# Sky Movies asking for Pin



## Paul_J (Jan 9, 2001)

I have looked through the threads and I can't find any comments on this, I'm sure it must have been covered but here goes. 

Sky now wants a PIN code entered if a certificate 12 or above film is viewed on the movie channels before 20:00.

Great with the TiVo turning over all this does is lock up the sky box and nothing is then recorded until I go in and re set it.

Is there a way to turn off this feature or has anyone found a way around this?


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## wonderboy (May 27, 2003)

I think nearly everyone has complained to Sky about this. No action whatsoever so far AFAIK.


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## iankb (Oct 9, 2000)

As far as I can see, it is a way of promoting Sky+, while downgrading the functionality of rival time-shifting recorders. They've had plenty of time to make this switchable with the rest of the adult content control, and have done nothing about it.


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## gazter (Aug 1, 2001)

clearly an abuse of their market position.

At the moment, it isnt such a big deal, but when HD comes the norm, and the *only* way to record content is to use sky+ this will become an issue that the Government can no longer ignore.

Gaz


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## kitschcamp (May 18, 2001)

LOL! They've been ignoring the requirement for CAMS since digital TV came out, so why should this be any different? Labour are as much in the pocket of Murdoch as the Conservatives were.


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## gazter (Aug 1, 2001)

they ignore it because they dont understand it, and to be frank, dont care.

When they realise that they cant record tv anymore without buying into Skys own technology, things might change.

Look at Freeview, and the marketplace for cheap low cost pvrs, hundreds of models, reaching most price points. 

MCE works exceptionally well with freeview, as it just take the mpeg signal, while mce with sky is an unstable and buggy process, and of course with skyhd, an unfeasible process.

I dont mind DRM to prevent distribution, I dont mind them ensuring the thing cant be copied, just let me record tv and watch it when i want.....


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## SimonG (Jun 25, 2002)

We'll have to wait for the White Knight of Bill Gates to get pissed off at the lack of MCE sales and complain about Murdoch's monopoly.


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## Automan (Oct 29, 2000)

I just set my Tivo's not to record from movie channels that show movies that require a pin.

Automan.


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## Steve_K (May 5, 2001)

If you've got the movie channels then adding a Sky+ is monthly subscription free. TiVo + Sky+ is a powerful combination. Sky+ can never beat TiVo for season based programmes but does have the edge on movies


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## rondun (Jan 24, 2006)

Wouldn't this make a nice little tivoweb module / tcl script?

Save your Sky pin, select the channels which require you to enter it (or maybe the programme can know them already), then when you have a recording scheduled on those channels, it enters the pin after changing the channel.

Or is it not possible?


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## 6022tivo (Oct 29, 2002)

As I understand this, it is only on Sky Movies 9. I have removed this channel from the channels I receive. Because the box (NTL) sticks on this and the tivo can not change channels.


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## Mark Bennett (Sep 17, 2001)

I did a manual recording (on the $ky+ box, not the Tivo) of the last 10 minutes of Jonathon Ross (I wanted to see the New York Dolls bit again  )
Unfortunately THAT is asking me for a pin ??
We've never set a pin, and neither of us have ever gone into the "Parental Controls" part of the menus on either the box connected to the Tivo, nor the $ky+ (we knew not to from problems people had years ago that were posted here).

So what the heck is happening here? Movies needing a pin, manual recordings needing a pin? I have no idea what to put in either - we've not set one up!
Trying after 11PM it still asked for the pin 

Is my problem unconnected with that in this thread - or is $ky expanding the "controls" imposed on us?


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## Automan (Oct 29, 2000)

I think ALL manual recordings on Sky+ ask for a pin as does the copy to Tape / DVD option.

Because the box does not know if the material is "X" Rated it makes sure the viever knows the pin.

I admit this just another poorly planned Sky feature.

I normally only watch HD movies (Dante's Peak at the moment) and these are ALWAYS asking for the PIN.

I have no kids in the house and thus am waiting for a Sky update so all pin functions can be switched off.

Automan.


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## Mark Bennett (Sep 17, 2001)

Oh - thanks. Didn't know that (obviously...)

So a pin, when none is set up - so I just have to delete it then unwatched... 

Sorry OP for going off topic - I thought it might be related.


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## iankb (Oct 9, 2000)

Mark Bennett said:


> We've never set a pin ...


I think that it defaults to the last four digits of your viewing card number.


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## jonphil (Aug 7, 2002)

Anyone any closer to solving this annoying problem. Why have Sky chosen to not include it in the Parental controls. I live in a house with No children for a start.
Even without TIVO I find it down right annoying as you turn off all parental control, but in actual fact it's NOT turned off?


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## sanderton (Jan 4, 2002)

It's because Sky10 and 9 now show post watershed films pre watershed, in order to get more HD films shown. I'm guessing the compulsory PIN protection was part of the licensing agreemenet for them to be able to do that.


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## 6022tivo (Oct 29, 2002)

It is a pain, I have had to remove them from channels I watch as if it does change it sticks on that channel.


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## aerialplug (Oct 20, 2000)

Speaking in Sky's defence (never thought I'd say that!), I'm pretty sure that the pin control on post watershed programmes being shown pre-watershed is a requirement by the regulators and I suspect the only thing Sky can do to circumvent this is to not show pre-watershed material before 9pm. 

Since they wish to show post watershed programmes before the watershed, this is the only course of action they can take. Remember, the vast majority of people watch the box directly and will be able to interact with the pin request immediately - or will be using Sky+.

So, I don't think we can claim conspiracy here.


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## jonphil (Aug 7, 2002)

So I can just remove Channels 9 and 10 and I won't have the problem. I can live with that as they all show the same movies, more or less?


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## 6022tivo (Oct 29, 2002)

Thats what I did, remove them from the channels I receive.

It won't goto them for suggestions season passes wishlists etc... And you won't see them in the guide. I hate having to root out the old NTL remote when I selected them damm things.
And as you say, they are repeated all the time, so you should not miss out.


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## cleudo (Apr 7, 2002)

At least it's only Sky9 and Sky10 - if they rolled this out to the other 8 channels, it'd kill Tivo for me...


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## jonphil (Aug 7, 2002)

cleudo said:


> At least it's only Sky9 and Sky10 - if they rolled this out to the other 8 channels, it'd kill Tivo for me...


If they did that I would cancel the channels. I'm only on a 3 month half price offer so I intend to make use of it and then cancel.
I was shocked that Sky were giving this offer to existing customers


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