ExPVR Frequently Asked Questions
Contents
Is it possible to use ExPVR to transfer my Sky+ HD recordings to a larger disk?
Is it possible to use ExPVR to copy my Sky+ / Sky+ HD recordings to a new box?
Can ExPVR copy from a standard definition Sky+ box or Thompson Sky HD box to a newer Sky+ HD device?
Can ExPVR copy Sky+ or Sky+HD recordings to my PC (to watch in media playing software)?
Does this application support the extraction of encrypted recordings?
Which recordings are encrypted?
What software do I need to watch the extracted recordings?
How do I attach the hard disk from my Sky+ HD or other XTV-Based PVR to my computer?
Does this application change the hard drive in any way?
My target disk is not listed in ExPVR, how can I make it be detected?
Are my scheduled recordings copied to the new disk/device too?
What do the colours and letters beside each planner item mean?
Windows explorer crashes when trying to open a folder containing Sky+ recordings, how do I fix this?
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Is it possible to use ExPVR to transfer my Sky+ HD recordings to a larger disk?
Yes, ExPVR will allow you to upgrade the hard disk in your Sky+ HD box to a larger size, while retaining all of your existing recordings.
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Is it possible to use ExPVR to copy my Sky+ / Sky+ HD recordings to a new box?
Yes, ExPVR will allow you to copy recordings from any of the supported Sky boxes to a new one. Note that the new box must be one of the HD models (for a full list of supported devices, please see our Device Support section).
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Can ExPVR copy from a standard definition Sky+ box or Thompson Sky HD box to a newer Sky+ HD device?
Yes! The older boxes (standard definition Sky+ and Thompson Sky+ HD) have a different planner format, but ExPVR is designed to handle this. ExPVR will automatically convert your planner as part of the transfer process.
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Can ExPVR copy Sky+ or Sky+HD recordings to my PC (to watch in media playing software)?
Yes, ExPVR is able to extract all recordings which are not encrypted, these can then be viewed in your favourite video playing software or portable device.
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Which devices are supported?
Please see our device support page.
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Does this application support the extraction of encrypted recordings?
Unfortunately this feature cannot be added. I am not sure of the legality of such a feature and in any case, Sky would take a very dim view; for these reasons I will never add this to ExPVR.
If you extract an encrypted recording, it will still copy but the recording wont be viewable on your computer (it will still be encrypted).
Note that copying encrypted recordings to another Sky+ HD hard disk or a disk image will work fine. The encrypting only prevents watching the recordings on a PC.
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Which recordings are encrypted?
Recordings from channels you have to have your card inserted to view, are encrypted. Recordings from other, free to air channels (BBC1, BBC HD, ITV, E4 etc.) will extract fine.
Encrypted recordings are highlighted in a pale red in ExPVR.
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What software do I need to watch the extracted recordings?
The recordings are extracted as standard *.TS files (MPEG Transport Stream). VLC Media Player is recommended for viewing these but they can also be viewed in any Direct Show player (e.g. Media Player/Media Center/DVBViewer) with the correct codecs.
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How do I attach the hard disk from my Sky+ HD or other XTV-Based PVR to my computer?
All XTV-Based PVRs contain standard PC hard disks with either an IDE or SATA connection. All Sky+ HD boxes have SATA hard disks. It is recommended you connect your hard disk via an external SATA or IDE caddy, but it also possible to connect them internally as long as you read the warnings in the support section. For more information please read the tutorials here.
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Does this application change the source hard drive in any way?
ExPVR only reads from your PVR hard disk, it will not make any changes. It is therefore safe to use without any worry of corruption.
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My target disk is not listed in ExPVR, how can I make it be detected?
Your target disk must be blank before it will display as a target in ExPVR. This is to prevent the accidental overwriting of the wrong disk. There is a guide describing how to delete partitions from a disk on our forums.
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Are my scheduled recordings copied to the new disk/device too?
Yes, your scheduled recordings will also appear in ExPVR and can be selected in the same way as ones that have been previously recorded.
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What do the colours and letters beside each planner item mean?
ExPVR colour codes recordings based on the following parameters:
Red Background Encrypted recording Blue Text On Demand recording Grey Text Deleted recording (in 'Recycle Bin') Black Text Standard user recording or scheduled recording There are also a number of letters to the left of each item which indicate:
s__ Scheduled recording _u_ User recording _v_ On demand recording __e Encrypted recording -
Windows explorer crashes when trying to open a folder containing Sky+ recordings, how do I fix this?
Windows uses a system of small pieces of software called 'codecs' to interpret video and audio files. Many windows video players uses these to play back these files; including windows media player and windows explorer. Windows explorer uses them to generate the thumbnails you see when you browse a folder containing video files.
If there is an issue with one of the codecs you have installed, they can sometimes crash the application that is using them. In the case of windows explorer, this will happen when you browse to the directory and it tries to update the thumbnails.
In order to fix this issue, you will need to work out which codec is causing the issue. Sky+ recordings use an MPEG-TS container and typically use MPEG4-AVC (HD recordings) or MPEG2 (SD recordings) for video. You should look for codecs you have installed which handle these formats and remove them until the issue is resolved.
If possible, it is highly recommended to use VLC Player to watch Sky+ recordings, as it does not rely on codecs to decode the files.