Bought A New Satellite Box

[alicia]

Hi

Wonder if anyone can help. I bought new Sat Box from Al Campo as the other one kaput. Connected it up to our TV on the same basis as the old box (although the old sat box was about fifteen or more years old as it was given to me by a Spanish friend) - anyway, I followed the instruction book but ......nothing, no picture, no sound and a dialogue box on screen saying "signal scrambled" !!!!! - I added Satellite (Hotbird" which was one of the options given to me and which was the Satellite that I was using before.....(I think) and after adding this Satellite and doing "auto-scan" a shed-load of channels seem to be located (about 500) but not able to see or heard anything except that sign saying ·"scrambled Signal" - not sure if I have connected the box up correctly to the very high tech tV or whether problem is something else like frequency of Satellite - I am a bit of a numpty where things technological concerned and need things explained to me in a very basic fashion - the instruction book is too basic and the instruction book for the TV to involved to understand - so am left scratching my head and frustrated!!!!

[country boy]

I am no expert but was there a Astra 28 east or 2D option 'coz I think that's what you need, not hotbird,

[markwilding]

I would always advise against buying a receiver from a Spanish outlet in these days of Amazon and easy access to British goods
I think the problem could be two things
1st that your dish isn't pointed at the correct satallite because you say you had your old one 15 years These days most people use the one at 28E whereas back then it was 10,13 and 19E.Another problem could be that your old receiver wasn't digital so now you are not able to receive the same channels as before.
You might need to get an installer in to change your dish position so you'll be able to receive Freesat

[Beachcomber]

What is the make and model of the receiver?

You need to select the correct satellite otherwise it will not scan the correct frequencies.

Look for an option to 'scan satellite' rather than 'scan transponders' and also an option to scan for FTA (free to air) only.

[alicia]

The make of the Satellite Box is "Axil RS0620"

Also,what is a "transponder" - sorry for being a numpty!!!

[Beachcomber]

I see what you mean about the 'manual'.

When you search for channels see if there is an option to select a satellite first. If there is, select Astra 2. Failing that try 'Eurobird 1'.

If that doesn't work and there is an option to enter a frequency, polarity, symbol rate and FEC try entering this in the first instance:

Frequency 10773 (or 10.773), polarisation - horizontal, symbol rate - 22000, FEC (if not automatic) 5/6

A transponder is a satellite channel that transmits on a particular frequency.

[El Cid]

It doesn't seem to be clear what satellite your dish is pointing at.

You mentioned Hotbird. What channels did you use to watch on the old box?

Sid

[alicia]

Hi

I had all the UK Channels with the other Satellite Box, BBC 1,2,3,4, ITV 1,2,3,4, etc., Channel 4, Channel 4 plus 1, Channel Five, plus loads of others like True Movies, E4, etc., too numerous to mention.

Feel like bursting into tears now.

Sorry Sid, I don´t really know what the Sat Dish is pointing at as it was set up for me by a Spanish Tele Com chap - but I assume it is pointing at same Sat that it was before when I was able to watch all the UK Channels - which I defo think was Hotbird. I don´t know if that helps any.

In the list of satellite options there is no "Eurobird 1"

[markwilding]

It's clear from your last post that it's facing the correct satallite
So the problem must be something else...When you tune it in, there will be a lot of scambled channels.Have you checked all of them to see if you have any of the free to air ones.
Beachcomber's advice to only scan for free to air ones seems like good advice too.

[El Cid]

Sorry Sid, I don´t really know what the Sat Dish is pointing at as it was set up for me by a Spanish Tele Com chap - but I assume it is pointing at same Sat that it was before when I was able to watch all the UK Channels - which I defo think was Hotbird. I don´t know if that helps any.

If you were getting all the UK channels it must be pointing at the Astra satellites (Sky and Freesat etc).

You might be better off getting a cheap Freesat box from the UK which should be easier to setup and use and you then will get the full EPG ( programme guide)..

Sid

[Beachcomber]

Sid, according to the manual it has a seven day programme guide and PVR:

http://www.selectelectricidad.com/docum ... RS0620.pdf

I'm sure it's just a matter of trying to find out how to program it. Unfortunately, as Alicia says, the manual is absolute cra..., ahem, worse than useless.

Alicia, have you managed to change the menu to English? Once you have done so you should be able to follow the on screen menu to tune it. You seem to be getting the signal to the TV so that isn't the problem. Concentrate on trying to tune the channels on the satellite receiver.

What are the options that come up when you first press the 'Menu' button on the remote? We may have to go through this one press of a button at a time. This could be a long thread but I'm sure the situation is resolvable!

[El Cid]

Sid, according to the manual it has a seven day programme guide and PVR:

http://www.selectelectricidad.com/docum ... RS0620.pdf !

I see what you mean about the manual!

It's a bit of a stretch to call it a PVR - all it can do is record on a timer to a USB stick/drive.

I would be interested to know where it gets a 7 day EPG from - usually it is only available on Sky or Freesat boxes.

If it was me, I would be back to Alcampo for a refund and then buy something more user friendly.

Sid

[markwilding]

I agree.These days it's so easy to buy from the UK.
Sid's correct about the EPG because it's licenced and only official receivers can have one.
Although I don't think the one you bought is a bad receiver and I wouldn't mind the cheaper freesat ones having the same USB funtions , a cheap way of recording. I think a dedicated freesat box would be better and if you only want basic functions much cheaper.
This is a basic one
http://www.amazon.co.uk/GRUNDIG-GUFSAT0 ... 624&sr=1-4
and a cheap PVR with hard drive
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-PVR9300T- ... 24&sr=1-11

[El Cid]

and a cheap PVR with hard drive
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-PVR9300T- ... 24&sr=1-11

That's a Freeview (TDT) box. The Freesat PVR boxes are HD which puts the price up to about £230

Sid

[alicia]

Hi Beach

I will go through the menu one step at a time and write the sequence down and then detail it to you to save on torturing everyone with a one step at a time sort of post. I think if I don´t get anywhere today then I probably will take Sid´s advice and see if I can return it to Al Campo. That no doubt will be another hurdle. Hopefully though they will prove me wrong and just hand the money back. What is it they say ".....hard to be optimistic with misty optics......" - something like that. Just as well I´ve still got my sense of humour...........just.

Thank you soo much everyone for the advice and helpful suggestions.

Will let you know later how I get on.

[markwilding]

Sid,
I thought it was a bit cheap.In my defence I typed in Freesat in the search box.
There is a PVR by Sagem at 150 pounds.

Alicia,
If you manage to get your money back, ask for advice in the Computers, Internet, Telephony, TV & Electronics section before you buy ,then you should be able to make a decision based on the forum users own experience.

[alicia]

Hi

Was going to take Sat Box back to Alcampo and then realised Monday was Bank Holiday. So persevered all day and finally tuned into Astra Satellite - seemed I hadnt changed a dialogue box to ask Satellte to do an exhaustive search and also put in transponder number (how would you know to do that!!!) - anyway to cut long story short HURRAH finally got all the Great British channels.

Thing is now. I have got a couple of films copied onto a 2.0 USB Flash Pen and would like to watch them through the TV - there is a USB Port on the Sat Box (which is one of the reasons I think I bought it) and feeling on a high after finally managing to get the Satellite sorted out - I plugged the pen drive into the USB Port and everything fine BUT dialogue box saying press red button on remote to format and green on remote to format disk!!!!! Also mention of something called "Partition" - not at all sure what I should do next!!!!!!

Apologies for torturing everyone with this.

[markwilding]

If you format the pen drive you'll delete your recorded films. you should just play them back.After you have watched them and you have nothing important on you pen drive you could format it,although I don't think it should be necessary.
However, if it won't let you watch the films without formatting them, copy the film files to your PC hard drive, then format the pen drive, then copy them back on to the pen drive.
This is why most of us prefer a dedicated Freesat PVR , because it allows us to program and record TV very easily.

[Beachcomber]

Did it mean format the disk on the pen drive or the one in the satellite receiver?

I haven't tried it but I don't think even a Humax can play videos from a pen drive.

[El Cid]

Did it mean format the disk on the pen drive or the one in the satellite receiver?

I haven't tried it but I don't think even a Humax can play videos from a pen drive.

I don't think her box has a hard disk, just the USB port.

Yes, the Humax can play videos from the USB drive - it doesn't care whether it's a hard disk or a stick. However some larger capacity sticks have been known to give problems for no apparent reason.

Of course, large files like HD programs need the disk/stick formatted in Ext3 and ITV HD programs cannot be copied top any disk unless recorded in non-Freesat mode.

Sid