Troubleshooting & Solving Sky & Sky+ Issues & Problems

Troubleshooting Standard Sky & Sky+ Issues

Problems & Solutions

Sky+ Box is Freezing / Won't Record
'No Satellite Signal is Being Received'
'There is a Technical Fault'
I Want Sky but Don't have a Phone Line
I Want Sky+ but Only Have a Single Satellite Cable
How to Add Extra Channels to your Other Channels List
How to get into the Secret Installer's Menu on a Standard Sky or Sky+ Box

ISSUE: Sky+ Box is Freezing / Won't Record

This is one of the most common problems that arise with sky customers. Though TV viewers love Sky+ because of its extra features, these same features can lead to additional problems occuring. You may encounter problems with your Sky+ such as the picture freezing or breaking up.

Normally these are only teething problems (occur within the first week or 2) but can also occur after prolonged use. The cause is usually software related. See below a D.I.Y. guide on how to fix these problems.

SOLUTION

2 possible 'Back Up' Solutions are outlined below

Part 1 - Download new software

Part 2 - Reformat Hard-drive

ISSUE: No Satellite Signal is Being Received

Probably the most common error message that sky users encounter with their box is the dreaded 'No Satellite Signal is being received' error message.

In my experience there are 4 possible causes:

CAUSE 1. The Satellite Dish has Moved or is Damaged

SOLUTION: Check to see is the satellite dish correctly aligned. If the dish has moved it can be difficult to re-align without a professional satellite finder and you will probably need an engineer to fix it.

CAUSE 2. The Cable/Connectors Connecting the Dish & Box has Become Loose or Damaged

SOLUTION: Check that the F-type (screw in) connector at the back of the satellite is correctly attached. Also check that the cable has not been damaged.

CAUSE 3. The Box has a Hardware Problem

SOLUTION: Check if the box will turn on. If there is no light on the box then the fault is most likely serious and you may need a new box.

CAUSE 4. The Sky Box has a Software problem

SOLUTION: This is the most common problem seen with sky boxes but is quick and easy to fix by:
- Downloading New Software

ISSUE: 'There is a Technical Fault'

This is quite a common problem and is caused by the software in your sky box not being the most up to date version.

It normally occurs when sky are updating the software in it's boxes by remotely downloading new software at night time. Inevitably certain boxes will not have been correctly updated and this causes the problem.

From an installers prespective this means that you may get a series of phone calls over a short period of time all with the same issue. But never fear the fix is very simple

SOLUTION

Plug out the power lead of the satellite box
Leave it unplugged for 30 seconds
Plug the box back in

This will fix your problem !

ISSUE: I Want Sky but Don't Have a Phone Line

Single Box Sky Install

For a standard Sky, Sky+ or Sky HD standalone install a phone line is not necessary in theory although Sky sometimes can charge an extra fee for this. If you are using a local agent he can normally turn on the sky card in his workshop using his own phone line. Most installers will not charge for this service.

Multi Room Install

The Rule: Sky do insist that when 2 or more boxes are installed they all need to be connected to the phone line
Why do they have this rule? To prevent customers subscribing to a sky multi-room deal and then installing the extra boxes in the homes of family and friends. This would be a great money saving idea for the customers be would be a very bad idea from sky's perspective.
How do they enforce the rule? Once every 4 weeks or so, sky send a signal via the satellite dish to request that each of the multi-room sky boxes phone back to sky. If the call back on one or all of the boxes fails to respond, Sky will repeat the process but after a 3 month period they will simply assume that the extra sky box has been installed in some one else's home and will charge each of the boxes at the full price.
Are sky allowed to do this? Yes. It's in the contract as part of the terms and conditions

I Want Sky+ but Only Have a Single Satellite Cable

A very common problem that sky customers face is the problem that they wish to install Sky+ but only have a single satellite cable in the wall. There are 3 possible solutions to this.

1. Run an Additional Satellite Cable from the Satellite Dish

This solution is normally the one choosen by customers because:

It is the cheapest
Easiest to implement

The one big disadvantage is:

Can it be one done neatly? Does it mean running cables across mantle pieces?

Normally this solution is pratical in bungalow houses or when the satellite box is located next to an external wall. This is normally not an option for customers who live in an appartment block where they will not be allowed run an external cable by the management company.

2. Run Sky+ Box on a Single Cable

This might seem like a facile solution but is a very real option. Most of the features on a Sky+ will work if it is only receiving a satellite feed on 'Input 1'. Sky+ features that work with only 1 Feed

Recording
Pausing or Rewinding Live TV
Accessing material saved on the hard drive (will work with no Satellite Cables)

Sky+ features that do NOT work with only 1 Feed

Can't record one programme and look at another
Series link option
Recording will only work if the sky+ box is set to that channel

3. Use a Stacker / Destacker to Combine Two Feeds into a Single Cable

This solution makes use of a great piece of technology called a Stacker / Destacker. The stacker allows two satellite feeds to run down a single satellite cable (stacking) and then for the single cable to be split back out into 2 separate feeds (destacking). The advantages of this option is that the Stacker / Destacker;

Works extremely well
Easy to install
Neat and compact unit

The major drawback of a Stacker is;

The cost of the unit
Struggles on cables runs of more than 30m - but this is rarely an issue

NOTE: Using Sky+ in an Apartment Block

The options of customers who are living in an apartment block are very much limited as:

Normally there is only a single cable in the wall
Will not be allowed to run down an additional cable
Will not be allowed put up their own satellite dish

If a Stacker / Destacker is to be used the key points are:

The Stacker must be installed in the communal area next to the main distribution box
The stacker will take 2 feeds from the multiswitch
The combined or 'stacked' is fed through the exsiting cable to your apartment
The destacker will split the signal back out into 2 cables to feed your box

The requirement to put your stacker in a communal area may prove a real stumbling block

How to Add Additional Channels to your other Channels List

Due to copyright and contractual reasons certain channels that are available for free on satellite are not listed on the main sky listings. Probably the best known example of this would be UTV, ITV 2,3,4 & BBC 3,4.

However it is possible to add additional channels to the 'Other Channels' section of the sky box.

Steps to tune in channels

1. Press the 'Services' button on the sky remote

2. Select 'System setup'

3. Select ‘Add channels'

4. Enter the code (see table) for the channel you wish to add e.g UTV

- Frequency: 10906
- Polarisation: v
- Symbol: 22000
- FEC: 5/6

5. To save select the yellow button

6. Follow the menu on screen and add more channels as required

7. Press 'backup' repeatedly to exit