FAQ: Sky+ & SkyHD Hard Drive UpgradesThis FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) list covers questions our customers commonly ask us about upgrading Sky+ and Sky High Definition receivers.
We offer a range of Sky+ and SkyHD drive upgrade kits for all models of Sky+ and SkyHD receiver. Q1) What Sky+ receiver models can be upgraded?Below is a list of Sky+ receivers we are currently able to supply hard drive upgrades for:
- Pace 3100 (PVR2)
- Pace TDS470N (PVR3)
- Amstrad DRX180 (PVR2)
- Amstrad DRX280 (PVR3)
- Thomson DSI 6210 Sky+ 160
- Thomson DSI 8210CS (PVR3)
- Thomson DSI 8215 (Sky High Definition)
Please contact us if you have a receiver not listed as we may be able to help.
Q2) How do I identify the model of Sky+/SkyHD receiver that I have?The best way to identify the model of Sky+ receiver is by comparing the design of the case with a picture. Below are pictures with descriptions of each Sky+ receiver:
Pace 3000 (PVR1) - silver with a black plastic panel on the front.
Pace 3100 (PVR2) - all white with Sky card slot on the far left hand side.
Pace TDS470N (PVR3) - all white with Sky card slot in lower left of centre.
Thomson DSI6210 Sky+ 160 - label on the front says 160.
Thomson DSI 8210CS (PVR3) - external case design very similar to Pace TDS470N. All white with Sky card slot in lower left of centre. Thomson logo printed on rear of unit. Has label with DSI 8210CS printed on sticker located on bottom of unit. Push to open flip down panel on lower right of front panel.
Amstrad DRX180 (PVR2) - all white with Sky card slot on the far right hand side.
Amstrad DRX280 (PVR3) - all white with Sky card slot lower right of centre. Amstrad logo printed on rear of unit. 
Thomson DSI 8215 SkyHD Q3) How much recording space will I have on my Sky+ after a hard disk replacement?With PVR1 and PVR2 receivers all hard disk space is available for recordings.
Upon the introduction of the PVR3 series of Sky+ receivers an area of the disk is reserved for use by BSkyB Anytime (a video on demand service).
Below is a table showing how much useable recording space is available after upgrading the drive on each model of Sky+ receiver: | Receiver | Original Drive Size & Available Recording Time | 160GB Drive Installed - Useable Space | 250GB Drive Installed - Useable Space | 500GB Drive Installed - Useable Space |
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| Pace 3100 (PVR2) | 40GB (20hrs) | 160GB (80hrs) | 250GB (125hrs) | 500GB (250hrs) |
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| Amstrad DRX180 (PVR2) | 40GB (20hrs) | 160GB (80hrs) | 250GB (125hrs) | 500GB (250hrs) |
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| Thomson DSI6210 (Sky+ 160) | 160GB (80hrs) | 160GB (80hrs) | 250GB (125hrs) | 500GB (250hrs) |
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| Pace TDS470N (PVR3) - 80GB reserved for Anytime | 160GB (40hrs) | 80GB (40hrs) | 170GB (85hrs) | 420GB (210hrs) |
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| Amstrad DRX280 (PVR3) - 80GB reserved for Anytime | 160GB (40hrs) | 80GB (40hrs) | 170GB (85hrs) | 420GB (210hrs) |
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| Thomson DSI8210CS (PVR3) - 80GB reserved for Anytime | 160GB (40hrs) | 80GB (40hrs) | 170GB (85hrs) | 420GB (210hrs) |
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Note: The recording times quoted above are approximate and will vary depending on how well the Sky+ receiver is able to compress the audio/video content being recorded. Q4) Does the Sky+ Planner space used indicator show the correct percentage of free space with a larger disk installed?Yes, the Sky+ receiver detects the extra space and shows a correct percentage free indicator with a larger hard disk installed.
Q5) What is the difference between a regular desktop PC hard disk and a Consumer Electronics (CE) drive?Consumer Electronics (CE) hard disks are specifically manufactured for the PVR market. CE drives are not generally available in retail stores, and can only be purchased through authorized resellers, such as XtendedPlay.
Consumer Electronics drives have a few key differences from normal desktop drives that make them far superior to desktop PC drives for PVR usage:
- Better streaming video performance - ensuring that you always get a great picture. CE drives are optimized for streaming to avoid the stutters and jerkiness that can be caused by repeated error checking that occurs on regular desktop PC drives. Hard disk drives designed for PC applications are optimized for data integrity through enhanced error detection and correction routines. These error correction 'features' on PC drives cause the data flow to be paused until an error is corrected, which causes jerky playback of video and audio.
- Minimized operational noise - whisper quiet operation. CE drives use customized firmware algorithms referred to as the silentseek actuator profile. The silent-seek actuator profile slows the trajectory of the seek pattern, which results in quiet seek operations and lower power consumption. The CE drives supplied by XtendedPlay also use the quietest type of motor available: fourth-generation fluid dynamic bearing (FDB) technology. This results in whisper-quiet operating acoustics of 2.4 bels - at the threshold of human hearing.
- Reduced power consumption - protecting your PVR. CE hard disks are specifically designed to reduce electrical power consumption. PVR's are particularly sensitive to the amount of power used by the hard disk. The power supply electronics in a PVR have often been designed to operate near their limit and the addition of a larger hard disk can put extra strain on the power supply. Installing a regular PC hard disk can cause the life of the PVR power supply to be dramatically reduced.
- Reduced heat dissipation - keeping it cool. CE drives are designed to reduce heat to a minimum. The enclosure of a PVR has been designed to deal with the amount of heat generated by the original hard disk drive. Larger capacity PC drives often create much more heat than the standard PVR drive and can cause reliability problems.
Q6) Will fitting a replacement drive kit solve the problems I have with recordings freezing at random places, jerky playback or pixelization?These problems can have a number of possible causes, which include:
- Poor signal strength on either of the two satellite inputs, e.g. due to faulty cabling or connectors between receiver and LNB (the device on the front of the dish).
- A fault with the Sky+ receiver's tuner circuitry - often with just one of the tuners.
- A failing hard disk drive in the Sky+ receiver.
Replacing the hard drive on a Sky+ receiver that shows these symptoms should only be tried after other areas have been eliminated.
If you are an Amstrad DRX180 owner please also see the question Why is my Amstrad DRX180's video playback skipping and audio/video out of sync?
Symptoms such as jerky playback and random frozen recordings can be due to the PVR having difficulty reading data from the disk. This is due to bad blocks (or areas that cannot be read) on the disk and therefore corrupt recordings. This corruption can become worse over time, gradually the symptoms occur more regularly and eventually the disk stops working and you receive System Fault errors and completely failed recordings.
Q7) My Sky+ receiver is reporting System Fault and has stopped pausing live TV, will a replacement disk solve this problem?It is very likely that a System Fault problem that results in failed recordings is caused by a faulty disk and replacing the disk will fix it. A Sky+ receiver that is reporting System Fault errors normally also causes failed recordings. This is an indication that the Sky+ receiver is having problems communicating with the hard drive.
Q8) Why is my Amstrad DRX180's video playback skipping and audio/video out of sync?We have had the following problems reported by a number of Amstrad DRX180 owners:
- Audio/video playback out of sync
- Audio/video playback skipping and jumping
Note: Normally the above behaviour occurs when watching or recording with one of the two satellite feeds - the other feed works OK.
This can occur with or without a hard drive upgrade.These problems often occur when watching TV while the Sky+ receiver is recording another channel. We suspect that the problem is affecting just one of the satellite inputs, i.e. one of the tuners.
It often seems that the playback problems only affect certain channels, e.g. Channel 4 and ITV.
This fault can occur with a non-upgraded Amstrad DRX180, but it also appears that upgrading the disk can cause the problem to surface. Where the fault becomes apparent after upgrading the disk, the original disk can be put back and the problem disappears.
For further information on this fault with Amstrad DRX180's and experience from other owners on pursuing BSkyB for a replacement Sky+ box see the following forum discussion:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=373467
If you buy a Self Fit Kit from us and find your Amstrad DRX180 has this fault we are offering advice on how to approach BSkyB for a replacement Sky+ receiver or alternatively a refund for the Self Fit Kit.
Q9) What is the maximum size hard disk drive that can be fitted to my Sky+ box?The maximum drive size that can be fitted to a PVR2 or PVR3 Sky+ receiver is 500GB. This limitation is due to to the firmware in the receiver preventing larger drives from being formatted.
In the past there was a limitation of 250GB. This limitation was removed with a firmware update from Sky around September 2007.
Q10) Will my Sky+ box overheat due to having a larger capacity hard disk drive installed?The hard drives we supply are carefully chosen to reduce heat (and noise) to a minimum. However, you may notice that your Sky+ unit's fan comes on more often due to the extra power supply load. The latest Sky+ firmware now puts the hard disk into standby when not in use, therefore keeping heat to a minimum.
Q11) I've upgraded my Sky+ receiver and the fan comes on more often, why?
This is an unfortunate side effect of adding a larger drive to certain models of Sky+ receiver. It seems that PVR2 models (Pace 3100 and Amstrad DRX180) are most likley to be affected by this problem. With some receivers the fan stays on constantly after the drive upgrade.
The fan is controlled by the onboard software in the Sky+ receiver and it is not possible to change this. There is no harm in the fan running constantly, other than the extra noise. We do not recommend disconnecting the fan as this will disable the cooling capabilities of the receiver and is likely to cause the hard drive and/or electronic components to fail.
Q12) Will upgrading my Sky+ drive affect my Sky Subscription?No. Upgrading the Sky Plus hard disk does not affect your subscription. Your Sky subscription is linked to your Sky card and your Sky+ receiver.
Q13) Will upgrading my Sky+ drive void my Sky receiver warranty?Yes. When the lid is taken off your Sky Plus box you will void your warranty. However, the upgrade procedure requires no permanent modifications to the unit and does not require any soldering.
Q14) How easy is it for me to upgrade my PVR with an XtendedPlay self fit kit?The upgrade procedure is very straightforward and anyone who feels confident with a screwdriver will easily be able to complete the upgrade. No computer or computer experience is required and we provide detailed printed instructions with photos of the procedure.
If you have any other questions please feel free to email us before you order. We will do our best to answer any queries you have.
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