infuriating freesat problem

[ddarlow]

After 3 years of watching Freesat without problems, this Spring I started to get 'No or Bad Signal' interruptions. During the day all was OK, but in late afternoon the misery would start...making all but BBC1 HD un-viewable. Waggling the cable at the back of the Humax HD receiver would restore picture, but then it would go again within a minute or two. I had the cable tested and, allegedly, it was fine. So I was convinced that there must be a connection fault inside my HD box, and confidently just bought a new Humax Freesat combined receiver and PVR, thinking that would be the end of my problems. First day, today, had hours of uninterrupted television. But early evening the same problems began again, with a vengeance. Clearly, then, it's NOT the Humax box, but either the cable, the LNB, or the dish alignment. Any thoughts, anyone?

 

[grahamlthompson]

I would start with the lnb but check the cables when you do to see if there's any sign of water getting in and corrosion of the f connectors.

 

[logiciel]

it's NOT the Humax box

Agreed, so, while it's understandably infuriating, it's not a "freesat problem".

 

[steeled]

It could be due to the heavy rain we are having at the moment. It doesn't have to be raining where you are, if the rain is between you and the satellite then the signal can disappear. This has happened to me a couple of times over the last few days.

HTH

Dave

 

[grahamlthompson]

It could be due to the heavy rain we are having at the moment. It doesn't have to be raining where you are, if the rain is between you and the satellite then the signal can disappear. This has happened to me a couple of times over the last few days.

HTH

Dave

Get a larger dish. You don't have enough rain fade margin.

 

[ddarlow]

Just in case it makes diagnosis easier, I am now losing channels on Freesat. ITV1 and BBC1HD have disappeared completely, and only by rebooting the Humax can I get them back.

 

[ddarlow]

I should have added that ITV1 and BBC1 HD are the only two channels upon which I can still receive a picture, yet they now disappear, leaving me only the channels with 'Bad or No Signal' !! Curioser and curioser.

 

[trom]

... this Spring I started to get 'No or Bad Signal' interruptions.

One other suggestion (all the rest are good too), have you checked your line of sight? Trees do grow and leaves fill out in Spring, plus this year's weather has caused above average growth. You can look it up exactly from your location, but a good rule of thumb for checking the elevation is one up to two away - so has that tree 20 m away, just reached 10 m high this year?

As you have just got a FoxsatHDR, what does Menu/Diagnostics show for signal, and in particular Quality - if that's bouncing around from the bottom of orange to bottom of the green, it could well be leaves in the wind.

Also, I guess you are operating in single cable mode. Sooner or later you will (you will, you will) want to get a twin lnb and twin downleads, so if it is your dish/lnb/cable setup that's the problem then you may as well upgrade at the same time.

Good hunting, Trom

 

[grahamlthompson]

Just in case it makes diagnosis easier, I am now losing channels on Freesat. ITV1 and BBC1HD have disappeared completely, and only by rebooting the Humax can I get them back.

It's very likely to be the lnb on the way out, but the same symptoms could also be water in the coax cables. A new LNB only costs a few quid. Check on fleabay.

 

[bigpaul1972]

i have got a freesat 1tb humax box i have lost one of my tuners i can only record one chanel at one time cannot change channel while recording

 

[grahamlthompson]

i have got a freesat 1tb humax box i have lost one of my tuners i can only record one chanel at one time cannot change channel while recording

Even with only one tuner you should be able to record two at the same time provided they are on the same transponder. If you have an English postcode try recording BBC1-HD and BBC2-HD. Goto 106 press record, tap in 102 and press record. While recording one there should be other channels yo can watch. The programme up/down buttons should cycle through them.

Goto Menu - System - Diagnostics What is the indicated Strength and Quality for both tuners ?

Next follow this

Press Menu Setup Freesat tune then press
Red Green Yellow Blue Green Yellow Blue (ignore the screen)

Press OK on Antenna Settings

What does it say for Antenna Type and Connection Type ?