Pace digibox - is it banjaxed?

funkey_monkey

We've got a digibox here (Pace) which I've set up in a room with a Sky Freesat card. When I went to register the card with the box the bloke on phone told me the software on the box needed to be updated. This made sense as the box has been sitting idle for quite some time now.

I've tried numerous times to get it to update (hold in backup button on screen and turn on power supply) but it never seems to complete properly.

The box I'm trying to get updated is a Pace - model 1.3z36 (ver Num: 9F0306). It is currently refusing to update from OS Ver: 1.2S4FJ and EPG Sw: 3.7.6.ns.

We have another Pace box in the house - model 1.3.58 (ver num: 9F0C00). It is running OS 1.2S4FM and EPG S/w 3.8.8.

Should the problem box be updating to 1.2s4FM and 3.8.8?

Also, how accurate are the signal strength/quality indicators? The room where the problem box is indicates zero strength and roughly 10%-15% quality. The good Pace box also shows 0 strength and low quality yet it displays all the correct channels and services. How is this?


Thanks.

watty

You need at least 50% quality. There are too many errors for update.

No two receivers are identical, so with an absolutely terrible signal, one may work a bit better. I'd bet the "working" one is a bit pixelated.

Fix your feed and the box will update.

funkey_monkey

I've moved it into another room with better signal and tried again. It seems to finish the update by going to standby. However, it has trouble powering up to the green light state.

It now says no signal is received and when it does work the station freezes and does not come back.

watty

never mind signal.
What quality have you?
Unless you have cables like wet string, it's likely your dish is mis-aligned and all rooms have poor quality.

Updates need a good quality level.

It's also possible it has a dying P.S.U. if it's more than 4 years old

funkey_monkey

Quality is quite good >70%. I've got the box now at another room where strength is ~60-70% and quality is >70%.

If both receivers in the problem room are showing 0 stregth and low quality how can they receive station signals, change channels correctly, etc?

Cantona's Collars

Cantona's Collars

Seriously though if box is banjaxed it's as cheap to get one on ebay or http://www.tvtrade.ie/satellite-receivers/sky-boxes.html rather than getting it fixed.

watty

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Quality is quite good >70%. I've got the box now at another room where strength is ~60-70% and quality is >70%.

If both receivers in the problem room are showing 0 stregth and low quality how can they receive station signals, change channels correctly, etc?

The quality/signal meter only measures a particular channel. Probably the one needed for updates. I bet some channels freeze.

maybe a damaged cable. That can affect just a few channels.

funkey_monkey

The cable was part of a install done by Sky when we took out Sky+. The room already had a coaxial lead going down through a convoluted route into this room for analogue TV. The technican spliced a feed from the LNB into this lead. When he checked it in the room using his own meter it was registering full strength – I seen the meter reading myself as I was unsure if this could work.


As the existing coaxial lead was inside it is not affected by any exterior weathering conditions. I’ve rechecked the splice and am happy in regards to its integrity.


Yes, the problematic box does freeze. However, the other box does not freeze and works perfectly as far as I can see – although it also displays zero signal strength and quite low signal quality.

watty

If either of those boxes see 3/4 quality bar in the other room then the cable is faulty.

You could have faulty cable and a faulty box. Did you check ALL the channels with viewing card (any valid card will work except for premium channels)?

funkey_monkey

I'll get someone to try. I've only got a Sky Freesat box/card to try and when I last checked it worked on the stations I was using.

funkey_monkey

I'm going to see about getting something like this in order to test the signal strength coming into the receiver:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Konig-Satellite-Finder-Satfinder-Dish-Alignment-Meter-/280458037267?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item414c9a0813

Are these things worth the money? Obviously they ain't dear, but if they tell me the signal strength then I'll be able to easily locate the problem - i.e. is it at the joint/receiver/LNB/none.

Cantona's Collars

It'l do the job,handy for diy installs.At least then you'l be able to find the location of the fault and could save money in the long run.

funkey_monkey

Okay, I've got that signal tester today. I went to the main room in the house which has a direct feed from the LNB using brand new cabling. I used the dial to set the needle to 50% (i.e. needle was pointing at 5 - this concided with knob at 4).

When I went to the problematic cable it was reading roughly 42% (i.e. needle was pointing at just over 4.2 with knob at 4).

I am presuming now that this issue is not with my cabling and is an issue with the box. The problematic box must have an issue with its PSU. When I connected it to the meter it did not register a constant signal. There was an initial signal indicatino for about 5sec then it went dead. I then tried another box and and it was fine and signalled the above provided reading of ~4.2.

Will a new box solve my issues or will any updates to the box always fail due to the low signal strength and quality indications?

What should I do next?


Thanks for all replies so far.

funkey_monkey

Can anyone help here or should I just go ahead and purchase another Sky digibox as replacement for the Pace box?


Thanks.

Macy0161

I'll put the immediate caveat that I'm not a pro, but the signal strength did drop with the other cable, and it only tests signal strength, not quality. I'm rushing a bit here, but did you plug in the "dodgy" reciever in the room with the brand new cable. If you did and it worked it's the cable imo.

Just on the signal meter - with those cheap meters (I have one), I've found the reduce signal strength/ quality if you look at the reciever settings. You'd want to take it out of the line first, They're more for aligning dishes than testing cables.

My money would be on the cable, probably the standard of the existing one that was joined from the lnb. If it's from an old terrestrial set up it's unlikely to be satellite grade.

funkey_monkey

So, how come a decent box can receive stations and services with 0% strength and 10% quality? I don't really understand how that works.

The feed in question shows 0% signal strength and ~10% signal quality regardless which box I try. The problematic box does not work anywhere, but a decent operable box will operate as expected even with the diminished strength and quality.

And no, I didn't have the meter attached when obtaining the SS/SQ readings from the services menu.

Macy0161

funkey_monkey wrote: »

So, how come a decent box can receive stations and services with 0% strength and 10% quality? I don't really understand how that works.

Different recievers have different sensitivity. I don't think any of the receivers I've got would recieve at that signal quality.

funkey_monkey wrote: »

The feed in question shows 0% signal strength and ~10% signal quality regardless which box I try. The problematic box does not work anywhere, but a decent operable box will operate as expected even with the diminished strength and quality

I think it was watty who pointed out earlier - the receiver could be banjaxed and the cable is crap. The last attempt I would make on the receiver would be to leave it overnight on the known good feed again, and see does it get another update and see how it works then (nothing to lose). It could be fecked, but that still doesn't get around that it appears there's a problem with the cable to the other room. Is the dish accessible? Could you run a temp feed from the fourth lnb output, through a window for example, just to test?

funkey_monkey

What I can do is go to the splice in the attic and connect the receiver and TV there. If I get decent ss & sq there then it will be obvious that the pre-existing coaxial cable is at fault. If, however the ss & sq remains low then it indicates a fault at the LNB - which is a quad input. That should be repairable under warranty by Sky.

I don't have any tape to fix up the exterior connections and I also don't want to possibly invalidate my warranty by mucking about with their permanant connections.

funkey_monkey

Also, how do I know what the latest EPG etc should be on my system - will it be the same on both my digiboxes - or does it vary from manufacturer/box to another?

funkey_monkey

I've connected up to the splice in the attic and the signal is quite strong and quality likewise - deffo not a LNB issue. So, as stated by others the issue seems to be with the existing cable - even though the signal tester provides a good reading.

I am not in a position to be able to re-cable from the splice into the receiver.

In the problem room I've taken a Sky Freesat listing and went through the channel listing. I am not receiving the 5'er and 5 USA stations, Men&Motors, MoviesforMen, Clubland, or Vault. I am presuming this is due to the crap signal strength? These are not stations that we would typically watch so the plan is to obtain a DS440N Pace digibox which is reputed to be good for weak signal areas and use it.

It will not give us those stations though but the main BBC1-4, ITV, and C4 stations can be received, so that will have to suffice unless people on here have any other ideas as to how I can improve the signal down to the receiver?

If this does not solve the problem in the long term what I'll do is put the receiver in the attic at the splice and use an AV sender to switch stations. I'll get an RC power supply so that the receiver box is not sitting powered continuously in the attic. It is not an ideal situation, but it will have to suffice until an opportunity exists to re-cable from splice down to room.

John mac

is there any movement on the existing cable? you could use it to pull through a new one. .

funkey_monkey

Don't think so, it goes via a convoluted route down conduit across under a floor and then up though the back of a fireplace.

funkey_monkey

Okay folks, I've now had a chance to play about with this. The installation man for the TV many years ago when it was switched from one side of the room to the other jointed the coaxial cable from the original socket to the new location using unshielded connections.

By just replacing the joints with F-Connectors I've got the signal quality back up to where it is in other rooms - however the signal strength is still 0%.

I've connected the system over at the fixed joint and I get 60% SS and normal SQ. My question is this:

Is there anything I can do to increase the strength without pulling through new cabling?

I've poked about and I've now spotted why the cable under the floor will not pull - it has become encased in expanding foam which the fireplace installer has used to fill gaps. It should therefore be possible to pull it through however, I'd like to know if I can avoid this - incase I come across some issues pulling the cable and end up having to lift carpet or track it round between skirting and the grip rod.

I only get to work on this on Sat evenings so it's taken me quite a while to dabble with it.

Cheers (and thanks to everyone who has kept with me on this one ).

funkey_monkey

Well I tried to pull the cable - it seems to be stuck on one of the floating joints supporting the floor. I don't want to risk pulling it if it is nagged.

I now need to update the software (EPG) in the box. How long normally should the box be left on before it downloads a new s/w version? The box is currently using EPG 3.5.3, whereas I think this is now at 3.8.8.

I know I can do a forced update, but I thought I'd see if it could sort itself out first.


Cheers.

Capt'n Midnight

funkey_monkey wrote: »

I know I can do a forced update, but I thought I'd see if it could sort itself out first.

Sorry to resurrect a old thread. But in case anyone finds it in a search.

DO NOT force an upgrade on a digibox if you have poor signal quality as there is a small chance of bricking it. One option is to bring the box to someone elses house. you can test the quality on their cable compared to their box. And if you feel compelled to upgrade the box then at least there is less chance of it going pear shaped there.