Magic Eye problems

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4
Forum Member
I set up a magic eye in my bedroom when i had Sky+ installed in my front room with no problems and it has been working fine until recently.

On my second TV in the bedroom i can watch Sky but am unable to change the channel. The little red light on the magic eye box does not light up so i took it out and tested it on my main tv but still no light. I therefore assumed that the magic eye was broken so i went and bought another one. Unfortunately this one does exactly the same thing! i have tried it on 3 different TVs and no light and although i can watch Sky in the bedroom i still cant change channels. I have checked in the settings and the RF output is set to ON and i have tuned into the right frequency on the 2nd TV so i dont know what else to try?

I think the problem started when the Sky+ box was turned off at the plug accidentally.

I would appreciate any help or advice anyone could offer.

Cheers

DAVE

Comments

  • adam241adam241 Posts: 218
    Forum Member
    I get Sky+ installed tomorrow, i just purchased a Magic Eye.

    If that is your second Magic Eye then it maybe your STB.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 192
    Forum Member
    Are you sure it's connected up to the 2nd TV out socket on the back of the skybox and not the primary one?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4
    Forum Member
    Yeah its definately in the RF out 2 socket. It seems odd that the picture in the bedroom is fine so obviously the cable is working but i cant change channel, which sucks!?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5,506
    Forum Member
    Unplug the Magic eye from the TV end, and then plug it DIRECTLY INTO THE SKY+ BOX RF2 OUTPUT. If the red light/led is on then the problem is probably related to cabling.

    The signal required to send the picture and sound can handle a small break in the cabling, but the voltage for the IR signals can't ... so that could perhaps be the problem.

    If, however, when you put the magic eye into the box as above the red light/led doesn't come on (and you definitely have the RF2 power/voltage option set to yes in the relevant menu) then it is either a problem with the eye itself (in which case test it on a friend's box if possible) or the Sky+ box isn't giving out the voltage.

    Try these tests and post back.

    EDIT - just re-read your first post, and say that you "tried it on three other tv's" ... does this mean that your RF2 output is feeding 3 or 4 tv sets? If so, then do you have distributor/amp in the setup?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 192
    Forum Member
    A-Friend wrote:
    EDIT - just re-read your first post, and say that you "tried it on three other tv's" ... does this mean that your RF2 output is feeding 3 or 4 tv sets? If so, then do you have distributor/amp in the setup?

    I had the same setup on mine, but rather than running in another coax just to power the magic eye, I used bell wire. All the TV's in the house are fed from the Sky+ box on the primary TV output though a 3 way spiltter/amplifier box, and the magic eye is fed from the 2nd output with just the bell wire - as all I needed was the 9 volt feed to power it and a signal back to the sky box to enable channel change, but didn't need a TV signal as I already had that. Also as bell wire is a lot thinner than coax, it was so much easier to install and conceal.
  • RustpotRustpot Posts: 697
    Forum Member
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    This sometimes happens if the digibox is on while you are changing the magic eyes and uplugging the cables. Unplug every thing and switch the Digibox off. Plug everything together again and then go into RF power and turn that off, save settings and then on again and save settings.

    If this does not work and because the problem persists with two different magic eyes then the problem has to be that the RF2 out is not putting the 9 volt power out. You will still get a picture at the remote tv as that does not need power. The 9v power is to return the signal.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5,506
    Forum Member
    Sorry Rustpot, but surely you can't say for certain that it is the RF2 output that is at fault until you plug the magic eye straight into it. It is broadly accepted the 9v needs a totally unbroken cable but that the "normal" signal can jump a small gap.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 13,807
    Forum Member
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    Are you trying to daisy-chain two magic eyes? You can't do that without first modifying the first magic eye. They have a decoupling capacitor that blocks the DC voltage. See picture near the bottom of this page:
    http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/tvlink2.htm
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4
    Forum Member
    Thanks so much for all your advice, Rutspot your method worked a treat and i can now change channels again in the bedroom. Not only that but shutting down everything and restarting seems to have solved my other problem which was crazy loud fan noise coming out of the STB! It was driving me crazy and now it is as quite as a mouse! Lets hope it stays that way.

    I guess the moral of the story is to not let your girlfriend turn any plugs off anywhere in your house! i'm sure the problems started when she pulled the plug by accident!

    Thanks again
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