If I was to buy a used 'Sky Plus' box off eBay, would it be a simple case of 'plug & play' to get it working if I already have a Sky dish and normal Sky Box?

Also, can you use a Sky+ box with sky's version of freesat or do you have to have a paid sky subscription for it to work?

Thanks for your help

The + box requires a twin LNB (the lumpy bit sticking on out on the front of the dish!!) and duel core cable as it takes two signals to the sky+ box - its not like a standard areail where you can split the signal.

And you need a Sky card with active subscription for the Sky+ functions to work.

I bought one off ebay in 2007 for my mum.

I just thought you could plug and play, but unfortunately...

like has been mentioned, you will need another cable running from the dish for the twin tuner (watch one channel whilst recording another etc)

Most dishes have quad LNB's on as standard now (allowing 4 cables to be run on the same dish, in case of people wanting multiroom subscriptions etc.) but some early installs had just single LNB's allowing just the one cable. If so then you will need a dual or quad one, which can be picked up off Ebay cheap enough.

Also you will require a subscription to at least Sky's lowest package to take advantage of the pause/rewind live tv function.

When you take into account the purchase price of a box off Ebay, plus possibly a new LNB, and definitely a new cable running to the box, then perhaps a word with Sky themselves about upgrading to Sky+ could work out cheaper, with discounted box and installation.

All the best

Regards

Damian

I thought sky plus can work with a dead card, but that the card used must first have been paired with the box, and have been activated for sky+ ?

I thought sky plus can work with a dead card, but that the card used must first have been paired with the box, and have been activated for sky+ ?

Normally a "dead" card will give you access to the additional free to air channels (such as ch5), but I very much doubt it would let you use the + features.

I was considering purchasing the HD humax box as that does not need a sky subscription and I think you can get all the normal channels do you with Sky.com - Home, but I am yet to actually confirm this.

Normally a "dead" card will give you access to the additional free to air channels (such as ch5), but I very much doubt it would let you use the + features.

I was considering purchasing the HD humax box as that does not need a sky subscription and I think you can get all the normal channels do you with Sky.com - Home, but I am yet to actually confirm this.

Humax Freesat box has no Fiver or FiveUS , no Sky3 or Sky/sports news, i don't think it even has Dave on it , i've got one :(

I thought sky plus can work with a dead card, but that the card used must first have been paired with the box, and have been activated for sky+ ?

It will let you view the free stuff, but the recording functions do not work without a subscription. I do believe that you can pay £10/month just for the recording capabilities, but when sky+ is £17 a month or so it makes you wonder if it's worthwhile.

Thanks for the answers guys, sounds like going the "proper" route through Sky might be the best option, they seem to go for close to £100 on eBay anyway...

Humax Freesat box has no Fiver or FiveUS , no Sky3 or Sky/sports news, i don't think it even has Dave on it , i've got one :(

My research was suggesting that. You don't get dave on freesatfromsky either (but I do get sky3, fiver & fiveus). I was hoping I would be able to stick a cam and my sky card into the humax.... best of both worlds for nothing. Shame I can't :(

One more question; if I had a Sky+ box, I presume it's fairly easy to link to a DVD recorder and transfer any thing to disc you might want to keep more permanently?

Yes, that's a built in option.