Fransat Reception in the North

ToutNouveau

Hi Board Users,

I live in the North of Ireland and had been enjoying watching all the French analogue channels broadcast on Atlantic Bird 3 (5w) for a number of year until they turn off the analogue signal last autumn.

I have finally gotten around to replacing my analogue receiver with a digital one (Lidl SL65) but am finding that I do not receive the digital signal very well and have not been able to pick up many of the channels. I know that to receive the whole package I would need a Fransat receiver and card but I know from a family member that they can receive quite a view channels (more than I am receiving) with a standard FTA receiver.

I've changed my LNB incase that was the problem and tried adjusting my dish but neither has resolved the issue.

Given that the same cabling, dish and LNB worked fine with the Analogue service I'm confused and seeking some advice on what might be the problem.

Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.

TN

SalteeDog

Which channels are you missing? France 2,3,5 and O are stronger than the others but you should still be able to pick all of them up. Are you using an 80cm dish?
Also, double-check that your receiver is set to both H and V polarity (Antenna set-up menu).

ToutNouveau

Hi SalteeDog,

Thanks for the reply. At the minute the only channels I can view are

Berbere Music
Berbere Jeunesse
TV Sijeme - Although screen icon says Z1

My receiver lists all the Atlantic Bird 3 channels but all the other channels, such as France 0, 2, 3 & 5 sow a "No Signal" message. I've tried rescanning with my receiver but this had made no difference.

I'm not sure what size my satellite dish is but I do not think it would be a large as 80cm. Do you think a 80cm dish would solve my problem? The current dish worked fine for analogue but I realise Digitial sugnal transmission works differently to analogue.

Any more pointers or advice you can offer would be grately appreciated.

Regards,

TN

Brian h

ToutNouveau wrote: »

Hi Board Users,

I live in the North of Ireland and had been enjoying watching all the French analogue channels broadcast on Atlantic Bird 3 (5w) for a number of year until they turn off the analogue signal last autumn.

I have finally gotten around to replacing my analogue receiver with a digital one (Lidl SL65) but am finding that I do not receive the digital signal very well and have not been able to pick up many of the channels. I know that to receive the whole package I would need a Fransat receiver and card but I know from a family member that they can receive quite a view channels (more than I am receiving) with a standard FTA receiver.

I've changed my LNB incase that was the problem and tried adjusting my dish but neither has resolved the issue.

Given that the same cabling, dish and LNB worked fine with the Analogue service I'm confused and seeking some advice on what might be the problem.

Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.

TN

Hi ToutNouveau,

As SalteeDog has already mentioned earlier, make sure that your receiver is set for both H and V transponders. If so, it looks like your LNB is only receiving the horizontally polarised transponders in which case you will need to "skew" it slightly to also get the vertical ones. For 5W in Ireland a skew of about 1.5 degrees clockwise is enough. See the picture below.

ToutNouveau

Brian h wrote: »

ToutNouveau wrote: »

Hi Board Users,

I live in the North of Ireland and had been enjoying watching all the French analogue channels broadcast on Atlantic Bird 3 (5w) for a number of year until they turn off the analogue signal last autumn.

I have finally gotten around to replacing my analogue receiver with a digital one (Lidl SL65) but am finding that I do not receive the digital signal very well and have not been able to pick up many of the channels. I know that to receive the whole package I would need a Fransat receiver and card but I know from a family member that they can receive quite a view channels (more than I am receiving) with a standard FTA receiver.

I've changed my LNB incase that was the problem and tried adjusting my dish but neither has resolved the issue.

Given that the same cabling, dish and LNB worked fine with the Analogue service I'm confused and seeking some advice on what might be the problem.

Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.

TN

Hi ToutNouveau,

As SalteeDog has already mentioned earlier, make sure that your receiver is set for both H and V transponders. If so, it looks like your LNB is only receiving the horizontally polarised transponders in which case you will need to "skew" it slightly to also get the vertical ones. For 5W in Ireland a skew of about 1.5 degrees clockwise is enough. See the picture below.

[/Quote


Thanks Brian. I have set receiver to work with H & V and worked with the skew of the LNB as suggested but I still not receiving any more channels.

Do you think a larger dish might help my situation? I don't mind buying one but only if it's really necessary.

Thanks again,

TN

Brian h

Hi TN,

Your dish size is probably ok as you were receiving the analogue channels and you currently can get some of the digital ones. If your receiver came with the channels pre-programmed, it may be that the frequencies have since changed. Try deleting all the channels on 5W and then do an "Auto Scan" from the installation menu. If it works, you will probably need to remove some duplicates and unwanted channels.

If an auto scan doesn't work, check your signal strength again and make sure the "quality" level is about 75% or better. If it is not you may need to adjust you dish slightly and try another auto scan.

ToutNouveau

Well I spent most of this afternoon working on the positioning of my satellite dish and LNB skew.

I moved both my receiver and my TV outside in view from where I was positioning the dish from so as I could see the impact of any movement as it happened.

Unfortunately I couln't improve upon the reception I already had. No amount of adjustment improved the reception for channels such as France 2 and I am still unable to receive any of the six national channels, either clear or encrypted.

I'm receiving a signal strength of 90+ and signal quality of 79+ on the test card for Globe Cast Paris, which by the way is also a H frequency.

I'm stuck now and don't know what to try next. Any suggestions ?

TN

STB

You have a card in the Fransat receiver ? I think you only get France 2,3,5,O and LCP FTA ?

Some light reading

http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2011/09/25/french-switch-off-analogue-satellite-dth/

And particular threads on TNTSAT inluding how to get a TNTSAT card for feck all. You will then need a TNTSAT receiver and point it at 19.2.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056339472

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056099413

SalteeDog

So OP, let me get this straight. You are using a SL65 receiver and your dish is pointed at 5w where you previously used to pick up the analog channels?

Sounds like it's pretty much the same set-up I have (although I never used the dish or LNB for Analog).

What channels are you picking up now? Sounds like you have the GCPE Testcard and France 2. Are you getting France 3, 5 and O... even poorly?,Tthey should be pretty strong - others such as TMC and will be a little weaker.

For reference - When I did my set-up I did not use any of the presets on the receiver.

I created a new Satellite AB3 profile
LNB - Universal (First frequency 9750Mhz, Second frequency 10600mHxz)
22K Off
Disecq1.0
Disecq Switch 1/4
Positioner None
Polarity H/V

Then I ran an Autoscan to scan for channels and that was it.

ToutNouveau

Thanks for all the posts and suggestions. I've tried everything suggested but still not having any success.

Today I took my receiver to a relatives house who has a 110m dish at 5w and we picked up all the French channels I as listed on Lyngsat website.

It must be my dish then as I still can't receive these channels at my home. I even tried a new scan tonight and only picked up six clear channels!

NRT
GCPE1 & 3
Berbere Television
Berbere Music
Berbere jeunesse

Is it usual that a larger dish is required for digital signals?

Anyone have any recommendations of a good place to buy a 80cm dish that won't charge me a lot for delivery to Ireland? I had a quick look on ebay but no one seems to want to send to NI without charging a fortune for it.

Regards
TN

SalteeDog

You probably need a larger dish alright.

Also - there isn't a channel 'NRT'. you probably mean NRJ-Paris. I'm surprised you can get that and not Vosges TV,KTO and TV8 Mont Blanc - all of which are on the same transponder frequency.

Anyway, www.tvtrade.ie have a selection of dishes at reasonable prices. I've purchased stuff from them in the past.