All posts by Michael Perry
Below are all of Michael Perry's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Changing Broadband provider is not difficult, look at what is on offer and select your preferred supplier, then ask Sky for a MAC code (Migration Authorisation Code) and give that to your new chosen provider.
A similar process applies to moving your phone provider and your chosen broadband service may also offer a phone option as well.
As for TV, you don't say where you live so it's very difficult to recommend anything.
If your current TV does not have Freeview 'built in' then you'd need a 'set top' box and they are more than £60 for a reasonable one that records as well, so you may be better off paying the upgrade price if you want all the Sky services.
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d
I am assuming that you receive Sky using a dish and not via any cable or broadband service. Satellite signals are 'broadcast' from the satellite in orbit above the Equator and arranged to provide reception across the whole country, so it is not specific to one area and is unlike terrestrial TV that is broadcast from a transmitter on the ground. So I do not understand you question. Please give more details of location and equipment.
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Andrew
Is your block of flats equipped with a communal aerial? If so, do others on your floor have the same/similar problems? Do everyone in the flats have the same problems?
Communal Aerials usually need attention from the engineers engaged by your managing agents and that would be needed if other people in the block have the same problem. If you each have your own separate aerials (that would be a lot of them probably all on the roof!) plus only your TV is affected and you have tried all the retuning advice on these pages, including the 'factory reset' and/or initial installation processes shown in the instruction manual for your TV, then you may need the help of a good local aerial contractor.
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Gary
You can't get a refund if you still watch ANY live TV feeds on any type of equipment that can show any live TV. The licence is a Broadcast Receiving Licence and allows you to operate any equipment that can display any live TV, even the commercial channels or anything from any TV satellite or internet service. Without a licence you can only legally use the 'catch-up' services usually available via the internet and only viewable after the initial transmission has finished.
Do read the links Dave Lindsay has given.
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Clumsy:
It is rare to recover any electronics devices after fluids have been spilt inside them!
Asthere are mains voltage sections, I would strongly advise buying a new box and recycle the old damaged one.
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Cheryl:
You need to look closely at your LNB. Where the existing cable comes out is there a second opening next to it? Often the LNB outputs have a protective sleeve over them that may slide upwards to show the actual F-plugs screwed into the outputs. If you don't have a second output, you will need to change the LNB, I'd suggest having a quad type fitted, about the same cost.
Cables can be joined but it is not a good idea as the connectors can introduce faults. Best to either run another CT100/RG6 (or better) cable or replace all the cabling with 'piggy-back' or 'figure of eight' or 'shotgun' cables that have two feeds enclosed in a single moulded cover that looks like the number 8. I assume those cables and LNBs are available in France? If you look at Twin Satellite Sky Plus RG6 Shotgun Aerial Cable Black 125mm you will see what the cables could look like. Tip, always buy the best quality cables you can and avoid the cheaper versions. Always use good quality F-connectors too and wrap any external connectors with self-amalgamating tape to keep the water, humidity, corrosion out.
Hope that helps?
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Cheryl
It might be worth trying just connecting the existing lead into the LNB1 input without the link to the LNB2 input and then trying the tuning process. Sometime the link can cause problems. I'm assuming you've checked there are no problems with poorly fitted connectors, etc?
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Alex
I doubt that you can as the coverage pattern of satellites for European TV transmissions does not reach that far south, there would be no signal at all as they are aimed at Europe and not Africa. There may be some fringe reception in Libya, Algeria, etc but none in Mali or Niger nor any further south.
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Graham Cole
Freesat requires the use of a satellite dish outside the property and aimed at the the Freesat Sattekite at 28.2 degrees East (orbital) plus a suitable box that must not be in the loft, so it is not at all like Freeview reception. The Freesat system will require external cabling from the LNB on the external dish and running into the house so it can be connected to the Freesat decoder box. This is rather similar to receiving Sky via the satellites and the same dish might be suitable for Freesat depending on position and what LNB you may have already for Sky.
The output from the Freesat box can be fed as UHF analogue signals via an active splitter to other TVs - providing they can receive analogue signals and not just the digital ones. (I don't know of any set top box that has an output of UHF digital signals.) The usual HDMI and/or SCART cannot be 'split' properly without losses of quality.
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Monday 6 May 2013 7:00PM
Me
A log periodic aerial does not work in the same way as a Yagi pattern! Removing the directors of a Yagi does NOT improve the performance in part of the spectrum significantly, so it should not be done. It tends to reduce the overall gain, widens the reception angle and unbalances the reception across the designed operating band. These are most noticeable with weak signals. Removing directors behind the dipole changes the reception pattern so it is slightly less sensitive forward by more sensitive rearwards and sideways. The effect it to allow more unwanted signals to be received, which can easily cause co-channel or adjacent channel signals to interfere and for unwanted transmitter signals to be a potential source of trouble. You may well see a reduction in signal quality rather than any improvement! Aerial design always has an element of compromise but is not to be undertaken lightly without a full and comprehensive understanding of what is required.