Windows 10: Recording from SKY Q Miniboxes to computer / DVD recorder

Hi there

The engineers from SKY unsurprisingly know as little about their products as a 4 year old !!! so forget what they tell you --if you want to record to external devices with SKY Q products (not the old SKY + box which has an inbuilt copy function) then here's how to do it.

SKY Q is great(when it works) but there's a big feature missing -- there's no facility to record to external devices such as a DVD recorder.

It IS possible (in spite of what SKY TV say) but you need a bit of trickery to get it to work (and currently only 1080p -- I haven't found any video capture devices that work with the UHD 4K sky Q streams - totally different set of DRM protection).

Quick note here -- SKY Q works on internal 5GHZ mesh network which the main Silver Q box and the minis use - often you'll see it as something like SKYCF2D4 - however it needs your broadband to "glue" this mesh together and transmit controls between the various boxes so DO NOT DISABLE either the 2.4 GHZ or 5 GHZ settings on the boxes.

1) on the main SKY Q box plug an Ethernet cable into the box from your router -- SKY say it's better to use wifi - but that's "just a load of little round objects" or plain Bollocks in Her Majesty's English !!. When you add the devices explained later you'll probably get "connection problems" if you keep the main box as wifi.

2) You need to go into the engineers menu -- on the handset select settings and from settings press 0,0,1 select quickly and then from the menu enable ETHERNET. If you don't do this although using the ADVANCED setting seems to allow you to use Ethernet it won't connect !!! (not surprisingly since by default ETHERNET is disabled).

3) connect the sky Q silver (main box) to the internet -- that should work fine.

Note here on the SKY Q miniboxes you can mix Ethernet and wifi -- if you don't want to record from the minibox leave as wifi.

If you do want to record from a SKY Q minibox you really need to use ETHERNET -- you can use a wifi bridge if you haven't got LAN by the minibox - that works fine too --plug the Ethernet cable into one of the WIFI bridge router's LAN ports --there's usually 4 of them and this method provides a much better throughput than Wifi.

4) on the Sky Q minibox go into the engineers menu (0,0,1 select) as per step 2 and enable wifi.

5) connect to the internet using Ethernet option -- you may have to go to your main SKY Q box to "join" the minibox.

6) now you need an HDMI spltter -- the NEET one works together with it's cables. If the cables aren't exact you probably will get "Broadband connectivity" messages on the screen or even no signal. However the NEET splitter (2 way) works just fine --remember 1080p is max resolution .

7) connect TV to one HDMI output and connect second one either to an HDMI-->SCART if you are using a DVD recorder - I don't think there are any yet that do HDMI input for recording unfortunately -- or connect to a very nice little 1080p capture device from Star Tech -- software included - runs on Windows.

You don't need another HDMI connector for the as the output from the capture device is seen on the computer by the USB input. This capture device also can capture in stand alone mode to an SD card or stream directly. !! without needing a computer at all.

I'm still waiting for something that can capture and split the UHD 4K signal - but remember the SKY Q miniboxes can only do 1080p max so I prefer to set up the recording devices with those while still enjoying UHD 4K sports etc.

I'm reasonably impressed with SKY W -- needs a bit more development before the "average joe" can muck around with it --but OH dear -- the "installers" just seem hopeless -- even saying you can't use Ethernet - it won't work !!!!!

Not only does it work it most certainly works BETTER and have had ZERO connectivity issues. !!!!

Cheers
jimbo

:)

 

Can I install ths sky tv guide and safari browser on E90 Communicator?

for your sky tv guide, try these

Step 1: If you’re one of the millions with Sky+ or Sky HD at home. Head to Sky’s Remote Record registration page online and create a MySky account.

Next grab your Sky remote, hit the interactive button and choose Sky Active. Head to the customer support section and choose the option to select your Sky features. Click on Remote Record and seal the deal by hitting the ‘Sky.com user’ option.

Once it’s set up you can text instructions to your box. Just tap in the programme name, channel name, date and time of the recording separated by full stops, then send it to 61759. You’ll get a text back confirming the scheduled recording so you’ll know it’s
worked. Each text costs 25p.

Step 2: If you’ve got a 3G phone you can use a special programme guide on your handset to send recording info to the set-top box. Log in to Sky’s website using the account you set up earlier. Follow the instructions to download Sky Anytime to your phone and
run it from your ‘Applications’ folder. Once it’s loaded, choose ‘Sky TV Guide’ and pick a programme type. Find the show you want and select it. Choose record and your set top box at home will make sure it’s safe for when you get back. Make sure you set recordings
at least 30 minutes before they’re due to start, or your instructions might not make it to the box in time.

Step 3: If you’re without Sky there’s still a way to set up remote recording at home. If you’re using a Mac check out Elgato’s Eye TV products, they’ll let you watch Freeview channels on your computer but best of all they come with a year’s free subscription
to TVTV.co.uk – it’s an online programme guide that lets you tell you Mac to record from any computer with access to the web – you can even access the site on your phone’s web browser and set it to record from there. Just make sure your Mac’s Eye TV preferences
are set to wake up the computer to check for recordings every hour under ‘Guide’.

and for safari yes u can take a look at

Nokia E90 Review - My-Symbian.com - S60 3rd Edition

 

Sky TV Guide link for mobiles, or App for WP7, from where I can remote record through Sky +

Does anyone know of a Sky TV Guide for mobiles / WP7, from where I can remote record through Sky +

Here’s the normal Sky guide link that I use from my laptop:
http://tv.sky.com/tv-guide#/day/1 which (when a programme is clicked on) allows me to select a programme (from my laptop, while away from home) for remote recording through my Sky + box.

The above link opens on my WP7 but I can’t select the programme for recording from WP7 as I can on my laptop above.

 

I just wish mine would would more than a few days without something crashing and have to reboot and reconnect random boxes.

 

Hi there
Enable everything as Ethernet -- should work just fine -- are you using UHD 4K TV as well.

Cheers
jimbo