Does the 4K box really work with a single feed?

[rogerzilla]

It's supposed to, but...signal strength and quality are both showing as full, it scans and finds channels fine, all works as it should until you change channel, at which point it says "no video". Have tested signal with a Sky HD+ box, which is more fussy, and strength is about 70% with quality 90%-100%. The Sky box, of course, can be told it is on a single feed.

I think the Freesat box may switch between inputs when you change channels, and finds no input on LNB2 so gives up.

Going to try it on someone else's dish and (dual) cabling later to rule out a faulty box.

I have another LNB and cabling on order but I'm wondering if this is a known behaviour of the box. The manual says it should work with a single feed.

 

[Channel Hopper]

What model of Freesat receiver are you using ?

 

[rogerzilla]

4K 500GB recorder made by Arris.

 

[rolfw]

Have a dig through the menu system and see if it has a single tuner mode.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Whilst I'm sure it does have a single tuner mode,

https://storage.googleapis.com/freesat-production-assets/box/files/77673_UG_2020_v35.pdf

if the dish outside has a wideband / Q LNB you still need both ports on the back of the receiver.

 

[ozumo]

If you go settings > system information > signal strength what does it say next to 'type'?

 

[rogerzilla]

Standard LNB (2 cables)...although it has one cable.

 

[ozumo]

If you do a factory reset does it stay the same? You could try swapping the which connector the cable is attached to and then do a factory reset.

A unicable SCR LNB is an option.

 

[rogerzilla]

Tested box on someone else's standard twin LNB and it's all fine despite their (oldish) dish giving lower signal strength and quality than mine.

Have tried reset/retune already, so it appears this box doesn't correctly detect and work with a single feed, contrary to the instruction manual.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Take a - good - picture of the dish outside and post the image.

 

[rogerzilla]

I've identified the issue. The box is misdetecting the LNB type and trying to use both inputs. It should show Standard LNB (1 cable) on the screen.

How do I identify my LNB type? | Freesat

Help page covering the subject How do I identify my LNB type?

www.freesat.co.uk

 

[ozumo]

Did you try connecting it to the other input and then doing a factory reset?

 

[rogerzilla]

Yes. It doesn't like it on the second input, showing poor signal strength. It still detects it as a 2 cable installation.

 

[rogerzilla]

I think it's only picking up horizontally-polarised channels, suggesting the box uses one input for H and one for V even with a standard LNB. The firmware is probably programmed to switch inputs rather than issue a 22kHz tone, unless it is forced to (i.e. when watching/recording two channels of the same polarity).

 

[Channel Hopper]

I think it's only picking up horizontally-polarised channels, suggesting the box uses one input for H and one for V even with a standard LNB. The firmware is probably programmed to switch inputs rather than issue a 22kHz tone, unless it is forced to (i.e. when watching/recording two channels of the same polarity).

22kHz has always been a frequency switch on modern LNBs unless you are using DiSEqC commands.

 

[rogerzilla]

Sorry, I mean voltage change. I couldn't remember which did which.