Watching stuff on old Sky + box?

[AnonymousBird]

We've just received our new Sky+HD box (yey) and in a couple of days when our new TV arrives I am going to get it all set up. I think our existing viewing card goes in it, so all fine and dandy, can't wait.

However, got quite a lot of programmes on the old Sky+ box which i want to watch - once I've installed the new box, I assume I can simply plug the old box into the back of the TV from time to time to watch old stuff??

Once I've watched those things, I am intending to give the old Sky+ box to PIL's so they can record on their freeview - will that work with their viewing card (which is currently in a bog standard Sky box which only receives freeview?)

TIA.

I'm pretty certain you can't do that. Once your card is tied to your HD box then that's the box which works. The old box won't let you watch any recorded stuff stored on it without an active subscription.

Oh bother... I had assumed they were on a hard drive saved.

So if I had another valid viewing card (my multi room sky box card) to put in, then presumably it still might not work because it would be the wrong card in the wrong box??

Oh crap!!

I'm wondering about this too, the extra box with the multiroom package is playing up something chronic and I'm thinking of ringing Sky and asking for a replacement - but I've got several things saved up for the summer drought of decent telly.

Yes, you need to call sky whenever you put a new card in, which then pairs it to the box, and it then won't work with the old content. Technically the recorded shows are on a hard drive, but you have to take the box apart and use special software to get them off without the viewing card. Unless you can borrow a DVD recorder from someone, and copy them to DVD before you get the new set up?