Sky + HD box, software or hardware possible fault

Irish Steve

Sky + HD 2Tb box, ancient as the hills, we're seeing a strange issue, and I'm trying to decide if it's a software or a hardware issue. The symptoms are that on some channels, we're seeing pixellation on the picture, sometimes just a few small blocks, but sometimes, the picture becomes unwatchable. My first suspicion was that there's a signal strength issue, and the signal bars on system info tend to suggest that as a possible, in that one tuner is fluctuation on strength.

The confusion comes with the fact that if I power the box off, (not remove power, just put it into standby), when it's immediately powered up again, the picture is perfect.

I've not tried it when recording, as I didn't want to upset the record that's running, but I'm wondering if there's a tuner issue, and when it's powered up again, it's switching tuners, but the other possible thoughts are an obscure software issue, or maybe a hardware issue with something like an intermittent dry joint, or a failing component, I've also seen the same issue when playing back a time shift recording, it was pixellating badly last weekend, and I stopped the box, powered off to standby, and restarted it, and the picture was now fine, which is what's got me thinking maybe software, but at this stage, I'm sort of out of ideas.

If I get in touch with Sky, I suspect they'll push me to go Q, which would be expensive, as we'd have to change the LNB, or put extra hardware on our multiswitch, and I doubt they'll give us much if any of a reduction, and we're paying way too much for the service as it stands, and we're out of contract at the moment, so changing to an alternative supplier would be a lot easier.

Anyone seen a fault like this before, and got any suggestions of where to look,

Thanks

andy1249

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058286809/sky-hd-box-software-or-hardware-possible-fault

Ive seen this lots of times as have many many others.

The power supply unit in the box is failing with faulty / swollen capacitors.

I wrote a procedure on fixing this back in the day , must be nearly 15 years ago now. satcure use to send it out with the replacement kits. Satcure are defunct now though.

http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/thom_psu.htm

You can buy capacitor replacement kits for about 20 quid if you are handy at soldering or you can buy a new PSU for a direct replacement.

Sky of course , have never acknowledged the problem.

Jaymacc

We moved from Sky Plus to Sky Q for free last year. Might be worth calling and asking for an offer.

swoofer

Its quite possible your viewing card is very old and may not be reading data as accurate as it should. So take it out give it a good look over, may look burnt, if so give it a clean, then ring sky and ask for new viewing card. You may get pestered to take sky q just say you are 90 years old and not able to use these new remotes and you can tell them your tv is scart only but if they give you a new tv for free and dish and box then you will take it but after a year if you want to cancel they will ask for box back and then your stuck.

The best solution is look in Advets.ie and buy a second hand box like the one you have and then ring sky but get a new card as well.