Missing some free channels! Please help!

[marco772]

Hi,
I cancelled Sky a good while ago but kept the dgibox to use like a freeview box.
All has been fine (for the past 3 years) until yesterday. The problem is that BBC1 has a "No signal is being received" message, BBC2 is fine, ITV is all blocky and barely moving, ditto C4, C5 is perfect.
I have no phone line connected so I can't (as far as my limited understanding goes) update the software, as I've seen recommended elsewhere.
The signal seems fine according to the Signal Test.
I've tried turning it on and off again but it made no difference.

As I'm receiving some channels perfectly, I'm assuming the dish hasn't moved in the night! This would be unlikely.

Can anyone advise me or point me to a relevant, related thread (as I'm sure this must have happened to others!).

Many thanks
Mark

[spike7451]

you have a Faulty LNB.It needs replacing.

[marco772]

Ta very much for the reply, you sound pretty convinced of that and, from reading other posts, I feared it may be something LNB connected. As I'm not exactly sure what the LNB is (I sure I will investigate and find out!), can anyone give me an estimate of how much it's likely to cost to have it replaced?
If it's going to be a lot, I may consider scrapping the whole thing and getting a set top box instead. All a bit of a nuisance really!

[NewsreadeR]

The LNB is the thing on the arm of the dish that picks up the signal. You can get them on Ebay for a few quid.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-BOXED-SKY-...QQcmdZViewItem

[marco772]

Thanks for that, it certainly seems a cheaper option! My next question (I apologise for my complete lack of knowledge in this field, the nice man from Sky put the dish up 3 years ago, it worked and I've never had to give it a seconds thought) is...is it an easy job to replace it or should I pay someone who knows what they're doing to do it for me (I'm thinking of the safety aspect as much as anything). Thanks again for all your help!

For what it's worth my system details are, Thomson, Model - 285 531, version 4EO601.

[NewsreadeR]

That one has gone up now, you can normally get them for less than a fiver.

As for fitting them yourself, depends if you can be bothered. You would need to remove the old one and then replace it with the new one. Probably about ten minutes work. Or if like me you really couldn't be bothered, maybe worth ringing a local aerial geezer to quote.

[reddwarfcrew]

fitting a new LNB should only cost about £20-£30 and 5 mins for a local installer.

however you may want to consider asking for the dish to be re-aligned too and that will take a little longer and cost a few more quid.

If you can get up the ladders, then i shoudl try replacing it yourself as they shoudl just push in and pull out.... make sure your waterproof the cbale connections to the lnb by either using a 'rain guard cover', rubber boots or self amalgamting tape (Coaxial satellite digital fully-screened cable)

[marco772]

That's great, very much appreciate all of your help.
One last question and then I think I'm good to go. I'm going to purchase one from ebay, are LNBs generally universal? Or do I need one of the Thomson ones? (I'm learning lots here!).
There seem to be a lot of people selling them so once I know I'll get clicking!

[NewsreadeR]

As long as it says suitable for Sky, manufacturer should be irrelevant. Mine wasn't a Thomson. Others may give better advice than mine.

[marco772]

Thanks once again, I feel a whole lot better now I know what's gone wrong and how to fix it. Excellent work!