My Sky box has a "no signal message" - what do I do?
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV If you are getting the message "no signal" this would indicate that there is a problem with the signal from your dish into your box. Even without a card inserted into a Sky Digibox, if there is a signal, you will always get Sky Guide and the free channels.
Try powering off your box, remove the card, check carefully the cables, especially the connection to the dish, reapply the power and then when asked to insert your card you should then be able to see (for example) Sky News on 501 and the BBC News channel on 503.
Once you can see any channel, reinsert your card. This should, after about one minute, give you the channels you expect, such as 103, 104 and 105.
There are three ways you can attempt to reset your box. Please see
What can my do when my Sky Digibox says 'No Signal' ?.
If you continue to get "No signal", you dish may have been misaligned, or there may be a fault with the cables and connectors, or a problem with the Digibox. You can see the signal strength by pressing SERVICES, then 4-SYSTEM SETUP and 6-SIGNAL STRENGTH.
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In this section
Sunday, 19 October 2014
J
jb384:07 PM
James : There are a variety of possible reasons for your problem, the first being associated with a fault having developed in your HD boxes internal power supply, as what you have mentioned with regards to it working for a while after having disconnected it from the mains "is" exactly the main symptom experienced by users of boxes with faulty power units.
However, taking it on face value that the Grundig installed upstairs never suffers from break up problems, then even although it will be connected into a different output port on your dishes LNB to the other two ports being used to feed your Sky+HD box, the problem is unlikely to be down to the actual LNB itself being defective.
But though, try swapping the boxes LNB1 &2 inputs over for a short time to see if the break up problem still occurs or not, as when you are viewing anything "other than" a recording on a Sky+ HD box (or any + type) its via the LNB1's input, and if by swapping the inputs the picture does not break up, then the feed presently connected into the LNB2 socket is defective.
Further advice dependant on outcome of the test.
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Tony & Fiona9:39 PM
Settings showing no signal strength at all....apparently our sky box is initialising but has been for a few hours now...suggestions please. Have tried unplugging, turning off , checking cables etc.
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Tuesday, 21 October 2014
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James7:50 PM
Hi jb38. Initially swapping the inputs worked perfectly, although on some channels (particularly "terrestrial" channels though a few others too) there was some break up of picture. For a day or so there were no problems. Now however I have some channels working perfectly - all sky channels and many others- and some were there is no signal at all, ie 'terrestrials' and a few others. On the channels with no signal, the input 1 strength and quality is zero, lock indicator is 'not locked' and Network ID/transport steam is 'Null'. Input 2 is fine. On channels with no issue all input readings appear fine. Grateful again for any advice
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Wednesday, 22 October 2014
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jb387:26 AM
James: If swapping the LNB inputs over on the box has apparently improved the situation, albeit only for a while, then although the problem could still be down to a fault in your boxes internal power supply, another reason could be that water has crept into the "F" connectors on the dish end of the cables, as this type of thing can result in erratic reception.
If you can access the LNB on the dish? unscrew (in turn) each of the two "F" connectors that come from the HD box, ignoring the one used by the Grundig box as you have said that's OK, further unscrewing the connector from the coax to enable proper checking, then on completion, screwing them back onto the coax again "after" having ensured that all strands of the coax braiding has been pulled back over the outer cover of the coax.
If after having carried out this procedure you find that the problem still remains with the No1 input still zero (or erratic) on the level bar, then your last option is to swap the coax connector on the LNB (that comes from the boxes LNB1) over to the spare port on said LNB, that is "if" your dish is fitted with a standard 4 output quad block, as its extremely unlikely that more than one port on the LNB would be faulty.
However, if by any remote chance this does not rectify the problem, then this unfortunately points back to the box being defective.
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jb387:36 AM
James: Also meant to say, that if when you refer to "terrestrial" you are meaning anything "other than" the programmes received via your Sky box, then this does not really come into the equation, as terrestrial channels are received via a normal aerial and likewise are completely unconnected with signals received via a dish.
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James8:40 PM
Thanks again for your reply. Problems seem to have mainly resolved. Occasionally some channels do not come on immediately when the box comes out of standby,but this usually resolves quickly. I have a nagging feeling there is a fault somewhere so if things go wrong again I will follow your advice. Thanks
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jb3811:24 PM
James: Well at least you are now aware of all the possible reasons for your problem, likewise will know where / what to investigate.
But just a small point on the Sky box power supply problems referred to.
The reason why any box with a defective power supply works for a short while after having been disconnected from the mains, is simply because that disconnecting the box from the mains allows the cause of the problem to cool down, namely but not exclusively, the electrolytic capacitors located near to the main power supply heat sink.
The time factor involved before the box fails "after" having been powered up again, directly relating to the time it takes for the defective component(s) to warm up.
Thanks for your update!
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Wednesday, 29 October 2014
J
John Glover6:49 PM
Followed procedure but still not getting signal on BBC 2 and I T V or 4 and 5 but BBC 1 is ok what do you suggest
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jb3811:25 PM
John Glover: Its not really possible for anyone to offer advice on your problem without first of all having knowledge of the device you are referring to, i.e: Sky / Freesat or Freeview, and in the case of the latter mentioned, your location, this being in the form of a post code or one from nearby, e.g: a shop / Post Office.
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Tuesday, 4 November 2014
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tricia Lindsay10:28 AM
Hi I have an old sky box with no card...can i use this for free channels upstairs if it is not connected to my sky dish?? if so how do i go about it..Many thanks
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