Irish Terrestrials effectively gone

Mark McG

Since around lunchtime, we cannot watch the Irish channels on Sky. There is a frozen image locked into each channel. It struggles to change about once per 2-3 minutes. No audio whatsoever. All other channels seem OK. Looking at the signal strength/quality, I would say that both are around 40%.

Any ideas? Have rebooted digibox. Even forced a new download. No effect. Is this just me??

Mark.

Mossy Monk

they're all working fine here

sceptre

Originally posted by Mossy Monk
they're all working fine here

Ditto


Bird or something nudge your dish perhaps?

Nate Dogg

Mark McG

Is your full name Mark McGrath
If it is we have the same name.

Mark McG

McGloughlin, not McGrath. Close though.

I think it probably is a bloody bird. There are birds living in next doors attic and they are always stitting on it. I was puzzled because only Irish channels are gone. I am in Cork. Is there any reason why there would be such a small number of channels impacted by this?

Mark.

DMC

They could have nudged it sufficiently for you not to see the RTÉ channels. RTÉ is at a low frequency (the lowest on Sky Digital)
It could be affecting all channels on the same satellite... can you check the Disney channels and Smash Hits?

dmeehan

last nite my analog tv3 had a frozen pic of eddie murphy for *AGES* along the audio from the next program. skydigi tv3 was fine though???

watty

Most Sky channels are SR 27,500 FEC 2/3 on a Europe beam.

The ITVs, Disney, some Box office and all the Irish are all on 22,000 on FEC 5/6

1/2 is most robust Error correction
7/8 is least robust Error correction.

The SR 22,000 transponders might also be on a different beam. Some transponders are on a narrower beam that *MIght* mean less signal on North west & South west and West coasts....

In my experience of other satellites lower SR need more signal (or are usising less power) than higher SR transponders.

If your dish is misalligned at all and weather is poor you will lose the 22,000 5/6 channels before the 27,000 2/3 ones.

If a big Rook sits on LNB arm just in front of LNB you might experience "crash" on Digibox due to loss of signal. It has happened. Sometimes a reboot is needed.

Mark McG

Yes - the Disney channels are gone from my system too. My four year old is in a "Nick JR" phase at the moment so she hadn't noticed that. RTE/TV3 are still OOS on Sky.

What options do I have to repair this? Could I adjust this myself, or am I just tempting fate? If I call someone in, what am I likely to have to pay them, for what will probably be about 2 minutes work.

While I'm at it, is there such a thing as bird poison?

Thanks,
Mark...

PS: you know I kind of missed the ghost images you get in Cork city when you watch RTE using a roof-top antenna.

DMC

How long do you have Sky, Mark? If less than a year, ring Sky.

Mark McG

Unfortunately, I've had it for 3 years. This is my first issue though...

Mark.

watty

Self Dish adjustment.

Put a TV where you can see it from Dish.

Scratch a mark across each joint. At least then you can put it back to where it was.

Put Digibox on Services | Setup | Signal test.

Watch the QUALITY more than SIGNAL. Signal updates quickly, Quality updates slowly.

Loosen bracket for Left/right east/west movement. Do NOT over loosen.
Move it LESS than 1/8" (3mm) around. SLOWLY. Stop. See is it worse or better. If worse move the other way.

Very slowly adjust for "best" (most QUALITY). Tighten bolts watching bargraphs and each bolt a little so that tightening does not rotate it.

Now do the Up/Down adjustment (It is a bit less sensitive).

If RTE / Disney etc are now OK leave it.

If you confident, fine adjust Left/right (east/west) then Up/down a second time.

If you move it TOO far you may get signal bar from a different satellite!
If there are no channels, move back to scratch marks. If box has "crashed" (sometimes on weak signal), Move back to scratches and power off / power on box and start again.


With care (i.e. slow with carefull tightneing) it is common to get a better signal than the installer.

There should be black rubbery tape on the LNB connector. If not coat it liberally with vasiline or buy a pipe repair kit (it has the rubber tape and a roll of not very usefull cloth tape.).

Do unplug Digibox from mains if unscrewing or checking the LNB connection. If it is corroded due to not having sealing tape you may need to replace the coax or cut a foot of end.
MAKE SURE the inner and outer are not shorted by a fine strand before screwing a new plug on.

Sharp bends or kinks will reduce signal too.

As a final tweek while watching Quality, you can "click" rotate the LNB in its plastic case. Do a click at a time either way and let new Quality reading appear.

Mark McG

Thanks watty. That is very comprehensive. The next time I will be at home during the daylight hours will be Thursday. I will try this and report back!

If you don't see a new post from me on this thread by Friday, it means I fell off the ladder...

Mark.

watty

Now you know why I think a chimney mounted dish isn't too nice. So awkard to balance the 28" TV on the chimney pot

Tony

I knew of a so called installer who brought a decoder and a portable tv up to the chimney. He dropped the tv and it landed on the customers car, the best bit is that he borrowed the tv from the customer:D

Tony

byte

Originally posted by Tony
I knew of a so called installer who brought a decoder and a portable tv up to the chimney. He dropped the tv and it landed on the customers car, the best bit is that he borrowed the tv from the customer:D

Tony

Seriously? ROFL! Why didn't he have a meter? The eedjit!

Mark McG

OK. Eventually made it up on the roof (thanks to my brother-in-law). Did all the adjustments watty suggested and I was in the optimal position already. Still no Irish channels. HOWEVER, we did notice a small crack in the LNB face (the grey plastic bit that faces the dish).

I am guessing that this is the problem!

I assume that I will need to replace the LNB and am thinking of getting a quad LNB in advance of the Sky +.

Is this the right thing to do?

Thanks,
Mark.

ShaneOC

The quad LNB comes in the box with Sky + so there is no need to get one now.

watty

Two many families of LNB.

1) One has a kind of separate plastic lid on the horn front (Grundig), the body is in a two piece stiffish plastic case that splits vertically . A crack amy mean ingress of water, a problem.

2) The other kind has a top and bottom soft plastic shell covering the horn and the body. It has a quite open horizontal seam that looks like a crack. It does not care about water as the internal horn has a big plastic object in it.

Some LNBs have a tone switch fault which means only the channels above 11.6GHz work. (A rare "stuck on" tone fault in the Digibox can do this too). Such a Faulty LNB is handy for old Analog Receiver and French "Telecom" Analog Channels, which is 12.5GHz or so.

Irish TV, Disney, some Box office and UTV/ITV/ITV2 are the majority of channels below 11.6GHz (tone off setting).

Mark McG

Mine is a Grundig and exactly as you suggested Watty, the split is about 2-3 cm long and vertical through the centre of the lnb face.

I'm currently phoning around getting prices and availability. €85 fitted for a replacement single lnb is the best price I had. Based on ShaneOC's comment, my idea of a quad is out the window.

Although my brother in-law offered me his old decoder, for which I could get a UK FTA card for.. Hmm..

Mark..

Mark McG

Watty, What about this "stuck on" digibox fault? Is there anyway to check this out? I would hate to have a new lnb fitted, be relieved of €85 and find the channels are still lost...

Mark.

byte

Well the plastic casing is only a weather shield, and the LNB inside should be waterproof. Watty's idea of 22k tone fault is worth a look. Also, cable degradation is also very possible cause for loss of the Irish terrestrials (they're the lowest freq on Sky) Would it be simple for you to try another length of coaxial? Just makeshift to see if it worked initially.