# Sky digiboxes - doomed



## frigilianafreddy (Apr 27, 2009)

Hello

A number of apartments in our community, and neighbours in the Campo are having problems with PACE digiboxes after power cuts. The power cuts have always happend but the digiboxes quickly re-set and channels became viewable.

Recently the time taken to re-set has become extended. Sometimes very extended (up to 24 hours). This is common throughout the block. It's definitely not a problem with sat dish - that's all been chacked.

Most of the digiboxes will be around six years old at least (same age as apartments). Is this a problem with older digiboxes? Are Sky signals getting weaker? I know you can do the manual re-install to get them going again but it's not satisfactory. I also know the unplug-wait-plug in solution but that doesn't work most of the time.

If peops just want the free channels are they just as well getting a modern free to view satellite receiver - especially as you get more channels, and you're probably looking at a stronger satellite signal from Astra. Or should one buy a more modern digibox? Again if you're just after the free channels what, if anything is the advantage of a Sky box over a local, say Free to view satelite receiver.

Or am I just barking mad and the problems will all go away when the sun shines?

Thanks for any help, its vexing a lot of folks here.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

frigilianafreddy said:


> Hello
> 
> A number of apartments in our community, and neighbours in the Campo are having problems with PACE digiboxes after power cuts. The power cuts have always happend but the digiboxes quickly re-set and channels became viewable.
> 
> ...


We've got two digiboxes, both Pace, one a SkyPlus box, the other an 'ordinary' one which must be well over seven years old -we've had it for so long we can't remember when we got it -and it works OK. The 'newer' one is four years old and up to now (fingers crossed) has also been problem-free.
So unless we've been lucky, I'd say age isn't a problem.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

You MUST have UPS's fitted to digiboxes. You often get a power surge when a power cut happens, and constantly having that doesnt do the delicate instrument any good at all.

I used to have problems with my router for internet and the SKY box because of constant power cuts but now have surge protectors / UPS' fitted to both so they never lose their power

I'm not sure, but I dont think UK freeview boxes will be working in Spain


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Stravinsky said:


> I'm not sure, but I dont think UK freeview boxes will be working in Spain


Probably not (though the technical specification - DVB-T - is very similar), but you can get a Freesat box (from £50 or so) which will work in Spain when connected to a suitably-sized dish aimed at Astra 2.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Stravinsky said:


> You MUST have UPS's fitted to digiboxes. You often get a power surge when a power cut happens, and constantly having that doesnt do the delicate instrument any good at all.
> 
> I used to have problems with my router for internet and the SKY box because of constant power cuts but now have surge protectors / UPS' fitted to both so they never lose their power


I have been intending to do that for the past three years....
Will make a note that I MUST do it this week....


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## sat (Jul 20, 2008)

After a power cut, the Sky boxes look for certain information on 11778.
In SPain, this frequenyc can be difficult to receiver so you change this Default Transponder frequency to any other you can receive, as all other 90plus frequencies carry limited information (11778 is where the full 7 day EPG sites, and all other frequencies carry about 12 hours or so).

If you do not do this to help the box boot up you box will not work again until it successfully manages to lock onto 11778....

Sky signals are not getting weaker - or that i have noticed.
Yes some oler digiboxes are starting to fail - particulary those around 7 years old



> If peops just want the free channels are they just as well getting a modern free to view satellite receiver - especially as you get more channels, and you're probably looking at a stronger satellite signal from Astra.


All UK satellite TV comes from the same satellites. Sky News UK is on one frequency and one frequency only - so -ou will get no more channels on a FTA receiver than you would on a sky receiver (with no card) or a freesat receiver. However, the freesat EPG is on a stronger frequency than the Sky EPG which is why they boot up almost 100%.

Yes UPS are ideal for sky boxes, and TV and routers.


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