MySky on old Sky dish

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alanarkas

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

Topic # 25264 16-Aug-2008 23:37

Hi, I am staying at my moms place for the next 6 weeks and have bought my MySky (gen 1) decoder with me. I disconected her old old...old Sky box and connected up my MySky decoder.
Surprise surprise, it doesnt work....no signal. I realise the problem is the old LNB on her dish. My questions are:

Can the MySky decoder frequency be changed to suit the old existing LNB frequency. If so, how? There is nothing in the System Set Up menu to access the LNB frequencies.
Do I need to get a new LNB and if so, which one?

Any help is most appreciated.

cyril7

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Reply # 157524 17-Aug-2008 15:01

Hi, yes all you need to do is change the LO frequency, although if the LNB is a very old (1998-1999) California Amplifier one then its probably stuffed, if its a Sharp either single throat or dual then it should still be going. The Dual throat is 10750 all others are 11300. Dont have a MySky to hand but you can change it under one of the setup menus, just dont remember off hand.

Cyril

alanarkas

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 157531 17-Aug-2008 15:53

Great, thanks for that. Now, getting into the frequency changing section on MySky.... I think it is one of those technician only access things where they punch in a secret code on the remote. There is definitely no access to it via the user selectable menus.

Could you shed any light on it?

grant_k

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Reply # 157564 17-Aug-2008 19:36

alanarkas: Now, getting into the frequency changing section on MySky.... I think it is one of those technician only access things where they punch in a secret code on the remote. There is definitely no access to it via the user selectable menus.
Could you shed any light on it?

1) Press SETUP button
2) Enter Option (4)
3) Enter Option (4)
4) Enter 0759 then press SELECT

That will get you into the installer menu, from whence you can change the LO frequency.

Be Careful !!!

If you stuff up the settings, Sky will probably charge you for a technician visit

alanarkas

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 157572 17-Aug-2008 20:00

Many thanks, but you have got me worried now. if it is a simple thing to just change the frequency on the MySky decoder to match the existing (old) LNB, then why do they (Sky) change the LNB when they first install a MySky? Why don't they just match the frequency of the LNB that is already there?
Also, what is the difference between a dual LNB, dual throat LNB, and dual polarity LNB. AND, which of these does the MySky box prefer?

Cheers

grant_k

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Reply # 157582 17-Aug-2008 20:49

alanarkas: ...if it is a simple thing to just change the frequency on the MySky decoder to match the existing (old) LNB, then why do they (Sky) change the LNB when they first install a MySky?

Because they have a policy of installing Dual-Throat LNBs now. These have the ability to "see" another satellite in a slightly different orbital slot. Such a satellite is due to be launched next year. If anything happens to the current satellite, it will give Sky the ability to switch everybody over without too much hassle (unlike last year when Sky was totally off the air for a few days after a satellite mishap).

Secondly, the new satellite is expected to eventually carry some new channels. With a Dual-Throat LNB, it will be possible for your decoder to select which LNB is currently in use, according to the channels selected.

alanarkas: Why don't they just match the frequency of the LNB that is already there?

Don't know. Cyril7 would know the answer to that one.

alanarkas: Also, what is the difference between a dual LNB, dual throat LNB, and dual polarity LNB. AND, which of these does the MySky box prefer?

I haven't encountered a Dual LNB but am guessing it is actually two independent LNBs which are connected to two separate coaxial cables, unlike a Dual-Throat which is connected to one cable. Dual-Throat has been covered above. Dual-Polarity is covered by all current LNBs that I am aware of. The polarity is selected according to the DC voltage which is fed up the coax.

The MySky box itself isn't fussy. It will work with any LNB used by Sky. It is more a question of:

Which LNB does Sky prefer?

In recent times that has been Dual-Throat, but Cyril7 was saying that this may change in future. In the early days, Cal Amp single-throat LNBs were all that was used.

alanarkas

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 157591 17-Aug-2008 21:28

OK, I think I've got it now. Just a few more questions re settings:

Under LNB Setup there is "High Band LO Frequency (GHz)" - This is the one I need to change from 10.75 to 11.30 right?
But there are also some other settings:

East West Flag - currently on East.
Tone On For Orbital Location - currently on 156.0
22 KHz Command - currently on satellite

Do any of these need to be changed?

And then under Default Transponder there is:

Frequency (GHz)- currently set to 12.519
Polarization - currently set to H
Symbol Rate (Kbaud) - currently set to 22500
FEC - currently set to 3/4
East West Flag - currently set to East
Orbital Location - currently set to 160

Any of them also need to be changed?

Thanks so much for your help.

cyril7

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Reply # 157599 17-Aug-2008 21:51

Hi, the setup is slightly different for the MySky as to the standard STB, but yes change the 10750 setting to 11300, normallly if you have a 11300 LNB then the 22kHz function is set to none, then there is only one LO to set, that being 11300. But for now just changing the 10750 to 11300 should get you going with least changes needed. Please dont change anything else.

The new LNB was changed because of potential need to see 156E in the event that B1 (now replaced by D1) should have failed. As any capacity at 156E was also to be a lower frequency (due to current full occupation by Foxtel) then a lower LO is needed to enable access to the lower band.

LNB management has been a head ache for Sky, if it could have been easier I am sure they would have tried.

Cyril

alanarkas

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 157600 17-Aug-2008 22:08

When the 22KHz Command is set to "Satellite" (current setting) then Low Band LO Frequency is set to NA and can not be selected to change.
When the 22KHz Command is set to "Off" then Low Band LO Frequency, East West Flag, and Tone On For Orbital Location are all set to NA and cant be changed.
However, when the 22KHz Command is set to "Local Osc" then Low Band LO Frequency shows 9.75 and can be changed. East West Flag, and Tone On For Orbital Location remain set to NA and cant be changed.

I will just stick with the one frequency change you suggest and see how it goes.

Many thanks for your help.

cyril7

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Reply # 157623 18-Aug-2008 06:57

The correct setting is 22kHz off and 11300.

Cheers

alanarkas

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 158031 19-Aug-2008 16:20

No go I'm afraid.

I changed the High Band LO Frequency (GHz) to 11.30 but still no signal.
I plugged the old standard Sky decoder back in and it fired up fine so there is no problem with the dish.

There must be some other setting on the MySky to change other than the LNB frequency.

Any ideas?

cyril7

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Reply # 158040 19-Aug-2008 16:50

No there are no other settings, I dont know exactly what you have done but I am assuming you do infact have a 11300 LNB on your mums roof. Can I suggest that you use the 22kHz off option, and set that for 11300 rather than using the 22kHz LNB switch mode, if that is what you are doing. I also assume you have the splitter to each tuner of the MySky connected and the DC is on.

Cyril

chazzaman

1 post

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 158663 21-Aug-2008 13:41

Hi guys - I had a similar issue with mine which I finally cracked it this morning.

Firstly - I made the mistake of disconnecting the splitter off the back of mysky when
I moved it. When I got to the other end I connented the cables around the wrong way.

The sky dish cable should go from the wall to the splitter. 2 cables come from the splitter both
go into the back of mysky. Now this is where I went wrong... 1 of the cables is labelled "power pass"
on the splitter. The power pass cable needs to go into "input1" and the other goes to "input2". If you
dont get this right no amount of changes in the mysky menus will work.

From the remote
- setup
- system setup (4) select
- 0759 select
- should bring up the tech menu
- lnb settings select
- input the numbers 11300 or 10750 (will show as 11.3 or 10.75) select
- my 22k setting was set to "satelitte"
- I didnt change anything else
- scroll down to "save settings" select
- go back out and things should be good to go.