Sky+ HD box unresponsive, slow and sometimes just freezes requiring a reboot/power off

Question

Hi, I have a standard Sky+ HD box which must be a few years old now with the following specs: Model Number: R010.070.87.00PVersion Number: 9730B3Manufacturer: Samsung Recently the box has become really slow to respond to the remote control when either watching recordings or just live TV.  Also, frequently not responding at all after a period of time which resorts in a power down using the power off button and unplugging the mains, leaving for 30 seconds then plugging back in.  this issue seems to happen most whilst watching recordings although it has happened whilst watching live TV also. I appear to be running the latest software so these issues really all point to the recent code update. I have also performed several planner rebuilds with no affect/improvement at all. I've checked the batteries in the remote, which are fine and new. The box is in a well ventilated cupboard, stood on chocks to allow airflow all around the box. I rang Sky from work to report the issue and get help but the engineer could not help me unless I was in the same room as the box, so this is my next step to call them whilst at home. I wonder whether I can push this issue and get another box or a newer 2TB box gratis rather than having to pay the £150 fee.  this could be the tipping point to force me over to a different option such as Freesat or Nowtv etc This is so annoying and is going to make TV viewing over the christmas period a real pain for all the family. Thanks for any help and advise, Cheers, Jason

Answer 1

I'm getting the same problems with a Sky HD+ 1TB Amstrad DRX 895 - On power-up from cold it's OK, but the longer it's left on, even in standby, the slower it responds. Eventually it just hangs, and the problem is getting worse. I found that turning off HDMI Control in the Settings improved matter a bit (why does it default 'on'?), but that just delays the inevitable. At first I suspected a software problem, such as a memory leak that built up until it crashed the box, but the fact that it won't run properly after a reboot - even after powering off - unless it's left to cool down, suggests it's a hardware fault. Some previous Sky box models have had power supply problems when the box reaches a certain age - the capacitors start failing, causing the same kind of problems. I had such a box, and got a replacement power supply kit which fixed it. I think it's likely the newer boxes have this problem too - they're built with the cheapest components that don't last well. You might find the SatCure site can help - they have lists of repairers around the country who can fix Sky boxes or sell you DIY repair kits, or refurbished Sky boxes for less than a new one. I'm going to check out my local repairer.