Windows Media Centre & interoperability with Sky Digibox
Overview
British Sky Television (Sky) has recently made changes to their Sky Movies offerings. The new offerings allow 12/15/18 certificate films to be shown outside of the usual hours of these films (6pm/8pm/10pm).
To ensure that minors do not have access to these films and meeting compliance with UK regulatory bodies, a PIN system has been implemented, as shown in the screenshot below:
In order to watch the film, the user has to manually enter their 4 digit pin number.
It is at this point the interoperability problems between MCE and Sky Digibox become wholly apparent.
Media Center Functionality
The impact of these changes from an MCE perspective covers multiple aspects:
1. The current functionality of Media Center does not allow for a PIN number to be automatically entered.
2. MCE when connected to a Sky Digibox, is effectively “dumb” (i.e. has no awareness of any onscreen messages) and how to handle them.
3. Arguably the biggest problem is that without entering the four digit PIN code (only possible via the Sky remote control) you are now:
i. Unable to change/control the channel using MCE
ii. After three attempts your PIN number gets locked out
iii. Scheduled recordings fail because MCE is unable to control the Sky Digibox
4. Referring to Figure 1 (below), MCE thinks it has changed the channel on the Sky Digibox over to 101 (and as far as MCE is concerned, it is now on 101), however because the Sky Digibox is expecting a PIN code, it is now out of channel sync with MCE.
This effectively means, at the point where MCE is able to control channel change again (once PIN has been locked out and Sky Digibox isn’t expecting a PIN) and wants to go to Channel 101 (in our example), it does not - MCE to all intent and purpose is on 101. To resolve this issue, you would have to go to a different channel and then back to the original one you wanted. This will potentially cause programs to be recorded incorrectly.
The following screenshots demonstrate the problem visually:
Figure 1 changing the channel from 304 to 101, Sky Digibox is expecting a 4 digit PIN number and not a 3 digit channel number
Figure 2 Channel 101 is entered as the PIN number
Figure 3 Sky Digibox recognises this as an incorrect PIN
Figure 4 If MCE attempts to change channel, the Sky Digibox is continuing to expect a PIN number
Figure 5 After three attempts, the Sky Digibox "locks". At this point MCE is able to change the channel using the 3 digit code and MCE can function correctly.
In Summary, these changes greatly reduce the functionality of Windows Media Center, changes which have occurred and are outside of Microsoft's control.
After undertaking research to ascertain how this works with Sky’s own proprietary recording solution (Sky+), it will record the film and upon playback ask the viewer to enter their 4 digit pin number. Therefore, the problems that exist with MCE do not exist with Sky’s own system.
Sky’s solution (after speaking to their Technical Customer Services) is to not record films on the MCE but to download Sky Anytime, which is software which allows you to download films on-demand, free of charge as part of your subscription. However, this software does not work with Windows Vista and Sky were unable to commit to a date when it will be compatible. I do not consider this a solution, rather an unfeasible workaround.
As an avid user, early adopter and advocate of Windows Media Center since its launch, I feel strongly about the loss of functionality due to changes made by Sky Television - in the multi-channel world of television that we live in, it is only right that 3rd party recording solutions are available and seamlessly work, rather than users being pushed down the path of a company's own recording solution.
