Intermittent no signal problem - can't set up

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Intermittent no signal problem - can't set up

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Holmestm

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Trying to install a refurbished Foxsat-HDR/500-G to a quad LNB but get no signal detected most of the time but do occasionally.

I have an old Sky box on one of the connections and that works fine, and it also works fine when I attach it to the two connections where I want to install the Foxsat HDR so I know there is a reasonably strong good quality signal.

Problem is that the signal detection is intermittent with the Foxsat. When I first connected everything up it wouldn't detect the signal. I played around with the settings looking to see if there was anything obvious I could do. When I went on to the diagnostic screen it showed a 100% signal with 80% quality. At this point I did a manual tune and it found a load of channels. These didn't correspond to the Freesat channels so I tried to do a Freesat tune, but couldn't get past the Post code check. I tried my postcode and my old postcode with and without a space but no joy.

I then did a factory reset in order to start the Wizard again. Unfortunately it also lost the signal and I was back to square one.

Any suggestions?

I think the box is faulty and have emailed Humax to schedule a return but have yet to receive a reply.

| Mon 12 Aug 2013 16:33:54 #1 |
grahamlthompson

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Using manual tune on the Sky box check the following transponder.

11428.00 H DVB-S QPSK 27500 2/3.

You should find at least one viewable channel (FASHION ONE). If you can't then the issue is your dish alignment/lnb/coax cabling.

Without access to this transponder (Freesat home transponder) you can't get any further with setting up a freesat box.

If you can view FASHION ONE then there's good chance the Foxsat is faulty (Very unlikely 99.99% of issues are down to dish issues).

| Mon 12 Aug 2013 19:39:43 #2 |
Holmestm

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If the Freesat transponder can't be reached would the diagnostic screen show zero signal strength?

The dish itself is in France - I was over at the weekend to install but couldn't get it to work so brought it back to the UK. I'm trying to find a way of testing it here with a known working dish/lnb.

I think the dish alighment is fine because I had a working set up with an Echostar HDS-600RS (a Freesat based PVR) up till about 3 weeks ago however an electrical storm knocked out both it and the LNB (but not the Sky box). I replaced the LNB and the Sky box worked immediately so I ordered the Foxsat HDR as a direct replacement for the Echostar - but couldn't get it to work.

| Tue 13 Aug 2013 10:34:54 #3 |
REPASSAC

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Once setup my guess is that the unit will work quite well.
From your description "signal detection is intermittent" I would check the F connectors and cable and also that the new LNB has the correct skew for the average 28.5E and 28.2E - check on dishpointer.com for the dish location.

Yes you would have some sort of signal from the freesat transponder frequency but if quality is below about 40% it will not work.

| Tue 13 Aug 2013 11:02:16 #4 |
Holmestm

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Thanks for your help.

Please confirm that if the Foxsat cannot see the Freesat transponder it would display zero signal strength even if the Sky box is receiving a working signal (i.e. I can view BBC 1) off the same quad LNB?

That's all that is confusing me.

| Tue 13 Aug 2013 11:13:33 #5 |
grahamlthompson

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Holmestm - 4 minutes ago »
Thanks for your help.
Please confirm that if the Foxsat cannot see the Freesat transponder it would display zero signal strength even if the Sky box is receiving a working signal (i.e. I can view BBC 1) off the same quad LNB?
That's all that is confusing me.

BBC1 comes from one of the Astra satellites at 28.2E, due to the narrow beam it's signal is very strong in the UK. The freesat home transponder is from Eutelsat28A at 28.5E on a wide beam transponder so the signal isn't as strong. To see the signal strength/quality you need to select the appropriate transponder using manual tune on the Foxsat HDR (it may say 11427 H or 11428 H in the channel database, or use add channels on a Sky box as previously suggested.

| Tue 13 Aug 2013 11:23:34 #6 |
Holmestm

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OK that answers my question. I'll take it back to France over the bank holiday and try again.

| Tue 13 Aug 2013 11:31:17 #7 |