Sky Q issues! should we change back to the HD box

We have had Sky Q installed since October 2020 and the LNB on the dish was replaced with the more modern one.

At first all the signal strengths were great and never an issue with "no signal received" or freezing or scrambled channels ( would sometimes see this we had wet or stormy weather)

Since about April 2021 we have had issues with signal and freezing pictures. Have had three sky engineers visits. All of them have blamed the trees at the front which are 70ft high and on neighbours land. It's not possible to fell trees and cutting branches to create a gap for signals hasn't helped.

It was suggested to us by a friend that the sky q lnb isn't strong enough to pull in signals through the trees and that the old sky HD box and older LNB would have been better option for us if the trees are an issue as that LNB would pull in a stronger signal.

Does anyone here have advice? Would reverting back to sky HD box make any difference?

We can't put the dish anywhere else on the house. We can't cut down 4 x 70ft trees which don't belong to us (we have asked but there is no interest from other party)

but yet we are paying for a service we can't watch half the time especially night.

Many thanks

SortingYouOut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058212095/sky-q-issues-should-we-change-back-to-the-hd-box

Are the trees any higher than the time you had the older LNB and was the dish moved at all on installation or did they just swap out the LNB.

There are differences in frequencies between the two and your friend could be right, i'm not sure if the Q lnb has less of an ability to take in a signal. What kind of trees are they, do they lose leaves in winter and do you notice an improvement then?

Ger Roe

I would say that if trees are causing an issue, it is a situation that will only get worse. You might get some temporary improvement from changing back - if the explanation is correct (no direct experience of the Q LNB myself).

Bottom line is that the trees will not stop growing so the only real option for reliable future viewing is to obtain a clear line of sight, one way or another. I know of cases where people have to accept no reception in the summer because a blocking tree has more leaves then - the signal is still at a stable enough level in winter (although reduced) when it just about passes through spindly twiggy branches. Ultimately though, this path will also fail as the tree grows.

MrMusician18

Leylandii? That scourge will only keep growing sadly until it's blown over

SortingYouOut

OP, if you're willing to wait a bit, Sky are releasing a dishless service.

Edit: but of course a reliable internet service would be needed.

Hi all

Trees are sitka spruce. So no leaf fall. Been in situ for 40 years or so. We have had sky for 18 years. Sometimes the odd signal problems would come with weather and rain or snow hitting dish. Last winter was OK regarding TV signals.

We started out with the old sky system then moved to plus then HD and then sky Q. It's only with sky Q the signal has gotten much worse. Especially recently. Trees I don't think have grown so much but could contribute to interference. When Q was put in they only swapped LNB dish wasn't moved at all.

I did see the announcement about the new sky tv dishless system. Alas we are in no broadband land and last on the list for rollout in 2026. So really not many viewing options available for the winter now unless we some how change set up!

The Cush

First off, there is no difference in the satellite signal passing through the trees for SkyQ or any other satellite receiver.

Because it worked for 6 months my thinking is the tree growth is knocking the signal over a point called the digital cliff, this is where the receiver is no longer able to compensate for signal data losses and the picture suddenly falls over.

In the old days analogue signals fell over gradually but digital signals fall over immediately once they reach a point called the digital cliff. Digital signals have error correction built in but once the signal deteriorates below a certain point the data is no longer there to build the picture.

Any possibility of raising the dish, any of us following the starlink satellite internet rollout have see some genius dish mountings to clear nearby obstructions.

As the fall over is recent, something like a pole mount 2mts above it current position might improve signal reception.

Changing back to HD will make no difference if tree growth is at fault, it's the same satellite signal passing through the same trees.

Dish is already on a pole on a flat roof and exposed to the prevailing winds also being in upland area.

Point noted about the signal deteriation! However we hadn't as much of an issue since changing from the older HD box. Family here said it was better before and we shouldn't have bothered to change.

Guess we will have to try to cut a few thick branches back to create a gap for signals - even those branches will be hard to reach - and try to contact landowners once again.

Frustrating though as it's seen as our problem and no assistance offered and we don't own the land or the trees.

Thanks for the replies so far!