I think my sky box is (busted) - technicial term

[what..the?]

The other night there was an extremely strong storm out side the house and as usual the sky broke with means it flicked on and off and said 'no signal being received' etc. So I just went to bed and left it.

But down days later it is still not working, I have tried all the usual stuff like turning the box off to standby then unplugging the box and waiting say 10 mins and then plug it back in and switch on. It usually then 'reboots' so to speak and you get the 'intro the sky'. But nothing, it still flickers and also says no signal. So I have checked all the connectors/wires, cleaned the sky card.. Still nothing. Then I have tried to 'reboot' by unplugging the box again but for longer say a few hour's, but now it doesn't even show any picture flicker just constant 'no signal is being received'.

I have been outside to check the disk and 'yes' it is still there and has not been stolen! LOL There appears to be nothing visually wrong with it. And now when the box is plugged in and we switch it off standby (light goes from red to green on the front), however much we try and turn it off again it seems stuck in the 'on' green position. - Which makes me think the box is just 'busted'

Any thoughts, I really need help we cannot live without sky...I don't mind admitting it!

[originalang]

Hi, what..the?
I'm not very technical and you will probably get better advice from the helpful folks on here but just wanted to suggest you might try ringing sky, I know they usually try talking you through everything you've already tried but I'm sure they can test and vary the signal sent to you. Just a thought, really hope you get sorted.

[what..the?]

Thank originalang I will look into it, I have not rung them so far because I assumed they would send someone round, and as already stated on other 'sky' posts I hate the non-sky cowboys they send round these days. They get some local guy in a disaster of a van to come and look at all your valuables inside your house and walk mud in.

It is a good idea though to phone them to see if they can do anything else from their end or recommend anything.

[Mattk]

1st try testing your signal strength to make sure you should be getting a signal but i dont think this is your problem.it is under the system menu.
you could then do a proper reboot but i think your box is knackered(another technical term)

press services
4,0,1 select
this will take you to the hidden egnineers menu ansd from there you can do a 'proper' reboot/system reset.

1 last thing, maybe take your box to a friends house to see if it works there? at least this would prove if your box is at fault or maybe your cabling or lnb on your dish.

[what..the?]

Thanks Mattk for your very informative info however in this case it unfortuatley didn't get me anywhere. The engineers menu proved fruitless and well I have moved house of late and with the car in the 'shop' I cannot get out to try my box round someone elses, and haven't the heart to bother them with coming to mine.

The lack of 'Only Fools and Simpsons has lead me to having to call sky who took us though all the usual bo**ocks before they basically said yeah your right it's f**ked!

So we are paying �65 notes for a cowboy to come round to look at the box and dish and will replace anything all within the �65 fee, they say a box would cost not much less than �65 notes anyway, and if we were to buy a box and the problem turned out to be the dish we would have an extra box and still no signal, so yes we have been talked into it!

Well the other half has......if it means he can be re-instated as king of the clicker/remote once again and beable to access the fasion channel just to annoy me it is worth any amount of money to fix!!!! That says it all!

Thanks again both of you for your assistance. And with reference to Mattk's code to access the engineers menu - a good piece of info to remember for the future!

[Whickerman]

I can tell you from personal experience it's money well spent if the system means that much to you. I had something similar, get the man in, had a new dish and box from him and all for that fee. For me it was well worth it, and a helluva lot less than that ridiculous insurance fee sky tries to hawk.

[what..the?]

yeah wickerman the guy came and gave us a new box plus a new part for our dish, the dish was only installed a year ago so it is in good nick really. My only compaint is as usual the people they send. i would much prefer a 'sky guy' in a uniform and a 'sky van' not just any old bloke and a crappy van, it makes me worry about my valuables, and when they walk in your house and say "nice" like he did! I prefer peeps that don't stare at stuff and comment. Other than that money well spend.