Sky Smartcard In Foxsat HDR?

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Sky Smartcard In Foxsat HDR?

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zeke

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So I just placed an order for a new Sky+ HD box with smart card etc. It's the basic Family Bundle which is what they're calling it these days, which with some discounts works out at £18.50 per month and I get all the extra HD channels etc I want. Great. That in itself is alright.

But I love my Foxsat HDR. It's stupidly versatile because it's running Raydon's custom firmware. And I'd like the same features - specifically the ability to record from any HD channel unencrypted and stream it around the house or copy the file somewhere and watch it later anywhere. Recordings scheduled remotely and other benefits are nice too.

Now I understand there's a way I can combine the Sky smart card with a CI module on the Foxsat HDR. After all, it can already see the Sky channels, some of which are in my package, albeit with a [ND] tag because they're encrypted. I've done some quick reading and apparently the Dragon CAM or similar can take the smart card and use some emulation to make the channels viewable and recordable, with the caveat of having to place the smart card back in the Sky+ HD box every four weeks or so overnight to "re-pair" it. Fine, I can live with that.

What I want to know is, is the information correct? Is this still possible? Can the Foxsat HDR be used in this way? I ask because some of the information I was given over the phone suggests that the smart card they give now only works with that one specific Sky+ HD box, and as an amateur I don't know if Dragon CAM or similar can override this.

Any details and tips you more experienced satellite TV experts can give me would be appreciated - thanks in advance

| Thu 22 Jan 2015 22:05:59 #1 |
grahamlthompson

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If I remember correctly, all you can get is the tiny number of encrypted but otherwise free channels (FTV - Free To View). This used to include Channel 5 in HD, but no longer. Hardly seems to be worth the effort. In order to record non-freesat channels with any sort of timer (manual timers only) you need to install the Custom Firmware add on and the channel editor package.

| Fri 23 Jan 2015 11:07:16 #2 |
zeke

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Yes I've already done the channel editing, all the channels in the 5000 range are viewable in Freesat mode. I was really hoping channels like Comedy Central HD would be viewable and recordable on the Foxsat HDR via a Dragon CAM or similar, is there any info on this?

| Fri 23 Jan 2015 12:13:12 #3 |
grahamlthompson

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zeke - 2 hours ago »
Yes I've already done the channel editing, all the channels in the 5000 range are viewable in Freesat mode. I was really hoping channels like Comedy Central HD would be viewable and recordable on the Foxsat HDR via a Dragon CAM or similar, is there any info on this?

As I said, pretty sure the dragon cam simply allows the card to work like a freesat from sky card (The same functionality it would have in your Sky box if you cancel your subscription)

| Fri 23 Jan 2015 14:52:26 #4 |
zeke

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grahamlthompson - 1 hour ago »

zeke - 2 hours ago »
Yes I've already done the channel editing, all the channels in the 5000 range are viewable in Freesat mode. I was really hoping channels like Comedy Central HD would be viewable and recordable on the Foxsat HDR via a Dragon CAM or similar, is there any info on this?

As I said, pretty sure the dragon cam bemllows the card to work like a freesat from sky card (The same functionality it would have in your Sky box if you cancel your subscription)

Thanks Graham. Do you think it might be worth posting over at AV Forums to see if more channels are a possibility? Not much point me having even a basic Sky setup if I can't record unencrypted or even see it on the Foxsat.

| Fri 23 Jan 2015 16:11:47 #5 |
grahamlthompson

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zeke - 16 minutes ago »

grahamlthompson - 1 hour ago »

zeke - 2 hours ago »
Yes I've already done the channel editing, all the channels in the 5000 range are viewable in Freesat mode. I was really hoping channels like Comedy Central HD would be viewable and recordable on the Foxsat HDR via a Dragon CAM or similar, is there any info on this?

As I said, pretty sure the dragon cam bemllows the card to work like a freesat from sky card (The same functionality it would have in your Sky box if you cancel your subscription)

Thanks Graham. Do you think it might be worth posting over at AV Forums to see if more channels are a possibility? Not much point me having even a basic Sky setup if I can't record unencrypted or even see it on the Foxsat.

No harm in asking

| Fri 23 Jan 2015 16:28:50 #6 |
zeke

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Initial reports from a sticky thread indicate that with a Diablo 2 this is possible. However this is four year old information, who knows if Sky have upped their game since (they probably Have).

| Fri 23 Jan 2015 16:43:34 #7 |
REPASSAC

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I saw somewhere Sky will shortly replace current cards.

| Fri 23 Jan 2015 16:57:40 #8 |