[TV] OT: Any Sky satellite TV experts out there?

[Fungus]

In the last day or so, I've had problems with some of my channels, eg. BBC1 HD (115) works perfectly, but Sky HD (106) tells me there's no satellite signal.

Looking at the signal strength, one input is lower than I'd expect, but says OK. Would those two channels use different inputs? Or would they just switch to the strongest signal first?

Should I be getting a ladder out to check for cobwebs on the dish? Maybe leaves on my LNB? It only seems to have happened since ex-Ophelia.

TIA!

PS. Yes, I've rebooted my Sky box.

 

[Taybha]

Lost about 10 of my channels a while back inc a well known sports channel did all the usual stuff to no avail , bit the bullet called out a engineer he fixed it in 2 minutes the dish was out of alignment by a centimeter Apparently £60 but i guess worth it if you don't have the signal testing equipment ect .

 

[Fungus]

Lost about 10 of my channels a while back inc a well known sports channel did all the usual stuff to no avail , bit the bullet called out a engineer he fixed it in 2 minutes the dish was out of alignment by a centimeter Apparently £60 but i guess worth it if you don't have the signal testing equipment ect .

Thanks. Yes, that's what I'm worried about. I'll try brushing the dish and arm (when it stops raining), then see if I need to get someone out.

 

[Fungus]

Right, I've been up a ladder with my rainbow-coloured feather duster (not at all embarrassing), and it's made no difference.

TBH, the bracket is rusty, and the whole lot looks pretty old. Would I have to get Sky to replace it, or would it be cheaper to get a local firm? Is it going to cost me an arm, or a leg, or both?

 

[Titanic]

Right, I've been up a ladder with my rainbow-coloured feather duster (not at all embarrassing), and it's made no difference.

TBH, the bracket is rusty, and the whole lot looks pretty old. Would I have to get Sky to replace it, or would it be cheaper to get a local firm? Is it going to cost me an arm, or a leg, or both?

When we were having similar signal strength problems recently, Sky replaced my dish (and moved it slightly to avoid a large tree - which caused problems particularly when it was raining), the LNB and 4 runs of cabling for £60.

 

[Fungus]

When we were having similar signal strength problems recently, Sky replaced my dish (and moved it slightly to avoid a large tree - which caused problems particularly when it was raining), the LNB and 4 runs of cabling for £60.

Cheers. Did they come out pretty quickly, or did you have to wait?

 

[GOM]

Right, I've been up a ladder with my rainbow-coloured feather duster (not at all embarrassing), and it's made no difference.

TBH, the bracket is rusty, and the whole lot looks pretty old. Would I have to get Sky to replace it, or would it be cheaper to get a local firm? Is it going to cost me an arm, or a leg, or both?

If you are out of contract just tell them you will leave as can no longer get the channels, they will fix it for free. Never had to pay for a repair.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

In the last day or so, I've had problems with some of my channels, eg. BBC1 HD (115) works perfectly, but Sky HD (106) tells me there's no satellite signal.

Looking at the signal strength, one input is lower than I'd expect, but says OK. Would those two channels use different inputs? Or would they just switch to the strongest signal first?

Should I be getting a ladder out to check for cobwebs on the dish? Maybe leaves on my LNB? It only seems to have happened since ex-Ophelia.

TIA!

PS. Yes, I've rebooted my Sky box.

R. Slicker is you man.

 

[Titanic]

Cheers. Did they come out pretty quickly, or did you have to wait?

It was back in April... but I don't remember it being a long wait... probably a few days.

 

[Easy 10]

Lost about 10 of my channels a while back inc a well known sports channel did all the usual stuff to no avail , bit the bullet called out a engineer he fixed it in 2 minutes the dish was out of alignment by a centimeter Apparently £60 but i guess worth it if you don't have the signal testing equipment ect .

The whole concept of a callout charge drives me crackers. When I was subscribing and paying £90-odd + a month to Sky, I had a problem with the box when it wouldn't reboot and kept freezing up. Went through the usual crap with some scripted dullard at a call centre who was about as much use as a handbrake on a canoe. Eventually I was told they'd send an engineer out but that there'd be a £65 callout charge. Long story short I refused and said I wanted to cancel, I'd switch to Virgin instead. Was transferred to the cancellations department who instead put me on hold for a bit, came back and said "on this occasion we'll waive the charge".

I wasn't bluffing either. Absolutely no way would I pay a callout charge when I was paying that extortionate amount per month and THEIR equipment developed a fault. I've long since binned them off anyway and dropped down to the bottom package, being as I can stream everything I want now.

Shysters, the lot of em.

 

[Fungus]

If you are out of contract just tell them you will leave as can no longer get the channels, they will fix it for free. Never had to pay for a repair.

We actually left them about a year ago, but my wife did some sort of deal just so she could watch Game of Thrones!

It might be time to get the whole thing upgraded, but more than my life is worth to make a decision before she gets home tonight - I've got the Beeb channels, which is all I need!

 

[Taybha]

R. Slicker is you man.

He is indeed , though i was rather shocked when he turned up in a flowery frock and hobnail boots when i booked him for some private work , wearing that type of frock in December is just asking for it .

 

[Fungus]

The whole concept of a callout charge drives me crackers. When I was subscribing and paying £90-odd + a month to Sky, I had a problem with the box when it wouldn't reboot and kept freezing up. Went through the usual crap with some scripted dullard at a call centre who was about as much use as a handbrake on a canoe. Eventually I was told they'd send an engineer out but that there'd be a £65 callout charge. Long story short I refused and said I wanted to cancel, I'd switch to Virgin instead. Was transferred to the cancellations department who instead put me on hold for a bit, came back and said "on this occasion we'll waive the charge".

I wasn't bluffing either. Absolutely no way would I pay a callout charge when I was paying that extortionate amount per month and THEIR equipment developed a fault. I've long since binned them off anyway and dropped down to the bottom package, being as I can stream everything I want now.

Shysters, the lot of em.

Agreed, though we're not paying anything like that monthly charge. I'd rather speak to a helpful human at a local firm, than sit on hold forever at the Sky call-centre, then have to switch it off/on, etc. But the dish pre-dates us moving here four years ago, and it does look rather crap. I don't mind paying for a proper job, but I'd rather not pay Sky.

 

[Fungus]

He is indeed , though i was rather shocked when he turned up in a flowery frock and hobnail boots when i booked him for some private work , wearing that type of frock in December is just asking for it .

Did he bring his own rainbow-coloured feather duster?

 

[Easy 10]

Agreed, though we're not paying anything like that monthly charge. I'd rather speak to a helpful human at a local firm, than sit on hold forever at the Sky call-centre, then have to switch it off/on, etc. But the dish pre-dates us moving here four years ago, and it does look rather crap. I don't mind paying for a proper job, but I'd rather not pay Sky.

Likewise. My dish is actually looking a bit manky as well these days, so when that starts giving me aggro I'll have a decision to make I suppose. They've tried to flog me their £12 a month insurance on many occasions as well. Mmmmnah.

 

[Taybha]

Did he bring his own rainbow-coloured feather duster?

Can’t really remember , holding the ladder as he climbed up left me with a bit of a mental block on the day .

 

[Deleted member 2719]

He is indeed , though i was rather shocked when he turned up in a flowery frock and hobnail boots when i booked him for some private work , wearing that type of frock in December is just asking for it .

Bugger, he has never given me this sort of service.

 

[GOM]

Absolutely no way would I pay a callout charge when I was paying that extortionate amount per month and THEIR equipment developed a fault. I've long since binned them off anyway and dropped down to the bottom package, being as I can stream everything I want now.

Shysters, the lot of em.

It's not their equipment, it's yours.

 

[Easy 10]

It's not their equipment, it's yours.

That's exactly what they said. Handy when "my" equipment (which they provide and I pay rental for) goes wrong and they think that justifies stiffing their customer for a callout charge. Anyway, I've had 2 or 3 callouts over the years for one reason or another, and never paid for any of them.

 

[happypig]

Rather than pay a so-called "expert", what I would do is to buy a new dish, some bolts, a drill, a ladder and roll of the wrong type of cable then spend several hours not knowing what I'm really doing but, being a bloke, knowing it must be a piece of piss and that if I stare at it for long enough the knowledge will appear like some sort of Damascene revelation before falling off the ladder with a cry of "bollocks" and declaring it irretrievably broken.
While the wife heads off to buy a compression bandage you can "get a man in" who will charge you five pounds to adjust it and a further fifty five for knowing how to adjust it.