What is the RS232 and USP socket on my Sky+ box for?

Question

I have a modern Amstrad Sky+ box with RS232 and USB sockets. Can I connect with these to a PC? Can I read my recorded programs using explorer type software or do I need any special software or is what I want to do unachievable?

Answer 1

I believe that this was used for debugging the software stack running on the system, during manufacture, for system recovery after software upgrade failures and for a little-known product known as "Sky Gnome".

EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) data and remote control commands were also provided on the RS-232 port on certain models of the Sky Digibox.

Answer 2

Typically an RS232 port on a non-PC device is for attaching a computer to the device and monitoring it. Your PC then becomes a terminal for the device. Don't expect much performance as serial ports are slow.



There have not been serial/RS232 ports on PCs for many years. You'd have to work to find serial mouse, printers etc. these days. They've been replaced by USB ports (thank god).

Answer 3

USB sockets are used to connect many multimedia products, like camcorders, cellphones, flash drives, iPods, etc...



RS-232 sockets are for connecting serial mice [the plural of "mouse" is mice, not "mouses"] , serial keyboards, joysticks, monitor connections to video graphics cards, etc...