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Skybox F5S failed whilst dish was moving. |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: SouthWirral 1986-2002 & 2004-?
Posts: 7,070
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Skybox F5S failed whilst dish was moving.
Just had the Skybox F5s fail on me tonight, I was moving from Astra 1 back to Astra 2 at the time, instead of displaying the programme on Channel 5 a load of funny lines came up and it went to a dim flashing display of "8" on the display.
As the satellite installer said I'd be better off with a Zgemma H2S I've taken the opportunity to order that instead rather than see if this box can be repaired, too many limitations such as the 5000 channels and the way it behaved when you were recording something, stopped displaying the channel list correctly. It's been good for what it does offer however, such as offering a Sky viewing card slot and the ability to record straight off air to USB. If the dish didn't quite make it to Astra 2 when it went off is it going to be problem when I try and hook up the ZGemma? Obviously hoping it didn't damage anything about the motorised dish setup and simply went off, but the ZGemma will need to find all the satellites and won't have any reference, does it have some sort of scan where it can move the dish and see what it finds. The box should have been upgraded a while ago, but I used it whilst it worked because it was fine to enjoy the channels but rather limited in its scope, the Zgemma if it works correctly will be capable of all sorts this one wasn't! It's also a dual tuner box whilst I just have the single, but I assume that will not matter, and just gives a future upgrade option. # EDIT: Looking outside, it didn't make it over to Astra 2, not even sure if it moved at all from Astra 1 that it was on. |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: CHESHIRE Satellite Installer
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It's probably just the power supply .. they are usually the weakest point.
You might have one lying around off another device .. just a basic 12v dc psu + center of plug .. don't know the amperage but I'm pretty certain anything 2A or over will run it .. better a 3A or use a 12v battery 2A or above just to test it. Used to keep several 12v 3A PSUs, old dreamboxes would often fail on the psu. |
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#3 |
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Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: SouthWirral 1986-2002 & 2004-?
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Unfortunately did try with a couple of other 12 volt power supplies including Mercury one rated up to 8.2A! Which perhaps I shouldn't but still the same dim flashing 8 on the display and no boot. Might be glad to move to an upgraded box anyway only the dish has been left not in position and am wondering whether that will be a headache.
The power supply is rated 12 V 2 A |
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: CHESHIRE Satellite Installer
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Quote:
Unfortunately did try with a couple of other 12 volt power supplies including Mercury one rated up to 8.2A! Which perhaps I shouldn't but still the same dim flashing 8 on the display and no boot. Might be glad to move to an upgraded box anyway only the dish has been left not in position and am wondering whether that will be a headache.
The power supply is rated 12 V 2 A Those boxes are cheap & do work [until they go pop] but aren't the best to use .... but you might find E2 a bit of an er.. adventure ... for the first x amount of months if you are not familiar with E2. |
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#5 |
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Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: SouthWirral 1986-2002 & 2004-?
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Quote:
Oh well, worth a try .. 8.2A won't do it any harm so long as it's 12v dc, you could hook it up to a 70A car battery like a car radio does, it'll only draw what it needs.
Those boxes are cheap & do work [until they go pop] but aren't the best to use .... but you might find E2 a bit of an er.. adventure ... for the first x amount of months if you are not familiar with E2. Have you ever had that situation where the dish has been left in a random position and you have to set a new box up from scratch? Can it blind scan for the positions? I like the sound of all that E2 is capable of doing. |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Jul 2000
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Any point taking the USB satellite device I have from another PC that I believe is compatible with Diseqc and attempting to get that to move the dish in preparation for the new box, perhaps it would be as difficult a challenge, I would have to use DVBViewer Pro or something to try and do it, the supplied software came with the different satellite positions, I might only try this if I cannot get the Zgemma to do this when it's hooked up.
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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: CHESHIRE Satellite Installer
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Quote:
Any point taking the USB satellite device I have from another PC that I believe is compatible with Diseqc and attempting to get that to move the dish in preparation for the new box, perhaps it would be as difficult a challenge, I would have to use DVBViewer Pro or something to try and do it, the supplied software came with the different satellite positions, I might only try this if I cannot get the Zgemma to do this when it's hooked up.
E2 has a well known learning curve if you've not used one before that can take a while to get the most out of them, but it's IMO, the poor attention to being an intuitive system by the originators of Enigma 2, the programmers at the Dreambox owners, Dreammedia & lack of certain basic satellite operations that undermine it's far greater power. Once setup with your favoured image/ skins & plugins channel list & bouquets etc.. it should wipe the floor with satellite receivers like the TM5402, except it doesn't in the areas of intuitive use, motor control, scanning, blind scan, editing channels etc.. but does in most net based areas & most avoid scanning satellites & just download pre-made channel lists usually not customised for the UK. ============================================================== To set a motor up on an E2 box .. press menu Setup Service Searching Tuner Config Choose Tuner [I'd use tuner A for the motor] Configuration Mode...... For now I'd use SIMPLE which sets all sats up for USALS motor control in one go Mode = positioner Longitude = 002.9w Latitude = 053.26N Save [Advanced configuration mode means you manually set each satellite you want on, on the LNB line to LNB 1 & more options open up below inluding Diseqc mode .. you want 1.2 for motor & it defaults to USALS = yes .. then you need to put longitude & latitude in there [just the 1st one you set up] & save & repeat for each sat you want.] Next is loading a channel list .... if there isn't a good one already in. |
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#8 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: SouthWirral 1986-2002 & 2004-?
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Quote:
Some pc cards work OK but you might run into other issues that cloud the original reason to test the motor [& lnb]
E2 has a well known learning curve if you've not used one before that can take a while to get the most out of them, but it's IMO, the poor attention to being an intuitive system by the originators of Enigma 2, the programmers at the Dreambox owners, Dreammedia & lack of certain basic satellite operations that undermine it's far greater power. Once setup with your favoured image/ skins & plugins channel list & bouquets etc.. it should wipe the floor with satellite receivers like the TM5402, except it doesn't in the areas of intuitive use, motor control, scanning, blind scan, editing channels etc.. but does in most net based areas & most avoid scanning satellites & just download pre-made channel lists usually not customised for the UK. ============================================================== To set a motor up on an E2 box .. press menu Setup Service Searching Tuner Config Choose Tuner [I'd use tuner A for the motor] Configuration Mode...... For now I'd use SIMPLE which sets all sats up for USALS motor control in one go Mode = positioner Longitude = 002.9w Latitude = 053.26N Save [Advanced configuration mode means you manually set each satellite you want on, on the LNB line to LNB 1 & more options open up below inluding Diseqc mode .. you want 1.2 for motor & it defaults to USALS = yes .. then you need to put longitude & latitude in there [just the 1st one you set up] & save & repeat for each sat you want.] Next is loading a channel list .... if there isn't a good one already in. Yes I couldn't use channel lists on the former box in case it would wipe out the custom order but I've heard on this you can edit your own and so on much easier, crossing fingers that it simply went off and didn't damage anything! |
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: SouthWirral 1986-2002 & 2004-?
Posts: 7,070
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Quote:
Some pc cards work OK but you might run into other issues that cloud the original reason to test the motor [& lnb]
E2 has a well known learning curve if you've not used one before that can take a while to get the most out of them, but it's IMO, the poor attention to being an intuitive system by the originators of Enigma 2, the programmers at the Dreambox owners, Dreammedia & lack of certain basic satellite operations that undermine it's far greater power. Once setup with your favoured image/ skins & plugins channel list & bouquets etc.. it should wipe the floor with satellite receivers like the TM5402, except it doesn't in the areas of intuitive use, motor control, scanning, blind scan, editing channels etc.. but does in most net based areas & most avoid scanning satellites & just download pre-made channel lists usually not customised for the UK. ============================================================== To set a motor up on an E2 box .. press menu Setup Service Searching Tuner Config Choose Tuner [I'd use tuner A for the motor] Configuration Mode...... For now I'd use SIMPLE which sets all sats up for USALS motor control in one go Mode = positioner Longitude = 002.9w Latitude = 053.26N Save [Advanced configuration mode means you manually set each satellite you want on, on the LNB line to LNB 1 & more options open up below inluding Diseqc mode .. you want 1.2 for motor & it defaults to USALS = yes .. then you need to put longitude & latitude in there [just the 1st one you set up] & save & repeat for each sat you want.] Next is loading a channel list .... if there isn't a good one already in. Yes I couldn't use channel lists on the former box in case it would wipe out the custom order but I've heard on this you can edit your own and so on much easier, crossing fingers that it simply went off and didn't damage anything! |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Essex, UK
Posts: 6,238
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You would never believe Bill but my Openbox V8S also conked out on me on New Years Day. I'm led to believe it was the power supply though as the screen began to flicker like a light switch and then the box just died, no lights on the front panel at all. Took the plug out and back in again, it powered up just fine. Two hours later, same thing happened. Moving the input plug of the power supply seems to make it come back for a bit but it doesn't last long - I simply wanted to get it on to see if the motor was still working which thankfully was.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if your issue is also power supply related as my friend had a similar thing happen to his Skybox. Like you, I want to move away from these boxes as although they are cheep and cheerful, they aren't the best out there and are incredibly limited. (Pedro you were definitely right when you installed my motor and said I'd fill up the 4000 channel limit in no time ).I've gone for a Vu+ Zero as space is quite tight where my TV & coax is. Wanted to get one of those Technomate Nano boxes originally but unfortunately were sold out when I looked. I tried to move away from the Openbox a couple of months back and went for a Edision OS Mini - was a cracking receiver but for some odd reason, was completely missing some channels on a blind scan. Not the hard to get ones either, Das Erste HD on 19.2 and KBS World at 13E are two examples - both came in at over 86% SNR on the Openbox yet this just wouldn't see them, even when I scanned their TP. I came to my own conclusion that the Tuner most likely had an issue with really high powered TPs (could be wrong but it seemed this way) as other channels which I know are booming up there were coming in at around 35-50%. Anyway I'm waffling! Enigma2 boxes are very good once you get your head around how they work. I'd agree that they simply don't match a Technomate but the option of streaming channels from receiver to my Kodi box upstairs really appeals to me. Don't worry about the motor tracking the arc either, I had the same concerns as you at first but once you follow the steps Pedro has listed - it pretty much drives itself. I'll probably be back here tomorrow to copy those same instructions when I set mine up Also, I've once had a power cut whilst my dish was moving from one of the western sats to Turksat - It was fine. It didn't automatically continue moving when power came on, but all I had to do was move it to a satellite close by and then back to where I wanted it to go and all was good. I'm sure when designed, losing power is one of the things taken into account. Best of luck with your new bit of kit! |
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#11 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: CHESHIRE Satellite Installer
Posts: 2,217
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Quote:
... I tried to move away from the Openbox a couple of months back and went for a Edision OS Mini - was a cracking receiver but for some odd reason, was completely missing some channels on a blind scan. Not the hard to get ones either, Das Erste HD on 19.2 and KBS World at 13E are two examples - both came in at over 86% SNR on the Openbox yet this just wouldn't see them, even when I scanned their TP. I came to my own conclusion that the Tuner most likely had an issue with really high powered TPs (could be wrong but it seemed this way) as other channels which I know are booming up there were coming in at around 35-50%. ..! that dish is doing pretty well to evoke overload if that's what it is.. |
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