On demand download failure Sky+ on 2 boxes

[maxiesnax]

Mine has been out for 2 days and despite multiple attempts to reset/reconnect as per Skys' faceless AI Bot, the box still won't connect to the Sky Broadband Router. I'm guessing this is just another of their scams and I will be told I have to upgrade to a Sky Q box (which I don't want) and if I threaten to cancel, they'll roll out the usual Legal **bleep** and fine/charge me £500.+, just like the old 1980s photocopy lease scams. I was not on any contract with them for this reason, when suddenly, they 'upgraded' me, without my knowledge to some stupid fixed contract that includes Sky Cinema (which I didn'twant, nor watch)  I enquired as to who authorised the bogus contract without my consent and to cancel immediately. They have just constantly ignored my communications to date.  They need to be reigned in, but this Gov is to frightened to upset the Old Gentlemans club. **bleep**! 😞

[Mark39]

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@maxiesnax wrote:

Mine has been out for 2 days and despite multiple attempts to reset/reconnect as per Skys' faceless AI Bot, the box still won't connect to the Sky Broadband Router.

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Not the same issue. This thread refers to download failure despite a Sky+ box being successfully connected to your router.

[maxiesnax]

Mark,
I can get Sky channels no problem. I can't download anything or connect to Catch up TV  etc

[Mark39]

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@maxiesnax wrote:

Mark,
I can get Sky channels no problem. I can't download anything or connect to Catch up TV  etc

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Yes, I understood that from your first post. But this thread relates to an issue where the box IS connected ok to your router and to Sky's On Demand service, but most downloads fail.

You said your issue is that your Sky box won't even get as far as connecting to your router, which is  ot the same problem.

Live channels come from your dish connection, not via your router.

[PocketDog]

I had an 'update' today to my complaint, but dont get excited.....

"Thank you for contacting us regarding the issue in downloading the content. I apologise for the inconvenience caused.

I’m sorry to inform that it is a known issue, our Support teams are aware, and they are investigating to fix the issue as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, I request you to re download the content.

blah blah account access info was here 

I hope this helps with your enquiry."

Which is fab, as they presumbly either didnt read what the issue was or are unable to communicate what they mean properly.  As they have asked for me to re-download the content.  Of course this is somewhat difficult to do when that is what the problem is, I cannot download anything from Sky.  If they mean retry, then I have, and it still doesnt work.

Also, the 'hope this helps' is a bit of a kick in the teeth as no, it doesnt help as you said there is a known issue, no idea when it will be fixed and there is no resolution, so not sure how that is meant to help.

Needless to say I did reply and say unfortunately it does not help much!

[emteepeeess]

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@JJB12345 wrote:

This method has worked on all sites so far. I hope this helps some of you. 

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Hasn't worked on any of the three boxes I tried.

But Annie is wrong about updating Sky boxes being a "placebo" and not updating if there's no change in software. That'd actually be pointless because one reason a forced update is important is that it can sort out any corrupt system files.

And from personal experience, any time I've forced an update it has gone through the process - even if done only shortly after a previous update. In any case, how would one know that there has been a change in software without doing an update? 

It's also sensible to do a planner rebuild before doing anything line this, as it ensures integrity in indexes, allowing any update to start with a reasonably tidy system.

If this process is working for some, that's great and worth as try - but not here or hereabouts.

[Annie+UK]

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@emteepeeess wrote:

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@JJB12345 wrote:

This method has worked on all sites so far. I hope this helps some of you. 

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Hasn't worked on any of the three boxes I tried.

But Annie is wrong about updating Sky boxes being a "placebo" and not updating if there's no change in software. That'd actually be pointless because one reason a forced update is important is that it can sort out any corrupt system files.

And from personal experience, any time I've forced an update it has gone through the process - even if done only shortly after a previous update. In any case, how would one know that there has been a change in software without doing an update? 

It's also sensible to do a planner rebuild before doing anything line this, as it ensures integrity in indexes, allowing any update to start with a reasonably tidy system.

If this process is working for some, that's great and worth as try - but not here or hereabouts.

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My information comes directly from the Sky engineers that did the Sky+ software updates, I got this info during my many years as a Sky+ Software Beta tester, but hey what would I know 😞

[Mark39]

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@emteepeeess wrote:

But Annie is wrong about updating Sky boxes being a "placebo" and not updating if there's no change in software. That'd actually be pointless because one reason a forced update is important is that it can sort out any corrupt system files.

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A forced update only does anything if there's software waiting on the DR stream to download. I don't believe there is, as software updates for Sky+ boxes have ceased, other than for rare fixes.

[emteepeeess]

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@Steve0001 wrote:

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All that said, this really does seem like a Sky server issue but I would be happy to be proven wrong.

@MogwaiSatTVor others, please let us know what occurs after the above 'hard' update is run.

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I agree that it seems like a Sky "server" issue - and in my case, I've tried it on four SkyHD+ boxes to no avail.

As someone who does quite a bit with servers, I wonder if they've been moving CDN servers as part of the upcoming changes and something has been screwed up in the end-of-January update - routing not working perhaps, protocols not working? I suspect that BBC and ITV would use separate servers.

[emteepeeess]

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@Mark39 wrote:

A forced update only does anything if there's software waiting on the DR stream to download. I don't believe there is, as software updates for Sky+ boxes have ceased, other than for rare fixes.

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If that's the case, then why do any of the Sky+ boxes actually go and spend 10+ minutes downloading an update, even they've only just had one (and I've just tried it a third time in the space of an hour on my Sky+ box and it DOES spend 10+ minutes downloading an update)

[Annie+UK]

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@emteepeeess wrote:

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@Mark39 wrote:

A forced update only does anything if there's software waiting on the DR stream to download. I don't believe there is, as software updates for Sky+ boxes have ceased, other than for rare fixes.

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If that's the case, then why do any of the Sky+ boxes actually go and spend 10+ minutes downloading an update, even they've only just had one (and I've just tried it a third time in the space of an hour on my Sky+ box and it DOES spend 10+ minutes downloading an update)

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The DR file is constantly being broadcast to your dish (not via your Internet connection or phoneline) in a loop so it can take quite a while before the box identifies whether the update is a new one or not

[emteepeeess]

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@Annie+UK wrote:

My information comes directly from the Sky engineers that did the Sky+ software updates, I got this info during my many years as a Sky+ Software Beta tester, but hey what would I know 😞

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I'm going on what the Sky+ box actually DOES, rather than what some third party tells me it is doing.

Every time I force an update, that is what it does - and spends 10+ minutes doing it, with the onscreen notice - and it has done that as long as I've been doing it.

Obviously, it'll only truly be an "update" if what it downloads was a different version. But a forced update of the same software would act to fix any local file corruption problems. 

[Annie+UK]

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@emteepeeess wrote:

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@Annie+UK wrote:

My information comes directly from the Sky engineers that did the Sky+ software updates, I got this info during my many years as a Sky+ Software Beta tester, but hey what would I know 😞

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I'm going on what the Sky+ box actually DOES, rather than what some third party tells me it is doing.

Every time I force an update, that is what it does - and spends 10+ minutes doing it, with the onscreen notice - and it has done that as long as I've been doing it.

Obviously, it'll only truly be an "update" if what it downloads was a different version. But a forced update of the same software would act to fix any local file corruption problems. 

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Nope, the box detects the sofware is the same and then reboots

[emteepeeess]

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@Annie+UK wrote:

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The DR file is constantly being broadcast to your dish (not via your Internet connection or phoneline) in a loop so it can take quite a while before the box identifies whether the update is a new one or not

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Yes, I know that the update stream comes via the dish - I used to work for one of the key broadcasters, and even had access to a datastream monitor in my office - and we also tested updates prior to release to beta)

[emteepeeess]

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@Annie+UK wrote:

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@emteepeeess wrote:

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@Annie+UK wrote:

My information comes directly from the Sky engineers that did the Sky+ software updates, I got this info during my many years as a Sky+ Software Beta tester, but hey what would I know 😞

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I'm going on what the Sky+ box actually DOES, rather than what some third party tells me it is doing.

Every time I force an update, that is what it does - and spends 10+ minutes doing it, with the onscreen notice - and it has done that as long as I've been doing it.

Obviously, it'll only truly be an "update" if what it downloads was a different version. But a forced update of the same software would act to fix any local file corruption problems. 

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Nope, the box detects the sofware is the same and then reboots

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So, it downloads an update from the stream - compares it with the installed software - and if there are differences, it gets installed, thereby fixing any local file corruption problems. 

I can't recall exactly how this is (or used to be) done - either checksum or byte comparison.