Magic Eye works Intermittently sky HD

ThyJones

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Hi there.

I have a weird problem. I've had sky hd for a few years now, and the magic eye too with no problems. For the last week or so i've been having weird issues.

It began when I was trying to change channel in the other room using my remote, and nothing worked, eventually i realised that the red light on the magic eye wasn't on.

I literally took the aerial out of the magic eye, blew on it (incase of dust lol), put it back in and it lit red again.

I've been having similar problems since, some weeks it has gone a few days before the light has gone, but today its gone twice, blowing in it as you can imagine this time did nothing, but eventually it came back.

Anyone got any suggestions please? Is the magic eye dead, or what else could it be? Nothing else has moved cable wise, and when the light goes out the sky still comes through the tv, i just cannot control it.

Thanks
 
Are your aerial plugs soldered?

Nope, basically did my own wiring a few years ago, so just normal aerial connectors on aerial cable, screwed in if that makes sense, from the sky box, up into the loft, then down into a room, then as normal the aerial > magic eye > tv.

Hope thats what you meant sorry
 
Nope, basically did my own wiring a few years ago, so just normal aerial connectors on aerial cable, screwed in if that makes sense, from the sky box, up into the loft, then down into a room, then as normal the aerial > magic eye > tv.

Hope thats what you meant sorry

Aerial plugs should be soldered on the centre pin. The braid should be brought round over the claws not squashed up underneath. Not doing either of these can stop the DC to the magic eye getting through, not to mention allowing interference to get in.

Read this:

How to wire a Belling-Lee connector
 
Aerial plugs should be soldered on the centre pin. The braid should be brought round over the claws not squashed up underneath. Not doing either of these can stop the DC to the magic eye getting through, not to mention allowing interference to get in.

Read this:

How to wire a Belling-Lee connector


Thanks for the link, I think I need to redo them then.

One thing though, it has been perfectly fine for 2+ years, nothing moved/touched/changed and now suddenly having a problem? Can this be the same thing or?
 
One thing though, it has been perfectly fine for 2+ years, nothing moved/touched/changed and now suddenly having a problem? Can this be the same thing or?

Read the link again especially this:

If you absolutely insist you can't solder the inner conductor, then at least bend it about 10 degrees 0.5 cm from the end so it makes contact with the pin when the plug is freshly made. That will last you about 6 months to two years of acceptable contact in practice.
 
Aerial plugs should be soldered on the centre pin. The braid should be brought round over the claws not squashed up underneath. Not doing either of these can stop the DC to the magic eye getting through, not to mention allowing interference to get in.

Read this:

How to wire a Belling-Lee connector


Very useful. Thanks for the link.
 
Hi all
I experienced all of the problems with the magic eyes not working when I upgraded to Sky HD but resolved them by powering the 140 amp in the attic and everything works fine … UNTIL 8 pm every night when the sky eyes stop working and so I can't change channels on the two remote sets.
The following morning everything works fine again. I thought that it might be occurring after the box had been on for a certain time but it happens at around the same time if the set has been on for an hour or for eight hours.
Powering down the Sky HD box starting it up again makes no difference. I have upgraded the Sky box software.
Any Ideas please?
 
All sorts of equipment can interfere with magic eye operation - especially if the cab1e and connectors aren't properly screened. In your case you need to investigate what could possibly be turning on at 8pm and causing the interference. It could be something in your house or in an adjacent property or even a street light.
 
Last edited:
How does the 140 get it's power - from where. Is it on a switched circuit?
 
Thanks Martin,

will look again at other things that might interfere, the cables are screened and it happens with two different magic eyes/TV's in different parts of the house. The same system was in place for 3 years without any problems before the SkyHD box was installed, not sure if any of that is helpful?

Hi Stevenage Neil,

I have tried different power connections, first using a PSU directly into the Triad unit at the rear of the Skybox and now on a direct feed to the 140 by a PSU in the attic. The result is exactly the same using either supply.

Also, the power for these comes from two different consumer units which are co located.
 
"Interference" is not limited to electrical interference, it could be IR. Any lights come on at 8pm, (fishtanks etc)?
 
Been racking my brain but can't think of anything at all on a timer except curtain track and that changes time depending on outside light conditions. I need to watch the street lights to see if they come on at the same time but can't think of anything else in the house.
 
I am having a similar problem , the magic eye work sometimes and not others ,I have done all the usual checks when it fails the lights are always on so there is power there at the magic eye, I have turned the RF off on the sky box and then rebooted the box ,it then works for a while and then fails again.

Could to be a problem with the HD box?
 

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