# Sky+ and Tivo...Help!



## WebAgents (Jan 3, 2003)

Hi,

Right, for reason I won't bore you with I need Sky Multiroom.

I've been on Sky Digital (not sky+) for years and used it with Tivo and very happy I've been too. So much so that I haven't read the threads (and ther've been a few!) regarding sky+ and Tivo as I never intended getting sky+.

I've just got off the phone with Sky and the very nice chap has agreed to install Sky+ (free box, free install) in the lounge and move my existing box into the bedroom.

So I've done a bit of a search and there is just too much info to try and wade through so I thought a nice, concise thread may be a good idea.

My questions and assumptions - please contribute even if only to rip my assumptions to bits 



Connect tivo and sky+ the same as sky didgital?

When Tivo changes channel on sky+ to record it does so using the 2nd tuner (I.E. the tuner not being watched) leaving you free to watch the 1st sky+ tuner?

If I watch a sky+ recording and tivo tries to change channel on the sky+ box to record, it will actually record the recording I'm watching on sky+?

No need to change tivo setup at all?

Will tivo change channels using 2nd sky+ tuner if using tivo ir wand? What about if changing sky+ channels via acme skyeye on rf2?

Would it be better to have sky+ and sky digibox in the lounge together and use the sky digibox JUST for tivo and the sky+ box independently? (I don't need the bedroom multiroom just yet)




Please reply with any thoughts and advice please - I am in extremely uncharted waters for me 

Bryan


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## BaggieBoy (Dec 4, 2000)

Try this thread:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29745


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## WebAgents (Jan 3, 2003)

...hmmm, 

1056 posts in that thread 

I was hoping for a more concise set of answers


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## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

OK, quick answers 


WebAgents said:


> Connect tivo and sky+ the same as sky digital?


Yup, just change the IR code



> When Tivo changes channel on sky+ to record it does so using the 2nd tuner (I.E. the tuner not being watched) leaving you free to watch the 1st sky+ tuner?


Nope, sky+ only has one output



> If I watch a sky+ recording and tivo tries to change channel on the sky+ box to record, it will actually record the recording I'm watching on sky+?


Correct



> Would it be better to have sky+ and sky digibox in the lounge together and use the sky digibox JUST for tivo and the sky+ box independently? (I don't need the bedroom multiroom just yet)


Yes, unless you just want to use the sky+ recording as a backup for clashes etc.


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## OzSat (Feb 15, 2001)

WebAgents said:


> If I watch a sky+ recording and tivo tries to change channel on the sky+ box to record, it will actually record the recording I'm watching on sky+?


Actually, I think it changes channel without any problem by interrupting what you are watching.

There are problems with using TiVo and Sky+ where the Sky+ box is not available for TiVo.

You can not watch a Sky+ programme without interrupting TiVo if its recording.

If you set two simultaneous recordings on Sky+ - then TiVo can only record one of these two.


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## WebAgents (Jan 3, 2003)

> Yup, just change the IR code


Do you know what to?



> Nope, sky+ only has one output


But if tivo is recording and I press aux, won't that show me what sky is outputting on the other tuner?



> Yes, unless you just want to use the sky+ recording as a backup for clashes etc


...hmm

I was thinking along the lines of using tivo on the sky digibox to record all the season passes and whilst it is doing that, use the sky+ in it's own right. Flicking back to tivo for other stuff.

Trouble is, that would mean using Sky's remote and epg...

I'll have to rethink how best to use it all.

If you have sky+ and sky digital and tivo, how do you use them all?


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## Automan (Oct 29, 2000)

You may be better off having the Sky+ in the other room and keeping tivo on a standard sky box.

If you ever want to watch anything sky+ has recorded at the same time tivo want to make a recording it will mess up.

Just like before, never use the sky remote or sky+ remote with a tivo setup.

Automan.


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## martink0646 (Feb 8, 2005)

Hi,

Personally, it took me a little while to get my head around it. I looked at it in this way;

use it in exactly the same way as a standard Sky box until you have a conflict on TiVo you cannot resolve, then use the Sky+ to record the conflict & remeber that when you want to watch/archive the conflict, make sure TiVo isn't recording anything.

Martin


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

I would strongly recommend giving your existing Sky box to the TiVo as a dedicated STB fro it to control, and using the Sky+ entirely separately.


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## Raisltin Majere (Mar 13, 2004)

TCM2007 said:


> I would strongly recommend giving your existing Sky box to the TiVo as a dedicated STB fro it to control, and using the Sky+ entirely separately.


This is what I have done. My "multiroom" consists of a sky box approximately 6 inches away from the sky+, if I must watch anything live (football) I do so via sky+ and let tivo do it's thing.


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## WebAgents (Jan 3, 2003)

Thanks everybody for your replies. (Even you ozsat, despite the fact that I couldn't make head nor tail of what you were trying to say  )

The general consensus seems to be that using tivo with a sky+ box CAN work but there are potential issues, the main one being that you should only watch recordings on the sky+ box when tivo is not recording.

If I am reading the replies above correctly, the sky digital box and the sky+ box can be used in the same room with no IR issues as they use different codes?

If the answer to the above is yes, then I think the best way for me to setup is sky digital and sky+ in the lounge - tivo connectd to the standard digibox, using sky+ 'on its own' connected to scart 2 on my telly. Let Tivo do it's thing with it's standard sky box and use sky+ for conflicts etc.

I Have a harmony 885 remote so it should be straight forward enough for us to be using the right box 

The main reason for getting sky+ is the fact that I want multiroom and sky offerred me sky+ free so I'd be daft not to take it.

You may be wondering why I want mutltiroom in the same room, the reason is that the multiroom is so that I can take my card out and use it in the motorhome when we are away.

I plan to do this using a dreambox which AFAIK can mimic the skybox at home so that we have our full channel package whilst away.



More questions now, I'm afraid...

Does anyone know if the card in my sky+ box is any different to a card in a standard digibox? I.E. will I be able to use it in a standard digibox and/or a dreambox?

I use a force9 acme SkyEye on my tivo to change channels on the standard digibox. It also sends the backup command and sky button to bring the box out of standby. Are the IR codes completely different and I need not worry about that side of multi-box use?

Any other advice/tips/warnings? :up:


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## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

Sky+ uses Pace code 20017 (which also sends the sky key before each channel change to bring the box out of standby) Otherwise use 20010 (doesn't send sky key).


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## JudyB (Jan 25, 2006)

WebAgents said:


> The general consensus seems to be that using tivo with a sky+ box CAN work but there are potential issues, the main one being that you should only watch recordings on the sky+ box when tivo is not recording.
> 
> ...
> 
> Does anyone know if the card in my sky+ box is any different to a card in a standard digibox? I.E. will I be able to use it in a standard digibox and/or a dreambox?


Yes a Sky+ box definitely can work with Tivo - that is our current setup. However, the Tivo starting to record while you are watching something from Sky+ can be frustrating, so if you have the option to just use the old Sky box with your Tivo I would do that.
We don't have that option and it took us ages last week to find a suitable slot for watching Midsomer Murders...

I don't think that the cards themselves are different, but the card does need to be correctly paired with your box in terms of the subscription details. The installer certainly had to ring Sky to "associate" our Sky card with the new Sky+ box.


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## Automan (Oct 29, 2000)

WebAgents said:


> More questions now, I'm afraid...
> 
> Does anyone know if the card in my sky+ box is any different to a card in a standard digibox? I.E. will I be able to use it in a standard digibox and/or a dreambox?
> 
> ...


Viewing cards are physically the same but of course sky "pair" them to the box.

BTW, When they are pairing the one in the standard Sky box make sure your skyeye is unplugged from the sky box or it will send the backup command and cancel the pairing process making your sky engineer very unhappy and frustrated

IR for Sky boxes and Sky+ are different so boxes can be in the same room with no issues.

Automan.


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