Isakat

I have a friend who is using a UK Sky box and a card for freeview channels only. Some of the channels freeze over time-what could be causing this apart from the weather?
She asked me if I had a card to try it in the Sky box, but I have 2 old Sky boxes, without cards.
I think she wants to see if the same problem occurs with a different card.
Any suggestions?

duffer

Sounds strange...

When you say the picture freezes, do you mean as if someone has pressed the pause button? Does the picture quality also get blocky and the sound becomes scattered?

Does this always happen? If not, when does it happen? In the evenings only?

Regarding the card - you only need it for IIRC C4 and C5 as these are FTV (free to view, encrypted signal, card required to unscramble the signal, no subscription required) whereas the BBC and ITV are FTA (free to air, unencrypted signal, no card required), therefore if she is getting the same problem also on these channels then it's not likely to be the card but more likely the box or the LNB (illuminatore - which if older than 5yrs might have been frazzled by the Italian sun).

Is there anyway you could check the box using your sat dish?

Isakat

Thanks for your reply Duffer, I also suspect the LNB. I will ask her about the freezing when I see her tomorrow.
OH offered to take our HD box and card there and see if the problem remains.I will also suggest to her maybe to bring her box and card over here and see what happens with our dish.
I do not think she gets the BBC as she has a small antenna. We do not get it either, even with a 1.5 m one.

Another question-do you know of any decent but not expensive companies that hide your computer code? OH wants to change the one we have as they are pricey.
Thanks again Duffer

duffer

It's probably the LNB but this type of problem can be due to various reasons: faulty digibox (the Sky digiboxes made by Thomson had a problem with the PSU), faulty cable (maybe got bent or damaged), strong wind pushed the dish slightly out of sync or something blocking the line of view of the dish (growing trees, new buildings, etc).

I used to have a blocky picture in the evenings which would eventually deteriorate and just freeze, it would do this for a couple of hours between 8-10pm. This was because the signal was weaker in the evenings. It was also worse in the summer than in the winter. I rectified up getting a bigger dish.

About your other request, sorry I don't use a paid for service - I usually use a free proxy just to access sites with regional restrictions. All I can suggest is do a search for either a UK VPN or a UK proxy, and trial the service if possible. I presume this is for watching UK on-demand TV on an iPad?

Isakat

No, we are not so sophisticated, no iPads in our family yet( I just said no to an Iphone that DD wants, she is almost 11 and someone at school has it!)
This is to watch the BBC direct via the internet.

Thanks again for all the hepfull hints.

Cashmere Kate

Hi Isakat,

For VPN, I can highly recommend My Private Network. It costs £5 a month but there are no ads and it works all the time. Don't know what I'd do without it

Isakat

Thanks Cashmere Cate, we will look into this provider. I am a bit baffled about adverts-we never had any with the current one.

jiminalpago

[QUOTE=Isakat;9622496]I have a friend who is using a UK Sky box and a card for freeview channels only. QUOTE]

Can I ask, please, is this without any footering with the box and without a Sky subscription?
And yes, I'm a Scot.

Isakat

[QUOTE=jiminalpago;9689225] I do not know what footering is, but yes, she does not have Sky and she can only get a few channels such as ITV, channel 4 and channel5, which in future will not be available as they will be moved on another satellite like they did with the BBC interactive, sports channel and BBC news.

Domino

Interested as I tried Expat Shield for a week whilst in Spain and found the ads annoying.
When I tried to log on to National Lottery as I wanted to make my weekly payment to charity, they told me I wasnt in the UK and any ticket bought wouldnt be valid.

have you, or anyone else, MPN for the UK Lottery ??

jiminalpago

[QUOTE=Isakat;9689905] Thanks for the reply.
As a reward, an addition to your vocabulary: "to footter"(Correct spelling) in this context is to tinker around with something.
Jim

Isakat

[QUOTE=jiminalpago;9690527] Thanks Jim,
as English is not my mother tongue, I do not know all the words. Interesting, OH who is English, did not know this word either, must be Scottish then.
Anyway, hope your set-up works with the freeview channels, while they last.

duffer

Are you sure you want to run the risk of winning the jackpot and then having your claimed turned down because you were not physically in the UK when you bought the ticket?

You need to be certain which type of proxy or VPN you are using.

Domino

I buy from local newsagent or online dependent on how I feel at the time for Sat and Weds.
Flew out to Spain on a Tuesday but couldnt buy ticket for the following Sat\Wed as there was a Wed in the way. They don't start selling the Sat tickets until after the Wed draw.

had been hearing so many things about ExpatShield so downloaded it and gave it a try.
the program gave me an IP address in the US, an IP checker said I was in London. National Lottery said I was outside the UK.

although not physically in the UK I am still resident in the UK at the moment and own property there.

the question is does ExpatShield actually hide the location the way they say they do.? and would a proxy or VPN hide the location.?

duffer

I really haven't a clue about Expatshield but if I had to choose one I'd go for a paid for VPN based in the UK. VPNs offer better security especially if you are using wi-fi in public places to check e-mails or bank accounts.

Regarding the National Lottery, when you buy the ticket, whether it's in a shop or online, you need to actually be physically present in the UK. You don't need to be a UK resident to play.

I'm sure before they hand out a payment for £10 million they do some basic security checks and if the ISP turns out to be some firm in Delaware, they will refuse payment. That's a suicide situation for some people