Set-up problem with a Philex receiver

olibats · 02-09-2009

Hi,

I bought a DIY kit from B and Q and am attemting to install it myself.

I have tuned it into the Astra 2 satellite using a metre. I have spent a few hours adjusting the position and skew but the best I can get is a 'Signal' reading of 74% and a 'quality' reading of 65%.

Should I be able to get a higher signal strength and quality, or are these values about the norm for this receiver. The picture quality is not brilliant (not as good as freeview) so I am wondering if that's the best I will ever kit with this kit.

Many thanks for any help you can give.

**Topper** · 03-09-2009

Welcome to the forum olibats

Without knowing what dish size you have it is not possible to comment upon very much.

What channels are you watching when you say the quality is not good? or does lack of quality apply on all channels?, how is the stb connected to the TV, using scart or other?

The picture quality should be as good as if not better than freeview

**rolfw** · 03-09-2009

The picture quality for digital transmissions is purely down to the output from your satellite receiver and is not affected by dish alignment, only if you are receiving a pixellated/broken picture will alignment be an issue.

If you are using a half way reasonable scart lead and have your receiver set to RGB, that will be the best you will get from that receiver.

Regarding the signal strength and quality, the readings on receivers are not calibrated and should only be used as a rough guide, if you have got them as high as you possibly can by tweaking the alignment and skew of the LNB, then providing you have solid uninterrupted reception, that is fine.

olibats · 03-09-2009

Thaks for the info.
The dish is 60cm. The picture quality is the same across all channels. I'm connecting via a scart lead to the TV - not sure if the recieiver has other connection options. I'll check the RGB settig as well.

Thanks

Rymkykut · 18-10-2009

Originally Posted by olibats

Hi,

I bought a DIY kit from B and Q and am attemting to install it myself.

I have tuned it into the Astra 2 satellite using a metre. I have spent a few hours adjusting the position and skew but the best I can get is a 'Signal' reading of 74% and a 'quality' reading of 65%.

Should I be able to get a higher signal strength and quality, or are these values about the norm for this receiver. The picture quality is not brilliant (not as good as freeview) so I am wondering if that's the best I will ever kit with this kit.

Many thanks for any help you can give.

I have a very similar problem. Bought the same Philex kit from B&Q with a 45cm dish. I was trying to point the dish to Astra 2 (checked the direction etc. on dishpointer.com), but the best signal strength I could get was 78% and 0% signal quality. Thing is a havent mounted the dish to the wall yet, so I was trying figure out where to put the dish, how hight etc. and I was holding it with my hands and trying to get reception. I know it is not precise enough to hold it with hands, but the question is, will I be able to get a good quality signal if I mount the dish to the wall? Is the 78% signal strength enough to receive good quality picture?

Something else: satfinders... Are these really useful? I mean if you know where to point the dish, what angle etc. do you really need it?

PS: I was trying to locate a satellite this way: 1 was trying to find the best signal strength turning the dish vertically very slowly and when I reached the highest number I stopped and started to do the same horizontally. Thought this is the best way.

Any thoughts?

***Tivù*** · 18-10-2009

It is a regrettable fact, which doesn't help first timers, that many systems show a quiescent "Signal Strength" reading of apparently significant proportions even when the Dish is pointed anywhere but at a Satellite cluster (Try it .......).

So don't set any store by it - until and unless you are sufficiently close to a Satellite position that the reading starts to change markedly.

When it does, the needle meter will help with peaking for max. actual Strength.

In any event, the key parameter, given sufficient Strength, is Quality.

Dish height is irrelevant, as long as there are no obstructions in the line of sight: The Satellites are 24,000 miles away, so a few metres of height at your location makes no difference whatsoever.

The Dish face should be more or less vertical as a starting point. The final Elevation of the Dish face will be very close to vertical.

Satfinders are useful if you cannot easily see the Receivers own metering. and, as you've found, "knowing" the desired Azimuth and Elevation is not the be all and end all as you need to align to pinpoint accuracy to get any signal at all - hence the value of the Meter.

So, your problem is not at all similar to the OP's as he has a worthwhile signal, as evidenced by the fact he has a decent Quality reading and some actual Channels ............. and you have a zero Quality reading and no Channels, meaning you haven't yet got close to the Satellite!

Rymkykut · 18-10-2009

Originally Posted by Tivù

It is a regrettable fact, which doesn't help first timers, that many systems show a quiescent "Signal Strength" reading of apparently significant proportions even when the Dish is pointed anywhere but at a Satellite cluster (Try it .......).

So don't set any store by it - until and unless you are sufficiently close to a Satellite position that the reading starts to change markedly.

When it does, the needle meter will help with peaking for max. actual Strength.

In any event, the key parameter, given sufficient Strength, is Quality.

Dish height is irrelevant, as long as there are no obstructions in the line of sight: The Satellites are 24,000 miles away, so a few metres of height at your location makes no difference whatsoever.

The Dish face should be more or less vertical as a starting point. The final Elevation of the Dish face will be very close to vertical.

Satfinders are useful if you cannot easily see the Receivers own metering. and, as you've found, "knowing" the desired Azimuth and Elevation is not the be all and end all as you need to align to pinpoint accuracy to get any signal at all - hence the value of the Meter.

So, your problem is not at all similar to the OP's as he has a worthwhile signal, as evidenced by the fact he has a decent Quality reading and some actual Channels ............. and you have a zero Quality reading and no Channels, meaning you haven't yet got close to the Satellite!

So, I should fix the satellite to the wall, buy a satfinder and try to align it that way, would be the best to do. Is that what you suggest?

**Mickha** · 18-10-2009

Fix the dish to a fixed object, anywhere with a clear line of sight to Astra 2 will do, even in the garden, and then try to find the satellite, doing it by hand is almost impossible.
You could just tune your receiver to a FTA, Free To Air, channel and gently move the dish until you get a picture.

***Tivù*** · 18-10-2009

Originally Posted by Rymkykut

So, I should fix the satellite to the wall, buy a satfinder and try to align it that way, would be the best to do. Is that what you suggest?

Fix the dish to the wall or to something stable, yes.

You won't get anywhere at all without precision.

As for the Satellite finder, you only need that if you cannot arrange the Receiver and TV such that you can see the Receiver's Strength and Quality Meters.

***Huevos*** · 18-10-2009

Originally Posted by Tivù

As for the Satellite finder, you only need that if you cannot arrange the Receiver and TV such that you can see the Receiver's Strength and Quality Meters.

I've read this so many times but I can't imagine doing it.

To the OP, to set up a fixed dish mount it on a vertical pole, set the correct elevation on the dish for the satellite you require, then just slowly swing the dish right to left until the sat finder sees a signal. If you have set the elevation correctly this should be your chosen satellite as when swing around a vertical axis the dish only crosses the geosat arc in 2 places.

Rymkykut · 18-10-2009

Ok! I will fix the dish to something stable, get a satfinder and try it. Just one more question, while I was looking for a satfinder I found a couple of them, the only difference between them was in the Frequency range they operate. One operates at 0.95GHz to 2.15GHz and the other one 0.950–2.3 GHz. Which one would be better to buy?

***Tivù*** · 18-10-2009

Originally Posted by Huevos

I've read this so many times but I can't imagine doing it.

Not sure what you can't imagine doing?

Do you mean using the Receiver's Metering?

I use my SL65 as a Meter as it has an inbuilt Tone which I bung through my Hi-Fi so I can hear it easily outside. Works a treat!

***Tivù*** · 18-10-2009

Originally Posted by Rymkykut

Ok! I will fix the dish to something stable, get a satfinder and try it. Just one more question, while I was looking for a satfinder I found a couple of them, the only difference between them was in the Frequency range they operate. One operates at 0.95GHz to 2.15GHz and the other one 0.950–2.3 GHz. Which one would be better to buy?

Either.

Get the cheapest

***Huevos*** · 18-10-2009

Originally Posted by Tivù

Not sure what you can't imagine doing?

Do you mean using the Receiver's Metering?

I use my SL65 as a Meter as it has an inbuilt Tone which I bung through my Hi-Fi so I can hear it easily outside. Works a treat!

Yes, I can't imagine taking a television set to the dish.

***Tivù*** · 18-10-2009

I was referring to situations where the TV can be seen from the Dish in any event, or temporarily moving it inside to such a position, not to taking one outside specifically for the purpose! Although it is not that uncommon for mad people to do just that.

Furthermore, a lot of folk are happy to use the buddy system and shout between the Dish position where they are attempting to align and the Viewing position; Wives, usually (Although a Wife as "buddy" .......... Hmmm).

Don't forget these are Hobbyists, not Pros. and many will try anything to take shortcuts and save money.

Personally, I can just see my Bedroom TV (where most of my kit is situated) through the window nearest where all my Dishes are. Except for one Dish, where I do need to take my Meter out.

**streetlighter** · 4 Weeks Ago

A good tip is to look at where all the Sky mindishes nearby are pointing and get your dish roughly in that direction,move it slowly and dont have it pointing upward too much and by using the sat meter and signal level on the box you should get good results.
Those cheap sat beepers wont tell you which satellite you have lined up on so a few attempts may be required.
Also its the quality that matters most anything above 50% will get you a picture but aim for higher.

**Robbo** · 4 Weeks Ago

Originally Posted by Huevos

Yes, I can't imagine taking a television set to the dish.

I setup up my first motorised at home doing that

I had an old 15" colour tv, laid it on its back on the ground, and could see it from up the ladder, worked a treat.

Nowadays I have a 7inch LCD, which does the job too, when I want to see a picture as well.

**rolfw** · 4 Weeks Ago

Yep, I think most of us oldies have used a portable TV as an alignment tool at one time or another.

Much easier of course when analogue signals were around.

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Set-up problem with a Philex receiver Information exchange on LNBs, Single satellite, motorised and multi-satellite systems. DiSEqC switches, positioners, motors, actuators, dish-alignment etc.

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