Fix Sky TV & Digibox Problems

If your Sky Plus HD picture is breaking up or suffering pixelation click here.

• Improving Picture Quality - To improve your Sky picture always connect your TV directly to the Sky+ HD box using a High Quality HDMI cable for the best picture or buy an Individually Screened Scart Cable if you have an older non HD-ready TV or Skybox. Cheap Scart Cables often cause crosstalk interference problems and introduce signal loss. Read about Scart lead interference for more troubleshooting advice for improving your Sky picture.
  
  The Sky Digibox Video Output should be set to 1080i when installing a new Sky+HD box or RGB for older Sky+ digiboxes to achieve the best picture quality. Avoid using PAL if your TV supports RGB. The Picture Settings menu can be accessed by pressing Services then 4, 1 from your Sky handset.
  
  
• Sky Distribution Amplifier - Using passive aerial splitters without a proper distribution amplifier to feed the Sky Digibox UHF signal around your home will lead to a poor Sky picture. If you want to watch Sky TV on more than one television and be able to change channels on your Digibox, then you will need a Sky Distribution amplifier and remote extender.
  
  If you are suffering interference on your Sky picture on TV's fed by coaxial cable, read our guide to solving interference on a UHF Sky distribution system.
  
  
• Snowy Sky Picture - If you have problems with noisy Sky picture via your existing Sky TV distribution system, the UHF channel used may be suffering interference from a weak Freeview digital transmission. This causes 'picture snow' and poor picture quality on the distributed UHF output of the Digibox. Try re-tuning your Sky box UHF modulator to fix this problem.
  
  Another common cause of a poor quality, snowy Sky picture is fitting a signal booster to your TV aerial. In these cases, try disconnecting the coaxial cable 'AERIAL IN' lead to back of your Sky box to see if this improves the Sky TV picture to TV's connected via the loft distribution amplifier. If this is the problem then remove the signal booster wherever possible or fit a low noise masthead aerial amplifier and fit a high gain digital aerial on your roof.
  
  
• Sky UHF Interference - In some cases Sky distribution amplifiers can suffer interference from nearby Tetra masts and other radio transmitters resulting in picture patterning. Try reading our TVI filters page for help solving these Sky box problems.

No Satellite Signal is being Received - Error 25 or 29

If you see a "no satellite signal is being received" (Error 25 or 29) message try the following to identify the source of your Sky box problems:-

• Check Digibox signal quality - Your dish may have been moved or knocked out of alignment. First check the signal quality is above 50% and the receiver 'Lock Indicator' is showing 'OK'. The signal strength reading is less important, but should generally be above 50%.
  
  If Sky signal quality is low, try re-aligning the dish with a Satellite Meter.
  
  

• Exchange your Sky Digibox - If you suspect problems with your Sky box, borrow a Digibox (including viewing card) from a friend or neighbour and try it on your dish. Always turn off the power to the Digibox before disconnecting the LNB cable. If the borrowed Sky box works perfectly and the signal quality is OK, then you may have a faulty Digibox.
  
  
• Dish and cable faults - If the borrowed Sky Digibox doesn't work, check the Sky minidish alignment and coaxial cable for kinks and damage. Also make sure the F-type connector is tightly screwed onto the LNB and the joint was adequately waterproofed during installation with Self Amalgamating Tape. Check for water corrosion on the connectors and into the coaxial cable. If any signs of water or corrosion are present in the LNB connector or cable itself, replace the coaxial cable with PF100 Digital TV/Satellite Cable and fit new F-type plugs.
  
  
• Sky LNB faults - If the replacement Sky box didn't work, dish alignment is correct and no coaxial cable damage or water ingression is evident, there may be an LNB fault. Refer to symptoms of LNB faults for further fault diagnosis tips. If a faulty LNB is the problem, you should buy a cheap replacement LNB for your Sky minidish.

Sky TV - Picture Breaking Up and Poor Reception During Rain

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• Poor Sky signal quality - If frequent Sky TV picture break up, freezing, pixelation or 'no satellite signal' is experienced on some or all channels during heavy rain, the problem is often caused by the Sky minidish being out of alignment, leading to poor signal quality. See how to check signal quality. If the signal quality reading is 50% or lower during dry weather, dish alignment should be checked. Accurate dish re-alignment requires a signal meter.
  
  
• Diagnosing a faulty LNB - The LNB is on the satellite dish at the end of the dish arm. It is exposed to all weathers and is a frequent source of failure. If dish alignment is correct, the LNB should be checked. Read how to check for an LNB fault for help with diagnosis.
  
  
• Coaxial cable damage - Other causes of Sky signal problems include water ingression into the coaxial cable/s. This is common if the cable sheath has been damaged or the F-Type connector on the LNB hasn't been waterproofed with Self Amalgamating Tape. Always replace the coaxial cable and fit new screw on F type plugs if water damage is evident. Cables which are run over a pitched roof of guttering are particularly prone to damage through rubbing and should be re-routed. See our guide to cable faults for help.
  
  
• Sky Digital signal loss during a thunderstorm - Even a correctly installed Sky Digibox may suffer reception problems during extreme weather, torrential rain or severe thunderstorms. When this occurs a "no satellite signal is being received" message may be displayed on the screen. Unfortunately, there is little that can be done to solve signal loss during thunderstorms.
  
  
• Improving Sky reception in bad weather - Whilst a 43cm dish is adequate in most parts of the UK, a larger Zone 2 60cm Sky dish will give far superior results and much higher signal quality in heavy rain. Zone 2 dishes are recommended for the far north of England, extreme south west of England and Scotland.
  
  
• Upgrade your LNB - New Sky minidish LNB's like the Sky+ Quad LNB, have a lower noise figure (typically 0.5dB), giving better reception than a single LNB fitted a few years ago which had a higher noise figure of ~0.9dB. If upgrading or replacing your Sky dish LNB, make sure you buy the correct replacement LNB for the manufacturer of your minidish or (alternatively) check that the universal LNB arm adaptors are supplied to fit all Sky dish types.
  
  
• Buy a New Digibox - If you are experiencing Sky box problems it's worth noting that new Sky Digibox models like the Pace BSKYB2600, DS430N and DS440 Skybox may improve Sky TV reception during bad weather, compared to old Digiboxes. These Sky boxes have amongst the best tuner sensitivity and selectivity for reception of Sky TV in Europe. Cheap deals on a new Digibox can be found on Amazon.co.uk.

Skybox - Picture Break Up During High Winds

If your Sky TV picture shows signs of breaking up, pixelation or picture freezing during high winds or stormy weather check the following:-

• Storm damage - Pole mounted Sky dishes are particularly susceptible to storm damage. Even a slight movement of the pole may cause sufficient dish misalignment to result in a "no satellite signal is being received" message and total Sky TV reception loss.
  
  High winds can also bend or move the pole permanently in the mounting brackets, leading to reception problems even when the winds abate.
  
  The solution is to re-locate the Sky dish onto a shorter pole or better still, find an alternative installation location where the standard minidish mounting bracket can be used to achieve line of sight with the Sky satellite at Astra 28.2E. A satellite meter is required to carry out Sky dish installation work.
  
  
• Excessive Dish Movement - If the minidish is mounted on wall T and K type wall brackets, ensure that the pole used is not too long, giving excessive movement during high winds. Guy the pole if possible. Low signal quality will result if the Sky dish is moving too much, sometimes leading to total signal loss or picture breakup.
  
  Always check that the Sky minidish mounting is secure. If the dish is mounted on your TV aerial pole and the pole moves even by a small amount in high winds, this can be enough to cause Sky pixilation problems, low signal quality, freezing and breaking up of picture.
  
  
• Coaxial Cable Problems - Check that the LNB F-type connection at the Sky dish is correctly made, physically tight and fully waterproofed with Self Amalgamating Tape. Replace the feeder if signs of corrosion or water are evident at any point. Always use CAI approved PF100 satellite coaxial cable.

For more troubleshooting advice and technical help, see LNB fault diagnosis.

Sky Plus Not Recording Problems

• Sky+ Recording Problems - If your Sky plus box is not recording reliably it is worth checking that both cable feeds from the Sky dish are working (I.E. that the signal quality and strength from each feed is above 50%). Poor signal quality can cause picture break-up and will require further investigation.
  
  Sky Not Recording problems can also be caused by loose connectors. Check that both the coaxial cables are securely connected to the rear panel F-sockets on the Skybox and that the cable feeders are undamaged from the dish itself.
  
  Where the cables join the dish, self-amalgamating tape should have been used to prevent water damage. Any water damaged feeder must be replaced with new satellite grade coaxial cable.
  
  
• Sky+ Disk Defrag - A common problem with Sky+ was the tendency for the hard disk to fragment, causing problems recording due to the box not being able to fully access the free disk space.
  
  The Sky+ box includes a Defrag (defragment) utility to tidy up the disk. To undertake this select the "Sky+ Planner rebuild" option from the Installer Menu. The Sky+ Planner Rebuild option performs a full defragmentation of the hard disk.
  
  This utility is accessed from the Installer Menu - by pressing the 'Services' button then quickly afterwards press button 4, then 0, then 1, followed by the 'Select' button.

Poor Sky Installation

A poor Sky TV installation can cause problems. In rare circumstances, a Sky minidish may have been badly installed in a location where it does not have full, unobstructed view of the satellite leading to poor signal quality on your Sky Digibox. This can result in picture loss or break up during bad weather.

Some examples of poor Sky installation include:-

• Installation behind a pitched roof - A Sky minidish that is installed too low behind a pitched roof or right underneath the roof overhang (see picture below right), will work at reduced efficiency and be more prone to picture break up in heavy rain. If signal quality is always below 60% in good weather and your dish is mounted behind a pitched roof, then it may be mounted in a position where not all of the minidish surface can "see" the satellite. To solve this, re-position the dish so that it has clear line-of-sight. Lower the dish away from the roof overhang for example.
  
  
• Trees and other obstructions - Obstructions like tall trees in front of the dish, between the dish and the Astra satellite will cause a bad Sky signal or no satellite signal. Trees and foliage will lead to wide fluctuations in signal quality when they move in the wind and Sky picture freezing or picture pixelation may occur. Relocate the dish such that it looks around any obstructions. See Sky dish installation for help re-installing the dish.
  
  
• Dish not horizontal - It's important that the LNB arm of any Sky minidish is horizontal as the LNB has a fixed offset angle (LNB skew). Check the minidish LNB arm is horizontal with a spirit level. Adjust the dish mounting and re-align if necessary to correct the problem using a Satellite Alignment Meter & Finder Kit. In some cases a low signal quality reading can result from a Sky dish which is mounted at a slight tilt (angle), even if the dish is correctly aligned.
  
  
• Poor LNB connector waterproofing - The connector/s on the LNB must be waterproofed with Self Amalgamating Tape to prevent water damage to the coaxial cable and corrosion. Careless Sky installers have been known to use unsuitable PVC tape or no tape at all, resulting in Sky reception problems or even total reception failure.

Troubleshooting Sky Minidish LNB Faults

An LNB fault can occur at any time and symptoms can include:-

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• Loss of some or all Sky TV channels depending on the nature of the LNB fault. This problem can also be caused by a faulty Digibox, so try another Skybox on your dish first!
  
  
• Loss of horizontal or vertical polarised Sky channels - Around half of the Sky Digital channels on Astra 28.2E are transmitted in horizontal polarization and the other half in vertical. Polarization switching on a Sky LNB is carried out by the receiver switching the DC voltage applied to the LNB, down the coaxial cable feeder. A fault in the voltage switching either in the Sky Digibox or (more commonly) the LNB can cause some Sky channels to fail with a "no satellite signal is being received" message. Intermittent faults can also occur, which can cause picture freezing, pixelation or signal break up on one polarization or the other. If in doubt replace the LNB.
  
  A list of vertical and horizontal channels on Astra 28.2E is provided at the SES website. If the Sky Digibox is found to be at fault (not switching the LNB voltages correctly), you will need to buy a cheap new or second hand Digibox - we suggest you try Amazon.co.uk.
  
  
• Missing Sky channels - Low band satellite channels are transmitted between 10.7GHZ - 11.8GHz (22KHz LNB switching tone "off") and High band channels between 11.6GHz - 12.7GHz (22KHz LNB switching tone "on"). Switching between low and high bands on the LNB is done by the Sky digibox sending a 22KHz tone down the coaxial cable. If the LNB isn't correctly responding to the 22KHz tone and selecting low and high bands, then some Sky channels will show "no satellite signal is being received" and the LNB is faulty and must be replaced.
  
  
• Replacing a Sky dish LNB - costs less than £10. Buy a replacement LNB if a fault is suspected. Troubleshooting LNB faults which are intermittent in nature can be difficult, but if your Sky Digibox works well on a neighbour's dish and you've checked your own cable and connections, then a faulty LNB may be the problem. LNB replacement is straightforward. A dish alignment check is recommended after replacing an Sky minidish LNB, especially if you are upgrading to a heavier Sky+ Quad output LNB from a single output LNB. A signal meter is required for this.
  
  To replace the LNB, first turn off the 240V power supply to your Sky Digibox. Then remove the small retaining pin under the LNB arm and slide out the minidish LNB arm. Then carefully remove the amalgamating tape around the F connector and unscrew it, disconnecting cable from the LNB. There are several different types of Sky minidish LNB, so make sure you purchase a replacement LNB compatible with the manufacturer of your dish.
  
  Fitting the new LNB is the reverse of this process. Always waterproof the F-connector by wrapping the joint with some Self Amalgamating Tape.
• Sky reception problems in cold weather - If reception breaks up or you get 'no satellite signal' when the outside air temperature is freezing this may have been caused by an LNB fault. Replacing the faulty Sky LNB will cure the problem. Of course, if the dish is covered in ice or snow then reception will be lost even with the best Sky dish LNB!

Sky Digibox Firmware Upgrade

The latest firmware version numbers for all Sky digiboxes can be found on Sky EPG Info.

If your Skybox has an older version of firmware, you can force a Digibox software upgrade (in UK only) by following the instructions below:-

• Check Sky Digibox signal quality is 50% or more before attempting any software upgrade
• Remove the Sky viewing card from your box
• Ensure that a phone line is connected to your Digibox
• Turn on your TV. Ensure that your Skybox is connected to your TV using a Scart cable
• Disconnect or turn off the 240V mains supply from the Sky Digibox
• Switch on the mains supply whilst holding the "Backup" button pressed on the Digibox front panel for 10 seconds, or until all front panel LED's (lights) illuminate and the "Updating System Software" message is displayed on your TV
• Do not attempt use of your phone line during the firmware upgrade!
• Wait for around 15 minutes for the software upgrade to complete, at which time the receiver will re-boot automatically. If it doesn't, wait at least an hour before disconnecting the mains supply
• Do not unplug your Skybox from the mains supply or satellite dish during the software upgrade or permanent damage could be done and your box rendered unusable
• Do not attempt a firmware upgrade if your Sky Digibox already has the latest firmware version