Film 4 no longer available on sky platform

[Hillfort]

Hi

I Have Sky Q. My Sky Film 4 sd and + 4sd are on channels  313 and 314, which state "no satellite signal   channel 855 is Film 4 HD which I can not check because I do not the HD package. All other satellite channels are OK. I can view Film 4 on the channel 4 app or go to another TV and watch on free view.

[PandJ2020]

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@Hillfort wrote:

I Have Sky Q. My Sky Film 4 sd and + 4sd are on channels  313 and 314, which state "no satellite signal   channel 855 is Film 4 HD which I can not check because I do not the HD package. All other satellite channels are OK. I can view Film 4 on the channel 4 app or go to another TV and watch on free view.

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That's quite normal for channels to be reversed depending on your HD status.  (i.e. 313 is HD for me and 855 is SD - probably reversed for you)

But as already noted, Film4 are broadcasting in SD and HD - the issue seems local to you (most likely a small alignment issue).

[Richardr1]

Are you getting E4 and 4Seven? If you get those you should be getting Film4.

I assume you are in the UK.

[Hillfort]

Hi  just checked, No E4 or E seven either which I do not  usually go to.

May have to get the dish looked at.

[Richardr1]

I would firstly try restarting the box. Those channels changed frequency recently, and it is possible that your box may not have picked that up properly. I switch off at the plug for a minute and then back on - the box will then restart. Make sure you do it when the box is not in use, e.g. for recording. Others may know a more refined way of doing it 😐

[Chodley]

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@Richardr1 wrote:

I would firstly try restarting the box. Those channels changed frequency recently, and it is possible that your box may not have picked that up properly. I switch off at the plug for a minute and then back on - the box will then restart. Make sure you do it when the box is not in use, e.g. for recording. Others may know a more refined way of doing it 😐

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Hold the power button down for 20 seconds

[richardf22222]

Hi

Did this get solved? We also have the same problem. We have a sky plus package, all of a sudden can't get HD

[jas,art]

Hi,

If it helps anyone else having issues, the reason for this is not the satellite signal. It is your viewing card. 

As you likely know, you can use the Sky box as a digital tuner after you cancel your paid subscription. Many are doing this. If you leave your existing card in the box, it will provide the freesat channels including Film4, E4, 4Seven etc.

However, if you do not have a valid Sky card paired to your box, you will not get those channels. I have tested this as we kept the Sky Q box in one room, and got the old Sky+ out of the loft for the other room. Now the sub has ended, the Sky Q box with the card gets Film 4, the Sky+ box without does not.

Hope this is helpful

J  

[PandJ2020]

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@jas,art wrote:

As you likely know, you can use the Sky box as a digital tuner after you cancel your paid subscription.

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Note: If it's a Q box then it has to be returned to Sky if you no longer have a subscription.

[xenon81]

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@jas,art wrote:

Hi,

If it helps anyone else having issues, the reason for this is not the satellite signal. It is your viewing card. 

As you likely know, you can use the Sky box as a digital tuner after you cancel your paid subscription. Many are doing this. If you leave your existing card in the box, it will provide the freesat channels including Film4, E4, 4Seven etc.

However, if you do not have a valid Sky card paired to your box, you will not get those channels. I have tested this as we kept the Sky Q box in one room, and got the old Sky+ out of the loft for the other room. Now the sub has ended, the Sky Q box with the card gets Film 4, the Sky+ box without does not.

Hope this is helpful

J  

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This doesn't make sense. The SD versions of E4/Film4/More4 are free and don't require any subscription or Sky card. Any satellite receiver, be it an old Sky box or a Freesat receiver, will pick them up. 

The HD versions require a Sky card but also need an active Sky HD subscription. 

[Hillfort]

Just to say thanks for all of the comments. The only way I could find to get Film 4 back was to upgrade to the HD package. So alls well that ends well but at a cost.

[Richardr1]

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@xenon81 wrote:

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@jas,art wrote:

Hi,

If it helps anyone else having issues, the reason for this is not the satellite signal. It is your viewing card. 

As you likely know, you can use the Sky box as a digital tuner after you cancel your paid subscription. Many are doing this. If you leave your existing card in the box, it will provide the freesat channels including Film4, E4, 4Seven etc.

However, if you do not have a valid Sky card paired to your box, you will not get those channels. I have tested this as we kept the Sky Q box in one room, and got the old Sky+ out of the loft for the other room. Now the sub has ended, the Sky Q box with the card gets Film 4, the Sky+ box without does not.

Hope this is helpful

J  

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This doesn't make sense. The SD versions of E4/Film4/More4 are free and don't require any subscription or Sky card. Any satellite receiver, be it an old Sky box or a Freesat receiver, will pick them up. 

The HD versions require a Sky card but also need an active Sky HD subscription. 

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It doesn't make sense.

What has happened is that Film 4 and many other channels have changed to using the DVB-S2 broadcast standard for their satellite broadcasts. The non-HD Sky+ boxes can't receive channels using that standard whereas all SkyQ boxes can. Nothing to do with cards.

[nigea99]

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@Richardr1 wrote:

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@xenon81 wrote:

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@jas,art wrote:

Hi,

If it helps anyone else having issues, the reason for this is not the satellite signal. It is your viewing card. 

As you likely know, you can use the Sky box as a digital tuner after you cancel your paid subscription. Many are doing this. If you leave your existing card in the box, it will provide the freesat channels including Film4, E4, 4Seven etc.

However, if you do not have a valid Sky card paired to your box, you will not get those channels. I have tested this as we kept the Sky Q box in one room, and got the old Sky+ out of the loft for the other room. Now the sub has ended, the Sky Q box with the card gets Film 4, the Sky+ box without does not.

Hope this is helpful

J  

---

This doesn't make sense. The SD versions of E4/Film4/More4 are free and don't require any subscription or Sky card. Any satellite receiver, be it an old Sky box or a Freesat receiver, will pick them up. 

The HD versions require a Sky card but also need an active Sky HD subscription. 

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It doesn't make sense.

What has happened is that Film 4 and many other channels have changed to using the DVB-S2 broadcast standard for their satellite broadcasts. The non-HD Sky+ boxes can't receive channels using that standard whereas all SkyQ boxes can. Nothing to do with cards.

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hi @Richardr1 

Ah this makes sense but this is not a viewing card issue as you first stated but due to the fact the (very) old SD only boxes cannot decode the transmissions now they switched to DVB-S2

[jas,art]

xenon - you are completely right.

The confusion came with the differing mapping of channels between the Sky Q and Sky + boxes. On Sky + Film 4 is at 313, whereas that's Film 4 HD on Sky+.

I have just gone and checked, removing the Sky card from the equation totally and can confirm as below.

The SD versions of E4/Film4/More4 all just work, irrespective of viewing card. The HD versions do not display and require the active Sky HD subscription.

[Chodley]

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@jas,art wrote:

On Sky + Film 4 is at 313, whereas that's Film 4 HD on Sky+.

 I assume the 2nd Sky+ here was meant to say Sky Q?