Foxsat Freesat-is a dish a dish?

rob1974

Hello all.
I've recently purchased a Humax Foxsat Freesat STB.
Got it working - but only on MANUAL tune. Picks up 100's of channels including BBC HD. But NO ITV HD (when on air!)

Also the old problem where it won't accept the postcode. Or any other UK postcode for that matter. (Yep I've trolled the threads here already recommending that one!)

Humax support tell me i'm either pointing at wrong satellite. Or equipment is too old. Spent hours playing with dish to no further avail.

My question is- my satellite dish may be over 5 years old. It is a sky dish which the previous house owner had fitted. So I don't know how old it is, but we've been in here 4 years !
So what should I purchase first, a satellite finder, or a newer dish?

Seen Sky dishes on EBay for £12. Is it worth spending more or is a dish a dish? Is a bigger one better?? So many questions, I'm lost.

Thanks in advance. I realise this is basic stuff but I ain't got a clue really
I live in Halifax West Yorkshire, in case that matters!

Robbo

Hi, yes, for most purposes, a dish is a dish, but an LNB is not an LNB.


Best if you posted a picture of what you have. It may just be a case of swapping over the LNB if it is a really old one.


It may be fitted with one of the older single band ( not sure if that is the correct term) LNBs, if so, it would need changing to a Universal. Or the LNB you have could just be knackerrred.


For receiving Freesat in the UK, most people manage OK with a Sky minidish. However geting a slightly larger one would do no harm. When the rain really comes lashing down, you are less likely to lose the signal.

rolfw

First I would check the transponders on all four LNB bands. Go to this site _http://www.lyngsat.com/28east.html and pick a horizontal and vertical channel from high and low bands and see if you can receive them and how good the quality.

So if you say picked:

11428 H Shorts TV
10906 V Ulster TV

12032 H Ideal World
12051 V Nuts TV

They would illustrate whether all four bands are working.

I have found that some boxes require a space in the middle of the postcode and others don't, something they perhaps could have standardised before taking the receivers to market.

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rob1974

I replaced the LNB 3 years ago.
It's a quad LNB I purchased from Ebay !!

Didn't spend a fortune on it. Can't remember exactly what it was now.
Never had any trouble with Sky TV with setup though.

And it does seem to be finding a hell of a diverse set of channels from across the UK. And BBC HD looks stunning.

Can have a closer look at the different frequencies tomorrow.

The Humax support team made it sound like dishes over 5 years old are analogue, whilst todays' dishes are digital.
Is that a load of tripe?

Robbo

A dish is a dish

......a sheet of metal pressed into a parabolic shape, some more accurately than others. An 'analogue' dish can be used for digital, but the LNB needs changing. Pretty sure Sky moved from Analogue far longer than 5 years ago. Not been in the hobby long enough to know.

It could also be that the dish is mis-aligned slightly. But check the transponders you get like rolf suggested before messing with the dish.

snap

Rolf may have put his finger on it with the postcode issue. This receiver will reject a perfectly valid postcode if a space is entered.
Can't you borrow someone's Sky receiver to see if that works on the dish?

rob1974

Thanks for your continued support. I very much appreciate this.

Well, I know the setup works fine on sky, beacuse we have a sky box (we used this before purchasing the Foxsat). No probs whatsoever.

Humax said the dish can be just millimetres out ( a different satellite from sky to the Freesat I believe)

So, I won't replace the dish!!

Seems like the following batting order best:-
1. Check transponders
2. Purchase a signal finder? (as spent ages already moving dish)
3. Purchase a quality LNB.
4, Call an expert to come and sort it out!

How's that sound? Can anyone recommend a top notch double (or quad LNB in case it comes to it?)

Champions league on ITV HD tomorrow night. Getting desperate to fix!

jonwisbey

sometimes we have to ask our selfs is it worth the hasselyes

sometimes its just better to call out a local sat company
for the time you have spent on it then buying more equipment you might not need

all for saving your self about £40/£50 getting it done properly first time

rob1974

Sorry, forgot to say.
Tried every conceivable variation on entering postcode. With space, without, central london etc etc.

I'd seen all this before on this forum
!!

rob1974

....At least I think so !!

I called an engineer out as I'd had enough playing around.
He replaced the LNB for a new one, and it worked great. (Even though sky worked Ok with this LNB)
The LNB was a quad by 'Raven' which I got from Ebay two years ago for less than £10 if I remember right.

The famous postcode issue resolved immediately.
Haven't checked ITV HD works, as there haven't been any broadcasts yet.

Thanks for your input all.
Only problem is..there are less channels now!
I'm a bit miffed at the costs of the process as it was £85 inc new quad LNB, but I guess the guy has to make a living...

jonwisbey

so he used your other lnb and charged you £85 for doing it
dam my prices are a bit cheep i think

atleast you got it working though