Sky/channel 4 problem

Comic Book Guy

Hi All,

Some advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Our sky box loses signal on channel 4, more 4, e4 and the plus hour channels every tuesday and wednesday nights and all the other channels work fine anyone experince this? If so what did ye do about it? We have been told by sky that there will be a 100euro callout charge to fix it! No way are we paying that what a rip off!!

Greg82

It might be either wireless router or phone interfering with your box.there should not be any of those devices whithin at least 2 m from sky box.

pegasus1

Greg82 wrote: »

It might be either wireless router or phone interfering with your box.there should not be any of those devices whithin at least 2 m from sky box.

Never have had a problem with our skybox apart from the usual software gremlins, and our wireless router is technically sitting on top of the skybox..ie router is right behind LCD tv with the skybox 6 inches below;)

pegasus1

Comic Book Guy wrote: »

Hi All,

Some advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Our sky box loses signal on channel 4, more 4, e4 and the plus hour channels every tuesday and wednesday nights and all the other channels work fine anyone experince this? If so what did ye do about it? We have been told by sky that there will be a 100euro callout charge to fix it! No way are we paying that what a rip off!!

Are there any owls or other birds swooping in to sit on the arm of your sky dish, couple of upward pointing cable ties might help with this.

Comic Book Guy

Thanks for the replies all.

Its defo not the wireless router cause its well away from the box. Like i said its really weird, the channel 4 and other related stations are working perfectly now as i speak but i know as soon as it turns 8.30-9 pm on tuesday and wednesday that these channels cant be received because of no sattelite signal.
At he same time every other available channel is coming through perfect. The signal quality and strength bars are absolutely empty when it happens while when i flick over to another channel both bars are completely full!!

greendom

It happened to my sky box and that was down to a cordless phone. Apparently they use the same frequency as the CH4 family. If you have one switch it off and see if it makes a difference

Comic Book Guy

greendom wrote: »

It happened to my sky box and that was down to a cordless phone. Apparently they use the same frequency as the CH4 family. If you have one switch it off and see if it makes a difference

Don't have a cordless phone so am still stuck! Really annoying missing Shameless every tuesday nite and then having to leave the box on thru monday nite to record the repeat.
Thanks for the suggestion though

Greg82

It looks like some other device in proximity of your sky box works on same frequency as channels which are giving problems.if You live in terraced or semi dettached house it might be also next doors one.

greendom

Thicker cabling may solve the problem. We moved house and have better cabling to the sky box and the problem has gone.

Greg82

A lot of problems with channel 4 are down to bad cabling.Important thing is to have straight screened cable from satellite dish to the box.no wallplates or external joints.part of the problem might be satellite dish,either with old lnb or off line of sight.another thing is that sky hd thopson boxes give this sort of problems even though dish and cabling are perfect

Sully101

Hi Comic Book guy,
Unfortunately imo you do need to get someone out to look at your dish. It probably will only need to be realigned but in worst case scenario you will need new lnb. I don't know why but Ch4,E4 and extreme sports are the 1st channels to freeze when the signal quality is poor. A simple way to check is to look at the signal quality bar in the menu and it needs to be full past the 'k' in the ok on the lock indicator bar underneath. A local engineer will probably check it for you for 50 quid rather than go through sky.

brinks_18476

greendom wrote: »

It happened to my sky box and that was down to a cordless phone. Apparently they use the same frequency as the CH4 family. If you have one switch it off and see if it makes a difference

Your a star. It was my cordless phone,,, Thanks:D

Liameter

Out of interest, why do you switch your phone on ONLY from 8.30-9 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday?

Peter Rhea

Unless the OP has 2 accounts, the phone post is from someone else.

inspiron6000

Had this same problem, was going to pay for someone to come out but plugged out the phone and it fixed the problem! Thanks for saving me money boardies