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Xoro 8530 setup

  • 12-08-2012 7:20pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 394 ✭✭


    Hi all,

    I just bought the Xoro 8530S Saorsat/Freesat package from TVTrade.ie and went about setting it up yesterday. In order to get whatever assistance I could, I also bought their cheap satellite finder.

    At first, I set it up as advised, with the Saorsat 9E LNB central, with the 28.2 LNB offset on the bar. With the dish perfectly plumb, and the aid of Dishpointer.com, my trusty compass and the satellite finder, I failed to get any signal after a frustrating 2 hours of effort.

    With that, I said I'd try the easier option of the Astra 28.2. So I undid the assembly and removed the Saorsat LNB altogether to reduce complications. Moving the dish towards the correct angle gave an increased signal on the finder and then, bingo! I saw an image on the TV which I had positioned close by for convenience.

    I started a scan and saw the channels load in, but didn't stay to watch them all. When it was all done, there were numerous instances of the same channels such as Ch4 or BBC, some in blocks of 4-5 and some in random locations. For example CH07-12 inclusive are Ch4 and Ch4 also pops up in about 6-7 other odd spots. With these various BBC, ITVs and Ch4s are their local and +1 variants. What's odd though, is that none of the so called lifestyle, music, special interest or radio channels apart from BBCR5 are listed.

    Then, when I thought everything was saved as it had confirmed, I tightened up the bolts on the dish, removed the sat finder and hooked up the LNBs to the Disecq and through to the TV. All the settings, as far as I could see were checked and correct. The 28.2 LNB was in slot 2 of the Disecq and made sure it was listed in the settings on screen, etc.

    NOTHING!

    When I hit every channel on the list, it tells me, frustratingly, 'No Signal'. So I had to go and repeat the whole rigmaroll again. Only to get the same result. At that point, time was moving on, I was getting tired and even more frustrated, so I settled on leaving the sat-finder in place, wrapping it with plastic for weather protection and making do with what I had.

    What I had, and still have now are, as described above, multiple instances of the regular terrestrial channels and their numerous regional variations. The signal strength as displayed are all in the high 80s and reception is crystal clear and even better than I hoped they would be. The HD channels especially are absolutely amazing. Thankfully I caught some of the final events of the Olympics and saw those in their best light.

    With that in mind, I obviously have done something right in tuning in those with great signal strength. So, the question is, what am I not doing right as the other channels are not coming in? As things stand, I don't know whether it's a common peculiarity with that model or a glaring oversight of an inexperienced newbie :confused:

    I await your advice and suggestions. Thank you


Comments

  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,285 ✭✭✭Peter Rhea


    You give Dublin as your location: should be no need for Saorsat there, you might even get Saorview with an indoor or attic aerial (although outdoor is preferable). Saorview includes TV3 & 3e, which aren't on Saorsat.

    In this case you would need a satellite/terrestrial combo receiver unless your tv happens to work with Saorview.

    Don't forget, your dish needs to be aligned correctly in the vertical (elevation) & horizontal (azimuth) planes. Does 'perfectly plumb' refer to the dish face or the mounting pole? You might get lucky on 28 east with the dish face vertical like that, but 9 east is a higher elevation.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭STB


    Since you have bought the KA LNB for 9E why dont you look at the main Saorsat thread. There are plenty of pictures and suggestions as to where to centre your dish.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,351 ✭✭✭Ronnie Raygun


    DamoRed wrote: »
    Moving the dish towards the correct angle gave an increased signal on the finder and then, bingo! I saw an image on the TV ...

    So this image appeared before you did your scan? Did you pay the extra to get the receiver preprogrammed? No need to run a scan in that case.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 394 ✭✭DamoRed


    Ooooops!

    That's the sound of a rather large penny dropping. You may think it's obvious, but in my inexperienced muddle, I didn't think of that at the time.

    It's frustrating work, this stuff. Any suggestions?

    I'm still puzzled by the fact that only the BBCs and ITVs etc came in and not the rest.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,351 ✭✭✭Ronnie Raygun


    The signal from the Astra 1N satellite that carries the main channels is stronger than the others at 28 east. Your dish mightn't be aligned 100%.


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 138 ✭✭Skull Murphy


    DamoRed wrote: »
    At first, I set it up as advised, with the Saorsat 9E LNB central, with the 28.2 LNB offset on the bar.

    Tvtrade's diagram is wrong; the lnb for 28 east should be higher than the one for 9 east, not lower as they have shown it.

    The dish acts like a mirror with offset lnbs, so those for satellites at a lower elevation than the central one have to be mounted higher than the central lnb.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,285 ✭✭✭Peter Rhea


    Tvtrade's diagram is wrong; the lnb for 28 east should be higher than the one for 9 east, not lower as they have shown it.

    He has it right in the 'dish setup overview' video, though.

    OP, there's some skill involved in aligning a dish, but it should be straightforward once you have correctly spec'd hardware, capable of providing a signal in the first place. The ka band signals in particular require precision, as they are of a very short wavelength, so it will be tricky to find the correct dish position & make sure it stays there while you tighten the bolts.

    The position of the offset lnb will be limited by the bracket you use. You could try holding the lnb freehand in front of the dish to find the best signal position & see how this compares with the best available from the bracket.
    The bracket might offer some scope for modification if it fails to place the lnb in the best possible position.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,351 ✭✭✭Ronnie Raygun


    I struggle to see how an 80cm dish is big enough to provide satisfactory reception of 28 east on such a wide offset.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 394 ✭✭DamoRed


    Thanks for your replies.

    I've seen pics in the main Saorsat thread of skewed offset bars and neither LNB directly centred. I initially had the 9E Ka on the arm with the 28.2 on the furthest point of the offset arm but with no skew on it. I'm presuming the skew has a part to play as well as the actual direction it's facing.

    So I played around with it this evening and a lot of the channels that were missing before, came in this time. However the BBC HD channels are now absent.

    However, I'm still totally baffled as to why I can only get a signal when using the sat-finder. The chain is LNB>Sat-finder>Receiver. When I did a scan like that, things went great. So then I took out the sat-finder and connected the LNB to the Disecq, then through to the receiver and rescanned in exactly the same way. Again, nothing was found on the scan. Can anyone offer any explanation for this?

    So once again I've replaced the sat-finder as described above and covered it to protect it from the rain.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,285 ✭✭✭Peter Rhea


    It could be that you've made a dodgy connection somewhere that's causing signal reflections & this has made the whole system sensitive to cable length or parts being added/removed. This would also account for the fact that only some channels are being received.

    Also, there's no need to include the DiSEqC switch if you're only working with one satellite position.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 394 ✭✭DamoRed


    Wahey! We have contact!

    Cheers Peter. That's one thing I didn't think of. I was just routing via the diseqc because of the initial aim of having the two LNBs working. So I tried that just now and that's solved that particular problem.

    I need to have another go at alignment, because the reception on BBC and ITV are good, but nowhere near the stellar quality I was seeing on Saturday. The quality reading then was in the high 80s.


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