Sky software update brings along automatic standby feature

In an effort to lower subscriber energy bills as well as throw Mother Earth a bone, Sky is reportedly rolling out a software update to its set-top-boxes that will enable an automatic standby feature. In short, the update will force boxes that go unused for four hours during the day into standby, and that grace period gets cut in half (to two hours, for the mathematically challenged) at night. The update will supposedly hit all nine million or so Sky boxes by July, and the company estimates that the move will reduce its carbon footprint by around 90,000 tonnes each year. A little standby goes a long way, huh?

[Thanks, Martin]

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 18th 2009 9:44PM]

Damn that is lame. Carbon Footprint So quasi-enlightened Euro trash.
Maybe if Rupert Murdoch stopped flying his G5 and instead went first class commercial the carbon footprint would be cut by even more. However we can't force him to do that but he can force us to accept his software updates to make up for his guilt.
Sure glad I don't live in Europe.

[DrXym Posted Jan 19th 2009 6:08AM]

It's lame to have a feature which saves you money and causes less pollution? I suggest that if you did own one of these boxes and objected to this feature you could simply push a button once every four hours, or locate the option in the menu that kicks the device into standby on inactivity and just disable it.

Every box consumer device should come with standby / power saving features enabled by default. The power of the default means massive power and emissions savings.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 18th 2009 9:51PM]

U-verse started this too last year shuts off after 8 hours. I really wish these companies would not force their green agenda on us. If I want to leave it on 24/7 then I should be able to!

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 18th 2009 10:36PM]

@ Mike
your comment "Sure glad I don't live in Europe." because a STB switches off to save power is the winner of today's stupid remark!

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 19th 2009 3:08AM]

all new Sky boxes do this out of the box, I got a new HD box the other day (my 3rd due to the others breaking), the first thing I did was turn this feature off, I've been known to watch a channel for quite a few hours, I don't want it turning off on me!

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 19th 2009 11:38AM]

more importantly... Will we get an interface update?

The current one is hideous!

[keith524 Posted Jan 19th 2009 2:28PM]

I think this is a good idea. I hate that my DirecTV DVR disk spins all the time even when the unit is off. I don't really care about the 'green' aspect as much as the noise level. If I have everything else turned off I can hear the drive from my chair and it's annoying.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 20th 2009 8:33AM]

This software update happened last year (about 6-8 months ago). It's hardly a hinderance and if you really hate it, you can turn the feature off altogether. I like it because at night, it just goes into stand-by on it's own - normally when I've fallen aslp. It gives you a warning on screen to just hit a certain key if you want to cancel the shut-down.

If every (relevant) device had this feature there would be huge energy savings across the world. I can't understand any resentment to this kind of thing.

I'm glad I live in Europe where people give a damn about this kind of thing.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2009 4:39AM]

I hate this feature. However low my carbon footprint has become, the main problem is that I now can't go out and leave a program to record on my old-technology VCR 'cos the blasted Sky box decides it's had enough and switches off.