No Freesat signal on LG 55C9PLA

TimS

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First time poster so apologies if the answer is obvious or lurking in another thread I should have found.

I have a Sky dish that was installed >15 years ago. It has been unused for 5 years or more. It was a Sky+ box so I have two feeds from the dish.
My last TV with Freesat tuner was a Sony Bravia, purchased ~6 years ago. I was able to tune Freesat channels, although they were not used much so I likely wouldn't have noticed if the satellite signal had been lost for some reason.
The Sony Bravia has now been replaced (about 1 year ago) by my current TV - a LG 55C9PLA

I am trying to tune Freesat channels on the LG - this is what shows on the "Satellite Settings" page
Satellite: Astra 28.2E
LNB frequency: 9750/10600
Transponder: 10714,H,22000
22kHz Tone: Off
LNB Power: Off
DiSEqC: Off
Unicable Settings: Off
Motor Settings: Off

Signal Strength: 0%
Signal quality: 0%

I presume I have a problem with one or more of the following:

- connection at "Satellite In" port on TV. I am using manufactured fly lead so seems unlikely
- connection at satellite wall socket (twin socket for 2 x cables from satellite dish). Possible but I have tried both sockets and seems unlikely that absolutely no signal is getting though on either
- connection of cables at satellite dish. Possible - the dish is high up so not easily accessible.
- LNBs faulty. Possible - but see above
- LNBs incompatible with TV. No idea if this is a possible explanation but, if it is possible, it also seems most likely.

I don't recall setting up the Astra 28.2E satellite on the LG TV so how does it come to be listed on the Satellite Settings page? Is it because the TV 'sees' that satellite (in which case why won't it tune channels) or does the TV 'expect' to see it because of some firmware setting based on my geographic location?

I don't want to call out an aerials specialist and not sure I can get a ladder up to the dish myself so don't want to incur call out cost or buy new LNBs unless I have some confidence that the problem will be resolved at low cost. So, I'd appreciate any pointers to narrowing down the issue(s).

Thanks in advance.
 
Your TV should offer a dedicated Freesat tuning mode. You will also be required to add your postcode...
 
Your TV should offer a dedicated Freesat tuning mode. You will also be required to add your postcode...
I've tried the Freesat tuning multiple times and the result is always "No channels found". I don't think I am getting the TV tuning/control wrong - it's something else.
 
LNB Power OFF sound the most likely suspect to me?

Probably needs to be ON? Voltages are 13V /18 V switchable for V / H polarisation.

Check the cables for a bent over pin shorting centre core to the screen? Easy to do, and would short the supply so making it switch off, perhaps?

LG TV with UK set during first install would default to stored Astra 28.2 numbers.

However 10714, H, 22000 is a Channel 4 transponder.

The freesat 'home transponder' (used for EPG data and postcode input on freesat sets) is
11425 H 27500 FEC 2/3 DVB-S QPSK

So that may be worth a try also.
 
LNB Power OFF sound the most likely suspect to me?

Probably needs to be ON? Voltages are 13V /18 V switchable for V / H polarisation.

Check the cables for a bent over pin shorting centre core to the screen? Easy to do, and would short the supply so making it switch off, perhaps?

LG TV with UK set during first install would default to stored Astra 28.2 numbers.

However 10714, H, 22000 is a Channel 4 transponder.

The freesat 'home transponder' (used for EPG data and postcode input on freesat sets) is
11425 H 27500 FEC 2/3 DVB-S QPSK

So that may be worth a try also.
Thanks for reply.

Regarding the LNB power, is that not only applicable if one has a motorised dish? I say that because toggling LNB power 'on' brings up some "Motor" settings that don't show with LNB power 'off'.

Thanks for the other info.

I have (tentatively) decided on the following diagnostic procedure, for which I have to buy a satellite signal tester, which is low cost from Amazon.

1. Connect tester to wall plate (try outlet for each cable in turn) and TV. If signal present then conclude eiher problem with connection to TV or with tuning process.
2. If no signal, remove wall plate and connect direct to cables. If signal present then faulty connection or wall plate.
3. If no signal, disconnect cables at dish and test for continuity. If no continuity, then replace cable(s).
4. If good continuity then problem is faulty LNB or misaligned dish. The LNB is probably 15+ years old so (as I understand) it would not be surprising if it had failed. I will buy a replacement LNB and fit that anyway, even if the problem is the dish alignment.

Would appreciate any comments on the above.
 
My LGC9 has a single feed from my quad universal lnb.

Setup was completely automatic once the entered postcode was validated.

Guessing for some reason you can't get the freesat home transponder. Without this you cannot enter a postcode. Was the TV UK sourced, ? Those settings look like a generic FTA tuner.
 
Thanks for reply.

Regarding the LNB power, is that not only applicable if one has a motorised dish? I say that because toggling LNB power 'on' brings up some "Motor" settings that don't show with LNB power 'off'.

Thanks for the other info.

I have (tentatively) decided on the following diagnostic procedure, for which I have to buy a satellite signal tester, which is low cost from Amazon.

1. Connect tester to wall plate (try outlet for each cable in turn) and TV. If signal present then conclude eiher problem with connection to TV or with tuning process.
2. If no signal, remove wall plate and connect direct to cables. If signal present then faulty connection or wall plate.
3. If no signal, disconnect cables at dish and test for continuity. If no continuity, then replace cable(s).
4. If good continuity then problem is faulty LNB or misaligned dish. The LNB is probably 15+ years old so (as I understand) it would not be surprising if it had failed. I will buy a replacement LNB and fit that anyway, even if the problem is the dish alignment.

Would appreciate any comments on the above.

So I have purchased a satellite signal tester and hooked it up between the wall socket and the TV. In "Satellite Settings" on the TV, I set LNB Power to "On". The tester 18V power light illuminates and the background light on the illuminated. Twisting the sensitivity knob, I get continuous beep and the needle moves to ~5/10 on the display at about half way between minimum and maximum.

Does this (beeping sound and display needle displaced) mean that a satellite signal has been detected and (therefore) that the LNB is good?

Because, when I run the Satellite Autotune, I am still getting no channels found!
 
So I have purchased a satellite signal tester and hooked it up between the wall socket and the TV. In "Satellite Settings" on the TV, I set LNB Power to "On". The tester 18V power light illuminates and the background light on the illuminated. Twisting the sensitivity knob, I get continuous beep and the needle moves to ~5/10 on the display at about half way between minimum and maximum.

Does this (beeping sound and display needle displaced) mean that a satellite signal has been detected and (therefore) that the LNB is good?

Because, when I run the Satellite Autotune, I am still getting no channels found!


No if you turn up the gain it's just reacting to noise. The idea is when you find 28.2E you keep backing of the gain as you make minor adjustments.. You then need to keep backing off the gain till you find the minimum gain that retains lock.

your settings

LNB frequency: 9750/10600 High/Low Band IF switching
Transponder: 10714,H,22000
22kHz Tone: Off - On allows band switching
LNB Power: on With no power the lnb does nothing.
DiSEqC: Off Only required for motorised or multiple offset lnbs or monoblock lnbs



Unicable Settings: Off - TV is not compatible with unicable lnbs
Motor Settings: Off

see


 
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Cheap £10 satellite finders are a waste of time and money. I have one and it's virtually never helped me align the dish I use when caravanning. The metering in the satellite receiver does that!

More expensive devices can work OK - these are battery operated, have preset satellite parameters stored, and screens to display signal levels etc.,. and even the TV pictures. Often with USB upgrade feature or ability to add 'missing' satellite data. £45-£66 from Amazon, typically. Some need(ed) Astra 2 to be added back in the day (I'm not sure today)?

Borrowing another working sat receiver to try on your dish connections, or taking your TV to a known to be working dish and tuning it in there will aid diagnosis better. Both a bit difficult during covid lockdown though.

You have left the lnb power on when auto tuning? If so, It rather sounds like you're not pointing at the satellite or have cable break fault(s) so no power reaches the LNB?
 
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I have an LG connected to a satellite. The LG software is very buggy. If the first transponder of a satellite is not active, it will often consider the complete satellite as dead. If you go to manual mode, you can change the transponder number, but not always. It is a complete shambles, I have complained with LG, because my former tv was also an LG, with even worse problems to find the channels.
My tv (OLED65C6) will over time also randomly lose channels, so if I were you, I would attach a USB stick or an extrnal HD to save the channels, in order to avoid constant rescanning.
 
I wonder how good this particular Digital Satellite Signal Finder Meter is, for the keen amateur?
Me too.
Very similar meters v8 have good reviews from radio ham types (£66 mark). v9 gets H265 codec over the 8 but still 1080p.
These meters used to be nearer double the price for DVB-S only!

Personally can't see me making use of one while the TV meter method works.
 
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Cheap £10 satellite finders are a waste of time and money. I have one and it's virtually never helped me align the dish I use when caravanning. The metering in the satellite receiver does that!

More expensive devices can work OK - these are battery operated, have preset satellite parameters stored, and screens to display signal levels etc.,. and even the TV pictures. Often with USB upgrade feature or ability to add 'missing' satellite data. £45-£66 from Amazon, typically. Some need(ed) Astra 2 to be added back in the day (I'm not sure today)?

Borrowing another working sat receiver to try on your dish connections, or taking your TV to a known to be working dish and tuning it in there will aid diagnosis better. Both a bit difficult during covid lockdown though.

You have left the lnb power on when auto tuning? If so, It rather sounds like you're not pointing at the satellite or have cable break fault(s) so no power reaches the LNB?
Thanks Rodders53- that all makes a lot of sense.

Yes, LNB power was on for auto-tuning but no channels were found. I'm going to try and borrow a working sat receiver (easier than shifting the TV). However, it seems to me that LNB failure remains a distinct possibility. The satcure.co.uk site (that Graham Thompson posted a link to in his message above yours) suggests replacing dish + LNB instead of just LNB is safer to ensure compatibility. I can buy dish + quad LNB on Amazon for £35. Is that too cheap or good enough?
 
I can buy dish + quad LNB on Amazon for £35. Is that too cheap or good enough?
It'll be exactly what $ky used to fit before $kyQ (which uses a different lnb on the same dish).

Consider a Zone 2, 80cm, dish as it will provide greater rain fade margin (although require more accurate alignment). Around the same price from eBay, but Zone 1 there are £29...
 

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