HDSR300... Rubish?

[gasmixman]

Hi Guys
I am sure this is probably a common problem but I cannot seem to find the answer.
I have installed a new dish and reciever for the bedroom (wife's bear likes to watch telly (alledgedly)) and get a good signal from Astra 2A..Eurobird sats.
The signal is in excess of 79% and according to the instructions that should be more than enough.
I get really good pictures from ITV1 HD and Channel 4 on about 5 different channels, Hundreds of encripted channels (which I know I can delete) poor pictures on things like "Films for men 1 & 2" but no BBC1 or local channels. What have I got wrong? Reception of Freeview is rubbish around here (Welwyn Garden City, Herts) so that is not an option.
I have tried deleting them all and starting again but they still do not come up.
The kit is the labgear HDSR300 set up currently being sold by Screwfix. Is it rubbish perhaps?
Please help or the Teddy bear gets it!

 

[Mickha]

What signal quality readings are you getting, on a selection of frequencies? I don't think your dish is aligned quite correctly as you should get all the channels if it were.

 

[rolfw]

I've setup a couple of the Labgear HD receivers and they seemed fine. Firstly as Mickha says, you need to check your dish alignment, as quality is the most important factor, not strength, then check that all of the relevant frequencies are in your receiver's transponder list. Check _http://www.lyngsat.com/28east.html for the frequencies of the missing channels. You can also as far as I can remember, search for unencrypted channels only with that receiver.

 

[Lazarus]

Don't forget to adjust the LNB skew (Rotation) to ensure both H and V Channels are properly received.

Looking from LNB towards Dish, the LNB should be rotated clockwise so the F connector is at about 7 o'clock.

 

[gasmixman]

Thanks guys. I guess that it might be the LNB skew. I skewed mine the other way following what I read on dishpointer.com so it is their fault (that or the bloody Teddy bear) that is my exscuse and I am going to stick with it.
Not sure how I can improve the signal quality other than by improving the signal strength, surely it is a case of signal to noise ratio? in which case I guess I need to put the dish on a longer arm and get it nearer the Satallite? no no don't reply to that bit!
I will give the skew a try and report back.
Thanks again.
Jeff

 

[rolfw]

The skew will improve the signal quality. As the signals are polarised horizontally or vertically, skew needs to be spot on. looking at the dish from behind the LNB, the tail of the LNB should be at around 7 O'clock (perhaps a little further around, use trial and error to find the best quality position), unless it is one of a few LNBs which are pre-skewed, it should have a scale on the top of it to enable you to find the zero point.

 

[gasmixman]

Thanks all... the skew was the answer. Strange to think that the polarisation would cause enough signal loss to lose the channels completely.
I now have 218 channels, well 7 channel 4, god channel, algezera etc etc.. but all the terestrial channels I was looking for and many others besides.
The bear is safe... for the time being, and the wife is happy... well as happy as she ever is.
I can settle back with a beer... well I can once I have pulled the cable through the loft, pinned it to the wall, put up the shelf for the reciever,hoovered and tiedied the bedroom,cleared up the front garden and well perhaps by ten oclock tonight.
thanks again.
Jeff

 

[Lazarus]

Splendid - skew was the obvious deficiency judging by what you told us at the start of the Thread.

 

[merlinrees]

I would like to add my thanks to Tivu.
I also bought the kit from screwfix and was having problems setting up the system. Once I read the answer posted from Tivu and adjusted the skew I now have a signal of 83% and quality of 76%.
Once again many thanks.
Also thanks to gasmixman for posting the original question.

 

[Lazarus]

Another satisfied punter - that's what we're here for!

 

[newbie 001]

i also have a labgear hdsr300, i managed to get the satellite alignment right, and have been searching for an firmware update. No o.t.a available. the problem i am having is that the e.p.g on my system only shows now and next, but has the facility to show 5 day + . help full information would be appreciated.

 

[Lazarus]

You can't do anything about it ................. even though the Receiver is capable of storing several days data, the Channels only send Now and Next Data (If anything at all).


The multi-day Programme Info used by eg BSkyB and Freesat is sent on from a separate Default Transponder and is assembled and displayed independently of the Channels themselves in a stand-alone process of populating the EPG.

Many "generic" Receivers can actually cope with up to 14 days data - but nobody actually sends it!

 

[johndough]

Hi

I have just gotten a Labgear HDSR300, and the documentation is poor, LABGEAR's website is even worse.

However somewhere someone mentioned the LIDL unit. Well the manual etc is remarkably similar (though perhaps more thorough) then the Labgear one.

So reading quickly thru the Lidl version I found an explanation of FTA

_http://www.lidl-service.com/static/11860441/61193_EN.pdf

TP Search
To browse a highlighted transponder, press the blue button.
FTA Only
Here you can choose whether to store unscrambled
channels only or also scrambled channels. Select "Yes" to
filter for unscrambled channels or select "No" to save all
channels.

 

[joneshomebody]

Skew worked for me too, once I persuaded the box that Astra1 and Astra 2 weren' in the same location, I'm getting similar numbers and have all the fta english language channels.
So thanks from me too. xx!

 

[Analoguesat]

Excellent - more satisfied customers