Sky - playback problems

[AdrianCoates]

I've just cancelled my multi-room option with Sky but still have an up to date subscription. When I did this I kept the 2nd box as my main receiver as it was the 2TB version and sky told me to change viewing cards between boxes - they've paired the card which was in the smaller box with the 2TB box so now my subscription is working properly for live TV and recording.

But all my old recorded programmes (on the 2TB box which I'm using) that were recorded prior to me changing the viewing cards don't play back - just get an error message saying "Unable to play this recording - for help go to www.sky.co./playerror".

The recordings still show in my planner and I can see the programme synopsis so they are definitely still on the hard drive - I've followed sky's link and rebuilt my planner and had them on the live chat a number of times where they've re-paired my card with the box. Every time they end up by saying it can take up to 4 hours to work but nothing they've done has worked

Surely I can't be the only person who has changed viewing cards between boxes before? I have tried using the old card in the 2TB box but it says there is no active subscription on this card (which I presume is correct as my multi-room has been cancelled)

Any help is much appreciated - thanks

 

[daveh75]

Do current recordings playback fine? Because it sounds like an entitlements issue, but that would effect all recordings.

 

[AdrianCoates]

Any new recordings work fine from any channel and the problem is only affecting old recordings from sky's premium channels - recordings from BBC or C4 still work fine.

I had sky on the phone earlier today and they said it's a known issue which affects a minority of cases but I'm unsure how clued up the guy I spoke with was as I mentioned the above and he couldn't explain it.

Their only advice was to delete everything that wasn't playing correctly and see if it was available on demand but unfort most of the stuff I had recorded isn't on demand

 

[daveh75]

Any new recordings work fine from any channel and the problem is only affecting old recordings from sky's premium channels - recordings from BBC or C4 still work fine.

BBC and C4 recordings aren't encrypted so won't affect those.

I had sky on the phone earlier today and they said it's a known issue which affects a minority of cases but I'm unsure how clued up the guy I spoke with was as I mentioned the above and he couldn't explain it.

The only thing I can think of, is if you still have the deactivated Sky card is to get them to reactivate and re-pair it to your 2TB box.

The problem with Sky though is your chances of getting someone with any technical knowledge on the other end of the line are pretty remote

Their only advice was to delete everything that wasn't playing correctly and see if it was available on demand but unfort most of the stuff I had recorded isn't on demand

Sounds like Sky.

 

[AdrianCoates]

I've still got the deactivated card but Sky are telling me that this can't be re-used as it was designated as my multi-room card and I need to revert back to my primary card (albeit in the multi-room designated box)

I have no idea whether this is true but it doesn't sound right - does anyone remember the new cards being issued when the new planner & TV guide came out (would have been 2009 I think)? I don't recall losing any previously saved programmes but was this because cards were issued with the same number as the previous card rather than a new card number?

I'm going to have a rant at sky some time this week - will let you know how I get on

 

[namefail]

The mistake here was not to simply promote the Multiscreen installation to primary and the cancel services on the other box. That’s the correct procedure.

Seems you played call-centre roulette and lost.