What's going on? Help!

[jacton]

Many thanks to all contributors.

I am currently awaiting the engineers to come and just check that the equipment has not gone out of align and the LNB is set correctly but it looks like I'll go for the Humax Foxsat HD to replace the ageing Grundig, and purchase it back in the UK as I am there for a couple of weeks in December.

Will look at the price of a quad LNB but will have to get my neighbours permission to make changes to the dish

 

[geoffreys]

The Humax Freesat HD just has a much better tuner, try one and you'll see for yourself. I was simply amazed how good it was when I installed one in Madrid recently. It shouldn't have been receiving BBC2 in the afternoon on a small dish, but it was.
The signal strength meter on a Sky box will continue to show a readout of whatever alternative you have set it to, as long as the receiver cannot get 11778V.
As soon as it sees the default, even very weakly, it will revert to 11778, as it has been programmed to do.

Hi,
Where is the cheapest place in UK to buy a Humax Freesat HD receiver (other than Ebay)?
Thanks,
Geoff
Sunny Cyprus

 

[jacton]

Interestingly I hooked up my friends Amstrad DRM400 and lo and behold I could receive BBC2 and the EPG for tomorrow and the next day etc, so it is my box that's on the blink.

Many thanks to everybody's help over this I now just need to decide whether to get a Humax Foxsat Hd box or a second hand/refurbished Pace 2600Ci the price for either is very similar.

I am assuming that as my set up can get BBC2 (all be it with another Sky Box) then I should be able to receive C5 with the Freesat box.

Once again many thanks for all posters help

 

[jacton]

Many thanks for all you help

 

[jacton]

Many thanks really really helpful, just out of interest I have tried a friends Sky box Amstrad DRM400 and guess what I can get BBC2, picture not that great but at least it receives it along with the full EPG for tomorrow and the next day etc, so it has got to be my box that is on the blink after all.

Still not sure whether to go for a freesat box or a Pace 2600 as it will cost about the same for either (Humax Foxsat HD and Pace 2600CI, but second hand refurbished).

But I assume as I can get BBC2 with my dish then I should be able to get C5 on a freesat box.

Thanks for all your helpjacton

 

[jacton]

The engineer came today and guess what........its my box on its last legs, oh well back to the drawing board

Do I go for a Humax Foxsat HD or stick with a refurbished Sky box probably the Pace 2600Ci and have to pay over the odds or perhaps a Thomson HD box which although I wont be able to use the HD facilities gives apparently a good a performance as the Pace in the fringe black hole of Alicante Spain?

It was so easy back in the UK!!!!!!!!

 

[pipino]

i would go for both

 

[jacton]

Both!

Why so?

 

[satelliteman]

Go for what you can afford fella

 

[jacton]

What I can afford and what will give me the best signal, as long as I can get the fivebasic channels BBC1, ITV, C4, C5, & BBC2 (not all day I accept that) and some regional ones along with ITV 2,3,4 just for the football thats all I want.

 

[satelliteman]

SD or HD Freesat box will do it

 

[jacton]

I am tempted by the Humax Foxsat HD but am still a bit concerned as to its performance here in the 'black hole' of Algorfa, which is just inland from Alicante, and is probably the worst place in Europe for reception, where as I have spoken and seen the Pace 2600Ci working here and it is very good, but haven't found anybody with a Humax to compare.

 

[iceman]

I am tempted by the Humax Foxsat HD but am still a bit concerned as to its performance here in the 'black hole' of Algorfa, which is just inland from Alicante, and is probably the worst place in Europe for reception, where as I have spoken and seen the Pace 2600Ci working here and it is very good, but haven't found anybody with a Humax to compare.

jacton
Has it occured to you that,maybe people giving you advice on Humax Foxsat HD did compare the performance of this box with others?

 

[jacton]

Actually I did take that into consideration and I have not been able to find anybody in my area who has done the comparison and that's the fundamental problem.

I live in a very poor reception area and many of the boxes that work fine near Murcia which is only 50 kms away don't work where I live, and even as near as Alicante which is a lot less that 50 kms different boxes seem to work differently.

I also know that the Humax box will mean I would loose C4HD, Fiver, Five US and possible Channel Five, ( losing C5 is part of my dilemma, but not the others).

Pipino said 'both' but he is in a better reception area than me albeit marginally better.

 

[satelliteman]

At the moment Channel 5and family are available on the wide beam with a FTV card ATM...

 

[dxsat]

jacton
Has it occured to you that,maybe people giving you advice on Humax Foxsat HD did compare the performance of this box with others?

.. exactly - I have compared the Humax to the Pace 2600 and I can promise you that it is miles better. I don't install regularly in Spain now but this advice is based on three years experience. One client sent me this e-mail ( I set up a 1.2m ChannelMaster for him in Aranjuez, just to the south of Madrid)
"When I was in Manchester in September I bought a Humax Foxsat hd ... we got BBC2 etc in the morning and the time period was extending every day also able to watch BBC2 in the evening about 7.30 to 9.00. also performed better in bad weather only going off with heavy rain. I was very pleased with it"

No Sky box ever made would get BBC 2 on a 1.2m dish at these hours in this location. I had the same result with the Humax HD in El Soto recently, in the Sierra, near Madrid. It pulled in BBC 2 when a Sky box would have got nothing.

It's your choice..

 

[jacton]

Snap thanks for your input which is much appreciated believe me but with respect Madrid is a whole different ball game to down here on the Costa Blanca.

This is why I really need some input from anybody close to me who can give me local information, I don't want to purchase equipment that works great in Madrid, Barcelona or Valencia yet get into the black hole here and problems.

Is there anybody close to my location that has any experience they could add to this?

I really appreciate everybody input its great to have forums like this where you can get such invaluable helpful information.

 

[geoffreys]

Actually I did take that into consideration and I have not been able to find anybody in my area who has done the comparison and that's the fundamental problem.

I live in a very poor reception area and many of the boxes that work fine near Murcia which is only 50 kms away don't work where I live, and even as near as Alicante which is a lot less that 50 kms different boxes seem to work differently.

I also know that the Humax box will mean I would loose C4HD, Fiver, Five US and possible Channel Five, ( losing C5 is part of my dilemma, but not the others).

Pipino said 'both' but he is in a better reception area than me albeit marginally better.

Why would you lose C4HD?
Geoff,
Sunny Cyprus

 

[jacton]

Actually where I live I don't get C4 now all I can get is C4+1 with my Sky box and FTV card. So I suppose as C4 broadcast on the same frequency as BBC2 (which I also cannot get on my Sky box) I wont get it with a Freesat box either.

That's what I have been told

 

[satelliteman]

http://www.satellites.co.uk/satelli...-where-find-main-psb-channels.html#post775100