All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Ian: Sorry, but I beg to differ regarding good reception being indicated as that's not what I see on the map which I assume that you are referring to, because if the post code you have entered is actually where you are located (Langdale Road ?) and not one from somewhere nearby, then even when using the map on this site you are sitting right on the doorstep of a dead spot (to the East) for reception as far as Waltham is concerned, albeit though not where Sutton Coldfield is involved as you have to remember that the map opens showing the coverage of the latter mentioned station likewise all of the aerials seen in your road are facing in the direction of SC, you having to click on Walthams icon to view its predicted coverage area.
I do appreciate that the images used to view the aforementioned aerials are not bang up to date, and with the possibility existing that some of the aerials seen might well have been swung around to Waltham since they had first appeared, but as far as anyone in the past having maybe tried to maintain that you weren't receiving from Waltham I am most certainly not doing, because judging by what you have said you obviously are, but in my opinion only because that you are lucky enough to be in a relatively good spot for reception from that station.
You should have a check using DUK's predictor on the right hand side of your posting, as although any predictions that are given can only be that (predictions) and as such errors will always exist, but even when allowing for these possible errors the predictions made on DUKs site cannot be totally disregarded by them being so universally negative as far as reception from Waltham is concerned.
Of course you do not really have to use the post code map, because if you blow up the picture at the top of this page you can see the dead spot that I am referring to albeit without your exact location being indicated.
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Sheila Rochford: If your dish is within reach of a long shafted brush then you should "carefully" brush off any snow lying in the bowl of the dish or any thats seen on the LNB front that faces the bowl, the main point about this operation being not to press heavy on any part of the dish in case you accidentally move it.
By the way, not being able to play back anything previously recorded prior to being cut off by the snow is because that the recording and playback side of the box only unlocks if data is received from the satellite.
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ANN SHORTALL.: It would be of assistance to anyone that may offer advice if they knew exactly what you had lost the signal on?
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Geoff Carter: The only way of achieving this facility using Freesat devices is by purchasing a separate RF modulator such as seen in the link provided below, this being connected into the scart socket on the rear of your box.
As the modulator does not provide an RF loop through facility then you will have to use a "Y" piece combiner with the common of same going to the other TV's, then you connect the RF output from the modulator into one input and the lead from the aerial into the other.
This said on the assumption that you are not using a magic eye on any of the remotely located TV's.
Programmable Universal Modulator : Video Switches : Maplin Electronics
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Geoff Carter: Just a small correction with regards to the RF modulator, please ignore comments made concerning the necessity of having to use a "Y" piece combiner as I forgot that this model offers this facility, and so you use it in exactly the same way as done with the Sky box.
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Roberta Gollop: Satellite TV whether Sky or Freesat is more reliable than terrestrial services because for 99.9% of the time the signal is always there, and so your problem is either being caused by the dish having been accidentally moved slightly (very!) out of alignment or alternatively your box has developed a fault.
The question being, does the dish belong to you or are you on a communal dish system?
What type of Sky box are you using? - Standard - Sky+ (white box?) or Sky+ HD?
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Jef: This can indicate that one of the two inputs has developed a fault and so carry out the undermentioned and check what the signal & quality levels are indicating.
Sky+ HD box:(latest menu system)
(1): Press "Services" and you will see the main menu with "Options" being highlighted.
(2): Press the right arrow once to change from Options to "Settings" and press on once highlighted.
(3): Finally, scroll to the right to select and press on "Signal", the grey bars now displayed will show you the strength / quality of the signal.
Further advice dependant on findings.
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Mazbar: The posters question was purposely replied to in the manner done to emphasise a point in relation to the content of the posting, being that unlike in the case of problems with terrestrial reception where a multitude of things can be the cause of the problem starting with the box itself, the aerial system being used, or even the atmospheric conditions applying at the time, in the case of satellite reception any problems being experienced are "always" associated with the receiving equipment and not the signal being beamed down, as its always there.
However now that you have brought up the subject regarding the reliability of Freeview Vs Freesat or Sky, although I am well aware that heavy rain or even snow on an aerial will not kill reception (my logs being covered in snow with virtually no degradation of the signal) whereas it can do with satellite, the percentage of downtime that heavy rain / snow causes to satellite reception is quite insignificant compared to the level of problems that can, and are in many cases experienced by Freeview viewers when residing in areas that are not even remotely near to being line-of-sight from a transmitter, and even many that are can still experience problems with occasional bursts CCI from another distant transmitter on the same frequency dependant on the current atmospheric conditions applying at the time.
Satellite reception is virtually guaranteed to be reliable for 99% of the time, this being something that in many cases cannot be said where terrestrial is involved, albeit that I fully appreciate that many do enjoy consistently good reception by being located in areas conducive to receiving a good signal.
Of course even in cases where satellite reception is killed off for a few minutes by heavy rain etc, the situation can be improved no end by Southern users using zone 2 dishes and making sure that the dish is perfectly aligned, and not just approximately as I have found on checks made shortly after an installation.
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Gareth Jones: Many thanks for your update, as on looking back at some of the previous postings I have been involved with I did wonder what the outcome would be of your tests, which of course judging by what you have now reported still leaves an element of doubt as to the exact cause of your difficulty.
However, the main thing is that you are now operational and that's all that really matters.
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Tuesday 12 March 2013 8:25PM
frances henry: Yes, I suspected that might be the case when you had mentioned that the "one" on the box was a push in, and with this being the reason why I queried it.
Being unaware as to the circumstances with regards to the purchase of the box, insomuch whether its second hand or not? but what Mazbar has said is really your only option, and so you will have to weigh up the cost of paying for a suitable aerial being installed against that of purchasing a reasonable quality Freesat twin tuner recorder for use with the dish installation thats already installed.
When I say "quality" I am referring to such as seen in the link.
Humax FOXSATHDR-G Freesat twin tuner 320GB PVR (Grade A) - HUMAX UK Direct Sales Website