sky/virgin storage space

[dangalf]

Hi all,

Just a quick question:

My current sky box has 300gb storage space and some of that is taken up by their anytime services - how much space do I actually have for recordings (I seem to remember reading it was 160gb but I could be wrong)?

The reason I ask is because I'm considering moving to Virgin and their box has 160gb of storage - is all that available for recordings or is some of it tied up elsewhere too?

Thanks guys

 

[daveh75]

dangalf:
Hi all,

Just a quick question:

My current sky box has 300gb storage space and some of that is taken up by their anytime services - how much space do I actually have for recordings (I seem to remember reading it was 160gb but I could be wrong)? 160GB of recording space for the 1st and 2nd incarnations of SkyHD/+HD box. 250GB of recording space for the latest 'standard' Amstrad/Samsung boxes.

 

[dangalf]

Thanks for the clarification Daveh75.

Just checked my box and it's a Pace box so I'm guessing it has 160gb?

Don't suppose you know the answer to my Virgin query?

Thanks again

 

[daveh75]

dangalf:Just checked my box and it's a Pace box so I'm guessing it has 160gb?Yes.

Don't suppose you know the answer to my Virgin query?No idea tbh, don't live in a cabled area so its not something i've ever looked into...

 

[8009514]

The Virgin V+ box can record up to 80 hours of standard definition programming. About 160GB. Not really recommended to push it right to the limit though. The 80 hour figure comes down a lot though when recording HiDef.

Rich

 

[grdunn123]

8009514:

The Virgin V+ box can record up to 80 hours of standard definition programming. About 160GB. Not really recommended to push it right to the limit though. The 80 hour figure comes down a lot though when recording HiDef.

Rich

You can get 80 hours of Hi Def material from Virgin V+???

 

[8009514]

Ha ha! Nice one grdunn.

 

[dangalf]

Thanks for all your comments guys

 

[Anonymous]

I find when recording in Hi-Def on Virgin that it takes 4 - 5 hours worth of space for every hour you record, thus no more than around 20 hours of space is available if you record exclusively off the HD channels. For me, this is something they're going to have to look at for the future in terms of the hdd capacity in their boxes.

 

[8009514]

I see where you are coming from kaotician, but I would think that the memory storage in the V+ and Sky boxes is really for recording stuff whilst you are out, or a programme on a channel while viewing another.(As per video/dvd recorder). Not sure its designed to be used as a library. For library use then we are in tetrabyte territory for storage. Not sure I would want a memory that big full of films etc. which could be lost if the box broke down.

Only my thoughts

Rich.

 

[both.of.me]

an option to consider tho is that with the latest v+ hd boxes you can add storage by plugging an external hdd into the usb socket on the back of the unit.

although i have not attempted this yet i could give it a try tonight and see how / if this works in practice

 

[8009514]

both.of.me:
an option to consider tho is that with the latest v+ hd boxes you can add storage by plugging an external hdd into the usb socket on the back of the unit.

although i have not attempted this yet i could give it a try tonight and see how / if this works in practice

Not sure the usb socket is activated. Will give a call to the STB guys later or tomorrow to check.

Rich

 

[Anonymous]

8009514:
I see where you are coming from kaotician, but I would think that the memory storage in the V+ and Sky boxes is really for recording stuff whilst you are out, or a programme on a channel while viewing another.(As per video/dvd recorder). Not sure its designed to be used as a library. For library use then we are in tetrabyte territory for storage. Not sure I would want a memory that big full of films etc. which could be lost if the box broke down.

Only my thoughts

Rich.

Fair comment Rich, but consider this; if that were so, why provide us with 80 hours viewing time otherwise? That's surely in excess of what you would need if you were going out etc. To me, that 80hrs provision is so you can store movies etc as a library if you so wish.

 

[8009514]

Yeah, that also is a good point. I'm not really into the whys and wherefores of the STBs. (More concerned with getting the signals to them). Possibly the 80hours of recording (160gb) is there because that is a fairly standard size memory, size of the chip maybe. And, to be honest I wouldn't consider 80 hrs to be much of a library. Maybe 40 sd movies or about 15 hd movies.

80 hours might sound quite a bit but imagine a fortnight away on holiday, there is enough storage to record all the soaps, series, some movies etc. (In my wifes case 2 hours of Come Dine With Me each day, utter rubbish). Soon fills up the memory.

Wonder if anyones worked out yet how much memory a 3D film would take!

Rich