Problem with digibox

thayes

Hi,

I had the builders in for 2 weeks and had to disconnect my FTA sky digibox. During the first week I reconnected it once, but had lots of problems getting a satellite signal. Eventually after unscrewing the connector at the digibox end a few times it came back. Had to disconnect it the next day. This week I went to reconnect it again, and no joy at all getting a satellite signal on the digibox, no matter how many times I unconnected and reconnected the cable. I don't think the dish alignment has changed, but you never know.
It could be the digibox?
It could be teh LNB, it is a universal one I got from LIDL a year and a half ago.

Thanks for any advice,

Tom.

byte

Is it a proper "SKY" Digibox, or a FTA box?

Is the dish a "SKY" minidish, or a standard 60 or 80cm dish (like was sold in Lidl)?

You say you had to reconnect coaxial lead a few times and got a signal. Could you elaborate there a bit.

Have you made sure that the outer braid on the cable isn't touching the inner core wire thus causing a short. Also, make sure the braid is making contact with the outer metal of the F connector. Could be just a bad connection. Try that first anyway.

thayes

"Is it a proper "SKY" Digibox, or a FTA box?"

Yes it is a proper skydigi box, a THOMSON SKY DIGITAL RECEIVER DSI 4212.

"Is the dish a "SKY" minidish, or a standard 60 or 80cm dish (like was sold in Lidl)?"

It is a standard 80com one sold by Lidl, using the standard Lidl LNB sold by them at eth same time.

"You say you had to reconnect coaxial lead a few times and got a signal. Could you elaborate there a bit."

I screwed teh cable back in and it didn't work. I screwed it on and off a few times without success. The connection them became loose, so I had to remove the F connector and then put it back on again. When I did this, the first time it didn't work, but I unscrewed it and rescrewed it and the box received a signal.

When I bought the box originally, I had a second one for the brother-in-law, and I was able to swop the cable between them in testing numerous times without any diffculty.

Can I ask,
How far in does the cable have to go? is it sufficient for the cable and F connector to be toucing the "LNB in" connector or does it have to be screwed in?

What is the usual length of exposed copper cable protruding from the F connector or does that matter?
I think it is protruding by about 5mm.

"Have you made sure that the outer braid on the cable isn't touching the inner core wire thus causing a short. Also, make sure the braid is making contact with the outer metal of the F connector. Could be just a bad connection. Try that first anyway."

I think I had done that, but I will recheck it.

Thanks

Tom.

watty

3mm to 5mm solid wire past end of connector is fine. The socket for that is recessed on the chassis connector.

If the braid is folded back all around the outer insulation for depth of rear hole in plug and only about 1mm to 2mm of inner insulation exposed it works best. Then screw on the plug outer over the braid. It will be quite tight.

The hole in the plug should match diameter of the coax. Cable TV cable is skinnier than Satellite cable and uses a plug with a smaller inner hole.

Pictures on my old web site:
http://homepage.eircom.net/~watty/satellite/sathowto-p8.htm

thayes

Thanks Watty,

I'll recheck it tonight if I have time and let ye know how I get on.

I don't think there was a short, but the the cable was quite a bit thicker then the F connector so it was originally hard to screw on. Now it is easier to screw the F connector on and off the cable.

I may try making a new connection and see what happens.