Amstrad DRX300 & Grundig 3000

stocksie

These Sky boxes showing "No signal received" on apparantly random channels.
No default channel strength or quality showing plus "no lock" but both receive
BBC2 ITV1 and 2 etc. Nothing on 501 Sky News. Both from the same source.
Could they have had forced download under poor signal condition? Not familiar with this condition! Is there a rescue for them? Both PSU`s capacitors test OK. TIA.

Analoguesat

Grundig 3000's are notorious for psu caps failure - my own box expired with exactlty the same symptoms as you describe which got worse and worse over 2-3 months until it totally failed.

How have you tested the caps?

Analoguesat's message to the world Analogue forever!

stocksie

Thanks for the reply Analoguesat and for the advice about the DRX300. It appears
I may have jumped the gun lumping both units. They had very similar problems andcame from the same source with talk of "forced download" so I feared the worst. On further testing the Grundig it turned out to be the PSU C`s dried up. Replaced 8 which my trusty ESR meter identified (my best ever buy (1998) and such a time saver!). I have been over the Amstrad PSU but see no problem, I might have to return to the "swop the lot". I have no experience of the "forced download withno default reception, why the set receives 101 102 103 Men and motors etc with no signal orlock defeats me! But then I am 74!!
Anybody give me the DC levels from a working DRX300? I dont fish around with
Sky receivers much. Where are the EPG numbers linked with frequency and polarity information? TIA

Analoguesat

Your drx 300 problem could be a failing tuner:

_http://www.satcure.co.uk/amsrep.htm

although its not unknown for receivers with out of date software on them to have channels missing. If you have a suspicion it has been disconnected for a while and may have missed some software updates theres no harm in trying a forced upgrade - if you have a decent signal strength and dont mind the possibility of scrapping the box if it goes wrong due to wonky tuner or caps.

Analoguesat's message to the world Analogue forever!

stocksie

OK thanks again. The Amstrad has not been used for many months so am sure it must have missed some updates. I am loath to force the issue in view of the lack of
default signal and lock indication. The present SW version is 3.4.4b. Will see what
happens after I replace the PSU C`s.