How come I get chanels with SKY but not with my Humax Foxsat

EoC

Can someone explain in layman's terms how I can get SKY channels easily but cannot get a signal for Freesat (using Foxsat)? I thought they both used Astra 28.2.
Regards

watty

Something isn't connected properly. They are at the same Satellite position. Actually most of the channels on Sky EPG that work with no card or no subscription ARE freesat signals, only two EPGs are transmitted, also Freesat Interactive and Sky Interactive. Any channels the same on Freesat AND Sky absolutely ARE the same signal.

I had a Sky box and just simply plugged in a Freesat box.

Of course a FREEVIEW box won't work.

Actually I have 7 Satellite tuners and gave away the Sky box.

The Cush

EoC wrote: »

Can someone explain in layman's terms how I can get SKY channels easily but cannot get a signal for Freesat (using Foxsat)? I thought they both used Astra 28.2.

Provided the Freesat box is working OK the problem could be dish alignment.

This happened to me with 2 Freesat boxes, took them to my brothers house and all tuned first time. When reconnected to my dish all worked OK, only appears to be a problem on initial setup.

Before the Freesat box tunes in any channels it has to lock onto the signal from the Freesat "home" transponder (Eutelsat 28A 11428 27500 2/3) for region info, epg info etc. If it doesn't find a good enough signal it doesn't start the tune process. This satellite is weaker than the other Astra sats and also in a slightly different position also, so if the dish isn't accurately aligned for all sats it could cause this problem.

EoC

Hello Cush,

Can I test this on my SKY box. I have one day left.

If I go to SYSTEM SETUP -> ADD CHANNELS ->
Frequency: 11.428
Polarisation: V (or H not sure so I tested both)
Symbol Rate: 27.5
FEC: 2/3


I get No signal found. If I realign the dish would this be a good way to test the signal?

Regards

watty

Your sky box works forever on the Free channels. It doesn't get cut off.

If there is nothing on the Sky box check all connections and coax BEFORE touching dish alignment. Unless there is a massive storm the dish doesn't go out of alignment.

The LNB (blob at end of arm) can be faulty or a bad connection of coax to it too.

If the cables and LNB are connected then you'll get 10% to 20% signal. If the LNB is dead or cable disconnected / damaged then 0 to 10% signal.

The Cush

EoC wrote: »

Can I test this on my SKY box. I have one day left.

If I go to SYSTEM SETUP -> ADD CHANNELS ->
Frequency: 11.428
Polarisation: V (or H not sure so I tested both)
Symbol Rate: 27.5
FEC: 2/3

I get No signal found. If I realign the dish would this be a good way to test the signal?

That frequency doesn't carry actual TV channels that you can tune in on any receiver, they're data channels used by Freesat spec receivers.

Can you setup/test the Freesat box on a neighbours/friends dish?

red bellied

I had a similar problem like this when I had a Humax freesat box, anyway previously I had the Sky sub but got rid but was still using the dish etc, connected up the freesat box, scanned the satellite everything working as it should. One day I noticed I couldn't get a signal on the Humax so went to check on the sky box upstairs, powered it up and it was working, when I got back down stairs the viewing was back on the freesat box. So if the sky box was left unplugged from the wall the freesat would get no signal but if it was on or in standby the signal was perfect on the other box. Don't know if this related to your box but it might be worth a go, I messed around with lnb settings on both boxes but couldn't get a fix for it. It was also the Foxsat model I had too.

EoC

Hello Red Bellied,

All of a sudden I can get a signal. I have been trying to do this for over two weeks. I'm totally confused now. How can it work all of a sudden. I bet that tomorrow it won't work again. I have a SKY box in one room and the Humax in another. I have an OCTO LNB. I am not using the SKY box. I wonder can the SKY box interfere with the Humax setup. Can anyone let me know how you have perfect signal one day and no signal the next.

Regards

red bellied

Is your sky box connected up to the lnb? If it is unplug the box from the wall and check if you are still getting a signal on the Humax. If you don't get a signal it sounds like the problem I had and your signal should come back on your humax when you turn the sky box back on or have it in standby. If that doesn't work, its probably down to what was suggested in the other posts.

EoC

Hello All,
Thanks for the help so far. Day 2 and it's still working. Well one of the tuners is at 100% and the other at 0%. I don't mind because at least I have one tuner working. I guess the other one is broken. I will call HUMAX and see if I can a new tuner (if that's possible).
Regards

STB

EoC wrote: »

Hello All,
Thanks for the help so far. Day 2 and it's still working. Well one of the tuners is at 100% and the other at 0%. I don't mind because at least I have one tuner working. I guess the other one is broken. I will call HUMAX and see if I can a new tuner (if that's possible).
Regards

There are 2 inputs, seperated by an output. Only use the inputs, ie dont use the middle one.



If you have 2 cables coming into that room where the Humax is, then try the one that is working on LNB 1 on LNB 2. By process of elimination if one cable works in both lnb ports on the back of the box then the other cable is damaged or is connected to a dodgy port on the lnb on the dish. That being the case switch the LNB port on the dish to another LNB port on the dish. Its probably not the box, but rather the cabling from the LNB on the dish.

evilivor

STB wrote: »

There are 2 inputs, seperated by an output. Only use the inputs, ie dont use the middle one.



If you have 2 cables coming into that room where the Humax is, then try the one that is working on LNB 1 on LNB 2. By process of elimination if one cable works in both lnb ports on the back of the box then the other cable is damaged or is connected to a dodgy port on the lnb on the dish. That being the case switch the LNB port on the dish to another LNB port on the dish. Its probably not the box, but rather the cabling from the LNB on the dish.

Also, if the machine has been set up and tuned with only one cable connected, it needs to be Factory Reset to get it recognise both cables.

EoC

Hello All,

From checking other posts I wanted to make sure that the Humax was recognising the two tuners.

So I accessed the 'secret menu' buy going into Setup -> Diagnostics -> Hightlight the Freesat and then press in succession Red Green Yellow Blue Green Yellow Blue -> Connection Type. It read Two Cables (same) - the same means two cables from a single twin quad or octal lnb.

Note: If it says single cable then only one cable was detected during install.


Now since I knew it recoginsed both cables I just switched then from the inputs and now I have the two tuners working.

Let's see how long it last. The great thing is that I can watch the World Cup in HD with no extra charges like SKY would charge.

Thanks for all the help. Maybe someone with experience could do a check list of things to do.

Regards

EoC

Must be a tuner malfunction. The signal is gone on Tuner 1 again.

Does anyone know if I can purchase a tuner part for this box?

Regards

evilivor

EoC wrote: »

Must be a tuner malfunction. The signal is gone on Tuner 1 again.

Does anyone know if I can purchase a tuner part for this box?

Regards

When/where did you buy it? If it's not fit for purpose you should get your money back.

Oziero

EoC wrote: »

Must be a tuner malfunction. The signal is gone on Tuner 1 again.

I would say it's a bad connection on the cable between tuner & LNB.

EoC

This box is about 4 years old... Bought it when it came out first.....

EoC

Hello All,

Tuner 1 is dodgy on my box. It will show up when I switch it on in the morning and then disappear after 20 mins or so.

The issue I'm having is that I don't want to play around with the tuners as Tuner 1 is used at the beginning when trying to find the postcode (should I ever try to do a factory reset).

So in essence it's better to have Tuner 2 problems rather than Tuner 1 problems.

I wish there was a way to make Tuner 2 my primary tuner.

Regards

Sam Russell

Have you tried swapping the cables at the LNB end? It could be a fault on the LNB that is causing the problem. Also, it could still be cable related.

EoC

@Sam: I have done all that. Definitely a tuner problem. I've ordered another Humax online so when I get it I can confirm.