Some Channels With No Signal Reception

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Some Channels With No Signal Reception

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blake

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Hello

This is my first use of the Forum, so I hope I have given enough information for someone to offer some advice on how to solve, or at least explain, my problem. I have had a look around this Forum, and others, but couldn't see any posts that looked to be similar to my problem.

I have a Humax HDR-1000S; software version 2.02.46; updated 20 JUL 2015; in Freesat mode. It has been in use for a couple of years without any problem until about a week ago, when I found that a couple of recordings that I had set did not work. On checking, I found that there was no reception on those two channels, which had certainly been working before.

I tried re-tuning but found that they, along with quite a number of other channels, were no longer being received. For instance, no reception of BBC2 HD, ITV, BBC THREE, ITV2 and E4 among others, but ITV+1 and ITV2+1 are received. The message "The receiver is not receiving a signal or the signal is too weak" is shown on screen for the channels with no reception.The signal comes from a communal dish on top of a block of flats, with two feeds, both connected to the box and both of which appear to work.

On messing around with the cables at the back of the box, I found that only the input to SAT IN 1 produces a signal and, on re-tuning, only Tuner 1 appears to work. I tested the signal strength (through Settings/System information/Signal info) for Tuner 1, which says Good for both strength and quality when the box is tuned to a channel that is working. However, when it is tuned to one which isn't working (ITV2 for instance) it says No Signal. I have unplugged the power cable for a while and then plugged in again, but it made no difference.

It may be that it is a problem with the dish or the communal feed, but I don't want to get the management to engage an engineer to check things out only to find it is my own equipment that is faulty, and then risk being asked to pay the costs incurred, especially as it does seem odd that only one tuner appears to be working, which rather indicates a fault with the box.

Hopefully, someone here might be able to make sense of the situation outlined above. Do let me know if there is any other info that would help. Thanks in advance.

| Fri 7 Aug 2015 22:45:59 #1 |
Ozzy

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Swap the two cables around and see if the channels that do not work change to ones that work and ones that did work now don't. That will prove if it is the cable from the dish

| Fri 7 Aug 2015 23:49:24 #2 |
blake

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I have tried plugging each cable into SAT IN 1, and get a good signal but, despite re-tuning each time, I only get reception of the same channels with lots of other channels showing the message "..not receiving a signal.." The re-tune seems to list all the channels (204 = 167 TV + 37 Radio) but when I select the "missing" ones they show the no signal message.

Also, plugging either cable into SAT IN 2 shows NO SIGNAL so it cannot re-tune any channels. Does SAT IN 1 only work with Tuner 1, and SAT IN 2 only with Tuner 2?

I don't know enough about the mechanics of satellite reception to work out whether there is a problem with the satellite equipment before the signal comes into the flat. Do the channels come from different satellites - is it possible the dish has stopped picking up one or more? I've heard of H and V polarisation - could it be a problem of not receiving one or the other? I can post a list of some of the missing channels if that would help to diagnose the problem. Perhaps one of the more knowledgable members here might be able to work out if this is causing the difficulty. Thanks.

| Sat 8 Aug 2015 10:10:54 #3 |
Reffub

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From a quick look it seems you are missing the vertical channels. You can double check that here as you know what region you get for ITV.

http://en.kingofsat.net/pos-28.2E.php

Normally that would mean a faulty LNB on the dish. Any chance you could plug the box into a known working sat feed to to check the missing channels work.

| Sat 8 Aug 2015 10:40:36 #4 |
grahamlthompson

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List of channels by frequency here (download either manual version).

https://myhumax.org/forum/topic/what-can-i-record-and-watch-using-1-or-2-cables

With both cables connected - Settings - System Information - Signal Info

What does it say about Strength and Quality for Tuner 1 and Tuner 2 and what does it say at the bottom of the screen Freesat box connected with xxxxxxxx ?.

Power off the box and reverse the two cables and repeat the above test.

If you post this information it gives us a starting point to identify the likely issue.

Are the f connectors on the two cables tightly screwed onto the coax outer sheath ? Problems frequently are just caused by badly fitted or loose f connectors.

The channels do come from different satellites but they are so close together they look like one satellite to your dish.

If there is is an issue between Horizontal and Vertical most likely reason is a lnb skew setting being a long way out, or could be an issue with the multiswitch that provides your two feeds.

Selective and gradual loss of frequencies (transponders) is often caused by water ingression into the cables at the dish end (poor installation practices).

You can scan through all transponders one at a time using manual tune but before this step need to know if you have one completely dead cable.

In the end if you eliminate the possibility of duff connectors at your end, the building management company will have to fix any other issues.

| Sat 8 Aug 2015 10:52:43 #5 |
grahamlthompson

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Reffub - 16 minutes ago »
From a quick look it seems you are missing the vertical channels. You can double check that here as you know what region you get for ITV.
http://en.kingofsat.net/pos-28.2E.php
Normally that would mean a faulty LNB on the dish. Any chance you could plug the box into a known working sat feed to to check the missing channels work.

The OP is on a communal install, so will have a dish with a Quattro lnb feeding a multiswitch distribution system.

If the lnb is faulty everyone connected to the dish will be affected.

| Sat 8 Aug 2015 10:58:25 #6 |
Reffub

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grahamlthompson - 12 minutes ago »
The OP is on a communal install, so will have a dish with a Quattro lnb feeding a multiswitch distribution system.
If the lnb is faulty everyone connected to the dish will be affected.

That's why I said "normally"...

From checking the channel missing in the OP's first post it did seem as the V's were missing, obviously it wouldn't be the LNB skew as others would be affected, could well be a problem distribution as you suggested, which is why I thought it was a good idea to check the box on another sat feed.

| Sat 8 Aug 2015 11:12:27 #7 |
grahamlthompson

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Reffub - 45 minutes ago »

grahamlthompson - 12 minutes ago »
The OP is on a communal install, so will have a dish with a Quattro lnb feeding a multiswitch distribution system.
If the lnb is faulty everyone connected to the dish will be affected.

That's why I said "normally"...
From checking the channel missing in the OP's first post it did seem as the V's were missing, obviously it wouldn't be the LNB skew as others would be affected, could well be a problem distribution as you suggested, which is why I thought it was a good idea to check the box on another sat feed.

It could also be a fault with the box output DC voltage falling outside the 12.5-14.5V range required to switch the lnb (or an intermediate multiswitch) to vertical polarisation mode.

As the OP can get some channels it seems unlikely to be a box issue. Until he comes back with some more concrete information all we can do is speculate.

| Sat 8 Aug 2015 12:01:44 #8 |
Ozzy

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Sounds like SAT-in 2 isn't powering up the LMB which would suggest it is your box at fault. I think you need to borrow someone's box, could be sky or anything with two tuners.

My last post about swapping cables was probably wrong anyway but you seem to have found something from it.

| Sat 8 Aug 2015 12:29:08 #9 |
grahamlthompson

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Ozzy - 36 minutes ago »
Sounds like SAT-in 2 isn't powering up the LMB which would suggest it is your box at fault. I think you need to borrow someone's box, could be sky or anything with two tuners.
My last post about swapping cables was probably wrong anyway but you seem to have found something from it.

The box doesn't power the lnb or anything else. The Quattro lnb is powered by the multiswitch(es). It has no band or polarisation switching, each of the four segments is permanently locked to one of the four possible combinations (high band/low band, Horizontal polarisation and Vertical Polarisation) The multiswitch simply uses the DC and AC control signals from a connected tuner and simply routes the request to the appropriate segment of the Quattro lnb.

A standard universal lnb takes power from any output that has DC power from the remote end. The DC voltage and ac tone from any connected tuner only serve to switch that particular output to the correct band and polarisation for the channel the tuner is using. As well as lnb switching the same control signals can be used to select different lnbs if a diseqc switch is fitted.

| Sat 8 Aug 2015 13:14:23 #10 |