing the red R button on SKy + remote controls when either on the programme banner or on the programme guide on the selected programme. Or the box can be set up to record by a manual setting, this means the box will record at a predetermined time for a set amount of time. But I have found this difficult to do and would advise sticking to the R button system, especially if you are the sort person confused by electrically equipment, as my grand parents are.

When a person wants to view the recorded programme all they have to do is press the guide button and the green button for the programme planner. Once there all a person has to be is press select, which presents the point of time from where viewing starts. This can be set from the begining of the recording or a point selected by the user. Which is useful if a person views a few minutes of the start of the programme.

Another feature that can be found on newer models of the Sky + box is Sky Anytime, this is where part of the boxes memory is particaned, so that Sky can upload certian programmes that may be of interest, these are usually new movies that are being premiered by Sky that week or programmes that Sky are particulary proud of owning. This is useful as it allows a person to view programmes at their lesure that they may not ordinarily watch but a problem with service is that the programmes only last a week before being updated with new programmes. While this isa new feature, it is poor in comparison with other services like Virgin Media, that have a wider range of programmes that are on offer, and programmes that are not just from Sky, such as Channel 4 and the BBC.

A feature that we routinly use is is the pause system, where you can pause live TV. This is done by temporarely storing the programme to the hard drive of the Sky box. This allows us to to leave the TV, we have found this usefull when a person is in the house on their own and the dog needs to be let out the back for the tiolet. It allows a person to do this without missing their pogramme. All a person has to do is press play to continue playing the programme and the hard drive continues record the programme; to stop the pause system of recording just press the stop button and a person is returned to normal TV.

A massive problem that we have found with the Sky + system is the reliability of the Sky + box. The first box that was installed lasted about 3/4 years before it woudl not record any more programmes or let us watch any programmes that were stored on the hard drive. We had to pay a charge to have the enginer to come out and replace the box with a new one, which subsequently broke again. The second time we phoned up to cancel the sky service and Sky offered a free replacement and complimentary £30 on our account. But the same day the new box was installed that failed, so by the next day the enginer was back out with another new box. It is now 7 months later and the box again is not recording, so we will be contacting Sky again.

When looking overall, the Sky + system is good in what it offers, when it works, but does lack in certain areas that do need improving. When working the system is easy to use and can be set up to record by any person of any age. The biggest disadvantage is the reliability of the of the Sky + box, that routinly break down and need replacing. But the way we have found to remedy this is to stated that you want to cancel the service and they offer us a new box free of charge. But I would advise any person to do this with caution as they may not offer the new box. But likely will as they do not want to lose your service, for a cheaply reconditioned or manufactured box.

Summary: A good service, but be warned of the box reliability