Sky Sports goes blank just before kick off (NTL)

py2006

Hi folks,

I was wondering if anybody else is having the same problem as me. On more than a few occasions I will sit down to relax and enjoy the football and all of a sudden the picture starts skipping and jumping or it wont work at all.

Now all other channels work fine, its only Sky Sports 1 when a big game is on. This is soo annoying as it means I have to rush out of the house down to the pub or whatever and miss the first 10-15mins of the game!

It appears to me that NTL are sharing the signal or whatever amongst far to many people. So when a large number of people are viewing the one channel at the same time my channel cuts out!

And low and behold, after the match it returns to normal.

I have tried restarting the box, switching it off completely, unplugging it for 30 mins etc etc and still the same!

grrrrrr

Zynks

That sounds like you don't have a subscription to that channel and it gets scrambled when the "premium" content kicks in.

The tax man

It appears to me that NTL are sharing the signal or whatever amongst far to many people. So when a large number of people are viewing the one channel at the same time my channel cuts out!

DTV doesn't suffer from contention issues. Sounds more like something going on local to you that's causing the picture break up.

That sounds like you don't have a subscription to that channel and it gets scrambled when the "premium" content kicks in.

You either have Sky sports or you don't. There's no turning on/off stuff.

OP, do you have broadband from NTL by any chance. Secondly what model stb do you currently have?

py2006

Yes I do have a subscription to Sky Sports. I am watching it now! It will be interesting to see if the picture breaks up for that match at 12.30.

py2006

The tax man wrote: »

OP, do you have broadband from NTL by any chance. Secondly what model stb do you currently have?

Yes I do have NTL broadband. The model number is DC221KN

Alun

Maybe it's a neighbour of yours who doesn't like football, and pops out into his garage for a spot of arc-welding while the match is on

The tax man

Wonder what happened before todays match

JeanClaude

The tax man wrote: »

Wonder what happened before todays match

He's had to leg it to the pub...:D won't be able to post till tomorrow...;)

aphex™

Do setanta not own the Irish rights to most soccer leagues now? Could be a rights issue.

py2006

Well normally would leg it to the pub especially if its UTD!!

Well the game started ok, then after 5 mins the picture and sound started skipping then eventually went off. I plugged out everything for a couple mins and that did the trick for a while (usually doesn't) and then it went again. I unplugged again and rebooted and I saw most of 2nd half!

JeanClaude

py2006 wrote: »

Well normally would leg it to the pub especially if its UTD!!

Well the game started ok, then after 5 mins the picture and sound started skipping then eventually went off. I plugged out everything for a couple mins and that did the trick for a while (usually doesn't) and then it went again. I unplugged again and rebooted and I saw most of 2nd half!

Thats not acceptable at all, ring NTL they'll have to send someone out to fix it, you couldn't be doing that everytime you wanna watch a match.

py2006

JeanClaude wrote: »

Thats not acceptable at all, ring NTL they'll have to send someone out to fix it, you couldn't be doing that everytime you wanna watch a match.

Ah we have been on to them before and all they do is say the will "boost the signal". Isn't it interesting though that it only seems to happen when the footy is on and only the channel the match is on!

The tax man

And is anyone else with Sky sports having the same problem come kick off?????

Ah we have been on to them before and all they do is say the will "boost the signal". Isn't it interesting though that it only seems to happen when the footy is on and only the channel the match is on!

Same signal leaves the same places to feed everyone. No one else complaining of the problem.My Sky sports didn't flicker once today before any of the matches(football or rugby on all sports channels). Local issue simple as.:cool:

py2006

Jaysus, again today!

mik_da_man

This happened me today with Arsenal v Reading and setanta 1

zilog_jones

py2006 wrote: »

and all they do is say the will "boost the signal".

They are talking complete bollocks. I've heard of Sky people saying similar nonsense.

py2006

Well at this stage I am fed up with NTL. I am strongly considering using an alternative. Some of which cannot be discussed here for obvious reasons.

DingDong

Go to sky sports 1 Press the help button on the remote. Read from line 5 it should read be over 28(really should be over 30ish). Line 4 should be all zeros. When it starts to blank or freeze go to channel 408 and do the same checks. 408 Is on the same freq so it should have the same problem. It sounds like a problem with your signal. You really need a tech out to have a look. Is your broadband connected to the same outlet box ?

py2006

DingDong wrote: »

Go to sky sports 1 Press the help button on the remote. Read from line 5 it should read be over 28(really should be over 30ish). Line 4 should be all zeros. When it starts to blank or freeze go to channel 408 and do the same checks. 408 Is on the same freq so it should have the same problem. It sounds like a problem with your signal. You really need a tech out to have a look. Is your broadband connected to the same outlet box ?

If 408 is the Sky Sports news channel then yea it often goes off when Sky Sports 1 does! I will check those settings as soon as I get home. Is there a way of manually increasing the number if it isn't over 28?

I have a seperate outlet box on the wall for the broadband which is up in my bedroom. We have the NTL channels set up in the living room.

DingDong

py2006 wrote: »

If 408 is the Sky Sports news channel then yea it often goes off when Sky Sports 1 does! I will check those settings as soon as I get home. Is there a way of manually increasing the number if it isn't over 28?

I have a seperate outlet box on the wall for the broadband which is up in my bedroom. We have the NTL channels set up in the living room.

Its a signal quality reading and kinda gives you the ideas if something is wrong. You can't do anything about. Is it a new cable running into the house?. Is it an old CATV system your in. Have you any splits or internal amps in your house.

Alun

Clutching at straws here, but seeing as it's only when matches are on, could it be some dodgy (in an electrical sense) set top box, possibly even an illegal one, that's on the same segment of cable and only being switched on when matches are on? Maybe a local pub, or a footie mad neighbour or something?

DingDong

It is possible that the box is at fault. More than likely its happening more often than just before a match. It just py2006 is only noticing it at that stage.

py2006

DingDong wrote: »

Go to sky sports 1 Press the help button on the remote. Read from line 5 it should read be over 28(really should be over 30ish). Line 4 should be all zeros. When it starts to blank or freeze go to channel 408 and do the same checks. 408 Is on the same freq so it should have the same problem. It sounds like a problem with your signal. You really need a tech out to have a look. Is your broadband connected to the same outlet box ?

Line 5 actually 30.8! But the channel is fine at the moment!

py2006

Alun wrote: »

Clutching at straws here, but seeing as it's only when matches are on, could it be some dodgy (in an electrical sense) set top box, possibly even an illegal one, that's on the same segment of cable and only being switched on when matches are on? Maybe a local pub, or a footie mad neighbour or something?

No its a genuine NTL box. I was there when the guy came out to set it up. I doubt the neighbours are up to anything!

Alun

py2006 wrote: »

No its a genuine NTL box. I was there when the guy came out to set it up. I doubt the neighbours are up to anything!

I wasn't suggesting your box was in any way dodgy, but someone else on your physical segment of cable.

DingDong

30 will work but its a little on the low side. Really you will need someone out to check it. Is there any errors on line 4. The first lot of zero is the pre error check and then after the dash is the post(the box tries to correct the error). On line 2 it shows the frequency(its 315Mhz on sky sports 1 and sky sports news). Usually there is around 10 channels on the one frequency so you will be having problems with them too.
You will unfortunately have to give the customer service 1908 a ring and ask for someone to be sent out. Just tell them it blanking and freezing constantly and they should send someone out.

py2006

DingDong wrote: »

30 will work but its a little on the low side. Really you will need someone out to check it. Is there any errors on line 4. The first lot of zero is the pre error check and then after the dash is the post(the box tries to correct the error). On line 2 it shows the frequency(its 315Mhz on sky sports 1 and sky sports news). Usually there is around 10 channels on the one frequency so you will be having problems with them too.
You will unfortunately have to give the customer service 1908 a ring and ask for someone to be sent out. Just tell them it blanking and freezing constantly and they should send someone out.

Line 5 is 31.5 at the moment but it has often been 0 apparently!
Line 2 is 315000 -6887
Line 4 is 0.0E 00 - 0.0E 00 (This changed to something else for a sec while I was looking at it then went back)

CRAIG07

signal strength is 46 here in limerick city with chorus / upc digital:eek:
it has improved to that because i remember when we got a second box installed the guy cheaked the signal and it was only like 33 or somewhere around that. they are actualy doing something right:D

DingDong

That must be a different system chorus have than NTLs. The boxes only go to 40 I think and that would indicate the signal may be too strong. All its giving is a signal to noise ratio (SNR) not the actual signal strength.

py2006

Is my line 4 an error?

DingDong

Its an error it may change from time to time but it should be all zeros.

Lads this is the same with me, he's not imagining this at all. At bang on the time the live football is due to start my NTL drops the channel.

I'll be switching from NTL this week, I'm not going to pay for this crap any longer.:mad:

The tax man

Great post there snoopsheep. Maybe you could give some info on your location to see if it's anywhere near py2006. It's not happening to the rest of us.

Antenna

py2006 wrote: »

Hi folks,

and all of a sudden the picture starts skipping and jumping or it wont work at all.

What do you mean by 'skipping and jumping' ?
Is it digital breakup?

If otherwise, and this is a long shot, but is it possible the box is outputting a 'Macrovision' (analogue copy protection system) output (to inhibit home taping) during matches?

http://www.repairfaq.org/filipg/LINK/F_MacroVision1.html#MACROVISION_004

Whilst Macrovision is to inhibit home taping, it seems however that some TVs have difficulty with receiving a signal with Macrovision.

johnwatts1010

hj