Weird Sky HD Issue

[Digger]

Hi All.

Have an Amstrad HD box. On viewing one particular channel (Bloomberg 502) it knocks out the signal for Input 1 and tells me the box lost its signal etc. When I change to another channel and check the Signal menu again Input 1 regains a signal. I tried swapping the satellite cables between Input 1 & Input 2, but again it is only Input 1 that gets knocked out when trying to view Bloomberg 502.

I did a forced software update but still the same. I imagine there might be other channels that exhibit the same behaviour but haven't found any.

Any ideas?

I do have a newer 2TB HD box I can use but I want to view some recordings before swapping out.

[MissChief]

Sounds like it may be the box. if you have a spare box, swap it out and see if it happens? If it does I would say LNB or a short in the cable somewhere. Might be worth checking the cabling for nicks or splits after you've swapped the box to confirm if it still happens or not.

[VEX]

Internal PSU is dieing!

Common issue with boxes over 12 months old. They dont like the heat either, so trying to keep air moving through them is always an advantage.

V.

[Digger]

PSU?!

But why just the one channel (may be others) and just Input 1 affected?

Seems as though its Thomson boxes with the PSU issue, as far as I can tell.

[VEX]

There will be others, it is down to the current draw needed to power the LNB to get to those channels.

It can be either 13 or 18volts and then either with or without a control tone (22Khz, Disec)

Very common, very unreliable Sky Boxes, bloody accountants!

V.

[VEX]

There is a very off chance that it is signal level.

From memory Bloomberg is one of the weaker channels on Sky, so it could actually be telling the truth.

How far from the dish are you and are you on a communal system or your own dish?

V.

[Digger]

Approximately 15m maybe 20m max, connected direct to a dish which an 8 port lnb with 2 other flats connected to it so a spare couple of ports free.

[Digger]

When viewing the signal onscreen it is generally about two-thirds of full strength in reasonable weather.

[VEX]

Bloody French and their lazy attitude to electrical safety! hehe.

Ok if signal and quality are both up there in the top 2/3's 3/4's then you should be ok.

V.

[Digger]

Thanks VEX. Any other channels draw extra power along with Bloomberg 502, so I can test?

What do the French have to do with it?

[VEX]

Sorry, getting Digger and Driller mixed up. Driller is in France

If your in the UK your install should be earthed bonded to prevent your system going faulty and electrocuting your neighbor. It is not usual to use an Octo LNB to feed apartments, it should be a more commercial system which give you better electrical isolation.

V.

[VEX]

These are the other channels on the same frequency that should be showing the same issue.

Geo TV
Geo Tez
Price Drop TV
SET Max
Colors India
Bid TV
Q TV
Bid Plus
Bloomberg U.K.
France 24 (in English)
France News
TV5 Monde Europe
France General
CNC World

I haven't even heard of 90% of those, so haven't a clue where you would find them on a sky box.

V.

[Digger]

Thanks VEX.

Yep some of those I tried just now are exhibiting the same signal loss. So do we assume that's a PSU issue then?

Better get watching my recordings then so I can swap boxes. Shame there is no easy way to transfer recordings to the new box!

[VEX]

It could still be a signal level issue.

I need to find some other channel using the same band and polarisation.

I'll see what I can find tomorrow.

V.

[megaphone]

Have you asked the neighbour, who shares the dish, if they have the same issue? Maybe pop around and check?