Sky+ freezing & single feed recording.

[halo1234]

1st off what a great little forum. I know these question have been answered before, just wondered if there's anything different with my situation.

I've just self installed a sky+ box. (amstrad DX180). I've called sky & that bits all done. I'm finding on certain channels the screen freezes & eventually tells me there's not satellite signal. I can normally view another channel without an issue, go back & it's working again. What do I need to do to fix this.

Also I only have a single feed & don't intend changing. I really bought the box for the optical out, but would like to record, but won't need to view another channel at the same time. If there anything I need to do here to ensure I can record with just 1 feed.

Thanks

 

[aba]

you can always try useing a zone two sky dish half as big again as a normal sky dish bigger dish stronger signal
failing that try refitting your f plugs on the coax and yes there is a right and wrong way to do it
get the braid and pull it all to one side and twist it then fit the f plug makes for a tighter fit
try another lnb yours could be on its way out but thats the last thing to try
even check coax for any kinks espesaly around corners
coax should flow around around corners and not be kinked to fit in or around them

to record you have to have two runs of coax from twin lnb to receiver and have pay a sky subb or recording fasility wont work

 

[halo1234]

So your saying this is down to the signal. I've gone from a 4 month old sky box to this & the LMB is the same age. The variable is the box & perhaps what I've done to the coax run from the wall to the box maybe.

Might have a fiddle with the cable & see.

Thanks

 

[rolfw]

Obviously as Abba says, check the connections first.

Have you tested the dish with another digibox and what does the reading in the signal strength menu show?

If you bought the box second hand, have you carried out a forced update (switch off at the mains, then whilst pressing the backup button on the box, switch the power back on at the mains, keeping the backup button depressed until all of the lights flash)?

Are you only connected to the first input (I have seen people try to split the cable)?


PS. Sorry, was doing other things whilst posting this, so didn't see your second post, there is a fair chance that the box could be faulty.

 

[rolfw]

You can buy a very thin "shotgun" coax cable, which fits through a similar sized hole as the standard cable, seems a great shame to run a Sky+ box and not use it to its full potential.

 

[halo1234]

hmm I know there's a more accurate way to state this, but I have no idea how. The signal strength is around 80% & quality is 85%. I think that is the same as my newer last box. I'll try a forced update at lunch, yes it's in the 1st input & I've not split the cable. This whole thing was a bit of an impulse buy for the optical out. I didn't realise the work involved getting the whole sky+ thing to work. My house is up for sales, so I though I may leave it till I moved. However I could be here for a while, so I might buy a quad LMB & install it.

seems to stutter/freeze on channel 4 & the music jumps around on the menu screens too.

thanks guys

 

[rolfw]

Sounds like it may be a fault with the box, a forced update may cure the problem, but missing or bad reception on certain channels is often a symptom of a faulty tuner.

I have had limited success when trying to record with only tuner 1 connected, it invariably gives failed recordings, pause normally works though.

 

[halo1234]

If you bought the box second hand, have you carried out a forced update (switch off at the mains, then whilst pressing the backup button on the box, switch the power back on at the mains, keeping the backup button depressed until all of the lights flash)?

tried the forced update as you described. The boxes takes a few mins to boot up & seems to carry on a normal. Is there another way of doing this?

 

[rolfw]

The box should update for between ten and twenty minutes and will show a message on the screen if you have a scart lead connected.

It must be switched off at the mains (not the switch on the box) and the backup button on the box must be pressed, prior to restoring the power, plus kept pressed until the message comes up on the screen, or all lights on the box come on.

 

[halo1234]

Thanks for that. I worked out what i was doing wrong with the update. Like a plonker I tried pressing 'backup' on the remote. So the box has been updated & reset. Still has the same fault so I think the box is duff. I hooked up the old 'newer box' again last night & it works fine. The quality of the sig is slightly better too.

Thanks for all your help on this, maybe I shouldn't of tried to buy one off ebay.

Peter

 

[sat.guy]

it can also depend on which channels it is for eg if its ture movies and +1 movies for men some kids channels and a couple of music the that could happen becouse you have a cordless phone in the same room as the sbt
regards
sat.guy

 

[halo1234]

It's really around half of the channels that I have either stutter or freeze all together. My old box is fine & I've swapped them back & forth.

Is it worth finding a local Satellite repair guys & see if it can be fixed. The box stands me at 50 quid all in.

Thanks

Peter

 

[rolfw]

_http://www.sers.me.uk/Digital.htm