Sky+ HD question

[uk_dave&gill]

We've had Sky forever, Sky+ with two boxes for about 6-7 years, and more recently (about four months), Sky+ HD on the main box with the bedroom box staying as SD

We've had a letter recently saying "We need to upgrade your Thomson Sky+ HD box".... This is a bit ambiguous IMHO, as the HD box we have is only four months old (well, we've only had it four months!) and the other box is, as stated, SD. It says to visit www.sky.com/betterbox to register for this, and here it says that the benefits are:-

• Record even more of your favourite shows with more storage
• HD ready for stunning high definition on up to 66 channels‡
• Amazing Sky 3D at no extra cost for Sky World HD customers
• Catch Up on Sky channels, BBC iPlayer, ITV on demand, 4oD and more - just connect your Sky+HD box to any broadband router
• Immerse yourself in entire series Box Sets at no extra monthly cost
• Rent movies whenever you want from Sky Store
• Rescue deleted shows with new Undelete

Now I'm pretty sure the existing HD box already does all that (with the exception of 3D - not sure what Sky World is) and thus it seems we'd be swapping like for like! Also ambiguous is mention of losing recordings. I'd guess this would only happen once you unplug an old box and then connect a new one? Thing is, it seems like a waste of time to simply swap HD for HD, but if it allowed us to swap the old SD for HD and get a wireless connector for free (currently using a LAN cable for the streaming) then it would be worth it!

What I don't want to do is arrange for a new box, find it's simply the same as the current one, be unable to swap SD for HD and then lose all the current recordings!

Any have any experience of such a swap?

[dissy1810]

Usually they don't take the old box away

[uk_dave&gill]

Yes, we still have a couple of old ones lying around!

Can't imagine just getting a new box would cause the recorded programs to be wiped although just worried that there might be some sort of activation procedure that might make an old one redundant?

[chipsceola]

Virgin Media own the equipment, maintain it as part of service and collect it at end of contract if you cancel, all Sky contracts - you own the equipment and remain responsible for it's maintenance, so if they swap the box, the old equipment is still yours to keep, be careful they also don't make a charge for the new box !!

[uk_dave&gill]

No, it specifically says it's free in the letter and on their website, so shouldn't be any worries there! I'm just a little concerned about the possibility of losing existing recordings (although not the end of the world!) and confused that the box in the offer is the same as the one we already have! (the one below)

[greendriver]

No Sky, No Virgin, and now no BT Vision either. Saving a bit.

I bought a Panasonic HD box with hard drive & internet connection and just have a netflix account and Sky Sports on my android mobile.

Still have the recordings from my BT Vision box, though

[vitesse-chris]

I'm not sure if you will be able to view your recordings, as you won't have an active card therefore all the features will be disabled!

Best thing to so is remove the hard drive from it and copy them on to your new sky box

[uk_dave&gill]

The implication is that you retain and use your existing viewing card. It says

All you need to do is follow the step-by-step set up guide (enclosed with your box) and you can resume enjoying Sky immediately. Remember to keep your old cables, remote and viewing card.

so that would surely mean that an existing box would work until you whipped the card out (and probably if you whipped it back in!)

[dissy1810]

That's about right the recordings will stay on the box but you can only play them if you have a valid sky card in it

[sworks]

As said, the programmes will still be viewable on the old box if you put the card back into it. To get the 3d channel you must have sky world which is basically every option going, sports and movies etc. we upgraded movies onto our package to get the 3d Channel and it never gets watched!