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Which Skybox for low-fringe Lefkosia,Cyprus?Sky digital support forum at Sats UK, Everything involved on the hardware and software side of reception of the channels from 28.2/28.5 East BskyB, special focus on fringe reception of Astra 2D for UK free to air channels | |
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18-09-2006
| #1 | ||
| Member Join Date: 16-09-2006 Location: Nikosia/Lefkosia, Cyprus
Posts: 8
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My System: SkyDigibox Panasonic TU-DSB30 Prime Focus Dish 2.4 metres Twin C120 0.3dB Invacom LNB+adjustable feed (now changed to Quad 0.3 Invacom) |
Hi friends, I live in Lefkosia, Cyprus, a low-fringe area. Having read the various comments about Panasonic TU-DSB30, which served fine for the last 6 years, I realised that the problems with red light on, freezing, loosing the transponder, etc., may be due to the lack of software. I checked the software menu and it says that it has the version 3.5. Still the problems persist, especially after some zapping. A local technician told me to replace the box with a Pace. I checked throughout the internet for individual reviews and it seems that some people are saying that the Pace DS430N is not as good as the 2600, whereas on other sites the opposite is quoted. I want a box which will last at least another 5 years without any problems. All suggestions welcomed. | ||
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18-09-2006
| #2 | ||
| Believe it when I see it Admin.  Real name: Rolf Join Date: 01-05-1999 Location: Southern England
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Blog Entries: 5 My System: Pace Sky HD, DM7000s, CubeRevo 3000HDPVR, Transparent 80cm Dish, Moteck SG2100 DiseqC motor, lots of legacy gear. Meters: Satlook Digital NIT, Televes H45 Digital Spectrum analyser. | Have a look in this sticky thread, there are loads of comments from our members in Cyprus.  | ||
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18-09-2006
| #3 | ||
| Regular Member Join Date: 22-05-2003
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I started out with Pansonic 30 some years ago, but with the freezing etc, I changed to Pace 2600. For another room in the house I got a Pace 430n, and I find the 2600 is significantly better than the 430n. I live in Peyia with a 2.4mtr Famaval dish and an Ivacom 0.3 LNB | ||
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18-09-2006
| #4 | ||
| Specialist Contributor  Join Date: 03-04-2003 Location: Kyrenia - NORTH CYPRUS
Posts: 640
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My System: 3.0m Motorised Channel Master 4 fixed dish SKY_HD DM7020s Vsat Kathrein UFS-910 HD | DSB30 has an excellent tuner for fringe reception... The freezing problem ONLY HAPPENS ON SYSTEMS THAT CAN NOT RECEIVE DEFAULT TRANSPONDER 11778V. If your dish is good enough for 11778V DSB30 still works OK..(NO FREEZING) | ||
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18-09-2006
| #5 | ||
| Member Join Date: 16-09-2006 Location: Nikosia/Lefkosia, Cyprus
Posts: 8
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My System: SkyDigibox Panasonic TU-DSB30 Prime Focus Dish 2.4 metres Twin C120 0.3dB Invacom LNB+adjustable feed (now changed to Quad 0.3 Invacom) | Thank you all so far. The dish is 2.7 metres. When the DSB30 crashes, I switch off the box and after a while I switch it on. When I go to the menu, the default transponder has been changed to 11778V, which does not work. Then I change the default transponder to 12270 and through manual tuning I can see a 40-50% signal and manage to get some channels which do not exhibit PIXELATION or FREEZE. I pay subscription for the movies package, not sports, but I never manage to watch movies in Sky Movies 1-5 without crashing. Someone said that even minor zapping may cause a crash. After a crash (i.e. green and red lights are on together) I have to start all over again, since the default transponder is back to 11778. I do not understand why zapping can cause such problems, but even without zapping I still do not manage to see all the music channels. When I first came to Cyprus 18 months ago the system was working fine, but later on after a few months it started to have such crashes, which started to become frequent. Now I pay for subscription and I do not have access to the channels which I used to see. A technician told me over the phone to change the box, but a search in the internet gave conflicting views. Some suggest the Pace 2600. Some the Pace DS430N. Some the Pace minibox javellin. I am no expert and I hope to hear from more people who live in Lefkosia. | ||
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18-09-2006
| #6 | ||
| Specialist Contributor Join Date: 03-04-2003 Location: Kyrenia - NORTH CYPRUS
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My System: 3.0m Motorised Channel Master 4 fixed dish SKY_HD DM7020s Vsat Kathrein UFS-910 HD | *Lefteris You shouldnt have any freezing problems with DSB30 on a 2.7m dish.. Your dish might need realigning.. I overcome freezing problems on DSB30 using a 1.8m offset and Sharp 0.3dB LNB. One way of telling if you have reception on 11778v is the background audio (music on the menu) When you go into menu..do you hear the background audio? Background audio is transmitted on the same transponder (11778) | ||
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18-09-2006
| #7 | |||
| Former member  Join Date: 22-06-2005 Location: UK: Kent. Spain: Madrid.
Posts: 676
Thanks: 4
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My System: Sky Plus V3 TDS 470n, Pace 2600CI, Thomson Sky HD, Technomate 1000D, Prodelin 1.8m dish + Invacom Quad C120, CM feed, Lacuna/Wolsey V3 meter |
I gave my Panasonic 30 to my dad in the UK. It is living out the rest of its life in retirement receiving a perfect signal in southern England.. and it never crashes... I concluded that the software problem is where the box is getting a too-weak signal, in these situations the box is supposed to display a "there is technical fault..etc' message, instead it freezes. When there is really no signal it correctly displays the 'no satellite signal' message. | |||
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18-09-2006
| #9 | |||
| Specialist Contributor  Join Date: 13-02-2005 Location: near Limassol, Cyprus
Posts: 336
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My System: 3.1m Famaval on 28.2, 1.5m offset on 19.2e, 13e & 7e all mixed in a spaghetti of wires and going into a dream thingy. |
The DSB30 freezes when it can't quite make the signal. For you this may not be quite so apparent as the the dish sizes between astra 2d and the others is massive. (4.2m as opposed to 2.4m for example) However in this part of the world a 2.4m dish will happily get about 10-14hrs of BBC/ITV if the setup is good - and sometimes even to the detriment of other channels such as Paramount 2, eurosport etc.......You would NEVER fine tune a 2.4m dish for astra 2d in Kyrenia - it would be folly...but we can do it here. A fine tune for 2d is different than for 2b on these dishes. So, it is when channels are particularly weak at certain times that the problems occur - and as you can see from the above this is more likely to happen in the Phaphos to Limmasol areas because we are more likely to have channels comming in and out. Hope that helps Cheers Nick | |||
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18-09-2006
| #10 | ||
| Specialist Contributor Join Date: 13-02-2005 Location: near Limassol, Cyprus
Posts: 336
Thanks: 1
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My System: 3.1m Famaval on 28.2, 1.5m offset on 19.2e, 13e & 7e all mixed in a spaghetti of wires and going into a dream thingy. | Totally forgot my input into the original Question...... So for I have never found an equal for the Pace 2600 and I've tried MANY. It is the best by far. Cannot comment on the Sky HD stuff though I have heard good reports. Cheers Nick PS PM me if you need one.  | ||
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18-09-2006
| #11 | ||
| Specialist Contributor Join Date: 03-04-2003 Location: Kyrenia - NORTH CYPRUS
Posts: 640
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My System: 3.0m Motorised Channel Master 4 fixed dish SKY_HD DM7020s Vsat Kathrein UFS-910 HD | nick I have no reaon to give false information...whatever i write here is from my personal experiences...I have on many occasions cured the freezing problem just by upgrading the dish size... In my opinion it is the absence of 11778V that causes the box to freeze.. With a DSB30 when you are flicking through the channels and you come to a channel the signal is not available,the box will freeze,BUT if 11778V is present it will display NO SIGNAL IS RECEIVED and you can carry on flicking through the channels. If ever you visit your friend in my area,please bring any DSB30 with you and i will prove this for you.. Lefteris I can arrange to have a look at your system next time i am in Nicosia (if that's OK with you) | ||
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18-09-2006
| #12 | |||
| Specialist Contributor Join Date: 13-02-2005 Location: near Limassol, Cyprus
Posts: 336
Thanks: 1
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My System: 3.1m Famaval on 28.2, 1.5m offset on 19.2e, 13e & 7e all mixed in a spaghetti of wires and going into a dream thingy. |
I try and get over to Kyrenia 2-3 times a year..I love it there!!..If I loose I buy you a Keo, if you loose you buy me an Efees  (do I hear a gauntlet dropping  )Nick | |||
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18-09-2006
| #13 | |||
| Specialist Contributor Join Date: 03-04-2003 Location: Kyrenia - NORTH CYPRUS
Posts: 640
Thanks: 0
Thanked 29 Times in 26 Posts
My System: 3.0m Motorised Channel Master 4 fixed dish SKY_HD DM7020s Vsat Kathrein UFS-910 HD |
Its not a matter of changing the default transponder to a stronger one... DSB30 needs THE default transponder 11778V itself,NOT an alternative default transponder...as i pointed out earlier background audio is an easy way of checking this.. Go to installer setup menu > manual tunning...you should hear the background audio music...do a "find channels" search on 11778V...If you get a lock on Transport Stream 07d4,skybox will find EPG BACKGROUND AUDIO as a channel..........DSB30 will not freeze on that system You are on for the Efes...BUT make sure you bring my KEO tho | |||
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18-09-2006
| #14 | |||
| Former member Join Date: 22-06-2005 Location: UK: Kent. Spain: Madrid.
Posts: 676
Thanks: 4
Thanked 77 Times in 63 Posts
My System: Sky Plus V3 TDS 470n, Pace 2600CI, Thomson Sky HD, Technomate 1000D, Prodelin 1.8m dish + Invacom Quad C120, CM feed, Lacuna/Wolsey V3 meter |
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19-09-2006
| #15 | |||
| Member Join Date: 16-09-2006 Location: Nikosia/Lefkosia, Cyprus
Posts: 8
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
My System: SkyDigibox Panasonic TU-DSB30 Prime Focus Dish 2.4 metres Twin C120 0.3dB Invacom LNB+adjustable feed (now changed to Quad 0.3 Invacom) |
Thank you all for the stimulating discussion. Iceman, I carried out the check. At 11778, I get no signal transmission, let alone the background music. You are welcome to come around. When could you check the alignment? I live near GSP Stadium. | |||
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19-09-2006
| #16 | ||
| Specialist Contributor Join Date: 03-04-2003 Location: Kyrenia - NORTH CYPRUS
Posts: 640
Thanks: 0
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My System: 3.0m Motorised Channel Master 4 fixed dish SKY_HD DM7020s Vsat Kathrein UFS-910 HD | Lefteris Send me your phone number either by mail or PM...I will try to come today. iceman | ||
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19-09-2006
| #17 | ||
| Super Minty Mod  Join Date: 31-12-1999 Location: Fife, Scotland
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My System: 1200cc with 100,000,000,000 neurons and 100,000,000,000,000 connections | I don't think the receive default transponder = no crashes theory can be correct either. Again in the south of Spain, with a 1.2m dish and DSB30 the default transponder is available with reasonable strength/quality. However when flicking past a channel that has a poor signal (such as channel 5) the box will still invariably freeze. The boxes have very little value there now (they used to be seen as the Rolls Royce's of digiboxes) and are useless for channel surfers, unless you have a good enough memory to remember every weak channel, before you jump to it. | ||
  'All you need is duck tape and WD40; if it moves and it shouldn't, use duck tape - if it should move and it doesn't, use WD40' | |||
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19-09-2006
| #18 | |||
| Specialist Contributor Join Date: 03-04-2003 Location: Kyrenia - NORTH CYPRUS
Posts: 640
Thanks: 0
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My System: 3.0m Motorised Channel Master 4 fixed dish SKY_HD DM7020s Vsat Kathrein UFS-910 HD |
I have just got back from visiting Lefteris...He has a 2.4m (NOT 2.7m) prime focus dish with a twin C120 0.3dB invacom LNB+adjustable feed... Checked the reception on DSB30...It was barely enough to lock on 12207V and naturally kept locking on channel changes...NO channel four...NO SKY Two or Three...NO SKY Movies 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 and most important of all NO signal on 11778V hence NO background audio on menu. On my first inspection of the dish ,i discovered the signal on one of the LNB outputs was almost nil and the second was very poor.. I was prepared to tackle an offset dish not a prime focus,so i did not have a suitable LNB...A quick run down to the locla sat store MP Sat we bought a quad invacom and a new adjustable feed (shorter neck & larger scalar rings) The improvement of the signal after the LNB/feed change and a bit of dish tweaking was great.. He now has a lock on 11778V hence background audio on menu (tho it crackles now & again) but he has Channel Four/SKY Two & Three/SKY Movies 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 and most important of all his DSB30 DOES NOT LOCK UP or FREEZE on channel changes any more.. | |||
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19-09-2006
| #19 | ||
| Super Minty Mod Join Date: 31-12-1999 Location: Fife, Scotland
Posts: 1591
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My System: 1200cc with 100,000,000,000 neurons and 100,000,000,000,000 connections | Just to confirm, if there is a channel that has a very poor signal (just about no picture) but not so poor that it displays the "no signal" message, if you go to the previous channel (assuming it is OK) and press channel up, will the box freeze? In Spain, do that 10 times and it will freeze 5 of them. That is the most common symptom of the problem is spain (with good default transponder), and it would be very interesting/curious if things are different where you are. | ||
| 'All you need is duck tape and WD40; if it moves and it shouldn't, use duck tape - if it should move and it doesn't, use WD40' | |||
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19-09-2006
| #20 | ||
| Member Join Date: 16-09-2006 Location: Nikosia/Lefkosia, Cyprus
Posts: 8
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My System: SkyDigibox Panasonic TU-DSB30 Prime Focus Dish 2.4 metres Twin C120 0.3dB Invacom LNB+adjustable feed (now changed to Quad 0.3 Invacom) | Iceman vs BigNick --- The Challenge I felt obliged to undertake this challenge as accepted by both Iceman and BigNick. So earlier today Iceman came around and here is what happened. My dish is a 2.4m prime focus with a twin invacom 0,3. At the time, the default frequency 11778 would not lock, let alone to play background music. Iceman used his instruments and some tools and adjusted the dish for its best possible gain. Then I could hear the background music with a lot of crackling but the box would not block-out (green and red lights) as before. The iceman and myself went to a nearby electronics warehouse and bought a quad invacom 0,3. According to Iceman's experience, this had better performance. Iceman then replaced the LNB and the signal was improved further. With a few minor adjustments, the background music could be heard with less crackle than before. I tested and zapped about and tried all the channels I could not see (Ch4, Ch5, Movies, Music, etc.). The Panasonic DSB30 perfomed great and quick. The final test was followed. Iceman brought a brand new Pace DS430N still in the box. We tried it in order to find any differences. No further improvement could be noticed and then we replaced the good old Panasonic DSB30 which as it appears still has one of the best tuners. If the missus and the kids are happy, then I am happy. I was ready to buy another box, simply because many people advised so. But Iceman proved his point and saved me a bit ofmoney. Thank you Iceman. Thank you BigNick too for stimulating the topic. Next time BigNick is in Cyprus, the drinks are on me. If I had to turn the clock back 18 months, this is what I would have done: 1. Become a member of the Satellites.co.uk 2. Seek help and probably end-up with an offset high gain type dish and a good LNB. Goodbye. | ||
| Last edited by Lefteris; 20-09-2006 at 08:22 AM. | |||
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19-09-2006
| #21 | |||
| Specialist Contributor Join Date: 13-02-2005 Location: near Limassol, Cyprus
Posts: 336
Thanks: 1
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My System: 3.1m Famaval on 28.2, 1.5m offset on 19.2e, 13e & 7e all mixed in a spaghetti of wires and going into a dream thingy. |
 BTW the challenge is still on (live do in Cyprus Leftiris, only an hour or so from you) As for the turning the clock back...I couldn't agree more with point 1.... Point 2 (And armed with my patent "Can o' worms opener") I would say that up to 2m dishes the offsets are best. 2m-2.4m is something of a grey area - I personally would have a Famaval over either the anderson or the Supral, but rate the 2.4m DH Prime maybe not quite so good. And as for the 2.5m Prime that we all know and love in these parts - I wouldn't touch them or their larger cousins with a 20ft barge pole! - You all know the one I mean . Over 2.4m...Prime Focus every time.I like Prime focus Dishes. You loose a little because of the shadow caused by the LNB, But you can do more with the LNBs & especially the new style Feedhorns to help. Though I appreciate that the similar setup with the C120 Lnbs on offsets are also very effective. Leftiris .... At about 1600hrs when the backround EPG is good, try flicking up and down between 411 & 410 They might be weak then. If the signal to these channels is good then it will be ok, if not then the box may lock up. Iceman ... What was the make of his 2.4m? And so I know what to ask Future for, what is the make of your offest dish? Cheers Nick | |||
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19-09-2006
| #22 | |||
| Specialist Contributor Join Date: 03-04-2003 Location: Kyrenia - NORTH CYPRUS
Posts: 640
Thanks: 0
Thanked 29 Times in 26 Posts
My System: 3.0m Motorised Channel Master 4 fixed dish SKY_HD DM7020s Vsat Kathrein UFS-910 HD |
One thing i did not like about the dish was the fact that the three LNB support arms being too close to each other in the center of the dish..doesn't do much good to the signal reflected from the dish.. 1.8m offset dish i use is made by a company called Azure Shine http://www.azureshine.com.tw/main-180cm.htm I believe Future in Limassol sell them.. I get the best result from this dish when i use Sharp 0.3dB LNBF (white case BS1R6EL100W)....believe it or not this LNBF is better than invacom or anything else on the market | |||
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19-09-2006
| #23 | |||
| Specialist Contributor Join Date: 13-02-2005 Location: near Limassol, Cyprus
Posts: 336
Thanks: 1
Thanked 10 Times in 8 Posts
My System: 3.1m Famaval on 28.2, 1.5m offset on 19.2e, 13e & 7e all mixed in a spaghetti of wires and going into a dream thingy. |
Have you tried it with a c120 invacom and the 'special' feedhorn for offsets? Cheers Nick | |||
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19-09-2006
| #24 | |||
| Specialist Contributor Join Date: 03-04-2003 Location: Kyrenia - NORTH CYPRUS
Posts: 640
Thanks: 0
Thanked 29 Times in 26 Posts
My System: 3.0m Motorised Channel Master 4 fixed dish SKY_HD DM7020s Vsat Kathrein UFS-910 HD |
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19-09-2006
| #25 | ||
| aka Skyman  Join Date: 13-06-2003 Location: Limassol, Sunny Cyprus
Posts: 1720
Thanks: 14
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My System: 3m(sky),1.8m(astr/hotbird),1m (nilesat)1m(arabsat)diseqc 4,sky plus,humax freesat,visionet 8000s,technomate 5400 ci+ usb super. Satlook nit colour + Horizon hdsm. wii  | Did you get any bbc/itv at all on lefty's dish? 2 other lnb's that i like to use on prime focus dishes to improve ch4/eurosports etc are Strong and that small Inverto.works everytime when i replace worn out lnbs on 2.4m famavals.When i work on 2.7s then its always Invacom because of bbc. Ps can you confirm it was a 2.7 because i have been to customers who have been "misled" and found 2.4 or 2.5 | ||
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