Is it Avtex or Oyster? (1 Viewer)

[quickweh]

In the last month or so the BBC channels to view have reduced significantly, Sky news no longer available, no BBC 24 hour news. On checking BBC have published transponder settings for various regions but all on Astra 2E but when tuning on Avtex 185drs the channels are Astra 2A / 2B / 2D. The Avtex is 2011 the Oyster is 2009 ish assuming it was on the van when new. Is it old Avtex or old Oyster 85cm software?

 

[pappajohn]

Oyster software needs updating.
Avtex doesn't care where the signal comes from, if the dish can't receive it the TV can't decode it.

 

[Anthony OysterTech]

Good morning Quickweh,

Tricky one to be honest but not difficult to rectify.

Firstly, it's not the transponder frequencies if the Oyster is locking on.
Out of the hundred odd frequencies broadcasting the Oyster is looking for one. If it sees and locks on to that one then it is locked on to the rest of them.

The problem of certain channels being missing is normally for one of two reasons.

Firstly the TV transponder data could be out of date. The TV has a default list of transponders to search during a regular scan so if any of the frequency data has changed then the Avtex scan will not bring in any channels broadcasting from an altered frequency.

The second possibility is the LNB on the Oyster system.
As the LNB is voltage switched it's possible that the LNB has partially failed. The LNB will switch between vertical and horizontal polarisations depending on the voltage (13 or 18v) it's receiving from the receiver (Avtex TV) and between high/low band transmissions depending on whether it's receiving a 22khz pulse from the receiver.
If one of the polarisations is down or it's not recognising the 22khz command to switch to high band frequencies then the result will be the loss of certain channels with others working as normal.
Replacing the LNB should cure the problem.

Regardless of the cause of the problem I would recommend contacting Avtex to get the latest channel list for your TV anyway as it may be a combination of both problems. They will email you the file with instructions on how to update the set via USB.

Hope this helps.

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[quickweh]

Good morning Quickweh,

Tricky one to be honest but not difficult to rectify.

Firstly, it's not the transponder frequencies if the Oyster is locking on.
Out of the hundred odd frequencies broadcasting the Oyster is looking for one. If it sees and locks on to that one then it is locked on to the rest of them.

The problem of certain channels being missing is normally for one of two reasons.

Firstly the TV transponder data could be out of date. The TV has a default list of transponders to search during a regular scan so if any of the frequency data has changed then the Avtex scan will not bring in any channels broadcasting from an altered frequency.

The second possibility is the LNB on the Oyster system.
As the LNB is voltage switched it's possible that the LNB has partially failed. The LNB will switch between vertical and horizontal polarisations depending on the voltage (13 or 18v) it's receiving from the receiver (Avtex TV) and between high/low band transmissions depending on whether it's receiving a 22khz pulse from the receiver.
If one of the polarisations is down or it's not recognising the 22khz command to switch to high band frequencies then the result will be the loss of certain channels with others working as normal.
Replacing the LNB should cure the problem.

Regardless of the cause of the problem I would recommend contacting Avtex to get the latest channel list for your TV anyway as it may be a combination of both problems. They will email you the file with instructions on how to update the set via USB.

Hope this helps.

Thanks very much Anthony, I have now got a list of things to check and will post the results later.

 

[pappajohn]

Sorry, looks like I was wrong.

 

[quickweh]

Sorry, looks like I was wrong.

Not necessarily, I may have a problem with the LNB but I love your post in that you don't get many on here saying that they may be wrong

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[Anthony OysterTech]

I have notifications on this thread now so will await your reply.

And Papajohn at least you took the time to offer a possible solution. It's not that it's wrong either, there's just a lot more it could be. It's always possible that the system could do with a software update as well but if the software was the culprit for this particular problem then the dish would just spin aimlessly without locking on to a signal.

 

[quickweh]

Hi Anthony, solved some of the problem, the co-ax connection to the TV!! Your comment re. the voltages made me think that the co-ax doesn't just carry the signal so checked the cable into the TV, it was warm. A new connector and getting all BBC channels but not Sky News. It may be that it is now encrypted. Not had a reply from Avtex yet re software and Astra 2E.
Many thanks,
Mike.

 

[Anthony OysterTech]

Hi Mike,

Right ok, that's something at least then.
Sky news standard definition is a free to air channel (HD version is encrypted). If you're not getting that then there still must be a small problem somewhere as the transponder details for that channel haven't changed since April 2015.
I would still consider the LNB but also the cable that runs from the Oyster box to the TV. It might need replacing completely rather than just the connector.

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[quickweh]

Hi Anthony, about a week ago the 4 pin Avtex power supply to the TV started to fail, wired in a new lead today, re-scanned and all channels are now present including Sky News. Must be something to do with the Avtex tuner and the power supply.
Thanks for your advice.

 

[Anthony OysterTech]

Well that's a new one on me I must admit.
Saying that though I don't know exactly what the four different pins in the connector actually do.
Obviously you have a live and an earth but the other two I don't know.
Still, main thing is everything is now working so at least you found the fault.