How to set up your own Sky+ HD box

These self-help instructions apply only if you are upgrading from a Sky+ box to a Sky+HD box in the same home location. 

If you have Sky Multiroom and wish to enjoy your existing Sky+ box in another room please contact us on 08442 41 41 41 
as additional wiring and set-up may be required.

The estimated set-up time is 30 minutes. 
This includes a 10 minute software download that you’ll need to activate. 

Getting started

First, make sure you have room to access 
the back of your Sky+HD box, TV, and that 
no cables are pulled out or overstretched. Once you can reach all of the connections at the rear switch off and unplug your existing Sky+ box, as well as any devices like DVD players and gaming consoles.

You’ll also need to:

• Completely remove the SCART cable that connects your Sky+ box to your TV
• Disconnect the two satellite cables from the back of your Sky+ box
• Unplug the telephone line from the back of your Sky+ box
• Remove the viewing card from your existing Sky+ box. This can be found behind the flap on the front

Now unpack your box and make sure you have received all of the essential components from Sky:

• Sky+HD box
• Sky+HD remote control and batteries
• Sky+HD user guide
• Power cable
• HDMI cable (essential in order to enjoy HD TV)

The next step is replace your current Sky+ box with your brand new Sky+HD box.

1. Connect telephone line (orange socket)

Note: Be careful to not insert your telephone line into the green Ethernet socket. 
This is the existing telephone line that was used to connect your Sky+ box. If this is currently not in place, please ensure you connect a telephone line so that you can activate your viewing card and channels.

2. Connect HDMI cable (pink socket)

Plug the pink end of your new HDMI cable into the pink socket on your Sky+HD box and the black end into the HDMI 1 socket (or another available HDMI socket) on the back of your TV. This is to get high definition pictures. If you don’t have an HD ready TV, use your old SCART cable.

3. Connect satellite cables (brown sockets)

These are the existing satellite cables that were used to connect your Sky+ box to your satellite dish. It does not matter which satellite cable is connected to Dish Input 1 or Dish Input 2. Ensure you do not bend the copper wire in the middle of these connections and that you screw the satellite cable all the way onto the back of the box until it is secured tightly. 
Note: If you have one satellite connection, please refer to the " I only have one satellite connection from the dish to my Sky+HD box" link in the Troubleshooting section below.

4. Connect power cable (blue socket)

Plug the blue end of your new power cable into the blue socket of your Sky+HD box and switch on at the mains.

Once you have completed all of the above steps, the connections at the back of your Sky+HD box should match the final set-up image.

5. Put batteries into your Sky+HD remote

Insert batteries into the back of your new Sky+HD remote control.

Connecting other devices 
If you want to connect a surround sound system or gaming console to your Sky+HD box, please consult the Sky+HD user guide .

This is the important bit. Just like a computer, you should make sure your Sky+HD box has the latest software available for it, which you can download by following the steps below. Before you begin, you should ensure the power cable of your Sky+HD box is plugged in and has been switched on for at least 3 minutes.

1. Press sky on your Sky remote control to turn your Sky+HD box on. The standby light will be green when your Sky+HD box is switched on.
2. Press and hold the standby button on your Sky remote control until the standby light on your Sky+HD box turns red.
3. Press and hold down the back up button on the top of your Sky+HD box, and with back upstill pressed down, press sky on your remote control once.
4. The standby light on your Sky+HD box will change from red to amber. Keep holding downback up, and you will see the Sky+HD Please wait... message.
5. Continue to hold down the back up button until all of the lights on the front of your Sky+HD box are lit, at which point you can release the back up button. If after 40 seconds, the lights have not come on, start this process again.
6. Wait for ten minutes, during which time you will see a message on your TV screen, "UPDATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE - do not disconnect from the mains supply or satellite dish. This may take up to 10 minutes."
7. When the download is complete, you will see the Sky Intro channel.

Now you’ve updated the software in your new Sky+HD box, insert your existing viewing card.

1. Open the flap on the right hand side of 
   your Sky+HD box and insert the card with the Sky logo facing upwards.
2. Make sure the card is inserted firmly, then close the flap.

To confirm your Sky+HD installation you need to complete the following steps

1. Press services on your Sky remote control and you will see the main menu with Optionshighlighted.
2. Highlight the Settings menu using the right arrow button and press select.
3. Press 0 (zero), then 1, followed by select to access the Installer Setup menu, with Setuphighlighted (this menu is not listed on the Settings menu options).
4. Use the left/right arrows to highlight Install (this will change to New Install when reached) and press select.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions until "Installation Complete" is displayed, then pressselect to continue. 

You're now ready to move onto the final step and activate your channels. 
 

To make sure you're enjoying all the right channels, you now need to activate your channels through the Sky Guide.

Important: If you've chosen to take the HD Pack, you must complete this step otherwise you will not receive your HD channels but you will be charged for them.

1. Press interactive on your Sky remote control.
2. Press the down arrow to highlight Sky Active, then press select.
3. Use the up/down arrows to highlight My Sky Account, then press select.
4. Use the up/down arrows to highlight Activate self set-up and press select.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete your set-up.

Insert the batteries provided into your new Sky+HD remote. You should be able to operate your TV set and your Sky box with it, but if you have any problems, or if you have changed the batteries or bought a new TV recently, you may need to program your Sky remote to work with your TV. You'll find instructions on how to do this in our remote control help section.

• Remote control help