Free to air keeps getting 'no signal' error

Hey guys,

Just want to start by saying I have not even a single notion of knowledge in relation to satellite TV. Not an ounce of education in relation to it (I use my PC for everything).


My dad has one of those 'free to air' boxes wired up. It was in the house about 3-4 years, and then it broke. About 2-3 months later, he got it fixed again (apparently something on the dish itself had broken).

Anyway, through all of this time (before and after the fix), his viewing is constantly being interrupted with 'no signal is being received' messages.

Screen goes blue, and shows error, and it can stay like that for up to about 10 seconds, then back to viewing normally. You might get 30 seconds of viewing, and the message will reappear, or you might get 30 minutes before it appears again. It's completely random, and it only ever lasts a couple of seconds, but it's extremely irritating.


The box itself that he was given when he got it set up, is an old sky box. Something similar to this:




He has crystal clear, non-interrupted RTE and such, via built-in Saorview on the TV itself, but the box is wrecking his head. He's had this for years (I don't know how he lasted this long with this issue, but i only twigged it when I was watching stuff there recently, and i was cracking up trying to watch anything on it!).


Would anyone have any idea advice? All of the technical information screens (for lack of a better term) are below, incase they may mean anything?














There are no loose wires, the dish itself is apparently in decent enough state (the chap that was there fixing it, put a new 'receiver' on it or something? That was only about 2-3 months ago). I want to try and fix it (or replace it with something that does work) but I've no idea where to start.

Was hoping someone here could perhaps nudge me in the right direction..?


Thanks a lot

The Cush

Signal quality should be higher, signal strength could be better. I would guess the dish may be slightly out of alignment or the skew of the LNB on the dish arm needs adjustment. Would suggest getting a professional installer in to check the signal with a meter.

Thurston?

Signal quality shown in that photo doesn't look good.

Usually due to poor dish alignment, poor connection, water in cable etc., although some Thomson boxes have a reputation for power supply failure. Of course, it could also be a combination of a PSU fault along with something else.

Trying another box known to be in good working order, could rule out a problem with the dish, LNB, & cables/connections.

steveon

Would agree with Thurston that Thomson made boxes are of poor build all the capacitors in the psu start drying up and need to be replaced...but easier to replace the box ...

mackersdublin

Sky don't support Thompson boxes anymore
http://skyepginfo.co.uk/Firmware/SkyPlusHD.php

The Cush

If the box has to be replaced then he should consider a Freesat satellite receiver, more user friendly for free satellite viewing and recorder options available - http://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/recommended/freesat-plus

Cheers for the replies, guys. Much appreciated.

Seems the box itself is likely the main cause of issue then.


Cush, are those boxes you liked to effectively an 'all in' job? (ie; doesn't require the use of the dish itself?). If so, that'd be handy. Thoes prices are all £, would those products work in Ireland?

The Cush

Deleted User wrote: »

Seems the box itself is likely the main cause of issue then.

Cush, are those boxes you liked to effectively an 'all in' job? (ie; doesn't require the use of the dish itself?). If so, that'd be handy. Thoes prices are all £, would those products work in Ireland?

No way of knowing for sure that the existing box is the problem unless you test that box on another dish or test a different box on your father's dish.

As regards the Freesat box, it and any other satellite receiver requires a satellite dish I'm afraid, no way around that.

Freesat receivers work without problem in Ireland, during installation they simply require a UK postcode which sets the UK region channels received i.e. a NI postcode gives you BBC NI/UTV, a London postcode gives you BBC London/ITV London etc.

List of Freesat channels - http://www.tvchannellists.com/List_of_channels_on_Freesat_(UK)

Irish retailers also sell Freesat receievers e.g. http://www.freetv.ie/satellite/receivers/freesat.html, http://www.satworld.ie/satellite-receivers/freesat/