SKY Q

[CUETIPS]

I am the property manager of 14 flats with only 2 subscribers to Sky (not plus)

6 weeks ago a resident organised a Sky engineer to fit Q to our communal IRS system.

The engineer installed the dCSS-422 adapter and the resident now has Q which works well.

I assume our 16 way satellite switch outputs were checked as suitable for the adaptor.

This week, a new resident asked for Q (in a property that had never used Sky previously) and a Sky engineer used the second output of the adapter but could not get an adequate signal in the flat saying the cable might be faulty and the signal is weak ( a different Q box was tried also). Terrestrial TV from the same wall plate cable gives good strength and signal quality and perfect pictures and sound with all channels available. This flat has probably at least 60M of cable feeding it from the adaptor (the other flat is 10M of cable away) and I wonder whether a booster is available to fit to the dCSS adaptor output?

Is it possible the adaptor can't cope with a long cable attached or is it not coping with two outputs connected? The two flat cables were swapped round and the problem persisted.

The light on the adaptor output for the working flat pulses green about once a second and the other output does the same except that every 5th time it does a short flash also.

Is there any possibility the fitted Smart Meter or its in-home display  is interfering with the signal from the adaptor output ? The meter is only a metre away from the wall plate. 

It is possible the sky engineer that attended was not MDU trained as he expected just to connect the box within the flat. 

[Laing1]

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@CUETIPS wrote:

I am the property manager of 14 flats with only 2 subscribers to Sky (not plus)

6 weeks ago a resident organised a Sky engineer to fit Q to our communal IRS system.

The engineer installed the dCSS-422 adapter and the resident now has Q which works well.

I assume our 16 way satellite switch outputs were checked as suitable for the adaptor.

This week, a new resident asked for Q (in a property that had never used Sky previously) and a Sky engineer used the second output of the adapter but could not get an adequate signal in the flat saying the cable might be faulty and the signal is weak ( a different Q box was tried also). Terrestrial TV from the same wall plate cable gives good strength and signal quality and perfect pictures and sound with all channels available. This flat has probably at least 60M of cable feeding it from the adaptor (the other flat is 10M of cable away) and I wonder whether a booster is available to fit to the dCSS adaptor output?

Is it possible the adaptor can't cope with a long cable attached or is it not coping with two outputs connected? The two flat cables were swapped round and the problem persisted.

The light on the adaptor output for the working flat pulses green about once a second and the other output does the same except that every 5th time it does a short flash also.

Is there any possibility the fitted Smart Meter or its in-home display  is interfering with the signal from the adaptor output ? The meter is only a metre away from the wall plate. 

It is possible the sky engineer that attended was not MDU trained as he expected just to connect the box within the flat. 

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@CUETIPS this is a rather specialised are and as this is a customer to customer forum I would not expect many here will be able to help you.

I have tagged @Godfrey who is another customer but really knows his stuff on communual setups and i'm sure he will be able to answer your questions 

[CUETIPS]

@Laing1 

Thanks. I have tried in vain to speak to somebody at Sky, they used to have a phone line (which has now disappeared) for property managers and I think you'll agree its impossible to find answers to my questions via their faqs. 

[Godfrey]

@CUETIPS 

When this Sky Multiple Development Unit (MDU) trained engineer discovered that there were problems with the transponder signal levels and modulation error ratio (MER) quality of some transponders, they should have arranged to email you a PDF file copy of that logger scan, which would have tested the level and MER quality of all the 67 transponder signals that Sky presently uses.

This would have provided the exact reasons why your communal Integrated Reception System installation failed to meet the parameters required for a Sky Q receiver installation in this flat.

Signal Levels
o Fully data log all ports from the existing switch that will be used to provide
signal and ensure all pass.
o Check the signal levels emerging from the residents wall mounted faceplate are above around at least 52 dBuV from the existing dCSS-422 switch.
o MER - >10dB
o bBER - minimum- 2.00xE-4

If the loggers are marginal or show fails and there is nothing you can do to rectify the fault. Export the logger as a PDF file and send to the customer via email so they can speak to their Managing Agent (MA) so arrangements can be made to have the block serviced. Inform your manager and cancel using cancellation code 2212.

If you still have the telephone number of your last Sky Q MDU engineer contact them and ask for this PDF file to be emailed to you.

We could then analyse exactly how much attenuation / quality degradation was being introduced between the central communal distribution cabinet and this residents flat.

This is the indicated signal strength of my Sky Q V3 receiver with a 100 metres drum of WF100 coaxial cable connected between my dSCR and the Sky Q receiver input;

If the Modulation Error Ratio (MER) quality of every one of the 67 satellite transponder signals is greater than at least 11 dB, then a typical Sky Q receiver can cope with signal levels down to around 52 dBuV.

But, without access to that Sky MDU engineer's test scan of these 67 satellite transponder parameters we will have no way of offering any constructive advice that might allow this resident to be served via your long existing coaxial cable between the central communal distribution area and their flat.

The sequence of led indications that you describe unfortunately confirms that the resident's Sky Q receiver, or a Sky test meter, is being unable to achieve a stable 'LOCK' onto the requested satellite transponder 'User Band' datastream.

Alas, in all probability you have unfortunately discovered that the quality of this communal coaxial cable installation appears to be unable to support such long distances between the central communal area and any individual flat wall faceplates for residents wishing to adopt Sky Q reception.

Sky communal advice to Managing Agents 

Godfrey.

[CUETIPS]

@Godfrey 

Thanks for your reply Godfrey.

I assume the engineer who fitted the dcss-422 adaptor in May checked the switch output levels before fitting the adaptor and the adaptor outputs afterwards, but no report was sent to me as property manager so I can only assume all was OK for the first Q connection as the flat owner is happy. Neither the first nor second engineer asked for my email address, they both left in a hurry. Another booking is made for Thursday so I will ensure I get a log print then. Thanks

[Rhonny]

@Godfrey

You are marvellous. Your capacity to reply with helpful info is limitless.