A: To have BBC /ITV on EPG instead of Other channels if you don't care for Sky3.

Make sure card correctly inserted.
Go Sky News 501
Press interactive
Wait for it to load
REMOVE CARD.
Press Backup till interactive is exited.

UK EPG without Ch4 and Five will load.
Sky3 won't work.

ITV/BBC can be added to Favorites and work on guide.
To return to Irish EPG and working Sky3 simply remove and insert card properly. No "magic" sequence.

It takes a minute or so for an EPG to load.

A: It is a card available only in the UK for Sky. It will work if you bring it here. It provides C4 and Five. Recently also Sky3 (which works on a cancelled Irish card too). It is a once off payment of about 22 Stg.
All BBC and ITV are on the EPG, rather than the Irish EPG wihich needs you to add ITV and BBC via "Other Channels"

A: If your card works for Sky3, just ring the number on the Services Phone number screen for Sky or the number on the card. It helps if you know your old account, but the viewing card number may suffice. If the Bank or Credit card arrangement is still in place you will be viewing in less than 10minutes. Phone line is not usually required to be connected and minimum period is one month. But a month notice is needed to cancel. If you box is broken often they can be persuaded to give a new one free, then the minimum period is 3 months.

A: You lose all the encrypted channels except Sky3. All the free channels (BBC/ ITV and many others) are unaffected. Pull your card out and ignore error messages to browse and see which channels still work. Unlike Cable TV you still own all the gear.

A: No. From the satellites used for Sky you can get all the BBC and ITV channels and many others including 70 radio for free. You can buy the equipment from an Independant dealer (see list on Articles) or by mail order. A system without a motor can be 130 Euro to 200 Euro. A motor is about 100 Euro extra so that you can get about 20 different satellites. You can DIY install or pay 100Euro to 300Euro for install depending on the complexity and distance from Installer.

A: Updated: 05/09/07

• BBC Frequencies*

10773 H 22.0 5/6

BBC One London
BBC Two England
BBC News 24
BBC Four (1900-0500)
CBBC (0700-1900)
CBeebies (0600-1900)
BBC Three (1900-0500)
BBC One Northern Ireland


10788 V 22.0 5/6

BBC One West Midlands
BBC One North West
BBC One East Yorkshire & Lincolnshire
BBC One Yorkshire & North Midlands
BBC One East Midlands
BBC One East England


10803 H 22.0 5/6

BBC One Wales
BBC Two Wales
BBC One Scotland
BBC Two Scotland
BBC Two Northern Ireland
BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio Five Live Sports Extra


10818 V 22.0 5/6

BBC One West England
BBC One South East
BBC One South England
BBC One South West
BBC One North East & Cumbria
BBC One Oxford


10847 V 22.0 5/6

BBC One Cambridge
BBC One Channel Islands
BBC HD (NOTE: can't be added on Sky's non-HD boxes)


11954 H 27.0 2/3

BBC Parliament
BBCi 8
BBCi 9
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 4 DAB
BBC Radio 4 LW
BBC Radio Scotland AM
BBC Radio Wales FM
BBC Radio Ulster FM
BBC Asian Network
BBC World Service Europe
BBC Radio Cymru
BBC 1Xtra
BBC 6 Music
BBC 7
BBC Radio nan Gaidheal
BBC London 94.9 FM


12441 V 27.5 2/3

BBCi 1
BBCi 2
BBCi 3
BBCi 4
BBCi 5
BBCi 6
BBCi 7

---

Updated: 05/09/07

ITV Frequencies*

10714 H 22000 5/6

ITV 2 +1 (07-19)
ITV 1 Central TV South West
ITV 1 Anglia TV South
ITV 1 Anglia TV West
ITV 1 Tyne Tees TV North
ITV 1 Tyne Tees TV South


10758 V 22.0 5/6

ITV 1 London
ITV 2
CITV (Mon-Fri 0600-1800 & Sat-Sun? 0600-1230)
ITV 4 (Mon-Fri 1800-0600 & Sat-Sun? 1230-06.00)
Men & Motors
ITV 1 Granada TV
ITV 1 Anglia TV North
ITV 1 Central West


10832 H 22.0 5/6

ITV 1 Thames Valley TV North
ITV 1 Central East
ITV 1 Wales
ITV 1 West
ITV 1 Westcountry South
ITV 1 Border TV North England


10891 H 22.0 5/6

ITV 1 Border TV South Scotland
ITV 1 Meridian TV South
ITV 1 Meridian TV South East
ITV 1 Meridian TV Sussex
ITV 1 Thames Valley TV South
ITV 1 Yorkshire TV North
ITV 1 Yorkshire TV East


10906 V 22.0 5/6

Channel TV
STV Grampian TV North
STV Scottish TV West
STV Scottish TV East
Ulster TV
ITV 3
ITV 3 +1 (1800-0600)

A: Yes, but with limitations.

If visiting a holiday home frequently, take your Digibox too.

The Issues:
The basic 6 mix packs:

Any card works in any box.


Premium channels such as FilmFour?, Disney, Sky Sport, Sky Movies etc:

Only the mix channels work.


To change the card with premium content to a new box you need to ring Sky. The chnageover to "marry" the card to a new box takes only minutes but they will want to know:

• Why (Box getting repaired is common reason).
• Serial & Model of Old box
• Serial & model of "new" Sky box
• Viewing card number
• Confirm cardholder account, name, address, phone number and even password if you ever were asked for one. No need to change any of these. The Satellite signal, card and box don't care where they are.

If you are only changing for a few weeks or "swapping" cards in a box leave the box phone line disconnected.

Later you can change back.

Sky do not support / encourage changing box for card for "holiday homes" etc, so I wouldn't change it often or they will get fed up.

No charge though.

A: The normal "Signal Test" in Services | Setup only shows the "Default Transponder". Channels on different transponders may be very different strengths. This helps you see if you have an Alignment problem (Esp. in Mainland Europe).

So you do
Services 4 0 1 Select
(Instaler Menu)
Manual Tuning
(Now enter the settings for an ITV)
"Find Channels"

Unlike "Add Channels" it shows level and Quality.

Level at least 50%, but different boxes give different reading on same cable/LNB/Dish

Quality about 75% if dry and Clear, more than 50% in rain.

A: No.
Though if you have an Irish subscription some BBC and ITV channels are missing. See how to add BBC/ITV via "Other Channels" and the "UK EPG trick"

A: Reset
Unplug from mains socket, count to 15 and plug in again

Load Sky Software form Satellite

Make sure you have a signal
(Sky News works or "Services | Setup | Signal Test" isw at least 50% quality)

• Unplug from mains.
• Hold "backup" button on box.
• While holding "Backup", plug in mains again.
• Continue hold "Backup" till all lights are lit. If you have SCART on TV out you get a message.
• Let go backup
• Wait till box goes back to standby on its own (Up to 20 minutes).

If the box never returns to standby, unplug it, but ONLY after 30 minutes. Plug it in again.

A: If it is a Pace 2500, then the tuner is faulty. These can be replaced but unless your are expert at desoldering with solder braid, it is not a DIY task. Kesh Electronics sell replacements at £18 and you could by 50 Euro to get it fitted locally by a TV repair shop. If you are on subscription Sky might give you a replacement if you mutter about cancelling.

A: Some Digiboxes have a 22kHz fault. The LNB does not switch to frequencies below 11.7GHz.
How to tell

• Select a channel that does not work.
• Carefully unscrew the LNB cable connector at back of Digibox without tipping the centre wire against anything.
• Carefuully re-insert the centre wire into the socket and screw the connector "finger tight" again (Never use spanner or pliers).

If the channel returns it is the 22kHz fault. See http://www.satcure.co.uk for a 22kHz fault filter module. It requires some soldering experience to fit.

Alternatively the Digibox may work with a different make or model of LNB, as it is a compatibility issue, not a faulty LNB

A: Your TV and or Digibox widescreen settings are wrong.

A:

• You don't need a phone line.
• On or Standby doesn't matter, as long as mains and LNB signal, the update works.
• Forced update won't work till roll out is complete and they remove current version from transmission
• It doesn't make any difference by Card, Subscription etc, They go by Model (& possibly serial numbers).
• ALL Sky+ first then ordinary Digiboxes, or else the other way araound depending on the nature of new software and rollouts.
• They phase a rollout to reduce load on call centre as any new rollout increases the number of calls.
• Changing EPG numbers for channels is a normal Sky feature, a roll out is not needed. Everyone's numbering will change together overnight when rollout is complete on all kinds of boxes.
• Only unplugged from mains boxes will miss a roll out.
• Even if a box is in a cupboard and plugged in 6 months time, it will likely update on its own eventually, a forced update would update it at once.
• Forced update only needed for a Sky box not connected at all, ever over next few months, or a box that never points at "Sky" (28E) but used all the time on Hotbird or Astra 19E.
• I don't recommend trying the Sky Italia "default transponder" on 13E and forcing and update, but if anyone has a spare Digibox they don't care about, I'm sure we would love to hear what happens. AFASIK the "default transponder setting" in Services 4 0 1 select is different.

A: This is a problem that seems to happen from time to time. The way to rectify it is to unplug your digibox from the mains for a few minutes, and then plug it back in again. Teletext should work after that.

As an aside: BBC Ceefax is not available via satellite, where BBC have opted for their digital BBCi service instead.

A: This is due to certain programming on Channel 4 being blocked to viewers in Republic of Ireland. It's down to programming rights, particularly for bought imports, where they didn't buy RoI rights also.

While all programming isn't blocked on Channel 4 on analogue aerial, the ability to do so via digital is easy, and the option is exercised.

A: FTV means Free To View, and means that the channels are free to watch, but only by means of a smart card (ie. a Freesat From Sky card is seen as an FTV card for UK viewers who have a Sky system)

FTA means Free To Air, and means channels are fully free, with no encryption methods being used.

A: The BBC went free-to-air on the 10th of July 2003 and ITV on 1st of November 2005. But the Irish EPG only shows BBC1 , BBC2, ITV3, ITV4.

To add the MANY missing BBC and ITV or "other channels" this is what you do.

We'll begin with the frequency (10773H 22000 5/6) that BBC3 and BBC4 are broadcast on, and you can repeat the process using the frequency table below to add the other channels of your choice (ie ITV1, ITV2 BBC Radio etc.)


To add channels to your "Other Channels" option, do the following -

With your digibox turned on, press the "Services" button (near the top of the remote).

Select number 4 (System Setup), and then 4 again ("Add Channels").

In the appropriate fields enter the following (you move through the fields using the up and down arrow keys).


In the Frequency field enter: 10.773,

The next three fields are toggle fields, i.e. using the left and right arrows will change the value.

Toggle Polarisation to : H
Toggle Symbol Rate to: 22000
Toggle FEC to : 5/6

Then select the last button - Find Channels.

After a few seconds the channels should appear. The channels on this frequency should be - BBC One London, BBC Two England, BBC News 24, BBC Four, CBBC, CBeebies, BBC Three, BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC Radio Cymru.

Use the Yellow button to place a tick beside each one you wish to store and when you've finished ticking press "Select". These channels will now be stored.

You can view them by pressing the "Services" button, then 6 ("Other Channels"), use the arrow keys to move to the channel you want and press "Select".
If more than 20 channels are stored in "Other Channels" they can mysteriously all disappear !
This seems to be a bug in Sky's software that they've never bothered to fix. It may be best not to try to store all the BBC and ITV variations, but just the ones that you're particularly interested in.

A: Your card has missed key updates since it was last used. Leave card in digibox overnight (maybe 24 hours) and channels shall return.

A: No, you have to subscribe to a Sky package (any) to receive RTE, TV3 and TG4 via satellite.