Eurobird 1 reception

chrisips2 · 02-06-2008

Sorry if I have posted this incorrectly but I am new to forums.

I have a receiver which is connected to a communal satellite dish. I can receive all Astra 2 channels on the Freesat from Sky package and occasionally Eurobird 1 channels on the same package.

The signal strength reported on my very basic Sky box is excellent (but what it's evaluating I'm really not sure).

Any idea why I cannot always receive Eurobird 1 transmissions? Mostly I just see a scrambled mess of colours and interrupted sound.

Previously I had my own dish (Sky Minidish) and similar problems. Am I doing something wrong? Or can I complain to the aerial installer (and if I do, what can I say to sound intelligent?!!)

Many thanks for any help.

Chrisp

**Robbo** · 02-06-2008

HI, and welcome

Yes you should be getting all the SD channels from all the satellites at 28E, including Eurobird 1.

It is difficult to diagnose what the problem is, at it could be a number of things. The most likely, I would have thought is dish alignment, but it could be something else.

All you would need to say to the installer is that you are getting picture break-up on the Eurobird 1 channels, he will have the equipment to diagnose what is causing it.

The Sky box shows the signal quality on its default transponder, so it is possible that it is good whilst not receiving some channels on a different transponder.

Robbo

**PaulR** · 02-06-2008

I've experienced a similar effect from a Grundig (a 200 or 300 with the S-video socket) which works OK to start with and then deteriorates. I've fitted a PSU kit so that isn't the problem.

A different receiver, a Pace 2500,works fine. The Grundig also works fine round at a friend's house and I have put it down to him having a stronger signal. This is in the south of France and he has an 80cm dish and I only have a 70cm dish ATM.

Have you tried a different Digibox?

**satelliteman** · 02-06-2008

I would first be inclined to ask other users of the communal satellite dish if they are experiencing any problems too. In the field there does seem to be a compatibility problem between some receivers and multi-switches on communal systems and this have been put down to sat /sat isolation problems (band switching). Do a bit more fishing first in my opinion

**PaulR** · 02-06-2008

Originally Posted by satelliteman

In the field there does seem to be a compatibility problem between some receivers and multi-switches on communal systems and this have been put down to sat /sat isolation problems (band switching).

Interesting. What receivers have you heard about so far?

chrisips2

What make and model or Digibox do you have? Is there any possibilty of you trying another make?

**satelliteman** · 02-06-2008

PaulR, $ky HD receivers seem to crop up a fair bit. Normally a change of switch fixes it but it has to be said alignment, LNb and the usual can give the same symptoms

Rolf?

chrisips2 · 03-06-2008

Hi

The box is a Pace DS445N (ugly looking blighter) and I have tried a Sky plus box too - same result. I live in a block of 47 flats and I'm the first to move in so I have nothing to compare but I ran some tests last night using the manual tuning function. The results for signal strength and quality range from about 90% on Astra 2A down to about 15% on Eurobird 1 S1.

I have problems with FM / DAB reception too so I have booked an engineer for next week, I'll suggest the dish could need re-aligning while he is there and hope he is interested!

Thanks to everyone for your support so far.

Cp

**Robbo** · 03-06-2008

Originally Posted by chrisips2

Hi

I'll suggest the dish could need re-aligning while he is there and hope he is interested!
Cp

Could be anything, sounds like the system hasn't been fully commissioned yet. If the guy puts his sat meter on there he should be able to locate the source of the problem. Lets hope the guys who installed it did a professional job.

**satelliteman** · 03-06-2008

Lets hope the guys who come to look at it know what they are doing...... there's plenty out there that don't

bbjacobsen · 27-06-2008

Could be a LNB problem. Not all LNB handels the frequenses correctly. If you have to do anything your self (you have to pay) try to replace the lnb, its cheeper than changing spliiter, modulators etc...

BB

**rolfw** · 28-06-2008

Originally Posted by bbjacobsen

Could be a LNB problem. Not all LNB handels the frequenses correctly. If you have to do anything your self (you have to pay) try to replace the lnb, its cheeper than changing spliiter, modulators etc...

BB

If it's part of a multipoint system, the poster won't be able to change the LNB, or anything else for that matter, as his feeds will come from a multiswitch, fed by a quattro LNB.

As we've established that it is a new system, the Multiswitch probably needs a little tweaking to bring in the missing channels.

chrisips2 · 30-06-2008

Well the guy turned up from a company based in Baldock (a long way from Ipswich) and therefore wanted to make sure he got it right this time.

It should be noted that all services (terrestrial TV, FM radio, DAB radio and satellite) all come through the same piece of coax into my flat and all offer appalling reception.

Anywho, the guy stayed for four or five hours, tweaking this and tweaking that and left having made no impact at all on any services, let alone the satellite service.

I'm really at the point of giving up. I tried to explain everything to the engineer and give him lots of suggestions for fixing the issue but he just didn't seem to understand. Grrrrr!

I'm hoping that as more people start to move in to the flats more people will complain and something might be done. So for the time being it's BBC Iplayer for me

Thank you to everyone that has contributed here.

**satelliteman** · 30-06-2008

Your man should have worked from the outlet plate in the flat back to the headend. 5 hours messing around instead of finding where the problem lies.
I'm afraid he is not a pro.....

***snap*** · 10-07-2008

The problem is probably in the cable connecting your flat to the switch feeding all the flats. These cables are always done by electricians, who are notorious for using cheap cable for the TV outlet, sometimes they use standard co-axial which is completely unsuited for satellite use.
If the block is new, complain to the builders, as the work should be guaranteed under the NHBC.
If the cable proves OK, it will be down to the person who installed the dish, which should also be guaranteed. It's very easy to get a slight misalignment on Eurobird, which is much weaker in the UK than Astra 2D used by BBC & ITV.
You have very strong grounds for a complaint.

**Analoguesat** · 10-07-2008

Get onto the building management company and play merry hell with them until they fix it.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)