Why does it sometimes say no signal even when there is?

[ramblingbob]

Hi, I hope somebody can help me here, if I'm posting in the wrong place maybe somebody can move it for me, thanks.

I have a Pace Sky box (430n?) that I use here in Norway with a one metre dish. I always have a hundred percent signal strength even in bad weather (doesn't miss a thing even in gale force winds, heavy snow etc).

Yet recently the picture will suddenly break up and I'll get the "no signal" message. When I check the signal, it's still on full, but the signal quality has dropped to nothing, but immediately hops straight up to its usual 90-95%. Then I hit back up and the picture is back, but after a moment it goes again.

The problem happens a couple of times a night now and lasts for 5-6 minutes. Does anyone have any idea what the reason might be?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Hughes]

Could your LNB be on its way out?

 

[ramblingbob]

Hope not, I bought it a year ago and it was the best they had.

 

[Analoguesat]

In extremes of temperature lnb's need replacing regularly. However it might just be some local interference, or a bird perching on the arm of the dish for a moment, or even a spider moving around inside the lnb cover!

Unfortunately this sort of trouble shooting is a matter of trial and error.

 

[rolfw]

Or of course it could also be the digibox on the way out, signal loss is one of the symptoms of power supply or tuner failure, whether it be on all channels, or a few seemingly unrelated channels.

 

[sonnetpete]

It does sound very similar to the symptoms on my $ly digibox last year. Ch5 was disappearing and the only way I could get it back was to go into the set up menu then back again. It got worse and affected more frequencies so I ditched it and got a Freesat box. The $ly box was over seven years old so I guess it had reached the end of it's life.

 

[ramblingbob]

Okay, the most likely thing if it isn't weather seems to be the box then? When I bought it 3 or 4 years ago, The Pace DS430N or older 2600 seemed to be the things I saw recommended most. What should I be looking for now?
Is there any good reason to get a freesat one instead of a sky one?

 

[sonnetpete]

For me it was a no brainer, as I wanted an HD box with 7 day EPG, I had no $ly subs and didn't want to go through having a generic $ly box again. The Humax Freesat stb gives good performance and is relatively easy to use. However, if you want to stick to a $ly stb as maybe you have a sub, I'm sure someone else can recommend one.

 

[ramblingbob]

No, no subscription and no intentions of getting one. Whats a 7 day EPG?

I've looked around since my last post and it seems there's no benefit at all in going with an old Sky box over freesat, unless someone here can argue different. Looks like I'll be trying to pick up a Humax then, it seems they can be picked up for around 50 quid on ebay.

Any other advice is still greatly appreciated though!

 

[iceman]

could be the box PSU playing up and failing to deliver the correct voltage to the LNB.

 

[sonnetpete]

No, no subscription and no intentions of getting one. Whats a 7 day EPG?

EPG = Electronic Programme Guide. Surely you had this on the $ly box? It's a means of planning ahead and scheduling programmes. There are other Freesat boxes around, both in SD and HD. The Humax was merely my choice and I had no reviews or recommendations to help. All I can say is that it performs well, though it only really gets used when my stepdaughter comes to stay (which isn't that often!).

 

[ramblingbob]

could be the box PSU playing up and failing to deliver the correct voltage to the LNB.

What's the PSU and does it mean getting a new box?

EPG = Electronic Programme Guide. Surely you had this on the $ly box? It's a means of planning ahead and scheduling programmes. There are other Freesat boxes around, both in SD and HD. The Humax was merely my choice and I had no reviews or recommendations to help. All I can say is that it performs well, though it only really gets used when my stepdaughter comes to stay (which isn't that often!).

Ah, ok, yes just never heard that phrase before.
I actually saw Humax suggested somewhere else too, but all I need to know is what's good with a fringe signal out here in Norway.
Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[iceman]

What's the PSU and does it mean getting a new box?

PSU = Power Supply Unit......and they can be repaired

 

[sonnetpete]

What's the PSU and does it mean getting a new box?

PSU = Power Supply Unit and yes, more often than not it will entail the purchase of a new box. Unless, you are handy with a soldering iron and have a pretty good grounding in electronics. (You can purchase 'kits' to repair the power supply)

Not sure how good the Humax is on fringe reception, but it's tuner seems a little more sensitive than my Vantage receiver. It is marginal though.

 

[Hughes]

Had a "No signal" incident last night. Prime suspect was the LNB, but when I unscrewed the f connector I found that the centre core of the coax had sheared off inside the LNB. I was able to pull the bit out with my fingers,shorten the cable a few cms as it was looking a little lack-lustre, reconnect, and problem solved. Years of LNB tweaking and skew adjustment has taken its toll both on me and my system!

 

[Lazarus]

That's a decent result!

 

[howard1]

Hi, I hope somebody can help me here, if I'm posting in the wrong place maybe somebody can move it for me, thanks.

I have a Pace Sky box (430n?) that I use here in Norway with a one metre dish. I always have a hundred percent signal strength even in bad weather (doesn't miss a thing even in gale force winds, heavy snow etc).

Yet recently the picture will suddenly break up and I'll get the "no signal" message. When I check the signal, it's still on full, but the signal quality has dropped to nothing, but immediately hops straight up to its usual 90-95%. Then I hit back up and the picture is back, but after a moment it goes again.

The problem happens a couple of times a night now and lasts for 5-6 minutes. Does anyone have any idea what the reason might be?

Thanks for any help.

I have had three jobs with the same problem & replaced the cable in all cases which cured them. If not this, then replace lnb & try spare digibox. Good luck!

 

[Channel Hopper]

I have had three jobs with the same problem & replaced the cable in all cases which cured them. If not this, then replace lnb & try spare digibox. Good luck!

Problem solved without need of cable replacement. Your callout charge might even be questioned if the customer(s) ever found out.

 

[T1154]

Problem solved without need of cable replacement. Your callout charge might even be questioned if the customer(s) ever found out.

Its astonishing how poor the connection can get before the signal is permanently lost .In this context I have had a number of cases where the copper connector has been almost completely corroded,and[wait a minute]always where the f plug has been carefully taped up. In fact I have stopped doing this because I think that the moisture ingress causing corrosion may be the result of condensation under the tape.Better to let it dry out naturally perhaps
T1154
'Hobby' prevents the onset of 'Mental Illness'

 

[Channel Hopper]

Its astonishing how poor the connection can get before the signal is permanently lost .In this context I have had a number of cases where the copper connector has been almost completely corroded,and[wait a minute]always where the f plug has been carefully taped up. In fact I have stopped doing this because I think that the moisture ingress causing corrosion may be the result of condensation under the tape.

Some of the earlier attempts at universal LNBs were without a solid block between the electronics and the outer part of the thread that the connector fits to. After a few seasons the internal moisture leaks out down to the copper of the inner conductor.
I believe ALPs LNBs were the ones I replaced most of a few years back.