topic Changing to Sky Q confusion in Sky+

Pixelation on certain channels

Chigirlx — Sat, 25 May 2024 11:31:50 GMT

I'm getting pixelation picturebreaking up on some channels not all. It's mainly evening and early hours of the morning. Happens even on recordings on both boxes so it can't be the box or connections. Everything in the house is the same as always. It's random so it would be hard to tell if it's fixed if an engineer came out. The only new thing which coincides with when it started is a house acroos the road but not direcly opposite had scaoffolding put up. It's opposite my next door neighbours house not mine so would that cause any problems? The dish faces towards it.

Re: Pixelation on certain channels

Mark39 — Sat, 25 May 2024 12:21:06 GMT

It certainly sounds like a problem with your dish. Check for birds perching on the arm of the dish. If not that, then it maybe a slight dish misalignment, or possibly a failing LNB, especially if it's more than 5 years or so old.

You'll need someone to come out and take a look. Unless you have Sky Protect, there's no longer any engineer support for Sky+, so you'd either need to get a local installer to come out, or upgrade to Sky Q.

Re: Pixelation on certain channels

Chigirlx — Sat, 25 May 2024 12:50:47 GMT

Oh I didn't know they didn't fix sky plus anymore. No it's not birds as it happens late at night mainly. I'll have to get someone out then. How does that work when it's intermittent though regarding fixing it? Can they tell if it's misaligned or needs a new LNB?

Re: Pixelation on certain channels

Mark39 — Sat, 25 May 2024 13:32:24 GMT

Yes, any decent installer will have a sophisticated signal meter to check the signal strength and the performance of the LNB. Your Sky box's signal strength readings may give you an indication of what's happening. Tune to one of the channels which pixelates and go to Services > Settings > Signal. The white part of all four bars should be consistently at least half way across. When they dip lower is when you'll see pixelation. A properly aligned dish with a good LNB is likely to give you readings of 80-90%.- nearly all white.

Re: Pixelation on certain channels

Chigirlx — Sat, 25 May 2024 13:37:03 GMT

Thanks gonna have a look at that now.

Re: Pixelation on certain channels

Chigirlx — Sat, 25 May 2024 13:40:01 GMT

Ok so went onto BBC news and it's doing it right now. Went into services and the signal strength is way across halfway. I've contacted a reputable local company for a quote.

Re: Pixelation on certain channels

Chigirlx — Sat, 25 May 2024 14:12:52 GMT

We are now considering changing to sky Q but it's the shared planner that puts us off a bit. Would they come fit a new dish if I did change?

Re: Pixelation on certain channels

Daniel0210 — Sat, 25 May 2024 14:25:13 GMT

@Chigirlx
Would they come fit a new dish if I did change?

@Chigirlx

They would have to change the LNB on the dish but wouldn't automatically replace it but depends on the state of it.

Re: Pixelation on certain channels

Mark39 — Sat, 25 May 2024 14:25:38 GMT

Yes, Sky would do whatever is necessary to get you good signal as part of the Sky Q installation.

Re: Pixelation on certain channels

nigea99 — Sat, 25 May 2024 14:26:00 GMT

@Chigirlx wrote:

We are now considering changing to sky Q but it's the shared planner that puts us off a bit. Would they come fit a new dish if I did change?

hi @Chigirlx

If needed they would replace the dish, although not always needed but they do change the electronic bit on the dish (LNB)

This is covered, along with many other points in some notes I have made for people considering switching from SKY +/HD to SKY Q which you benefit from reading

SKY +/HD to SKY Q

Changing to Sky Q confusion

Chigirlx — Sat, 25 May 2024 14:35:12 GMT

So just phoned about changing to sky Q. Before I've been offered the main box and the mini free with installation included. Sky VIP customer over 20 years. The guy was saying I just get one box and put it in the hallway! I couldn't understand what he was on about and when I said I need the mini box he said my sky+ box will do and if I want a mini pay £15 a month. In the end I gave up with the call.

What am I asking for when I try again. Should it be the main sky Q box and 1 mini and do I pay a monthly multiscreen price?

Also he was pushing sky glass on me saying sky Q is going. I have fairly new smart TV's and don't want it I said.

Re: Changing to Sky Q confusion

Daniel0210 — Sat, 25 May 2024 14:39:02 GMT

@Chigirlx

Sky Q will be around for a few years yet although the agents are probably asked to push towards Glass or Stream. You would need a Sky Q box, a mini box (or more) and a monthly Multiscreen subscription.

Re: Changing to Sky Q confusion

SKY1992bf — Sat, 25 May 2024 14:39:16 GMT

@Chigirlx you need one main box and one mini plus a monthly multi screen subscription

a sky plus box won't work as a Q mini

Re: Changing to Sky Q confusion

Chigirlx — Sat, 25 May 2024 14:45:08 GMT

That's what I thought. He kept saying one box put it in the hallway! Does a new dish come with sky Q

Re: Changing to Sky Q confusion

Daniel0210 — Sat, 25 May 2024 14:46:43 GMT

@Chigirlx wrote:

Does a new dish come with sky Q

@Chigirlx

We've answered that in your other thread.

Re: Changing to Sky Q confusion

SKY1992bf — Sat, 25 May 2024 14:48:52 GMT

@Chigirlx the dish will only be replaced if the engineer deems it necessary to do so if it doesn't they will just swap out the lnb and use new cabling if needs be

Re: Changing to Sky Q confusion

nigea99 — Sat, 25 May 2024 14:51:21 GMT

hi @Chigirlx

I refer you to the notes I mentioned on your other discussion. & I do recommend you read them, although I think I may have missed the cost of the multiscreen subscription which is currently £15 as standard which covers upt tp 4 minis

They do seem to want to push SKY Glass but in reality most people would be better off with Stream than Glass

The satellites will be around for a few years but do have a finit life

Any other queries do not hesitate to ask

Re: Pixelation on certain channels

Chigirlx — Sat, 25 May 2024 14:51:44 GMT

Thanks all, well the guy on the phone when I tried to get sky Q annoyed me so much I've gone and booked an engineer to put up a new dish. Talking about one sky Q box to go in the hallway was just nuts. Put me right off.

Re: Changing to Sky Q confusion

Chigirlx — Sat, 25 May 2024 14:56:12 GMT

The multiscreen sub is fine as I pay that now anyway. What got me was all this at first about putting one box in the hallway. Just idiotic and put me off just because of his incompetence on the call. I was happy to have a sky Q box and a mini and pay multiscreen. I had to explain to him that was what I should be getting several times and if I wasn't I wouldn't bother. Then he agreed and told me I'd have to ring after I got sky Q and get a mni box and sub. Well no I want it all at the once. I've got an engineer coming to replace the dish now. He said the whole thing would need replacing but it's not rusty.

Re: Changing to Sky Q confusion

Daniel0210 — Sat, 25 May 2024 14:59:28 GMT

@Chigirlx

As you're sticking with Plus I've merged your threads together as we all seem to be duplicating our advice.