Help! - reception problems or bad installation???

timpat

I got Sky installed 6 weeks ago.

Am noticing a few problems which seem to be getting slightly worse as time passes:

1. When Scrolling through channels, the EPG doesn't seem to be downoading the programme info. I just get 'Further schedule information is not available' on practically all the channels. When I scroll over them again later, all the info. is there!!

2. Pixeling - the reception of some channels is less than 100% - BBC particularly - very noticeable pixelling, particulary when there is fast movement on the screen e.g in a football match then the picture becomes very blurred and pixelled. This is evident on some other channels too. Very rarely on any of Sky's won channels though e.g Sky 1, Movies, Sport - all these are generally perfect.

3. Add channels - quite often when I try to Add channels manually I get 'No Signal Found' - this is after entering settings where I know there to be channels listed. Then after doing this a couple of times, when I Back-Up to some out I get 'No satellite Signal' and my whole system crashes - all channels are gone./ The onely way to get the EPG back is to switch the Digibox off and back on again.


None of these problems are 'life or death' but still I'm sure they shouldn't be happening in the normal run of things.

My Signal Strength is at about 65% constantly and the Signal Quality is a good bit higher at about 85%. Are these about right?

I'm wondering whether anyone else has experienced these kind of problems and if so whether you might have any insight about whats causing them? Dodgy cabling? Digibox? Dish? All three!!??

Is there any point in even calling Sky?

swoofer

Say which box u have?

Have u done all the usual checks, cable to box, could be loose, cable from dish has it gone may bends, what type is it, anything obstructing dish, does pic get worse in rain, snow, wind, etc,

Do u know anyone who ahs sky near u and ask them if they are having problems.

What size is the dish, who installed it?

And on it goes.

gb--

timpat

Its a new Pace box - small and white in colour. No idea about model numbers or anything that technical.

No - the weather doesn't seem to have any bearing on it.

The cable is ok into the Digibox. The dish is on the chimney and is unobstructed. I can't say about the connections up there though.

Yes - someone close by has Sky does not seem to have these problems.

The installers were Sierra Communications.

Any ideas??

swoofer

I'd say the box is faulty or the lnb at the dish end has got loose. Can't u get Sierra back out? Or test the box at a freinds house and if it is still an iffy picture then it is the box. U have a guarantee so get sky to replace or repair.


gb---

Tony

Originally posted by timpat
The dish is on the chimney and is unobstructed. I can't say about the connections up there though.

Yes - someone close by has Sky does not seem to have these problems.

The installers were Sierra Communications.

Any ideas??

Sierra are not supposed to install on chimneys for starters, I'd get them back out to check installation and if possible mount the dish somewhere other than the chimney

Tony

timpat

Thanks for that guys
I have this sinking feeling that it might be the box - wish I got a Panasonic!!! If the box turns out to be fawlty can I request a Panasonic replacement or am I stuck with PACE????

Looks like I will have to call it in to Sky and TRY to get Sierra back out to check over the installation(it was bit of rush job in the first place).

Can I take it though that your EPG dowloads instantaneously as you scroll and that you dont get this annoying "no further schedule information available" on all channels first?

Also I assume when I try to Add Channels my system should not crash giving me "No satellite signal found" when I try to get back to the EPG?

I'd just like to have my facts straight before I 'tackle' our friends in Sky!!!

watty

Do installers think they are fitting Aerials? Most dishes here seem to be on Chimney or at upstairs window height.

Makes for slower installs and a pig to check the LNB connection etc.

I also think most don't realise the angle the dish *Appears" to point is nearly 20 degrees lower than the actual elevation. The reception path is about 24 degrees upward, so even at ground level you only have to be about twice the height of a wall away from it to get a clear signal. So even only 6ft up on wall you need to be less than 40ft away from the peak of roof (not the wall) neighbours house to the south.

LNBs may need replaced and often dish / lnb is not perfectly adjusted. Often the LNB / Coax connection is badly done or not properly sealed.

High up the LNB is more likely to fail from electrical distrubance / static in a storm.

High up the user can't decide to watch Astra1 / Hotbird instead as is perfectly legal right.

Maybe some of these cowboys trained on installing Chorus MMDS :-D