Sudden Signal Loss for 2 Rooms

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SirPlug

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#109236 15-Sep-2012 17:10

I have 2 Freeview boxes and 1 Sky box, all connected to the same dish. I have suddenly lost signal to the 2 Freeview boxes. 1 FV box has a new cable supplying it and the other is the original cable. The new cable lost signal 2 weeks after connecting it up, quickly followed by the 2nd cable. All boxes work and Sky has been tested on the other cables, the fault appears to be the cable but how can they both fail, so close together and when one is only 2 weeks old?? There appears to be no damage, kinks or cuts anywhere in the cable and swapping connectors around at the output source doesn't alter the signal. Is there a minimum spec for cables? Any help greatly received

Spyware

3761 posts

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#686491 15-Sep-2012 17:14

Did you use a crimping tool to put the F types on??

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SirPlug

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#686493 15-Sep-2012 17:27

The original cable was already installed in the house and was used by previous owner, without issue. The new cable was a 10m ready made extension cable.

richms

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#686529 15-Sep-2012 20:28

What signal level do you have entering the splitter, and how is the error rate there?

Is the cable proper RG6 for satillite? I have seen some really suspect cables for sale on that trading site that we all love to hate.

Richard rich.ms

kiwisat

147 posts

Master Geek

#686534 15-Sep-2012 20:40

If all boxes are supplied from the same dish, at what point do they split out or is it a new Sky Quad out LNB.

First up have you connected a freeview box to the working cable at the sky box. Some kind person may have changed your LNB settings in your freeview boxes.

If your freeview box worked in that location I would try swapping cable feeds from the dish to start with using your freeview box as your test equipment.

Just a couple of ideas.

SirPlug

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#686575 15-Sep-2012 23:54

The one cable that works, does so on all boxes. There is no splitter, as such. The dish has 4 outputs, 3 are used, 1 to the Sky box and one each to the FV boxes (bedrooms). I've swapped outputs around but still nothing to the bedrooms, where the FV boxes are. I've plugged the FV boxes into the Sky box feed (lounge) and they all work. The Sky box doesn't work in the bedrooms. As for measuring output, the FV boxes say 0% in the bedrooms and 47% in the lounge (the working connection). It all points to the cables failing but why have both failed so close together, when they both operated without issue, previously?

Spyware

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#686597 16-Sep-2012 08:14

47% isn't really a healthy signal strength figure let a lone a healthy quality figure. Typical would be 90+ for strength and 100% for quality. How long are the cable runs?? And is the cable RG-6 with radial or hex crimped F type connectors??

gregmcc

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#686598 16-Sep-2012 08:19

Spyware: 47% isn't really a healthy signal strength figure let a lone a healthy quality figure. Typical would be 90+ for strength and 100% for quality. How long are the cable runs?? And is the cable RG-6 with radial or hex crimped F type connectors??

Looks like a LNB failure, try plugging the feed to the bedrooms in to the outlet on the LNB that normally feeds the sky box and works, this will prove the LNB failure or mutiple cable failures going to the bedrooms

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B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#686625 16-Sep-2012 11:04

gregmcc:
Spyware: 47% isn't really a healthy signal strength figure let a lone a healthy quality figure. Typical would be 90+ for strength and 100% for quality. How long are the cable runs?? And is the cable RG-6 with radial or hex crimped F type connectors??

Looks like a LNB failure, try plugging the feed to the bedrooms in to the outlet on the LNB that normally feeds the sky box and works, this will prove the LNB failure or mutiple cable failures going to the bedrooms

+1
Sounds like LNB failure, not the cables.
Time to get Sky to replace it!

SirPlug

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#686799 16-Sep-2012 19:45

I have swapped the outputs around. Cables are crimped and were what Sky installed for the last owner, estimate 10m - 15m long

WildBill

50 posts

Geek

#687492 18-Sep-2012 00:52

Hi SirPlug,

You've got a curly one there, but it definately looks like its cable or LNB - and it could be either! - cables do suddenly break down, and those quad LNBs can suddenly start doing strange things like dropping one polarity, especially after you connect up more outlets to them.

So, because two outlets died within a few weeks of connecting everything up, I think it's more likely to be the LNB rather than two totally different and unrelated cables suddenly breaking down at the same time.

I guess you have two choices:-
1. If you want to take it further yourself, put a dual LNB with a single output on the dish and connect up the outlets one at a time. That will conclusively tell you whether it's cable or LNB.
2. Tell Sky you're having problems with the signal coming and going and they'll swap your quad LNB with one of the new improved models, which will also tell you where the problem is/was.

Hope that helps.

Cheers, Wild Bill.