Sky Player Desktop
Sky Player Desktop
- What is Sky Player Desktop?
- What if I already have the old Sky Player Software installed?
- Will it work on my computer?
- How many computers can I use it on?
- Does Sky Player Software use peer-to-peer (P2P) software?
- How do I install it?
- How do I download programmes?
- How do I start Sky Player Desktop?
- Do I need to sign in to Sky Player Desktop?
- Why isn’t my programme downloading?
- How often is my download queue checked?
- How do I watch programmes I've downloaded?
- Can I stop and resume where I left off?
- Why is the play button on a programme not active?
- How long do I have to watch programmes I download?
- Can I start watching before the download has completed?
- What size are the files downloaded?
- How long do programmes take to download?
- Where are programmes stored after they have been downloaded?
- Do I need to delete programmes that I have watched?
- Can I download from any computer?
- How do I check my download queue?
- How many programmes can I download at once?
- How do Parental Controls work?
- A programme I download has disappeared, what happened?
- The Sky Player Desktop application will not start.
- I can't sign in to Sky Player Desktop
- Playback is still jerky even though I have downloaded the programme
- I am unable to start the application because the 'my videos' (or 'Movies' for Macs) folder is missing.
- I am unable to retrieve programmes from my download queue.
- I am getting Licence errors, what should I do?
- How long do I have to watch programmes I have rented?
- I'm getting error 235 on a programme I have bought or rented
- Do I have the latest version?
- Where can I find more help?
What is Sky Player Desktop?
Sky Player Desktop is an application you can install on your computer. It is optional, but allows you to get the most from Sky Player.
It allows you to download TV programmes from Sky Player to watch when you're offline, on holiday, or if you have a slow or intermittent internet connection.
What if I already have the old Sky Player Software installed?
The old Sky Player Software has been discontinued. You can still use it to watch programmes you have already downloaded, but you will need to install Sky Player Desktop to continue to download programmes to your computer.
Find out more in our Sky Player Software FAQs.
Will it work on my computer?
Sky Player Desktop works on all computers that can watch TV on the Sky Player website, since it uses the same Microsoft Silverlight software.
Version 4.0.50826.0 of Microsoft Silverlight is required, which supports Windows PCs and Intel-based Macs. You can check you have the latest version of Silverlight installed by going to the Microsoft Silverlight website.
How many computers can I use it on?
You can only use Sky Player Desktop on your main registered computer. If you do not have a main computer registered this will be assigned the first time you sign in to Sky Player Desktop.
If you are an existing user you can check if this is your main registered computer in the Registered Devices section of Accounts & Settings. You must be signed in to check your registered computers. You can only change your main registered computer once per month.
Does Sky Player Software use peer-to-peer (P2P) software?
No, programmes are downloaded in the same way as if you were watching them.
How do I install it?
Simply go to the Sky Player Desktop page, find the section called 'Install Sky Player Desktop', accept the end user licence agreement, then click the Install button.
( N.B. If you do not have the correct version of Microsoft Silverlight 4 installed (4.0.50826.0) you will need to install this before you can install Sky Player Desktop ? there will be a link to install Silverlight on the Sky Player Desktop page if you do not have the correct version.)
You will be prompted by your computer to confirm that you want to install the application. Once you have done this the application will install and by ready to use.
If you are concerned about your computer?s security you should check that the 'Publisher' displayed is 'British Sky Broadcasting Ltd'.
How do I download programmes?
Simply find the programme you want to watch in the on demand sections of Sky Player, sign in if you're not already, then click the 'Download' button on the right of the page. The programme will be added to your download queue.
How do I start Sky Player Desktop?
Simply click on the Sky Player Desktop icon that was added to your Start Menu or Desktop.
Do I need to sign in to Sky Player Desktop?
Yes, to check your download queue and download new programmes you need to sign in using the same Sky iD username and password you use to sign in to the Sky Player website or Sky Player on Xbox 360.
You do not need to sign in if you only want to watch programmes you have already downloaded.
Sky Player Desktop does not currently remember your username or password. We're working on this to save you wearing your fingertips out!
Why isn’t my programme downloading?
Firstly check that you are signed in to Sky Player Desktop.
Make sure that the day and time that your download queue was last checked, displayed in the footer of Sky Player Desktop window, has updated.
If you have lots of programmes downloaded already switching to the 'Downloading' tab may help you find your active downloads.
Finally check that the programme has been added to your queue by refreshing the programme details page to ensure the message under the download button confirms it is in your queue.
How often is my download queue checked?
Your queue is checked for new downloads roughly every 10 minutes when you are signed in to Sky Player Desktop. The time your queue was last checked is displayed at the bottom of the Sky Player Desktop window. To check your queue now simply click the 'Check Queue' button above the list of programmes.
How do I watch programmes I've downloaded?
Once the download has completed simply click the 'Play' button over the programme image. The player will fill the whole window. Click the 'fill screen' icon on the right of the progress bar to watch the programme in full screen mode. Press Escape to leave full screen mode. Click the 'stop' icon to return to your download queue.
Can I stop and resume where I left off?
Unfortunately no, Sky Player Desktop does not support resume play yet. So make sure you note how far you were into that movie before you press stop!
Why is the play button on a programme not active?
This probably means the programme has not finished downloading or a playback licence has not been received. Check the 'Download Progress' column has 'Ready to play' in it.
How long do I have to watch programmes I download?
This varies depending on the programme, and is displayed in the 'Expires' column in Sky Player Desktop.
Can I start watching before the download has completed?
No, not at the moment. But we hope to support this in the future so that it works the same way as Sky Anytime+ on the Sky+ HD box.
What size are the files downloaded?
The filesize in MB is displayed on the programme details page.
How long do programmes take to download?
The time taken to download will vary depending on your current internet connection speed. You can check how in the 'Download Progress' column.
Where are programmes stored after they have been downloaded?
Programmes are stored in a 'Sky Player' folder. This folder can be found in your 'My Videos' folder on PC, or your 'Movies' folder on Mac. You should not move or delete these files yourself as this may prevent you from watching the programme or prevent the Sky Player Desktop application from starting
Do I need to delete programmes that I have watched?
You do not need to delete the programmes unless you need to free up space on your computer's hard drive . Downloads will be automatically removed from your computer when they expire, or you can click on the 'x' icon in the programme list to delete programmes you have watched before they expire.
Can I download from any computer?
Yes, you can add programmes to your download queue from any computer. If you leave your main computer on and Sky Player Desktop running the download will start within 10 minutes and be ready to watch when you return to your main PC.
How do I check my download queue?
Your queue will be automatically checked roughly every 10 minutes, and the time your queue was last checked is displayed in the footer of the Sky Player Desktop window. If you want to check for new downloads before the next automatic check simple click the 'Check Queue' button.
How many programmes can I download at once?
You can queue up to 32 programmes for download at any one time.
How do Parental Controls work?
The same parental control settings used on the main Sky Player website are enforced by Sky Player Desktop. Unfortunately this means that you must be online and signed in to watch programmes that are restricted by your parental control settings. If you update your Parental Control settings on the Sky Player website you need to make sure you sign in to Sky Player Desktop to update your offline settings.
A programme I download has disappeared, what happened?
If you're sure you didn't delete it, this probably means the download has expired. You might still be able to download the programme again from the Sky Player website.
The Sky Player Desktop application will not start.
If you are unable to start the Sky Player Desktop application, even after you have restarted your computer, you can try to re-install Sky Player Desktop again.
First you will need to uninstall the existing application. Go to the Sky Player Desktop page on the Sky Player website, right click on the box that shows you that the version number and select 'Remove this application' and confirm that you want to permanently remove Sky Player Desktop. The page will automatically refresh allowing you to install Sky Player Desktop again.
I can't sign in to Sky Player Desktop
If you are having problems signing in to Sky Player Desktop try the following
- Try one more time by clicking the ?Sign In? button again
- Check that you do not have ?Caps Lock? on as passwords are case sensitive
- Check that you can still sign in to the Sky Player website in your web browser with the same username and password ? making sure that cookies are enabled for skyplayer.com
- Close and restart the Sky Player Desktop application
- Check that there are no known issues on the service status page
- Check that your computers clock is set correctly
If none of these resolve your problem please contact us via the link on the left of all Help pages.
Playback is still jerky even though I have downloaded the programme
There are a number of things that can affect the playback quality of programmes you have downloaded. First you should check our technical requirements to make sure your computer meets the minimum specification. Other applications or services you have running on your computer can affect playback performance so you can try
If you are still suffering from jerky playback and have a recent graphics card it may be possible to enable GPU acceleration.
I am unable to start the application because the 'my videos' (or 'Movies' for Macs) folder is missing.
The 'My Videos' folder must exist, for Microsoft Windows users ? check the locations below:
If your folder does exist by default it should be in the following locations:
Windows XP: %SYSTEM_DISK%\Documents and Settings\
Windows Vista: %SYSTEM_DISK%\Users\
Windows 7: %SYSTEM_DISK%\Users\
Or enter the following command into the Run/dialog (XP) or start menu search box (Windows Vista and Windows 7)shell: My Video
An error will be shown if the folder does not exist.
The easiest way to create/recreate this directory in the correct location is to use Windows Media Player
WMP 11:
? Go to the Library tab
? Click the small arrow under 'Library' and select 'Options...'
? Go to the Library tab of the Options dialog
? Click the Monitor Folder button
? Click Ok
WMP 12:
? Go to Organize > Manage Libraries > Videos.
? Click OK.
Mac OSX
Location:
By default this is located at
Macintosh HD > Users > username > Movies
I am unable to retrieve programmes from my download queue.
Error codes : 10000, 10010, 10020, 10030, 10040, 10060, 10080, 10090, 12050
If you are having problems getting programmes to appear in Sky Player Desktop after you have chosen to download them from the website try the following
- try again by clicking the 'Check Queue' button
- check that you can still browse the Sky Player website in your web browser
- close and restart the Sky Player Desktop application
- check that there are no known issues on the service status page
If none of these resolve your problem please contact us via the link on the left of all Help pages.
I am getting Licence errors, what should I do?
Error codes : 16000, 16010, 16020, 16030, 16040
If you are getting licence errors you should try the following
- sign out of Sky Player Desktop, and then sign back in again
- close and restart the Sky Player Desktop application
- check that there are no known issues on the service status page
If none of these resolve your problem please contact us via the link on the left of all Help pages.
How long do I have to watch programmes I have rented?
This can vary and is detailed when you first rent the programme from the website. For most programmes you have up to 7 days from renting to start watching, but you can only watch for up to 48 hours from when you first play the programme.
I'm getting error 235 on a programme I have bought or rented
You should cancel the download and start your download again.
Do I have the latest version?
When you start Sky Player Desktop a check will be made to see if an updated version exists. If a more up to date version does exist it will be installed automatically. You must be connected to the internet to check for the latest version.