DM500 Missing certain channels even with a Signal Booster

[th3sarg]

Hi Everyone,

I'm having a problem with a select few channels, I have searched about the forums and all seem to point to the same thing, getting a Signal Booster, so I have grabbed myself a Konig Signal Booster, the big "yellow brick" as recommended pretty much everywhere, but I'm having the same issues.

Purely for scanning purposes I have connected directly from the wall into the Booster, then into the Box, I pick up ALOT of channels, best part of 600+ data, radio, movies, TV etc, but it refuses to pick up Sky Sports 1 and 3 and also Sky 2 and 3 (possibly some others but these are the ones I'm after) Sky Sports 2 is fine with a good signal and Sky 1 is also perfect.

Can anyone suggest anything I might need to do or a way to get these extra few channels, any tweaks or settings for the controls on my Booster (gain currently maxed, slope currently maxed recommended in the doucmentation) any help would be much appriecated.

Cheers,
Edd

[gcwacagc]

try turning the slope control off as it worked for me.

[wilf]

have you tried doing a bruteforce scan as opposed to a local area scan, takes a bit longer but usually does the job getting channels through

[th3sarg]

try turning the slope control off as it worked for me.

Nice, I'll give that a shot, thanks

@wilf: Yea I have done a BruteForce, comes back with the same problem.

Will drop the slope AND BruteForce, see what happens.

Thanks guys

[alexh]

How do you normally scan for channels??

Automatic scans (including Brute force) are not what they sound like. They are not an algorithm. They are just a list of frequencies and symbol rates to try which are listed in a file on the box called cable.xml. If the cable.xml file has missing frequencies and symbol rates in the Automatic scan type you use (as a lot do) then you might not find all transponders and channels.

A lot of images come with an older cable.xml file. FTP into your box and check it out against some of the cable.xml files posted on this forum.

Or (if you have not already tried it) try a manual "network scan".

[th3sarg]

Still no luck, have put the slope back up as alot of the Movie Channels go wonky with it down.

@alexh:

I only use the standard scans and the BruteForce, so I think I will start looking into what you suggested, seeing as every other channel has a great picture and next to no signal loss/errors I think this might be the problem. Thanks for the information, I've only just started out so learning as I go along so will check out some network scans and some .xml comparisions.

Thanks again, I'll let you know how I get on!

[th3sarg]

Hmmm, ok so I am looking at the Manual Transponder Scan and not quite sure what I need to change here, anyone willing to give a quick "How To" on this?
EDIT: Nvm, found this: http://www.digital-kaos.co.uk/forums...n-today-41886/

[alexh]

Did a manual scan work any better?

[krazylegz]

you could try loading someones service files from your area

[th3sarg]

Did a manual scan work any better?

I'm actually stuck at work atm so can't try it until I get home, I should of left it on and I could of remoted in and played with it from work, hoping my flatmate gets back soon and I'll get him to turn it on

@krazylegz:

I'll ask a friend to send me his files from DreamBox Edit, he's picking up my missing channels fine, he is quite far away from me but I "think" we are both ex-C&W.

Thanks for the help btw guys, much appreciated

[th3sarg]

Quick Update:

I have tried the Network Scan but only pulled back a few extra channels, just some "SID 0x0x" ones which seem to be BBC stuff, I also have my Friends files to try, which I did, Sky Sports 1,2,3 and Sky 1,2,3 are now in the list AND show the EPG of each one, what's on and what's next but I get the "Signal not found!" message, and if I bring up the UI, the signal does seem really low (about 64% usually getting 92-94% on all other channels) so I'm guessing it's something to do with that.

Any other suggestions would be welcome

[Chimaera]

Tbh m8 i think your lucky i never have been able to get all channels
i tried a yellow brick and it didnt work for me
I get most of them and its free m8 so i wouldnt worry too much

i guess life just aint perfect

[th3sarg]

hehe yea can't complain, pictures good and I'm only missing a few, cant' have it all!

[Hazza]

I have the same problem with signal variation. I get most chanels with signal around 94% but some of them drop to 88% and then start to pixelate or freeze and others only comein at 64% so no picture at all. The annoying thing is that the low signal chanels will sometimes be ok with 92+% so it seems to be a variable signal thing, but hey, can't complain.
Sly sports 1 is very variable and boomerang for the kids is rarely working, I tried a booster but it was worse and had to be taken out, it didn't have any way to turn up or down the amount of boost.
Iam using DK 1.1 and have done numerous scans but still get the same results. I will try getting another cable xml and see how I get on with that.
Harry

[alexh]

I have tried the Network Scan but only pulled back a few extra channels, just some "SID 0x0x" ones which seem to be BBC stuff

If you systematically select each of these SID0x0x channels and then wait a bit, bring up the "All Services" list, the software will update the table, the list will update in front of you and (when you scroll back to the top) that particular "SID 0x0x" will be replaced with "(service removed)" and in the process extra channels may have been found. Repeat until all the "SID0x0x" channels are gone. This is a bug in the scanning software of Enigma based images.

I also have my Friends files to try, which I did, Sky Sports 1,2,3 and Sky 1,2,3 are now in the list AND show the EPG of each one, what's on and what's next but I get the "Signal not found!" message, and if I bring up the UI, the signal does seem really low (about 64% usually getting 92-94% on all other channels) so I'm guessing it's something to do with that.

I believe this behaviour indicates that your friends are from the same provider (ex-NTL, ex-TW, ex-CW) and that is why the EPG part works, the channels are allocated the same MPEG2 PSI entries. However the "Signal not found!" message indicates they do not live in the same cable area as you. Their files have different frequencies for the transponders to those in your area. If you press menu->Information->Page3 and check the "lock" & "sync" you'll see they are not active (indicating there is no transponder on that frequency). Their files are useless to you.

See if you can find someone closer to you. Or post the channels you are missing, what area you live in and perhaps some kind soul will post the transponder frequencies for you to perform a manual scan (with network scan not selected).