Picture problems but good signal strength/quality

[tmlinux]

Hi

I am having problems with my Sky digital picture quality. Our house already had a Sky dish and cabling when we moved in to it, so upon arrival I bought an Amstrad sky box and viewing card and apart from occassional picture problems all was fine until I started getting very regular "technical problems with this channel" errors. After a bit of research, I ditched the Amstrad box and bought a Panasonic, having read that they are better in low signal areas.

Since the install of the Panasonic, signal quality has jumped up to about 70% and signal strength is at about 90%, consistently and seemingly in all weathers.

However, I am getting very regular and very irritating interference on screen - pixelation, breakup, freezing, sounds blips and chirps, the usual thing.

But what is really strange is that thoughout this, the quality indicators remain high. So I'm getting good strength and quality, but regular picture disruption. Most evenings programmes are becoming unwatchable across seemingly all channels, BBC, ITV, C4, Filmfour etc.

I'm relatively new to Sky (always been on Freeview before but poor coverage where I currently live) so any help would be really greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance


Tom

[Smithy99]

There is no reason why you needed to swap receivers for a low signal aera, these don't exist with Sky as such, if you live up north you can just fit a larger zone 2 dish. As the dish points up into space, there is less chance of hitting a black spot unlike the standard terrestial/freeview signal.

It sounds to me like either an LNB problem or the dish needs to be aligned better.

You can pick up a replacement LNB from e-bay to try that first and it is easy to swap, failing that then a local satellite installer should be able to come and fit it and re-align the dish as required.

[tmlinux]

Hi Smithy99

Thanks for the info. Should I still expect to get good signal strength/quality with a dodgy LNB then?

Tom

[Smithy99]

Sometimes yes, it could be that you are just on the margin between good and bad and in the evening this falls off over the edge. Also the signal test is done on a specific frequency, this could be fine and it is just other frequencys that are affected.

Swapping receivers does not increase the signal strength just the way the receiver shows.

It could also be that there is water in the cable, have a look at the dish and check to see the connections to it are taped/covered and watertight.

[Woodster]

The signal meter on a sky box only shows you the signal from 1 transponder. I would also suspect a dodgy LNB or slight alignment problem, possibly even just the skew of the LNB.

[Smithy99]

Beat you to it Woodster, shouldn't you be out installing

[tmlinux]

Thank you all very much for your assistance. I'll get my ladder out tonight when I get home and check out the dish.

Cheers

Tom

[Woodster]

Beat you to it Woodster, shouldn't you be out installing

Should be, but taking a day off!! I deserve it!! lol

[Proppinupthebar]

Before you start messing about with ladders, check out Sam Radfords site. Theres a few issues with picture breakup and Panasonics. From memory I think turning off RGB on one box model fixes the issue proving its a box issue.