3e - No satellite signal is being received...

MartyM

Hi Guys

I am unable to receive 3e, channel 105. The following message is always present:

No satellite signal is being received. Please unplug your Sky+ box at the wall for 1 minute

I have tried this several times with no luck. I then contacted Sky and they said (after a system healthcheck) that I needed a new Sky box!?

However, I was just wondering would the following procedure potentially solve the problem:

services -> 4 -> 0 -> 1 -> select

and then choose option 6 "New Installation"

Or does anyone know another method that might solve this problem?


Also, what are the consequences of selecting "New Installation"? Will I lose recorded programs, other channels, favorites, etc?

My signal strength on both input 1 and 2 is over 50% and signal quality is approx. 80% - 90% on both inputs.

Cheers!

homer911

Maybe I'm being stupid, but i thought 3e was a cable only channel?

MartyM

homer911 wrote: »

Maybe I'm being stupid, but i thought 3e was a cable only channel?

Definitely not, my parents receive it on their Sky...

I also think we use to receive it but it use to break up a lot, along with channel 4. Moving the cordless phone base station solved that problem though.

Kensington

Sounds like your dish alignment is slightly off. New Installation will not solve a badly aligned dish, unfortunately!
What happens if you try to watch CNBC or Zone Horror, for example, same error message?

MartyM

Kensington wrote: »

Sounds like your dish alignment is slightly off. New Installation will not solve a badly aligned dish, unfortunately!
What happens if you try to watch CNBC or Zone Horror, for example, same error message?

Good man Kensington, those 2 channels do indeed show the same error message, so I guess its dish alignment!

IrishHomer

I would have been surprised alignment would be an issue as i presumed its on the wide beam Sats as i can view this channel crystal clear at all times in Southern Spain on a 60cm dish

MartyM

I'm open to other suggestions, as dish alignment is the last thing I want to be the culprit!

Kristopherus

Well if its any consolation to you, I have a problem with the 3e signal as well. Picture freezes regularly, or the dreaded blue screen. It cannot be just the dish alignment. I have perfect reception on all other channels. I'm in the West. Where are you?

MartyM

Kristopherus wrote: »

Well if its any consolation to you, I have a problem with the 3e signal as well. Picture freezes regularly, or the dreaded blue screen. It cannot be just the dish alignment. I have perfect reception on all other channels. I'm in the West. Where are you?

Dublin

Sounds like you just have interference. Do you have a cordless phone? They can play havoc with some sat channels...

Kensington

The reception problems you are experiencing are down purely to dish alignment, specifically the "skew" setting of the LNB on your dish.

Basically, the 3e transponder operates on 11.261GHz with Horizontal polarity, and another transponder operates on 11.260GHz with Vertical polarity. With a perfectly aligned dish with correct skew, and the LNB is easily able to seperate the two signals, even though they effectively transmit over each other. If your skew is off though, the LNB cannot effectively seperate the two signals apart, net result = the two signals swamp each other, box can't lock onto the signal and you get a No satellite signal is being received message.

The rest of the channels on the two transponder are mostly religious and shopping channels so it probably appears 3e is the only one affected since you probably wouldn't ever watch any of the rest!

MartyM

Kensington wrote: »

The reception problems you are experiencing are down purely to dish alignment, specifically the "skew" setting of the LNB on your dish.

Basically, the 3e transponder operates on 11.261GHz with Horizontal polarity, and another transponder operates on 11.260GHz with Vertical polarity. With a perfectly aligned dish with correct skew, and the LNB is easily able to seperate the two signals, even though they effectively transmit over each other. If your skew is off though, the LNB cannot effectively seperate the two signals apart, net result = the two signals swamp each other, box can't lock onto the signal and you get a No satellite signal is being received message.

The rest of the channels on the two transponder are mostly religious and shopping channels so it probably appears 3e is the only one affected since you probably wouldn't ever watch any of the rest!

Thanks Kensington!

My signal quality is approx. 80 - 90% on the default transponder. Can I manually change this to the problematic transponder(s) and test the signal quality of those?

Kensington

MartyM wrote: »

Thanks Kensington!

My signal quality is approx. 80 - 90% on the default transponder. Can I manually change this to the problematic transponder(s) and test the signal quality of those?

Yep! Press in sequence:
Services, 4, 0, 1, select.
Go to Manual Tuning.
Enter 11261 for frequency.
H for polarisation.
27.5 for symbol rate.
2/3 for FEC.
Then press Select. Box should display a signal reading graph, although in all likelihood you'll get the No satellite singal is being received message when you try.

MartyM

Kensington wrote: »

Yep! Press in sequence:
Services, 4, 0, 1, select.
Go to Manual Tuning.
Enter 11261 for frequency.
H for polarisation.
27.5 for symbol rate.
2/3 for FEC.
Then press Select. Box should display a signal reading graph, although in all likelihood you'll get the No satellite singal is being received message when you try.

Cool, thanks a million for your help!