Sky+ HD & SkyHD Firmware Update R011

Ok, Spring is here and its Easter this weekend, so Sky have a nice little present for you with a few Easter Eggs too.

So what are the main changes to look at?

1. Reordering Planner Listings
2. Improved Series Stacking
3. Deleting Series Stacks
4. Shuffling & renaming of Tabs in Planner area
5. Managing Smart Series Links
6. Sky Movie Trailers
7. Direct Subscription Upgrade
8. Family Settings
9. 'Accessibility' EPG Skin
10. WiFi options

1. Reordering Planner Listings



After a lot of feedback, the order of the planner contents has been changed so that the most recently recorded item is at the top of the list.

This means that those programmes and films which you want to keep are no longer shouting at you to watch them whenever you navigate to the planner.

2. Improved Series Stacking



A big complaint across the forums has been about the use of "New" in the series. All too often this has messed up the series stacking as sometimes it is used and other times it isn't. Well now the series stacking takes this into account and realises that it is the same series.

It you record something on Sky1 HD this week, Sky1 +1 the next, Sky 1 on the third week and Sky2 the fourth, each episode will be stored in a different stack as each was on a different channel.

3. Deleting Series Stacks



Ever wanted to delete a whole series in one go? Well now you can. Alternatively you can just delete those episode that you have already watched.

4. Shuffling & renaming of Tabs in Planner area

The 'All' tab is still the primary one that you go to, but now there are a few changes.

To the right of the 'All' tab is 'Scheduled'. More about this one below.

Next to the right is 'Deleted'. No more hidden one step to the left. This should make it easier for people to find.

Others too have been moved around a little, but should be easy to find.

5. Managing Smart Series Links

Under the scheduled tab in the planner you'll find all those recordings which you have scheduled to be made.



Scroll down a little and you'll also find those 'Smart Series Links' or SSLs which have been causing a few issues recently. Whilst you can now manage them by removing those series you are no longer interested in, please be careful.



Basically these SSLs should be picking up new series that you recorded the previous series of and also they should pick up mid-season breaks.

Please note that often you will find more than one entry. Please don't delete one and not the other as actually they are different. One may be 'Next Series', whilst the other might be looking for the next episode after a mid-season break.

I am aware that this hasn't always been working as it should with R010 and Sky have been working to address this.

6. Sky Movie Trailers



Getting back to the Home page, for those of you with the Movies Pack, please take a look at the 'Sky Movies On Demand' tab. Find a movie (for example Beauty and The Beast) which has a trailer and press <Red> to play it.

Previously you would have seen the trailer in the Mini TV window, now it will play full screen.

At the time of writing this not all the trailers were available (for example How to train your Dragon 2 only shows the On Demand ad) and some may be in SD not HD quality. This will all be addressed soon.

7. Direct Subscription Upgrade

For those who wish to upgrade to a specific package you can now follow a link directly from the STB to upgrade to say the Sky Sports pack, provided that your STB is connected to the Internet.

8. Family Settings



Under the 'Parental' settings Sky have now grouped and renamed some of the familiar settings under the heading 'Family Setting'. This whole group can be easily enabled or disabled with individual adjustment as required.

Please remember not to let the children know your PIN if you want to use this feature to prevent them from watching the Adult channels, for example.

9. 'Accessibility' EPG Skin



Press <Services> <Select> <Select> and you will be presented with the Accessibility options. As before you have the option to enable or disable the Subtitles and Audio Description, but next on the list is the ability to increase the font size and change the contrast level. Press the right or left button to scroll through the options and press <Green> to save.

• Off - Standard EPG colour scheme and font size
• On - Increase Contrast & Font size
• Font Only - Just increases the Font
• Contrast Only - Just increases the Contrast

10. WiFi options

For those of you will a router which still works with WEP, support for this encryption has been added.


I hope that you like these changes. There are a few others buried away. As its Easter I'll let you have some fun looking for them.

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