Sat TV Channels Gone

[farmobile]

Hi all,

When I turned on my Samsung TV (UE55MU8009) I noticed all satellite channels were gone (Astra 28.2e; used to work before, have not changed settings etc and just use Freesat, no Sky etc). Setup: I live in a high rise building, so not sure about the satellite system but locally l use a Optima MS 508 LTE 8 Satellite Multiswitch (not sure that is relevant). The TV (DVB-S and DVB-S2 digital tuner integrated) is directly connected to the Multiswitch. I replaced the sat cable already without success. The Samsung LNB setting page is showing "signal quality 0%", no matter what I tried so far in terms of settings. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
farmobile


Settings (which worked before, unless the settings changed „themselves“):

Satellite: Astra 28.2e
Transponder: 10714 MHz, H/L
DiSEqc-Mode: Off
Lower LNB Oscillators: 9750 MHz
Upper LNB Oscillators: 10600 MHz
Tone 22kHz: Auto

 

[ozumo]

What is connected to the input side of the multiswitch? Does the television have a signal strength meter? Are any of your neighbours having similar issues?

 

[farmobile]

What is connected to the input side of the multiswitch? Does the television have a signal strength meter? Are any of your neighbours having similar issues?

Thanks.

Connected to input side of the multiswitch: FibreIRS Quatro Gateway Termination Unit (GTU)
-> 5 cable: H. Hi; H. Lo; V. Hi; V. Lo; Terr In (all coming from the FibrelRS GTU)

Signal Strength Meter: Will have to check tonight

Other neighbours similar issues: Spoke to a few, no issues. So seems to be specific to our flat.

 

[ozumo]

Do the multiswitch & FibreIRS have any LEDs indicating power or signal and are they lit up? If you connect the V. Lo output of the FibreIRS unit directly to the television does BBC One HD then work?

 

[farmobile]

Do the multiswitch & FibreIRS have any LEDs indicating power or signal and are they lit up? If you connect the V. Lo output of the FibreIRS unit directly to the television does BBC One HD then work?

Will test tonight and get back. Thanks

 

[ozumo]

Remember to switch off the television and turn off (or unplug the power) the switches when disconnecting/connecting cables to prevent any accidental short circuits.

 

[farmobile]

Just got the chance to try. Curious findings, at least for me.

Signal Strength Meter
Unfort unavailable on the television if there are no channels at all.

Do the multiswitch & FibreIRS have any LEDs indicating power or signal and are they lit up?
They do indeed. The Multiswitch got a red LED apparently indicating power and the FibreIRS got two LEDs: one "RF" (assume to show if there is sufficient signal) and one "DC" for power.

The Multiswitch power LED and the FibreIRS DC LED flash simultaneously when power is supplied (I read the FibreIRS is powered via a Multiswitch). Now the interesting part: Normal setting - the RF LED is not flashing. However, just removing the FibreIRS V. Lo cable that goes to the multiswitch and replacing that by the Sat cable from the TV -> the RF LED is flashing after a minute. At that time, the TV finds channels again and everything seems to work fine. Singal strength 58%, Singal quality 93%.

I still don't really get it to be honest

 

[a33]

I'm a bit worried about the flashing/blinking.
Do you remember if the LEDs were glowing continuously, or were flashing, when reception was still good?

For equipment like this, I would expect continuous glowing=OK, flashing means "something wrong".

Do you also have a separate power supply for the FibreICS (15 to 20 volts or so), for some testing without the multiswitch?
Would you have a multimeter, to measure Volts?

Greetz,
A33

 

[ozumo]

Sounds like the multiswitch isn't providing enough power to the FibreIRS - whereas the television is supplying enough power for the FibreIRS to operate.

When you say the TV finds channels, is it finding all of them? If so it may be possible the Fibre IRS is detecting the voltage & 22kHz tone and providing the same signal a universal LNB would provide.

Either way it sounds like the multiswitch is bad or the power supply is on its way out.

 

[farmobile]

Sounds like the multiswitch isn't providing enough power to the FibreIRS - whereas the television is supplying enough power for the FibreIRS to operate.

When you say the TV finds channels, is it finding all of them? If so it may be possible the Fibre IRS is detecting the voltage & 22kHz tone and providing the same signal a universal LNB would provide.

Either way it sounds like the multiswitch is bad or the power supply is on its way out.

I'm a bit worried about the flashing/blinking.
Do you remember if the LEDs were glowing continuously, or were flashing, when reception was still good?

For equipment like this, I would expect continuous glowing=OK, flashing means "something wrong".

Do you also have a separate power supply for the FibreICS (15 to 20 volts or so), for some testing without the multiswitch?
Would you have a multimeter, to measure Volts?

Greetz,
A33

Impressed by both of you! You were absolutely right. The FibreIRS "DC" LED was indeed flashing when just connected to the multiswitch. When connected to the TV the "DC" LED was constantly glowing (the "RF" LED was glowing as well).

When you say the TV finds channels, is it finding all of them?
I now connected the FibreIRS directly to PSU and all UK channels I was initially looking for are there.

The PSU I am using now is an old 12V I had. Sorry for the basic question - everything seems to work fine for now - any downside in using a 12V PSU or shall I go and get a FibreIRS 20V PSU?

Would you have a multimeter, to measure Volts?
Unfortunately not, but maybe a good idea to get one anyway.

Thanks again both of you - much appreciated!

One last question, I was also looking to get German television channels. I read that the dish would need to be aligned to Astra1 - somewhere else I read something about Astra 19.2º East. In the auto-search function of my Samsung TV I can select satellites. There is no Astra1 but Astra 19.2º East. However, even by selecting Astra 19.2º East none of the main German channels appear. Maybe something with the alignment of the communal dish which I obviously can't change or do you got another smart idea ?

 

[ozumo]

The specs say 10.5v to 20v so the 12v PSU will be fine.

To get Astra 1 you would need an extra satellite dish or a second LNB on the Astra 2 dish. However it would also depend on what distribution hardware is used at the dish end and whether or not it allows a second satellite position to be added to the existing system. Then there's a question if the fibre system passes on the DiSEqC signals required to switch between the dishes.

If the Astra 1 19.2°E dish is just for you it may be easier to run a coax from the dish to your flat, bypassing the distribution system.

 

[a33]

I now connected the FibreIRS directly to PSU and all UK channels I was initially looking for are there.

So you are bypassing the multiswitch, and connected the receiver cable directly to V.Lo (vertical low)?
Then you can only receive vertical channels from 10700 to 11700, or with a little trick from 10700 to 11900.
(Assuming you do indeed have the quattro version of the fibreIRS.)
See for the frequencies/channels: Astra 2E/2F/2G at 28.2°E - LyngSat

I would expect the blinking of the multiswitch is because of defective power supply (mostly by defective capacitor(s)); or because of a defective (shorted) cable or connector. Does the multiswitch also blink, when no cables are connected?

For 19.2E, when you have a balcony you could maybe put a dish (or maybe a "selfsat", but I am no fan of those) there. Behind a window is also possible, but only when it doesn't have a metal film on the glass, and reception is bad when rain is on the window (tested that myself).

Greetz,
A33

Edit: I forgot to mention:
Balcony or window should have a free line of sight to the 19E satellite, which is (for London) about 24 degrees east from south.

Edit2: Your PSU should be able to supply 490 mA, according to the FibrIRS specs. Does it mention a value of minimum 500mA or more?
If it has a lower amperage number, check if the PSU doesn't get too warm/too hot, after some time of continuous use.

 

[ozumo]

If connected directly to the FibreIRS, can you receive the following?

BBC One HD = vertical low
Channel 4 SD = horizontal low
Dave = vertical high
Sky Arts = horizontal high

 

[farmobile]

If connected directly to the FibreIRS, can you receive the following?

BBC One HD = vertical low
Channel 4 SD = horizontal low
Dave = vertical high
Sky Arts = horizontal high

Yes, I can receive all of those.

 

[farmobile]

So you are bypassing the multiswitch, and connected the receiver cable directly to V.Lo (vertical low)?
Then you can only receive vertical channels from 10700 to 11700, or with a little trick from 10700 to 11900.
(Assuming you do indeed have the quattro version of the fibreIRS.)
See for the frequencies/channels: Astra 2E/2F/2G at 28.2°E - LyngSat

I would expect the blinking of the multiswitch is because of defective power supply (mostly by defective capacitor(s)); or because of a defective (shorted) cable or connector. Does the multiswitch also blink, when no cables are connected?

For 19.2E, when you have a balcony you could maybe put a dish (or maybe a "selfsat", but I am no fan of those) there. Behind a window is also possible, but only when it doesn't have a metal film on the glass, and reception is bad when rain is on the window (tested that myself).

Greetz,
A33

Edit: I forgot to mention:
Balcony or window should have a free line of sight to the 19E satellite, which is (for London) about 24 degrees east from south.

Edit2: Your PSU should be able to supply 490 mA, according to the FibrIRS specs. Does it mention a value of minimum 500mA or more?
If it has a lower amperage number, check if the PSU doesn't get too warm/too hot, after some time of continuous use.

Thanks. I am now power the FibreIRS directly via a PSU. I changed the other setup back to default though (all outputs of FibreIRS to the multiswitch and the TV cable connected to the multiswitch).

 

[farmobile]

The specs say 10.5v to 20v so the 12v PSU will be fine.

To get Astra 1 you would need an extra satellite dish or a second LNB on the Astra 2 dish. However it would also depend on what distribution hardware is used at the dish end and whether or not it allows a second satellite position to be added to the existing system. Then there's a question if the fibre system passes on the DiSEqC signals required to switch between the dishes.

If the Astra 1 19.2°E dish is just for you it may be easier to run a coax from the dish to your flat, bypassing the distribution system.

Thanks. Right, I see - I am unable to change anything on the communal dish setup at all and I wouldn't want a "private" dish either. So looks like with those limits, I won't be able to get German television?

 

[ozumo]

Thanks. Right, I see - I am unable to change anything on the communal dish setup at all and I wouldn't want a "private" dish either. So looks like with those limits, I won't be able to get German television?

Unfortunately the answer is no. You may be able to stream them, though a VPN with a German server may be required.

 

[a33]

Thanks. I am now power the FibreIRS directly via a PSU. I changed the other setup back to default though (all outputs of FibreIRS to the multiswitch and the TV cable connected to the multiswitch).

OK. So you use both the multiswitch and the FibreIRS with an own PSU.
That'll do.

I just hope that the power supply of the multiswitch is not deteriorating slowly (as it worked OK, before, but now it does not have enough power for the FibreIRS). The specs say it can supply 500mA on the inputs, IIRC?

Glad it works out, this way.

Greetz,
A33

 

[farmobile]

Hello again - unfortnately the TV lost all channels again. The FibreIRS still got its own PSU and the LEDs glow constantly. I also connected the sat cable of the TV directly to the FibreIRS V.Lo but still no channels. Any idea?

 

[ozumo]

Have you checked with neighbours to see if they are having a similar problem?

What happens if you disconnect the FibreIRS PSU and only connect the television directly to V.Lo? Use Channel 4 to check (as it's vertical low band).