does anybody know how to transfer programs from sky+ to laptop.is it just as simple to get a usb cable (male to male A-A) and plug one end into the back of the sky+ box and the other into my laptop.

will i be able to read the hard drive on the sky+ box on my laptop.

I can tell you all you need to know about TiVo as I've networked a couple of boxes and poked around inside of them. TiVo is proprietary but Linux based so although they guard the secrets of the filing/encoding system there are ways to get at the data and control + customise the box. But I'd imagine Sky+ is a more closed system. As they're the program provider too they'd do everything they reasonably could to prevent their material going astray.

I'm not sure if there is a Sky+ hacking community as I've never had any desire to become a customer again - for several reasons. But if the video is available to a TV it has to be in at least one of several formats, so there will always be a way to syphon data, even if it means having to re-digitise it. All they can do is to make it so difficult and inconvenient (and with no attached meta-data) that few bother.

Anyone?

On the USB thing, one (and only one) end has to be the master to control the data transfers, so just because two pieces of equipment have USB it doesn't necessarily mean they can physically talk to each other. This even if you know how the data would be arranged and encoded at high level. This is why you don't see USB leads with the same plug on both ends - and if you do find one it's a kludge that likely won't do anything al all useful unless there's some complicated active circuitry somewhere else. Also the USB specification only says how blocks of data are moved not what they mean. i.e. the two pieces of gear still need to understand each other's language.

does anybody know how to transfer programs from sky+ to laptop.is it just as simple to get a usb cable (male to male A-A) and plug one end into the back of the sky+ box and the other into my laptop.

will i be able to read the hard drive on the sky+ box on my laptop.

This issue is discussed on another forum in depth --->Here<---

if this link does not work, copy this into your browser window

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=1995414

I have not read right through the article, but at first glance a few methods seem to be discussed.

Hope that helps!

This issue is discussed on another forum in depth --->Here<---

Not really! It's just a flame war about the best method to re-digitise. The best method must depend on what you've got access to. Anyway I suspect there's not an activate hacker community like for other PVRs. Sky would do its best to kill any - doing illlegal things or not!

Not really! It's just a flame war about the best method to re-digitise.

typical forum really!

still, tho, it gives a good idea of what can be done. Well, it does me anyway....

Any joy with this one yet?