Oyster Digital CI help needed

[Richard Birkett]

First of all, I have to own up that I know nothing about satellite systems. So apologies if I get this wrong. Our system comprises an Oyster Digital CI with twin LNB with a tv in the lounge area and a further tv in the rear which is connected to a sky box.
We are currently in Benidorm and the Oyster locks on to Astra 2 with no problem and on the lounge TV I can receive Sky news but changing channel to BBC/ITV etc and I get the message “no signal”. On the rear TV I get the same but can also get other news channels, shopping channels, religious channels and even adult channels!
So obviously I am getting a satellite signal.
Can anyone help?

Richard

 

[eddie]

Hi

Astra 2 is actually a position 28.2 East of South

There are several satellites there, and the footprint (signal area) of satellite 2E that BBC / ITV use doesn't extend to Benidorm.

Sky uses 2F

There are a number of free to air channels that you will get, but not BBC, ITV Channel 4 and Channel Five

 

[poacher]

You are outside the satellite footprint for the UK channels - broadcast on the northern beam

In Spain, you will continue to receive those channels broadcast on the southern beam - which do not include the UK aimed channels - BBC/ITV etc

Someone will be along shortly with 'chapter and verse'

 

[Richard Birkett]

Thank you both for those simple and concise answers.
Richard

 

[Anthony OysterTech]

Hi Richard,

As the previous posts have suggested, in Benidorm you are outside of the Astra 2 UK spot beam so will only receive channels broadcasting on the European wide beam.
The UK spot beam houses the majority of the free to air stations and is restricted as it is only intended to supply direct to home services for use in the UK where as the European beam houses mostly encrypted services although does have a limited number of free to air services that you can tune to. The majority of these are shopping and News channels though.

Unfortunately the UK spot beam channels will not return until you are North of the Pyrenees.

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[angusboy]

Good answers

 

[Satandpcguy]

Reception of the UK beam in Spain depends where you are and what sized dish you have, as the beam does cover the whole of spain, but its signal varies so much you need the right sized dish for the location

In Benidorm a dish of 90x100cm is the very minimum for reception of channels on the UK beam. Anything smaller and you will struggle to get the uk beam channels.

Channels on the European beam (about 75% of sky pay channels and a alot of shopping and god channels) are easier to get, as the signal is stronger, and so available on smaller dishes...

There are several satellites there, and the footprint (signal area) of satellite 2E that BBC / ITV use doesn't extend to Benidorm.
Sky uses 2F

BBC channels are on 2e and 2g.
Sky pay channels are on all three UK TV satellites, 2e, 2f and 2g.
The footprint does "extend" to benidorm, in fact it covers the whole of Spain, just you need the right sized dish to get it!

You are outside the satellite footprint for the UK channels - broadcast on the northern beam
In Spain, you will continue to receive those channels broadcast on the southern beam - which do not include the UK aimed channels - BBC/ITV etc

The two of the four old UK TV satellites, 2a and 2b had north and south beams...and BBC and ITV were on 2ds UK beam.
The current uk tv satellites have two beams, a UK beam and a Euro beam.

Hi Richard,
Unfortunately the UK spot beam channels will not return until you are North of the Pyrenees.

There is a nice uk beam "hotspot" around the Valencia area...say from Javea to Sagunto, where an 80x85cm dish gets the UK beam channels...albeit with very little margin for cloud and rain fade... going further north the signal weakens and a larger dish is required.

 

[Anthony OysterTech]

There is a nice uk beam "hotspot" around the Valencia area...say from Javea to Sagunto, where an 80x85cm dish gets the UK beam channels...albeit with very little margin for cloud and rain fade... going further north the signal weakens and a larger dish is required.

I am aware of the "hotspot" however the OP started the post saying "I know nothing about Satellite systems" so I decided not to over complicate my reply and imply that the UK channels would be available when there are a number of variables that could be deciding factors.
As the area specified is still "touch and go" using an 85cm parabolic dish a lot of variants (LNB, Skew angle, Arm height, search frequencies being used and state of the dish) can change the signal quality being received by an Automatic self seeking system. That along with atmospherics, weather conditions and other factors that may affect the signal made me think that the OP would probably not want to start making alterations to the system.

Having said all of that though, Richard, if you would like to go through these settings to see if there is any chance of boosting the signal being received by your system then please feel free to PM me on here or call the office on 01858575928 where either myself or one of my colleagues will be happy to go through everything with you.

 

[Richard Birkett]

I have just spent over half an hour on the phone with Anthony Oyster Tech who patiently talked me through the convoluted steps with consummate ease and as a result I now have almost the full range of British channels. Anthony was incredibly patient and his concise instructions were perfectly suited to my lack of knowledge.
Thank you Anthony.
Richard

 

[Anthony OysterTech]

Your very welcome Richard, glad I could help.

As I stated on the phone there is a chance that signals can increase/decrease so the channels may disappear for a time or indeed the rest come in.
Also, if you lower the dish for any reason, when you turn it back on just let it go back to it's last position. If it goes on an auto search at any point you may have to make small adjustments in the manual search menu again.

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[DuxDeluxe]

I have just spent over half an hour on the phone with Anthony Oyster Tech who patiently talked me through the convoluted steps with consummate ease and as a result I now have almost the full range of British channels. Anthony was incredibly patient and his concise instructions were perfectly suited to my lack of knowledge.
Thank you Anthony.
Richard

He is good, isn’t he? Saved my bacon a few months ago

 

[Richard Birkett]

He is good, isn’t he? Saved my bacon a few months ago

He is!