SkyHD box - numerous channels pixelated or no signal

daymobrew

I have a 2 year old Thompson Sky HD box.
Recently I have been unable to get a good signal (or sometimes even any signal) on numerous channels. The bad channel list is not fixed. It includes Channel4, More4, Sky News, Fox News, Good Mood Food (and +1), Nick, Nick Jr, Nick Replay, Boomerang, Cartoon Network, LFC TV.

I contacted Sky who asked me to disable and then reenable two settings (22kHz one and some LNB one). No change.
I tried another suggestion: switched the two coaxial inputs - this didn't change anything. Bizarrely the signal strength and quality listed under Settings/Signal didn't change.
The Signal quality on both inputs is about 85-90%. Signal strength is about 60-70% on both.

I wiped clean the LNB cover over the weekend but no change. The dish and LNB appear to be firmly fixed to the rear wall. The dish has survived some serious storms over the years and continues to perform well.

My cordless phone base is in a different room from the Sky HD box. My wireless router is about 4 metres from the dish.

Before I fork out 100 euro to get an engineer out, does anyone have any suggestions of things I can try?

gerrybbadd

Hi,

I have the very same problems with mine, i.e. missing channels, and pixellated crap. I got an engineer out, who replaced the LNB, thinking this might be the problem as i only had one signal input.

This didn't work either. The engineer told me it was the first batch of HD boxes issued (Sky HD Thompson Boxes rather than the new SKY+ HD Boxes)

His advise to me was to cancel my subscription, and rejoin again rather than pay €300.00 for the new HD box, and €50.00 for the LNB, just go as a new customer, and all you'd pay is €30.00 connection fee (or whatever the Supertelly offer they have running now is)

John mac

Could be the power supply problem .
you could get a friends box to verify your dish and cabling,

I got a new power supply from satcure, over a year ago and no problems since.

eddiem74

Yeah, sounding like the PSU issue alright. I also replaced mine, I mentioned in this thread what I did.

daymobrew

I don't know anyone with HD.

eddiem74 - Did you have to post your PSU off to the UK? How long did this take? I don't think that I could be without my TV for whatever time it takes.

gerrybbadd - If I get an engineer out, surely he'd replace the box if it is deemed faulty. It could be unacceptable for him to come out, charge me 100 euro and leave without the issue being fixed.

LarMan

I had the same problem (with a Thompson box) and did pay the €100 to get the engineer out who looked at the LNB and increased the signal strength and quality. As this did not fix the problem he simply took away my old box and replaced it with a refurbished Samsung box.

Everything was working then and the samsung box seems to be a lot quieter than my old one.

eddiem74

daymobrew wrote: »

eddiem74 - Did you have to post your PSU off to the UK? How long did this take? I don't think that I could be without my TV for whatever time it takes.

I was in the same boat, so I contacted Steve, and told him that. He said he would send me a refurbed PSU, and I could replace. I ordered through his website via paypal (as his ebay site, would not work for non-UK addresses), after contacting him via email first, and agreeing that.

PSU was shipped on a Friday, and was delivered to me on Monday morning.

By lunch time Monday, I had followed the instructions on his website, and replaced the PSU, no issues since, and the box is now also much quieter.

daymobrew

eddiem74 wrote: »

I was in the same boat, so I contacted Steve, and told him that. He said he would send me a refurbed PSU, and I could replace. I ordered through his website via paypal (as his ebay site, would not work for non-UK addresses), after contacting him via email first, and agreeing that.

Good to know - the web site said that they no longer do this.

I am asking friends if I can borrow a Sky+ or HD box to see if their box is okay in my house. If so then it rules out the dish/LNB/cables as being the problem.

The Bull

I too have the same problem with my thompson box, i rang sky and told him that the box had a fault and that i checked another sky + box and it worked fine, i have to pay the 100 euro for the engineer to call out this sat, the guy on the phone told me that if it was the box they would replace it at no extra charge. I will update u sat on how things went.

John mac

If you are any good with a soldering iron you can repair it yourself.

Or if you know anyone who can.. would work out cheaper than a €100 call out.

eddiem74

daymobrew wrote: »

Good to know - the web site said that they no longer do this.

Where does it say that, I done a quick scan and could not see it? It doesn't seem updated since I used it.

Worst case, you could tell him you will pay double as a guarantee to send back the broken one, and he can then refund you once he gets it.

John mac

he started doing that last year as he was getting so many people not sending back the old ones!

( its in the forums.)

eddiem74

John mac wrote: »

he started doing that last year as he was getting so many people not sending back the old ones!

( its in the forums.)

Thanks, I am sure a double upfront payment option/offer would minimise that risk.

daymobrew

eddiem74 wrote: »

Worst case, you could tell him you will pay double as a guarantee to send back the broken one, and he can then refund you once he gets it.

John Mac linked to the Spares page.
I clicked on the big HERE link.
Option 3 says:

3. Order an exchange power supply from us (see below) and either fit it yourself or get a friend to fit it. You will have to send your old PSU to us in advance. We will email you a link to instructions which must be read before you dismantle your Digibox. See MORE INFO.

Option 5 says:

5. Order an advance replacement. This is not an option because some customers stole our "float" of spare PSUs.

eddiem74

daymobrew wrote: »

John Mac linked to the Spares page.
I clicked on the big HERE link.
Option 3 says:
Option 5 says:

Ok, that's the satcure website. So you didn't follow this link, in the thread I mentioned, this was who I used in the last few weeks only.

daymobrew

eddiem74 wrote: »

Ok, that's the satcure website. So you didn't follow this link, in the thread I mentioned, this was who I used in the last few weeks only.

I didn't see the link in the other thread. Impressive step-by-step guide there.

The Bull

The Bull wrote: »

I too have the same problem with my thompson box, i rang sky and told him that the box had a fault and that i checked another sky + box and it worked fine, i have to pay the 100 euro for the engineer to call out this sat, the guy on the phone told me that if it was the box they would replace it at no extra charge. I will update u sat on how things went.

Engineer was out today, he checked the box and indeed it was faulty. He replaced the box with a refurbished pace box at no extra cost. All workin fine now.

daymobrew

I am going to go the engineer route too.
I borrowed a friend's Sky box (not + or HD) and was able to view the problem channels without problem. This tells me that the dish/LNB/cables are okay.

I just have to backup some of my recordings.