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Help please I'm pulling my hair out trying to get sat tv working, old sky box and tv seem to work ok but can't seem to get a signal from dish even though it seems to find satellite with finder , what can I check or how do I check lnb are working ok (comtell dish & cable)?

Cheers P54Jes

If the Sky box has not been used for some time, the it's software will be out of date, and the "no satellite signal" message will be displayed.

So first you need to establish if this is the problem, before you go satellite hunting.

The easy way to do this, is to hook the Sky box upto an existing feed, that you know is working, maybe you have Sky or Sky+ already at home, or know someone who does.

Having done the above, if your still not getting a picture, then the faullt is with the box, in which case you will need to perform a forced software download, easy to do and I will explain if you need to do this.

Also has your box for camping got a Card, if so are you subscribing to Sky, or are you just wanting the Free channels?.

I am no expert, but did work at Sky for 7 years, so have picked up a thing or two.

We only intend to use the freeview channels just for abit of news and weather , I think it is the box Francais as we have sky plus for a few years and old box has sat in loft all this time .If you could explain the forced reset download that would be great and worth a go before I bin the lot and buy a whole new system from B&Q  ( half price all in).

P54jes

Hi P54.

            Don't bin the kit, as it is quite good, hook up you camping box, to one of the Sky+ feeds.

You will see the info onscreen, searcing for listings, or no satellite signal message.

Anyway, as you have Sky+ we can assume your signal is good, so here we go!.

Ensure your camping box, is not plugged into the mains, then hold down the backup button on the box (not the remote) whilst doing this introduce the mains, keeping your pinkie  firmly pressed on the backup button, after a short while, you will see a message on your TV screen, "Down loading software", as this happens all the led's on the Sky box will light up.

The current info is listed in system setup, under details.

Operating System Version = 1.2S4FM

EPG                                = 3.8.8

This is the latest version, and should get you up and running.

Once you have got this down loaded, and you are getting a picture, all wil be good, but I would advise that you buy a Freesat card of Sky, for £25 this will put Ch5 into the EPG, and also give you Sky3 and will also make the box less clunky, good luck and let me know how you get on.

Which make model box have you got?.

The box is a pace , model no 250085. thanks for the help will try it in morn when mrs has finished recording and get back with the results.

cheers

p54jes

That's OK, one of my hobbies is fishing Sky box's out of skips, I then buy a Freesat card from Sky, get the box up and running.

I have a small add in a French ex-pat magazine, so sell the up and running box's for £100 a pop, which is about half what folk in Spain and France charge for them, so it's a win win for all concerned.

It all helps pay for my camping addiction lol!.

Updated the box as you said Francais all seemed to go to plan with it but I still do not get a signal have tried another dish that I borrowed  and its still the same no signal  sorry to be a pain but any more ideas please.

p54jes

If you have tried the box on a feed that is currently supplying a working box, which of course confirms that the feed is good, and your camping box is still not working, then the box is faulty, even though the box is showing signs of life, it is likley that the PSU in the box is on it's way out.

You could try doing the forced download a couple of more times, and leave the box connected to a good feed overnight, this often gets box's going again, that have been disconected for long periods of time. 

Thanks for the help , will give it a go again.

p54jes

Francais

sorry to piggy back but you are the man to ask.i am setting up a second tv in the caravan for the simple reason when we have the grandchildren on  site we get to see no tv until after 9.30pm.i have a very good sky system working without a problem and need to get a feed to the second tv.silly question if you dont know the answer,but will i only get the SAME picture showing on the first tv at that time.using the RF2 feed.thanks.can RF2 go to a second box so they can choose programs of there choice.been through all the SKY books without this info.thanks

If you are using satellite then you will need to use a separate satellite receiver for each TV, of course to do this you will need an LNB with 2 outputs, running a separate feed to each box, some LNB's come with 4 outputs known as a Quad, but don't use a Quattro, looks just like a Quad but is for SMATV systems that use a multiswitch (don't ask!).

The RF2 output will feed the same picture as you, are watching, unless you introduce a terrestrial feed to the RF input.

The RF2 output, can be configured to support a TV link, which will allow folk watching the other TV to change channel from another room.

u would have to split the coax (twin).. or have 2 single coax cables running, one for each box,, as said before u need a quad lnb.

As for 1st post ,, Sky done a total card swap over a year ago,, which means,, freesat cards needed to be renewed...