Sky radio stations - problem setting up the RF workaround

[Tony212]

I have a new Sky installation using the latest Amstrad Skybox (not Sky +).

Using the guide on Tivo portal I had a go at setting up the RF workaround for accessing Sky radio stations. Unfortunately I had a problem - during guided setup Tivo couldn't find the RF signal from the Skybox (68).

I went through all the channels and it reported 'no video signal' on all of them. I then changed the RF channel on the Skybox to Channel 64 - still Tivo couldn't find it.

In the end I gave up and had to reboot to get back into guided setup and reinstall the configuration for Sky TV.

However, because this configuration is set up using 'Aerial plus Digital Satellite', when I now go to aerial channel 64 I can see the Sky box's RF feed! Very odd that it can now find it.

I could leave the configuration like this - if I want to record a radio programme I could just set up a manual recording on the Tivo for aerial channel 64, combined with an autoview changeover on the Sky box.

However, this is a bit clunky so I'd like to install the workaround correctly and have my radio stations listed on the Tivo in order to use its functionality (even after three days with Sky I can see how limited Sky + would be in comparison with Tivo).

Has anyone else has this problem with not finding the Skybox RF channel when using guided setup to configure the radio feed?

There's an option in the RF out section of the Skybox installer menu: RF 2 power supply on/off. Should this be set to on? I've tried it with both settings and it doesn't seem to make a diffference (it's currently off).

Also, does the special IR code for switching to the radio channels (20057) incorporate the leading zero or should that option be selected when setting up the IR code in guided setup?

As I record a lot of radio (stereo up to now) I think this issue will finally prompt me to buy a network card and get my Tivo online so that I can carry out the hack and receive stereo radio down the SCART once more.

[Tony212]

Tumbleweed! ........


In the seemingly unlikely event that anyone gives a bugger about this issue I just thought I'd post the solution:

Set the RF output channel on the Skybox to 21. That is the only channel Tivo will accept. If it doesn't work the first time reboot and it should be accepted the second time.

I suggest Gary (tivoportal) puts this information in his guide so that others will not waste their time on the problem.

[Pete77]

Tumbleweed! ........


In the seemingly unlikely event that anyone gives a bugger about this issue I just thought I'd post the solution:

Set the RF output channel on the Skybox to 21. That is the only channel Tivo will accept. If it doesn't work the first time reboot and it should be accepted the second time.

I suggest Gary (tivoportal) puts this information in his guide so that others will not waste their time on the problem.

There is a hack if you have Network access to your Tivo (via Cachecard or Turbonet) where you can actually use the Scart input from the Sky Digibox for the Radio channels as well as for the tv. If you Search the forum you should find the discussion relating to it.

It seems strange your Tivo will only accept Channel 21 on RF for the Sky box. I have a dual Freeview Sky box setup with the Freeview box on RF input (no Scart workaround possible there) and I have found that the Tivo will not allow certain RF channel numbers for the box to be saved under any circumstances, but its only a handful rather than it allowing only Ch21 as you have found. However I have found interference on a lot of the RF channel numbers which limited me to using only Channel 38 if I remember rightly.

[Tony212]

Thanks Pete :)

In fact that hack is mentioned on Gary Sargent's guide, so after networking my Tivo I'll definitely carry out the hack:

http://www.garysargent.co.uk/tivo/skyradio.htm

Regarding the RF channels issue - perhaps Tivo only accepts an RF input on interference-free channels, which would vary from area to area. Hence channel 21 for me and channel 38 for you?

I noticed during guided setup that when I came to the point where I had to set an RF channel the only one ticked in the list was channel 21. Altering the set top box from channel 64 to channel 21 got me an instant connection.

Before that I just kept getting 'no signal found' messages which ever RF channel I selected as an output on the Skybox.

Ah well, it's sorted now!

Regarding networking, I'll probably just go for a Turbonet (or cheaper Terbonet) card for now, plus a Belkin wireless bridge (my wireless router is Belkin). I'm certainly looking forward to getting my Tivo online.

[Pete77]

I noticed during guided setup that when I came to the point where I had to set an RF channel the only one ticked in the list was channel 21. Altering the set top box from channel 64 to channel 21 got me an instant connection.

Isn't that because Channel 21 is the first in the list so is automatically selected with a tick by default. If you had cursored down to another channel number it ought to have accepted it. However that menu operates strangely and doing various things can revert the RF set top box channel to the default 21.

Regarding networking, I'll probably just go for a Turbonet (or cheaper Terbonet) card for now, plus a Belkin wireless bridge (my wireless router is Belkin). I'm certainly looking forward to getting my Tivo online.

The Turbonets hardly seem to be any cheaper these days and aren't as fast or able to be upgraded to handle the size of the Now Playing list if you ever go for much larger hard drive(s) (eg one or two 400Gb Samsung drives). Unless you can get a Terbonet very cheaply I think the Cachecard would really be the better bet. The cheapest online Ebay supplier who I bought mine from sells them for £73 or so with the postage. Mind you the 512k memory module will cost you at least £30 with postage even if you get it from Ebuyer like I did but you don't have to have the memory initially. It will run just as a better and faster network card than the Turbonet.

[Tony212]

Thanks for the advice. You're right - at least with a cachecard I'm future proofing the Tivo to its maximum. I didn't realise they sold them on eBay so I'll have a look.

On the '9thTee' website in the States they are going for 122.00 dollars including shipping, which works out to be around 62.00 pounds, which isn't too bad.

[Pete77]

On the '9thTee' website in the States they are going for 122.00 dollars including shipping, which works out to be around 62.00 pounds, which isn't too bad.

If it arrives in the UK via Parcelforce though they will hit you with 17.5% VAT on whatever 9th Tee put on the customs form as the value and levy a flat £12 or so fee for paying the duty on your behalf Also customs duty of 2% or something can be levied on goods over £50 or is it £100 I think.

So really the price being charged by the cheapest Ebay seller is not at all bad really. Just type Cachecard in at www.ebay.co.uk

[Cainam]

I seem to remember when I bought my cachecard from 9th Tee 18 months or so ago it came through Parcel Force. However, as the value of the goods was declared at $15 or so it was obviously too low for them to be bothered with, so there was no 17.5% increase or flat fee. :up:

[Pete77]

I seem to remember when I bought my cachecard from 9th Tee 18 months or so ago it came through Parcel Force. However, as the value of the goods was declared at $15 or so it was obviously too low for them to be bothered with, so there was no 17.5% increase or flat fee. :up:

Declaring a very low value seems to work unless you are unlucky.

Unfortunately when I bought a burglar alarm detector that plays a fierce alsatian barking dog sound from the USA they declared the full 70USD for the alarm and shipping which triggered the whole Parcelforce hold you to ransom process where you don't get the goods unless you pay the VAT and their handling charge and they make you call a premium rate 0870 number to do it as well. :eek: :mad:

If you ended up paying the VAT and Parcelforce fee it would probably come to about 5 quid more than the Ebay seller is charging including postage. Swings and roundabouts really. Using a Nationwide Visa card is also 2.75% cheaper than any other Visa or Mastercard as no foreign exchange rate levy is charged on overseas transactions.

[Tony212]

Checking the 9th Tee site again they use the US postal service rather than a courier, so that would confirm that we'd receive it this end via Parcel Force.

There's just one guy selling on eBay at the moment but he seems pretty reliable. He's throwing in a CD of the latest software including Tivoweb, which saves downloading it all, and he's also throwing in a network cable (something I forgot to add when I was pricing 9th Tee).

Total eBay price is 73.98 including postage, so I'll definitely go with him. Thanks again.