My sky box works (though breaking up) on ITV 1 for a while and then a message comes up saying that I should plug out and plug back in in 5 minutes which doesn´t work when I do as instructed, the ITV1 + 1 channel comes in perfectly. Any ideas?

Ours does the same when there is bad weather about!

This isn´t weather related. I´m well used to the ´ telly´ acting up when the weather´s bad. This is something different. I think it might be that the ´bloody´dish on the roof has shifted but I don´t want to go there cos´there are a number of dishes on the roof of the block and I´m not entirely sure which is mine and I don´t want to have to deal with some ´sky installation´bloke......know what I mean? (in the most respectful terms)!

Your ITV1 is not getting enough signal for the digibox to make a picture - hence the message that is says "no signal, reboot".

There are around 15 ITV1 regions and about 6 ITV1+1 regions.
These are spread over about 4 or 5 different frequencies, some of which are very weak, and some (that require a sky card) are very strong.
So, you can be allocated a very weak ITV1 region on 103, but a strong ITV1+1 on 131.

For example, my ITV1 on 103 is ITV1 West (Bristol), and even on my 1.8m dish this region goes off at about 6pm. But my ITV1+1 on 131 I can receive 24/7 even in my 80cm dish.

So which ITV1 regions on 103 you are allocated depends on where your SKy card is registered in the UK, and so you may be allocated a "weak" ITV1 or a "strong" ITV1.

(Although I say weak, it does depend where in Spain you are, what size dish you are using, and which of the many ITV1 regions you are having issue with - information that is crucial yet missing from your post!)

You can add "stronger" ITV1 regions to your "services / other channels" list, by manually adding them. Strong Sky card regions are on frequencies 12402 and 11973. This will not put these ITv1 region on 103, you need to move the address of your sky card for that, but puts them on the services other channels list.
(see Extra ITV1 regions for ya Sky box for reception in Spain for more information)


If your ITV1 you were using was working well before hand, and it has only now started to act up, then there will be an issue with your dish. Either the dish has moved (it only needs to move a few mms for reception to drop out), LNB issues (most LNBs only lst for about 3-4 years), spiders inside the LNB (they block the signal), or cable problems (bad connections, or cracked cables letting water in). Some of these issue might have to be resolved by "some ´sky installation´bloke".

Hope this helps.

Hi Dairymaid,

It looks as though your dish has moved a little in the last batch of high winds, Should you live in Andalucia a 1.3m dish is required,

If it worked before then you need to have the dish looked at, Or add another transponder as suggested before, Or use channel 993. if you can.

Kindest regards, Carl.

I live in Andalucia and anything less than 1.4m and I would really struggle I would say 1.8m would be better.

That may be the case where you live but on the CDS 1.3m is the norm. We get all the 2D channels 24/7.

Hi John and Kath.

I have worked all over andalucia and a 1.3m works everywhere, Perfectly. but saying that the bigger the dish the better the signal.

A 1.8m on the CDS is over kill! But if you can afford one get one. No more problems in the rain.

Kindest regards,

Carl.

As usual I agree completely with you Fred I was just trying to emphasise how big Andalucia is. There are some areas that need a 2.4m dish we are just lucky there is a strange bend on the signal strengths map just around Ayamonte that reduces the size required but it is very location specific.

PS I've read it might be OSCILATING in our direction but who knows?

Thanks for all your replies. I´m pretty sure that it´s the dish or dish related so I´ll have to get a technician out.

Hi Guy

I am also having problems with itv at times, I have changed the lnb and really its not much better, lthough at first I thought it was. The signal strength is on 85 and quality on 60, then goes to 0 if it goes off, normally better on hd channel on hd tv but still can go off on that, do you think we may need a new dish, it has taken some welly over the years with the high winds, or do you think we should be able to get the quality higher than 60 %.

Which of the many ITV1 regions are you having problems with?
As explained before, some ITV1 regions are very weak, some strong, and some that require a sky card work all the time.
Same with ITV1 HD, some are strong, some are weak.
What receiver are you measuring the signal strength and quality on? Dont use the Sky box test screen, as that is only a screen that test 1 frequency out of the 90plus available. aNd the signal on that screen varies during the day (its weakest at 5pm).
And what size dish do you have, and where are you?
Sometime it just needs a small tweak of realignment. Even a small movement can disrupt signals. ANd winds can warp the dishes. Many dishes i have been out to fix have been warped, bent in the wind or during installation!

Hi Thanks for the reply, we are ITV granda in Manchester area, my signal strength is off my humax box, and is showing the strength 60 and 85 quality I am in Adra on the border of Almeria and granada costa, my dish is 1.3

Thanks.

ITV1 Granada is one of the strongest "free to air / non sky card" versions of ITV1.

You may find that sized dish was operating on the edge of its reception in the first place. Any issues with the signal (like increase humidity, increase cloud cover, and even the age of the satellte (meaing its not transmitting at 100%)), and you will notice a drop in performance.

Even then a small misalignment, and the signal drops. Same as those dishes can bend (have seen a few warped due to wind), and the bars holding the LNB in place can fail also (epsecially if by the sea) so the LNB is not pointin in the optimum area of the dish.

Also LNB technology has improved a lot in recent years. YOu may find upgrading to an Inverto Ultra Black may help, others in your are have had success with this.

You could always try ITV1 Channel Island (10905 v 22 5/6), which I find in my are to be sligthly better reception than Granadaland. Either reset you box and put in a CI postcode, or pop you box into non freesat mode and do a full scan.

In fact ITV1 HD Granadaland is on an even better frequencies than ITV1 Granadaland or CI...

This is one of the issues where Freesat boxes fails, which is why in my area I just do not recommend them. A Sky HD box with a freesatfromsky card can get ITV1HD, ITV, C4 and Five fiver and 10 or so other channels on an 80cm dish!

Hi,

Can anyone tell me on what freq we can get Channel 5 on Sky?

Regards