Sky: "There Is A Technical Fault With This Channel"

[Kyuuketsuki]

OK,

I use an ordinary Sky box with a DVD/HD Recorder but we've been getting the Sky box message "There Is A Technical Fault With This Channel" … until now our standard solution has been to switch it off, wait a short while and switch it on again which usually works. Recently, however, it has started doing this during recordings … here's my thoughts on the problem & actions I've tried so far:

• It typically happens when switching channels … if we're there we can usually resolve it (unplug, wait a minute or so and them power up again), if it's auto-switching to record then we don't tend to know about it until after we get to the watch the recording which is very irritating.
• Switching channels rapidly (something my 15 year old daughter tends to do) is more likely to cause it.
• It can't be the Standby Mode since we I don't think we have a Standby mode and rarely switch our unit off as many of the programs we record are late night/early morning and at least one is before we get back from work.
• It can't be the box itself since I swapped the Thomson we had out for a Hitachi (got off FreeCycle) and that exhibits the same problem.
• The system usually recovers AOK (occasionally with high whining so we have to repeat) if it is unplugged for a short while then powered up again.
• It might be the card … as far as I know we haven't had a new card since we started with Sky maybe 10 or more years ago.
• Once before (5 years or more ago as I recall) we have had to have our dish re-aligned as birds often land on it and those continued small impacts seem to slowly affect it.

So I don't know exactly what's causing it, whether there is some cabling or other local factor affecting the system(s) … I don't think it's cabling because two different boxes are affected (I think the Amstrad unit we had some time ago also had a similar issue but I'm not absolutely sure). IT could be another factor … are Sky boxes ever affected by other kit nearby? If the telephone line was flaky would it cause the signal to drop?

My money, though, is on either the Sky Viewing card or the dish being marginally out of alignment.

Any ideas?

Keke

[Old_nick]

It could also be an LNB fault (the LNB is the box fixed to the arm on the dish). External sources can affect Sky dishes, like DECT phone base stations too close to the LNB wiring, and some types of car alarms.

Whilst you're having the dish re-aligned, it might be worth having the LNB replaced - if it's been there for 10 years, it has had a lot of punishment. An installer shouldn't charge you more than £20 for a new LNB (agree the price beforehand).

[Kenedin]

Replace the LNB. It's not now up to the job of rapid polarity and band switching. And clean the dish, it's probably littered with birdie white stuff.

Dish misalignment usually produces 'No Satellite Signal' messages with different error codes. The 'Technical Fault etc' message is usually an LNB issue.

You could call Sky out for the usual £65, they'd probably replace the dish, LNB and cabling if you told them you got the lot out of the Antiques Roadshow.

[Kyuuketsuki]

Thanks Guys

Keke

[avtech]

From your post on another forum I see you have an old Grundig box, These are notorious for having fragile power supply units. If you are handy with a soldering iron you can get a kit of components with instructions from SATCURE.
If you don't fancy that, £10 should get you a box at your local car bootsale, but try to avoid Thomson and Grundig (same box just a different badge on the front, but prone to exactly the same problems)

[simonmpoulton]

As he's already tried two boxes it's very doubtful the box is at fault here avtech!

[avtech]

As he's already tried two boxes it's very doubtful the box is at fault here avtech!

From his posts in another forum, The two boxes the OP used were his original Thomson (notorious PSU) which he discarded then replaced with an even older 2nd hand Grundig from freecycle(effectively the same box but even more notorious PSU).

The Grundig (which he refers to here as Hitachi) has obviously suffered the same capacitor failure they are famous for.

[Blue0sprey]

Is this the same fault as my post?
http://www.skyuser.co.uk/forum/frees...8-bbc-1-a.html
Does the box work OK until 6.58 in the evening?
I am based in south yorkshire

[Isitme]

It might be the card … as far as I know we haven't had a new card since we started with Sky maybe 10 or more years ago

The cards were changed a few months ago. You should have the new white one. Probably not your problem as you would get a wrong card error, but it may be worth getting it updated.