topic Re: Upgrade to Sky Q failed in Sky Q

Upgrade to Sky Q failed

Mrhyms — Sat, 11 May 2024 09:23:16 GMT

Roughly a month ago we upgrade to Sky Q from Sky HD, but it has never worked.

We are able to watch live TV across all the channels we have subscribed to and view the TV guide, but every other function results in a message saying "To use this service you need to upgrade your subscription".

So that's almost all of the menu options, and also when we try to pause/record/rewind etc. We can do nothing except watch live TV.

We have phone sky 3/4 times and been taken through the basic troubleshooting several times, but to no avail. We have also been told it has been escalated to a specialist team, but have heard nothing for over a week.

I believe the issue is relating to the viewing card :

On the My Sky website, the "Service checker" page states that we have a Sky Q box, but it is attached to our old viewing card number.

On the "Manage your Sky TV Devices page" however it says we have a "SkyHD Box (Non Sky+) Self Installed".

What I think has happened is that someone has upgraded our old viewing card to the Sky Q package, then our old card has been cancelled and a new one sent with the new box.

This is just a guess on my part though as nobody we have spoke to on the phone has been able to give us a clear reason for the issue, and a month later we are still without service.

Any help gratefully recieved as we are at our wits end!!!

Re: Upgrade to Sky Q failed

oldfella — Sat, 11 May 2024 09:35:45 GMT

@Mrhyms wrote:

Roughly a month ago we upgrade to Sky Q from Sky HD, but it has never worked.

We are able to watch live TV across all the channels we have subscribed to and view the TV guide, but every other function results in a message saying "To use this service you need to upgrade your subscription".

So that's almost all of the menu options, and also when we try to pause/record/rewind etc. We can do nothing except watch live TV.

We have phone sky 3/4 times and been taken through the basic troubleshooting several times, but to no avail. We have also been told it has been escalated to a specialist team, but have heard nothing for over a week.

I believe the issue is relating to the viewing card :

On the My Sky website, the "Service checker" page states that we have a Sky Q box, but it is attached to our old viewing card number.

Q will work with some earlier Sky+ viewing cards. If I recall correctly these ended with a 7.

On the "Manage your Sky TV Devices page" however it says we have a "SkyHD Box (Non Sky+) Self Installed".

This was a quirk in the Sky logging system. Although my devices are now shown correctly the main Q box used to be listed as a Sky HD box.

What I think has happened is that someone has upgraded our old viewing card to the Sky Q package, then our old card has been cancelled and a new one sent with the new box.

This is just a guess on my part though as nobody we have spoke to on the phone has been able to give us a clear reason for the issue, and a month later we are still without service.

Any help gratefully recieved as we are at our wits end!!!

Hi @Mrhyms

Regarding the message to upgrade

First check that you are not trying to Download or view HD or UHD content without the Q HD or UHD Subscription pack.
The Sky Q Sports pack and BT Sport if you subscribe through Sky are in HD as Standard.
Sky Cinema if you subscribe is also in HD.
Sky Signature includes BoxSets and Entertainment channels only in SD as standard.
Only free to air channels such as BBC, ITV etc are in HD. The Q HD pack is required for all other Sky Signature HD content, including Catch Up in HD, On Demand in HD and BoxSets in HD
If you do not have the Optional HD pack you need to change the Download to SD in All Formats (as HD is the default setting).
So that you do not need to do this every time it’s best to change your Download preference to SD in Home - Settings - Setup - Preferences.
This needs to be done on the main Q box.
Then if you want to download any HD content from free to air channels (BBCHD ,ITVHD etc) you can select HD in the All formats tab of the content . This will change the format for that particular download only but still leave your format to SD in preferences..

Also you could try refreshing your viewing card.

First check that your viewing card is correctly inserted. Viewing card is in the right hand end of the box.
If it is in correctly there is not enough of it sticking out to grip and remove it.
Push it fully in and it will pop out slightly enough so you can remove it.
Make sure that it is in chip side up and chip end in first. Push it gently fully in and you should feel a slight click when it is engaged. If it has popped out enough to remove it is not located correctly.
If you are satisfied that it is in correctly
Try refreshing your Viewing card.
Home - Settings - System info.
Highlight Viewing card number and then select Setup on the right hand side.
Then select Use this option to trigger a callback

No call is actually made but the Viewing card should be refreshed.

Re: Upgrade to Sky Q failed

Mrhyms — Sat, 11 May 2024 09:52:35 GMT

Hi Oldfella,

thanks for replying.

The issue isn't with teh subscirption - we have always had the HD pack, and we can watch all of the channels we have subscriibed to. We just cannot pause/record etc, or use any of the other sky Q functionality (such as the home screen etc).

The viewing card has been "refreshed" at least 5 times during my calls with sky - at best this did nothing, at worst it knocked out my ability to even watch live TV until I rebooted the box.

Re: Upgrade to Sky Q failed

oldfella — Sat, 11 May 2024 09:56:12 GMT

Hi @Mrhyms

I have escalated your post to Sky.
You may receive an email or a private message inviting you to have a private conversation on the Community with a Sky Expert.

Look out for a chat bubble at the bottom of your screen inviting you to a chat
The link below explains how the escalation process works

https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Did-you-know/Escalating-a-post-to-a-Sky-expert/ba-p/3711147#M1014

Re: Upgrade to Sky Q failed

Mrhyms — Sat, 11 May 2024 09:56:28 GMT

For completeness, I just tried triggering another callback for the viewing card and got the "Card successfully paired" message : but still no change to functionality.

And my old viewing card number ends in 088

Re: Upgrade to Sky Q failed

Mrhyms — Sat, 11 May 2024 09:56:53 GMT

Thanks!

Wish me luck...

Re: Upgrade to Sky Q failed

Addie15 — Sat, 11 May 2024 10:26:29 GMT

Hi there! Thank you for escalating this. We have sent an invite to @Mrhyms.