Where am I going wrong ?

[Bigdrinks]

I posed a question here some time ago regarding using a second digibox with my original card.

I was re-assured that all would be O.K. providing I didn't need the premium channels. Movies, sport, etc.

However, I've used my set up twice ( Mini dish + Thompson LN Once in Somerset and once in Cumbria. Each time I can't get C4, C5, Sky One, Granada Plus, MTV and a load of others.

Where Am I going wrong ?

Signal strength always shows 100%
Signal Quality is never above 20-25%

Is it my dish, LNB, coax, digibox or what. Any ideas ??????????

 

[PoloMint]

When you say you don't get these channels, do you mean you get a message telling you 'to subscribe call...' (or something similar) or do you get a 'no signal' message/blue screen? Or something else entirely.

20-25% signal quality is quite low, with strength that high it could be your LNB skew is wrong, aim for signal quality, not strength when setting up the dish.

 

[Bigdrinks]

It's the 'no signal' blue screen I keep getting.

Although I try & try to improve the 'quality' it doesn't get better. Shall I try another LNB ?

 

[PoloMint]

The no signal message is not related to the card.

What skew is the LNB at roughly? Adjusting it using the digibox meter as a guide you need to remember that the meter can take about 4 seconds to update. So adjustments need to be small and slow.

You could also change the signal test to one of the ITV transponders by going into the services menu, pressing 401 Select in quick succession and entering the details for the transponder under manual tuning. The frequencies can be found on www.lyngsat.com

However if you are getting no signal on that transponder then it might to better to stick with the default one and try and improve that first.

If you have another LNB handy then try it out, but don’t out and buy one yet.

 

[PaulR]

The "no signal" message could be the beginning of the tuner failing. Can you borrow a known working box and card to try on your dish and cable?

Similarly try your box and card on someone else's dish and cable.

PaulR

 

[Bigdrinks]

Tried the box at home & it works fine so, I'm going down the line of the 'skew' being out.

I'm not away 'till next month so wont be able to try it. However, just checked the Skew and it was right over to the no.5 setting (1-5 via a series of clicks). I admit I never even thought of adjusting the skew in the first place.

 

[PoloMint]

5 sounds too far round, it depends where you are, but I think for the whole of the UK some of the more middling ones will be better.

You could download the SMW link program http://www.smw.se/smwlink/smwlink.htm and plug in your details and it will show you exactly what it should be. Or just wait until next time you are setting up the dish and simply try all of the five clicks, waiting a few seconds between them, to see which one gives the best signal quality.

 

[Old Fred]

Here's a useful site: http://www.satelliteforcaravans.co.uk/

 

[Bigdrinks]

Cheers Old Fred. Just the ticket !

 

[Bigdrinks]

Update

Just had another go, this time I was in Edinburgh.

Same old problem.......100% strength and 20% quality and still couldn't receive alot of channels.

Then, I swapped LNB's with a guy and all of a sudden my quality was upto 50% plus and all channels could be received.

So, a new LNB is needed.

But which one ?

Mine is a Thomson, the other I tried was a Skyware. Was I just unlucky or should I avoid Thomson ?

 

[rolfw]

The Thompson LNBs are generally very good. You must have been unlucky.