Foxsat-HDR/500GB - Signal Failing

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Foxsat-HDR/500GB - Signal Failing

(7 posts)

mattthr

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Joined: May '19
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Hi,

I've had a Foxsat-HDR/500GB for some years now. A while ago it quite suddenly dropped the Satellite signal. We got an engineer to come out how said it had something to do with static charge - he unscrewed the satellite cables, touched the ends and replaced them and the signal reappeared.

I've always been dubious about this explanation, but the problem has recurred over time and this solution has always worked. It became less and less reliable with each repeat and, finally, we've now lost the signal completely.

I tried a factory reset, but that just rendered the box useless as I can't even get to recorded programmes without having it pick up some channels, which it now can't.

I'm very happy to replace the box, but I have no idea how I can tell whether the problem is with the box or whether it's with the cables. Is there any way I can find out without expensive hardware or an expensive engineer?

Cheers,
Matt

| Wed 1 May 2019 20:13:57 #1 |
grahamlthompson

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Pick up a old known to be working sky box from a car boot. It will work OK to show FTA channels.

| Thu 2 May 2019 8:46:37 #2 |
REPASSAC

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grahamlthompson - 51 minutes ago »
Pick up a old known to be working sky box from a car boot. It will work OK to show FTA channels.

You could also take your unit to a friend with Sky or freesat and test it there.

| Thu 2 May 2019 9:39:52 #3 |
batteryman

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Does your Foxsat still play recordings? If yes, the power supply is probably ok although the bit that feeds the lnb may be faulty.

If you have a multimeter you can do a simple test to see if your lnb is getting power. Just unscrew the satellite cables and put the positive probe from the meter on the centre of lnb1 socket with the negative probe on the screw thread for the connector. It should read somewhere between 12 and 18 volts dc.

If you have access to the lnb, reconnect the cables to the Foxsat and do the same test on the cables at the other end, positive to the centre and negative to the outer screen. If you get the same voltage give or take a small difference, the cables are ok.

Testing your Foxsat on someone else's (working) freesat dish would prove it for sure but beware testing on on a newer Sky dish because some Sky lnbs don't work on freesat receivers.

Whatever you do, don't throw away your Foxsat because someone (like me!) could use some of the parts and it will sell on Ebay.

| Fri 3 May 2019 10:04:36 #4 |
mattthr

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Thanks for the replies. They reminded me that I had an old Sky box I'd kept in the loft, from when we moved to Freesat. I got it down, screwed in the satellite cables, and plugged it in.

It took a *long* time to start up but did eventually turn on, and I was able to access the radio channels, so I presumed the signal was fine. Somewhere in the settings there's a signal strength option which verified that it was indeed okay.

Box now replaced with a 1100S and all good, so thank you all.

If anyone is interested in the old machine, let me know, although I'm currently struggling to see if I can get some of the recordings off it, since I can't access the recordings menu without tuning it (a separate thread)!

| Mon 6 May 2019 19:07:33 #5 |
batteryman

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Sent you a pm re old humax and getting programmes off.

| Tue 7 May 2019 11:04:14 #6 |
TriChris

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Joined: May '15
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"Sent you a pm re old humax and getting programmes off. "
Can someone tell me how to do this please?
Also from a FVP-4000T please.
TIA
Chris

| Wed 15 May 2019 6:45:05 #7 |