Sky Q box won't turn on, fan noise

[SimeonH]

Mine actually stopped while the wife was watching tv and I have had it hit the fan twice more so god know what to do.  Thinking of requesting another box but cannot talk to anyone to get a brand new box and no a refreshed bit of crap.  

[SimeonH]

Just spoke to tech support they said why don't I move to sky stream - anyone got experience?

[PandJ2020]

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@SimeonH wrote:

 to get a brand new box...

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There probably aren't any.

Stream is quite a different product.  No hard disk recording for starters.

[MikeC1964]

For what it's worth, mine has started doing exactly the same thing this week., usually when I come down in the morning or after work. Never happens whilst watching TV for the evening. Only when it has been in standby for a period.

I don't even have an EE router (I've seen a thread re issues with EE) - I have a Sky router, but I will also try running via WiFi rather than ethernet (mine was via powerline adapter rather than direct Ethernet connection) and see if that fixes it.

If I was being cynical I would say this si Sky trying to persuade us to move to Stream and off Q.

[Phoenix79]

I've mostly had success being on WiFi but once or twice a week it disconnects from the wifi and I have to do a network reset and re enter the password and then it's fine again, the quality control on the software is pretty poor. I can't imagine sky stream is any better.

[MikeC1964]

Well, there I was thining this little trick had worked. Fine this morning when I came downstairs. Fine at lunch, but just gone in to check and fan spinning away again loudly.

I'm just about to leave for a weekend away and I'm not prepared to leave it switched on like that so I guess I'll just have to lose all of my recodings for the weekend and call Sky next week.

[SimeonH]

let us know if you get anywhere, I am thjinking I migth just try another box.  I spoke with Tech they said, go to Sky Stream, its great and it records stuff just like your SkyQ - spoke to Stream all excited, once the guy checked with his manager as he did not even know how to spell Sky he said, no it does not record just downloads - so as usually they are either liers or stupid, sadly I suspect both.

So I'll stick with my Q for now, but might try another box and work on the assumption I got a dud not everyone can be having this problem.

[MikeC1964]

Well there seem to be plenty of people having this problem - particularly if you have an EE router according to another very large thread.

My unit is less than two years old, is well ventilated and clean. As I posted previously, if I was being cynical I would suggest this is similar to the assertion that a certian fruit themed phone and tablet producer deliberately impacted older models with their software to persuade you to upgrade. Apparently if you do get a new unit it is only a refurbed box as Sky no longer offer recording devices and of course they want you to move to Stream which, as you say, has the 'benefit' of making you sit through commericals, uinless you want to pay a premium for certain services to skip them.

You could move to Virgin as they do still offer recoding units, but then they might end up ripping out your Openreach infrastructure to install theirs as they don't use it.

[Chodley]

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@SimeonH wrote:

let us know if you get anywhere, I am thjinking I migth just try another box.  I spoke with Tech they said, go to Sky Stream, its great and it records stuff just like your SkyQ - spoke to Stream all excited, once the guy checked with his manager as he did not even know how to spell Sky he said, no it does not record just downloads - so as usually they are either liers or stupid, sadly I suspect both.

So I'll stick with my Q for now, but might try another box and work on the assumption I got a dud not everyone can be having this problem.

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It records in the sense that it creates a playlist of things you select to "record" and then streams them when you hit play. So it's more clunky but kind of delivers the same time-shifting capability.

[Chodley]

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@MikeC1964 wrote:

Well there seem to be plenty of people having this problem - particularly if you have an EE router according to another very large thread.

My unit is less than two years old, is well ventilated and clean. As I posted previously, if I was being cynical I would suggest this is similar to the assertion that a certian fruit themed phone and tablet producer deliberately impacted older models with their software to persuade you to upgrade. Apparently if you do get a new unit it is only a refurbed box as Sky no longer offer recording devices and of course they want you to move to Stream which, as you say, has the 'benefit' of making you sit through commericals, uinless you want to pay a premium for certain services to skip them.

You could move to Virgin as they do still offer recoding units, but then they might end up ripping out your Openreach infrastructure to install theirs as they don't use it.

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They do still offer recording units, they just don't seem to be manufacturing any new ones. I don't think their refurbing process is very thorough though.

[SimeonH]

I have just moved to the EE crap - I had BT which was fine, but the EE is rubbish.  So perhaps that's the reason - I am thinking of tying Sky's fibre broadband, but worried that will have terrible issues too.

[MikeC1964]

Well I've been with Sky for over twenty five years now (for TV) and switched between various providers for Broadband (mostly BT). I have to say I've never had any issues with the broadband with Sky. I currently have full fibre 150 and it's fine. It's just their lack of appreciation of long time customers in terms of pricing that I baulk at sometimes, but apparently Vrigin are the same so I guess it's just the way it is. We can always vote with our feet.

[Chodley]

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@SimeonH wrote:

I have just moved to the EE crap - I had BT which was fine, but the EE is rubbish.  So perhaps that's the reason - I am thinking of tying Sky's fibre broadband, but worried that will have terrible issues too.

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99% of internet problems are between the device and router. The ISP is rarely relevant other than the quality of the free router they give you. It's worth trying a 3rd party one with better wifi or a dedicated wifi mesh.

EE are BT with a new sticker on the box.

[MikeC1964]

Yes, I appreciate that. Whenever I have had anissue it has invariably been with the Sky hardware, be that Q now or plus before it or the original Sky boxes. I guess all hardware has a finite life, but less than two years for this box seems a bit extreme. And I am not alone it seems.

[SimeonH]

Right, I ordered a new box yesterday and it arrived today, interesting, this one does not use a power box, so the power cable plug directly into the back of the SkyQ box, were as the last 2 used a converter to lower the voltage outside the box.  Now I would expect the box to run hotter if its doing the power step down, but we will see.  Just logged into all the accounts, updated the software, turned Eco off and downloaded a few programs we did not want to lose.  Lost a few, but hey ho.  Let's see if this solves the issue.

To be fair to sky the process of getting a new box was stupidly simple - so if it solves it this time, I'll be happy.  Not sure they are making new SkyQ boxes anymore so these are all refurbished, looked pretty dusty to me, so not sure what they are doing.

The stream is cheaper and I might move to it, but want to try see if this solves stuff.  currently paying £103 and think Stream with my channels and a 2nd device would be around £60.  but less of a service.  and I have 4 minis, although thay are not used very often.