Satellite reception

Hi

Just wondered if anyone else was getting really bad reception on their free to air channels (on sky box)?  Since a week ago, we have had really bad reception on certain channels - ITV, C4 amongst others.  Sometimes we can't even receive them, with a "no signal" message - even though we are getting other channels.  It's really been bugging me, but I don't know if it's just a problem with the dish affecting block 10.

Any help???  Or should I contact AEA?  Or is it the UK channels changing?

Hi

We are in Block 13 and don't have a problem with our Sky Free to Air reception. Perhaps it's just your Block, but maybe you could try auto channel search again?

Hope you can solve it.

Thanks, GA - I've reported it to AEA. It may be just our block.

Glad to say fixed already!  Must say AEA have been exceptionally prompt at dealing with reported problems - can't fault them!

OK, spoke too soon!  It's not all the channels - ITV1 is fine but ITV2 is pixelating and breaking up.  Gone through the channels and some are ok and some are rubbish!  Can't understand it - if it was my box, surely all the channels would be breaking up?  If it was the dish, the same thing.

Help?????  Anyone else out there in block 10 with a problem?  or could it be my connection/cabling?  Or am I going loopy???

Pitby,

Not all channels are transmitted with the same power or footprint over Spain, so its possible that your dish has moved very slightly in the wind then the channels on the fringe of the signal footprint will pixelate. Should really effect other uses on the same dish.

Check you wall and box connections are tight as a small signal loss on a weaker signal will have the same effect.

Its unlikely to be the box unless its developer a fault (very rare) where it has become less sensitive.

Have you checked the services menu to verify that you are, in fact, getting a signal? 
Press services on the remote then Option 4 followed by Option 6, the top bar is for strength but the really important one is the quality which should show at least above half on the bar. 

Failing that you can call me in Spain you have my number I think, I have just had to re-align my dish here in the house when we arrived on Monday it had moved 3mm and I had no signal.

Thanks, Jeff.  I do think it is the dish - will have to wait until Monday and get on to AEA again.  Or maybe it's my connection somewhere outside of the apartment.

I've checked the signal strength and quality - I don't have anywhere near half on either!!  About one quarter on quality!  Strange though as ITV1 is fine at the moment (although was terrible the other night) but ITV2, 3, 4, etc., are all bad and BBC channels unwatchable too.

The wall/socket fitting seems ok.

Jan,

long note but this may help until its sorted, the rain doesn't help as it attenuates the signal.

There are other BBC/ITV channels used for different regions and some have stronger signals try these.......

For BBC use the channels and for ITV use the instructions below to add ITV and other channels to the other channel menu.

To add channels to your "Other Channels" option, do the following -

With your digibox turned on, press the "Services" button (near the top of the remote).

Select number 4 (System Setup), and then 4 again ("Add Channels").

In the appropriate fields enter the following (you move through the fields using the up and down arrow keys).


In the Frequency field enter: 10.773,

The next three fields are toggle fields, i.e. using the left and right arrows will change the value.

Toggle Polarisation to : H
Toggle Symbol Rate to: 22000
Toggle FEC to : 5/6

Then select the last button - Find Channels.

After a few seconds the channels should appear. The channels on this frequency should be - BBC One London, BBC Two England, BBC News 24, BBC Four, CBBC, CBeebies, BBC Three, BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC Radio Cymru.

Use the Yellow button to place a tick beside each one you wish to store and when you've finished ticking press "Select". These channels will now be stored.

You can view them by pressing the "Services" button, then 7 "Other Channels" (Other Channels is option 9 on Sky+ and Sky+ HD), use the arrow keys to move to the channel you want and press "Select".



To add the channels below, repeat the procedure using the details provided. As suggested by Sceptre, I'd just like to make people aware that sometimes when too many channels are stored in "Other Channels" they can mysteriously all disappear ! This seems to be a bug in Sky's software that they've never bothered to fix. Different people seem to recommend different numbers of Other Channels to store, but I've never had a problem with anything up to 30. If they are deleted, don't panic - you just have to go through the hassle of storing them again. It may be best not to try to store all the BBC and ITV variations, but just the ones that you're particularly interested in.


MODEDIT [byte]
UPDATED: 26 January 2009.

With thanks to DMC for the lists (AGAIN)! 



ITV Frequencies. 

10.758 V 22.0 5/6 

ITV 1 London 
ITV 2 
CITV (0700-1900) 
ITV 4 
Men & Motors 
ITV 1 Granada 
ITV 1 Anglia North 
ITV 1 Central West 


10832 H 22.0 5/6 

ITV 4 +1 
ITV 1 Thames Valley North 
ITV 1 Central East 
ITV 1 Wales 
ITV 1 West 
ITV 1 Westcountry South 
ITV 1 Border England 


10891 H 22.0 5/6 

ITV 1 Border Scotland 
ITV 1 Tyne Tees North 
ITV 1 Meridian South 
ITV 1 Meridian South East 
ITV 1 Anglia South 
ITV 1 Yorkshire West 
ITV 2 +1 


10906 V 22.0 5/6 

Channel TV 
STV North 
STV West 
STV East 
Ulster TV 
ITV 3 
ITV 3 +1 (1900-0700)

Note ITV now uses 1 less transponder than it used to (10.714).

BBC Frequencies 

10.773, H, 22.0, 5/6

BBC One London 
BBC Two England 
BBC Four (1900-0600) 
CBBC (0600-1900) 
CBeebies UK (0600-1900) 
BBC Three (1900-0600) 
BBC One Northern Ireland 
Five (aka Channel 5)

10788 V 22.0 5/6 

BBC One West Midlands 
BBC One North West 
BBC One East Yorkshire & Lincolnshire 
BBC One Yorkshire & North Midlands 
BBC One East Midlands 
BBC One East 


10803 H 22.0 5/6 

BBC One Wales 
BBC Two Wales 
BBC One Scotland 
BBC Two Scotland 
BBC Two Northern Ireland 
BBC Radio 5 Live 
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra 


10818 V 22.0 5/6 

BBC One West 
BBC One South East 
BBC One South 
BBC One South West 
BBC One North East & Cumbria 
BBC One Oxford 


10847 V 22.0 5/6 

BBC One Cambridge 
BBC One Channel Islands 
BBC HD UK 

Thanks so much for that, Jeff!  I'm very embarrassed to say that it was, after all, the cable!!  I'd checked the wall end, but not the box end of the cable - which is a bit loose.  So when I fiddled around, the picture fiddled too!!  Have got all the channels with no pixelation now - but a very precarious connection!  One slight movement of the box and they're gone!!  I'll buy another cable on Monday!

Thanks for all your help!

 PS  Going to print out your list though because, as you say, I've noticed different quality of picture on different ITV channels at times, so always good to have a few extra tuned in somewhere as a backup!!

 Good,

There are 2 types of connection on the end of the coax cable itself  - crimped on or screwed  

if the connection at the box end is just screwed onto the coax cable - then unscrew from the cable clean up outer braid and make sure enough of the middle is poking thru and re tighten by hand and put it back on the sat box socket.

Make sure the inner core and outer braid do not short to each other.

see http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/fconn.htm  shows pictures for making the connection

you don't need the silicone grease thats only for outside connections to keep moisture out.