Heres a few pointers and a checklist which may help you to decide if the receiver or the dish is at fault
(1) Is everything is plugged in and switched on?
- power cable
- dish cable
- tv lead
(1) Card Problems Activation Problem
“Card not Activated ” message
Go to (10) below
(2) Is the receiver running normally? Check for noises from the box and feel the temperature
(2) Running HOT or Making a pulsing noise!
Disconnect the dish lead. Has the pulsing noise stopped?
(2) If the receiver now runs cool with no pulsing noise, the dish cable has a short circuit – try reconnecting the F plug first, there may be one strand of the braid shorting to the inner cable.
(2) Unplug Power lead
DO NOT attempt anything!
Seek the advice of an expert repair shop or your dealer. OR you can send it to me for assessment.
(3) Have you selected the right INPUT/SOURCE?
For example if you plug into HDMI 3, make sure the HDMI3 input is selected ( input or source button )
(3) ALSO: IF the scart or HDMI cable is loose or broken OR if the socket in the TV is faulty, you may lose sound or picture or both. Check by replacing the cable , using a different input socket OR borrow one that IS working
for example – if you have Sky, plug the Sky cable into your receiver and see if that works.
(4) Check the dish, does it look ok? not damaged in any way, not moved round in the wind?
(4) If it has moved then get the dish realigned
Also follow the cable all the way to the box, is it damaged , cut , or cracked letting rain water in?
Check the F plug at the receiver end for loose fitting or braid shorting out the centre copper wire.
(5) Does the satellite receiver light up as usual? (Display channel Number or Time )
(5) double check the power cable and socket or power adaptor
(6) Press the MENU key, does the menu appear on screen?
(6) Check the remote control – to see how to do it with a simple phone camera, right click and open the video in a new tab
(7) If the list of channels is displaying ok, try all channels, are ANY channels working? Even if it is not your usual channels
(7) Have you accidentally selected the wrong GROUP of channels. Press the FAV (favourite key) and select your usual channel group
If there a NO channels working or you have a “no signal” message on-screen GO To “no signal” chart below.
(8) If you ARE receiving some channels and you have a subscription card in the receiver, is the card out of date or have you been away for a period and the receiver turned off?
(8) It may be that the box has missed its monthly update signal for your card. The activation signal may need to be re-sent – contact your card supplier
Go to (10) below for Activation checks
(9) If your Box is
- Tivusat,
- Fransat, TNT,
- Sky UK,
- Sky Germany,
- Sky Italia,
- Movistar
- Focus /Digi / Dolce Rom
- Canal+ Spain
- Canal+ France
- Canal+ Norway
Check the Card and the activation FIRST – go to (10)
Then try to reset your box –
(9) – the FACTORY RESET is usually in the system menu, but with Sky it may be a combination of multiple key presses on the box itself.
TNT & Fransat boxes require you to enter the PIN to enter the Factory Reset menu. There may be a emergency code available in the back of the instruction book.
(9) If it is a FTA (free to air) box, be aware that a factory reset usually loses all the channels favourite lists and box settings , so unless you have a backup or know all these settings, be careful ! IF in doubt please contact me directly for specific advice
(9) FTA boxes made by Amiko, Technomate, Technisat, Mutant and many more ( generally any that have a USB socket ) will have some method of making a backup file
No Signal
Card Problems
(10) Card Problems:
If you have a prepaid subscription with a card, the card will need activation.
Be Sure the Card is the correct way up –
This is usually but not always pictured in the instruction manual. If not find the CA ( conditional access ) menu in the system setup
If you can see the CARD serial no in this screen then it is correctly inserted, if not flip it over and try again.
If your card is the wrong way round you will usually get a message like “wrong card” “insert your card” or even “card expired”
(10) Applies to:
- BIS France
- Skylink Czech/Slovak
- HD+ Germany
- Canal Digitaal Holland
- SSR SRG Swiss
- Focus Romania
- Digi Romania
- Dolce Romania
- Bulsatcom Bulgaria
- Canal+ France & Norway
- Movistar Spain
- NOS & Meo Portugal
and many others
(11) Card Activation:
The exact procedure depends if the card system is paired or not. If in doubt send ALL the information.
Most systems only need the Card number, but some cards, like Sky, Focus and Platforma Canal are paired with the box, so you need to send the Box serial number AND the Card numbers.
The best way of avoiding mistakes is to send in a photo:
Box label and Card serial ( NC+)