Can only view a few channels

[Bigby]

I have just installed skystar 2 which is connected to an old sky minidish.

Using DVBViewer and ProgDVB, I scanned for all available channels on Eurobird 1 Astra 2A/2B/2D.

However, even though there is a long list of free to view channels, I can only view CNN, Euronews and some shopping channels (I can't view BBC, ITV, sky news .etc)

Can anyone think of what might be wrong?

[BGonaSTICK]

You may well need to update your transponder list, though I'm surprised you get so few channels. Maybe the dish is not pointing at 28.2E?

Have you performed a complete satellite scan to refresh all your channels and PIDS etc?

[Bigby]

I have done a complete satellite scan, I get:

279 Free TV
433 Scrambled TV
118 Radio
52 scrambled radio
20 Free other
35 Scrambled Other

The minidish hasn't been used for quite awhile, what is the best way to determine if it is pointing at 28.2E?

Whats is PIDS? ops:

[Robbo]

Originally Posted by Bigby

I have done a complete satellite scan, I get:

279 Free TV
433 Scrambled TV
118 Radio
52 scrambled radio
20 Free other
35 Scrambled Other
The minidish hasn't been used for quite awhile, what is the best way to determine if it is pointing at 28.2E?
Whats is PIDS?ops:

check the FTA channels you are getting and compare them with the ones on
http://www.lyngsat.com/28east.html


PIDs are the IDs for all the channels.

There will be a list of all the satellites, together with their transponder frequencies and the VPIDs and APIDs for each channel on the transponder.

If the list is not upto date it won't look for all the channels that are currently available.

[BGonaSTICK]

The best way to confirm where it's pointing is to view as many channels as you can, and check the on-screen graphics to see what it is you're actually watching. The receiver can play tricks on you, but if you can actually watch a program with a BBC Three logo, you know where you are for sure, as it's unique to 28.2E.

The more you check, the more information you'll have to build a case for which satellite it is. If you can also tick off the frequency and polarisation for the same channel with what's on lyngsat.com, kingofsat.net or flysat.com, so much the better.

If you listed 20 channels you can actually watch, we could almost certainly tell you.

PIDS are the various technical parameters that define the individual components of each channel. There will be one for video, one or more for audio (some channels may have five or more languages transmitted simultaneously!) one for synchronising the two, maybe one for teletext, another for AC3 audio etc. etc.

They are expressed as either decimal or hexadecimal numbers, and can usually be ascertained by the receiver from the satellite when you perform a 'scan'.

HTH

[Sorry robbo, you beat me to it ]

[Bigby]

robbo, I don't know if you remember me, but I didn't replace the LNB (the one that may have been faulty).

Could this be the problem or wouldn't I get any channels if the LNB was faulty?

[Robbo]

@stick

S'okay,
You explained it much better and longer.
Thats why I beat you.

@bigby
Hi, so you got it connected then. I thought you were going for 42E?
Is this just the first step?
If you're locking in on all those channels, I would be surprised if it was totally gone.

1st step is to do as already said, and then make sure that the transponders and all the other technical bits are in your list for the channels you want. I don't have Sat PC card, so I can't help with the actual details of how to check.

[Bigby]

Yeah, I thought I would stick with 28.2E first and then move to 42E.

It's very strange, but I got BBC One,BBC Three, BBC Four, Aljazeera to show and then when I went back to these they wouldn't show!

One of the few channels that allways shows is CNN, I'm gonna go through the list of FTA channels and I'll list them

[Bigby]

Here is a list I can get (sometimes):

B4U Music
Babestation
BBC1 N West
BBC1 NE & C
BBC 1 NI
All BBC1 Regions
BBC 2
BBC Four
BBC News 24
BBC Three
Best Direct
Bid TV
Bubble Hits
CNN
Create & craft
Daystar
Essex Babes
ETV
ETV2/5/6
EuroNews
QVC
Real estate
Record TV

It seems to be random, what I can & can't get although for some reason I can always get CNN & QVC.

[Robbo]

Without a shadow of doubt, that is 28.2E.
If they're a bit patchy though suggests that either your dish needs tweeking or your LNB is not operating optimally.

As I said previously, getting a new LNB for just £6.50, would be worthwhile as it is one less thing to worry about.

I don't know specifically about LNBs but generally electronic components will 'age' with time, and cause them to no longer be
within their original specifications.The LNB doesnt exactly have an easy life, stuck out in all weather.