Xoro HRS 8660 HD receiver

[George T]

Hi, when I first installed this box, it did tune in the UK HD channels, but it also put in a load of German standard ones on the lowest programme numbers. So, after a bit of Factory Resetting and retuning (a number of attempts), I now don't have the German stations, but I also can't get back the UK HD ones, apart from S4C-HD.
The UK/EU seller is of no use (no English Language manual available for this unit either).
Can anyone make any suggestions as to what I should do, apart from return the equipment (which the seller has given me as an option, saying that no-one else has had any problems with this model)?

I am only accessing the free channels, the box was to replace my out-of-date FortecStar Passion HD unit.

There is a new firmware update available (instructions all in German, but this I have translated).
George.

 

[Lazarus]

Are you sure the problem lies with the box?

The fact that at one point you got German Channels suggests a dish alignment issue .... because German Channels proliferate at 19.2E, whereas the UK ones are on 28E.

Either that, or the German Channels were pre-stored (Albeit presumably not actually watchable).

 

[George T]

Are you sure the problem lies with the box?

The fact that at one point you got German Channels suggests a dish alignment issue .... because German Channels proliferate at 19.2E, whereas the UK ones are on 28E.

Either that, or the German Channels were pre-stored ((Although not watchable).

After the initial set-up and factory reset, I've only been tuning the channels off Astra 28.2E - the Fortec Star dish can, however, also pick up good strength signals from the 19.2E satellite as well. I didn't try watching the German ones that were there initially.
Do I need to manually tune the HD ones (altering settings), although they did, at one stage, appear and they were watchable?

 

[Lazarus]

The dish most certainly shouldn't be picking up Channels from both positions ..... assuming it's a single LNB at the focus. Absolutely not possible. If it were, the reuse of frequencies and other parameters on adjacent Satellites simply would not be feasible.

Please provide further details of the dish, LNB/LNBs, any dish multi-LNB brackets, motors etc.

Pictures too, if you have some.

And some background on how the dish was installed eg By whom, whether any changes have been made, anything else that might help us get to the true cause of your problem.

 

[George T]

The dish most certainly shouldn't be picking up Channels from both positions ..... assuming it's a single LNB at the focus. Absolutely not possible. If it were, the reuse of frequencies and other parameters on adjacent Satellites simply would not be feasible.

Please provide further details of the dish, LNB/LNBs, any dish multi-LNB brackets, motors etc.

Pictures too, if you have some.

And some background on how the dish was installed eg By whom, whether any changes have been made, anything else that might help us get to the true cause of your problem.

Sorry, the other satellite I'm getting signal strength from is 23.5E (Astra 1) - nothing on 19.2.

The non-motorized dish (an older larger format one) and single LNB came in a FortecStar package bought from Maplins a number of years ago.
I set the dish up whilst perched outside on the porch roof with the actual Passion HD receiver and a small Sony TV using a short length of cable, whilst talking to the FortecStar tech people on a mobile phone and adjusting the dish - it was they who told me that the location angles quoted are not based on magnetic North (which was where I was originally going wrong when first installing).

I'll have to get a photo of the external installation tomorrow, in daylight.

I have, however, whilst trailing through the forums, found info on Channel 5HD going "free" and its transponder details.
I added this to my list of transponders and, hey presto, I can now receive Channel 5HD.

Maybe I'll have to manually add everything else? All I would need then, is the list of transponders required for UK Free HD channels.

Regards.

 

[Lazarus]

That sounds encouraging.

However, if you truly are getting something from 23.5E then the dish cannot be properly aligned on 28.2E and possibly requires a minute shove slightly further East.

As for adding the other Channels, yes you can add them manually, using the parameters shown on the listings site such as Flysat, KingofSat, Lyngsat etc or you can simply use Blind Search (Assuming the box has it, which it almost certainly has). The latter will find everything from where the dish is pointing, so you might end up with a lot of weeding to do.

Other search facilities like Network Search might do the job too.

 

[George T]

That sounds encouraging.

However, if you truly are getting something from 23.5E then the dish cannot be properly aligned on 28.2E and possibly requires a minute shove slightly further East.

As for adding the other Channels, yes you can add them manually, using the parameters shown on the listings site such as Flysat, KingofSat, Lyngsat etc or you can simply use Blind Search (Assuming the box has it, which it almost certainly has). The latter will find everything from where the dish is pointing, so you might end up with a lot of weeding to do.

Other search facilities like Network Search might do the job too.

Lazarus,
Thanks for the replies. Getting out on the projecting porch roof will take a while - I don't get on with heights anymore (any heights).
I have had to re-align once before, about 2 years ago, after very high winds (the dish is a solid one, unlike the current Sky ones), so may not have been as accurate as the initial setting.
G.