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All posts by jb38

Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.


Mark: Well if I understand you correctly, no!

Anything that was intended for a Sky box is completely compatible with the Freesat one provided its not anything associated with UHF frequencies such as used by Freeview or analogue.

Although I cant really understand where the Labgear amplifier comes into it, as that's not a Satellite device, or was it possibly being used to feed the Sky boxes RF output to the other rooms points? as in a household where Freeview reception is not possible its about the only use it can have.


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Mark: Just to add, that if your Freesat box is only that, i.e: not a PVR, then you could couple one of the co-ax cables from the LNB at the back of the house to the co-ax going to the front, then at the front couple that directly into the Freesat box, but "not" connected in any way with the Labgear 8 way amp / splitter.

If the co-ax that goes under the house is black, it may well be a Satellite grade cable that's been installed and as such standard "F" plug couplers could be used, but whatever it is there are couplers / adaptors easily obtainable to join practically any sizes of cables together.

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taylor: The Belmont transmitter is now on high power on Mux Ch22, the BBC channels you are having a problem with, and its possibly an over powerful signal blocking your tuners input circuitry that's causing your difficulties.

If you have any form of booster on your aerial system try removing it, however if you haven't, then you may need to purchase a simple attenuator to place in line with the aerial.

A good test though for determining over powerful signal problems is to try a test using a set top type aerial.

It should be pointed out that its only BBC channels that are presently on high power, none of the others until switchover later in the month.

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taylor: You could also try a manual tune on Mux Ch22 just to see what is indicated, if nothing (or very low) then that points to problem mentioned.

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taylor: Just a final thing to consider is, that as well as Mux Ch22 going over to high power operation it also changed its operating mode from 2K to 8K, and "if" you are using an older type of box it may not be capable of responding to an 8K signal, as many aren't!

If no joy with the manual tuning exercise then come back with your boxes model number so that the 2k/8k issue can be checked on.

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Dean Morris: The point is that although the zero indication on your Samsung's manual scan could be because of it having a problem in responding to Ch22's 8K operating mode, this irrespective of what it might state in the spec, but on the other hand it could also be caused by the signal being too strong for the tuners input, so try it with the booster being by-passed.

Although I will say that at your distance of 31 miles away from the transmitter I would be very surprised if it was an over strong signal, but it depends entirely on the box.

By the way no two devices respond the same, and its not uncommon for one TV/box to work where another wont.

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Geoff: I am afraid you have me rather baffled! this because I cant quite understand what makes you consider that cables carrying different types of signals can be joined at any point.

The standard procedure for doing as you require is to use a piece of plastic cable trunking such is used in electrical installations.

If of course you are really meaning joining them together purely as a temporary measure to pull them through somewhere, then this is just usually done by bunching them together and tightly (and copiously) wrapping insulation or duck tape around them after previously having made a loop on the toughest cable before hand before wrapping, this to attach the pulling fish wire onto.

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Helen Green: Tests on your post code indicates good reception from Belmont, but as its BBC channels you are having the problem with this could be caused by either (1) the signal being too powerful as this channel (and only this one) is now on high power, or (2) your TV is not responding to the 8k transmission mode that Mux Ch22 is now operating on.

A good test is to try a set top type aerial to see if at least it responds, other than that trying a simple attenuator in line with the TV's aerial input socket usually cures the problem, these obtainable from most decent TV shops. By the way if you can try a set top aerial try a manual tune test on Mux Ch22.


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Dean Morris: That's the snag with older boxes that state as being compatible with 8K signals, as although in some cases if they are its usually in a very erratic fashion and something only really being rectifiable with a software update, this not being guaranteed to exist any longer as I couldn't find any on various checks I made including one on Samsungs support site.

Of course this suspected 8K incompatibility problem will be proven or other wise come the 17th of the month when the main switchover happens, as the ITV channels will also be changing to 8K operation at the same time as going onto high power, so if this is the problem then they should likewise vanish.

Just a small point though, I take it you have tried the Samsung using your daughters aerial input? and just out of curiosity what signal do you see on her box when on BBC's Mux Ch22?

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daz evans: It is not necessary to contact Sky or anyone else if it comes to it "if" you align the dish up properly.

As you say you installed the dish yourself, what did you use to set it up? as if as I suspect it might have been one of these simple Sat finders, then whether LED or meter pointer type "slow motion" movements in all operations is the order of the day for success.

Plus the other thing that many make a mistake with, that being, once the satellite is found adjust the pointer / LED indications to show as low as possible, as this makes it easier to detect an increase.

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