Missing channels on Freeview box

Hyperbollix

A neighbour is having trouble with an old UK freeview box that they have hooked up to a dish. (Manufacturer is "Ross", I'd say it's at least 10 years old)

It's now just giving them BBC, Channel 4, Sky News but is missing ITV channels and a host of obscure stuff that they used to watch.

I tried a scan on the various satellites that pop up on the list and in each case the box will find 2/300 channels, including the likes of ITV, but when you go to view them, it's just a blank screen. On some of them its showing up with artefacting and eventually "low signal"

Is it more likely than this is a dish/lnb issue rather than anything with the STB itself and would anyone have any tips on things to try before they go about calling someone out.

dxhound2005

Try connecting the cable from the dish directly to the TV. Then use the TV Menu to scan the satellites at 28 East. The list of channels is on this link.

https://www.lyngsat.com/Astra-2E-2F-2G.html

Some signals are very strong, others a lot weaker.

athlone573

It's not freeview if it's connected to a dish... Useful to start with the right names

Anyhow if it's that old it's earned its keep by now

I would do it in this order
Buy a cheap Freesat (capital F) box for around 50 blips

It will tune itself in

If it still doesn't work then you can go up a ladder and look at the dish and LNB

Or

maybe you have a spare box that you can bring round for the evening, if they need convincing.

I'm not up to speed on the brands of Freesat boxes these days but they are so much easier than messing around retuning it yourself.

Hyperbollix

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Try connecting the cable from the dish directly to the TV. Then use the TV Menu to scan the satellites at 28 East. The list of channels is on this link.

https://www.lyngsat.com/Astra-2E-2F-2G.html

Some signals are very strong, others a lot weaker.

Tv is an early Beko flatscreen. Will give it a try.

Also have an old SkyboxHD box which I presume I could hook up to the cable and it should find fTA channels as well.

mackersdublin

Hyperbollix wrote: »

A neighbour is having trouble with an old UK freeview box that they have hooked up to a dish. (Manufacturer is "Ross", I'd say it's at least 10 years old)

It's now just giving them BBC, Channel 4, Sky News but is missing ITV channels and a host of obscure stuff that they used to watch.

I tried a scan on the various satellites that pop up on the list and in each case the box will find 2/300 channels, including the likes of ITV, but when you go to view them, it's just a blank screen. On some of them its showing up with artefacting and eventually "low signal"

Is it more likely than this is a dish/lnb issue rather than anything with the STB itself and would anyone have any tips on things to try before they go about calling someone out.

A good few ITV channels in SD changed their frequency over the last couple of weeks and it sounds like that might be the issue

Try doing a full rescan of the Satellite channels on the Ross box

athlone573

mackersdublin wrote: »

A good few ITV channels in SD changed their frequency over the last couple of weeks and it sounds like that might be the issue

Try doing a full rescan of the Satellite channels on the Ross box

Artefacting is unusual and is a sign that the box can't parse the signal, this could be because the box is on the fritz, or because the LNB or dish aren't picking up the signal correctly.

Reasons for this could include bad weather, leaves branches or snow blocking the signal, the dish rusting, or the dish or LNB becoming misaligned due to slippage or wind.

If you value your time I still think its worth trying a Freesat box as if you start retuning it you'll have a job for life.