Problems receiving some Sky Satellite Channels

[andy_vtec]

Has anyone had any of the following symptoms and could help me out....

For the last couple of weeks I have had problems receiving some Sky channels (maninly the sky sports and channels 551 - 566). The others seem ok....

Happily watching the channel, then the sound goes, then the screen starts to freeze and pixelate, then I get a message saying that "no satellite signal being received, then I get a message saying there is a technical problem with the channel). The picture will not come back.

I phoned Sky up (more in desperation than actually hoping for an answer, but they were quite helpful..)

When the picture is screwed I go into "Services", then "system setup", then I enter the secret engineering mode menu which gives me a few more options, I go into the "LNB Setup" option, and select LNB Power to OFF, Save the config, set the LNB Power to "ON", save the config, then I can back up and the picture is restored for a few minutes before it starts to freeze again.

Haz anyone else had any similar problems? Sky want £60 to send an engineer out, but if the decoder is screwed I will probably just upgrade to Sky+.

Cheers, Andy.

[andygo]

borrow someeone elses decoder or lend them yours and see what happens .

[mcflurry]

recommend you phone sky to cancel. when they ask why, say your equipment doesn't work and you are not prepared to spend 60 credits... see how fast sky bend over then

[miniman]

If it's not the decoder then it will be the LNB on the dish. Upgrading to Sky+ involves replacing both of these anyway, so I would personally go for it - Sky+ is really spot on, very well thought out and, once you get a stable decoder, very reliable. What are they offering it for at the moment?

[pug406]

I have the same problem, some of the channels are saying No signal being received.

[groucho]

I'm sure you've tried this, but sometimes the scart plug just needs pushing in. Try the easy thing first.

[Piglet]

Ours did this, our local satellite people fitted a new LMB and it's been fine.

[_Dobbo_]

Another vote for sky+ here. If you work odd hours like me it's a god send. Gone are the days of watching stuff when it's on - I now watch it when I feel like it!

[eharding]

Might be the tuner in your digibox is on the
way out - fairly common with some of the older
Pace boxes - potentially, the reason that some
channels work and others don't is because
the box is failing to drive the LNB properly -
some channels are polarised horizontally, others
vertically and the box applies a voltage to the
antenna cable to switch the LNB between these
polarisations - failure to do so will mean some
of the channels won't feed. Try someone else's
box before you start spending cash....

[andy_vtec]

eharding said:

Might be the tuner in your digibox is on the way out - fairly common with some of the older Pace boxes - potentially, the reason that some channels work and others don't is because the box is failing to drive the LNB properly - some channels are polarised horizontally, others vertically and the box applies a voltage to the antenna cable to switch the LNB between these polarisations - failure to do so will mean some of the channels won't feed. Try someone else's box before you start spending cash....

Thanks Edward, I think you have hit the nail on the head. It's a Sony digibox and has given me nearly 5 years sterling service, but the problem does seem to be getting worse.

I've lost all the sports, and most of the movie channels, but I'm sure it's the box on the way out as you suggest. Looks like sky+ here I come.

[catso]

My Brother-in-laws did the same, random channels not working mainly the Sport ones. Fitted new LNB, no difference, got a new box problem sorted, it was an old one and I think they lose it after some time.

[_DeeJay_]

Mine did this and was found to be a failing power supply on the box.

I tried the cancellation trick, but that didn't work so I've without Sky now, and nobody else in the house misses it . No more Sky Sports or Sky 1 for me (which is all it's good for IMHO)

[kenny320]

I recently had similar troubles with all the bbc channels on Sky. I found that giving the dish a hefty thump fixed the problem.

I think the wind had altered it's alignment slightly so that some satellite transponders were giving better signals than others.

[mcflurry]

miniman said:

If it's not the decoder then it will be the LNB on the dish. Upgrading to Sky+ involves replacing both of these anyway, so I would personally go for it - Sky+ is really spot on, very well thought out and, once you get a stable decoder, very reliable. What are they offering it for at the moment?

£249, or £149 and £10 a month for multiroom, and another tenner if you don't subscribe to sports and/or films..

[Beaconbouy]

Tuen off tthe "WHOLE" system for a minute the standy-by for 30 seconds then ON.

[jimbro1000]

In view of the recent weather it is quite possible that either the LNB or the cable has water ingress - both will give a progressive deterioration in signal quality, eventually you get very little of anything.

If you are feeling technical the trick is to see what polarity and frequency the offending channels are on, if it is seemingly random then it is likely to be the cable (or digibox) but if they are grouped then it is most likely the LNB (true regardless of whether it is water ingress or not).

Of course it could just be the dish working its way out of alignment...

[funkihamsta]

Our SKY boy told my parents these very symptoms were due to a tree blocking the signal....what the one that was there when the dish was installed?