All posts by Michael Perry
Below are all of Michael Perry's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Nedbod/Mary
Mary will need not only a router/modem but also a broadband service that is fast enough to download programmes live without excessive biffering. That generally means something faster than 5 Mbps, which is almost always available on a fibre/cable service but not always (especially in rural areas) on ADSL (via the copper telephone wires).
I presume Mary has an internet service, but is it fast enough?
WiFi is easily fast enough for distributing the services in the home (802.11G is rated at 54 Mbps and 802.11N is at least 150 Mbps) and it usually faster than the external internet connection. Fast Ethernet is rated at 100 Mbps, so is ideal but needs wuitable wires laid from router/modem to the computer or smart TV.
But none of that actually answers Mary's query. I sorry I can't help more as my rural broadband is far too slow for any such services.
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John Martin
Armthorpe is hardly 'rural' being just a short way outside of Doncaster, which I know fairly well from working in that area for a major TV rental company. So your internet service will be fairly good and you obviously have a fibre or cable based service.
The part of Wiltshire that I live is is an 'intervention' zone so we will not be getting any fibre for many more months (assuming the viability assessment due in Spring 2015 shows it to be worth spending the BDUK money on). Currently we have to use ADSL Max services as the local exchanges have not been updated since 2004, so we don't even have the option of ADSL2+. As most homes/farms in the area are at least 4 km by wire from the exchange we get a service that is no better than 3 Mbps when everything is working perfectly but with overhead copper that is at least 50 years old and suffering from verdigris (which is high resistance, so slows everything down and creates noise on the lines) then were are lucky to have what service we do get, often less than 2 Mbps which is no good for streaming video - it keeps buffering so a 2 hour film takes nearly 3 hours to download so is unwatchable 'live.'
If you only pay £10 pm then you are getting a far better service than most rural people do at a lower price too. Did you realise that many rural exchanges are not equipped to LLU standards? So we have a very limited choice of ISP too - and they all charge at least £15 pm for the very poor service speeds we have to put up with.
That is the essence of the 'Digital Divide' as it is in reality.
The whole concept of delivering TV/video to everyone via the internet is still a pipedream and there are significant areas that will never get fibre and can't get satellite due to the terrain. There are also areas where 4G signals don't penetrate so no one in these areas will get any TV if it's only on the internet - they had more than enough problems getting analogue TV and digital is even harder for them as the signal strength is borderline or too low - at least with analogue they got spotty pictures and hissy sound!
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MikeB:
Don't get me started on the 'science' of Global Warming' or as they now call it 'Climate Change'.
Fact is that the Earth's climate has always been changing. That's why the Roman Army grew grapes at Housteads Fort in Northumberland and there is archealogical evidence of making wine with those grapes. That is not possible now despite AGW but was 2000 years ago so it was definitely warmer then than now.
Science is a matter of open debate, discussion and exchange of ideas. Preventing that, as the BBC do, is not to enhance the scientific debate but to pander to the political bias.
The whole concept of AGW came about in the latter sixties because a well known scientist could not get research funding. So he decided to scare the fund holders, the politicians, and they got so worried they gave him the money - despite the general opinion at the time being that we were fast approaching a mini Ice Age! That is well documented.
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To everyone concerned about broadband delivery of TV, etc: Please see this BBC Technology story released today: BBC News - UK broadband not fit for purpose, says business group
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John Martin
Then can I ask that you not post derogatory comments about those of us rural users who have to put up with less advantageous services.
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Michael
The cards are 'paired' with a particular box by Sky and can only work when inserted in that box. If you try to use that card in any other box, it won't work and gives an error message. I understand that a few services use their own authorisation card system and many boxes have a second slot to accomodate them.
There is a possibility that your card was not properly 'paired' with your box. It would be best to speak to Sky about that.
The change Sky have made to their authorisation system was because of the 'pirate' cards around and they have made it a lot more difficult for 'pirate' cards to work, so they are pretty much useless.
Sky, as a purely commercial organisation, have the right to charge as they wish.
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Mark
I will assume you are talking about a Sky+ box? If that is the case then by swapping the two cables between the inputs you have shown that there is a fault with the feed that was originally plugged into Input 1. The possibilities are that the cable has a fault, the connectors at end (or both) have a fault, possibly a short circuit (often caused by the fine braid outer screening touching the inner core) or else the LNB on your dish has developed a fault.
Do you have a dual LNB or a Quad? The first has just two output connectors inside the weather cover and the latter has four connectors. If you have the latter, and you can gain safe access to the LNB, you might try swapping the twpo cables to the other pair of connectors. But do make sure they are screwed on correctly and the weather cover is put back in place to prevent water getting into the cables.
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Mark.
Applogies, I meant that you have shown that the feed that was originally Input 2 is faulty. Input 1 feed ios still working fine.
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Mark
The input that has the 'good' signal shows the box is working with that input. If that is swapped to the other input and the 'good' signal transfers with it, then that shows both inputs of the box are working correctly but that one of the feeds is faulty, the one that is giving no signals. That can be caused by faulty cable, faulty plugs, faulty LNB, etc.
If the LNB has 'spare' outputs that are not currently used, try swapping both cables to 'new' outputs on the LNB - but only try that if you can safely access the LNB on the front of your dish. Be careful not to move the dish or the LNB, the angles and settings are critical.
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Friday 11 July 2014 8:46PM
Michael/Sharealam:
I think it's the way the software was intended to work. Mine does it too but I've learnt to live with it.