Postcode not found

[Johnvt]

Hello! Thanks for letting me join. My problem on my freesat box is that its getting good signal strength and quality. Then when i have to chose postcode to set up my channels it errors out each time and says "postcode not found". Same if i use other postcodes or the default region. Not sure if relevant but when trying to do channel search every 3 seconds signal strength box switches from normal to blank and then back again.

Important to note is that im in france and probably most importantly the very first time i plugged it in i was asked to select a satellite. I think i didn't chose astra and chose the wrong one. I did a factory reboot but I'm not asked to select again. No where in settings does it tell me what i selected nor how to change to the right Astra satellite. Cant find this online either. Any advise would be really appreciated! Many thanks. John

 

[PaulR]

Which Freesat box are you using? I'm surprised at you being asked which satellite as this sounds like non-Freesat to me.

 

[manic01]

Only need first 3 or 4 digits of postcode, not sure if relevant to your issue.

 

[PaulR]

A further thought. Is this a new installation? Are you sure you have the satellite dish pointed towards the correct satellite?

 

[ozumo]

Is this a communal dish? If so it's probably pointing at the wrong satellite.

 

[Johnvt]

Thanks all for the replies! Yes that must be it. Its a communial building with 10 appartements. I plugged in my tv without a box in between and get many hundreds of rubbish french and German language tv. Does that confirm that its pointing the wrong way? Many thanks for your help!

 

[Johnvt]

Which Freesat box are you using? I'm surprised at you being asked which satellite as this sounds like non-Freesat to me.

The box is this one!

 

[ozumo]

Thanks all for the replies! Yes that must be it. Its a communial building with 10 appartements. I plugged in my tv without a box in between and get many hundreds of rubbish french and German language tv. Does that confirm that its pointing the wrong way? Many thanks for your help!

Unfortunately yes, it is probably pointing to Astra 1 19.2° east, whereas Freesat is on Astra 2 28.2° east. You will need to have another dish installed, I'd guess at least 1.2m but others who live closer may be able to give a more accurate assessment.

 

[Johnvt]

Thank you. Makes sense! My appartement balcony is probably too small. What a shame. Another newbie question - the Astra 1 - are there any options for proper UK or Dutch Tv. Without a box i get hundreds of junk french and german channels. Last question on the freesat box - is it strange that it was saying i have good strength and quality? Or is likely to be of the Astra 1?

 

[Mickha]

Satellites share similar transponders, so we'd need to know which transponder the receiver is using, to make sure.
Is there any menu option to manually scan a specific transponder, instead of going through the setup process?

 

[ozumo]

Not much UK or Dutch television on 19.2°E, Dutch television (encrypted) is mostly on another satellite at 23.5°E, though only a small dish will be required to receive it in France.

 

[PaulR]

Last question on the freesat box - is it strange that it was saying i have good strength and quality? Or is likely to be of the Astra 1?

As others have said, yes it'll be Astra 1. SES-Astra tend to use the same frequencies and channel spacing on their satellites which explains why the satellite box was showing good strength and quality as it could lock onto something that it "thought" was familiar.

 

[Johnvt]

Thanks again everyone. All your help and explanations much appreciated. Sent the box back sadly.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Unfortunately yes, it is probably pointing to Astra 1 19.2° east, whereas Freesat is on Astra 2 28.2° east. You will need to have another dish installed, I'd guess at least 1.2m but others who live closer may be able to give a more accurate assessment.

Not if there is already more than one dish up top and the communal system is set up for a DiSEqC switching.

Worth a go in any case before sending back to the supplier, or have a chat with block maintenance in the morning.

 

[ozumo]

Not if there is already more than one dish up top and the communal system is set up for a DiSEqC switching.

The LNB settings (at least in Freesat mode) on the Freesat 4K are unconfigurable, might work if the 28.2°E dish was on the first port

 

[Channel Hopper]

The LNB settings (at least in Freesat mode) on the Freesat 4K are unconfigurable, might work if the 28.2°E dish was on the first port

I cannot see the model number of the box from the image. Does it have DiSEqC switching in the menus or not ?

 

[Channel Hopper]

Ah, if it has only wideband tuner settings (two port ) it is highly unlikely.

 

[ozumo]

It's the Arris Freesat 4K non-recordable, they seem to detect the LNB type on first boot or factory reset going by the the owners we've helped out here before. Looking at the manual there is nothing to adjust, it just states what type of LNB it thinks it's connected to. Have not seen if non-Freesat mode offers any extra functionality.

 

[Channel Hopper]

It's the Arris Freesat 4K non-recordable, they seem to detect the LNB type on first boot or factory reset going by the the owners we've helped out here before. Looking at the manual there is nothing to adjust, it just states what type of LNB it thinks it's connected to. Have not seen if non-Freesat mode offers any extra functionality.

If the chipset is the PS5517 in the Freesat version then there is the ability to enable DiSEqC 2.0.

https://www.commscope.com/globalassets/digizuite/62128-px5517.pdf

 

[Channel Hopper]

The earlier - Humax - machines had this access point.

MENU > SYSTEM > DIAGNOSTICS > OK
Press the following sequence of keys
RED GREEN YELLOW BLUE GREEN YELLOW BLUE.