Help - cant find correct Satelite in menu to set up new Skybox F5s

[desserts]

Hi,
I am a complete newbie and technophobe.. but am attempting to set up and use my skybox F5s with an existing satelite dish (installed by previous owner) to watch freesat channels.

The box arrived this morning and I have failed to scan any channels. The box does not appear to have a channel list programmed already etc. Part of my issue is that when I look for Astra satelite in satelite menu .. it is not there! I have tried scanning other satelites on the list.. but have found no channels. Am I being really stupid?! :blue:

I have been searching google/forums all day to try and find a solution and to find an easy set-up guide.. but have failed.. the box is just sitting there gathering dust :blue:

I would appreciate if anyone could help/point me in the right direction.. and apologies if the solutions are already posted somewhere on this forum.

Thanks a mil.

[cunny]

I'm not the best on these boxes, however, do you get an snr level

Also load these listings into your box, you either have no coaxal signal or the box has nowhere to look

[SdTM]

Hello

you have to add your satelitte in the installation menu then get an updates channel list, I've pm you

[digicon]

Your first port of call should be here: http://www.digital-kaos.co.uk/forums/f184/openbox-setup-guide-257009/ read the Guide

[desserts]

Thanks a mil for all of your speedy replies...will try these suggestions ...thanks :joyous:

[mahrkpat]

If sat cable etc.. is o.k check in the installation menu see that LNB is set to on.

[Hadron]

The easiest solution is to install a channel list from AJ or sattv5 or inbed79 available from these forums.Not only will it install all the channels & favourites catagories, but it will install a list of satellites (including $ly @ 28.2e), that you can then scan yourself (if you ever need to).

[fryz77]

i use f5s and i find it great.best thing for you to do would be download ajs or similar list and then install this will activate 28.2sky uk and then make sure its ticked in sattelite list /setup good luck

[desserts]

Thanks a mil everyone, issues resolved now I installed AJ's list as suggested & this installed a list of channels & updated the satellite list also..just what I needed. But I still had a signal issue, so had to call out a sat technician today who sorted the signal & now can watch my tv!


Just one thing that I am a bit bothered about though...don't know if any of you have any advice on this...the dish was installed before we moved in so not sure how it is wired up exactly but I can see that the lnb has 4 connection point & has cables connected to 3 of them! 2 of these cables goes off in the direction of sitting room & in that room there is a point on the wall with sat 1 & 2 labelled. The other single cable heads off in other direction into roof towards kitchen & bedroom.


Both in the kitchen & bedroom there are TV cables - but I am thinking that both of these cannot be sat connections as I think I have read that you cannot split a sat cable..would be this be correct assumption?


Before calling out a technician we did attempt to connect up the skybox on all 3 rooms but got no signal at any of them.


the sat technician who came this morning told me that there was a signal coming to the dish but signal wasn't coming down cable - he did some testing & exploring in the attic & then told me that the previous owner had prob installed a booster box in the attic & that all 3 cables from the dish were going to attic & that the booster box had been removed & so the cables in the attic were disconnected & not joined up to the wall points!? He said a booster box is expensive -costs about ?400 -so that is prob why they took it with them! He then told me he could just bypass the need for a booster box & just join up the wire in the attic - to enable the cable point in the kitchen to function. After the technician joined up the cable in the attic -he asked me to turn on TV & skybox & he went to check sat dish-it worked & I now have a signal in the kitchen -which is where I have the skybox installed. The technician said there was some water logged in the lnb & I think he cleaned it or swapped a cable point over or something? But It did improve picture quality. Then I paid the technician ?40 & he left.


After the technician left, I decided to test the TV & sat box on sat points x2 in sitting room & there is still no signal there! Then I went to test skybox on bedroom sat point & the cable is no longer visible on the wall -just a hole where the cable was insitu!


Have I been had?!


In fairness, I only asked for a sat signal to be available at kitchen point and this was done. But I don't understand how sitting room cables are not working as I do not really believe they are being fed through attic for connection to a booster as they are going in complete opposite direction to attic & enter straight into sitting room wall from the sat dish! And I don't know where my bedroom cable has gone, but am suspicious it may being used to give signal to kitchen?!


I phoned the company & asked that the technician returns to replace the bedroom cable, but have no further follow up from the company since lunch time today.


I would appreciate any thoughts and suggestions please. Thanking you.

[P&D]

I'm no expert but i'm sure a booster does not cost ?400 could be wrong....i think more like ?4
as for being had off you got what you asked for .......$ky working in the kitchen...

what you need to do is buy one of these...4 Way TV Cable Satellite High Quality Signal Splitter for SKY Virgin Media UK | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/390599762580?hlpht=true&ops=true&viphx=1&lpid=95&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=95)

go up into the attic....connect the cable from the dish to the inport..then the rest of the cables to the other connections
then you have tv where you want it ...all rooms

Thats if the cables are still there & the bloke has not pulled them out.....don't see why he should of

[desserts]

Thanks for speedy reply and apologies for long essay in primary posting :joyous: That was one of my points ..the cable & connection that was in the bedroom has disappeared! Was suspicious about cost of a booster! Now very suspicious about the technician !

Thanks a a mil for info on signal splitter ..will check out ebay :top:

[Hadron]

I'm no expert but i'm sure a booster does not cost ?400 could be wrong....i think more like ?4
as for being had off you got what you asked for .......$ky working in the kitchen...

what you need to do is buy one of these...4 Way TV Cable Satellite High Quality Signal Splitter for SKY Virgin Media UK | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/390599762580?hlpht=true&ops=true&viphx=1&lpid=95&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=95)

go up into the attic....connect the cable from the dish to the inport..then the rest of the cables to the other connections
then you have tv where you want it ...all rooms

Thats if the cables are still there & the bloke has not pulled them out.....don't see why he should of

You cannot simply split a satellite signal if you want to watch more than 1 receiver at a time though. And if you only use it for 1 receiver at a time, the splitter must have dc passthrough on each port. I don't know if that splitter has dc passthrough as they appear to have the wrong product pictured (it looks like a DiSEqC switch to me).

desserts...it's a bit of a mystery that the technician said that all 3 cables were going to the attic, yet you can see that 2 are going into the living room wall?

If it were me, I would do a bit of exploring myself & have a look in the attic. I don't see why there should have been any booster boxes at all in the attic for satellite.

[desserts]

Thanks Hadron...just have a feeling that I have told a bit of bull***t by the sat technician! I phoned the company again today to enquire if anyone was returning to replace the missing bedroom cable point...I have been told that someone will be out tomorrow..won't be holding my breath:joyous: just wish that I didn't have to be on my own challenging them...if they do turn up...feeling very vulnerable with my lack of knowledge on this subject :blue: