Replacement Sky Q box - recordings on the old box?

[Masher964]

My Sky Q box is showing more and more signs of being on the way out - freezing, crashing mid programme etc. It's a 2TB box with a lot of recordings on it that I'd like to keep and therefore I am not keen on a doorstep exchange if that is what Sky offered. I've seen lots of 2nd hand boxes for sale and was thinking to purchase one as my new main box. If I do this, I'd still like to access my recordings on the old box but clearly I'd only have one viewing card. If I set up the newly purchased box with my viewing card I assume it'll work as per my existing box (but without the glitches I hope). If I then plug the old box into another HDMI on the TV (without a viewing card) will I still be able to access my old recordings? If not, can the recordings on the existing box be transfered to the new box? (I'm thinking not - especially with a doorstep exchange). Thanks in advance. 

[SKY1992bf · Accepted solution]

@Masher964  Sky Q recordings are non transferable so if the box dies the recordings are lost for good 

and any so called second hand boxes on auction sites would be stolen property as sky Q hardware is loan property only not brought 

[Daniel0210]

@Masher964 

As @SKY1992bf has correctly stated they would be stolen property so you'd be purchasing what is in effect a large doorstop. And it won't work anyway. Sky boxes were never meant to hoard recordings over a long period of time. 

[PandJ2020]

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@Masher964 wrote:

If I then plug the old box into another HDMI on the TV (without a viewing card) will I still be able to access my old recordings? 

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No.  The box won't operate without a paired viewing card.

can the recordings on the existing box be transfered to the new box? 

No.

[Masher964]

Thanks guys - I'll persevere with the glitches for now (watch the back-log) then contact Sky for a replacement. 

[Masher964]

Not looking to get arguementative but the provision of 2TB in a recording device does offer the opportunity to store a few things for a while such as selected coverage of sporting events that'll never be repeated (Olympics might be an example).

[PandJ2020]

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@Masher964 wrote:

Not looking to get arguementative but the provision of 2TB in a recording device does offer the opportunity to store a few things for a while such as selected coverage of sporting events that'll never be repeated (Olympics might be an example).

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Yes but the hard drive is for time shifting only and not for long term archiving.