Zgemma interfering with Sky Q

zac8 · 24-03-2023 2:41pm #1

I have a zgemma h7s setup in one room and Sky Q in another room. When some channels are being viewed on the zgemma box they are causing the picture to break up on the Sky Q box - ITV2 & BBC News for example. Most channels don’t cause an issue. I also noticed the Sky Q picture breaking up while tuning the zgemma. Anyone come across this before?

swoofer · 24-03-2023 7:56pm

You need to specify the channels that cause the interference ie both on sky q and the Zgemma H7S. Interference can b cuased by DECT phones either in your house or next door. Have you the cables running down cavities to your boxes? Are you using shotgun cable of 4 single feeds? Is it good quality cable? Are you near power lines? TV transmitters? Mobile Masts?

Are you using wall sockets?

Need a good description of the wiring layout.

I can't think of anything else but interference can happen. I had one house with cables down cavity and a DECT phone next door, a semi detached. Needless to say they would not move phone so ran cables over the roof.

zac8 · 27-03-2023 10:25pm

Thanks swoofer.

here’s a list of channels when selected on the zgemma that cause interference on the sky q box:

Itv2hd

E4

Film4

Channel5 hd

Food network

5 usa

Talking pictures

Bbc news hd

Sky news

Cnn hd

all other bbc, itv, channel 4 are fine.

it doesn’t matter what channel is selected on sky q.

no landline phone in house.

4 satellite cables running through cavity walls, two to each box. Wall socket at zgemma box only.

Don’t know anything about the cables.

no masts etc nearby.

Detached house.

swoofer · 27-03-2023 10:59pm

What type of lnb have you on the dish?? Sky Q is a different type of lnb

zac8 · 27-03-2023 11:08pm

I have a hybrid lnb.

swoofer · 27-03-2023 11:11pm

Do you know make of lnb or where you got it and is it possible to take a pic so I can see cable? Not tonight😀. Going down cavity and the wall plate. Did you wire wall plate and cables yourself?

Is it shot gun cable or 4 separate cables?

zac8 · 28-03-2023 8:58am

This is the lnb:

https://www.freetv.ie/sky-q-hybrid-lnb

It’s 4 separate cables wired by an electrician when the house was rewired about 6 years ago.

I’ll get a photo of lnb later today.

zac8 · 28-03-2023 2:37pm

Pic of lnb

swoofer · 28-03-2023 6:02pm

That looks good and cable is quite thick. What you are getting is electrical interference but tracking it down is the problem. You may have the zgemma and the sky q plugged in to the same mains circuit, they may be too close together, the wall plate may not be wired properly or earthed, there might be power cables in the same cavity as the sat cables, there may be a microwave oven nearby and on it goes.

Is it easy to tell that the 2 cables from the gold sockets are going to sky q box? They do look as if they are tailing off in different directions?

Do know your electrician if so give him a ring.

I'll ask in a few other forums and see if I get a response.

One last thing you could try a power extension cable ie plug it in as far from sky q as possible. If you could isolate the fault then fixing is easier.

andy1249 · 29-03-2023 10:26am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120411470#Comment_120411470

Troubleshooting 101 .... sing along now , "one of these things is not like the other ...."

Sky Q or wideband should be the two brass connectors .... the other four are standard universal Freesat.

Those freesat cables are not terminated neatly , shield wires are protruding somewhat , and may aid water ingress amongst other things.

First things first , rule out that obvious difference between the two as causing the problem , re-terminate those cables neatly.

zac8 · 03-04-2023 2:15pm

Tried a few things but no joy:

re-terminated cables at dish

plugged in zgemma on a different circuit

swapped cables at dish and swapped boxes so that they were both using the other cables.

sky q is plugged into wideband connectors on lnb.

the boxes are 50 feet apart and there’s electrical cables running down both cavities.

I must try to get hold of another box other than sky to see if it’s a wideband issue.

swoofer · 03-04-2023 3:14pm

Are the sat cables running down same cavity as power cables and can you run a lead direct from dish to zgemma?

Its a bummer. Did you get back to your electrician?

zac8 · 03-04-2023 3:29pm

Yes cables to both boxes are in wall cavities with power cables.

Good idea to run cables direct from dish to zgemma. I’ll try that next.

I don’t have contact details for the electrician.

Zgemma interfering with Sky Q

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