OT: BT YouView STB.

Can't help, as I'm almost in the same position with my Panasonic PVR. But that allows you to copy SD recordings to an external HD via USB (I believe you can copy HD recordings, too, but as they are stored encrypted you need the original PVR to decode them). Does your box allow external storage? Or could you perhaps "play back" to a PC and use that as a storage device?

Funnily enough, I am looking for a new PVR as the Panny is playing up. But, as you found, it seems the new software, functions, and performance is inferior to the old devices. Only Panny and Humax available now it seems, but both seem to get equally poor reviews.

Progress, eh?

See what happens if you ignore that letter. Does it threaten anything?

I wonder if they'd notice if you sent it back without the HDD in it? You could then take your time about finding a way to get the recordings off it.

Which model is it? Most store recordings encrypted.

I'd sort of guessed it wouldn't be an industry standard format.

It DTR-T1000/GB/500G/BT

Seems it's not the only one of these to suddenly stop going online. Despite it finding all the correct settings for my LAN - which hasn't been changed in any way since the box was supplied.

Just sending the bailiffs round. ;-)

When I stopped my BT TV subscription, they sent me one of those bags. Then a follow-up letter. Then nothing further. As they had told me I could keep the box after the subscription ended, I felt completely justified in keeping it.

It seems that the HD recordings on that model will be encrypted (readable only by the box), but SD (and radio) would be exportable. Incidentally, even if you could pull the recordings I doubt you'd be able to push them back to the new box so they'd have to be watched 'offline' as it were.

I can see their point in trying to avoid being conned by a customer, though.

Remember the On Digital thing where they wanted you to pay for the box or send it back at your expense?

Just tell them you will when the programs stored have all been watched. Brian

Can you tell from the address if it's an outsourced recycling facility? Does the envelope have a bar-code on it?

If both answers are yes, I'd try sending anything that's vaguely STB shaped in the bag and see what happens, hopefully a computerised system looks up the barcode and ticks you off the list :-)