Are Freesat from Sky cards transferrable?

[mangoletse]

Hi, this is my first post so please accept my apologies for the general numptyness and if the answer was posted already - I searched the forum but couldn't find anything relevant!

The big question here, before reading on: As I bought it from an associate, is the second hand freesat viewing card likely to be at fault?

My situation is thus - we moved into our house a year ago and there is a sky minidish installed and an LNB + phone socket by the TV etc. so a friend at work gave me his old Pace digibox to get the free channels on - but it didn't work straightaway so I tried BT Vision (which i didn't like and soon gave up on)

So just recently I bought an unwanted Sky freesat card off an associate for a tenner, tonight upon setting everything up again things went from having TV guide but 'no satellite signal' - but with values in the bottom two entries in the 'Signal Test' option in Services (not sure what they were) - but no signal strength is reported anyway - to (following a power down and reseating of the 'f type connector') no TV guide and zeros in those bottom two fields on the signal strength screen.

Googling suggests a possible digibox fault and / or LNB problem (not sure what LNB is but presume the 'aerial lead' co-ax cable - which looks fine at the box end anyway).

Thanks for reading and any advice, much appreciated!

 

[satelliteman]

Welcome to satellites forum,

Sounds like you have NO signal as you have no lock or transort stream/Id, lol. Could well be a dish problem or even the sky digibox maybe at fault.

It's worth check the cable & F connector on the incoming downlead from the dish. A poor termination here and you will get no signal symptom.

To eliminate the dish, see if you can borrow another sky box to test your dish and see.

Freesat cards will work in any digibox.

SM

 

[mangoletse]

Thanks for the reply SM - I'll borrow the neighbour's box ASAP. Assuming I can isolate the problem and receive a decent signal, should the freesat card be OK (or are they subject to a 'keeping live' signal like I've read about for subscription cards?)?

 

[satelliteman]

Freesat cards do need a stay alive signal, yes.

When your up and running, place the card into the digibox and after a short period of upto 48hrs all should work.

 

[Cupart]

My Freesat card had not been used for at least 2 years and after popping it into my spare DS430N it came to life in a matter of minuttes; but as Satelliteman says, it can take up to 48 hrs for it to be activated...

 

[mangoletse]

OK, that's interesting, thanks. It helps me down the line of thinking either problem with box or dish or both - I now have 'Network ID 0002 and Transport stream 07d4 in my signal test but no satellite signal. The box is now continually searching for the EPG too, and seems stuck on Thurs 18th Dec every time I switch it on from Standby...

Need to borrow someone's working digibox before I borrow a long ladder!

 

[satelliteman]

OK, that's interesting, thanks. It helps me down the line of thinking either problem with box or dish or both - I now have 'Network ID 0002 and Transport stream 07d4 in my signal test but no satellite signal. The box is now continually searching for the EPG too, and seems stuck on Thurs 18th Dec every time I switch it on from Standby...

Need to borrow someone's working digibox before I borrow a long ladder!

With a Network ID 0002 and Transport stream of 07d4, your locked onto the satellite and the fault is more than likely the box. Checking with another is the quickest way isolate any further problems

 

[mangoletse]

Still on the lookout for the box - being Christmas the neighbours have all been locked away. Thanks for the answer - do you think that the 'Not Locked' above those two values would also indicate a problem, since you said the satellite should be locked? Apologies if this is a stupid question but I'm really at the beginning of this whole thing and know nothing apart from what I've learned so far in this thread....

 

[satelliteman]

With correct Network id & Transport stream for Astra2 (which you say you have in post #6), you should be showing a locked signal. Test with another receiver or freesat box first I'd say.