system locks up? help

[newbie290]

hi im total new and have total standard sky digital gear, im having problems and thought this place would be good for help?
This started about two weeks ago, when i press a button on the remote control to sellect another channel for instance, the command light on the digi box stays on and the picture frezze`s, the only way out of it is to remove the power cord and plug it back in, this happening alot more recently,
tonight i noticed the channel i was watching breaking up so i went to change channel and this happened 3 times in a row,
is my box on its way out?, or the remote bust?
any help greatly welcomed and if you need any more details just ask, i am a power plant engineer so not totaly clueless, but this has me beat...
cheers
newbie290

[BGonaSTICK]

Difficult to diagnose remotely, but maybe many things.

Tried changing the remote batteries?

Have you tried cleaning and replacing the card?

More likely your receiver. Some Panasonics don't like some of the over-the-air updates that Sly transmit. May be the power supply, or possibly the tuner going west. Is it all channels, or just subscription channels?

Could possibly just be down to the excessive heat ATM in the UK. Is it well ventilated? Does it sit on top of another box?

Can you borrow another remote to try?

[newbie290]

hi thanks for the advice,
i will try another remote,yes the box sits on top of the dvd player but has done for over 6 months, i have cleaned the card a number of times, one point,,, the kids have had the card out a few times but visualy it looks ok.
ill try another remote over the next week or so and see how it goes.
cheers.

[BGonaSTICK]

If you suspect the card, try using just the FTA channels for a day or two - BBC channels are all FTA. You don't even need the card in the box. They can be damaged if they're pushed and pulled too many times.

Let us know how you get on.

If I had to make a guess, I'd say suspect tuner. S/H box around £40 on Ebay , but you'll have to phone Sly to re-pair the card to the new box if you have a premium subscription I believe.

If you subscribe to Sly and threaten to cancel, they should offer to sell you a S/H box for £65 IIRC.

Don't get stitched by them for a £65 service call-out only to tell you your box is knackerd!

[newbie290]

hi, cheers for the advice,
ill try the bbc channels out, i have a family package which i dont think they class as premium?, if i were to get another box what is decent out there at the moment?
im off to france on sunday for 20 days on hol so ill try out things until then and mayby look at replacing the box when i get back,
p.s since i posted this it has happened twice, one on bravo and other on Sky travel,i noticed i often get a message first saying no signal or tech fault with channel...tuner eh?
cheers again

[newbie290]

p.ss
can i get a new card anywhere or is this full of problems?
if so how much,,,any software mods etc to get extra channels???
look at me getting out of me depth now..
cheers.

[BGonaSTICK]

hi, cheers for the advice,
ill try the bbc channels out, i have a family package which i dont think they class as premium?

Correct. It's not. Well, that's my understanding, but then I don't subscribe!

if i were to get another box what is decent out there at the moment?

I've been talking Sly digiboxes thus far. I presume you're talking about moving on to a receiver capable of decrypting other packages? If so, loads of good subscription packages, but only a few can be opened illegally at the moment.

im off to france on sunday for 20 days on hol so ill try out things until then and mayby look at replacing the box when i get back,
p.s since i posted this it has happened twice, one on bravo and other on Sky travel,i noticed i often get a message first saying no signal or tech fault with channel...tuner eh?
cheers again

Looking more like a pending tuner failure with every passing nanosecond...

[BGonaSTICK]

p.ss
can i get a new card anywhere or is this full of problems?
if so how much,,,any software mods etc to get extra channels???
look at me getting out of me depth now..
cheers.

You can buy a legit 'Free to View' card (ITV, Ch4, Ch5 etc.) for £20 from Sly directly at http://www.freesatfromsky.co.uk/

Don't be tempted to buy one at an inflated price on Ebay ...

There are no mods for Sly digiboxes or Sly official cards. Other packages occaisionally become compromised and viewed illegally with the use of programable cards, CAMS and receiver emulators or software patches.

There is loads of info on all of those topics on this forum.

Give the 'search' function a damn good thrashing!

[Robbiewright]

Is you box a Panasonic?

[newbie290]

Is you box a Panasonic?

yes it is ive looked on the set up info if this helps
model no 1.1.x
version no 0f0210
operating system version 1.2s4f9
epg soft version 3.3a.6
signal strenght at about 3/4
signal quality at about 3/4
cheers

[max.max]

hi m8s, any chance of getting back the old sw version since I have unfortunately discovered that updating my panasonic 30 made it "freeze" (only way out is to disconnect the mains) everytime the signal gets weaker on 2A/B north panel channels ?
Any advise for a desperate man ? maybe a dragon cam with a better receiver as I have no chance of placing a bigger dish ?

[spiney]

to answer original question ......


it's not the remote, it's not the viewing card, it might possibly be the power supply (when electrolytics start drying out, microprocessor stability is 1st thing to go, the tuner section remains working!).

Worth trying a software reload (if the software for your box is currently available, what make is it?).

If software reload doesn't work, power supply repair kits are available for most digibox makes, about £10, but it's easier to buy a new box!

[newbie290]

the box is a panasonic all info is on my other posts, is this a good option? to replace the psu? or should i upgrade my standard system now? for one with a few more "bell and whistles"?

[spiney]

1st try a software update, should be a FAQ on this site, if not somebody else will tell you how, note you should leave it going at least 30 mins, and it depends if software for your box is currently being transmitted (unfortunately, receiver doesn't tell you whether there is any while it's "updating"! If not, box just reverts to previous software).

(from symptoms, it doesn't sound like software, but still worth trying anyway!).

(sometimes a Sky box works "slowly", when viewing card is being updated, but this shouldn't happen all the time over 2 weeks!).

[kayemes]

This Lockup problem has been around for a few months now, I notice it more in Spain than UK as the cause seems to be weak signal. I think it happend around the time of the software upgrade that causes the box to ask you to connect a phone line each time you boot. One tip in problem areas is to avoid using the program guide, Put all channels in the favorites menu and use the blue or up/down buttons to change channels rather than the TV guide. Maybe the background music or something is pulled in from a weak transponder? but it does seem to help

[supapete]

It looks like I've just joined a happy throng of duff digiboxes.

I've got a 4out lnb with three hitherto receivers all going well.

I disconnected a panasonic TU-DSB20 for a gear re-shuffle, and when
I re-connected- diddly.

red power l e d shows and all attempts to fire it up result in a no picture
customer guide thing. Dis & re connection, card or no card, gets the same result.

It has fired up once out of the fourteen million attempts and worked o.k. I thought
I'd have a look here.................

Welcome to the club dya say ?

No help to anyone, I know, but boy do I feel a bit better knowing there are fellow sufferers.

Regards all

P

[supapete]

_http://www.satcure.co.uk

good starting point

[Robbiewright]

I was just about to say the same as kayemes. I have had the same problem with my Panasonic box. I can't tell you how to fix it but if it's the same as my problem then I can tell you how to get around it. keep away from any of the blue buttons at the top of the remote, " TV, guide, box office, services and interactive'. don't know why but if i used any of these and returned to watch T.V the box would freeze with all lights on. As Keyemes said, use favorites and up and down until you get a new box. worked for me.

[newbie290]

This Lockup problem has been around for a few months now, I notice it more in Spain than UK as the cause seems to be weak signal. I think it happend around the time of the software upgrade that causes the box to ask you to connect a phone line each time you boot. One tip in problem areas is to avoid using the program guide, Put all channels in the favorites menu and use the blue or up/down buttons to change channels rather than the TV guide. Maybe the background music or something is pulled in from a weak transponder? but it does seem to help

i do use the blue button with all my favorites in but still have the problem, funny enogh i havnt had an episode so far today (fingers crossed)

[iceman]

http://www.satellites.co.uk/php-bin/...ad.php?t=39896
I am personally convinced these lockups only happen in low signal installations..
Same locking panasonic boxes have no problem on good signal installations..

[newbie290]

would 3/4signal strenght beclased as low?.
i updated my software on sat afternoon even though it looked like it had the new one anyway, and i have not had a repeat since. coincidence?
cheers all.

[iceman]

would 3/4signal strenght beclased as low?.

I can only comment on personal experience...Out here in Northern Cyprus we use sat dishes over 4m to pick up default transponder (11778V) & 2D Horizontal signals..These "freezing" Panasonics have been working OK on dishes over 4m but keep locking up on smaller type dishes where we have to replace default transponder to 12207V from 11778V...Forced software upgrades havent helped either..

[iceman]

THIS & THIS is also related threads from not so long ago...

[spiney]

if the software update did cure it, that's great! From symptoms, it did sound like power supply, so I was pessimistic!

[newbie290]

if the software update did cure it, that's great! From symptoms, it did sound like power supply, so I was pessimistic!

im still keen on your diagnosis! so ill hold out and se what happens, off to france tomorrow for 19 days so ill be back on its case when i get back.
cheers for all the help.
lee