Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

Over the last few weeks, sometimes when I change satellite channels on my Humax box, very briefly before the picture appears, I see a screen message "no or bad signal". All is then okay with a normal picture and strong signal quality and strength signal shown for that channel.
Now, over the past couple of weeks, sometimes if i select a channel I get the same message and no picture appears. If I go to another channel a picture appears immediately for that channel and then if I go back to the channel where there was no picture, it appears without a problem.
I'm not sure if this is down to summer atmospherics or perhaps is indicative of a problem with the receiver box or LNB.
From the symptoms I have described, anyone any suggestions please?
Thanks.

Re: Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

What Freesat box - there are a few Humaxs around?
What dish size?
What location?
What channel / s are you having the issue on?

Could be your dish is too small for your location, or a dish alignment issue, or an LNB alignment issue, or a cabling issue, or a receiver issue....

Some channels are "harder" to receive and of the box does not get a decent enough signal, then it will show "no signal" message...

But if by switching channels missing channels come back, then it could be an LNB switching issue or a receiver issue..

Personally have not noticed much signal drop due to the heat and humidity this summer...

Re: Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

Firstly, thanks for the response.
Humax Foxsat
2.4 dish
Moraira

This morning's problem was when watching Sky News which I usually find to be without problems. Switched from another channel to Sky News and that's when I got the no or bad signal message and no picture, went up a channel, got a picture there without a problem and quickly back to Sky News and all okay with it. After I posted this morning's message, was watching Sky News when the picture froze and I got the bad signal message. Went up to the next channel and back to Sky and again all okay!
Except for the odd break up glitch I can receive all the Freesat channels.
The brief error message that momentarily flashes up when changing channels happens with quite a few of them, but we don't watch that many of the ones available so I don't know if it happens with others also, but it's so brief that it's not a real problem, just didn't use to happen.
Thanks again.

Re: Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

If it is when changing channels, then it could point to an LNB failure issue - starting to fail when switching between frequencies and polarisations...

Or insects inside the LNB and feedhorn...which a polystyrene "block" can be used to block the opening.

Could also be down to a break in the cable, or a bad connection between two pieces of cable.

(was in moraira yesterday! if you want me to pop around and have a quick look for you let me know, as I think I am next in moraira on Tuesday....)

Re: Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

Thanks for that, much appreciated. Travel to UK tomorrow for a few weeks. May search out a new LNB. I fitted my my current Invercom quad LNB quite a few fears ago and i remember reading that they have a limited life (5 years or so?), Could be time to replace it anyway. Will try it and see if that's the problem.
Thanks again.

Re: Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

god i hope they last longer then five years, the one we have was stood on somebody else house for at least 10 years, now been with us for the last 2 years

Re: Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

LNBs are very sensitive bits of kit.
And as so can fail quickly.
Not only does static from lightening, power surges, receiver issues, and insects nesting inside damage them, but heat can also. Which is why the best LNBs are white to try and reflect the heat. And why LNBs in the UK, for example, last longer than those in Spain...

Re: Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

Thanks gain for that. What's the latest view on the best LNB for Spain? I need quad one. Is Invercom still considered "the best" and if so which model please.
Thanks.

Re: Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

I'm far from being an expert on these things, but I believe on some occasions they don't actually stop working, but there is a deterioration in their performance. Maybe I'm well out there though and they just stop working without prior symptoms!
Just read something along those lines some years ago.

Re: Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

For prime focus 1.8m and 2.4m dishes Invacom prime focus LNBs are still the best.

For offset dishes, I prefer ther GI range....way better than the Inverto range used by many...

Re: Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

Thanks for that, an Invacom it is then!

Re: Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

Apologies for raising this subject again, but before I make any new purchase(s), something happened last night which hasn't before, so before I make a decision as to what to change or do, I'd like advice please (The Guy?).
We were watching a recorded programme on the Humax Foxsat. After it finished I went back to satellite TV and there was a "no signal message" on all channels except one particular one we were recording at the time. All had been okay earlier and I knew we had had no high winds so it could't be dish movement.
Anyway, what I did was to switch off the power to the Humax box, waited a few seconds and switched back on. After boot up, all channels were back with high signal strength and quality.
I know that the Humax box sends a switching voltage to the LNB (that's the limit of my knowledge!), so my dilemma is, did the box fail in some way and perhaps not send anything to the LNB or is the box okay and the LNB the problem. Do the above symptoms indicate one way or another? How can I test?
Thanks,

Re: Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

Just to add, trip to UK now next week, so will perhaps get the chance to look for an LNB over there. Probably get back and nothing recorded whilst away. No Eastenders for my wife!
Update.
Just checked Amazon.es and they are on there, so might take a chance and fit one before Wednesday!

Re: Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

Sounds like an output on the LNB, or cable or connection or worse case an input on the receiver is not working correctly.

Your box will probably have been recording on "input 1"...so that is what you were watching it on... and when you changed a channel the box moved to input 2 (maybe inoput 1 was still in use or recording or buffering up). Input 2 was not working, so no signal. The reboot simply cleared the recording and you stated to watch again on input 1....

Re: Freesat. Random bad signal message.
 

Thanks for the response. Perhaps not wholly a coincidence, some weeks ago one of the cable connections came away from the back of my Humax box. Working blindly from the front I managed to screw it back after much difficulty as I couldn't see what I was doing! With my setup the box is within a cabinet where it extremely difficult to access the connections from either the front or the rear. My fault as I'm obsessed with concealing cables! On return from my holiday, I have come to the conclusion that I need to start at the box, pull the cabinet out and, accessing both cables, ensure both are connected properly and securely and also to do the same at the LNB. Only then I think will I be able to get a better idea of where the problem may lie.
Thanks again.