Old Sky customer but Freesat not working - Error 29

nstofberg

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Hi all,

First post here and I hoping you can help.

I used to be a Sky customer up until 2 years ago (just normal Sky with the older rounded box).
After that I had Freesat from Sky by doing nothing. Anyways, I then got a Freeview box to get the 'best of both worlds'.

Pretty much then never used the Freesat so unplugged it. A couple months ago we had some bad weather and the Freeview was struggling so I decided to see if I could get some channels at least through Freesat. Thats when I first got the 'No Satellite signal is being received - Error 29'
Didn't think anything of it given the weather and went back to Freeview.

Now yesterday, I reprogrammed / scanned my Freeview box for the digital switch over but now I can't get quite a few channels for some reason (but thats for another forum). So again I decide to try my Sky box for Freesat.

But I still get the same message. All the connections seem fine. I've tried forcing a software download as its been off for sometime, I've gone into the Installer menu and reset the settings and obviously called Sky who only want to send someone out for £65 - no real offer of help.

When I go into the settings the signal and strength show nothing. But after playing with the settings, and going straight to 103 (ITV1), it worked and I can see the TV guide and some channels so at least I get past that initial screen with the error 29 message.

But... I do get the following channels, so not sure why I don't get all of them that I should get with Freesat.
103 ITV1
118 ITV2
119 ITV3
120 ITV4
135 CH4+1
136 E4
137 E4+1
138 MORE 4
149 CBS DRAMA
168 BBC ALBA
180 ITV3+1
190 MEN&MOVIES
195 PROPELLER
321 TRUE MOVIES 1
322 TRUE MOVIES 2
323 MOVIES4MEN
324 MOV4MEN+1
325 MOVIES4MEN2
326 MOVIES4MEN2 +1

This is where I stopped.
Anybody got any ideas on what I should do to get the channels that are missing like BBC, Channel 4, etc?

Many thanks
:)
 

Analoguesat

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Error 29 is no signal.

If its a Thompson or Amstrad box it may be the old failing capacitors in the power supply problem.

The first thing to try is to pull the plug out of the wall, wait 30 seconds then plug it back in and wait for the box to reboot.
 

nstofberg

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I've tried that and it doesn't make a difference.
Why can I get some channels though?
 

Analoguesat

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Could be any one of a dozen reasons:

failing receiver
failing lnb
damaged cabling
external interference
internal interference
water in the cables


etc etc
 

A nonymous

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If its happening with two boxes i would look at the satellite dish side of things.

What does the signal strength look like when you tune your freesat box?

If you are getting some signal it would suggest its probably one of two things.

1. either the dish is out of alignment
2. The lnb is failing.

As AS said above it may be also due to water ingress in the cable or a bad connection, but i'm guessing that your dish is slightly out of alignment.

Nano
 

nstofberg

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Hi, thanks for the message.
The problem with the Freeview box I believe is seperate as that is only connected to the ariel.
I live in a flat with a communal dish and none of our neighbours have problems with their Sky / Freesat.

As mentioned, the Freesat box signal strength is zero....
 

Lazarus

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Sky Boxes (It isn't a Freesat Box - Freesat is a different Platform with its own Branded Boxes: FreesatfromSky is an unfortunate area of confusion!) tend to have unreliable "Metering" anyway - a neighbour has one that shows zero also, but there's nothing wrong with it.

Anyway, know we know a little more, try your box on a fellow resident's feed and see if the symptoms are the same.

If they are, you are most likely suffering from failing power supply smoothing capacitors. This is a very common problem indeed and is consistent with the symptoms you have described.
 

Analoguesat

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Pop the top off the receiver and see if there are any bulging capacitors in the power supply area. Keep your fingers well clear there can be lethal voltages in some power supplies long after its been unplugged.- visual inspection only.
 
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