Sky Set Top Box Issue

barch · 1 Oct 2012

Hi, I've a Amstrad sky box which has been working fine until a recent storm. Its now giving a message saying no signal is being received.

I went into the setup menu and the signal strength fluctuated quite a bit. I couldnt get it stable despite moving the LNB around. So I bought a new LNB which is giving a consistent signal, but the "signal strentgh" is zero. no grey bar at all.

Is this likely to be the skybox? or dish alignment.

thanks
Ian

Peet · 2 Oct 2012

barch said:
Hi, I've a Amstrad sky box which has been working fine until a recent storm. Its now giving a message saying no signal is being received.

I went into the setup menu and the signal strength fluctuated quite a bit. I couldnt get it stable despite moving the LNB around. So I bought a new LNB which is giving a consistent signal, but the "signal strentgh" is zero. no grey bar at all.

Is this likely to be the skybox? or dish alignment.

thanks
Ian

It's unlikely that the storm moved the dish unless it was loose. How do you know the new LNB gives a good signal if signal strength is zero?

Going from some signal to none at all suggests the new LNB isn't in the sweet spot.
Has the cable got water in it?

Sam Gangee · 2 Oct 2012

Download "Troubleshooting Sky Digital", here:
http://www.The-Cool-Book-shop.co.uk/satellite_freeview.htm#undersky

barch said:
Is this likely to be the skybox? or dish alignment.

That's very easy to check with a spare Digibox. Standard ones are available for free or very cheaply. Try Freecycle, neighbours, friends, local papers.

barch · 7 Oct 2012

thanks for the replies guys.
i took a known working unit up to the house and, at first it returned the same result. But, I set it to find channels, which it did. All worked beautifully, so, I got hold of a new box and,,,,,,, still no signal!!! Going to start isolating stuff, it could well be that the cable has water in it. I'll rip that out and start again.
thanks again

barch · 14 Oct 2012

Hi All
Quick update. To recap. Old box stopped receiving signal. Changed LNB. Still nothing. Different box received signal and channels with new LNB. Replaed old box, still nothing.
tested able, showed a short, cut both ends and terminated again. Still nothing!

Going to get a frequeny tester of Ebay and check dish allignment. Cant think of anything else to try.

Oh, and I took old box to a friends, connected to his dish, all worked.

How do I check the LNB is focused correctly?

thanks

Sam Gangee · 14 Oct 2012

barch said:
Going to get a frequeny tester of Ebay and check dish allignment.

A "frequeny tester" won't help. A satfinder meter will if you can't receive any channels at all. However, if you can receive some, then the indication on your Digibox should be suffient to "peak" the dish alignment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qMbbi2l9JA

barch said:
How do I check the LNB is focused correctly?

Once the dish is correctly aligned, move the LNB away from, and towards, the dish. The focal point is the position which gives the highest signal strength reading. The correct "skew" (rotational position) is that which gives the best signal quality reading.

barch · 14 Oct 2012

Sam Gangee said:
barch said:

Going to get a frequeny tester of Ebay and check dish allignment.

Click to expand...

A "frequeny tester" won't help. A satfinder meter will if you can't receive any channels at all. However, if you can receive some, then the indication on your Digibox should be suffient to "peak" the dish alignment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qMbbi2l9JA

barch said:

How do I check the LNB is focused correctly?

Click to expand...

Once the dish is correctly aligned, move the LNB away from, and towards, the dish. The focal point is the position which gives the highest signal strength reading. The correct "skew" (rotational position) is that which gives the best signal quality reading.

Sorry, sat finder is what I meant. And yes, I dont have any channels right now. Once I get the aligned optimised, I'll try the LNB movement
thanks

daxi · 14 Oct 2012

barch said:
tested able, showed a short, cut both ends and terminated again. Still nothing!

If you have tested it & found a short. And by the sounds of it, that is in the Caox..You have checked the first places to find that short, both ends....BUT it's not the only places that a short can be..It could be water ingress, a cut, something has chewed the coax..Even melted coax..It's a long story, but I have had it.
Testing & checking things other than the coax, is not going to fix a short.

barch · 15 Oct 2012

daxi said:
barch said:

tested able, showed a short, cut both ends and terminated again. Still nothing!

Click to expand...

If you have tested it & found a short. And by the sounds of it, that is in the Caox..You have checked the first places to find that short, both ends....BUT it's not the only places that a short can be..It could be water ingress, a cut, something has chewed the coax..Even melted coax..It's a long story, but I have had it.Testing & checking things other than the coax, is not going to fix a short.

Yep, Thanks Daxi. I think this fault is very likely top be in the cable somewhere so will rip it out and start with new. I've put a non sky receiver on it today, one which shows signal strength and quality for every channel and I ws getting good signal and fluctuating quality, from zero to 40%. So, tested the coax again and it showed a short. Looks obvious now where the isse is.

thanks all

barch · 16 Oct 2012

I think I might have been a bit of a buffoon.
Took both N connectors of the cable and tested for shorts. There are none. My ohm meter gets a reading between the conductor and the sheilding when I connect to the LNB which I am now assuming its the circuitry in the LNB, not a short. If I set the meter to the speaker, I get no beep from connecting it to the central pin and thread on the LNB so I'm kind of guessing that I dont have a short. Thinking its back to alignment.

mattylad · 17 Oct 2012

If it's not a short have you tested for an open?

barch · 19 Oct 2012

mattylad said:
If it's not a short have you tested for an open?

no i havent, but, with te new lnb and existing cable I was able to get channels using a much newer box. so still mystified

Sam Gangee · 19 Oct 2012

barch said:
it could well be that the cable has water in it. I'll rip that out and start again.

So this didn't help?

barch · 19 Oct 2012

Sam Gangee said:
barch said:

it could well be that the cable has water in it. I'll rip that out and start again.

Click to expand...

So this didn't help?

just buzzed out existing cable. All ok. its the ame cable just with 4 ft of cable either end cut out.
Maybe I should replace it

Sam Gangee · 19 Oct 2012

As it's impractical to test fully an LNB, receiver or cable at all frequencies (you don't have the necessary equipment) the only alternative is to replace everything with new or known-good units.

If you replace the cable, please use WF100 with the matching 'F' plugs.

diynot

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.

Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

Sky Set Top Box Issue

Similar threads