OT - Any Sky/Satellite TV engineers on the board ?

['sladegull]

Last couple of days I have been getting a NO SATTELITE SIGNAL IS BEING RECIEVED message on my SKY+ box, but only on some of the channels I visit infrequently (Movies and Sport OK thankfully). I have checked signal strength and quality on the box and both appear OK (75% +) . Have searched the AV forums and they seem to be suggesting the dish may have been moved out of alignment . Is there a way I can check this myself ? is there some kit I can buy ? or is it a call to SKY ?. Unfortunately the dish is out of warranty so this would be its a £65 callout, which obviously I am trying to avoid !

Any help or advice gratefully received

(Yes , I have tried turning it off and on again!)

 

[Cian]

Used to be...

It could be a misaligned dish or a dodgy LNB (the thing on the end of the arm of the dish). The signal strength meter by default only checks one transponder (block of channels) so if the dish has slipped a little bit west it'll still be showing OK but you'll have trouble getting about 1/4 of the channels - mostly the poor quality/free ones mind.

If you can access the dish easily you could see if you can give it a nudge a little bit either way and see if this improves things. If it stays exactly the same its more likely an LNB fault. There'd be a very specific list of channels you'd not get in this case, so if you could bang up which ones are gone it'd help.

 

['sladegull]

Used to be...

It could be a misaligned dish or a dodgy LNB (the thing on the end of the arm of the dish). The signal strength meter by default only checks one transponder (block of channels) so if the dish has slipped a little bit west it'll still be showing OK but you'll have trouble getting about 1/4 of the channels - mostly the poor quality/free ones mind.

If you can access the dish easily you could see if you can give it a nudge a little bit either way and see if this improves things. If it stays exactly the same its more likely an LNB fault. There'd be a very specific list of channels you'd not get in this case, so if you could bang up which ones are gone it'd help.

Thanks , I have just checked signal strengh again on teh box and INPUT 1 now says 0% and NOT LOCKED . Is it still worth giving it a nudge as you suggest to see if that works or does this sound more terminal ?.

Seems to be affecting Food Channely , Sky 1 , 2, 3 and now Gold , Dave.....sod it Movies has gone as well

 

[Cian]

Its still worth a try, yes. One input showing dead and the other not is more commonly an LNB fault though.

Another thing I'd try is swapping ports on the LNB if its a 4 output and you've only got the 1 box. But the cables could (should) be taped up with waterproof amalgamating tape which is a bollox to remove and can't be put back on, you need new tape.

 

[R. Slicker]

May be a bit late, sorry.
This is always worth a try!

Unplug the sky box from the wall or remove the figure 8 power lead from the back of the box if you can't access the plug.

Hold in the 'Back up' button on the front of the box & re-introduce the power to the box. keep the back up button pressed.

after about 30 seconds, all 4 lights at the front of the box should light together & the screen should display an updating software message. after 20 mins or so, the box will go into standby.

after a while you can turn the box back on.

This may improve things. If not you may be looking at replacing the box.

 

['sladegull]

Thanks all , will try both suggestions after the England game as I am currently getting that channel OK an dont want to risk it !

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Also worth a try is to do a full system reset but this will delete any programmes stored in the planner. If this doesn't do anything you might have to consider getting a service call booked. If a bloke turns up in a van with Sky adverts plastered all over it then he'll sort out what the problem is , a bloke in a white van is a sub-contractor who will fob you off by swapping the box over. To find out whats wrong they'll need a signal meter to indicate the signal strength on the weakest transponders (Eurobird) and it will tell him if the lnb is faulty or the dish has moved. As £65 is a lot of money and the monthly subscriptions are going up in September ask to be put through to the cancellations department as ninety nine times out of a hundred they will book you a free service callout.

 

[SICKASAGULL]

I receive this message from time to time and find switching off the set removing the card, switching back on and replacing the card works every time.

 

['sladegull]

Thanks to all those who gave helpful advice . Turns out box was knackered so I got a new smaller one with more memory ...dont feel so bad about the £65 now!

 

[Easy 10]

As £65 is a lot of money and the monthly subscriptions are going up in September ask to be put through to the cancellations department as ninety nine times out of a hundred they will book you a free service callout.

Good call.
I've had 2 or 3 callouts over the last 7 or 8 years or so, and have NEVER paid the £65 charge. As soon as you mention cancelling ("£65 ?? I think I'll go over to Virgin then...."), they refer to a supervisor and 'on this occasion' waive the charge.

I do subscribe to the premium channels mind, so I dunno if this would be the case if you just get the bog standard package.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Good call.
I've had 2 or 3 callouts over the last 7 or 8 years or so, and have NEVER paid the £65 charge. As soon as you mention cancelling ("£65 ?? I think I'll go over to Virgin then...."), they refer to a supervisor and 'on this occasion' waive the charge.

I do subscribe to the premium channels mind, so I dunno if this would be the case if you just get the bog standard package.

A free service callout means they dont lose £700 per annum in revenue. Even if they call your bluff and cancel your sub because of mentioning switching to VM you still have 31 days to phone back and say you've changed your mind and ask to be reinstated.

 

['sladegull]

Good call.
I've had 2 or 3 callouts over the last 7 or 8 years or so, and have NEVER paid the £65 charge. As soon as you mention cancelling ("£65 ?? I think I'll go over to Virgin then...."), they refer to a supervisor and 'on this occasion' waive the charge.

I do subscribe to the premium channels mind, so I dunno if this would be the case if you just get the bog standard package.

You hit the nail on the head re the package you are on. I too have had a free calloout about 18 months ago by using the 'threat to cancel approach' when I had the full Sports/movies package. I was made redundant recently and had strip back to the no frills no HD pack etc ( due to go in 5 days ) so when I tried this approach this time they were not interested as they knew I had no bargaining stance. Like I said its a done deal now so no point rubbing salt in ...thanks anyway.