Sky freeview reception was fine but now rubbish - options?

[tan8856]

Hi. When I moved to my flat 6 months ago the freeview reception through my sky box was fine, but a couple of months ago it deteriorated to the point where I can hardly get any channels and it’s stayed like that.


I’ve tried using a different sky box but no improvement. I can’t contact sky as I obviously don’t have a contract with them. The sky dish is communal to the block of flats and I don’t know or ever see anyone who also lives there so I don’t know if they have issues.


What are my options? Is there a cheap/easy way for me to boost the sky signal? Should I get a freeview box and hope the communal tv aerial works? Any other tech that might help?


Cheers.

 

[pete50]

Assuming nobody else is having problems then it could be your box, your television, the distribution amplifier for the flats, your bit of cable from the amp to your wall socket, your wall socket itself, the fly lead from the wall socket to your box, the ant sockets on you box or the ant sockets on your telly. For it to be the distribution amp, again assuming nobody else is having problems, then it would be your output part of the amp only that isn't working. Whilst that isn't impossible it isn't likely. So that means it's, more than likely your telly or your sky box or your bit of cable or all the other bits I have mentioned that only supply a signal to you. You can buy separate amps to boost signal level but they need to be as close to the ant/dish as possible otherwise they will amplify all the other rubbish as well. Do you have a maintenance company or someone who looks after all the bits of the complex that don't belong to you??? You can check the stuff that you can get at but checking things like the telly or the sky box either needs to be done by substitution or by someone with the correct equipment to fault find on those things.

 

[Lucid]

1) I presume there's a service charge and possibly rent on your flat? Therefore step 1 is to raise your concerns with the people making a living from your occupancy. Although there's no legal obligation for them to provide a means of receiving TV in the first place, once they have done so then it's up to them to maintain that service

2) Drop a note in through some of your neighbours doors/letterboxes to (a) introduce yourself and (b) ask if they're having problems also

3) Try Freeview; what have you got to lose? All modern TVs have an aerial socket and a Freeview tuner built in, so you don't need to buy a Freeview box just to do a test unless your TV predates digital TV or is some kind of monitor only. Have a look at your remote; if theres a TV/DTV button, or if the onscreen source menu gives you DTV alongside SCART and HDMI options then your TV has Freeview built in. If the wall plate is labelled for TV as well as satellite then give it a go

4) investigate the possibility that trees or some other plant life has grown and blocked the satellite dish's line of sight. The satellites up in space sit at quite a low angle on the horizon. Here's a video of someone using a sat finder app in their iPhone. As you can see, trees block the line of sight to some of them. The sort of gradual loss of signal you've described could be down to a technical reason such as water damage to a cable or a failing component in the dish receptor or somewhere in the distribution system, or it could just as easily be an adjacent tree or even a weed growing on the roof in front of the dish

Youtube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=5AFtcgYRcu4



Note: It's a minor point, but the signals being received by a satellite dish aren't Freeview. That only comes from an aerial. It's called Freesat when picked up with a non-Sky receiver, and Sky Free-to-View when being accessed from a Sky box.

It's to do with whose Electronic Programme Guide is being picked from the satellite signal. We here know what you meant, but some folk get their knickers in a twist if it's not described correctly. It's also useful to use the correct description when you're describing the issues to an aerial and satellite-dish installer or to people on other forum sites. That way you'll avoid any confusion or the risk of being sent down a blind alley chasing the wrong solutions

Let us know if you need more help.

 

[foxhole]

Did you check the signal quality in the setting on the box?

 

[tan8856]

1) I presume there's a service charge and possibly rent on your flat? Therefore step 1 is to raise your concerns with the people making a living from your occupancy. Although there's no legal obligation for them to provide a means of receiving TV in the first place, once they have done so then it's up to them to maintain that service

2) Drop a note in through some of your neighbours doors/letterboxes to (a) introduce yourself and (b) ask if they're having problems also

3) Try Freeview; what have you got to lose? All modern TVs have an aerial socket and a Freeview tuner built in, so you don't need to buy a Freeview box just to do a test unless your TV predates digital TV or is some kind of monitor only. Have a look at your remote; if theres a TV/DTV button, or if the onscreen source menu gives you DTV alongside SCART and HDMI options then your TV has Freeview built in. If the wall plate is labelled for TV as well as satellite then give it a go

4) investigate the possibility that trees or some other plant life has grown and blocked the satellite dish's line of sight. The satellites up in space sit at quite a low angle on the horizon. Here's a video of someone using a sat finder app in their iPhone. As you can see, trees block the line of sight to some of them. The sort of gradual loss of signal you've described could be down to a technical reason such as water damage to a cable or a failing component in the dish receptor or somewhere in the distribution system, or it could just as easily be an adjacent tree or even a weed growing on the roof in front of the dish

Youtube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=5AFtcgYRcu4



Note: It's a minor point, but the signals being received by a satellite dish aren't Freeview. That only comes from an aerial. It's called Freesat when picked up with a non-Sky receiver, and Sky Free-to-View when being accessed from a Sky box.

It's to do with whose Electronic Programme Guide is being picked from the satellite signal. We here know what you meant, but some folk get their knickers in a twist if it's not described correctly. It's also useful to use the correct description when you're describing the issues to an aerial and satellite-dish installer or to people on other forum sites. That way you'll avoid any confusion or the risk of being sent down a blind alley chasing the wrong solutions

Let us know if you need more help.

Hi
I contacted the flat management company and they say they had issues with reception a while back but they were fixed and they’ve had no reports of issues since, until me. Can you tell me, is the sky free to view signal exactly the same signal as paying customers get? I’m wondering if paying customers get a better quality signal off a different wire to us free customers? That could explain why no one else has reported issues.
Thanks

 

[tan8856]

Did you check the signal quality in the setting on the box?

Hi
I’ve just gone into the signal strength menu but the top 2 indicators arnt very helpful. Does the fact that they are empty bars mean poor signal? Or full signal? I was hoping for some sort of %. I’m attaching photos. Thanks

 

[foxhole]

You have no signal to box, either cabling loose,faulty or dish has moved [in which case no one connected will have a signal]. you appear to have only one cable connected.

 

[Doggit]

The signal quality is the same whether you pay for it or not. You need to contact the other tenants, and see how they are doing. IF, they are using sky, and have a good signal, then it's a cabling or LNB issue, and if they've got no signal, then it's a dish or LNB problem.

Of course, sods law says they may not be using sky, but hopefully one of them will let you take your sky box in, and connect it to their TV to check out their signal.

And have you checked that there are no lose connections at the back of your sky box.

 

[Lucid]

foxhole and Doggit are correct. You have signal set for only one input, and the signal quality is the same whether watching from paid Sky subscription or Sky Free-to-View for those channels that are available under both systems.

Hi
I contacted the flat management company and they say they had issues with reception a while back but they were fixed and they’ve had no reports of issues since, until me. Can you tell me, is the sky free to view signal exactly the same signal as paying customers get? I’m wondering if paying customers get a better quality signal off a different wire to us free customers? That could explain why no one else has reported issues.
Thanks

Let's do the basics first.

1) Have you checked the connection lead plug ends from the wall socket and at the back of the box?

2) Have you got one or two outlets at the wall marked up as SAT?

3a) Did you bring your Sky box from a different house and that had a two-cable-connection?
3b) Did anyone set-up the Sky box in the flat for you, or did you just plug it in?


Okay, here's some likely cause for signal loss in just one flat but not others

• You're the only person in the whole building using Sky, and there's some problem with dish or distribution gear but no one else watches via Sky so they're not affected - Probability 1/100 - very low unless there are only two or three other tenants in the building and they rarely watch TV

• The plug ends for the satellite fly lead(s) are poorly fitted or have worked loose over time - they move with vacuuming or the curtains brushing past - Probability 90/100 - very high

• Sky in your building works on a single feed only, but your box is still set up in dual feed mode, and now the box has thrown a hissy fit - Probability 1/100 - very low Your box won't just stop working in a situation like this. You'd notice a few failed recordings even though it appears you have signal

If I were there troubleshooting then the first thing to do is make sure that plug ends are still fitted right.

I have seen it where a single thick cable was changed to thin twin, but the bodger doing the job used a bigger diameter plug end on a thin cable. It didn't take long for the cable to work loose. Other possiblity with plug ends is the braid was cut right back so it's not making a connection with the outer shield of the plug - it's a broken electrical connection again (very low voltage so perfectly safe).

Where the cable hasn't been prepared properly then it's possible for it to come out off the plug just far enough that to a causual glance it still looks okay, but on closer inspection the plug end is only barely on to the cable end.

There's some Youtube videos about fitting F plugs. None of them get it 100% correct but they'll do for showing you enough to check your own.

 

[ericmark]

I did note at one point my Pace Sky box had low signal and would not receive some multiplex signals, however my free to air box worked OK, it turned out the cable had water in and the free to air box was more sensitive. Also noted the signal strength bars measure the strength of the program tuned to, it seems they come from a range of satellites so using the strength of worst and moving dish often means that one gets that one working but lose another. I gave up and got some one in.

 

[tan8856]

foxhole and Doggit are correct. You have signal set for only one input, and the signal quality is the same whether watching from paid Sky subscription or Sky Free-to-View for those channels that are available under both systems.



Let's do the basics first.

1) Have you checked the connection lead plug ends from the wall socket and at the back of the box?

2) Have you got one or two outlets at the wall marked up as SAT?

3a) Did you bring your Sky box from a different house and that had a two-cable-connection?
3b) Did anyone set-up the Sky box in the flat for you, or did you just plug it in?


Okay, here's some likely cause for signal loss in just one flat but not others

• You're the only person in the whole building using Sky, and there's some problem with dish or distribution gear but no one else watches via Sky so they're not affected - Probability 1/100 - very low unless there are only two or three other tenants in the building and they rarely watch TV

• The plug ends for the satellite fly lead(s) are poorly fitted or have worked loose over time - they move with vacuuming or the curtains brushing past - Probability 90/100 - very high

• Sky in your building works on a single feed only, but your box is still set up in dual feed mode, and now the box has thrown a hissy fit - Probability 1/100 - very low Your box won't just stop working in a situation like this. You'd notice a few failed recordings even though it appears you have signal

If I were there troubleshooting then the first thing to do is make sure that plug ends are still fitted right.

I have seen it where a single thick cable was changed to thin twin, but the bodger doing the job used a bigger diameter plug end on a thin cable. It didn't take long for the cable to work loose. Other possiblity with plug ends is the braid was cut right back so it's not making a connection with the outer shield of the plug - it's a broken electrical connection again (very low voltage so perfectly safe).

Where the cable hasn't been prepared properly then it's possible for it to come out off the plug just far enough that to a causual glance it still looks okay, but on closer inspection the plug end is only barely on to the cable end.

Hi. Does it matter that I have signal set for only one input? I thought the second input was for sky+ and because I’m not using the record facility i only need one cable?

 

[Lucid]

Hi. Does it matter that I have signal set for only one input? I thought the second input was for sky+ and because I’m not using the record facility i only need one cable?

If you're simply using the box for Sky's Free-to-View service then no, you don't need the second cable.

 

[ericmark]

Aileen [URL='https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/barometer/uk-storm-centre/ophelia']Ex-Hurricane Ophelia and [URL='https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/barometer/uk-storm-centre/storm-brian']Brian are likely to have moved dishes in some areas of the country, if signal loss was gradual then likely cable, but if after one of the high winds then it could have moved, since not one satellite but a group it is likely you loose some, but not all multiplex signals it is time to meet the other people in the flats and ask them. [/URL][/URL]