All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
June: Being able to record from the TV depends entirely on what brand model of TV you have and so maybe you could mention what it is, but the main problem with doing things this way is that you can only record what you are presently viewing, or if not actually viewing anything the TV has still have to be left switched on if you want to record anything.
You would be much better using your old Pace box and recording from Sky's Free to view channels, and which apart from the very odd exception are very similar to Freesat and with a viewing card not really being necessary except to view an odd channel here and there, the only downside of not using a
card being that your local news "might" not actually be local but from a wider area.
As far as connections are concerned, as you are only intending to use the Pace box for recording from, then your VCR's AV2 scart socket (might be marked decoder) would be coupled into the Sky boxes AV2 (usually marked VCR) and with the VCR's AV1 going into the TV's scart socket, and which it might already be connected into.
In operation as far as the VCR is concerned, the VCR would operate exactly as you are presently using it, but if you wish to record from the Pace box then you would select EXT or AV2 on the VCR's input select menu and that would enable the Sky box (if not in standby) to be viewed on the TV through the VCR, because unless you selected EXT or AV2 on the VCR it would be trying to view or record via its own internal tuner, which of course would result in nothing being recorded as analogue TV is no longer in use.
Another point to note being, that you do not require any connections to be made to the aerial socket on the VCR as it doesn't really serve any purpose, and if you are going to record from the Pace box then after you have set the VCR's timer you can, as would usually be done, put the VCR in standby but NOT the Pace box, other wise nothing would be recorded.
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June: Small addition to "in operation", remember that when setting the VCR's timer for recording to always select EXT or AV2 on it rather than a channel number, as you are using the external input on a permanent basis.
VCR's recording set up menu systems can differ depending on the brand model, but the external input must always be set as such and never a channel number.
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Betty Bayliss: It would be of considerable help to anyone offering assistance if you had indicated where you are located, this in the form of a post code or one from nearby such as a shop, as only then can access be made to the reception predictor and which also gives information on the transmitters covering your area.
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Nick: Thats simply because that 778Mhz is the exact frequency of channel 59, 777.8Mhz being a 200Khz negative offset that has been applied to this channel to keep the correct channel spacing because the ITV transmitter on 785.8Mhz also uses one on channel 60.
Your problem will not, or anyway should not be connected to this aspect and has to be caused by some other reason, but as your location is not known the signal levels expected in your area cannot be assessed, but "if" you are looping the aerial through your PVR what happens reception wise when its connected directly into the TV?
Maybe you could also mention the model of PVR that you are using.
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Jim Groves: Its on Sky channel 537 but is not a free channel, as its part of a Sky package.
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James B: Very few Sky boxes of that age are still operating because of them having developed power supply problems, your particular fault possibly being caused by the same reason that of defective capacitors.
But though press "services" then 4 - 6 and check what the signal levels are indicating, as both strength and quality have to be around 60% of the way along the scale for reliable reception, anything less than that is liable to cause problems.
Just out of curiosity, does this noise you refer to alter any when you change the channel?
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James B: Also meant to add, that to double check the scart connectors just to make sure that they are both firmly seated into the sockets, this preferably done by removing then reinserting them again as this action cleans the contacts.
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Nick: Without knowing the age of your TV, but Panasonic TV's manufactured within the last 4 years or so have top grade tuners that are not effected in any way by a channel with a negative offset on its frequency, and indeed yours must also or you would experience the problem with ITV1 which is also on an offset frequency.
To get idea of what is happening I would suggest that you carry out a signal strength / quality check on Ch59 on the TV making a note of the indications seen, and then compare this with the result of a similar check but on Ch60, keeping in mind that Ch60 is on double the power of Ch59. (100Kw Vs 50Kw as are Ch62 & Ch55)
I suspect you might find that its the actual "quality" on Ch59 that is fluctuating quite a bit, although its possible that both are, and should this be the case then its liable to be outwith your control and with the only reason you are not witnessing the same effect on the PVR being that its slightly more tolerant to this type of thing by most likely using a different tuner, although it would be interesting to know the result if the same Ch59 test was carried out on the PVR, giving an update on results.
Should you find that the quality on Ch59 is fluctuating on both devices, then if you are on friendly terms with your neighbour (as many aren't!) then it would not go amiss to enquire if they also experience problems on that channel, because at this time of the year its not uncommon for the reception from one mux to be iffy even although the others are OK, and with this usually being caused by signal path obstruction from such likes as wet tree branches etc, the severity of the problem being dependant on the technical spec of the receiving equipment.
By the way you are indicated as being located at approximately 12 miles from the Oxford transmitter @ 320 degrees.
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D Williams (Mr): If your reception was perfectly OK before you made the alteration then either you have accidentally caused the dish to move very slightly from its original alignment, or that the type of LNB you used is not sitting in exactly the correct position for the dish to focus the signal onto.
Another possible reason could be that the LNB's skew position requires to be trimmed slightly, this being approximately 10 degrees or so to the right of vertical, this, or any adjustments being made preferably done whilst observing the boxes signal test screen, of if this is not possible because of the dishes position then at least constant references being made to it.
On a standard Sky box the signal check screen is accessed by pressing "Services - 4 - 6".
If you have a Sky+ box then press "services" and you will then see the main menu with "options" being highlighted, highlight the "settings" menu using the right arrow button and press select, then using the left / right arrow buttons scroll to "signal" and press select, this will then display the signal level indicator bars.
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Monday 31 December 2012 7:25AM
bill reed: You cannot! and this is no way around this, as Sky on a permanent basis, retains the access code necessary to enable this section of these devices to operate, which in effect, causes a Sky+ box to revert to being a standard box as soon as a subscription is cancelled.