What can I do when my Sky Digibox says 'No Signal' or 'Technical fault'?
How to Reset a Sky Digibox when 'No Signal' appears.
Reset method 1 - Delete and Rescan
- Turn the power off at the mains socket. Either do this by pulling the plug from the socket, or using a power switch if there is one.
- Remove the viewing card from the machine. Using a dry cloth or kitchen roll, clean the gold connector on the reverse of the card. Do not use any cleaning products.
- Check cables and connectors are in good order.
- Wait for at least 30 seconds.
- With the card still out of the machine, plug the Digibox back into the mains.
- Ignore all the messages, and wait for around a minute.
- Try 101 for BBC One, 102 for BBC Two and 103 for ITV-1.
- Insert viewing card, wait a few seconds.
- Check 104 for Channel 4 and 105 for five.
Reset Method 2 - Reset the LNB
If the above method does not work, the LNB may have a fault.
- Press the [SERVICES] button and then press [4] [0] [1] then [SELECT]
On Sky HD, press the [SERVICES] button and then press [0] [0] [1] then [SELECT]
Press the buttons in the sequence above exactly - do not atttempt to use [UP] or [DOWN]. Note that when you press the second 0 and 1 nothing happens on the screen until you press the final [SELECT]. This is a "hidden menu".
- Then press [1] to go to the RF output menu.
- Press [DOWN] three times to highlight the line 22Khz Command and then press [RIGHT] to change the value to [OFF].
- Press [DOWN] and [SELECT] to select Save New Settings.
- Press [SKY].
- Again press [SERVICES], [4], [0], [1], [SELECT]; then [1] again for the LNB Menu. (SERVICES 0 0 1 SELECT for Sky HD).
- Now press the [RED] button (reset all settings), then [DOWN] until you can select Save New Settings again.
- Press [SKY].
Reset Method 3 - Upgrade the system software
If there are still problems:
- Turn the Digibox off at the mains again and remove the viewing card.
- Whilst holding down the BACKUP key on the Digibox - NOT ON THE REMOTE - turn the mains power on.
- Keep hold of BACKUP until the screen displays a "UPGRADING SYSTEM SOFTWARE" message – this will be white text on a black screen. On some boxes this can appear as a half screen.
- Wait 10 to 20 minutes for the software to download and install. The box will restart when the process is complete.
- Ignore all the messages, and wait for around a minute.
- Try 101 for BBC One, 102 for BBC Two and 103 for ITV-1.
- Insert viewing card, wait a few seconds.
- Check 104 for Channel 4 and 105 for five.
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Kevin LambertSaturday 10 December 2011 6:28PM
I have a Panasonic TU BS D50 satellite box.
I also have the latest Sky viewing card even though i don't subscribe and just watch the free channels.
Lately i've been getting the message "There is a technical fault with this channel ,please try later".It affects certain channels only.
'Vintage TV','Horror','Movies4men' and others.
None of the main channels are affected.
The only way to get these back is to unscrew the dish lead connector on the rear and re insert it.
After a day or so they go again.I get a good three quarters signal on strength and quality.
The lead is properly cut and adjusted and no part of the uter coil is touching the inner.
I'm suspecting the socket clapmps, which hold the center part of the lead is'nt tight enough or weakened.
Is this common?
Any help appreciated.SteveMonday 12 December 2011 8:20PM
Hi, I am setting up sky for the freeview channels only with my sky HD + box and I get the message "no satellite signal". However, on a neighbours box it works perfectly. I have tried all three processes and nothing has happened!! Any ideas?stacyTuesday 13 December 2011 4:25PM
hi i have no signal on my sky telly or on my telly in any of my bedrooms which have freeview
eh44dj my ariel is in the loft johnThursday 15 December 2011 6:54PM
Newcastle Upon Tyne Hi,thanks for your reply have solved our problem the sky aerial cable connection that comes into the house had come apart from my extension cable that goes up into my bedroom my wife when putting the xmas tree up accidently pulled the connection apart.
cheers thanks.marie fenderSunday 18 December 2011 10:43PM
my tv in the bed room is saying no signal i have looked at every thing and the tv tells me that there is no phone line is the phone somthing to do with the sky box and would this make the problem of the box not to workdon evettsMonday 19 December 2011 10:00AM
marie fender: Hi Marie, the no phone line will not stop your sky box from working, the phone line is only used with the installers menue, when connected it decides which area your card recieves for your local programs. If you have more than one box swap them over and see if the other box works. If both fail check the cable input to the box, the F connecter is the worst type made they can come loose when you change or just move the box a little. Sky boxes often fail due to power supply failure due to poor ventilation and give the no signal report. If the box will not work in a different place it's cheaper to replace it than repair it, try ebay for a used box there are loads of them there qiute cheap. Good luck hope this helps.TonyMonday 19 December 2011 6:53PM
My freeview channels work but I get no signal on sky channels. Have tried the reset procedures but still get same meessage error 29pete ClareMonday 19 December 2011 7:42PM
my hitachi sat box sometimes shows the symbols L or d in its viewing panel but there is no reference to it in the handbook, the only way to clear it is to unplug the box, surely there is a reason and cause for these symbols?Tony: If the reset procedures don't work, then you will have no actual signal.
This could be because the dish has moved, the LNB has failed, the cables are damaged or the box is faulty. pete Clare: I'm not really sure what you mean by a "viewing panel" and why they cause a problem with viewing. MikeThursday 22 December 2011 9:15AM
I used to have sky multiroom but ended this about a year ago. i still have my SKy plus downstairs with full subscrption and a normal sky box upstairs. Up until a couple of months ago all of the 'free to air' channels were available upstairs but lately the recption has started to go funny on some normal channels like BBC1. Can I do anything about this?jb38Thursday 22 December 2011 3:50PM
Mike: If reception is affected in any other room then its either caused by the box itself having developed a fault, or its connected to a problem with the multi- outlet LNB or dish alignment.
To check the latter, press "services" then 4 -6 and observe the signal strength / quality, which should be roughly the same at about 75% level, if not, or one is radically different from the other, then the dish requires slight re-alignment.
If though the signal readings are OK, then disconnect the box from the mains for a few minutes before powering it up again and letting it go through the usual "searching for listings" procedure.
KeirThursday 22 December 2011 4:20PM
Glasgow I have BT vision box and recive freeview channels including Sky soprts 1 and 2 and ESPN I have had no problems with this until the weekend, I am not receiving signal on sky channels yet everything else is ok. Is this due to work on transmitter. ayFriday 23 December 2011 11:08AM
Wyn Davies: Thanks very very much. i am very delighted. switching off from the plug and on really worked for me.MikeFriday 23 December 2011 1:20PM
Warrington Thanks for your help jb38. Ive tried all of the reset methods above and your tips but not working. The signal strength is mainly ok. If I adjust the LNB will this affect my already fine picture I get on my main box?
If my 2nd sky box in my bedroom is faulty I have looked at purchasing a freesat box. Can this be plugged straight into the sky dish feed without re-alingment?jb38Friday 23 December 2011 5:04PM
Mike: As far as your Freesat question is concerned nothing requires to be altered, as both systems are totally compatible with each other as far as the dish is concerned.
I would suggest though that albeit a bother to do, but you should temporarily try the upstairs box in the downstairs position to see if the problem follows it, because if you say that the signal strength / quality appears to be OK then its the only way of determining whether the intermittent problem is being caused by the box, or alternatively by the upstairs connection to the dish, or even the LNB port being used on it.
SteveTuesday 27 December 2011 2:19PM
I have the latest sky + HD box and have 2 other tv's in other rooms but not sky multiroom. I also use a surge protector where my cables are plugged into.I removed the cables from the surge protector to put them all in a "cable tidy" then fastened them back into the surge protector and the main tv is ok but when i turn on the other 2 tv's ( one in bedroom, one in dining room )all i get is message saying " no signal " and i cant get anything from either of them.tracyTuesday 27 December 2011 11:26PM
can any 1 help i have just moved my bedroom around the sky freeview was working fine now i have lost itv channel 4 and five never had a problem in 4 years with this thanks jb38Wednesday 28 December 2011 7:51AM
Steve: Assuming that the two other TV's are being used to view Sky via your Sky+ boxes RF1(or 2) output, although this shouldn't really be necessary as nothing should have changed, but go into the Sky boxes set up menu (0-0-1-select in one smooth operation) and make sure the RF output channel is still set to whatever it was before, as what you have reported suggests that it possibly isn't, this happening when you disconnected the box from the mains.
This said though taking it that you haven't accidentally left the co-ax cable from the Sky+ box unconnected, but there isn't really any connection between your cable tidying up exercise and not being able to receive on the other TV's except by the possibility of one of the aforementioned reasons applying, unless the boxes RF modulator has failed. (not unheard of!)
By the way, if you have forgotten which RF channel was being used by the Sky boxes modulator just carry out a re-scan on one of the TV's whilst its on "analogue" and it will pick it up, then do likewise on the second set, if you experience interference on the TV's you will need to set the Sky boxes modulator to another channel and set the TV's to this, or just re-scan the TV's again to pick it up.
steveWednesday 28 December 2011 10:57PM
sky went off both our tvs and done all what they surjested and still nothing.We wish we had not left virgin!!!!!jb38Thursday 29 December 2011 8:14AM
steve: When you went into the section of the Sky boxes set up menu referred to did you see "RF output" mentioned on the list? because on re-reading your posting I see you mention that its the "latest" Sky+ boxes you have, and if its a DRX595 model then they do not have RF modulators fitted to them.
To be able to use the RF feed through to TV's in other rooms you would require to purchase a separate RF modulator, this connected into the Sky boxes scart socket, devices such as this sold by Maplin.Kevin LambertSunday 1 January 2012 12:01PM
Am i the only one here who thinks Sky's service is pretty disgusting.
I origionaly had a Panasonic TU-DSB30 box when i started my subscrition.This worked great until around 2005 when it started missing channels or havingto go through CH5 to get to BBC2.I found out this was a Panasonic box fault and fitted a Panafilter which cured that but on using the reboot suggested at the time made the box lose neary all stations or state 'no signal being recieved'.This box i now have with a cooling fan and panafilter fitted but it's useless andat my expense.
I then decided to go for a Panasonic TU-DSB50 to replace it with (used one, as i love the sound and picture quality plus speedy system) as this was always highly praised.It started off fine but now i keep losing certain channels....... (BBC2,Movies4men,Horror,PickTV, Sonytv amongst others).I have tried most things suggestedby the many sites NONE have cured the issues.
I bought a secong Panasonic TU-DSB50 ,this one is EVEN WORSE.
What gives?
Freeview is far more consistent.
If it IS the manufatcurer of the boxes how can they justify this poor effort?
Panasonic are a very good brand (or so i thought).
Maybe i should upgrade the basic cable i had when it was installed.
The signal rating is very good,about three quarters for both signals.
Any help appreciated otherwise i'll give up using Sky's system altogether it's too much stress and agro.The reciever box relibailty is appaling too. IanSunday 1 January 2012 3:37PM
I am having problems with my Sky multiroom second box. It was having the signal interrupted so I was losing recordings. I have been through all 3 of the procedures above(twice) and have now lost BBC1/2, ITV, Ch4/5 thogh the rest of the Sky channels seem fine. Any assistance would be most gratefully received.AndyMonday 2 January 2012 5:25PM
Have cabled up the spare 4th LNB socket to a working satellite receiver and am getting "No signal 29" error. The other 3 LNB sockets all work fine, do I need to reset something or change any settings on the Sky system to get the 4th LNB socket to provide a signal, thanks?
Andy jb38Monday 2 January 2012 8:10PM
Andy: Taking it that you have verified that the sat box you are using on that outlet is OK, then I would unscrew each "F" connector in turn and check to make sure that a single strand of the braiding hasn't shorted onto the inner lead, or if you have an ohms checker just try that across the plug making sure that the meter is set to its lowest ohms range or you might get a false reading. (nothing should be indicated)
Admittedly the No4 outlet on the LNB could possibly be faulty, but its extremely unusual for this to happen.
Neil MorganTuesday 3 January 2012 11:58PM
My Sky + box does not want to record any BBC channels. Every time I try to record a BBC program all I get is FAILED no signal. Even though when I go on to that channel it works. can anybody help?arnieWednesday 4 January 2012 11:45AM
one more thing to look for no signal. with twin hd cable water leaking inside outer cable running down to digibox connector. the cable rubbing on the roof in the high winds jb38Wednesday 4 January 2012 4:35PM
Neil Morgan: Try swapping the two rear "F" connectors over to see if you can still receive BBC OK by doing that.
RichardThursday 5 January 2012 4:14PM
Hi got this problem with my grinding digibox. I don't pay for sky anymore and just been enjoying the free view channels. This morning I have no signal showing when I put on sky . Have followed all the procedures with no joy. Done a system health check and comes up with input1 and input2 4www-wwwA system health check w9HF.
Can anyone help with this one,
Many thanks in advance.sharealamThursday 5 January 2012 4:51PM
richard have you tried taking the sky box plug out and repluging it?that brings the channels back.MichelleThursday 5 January 2012 9:22PM
Hi havin problems with 2nd digibox upstair.sayin no signal so gone on services then on signal the input strenght,quailty are empty.what is it.downstair is workin sound.so please would u know.Shaun RFriday 6 January 2012 6:26PM
Ok so I get the message on my screen saying 'No satelite signal being received', or just stays stuck on "Searching for listings, please wait' - I have an Amstrad Sky+ box. We also have another box exactly the same and a HD box in the living room, both are working fine.
Ive tried all the above 3 methods, plus have swapped the cables around at the back (the white ones from the dish) and still isnt working.
What can I do?Danny WFriday 6 January 2012 7:52PM
I have Sky multimroom with 1 HD box and 1 Sky plus Box. Since the storms which havn't been that bad for me (Herts) I have lost all signal on input 1 for both boxes.
I have powered off the LNB and done a LNB reset, but no difference. I haven't yet reset the digibox given both are effected.
Could I have a damaged dish or LNB. Nothing is visually damagedjb38Friday 6 January 2012 8:31PM
Danny W: Its extremely unlikely that anything had changed except for the possibility that your dish (or LNB fixing) has been very slightly knocked out of alignment, and a difference that's so slight that no-one, even an engineer, could possibly notice on looking at the dish.
Just to exclude the possibility of any surge having done a mischief to your box (unlikely as it is) swap the "F" inputs plugs over and see if input No1 starts working again, albeit No2 possibly wont!
Danny WFriday 6 January 2012 8:39PM
jb38
Thanks for the quick responce
Do you mean the two plugs at the rear of the HD box. If so I have done this and still Input 1 is down and input 2 is OK.
therefore assumimng you are correct in the alignment being knock out, I take it I need an engineer to re-align the dish/LNB?jb38Saturday 7 January 2012 12:04AM
Danny W: Unfortunately no, as that would then indicate that the box No1 input was defective, that is "if" you checked that No2 input did have an operational signal on it which vanished when it was changed over to No1's input.
I would be inclined to reset the box again.jb38Saturday 7 January 2012 9:43AM
Danny W: Just to further clarify, to test the inputs on both your boxes go into the boxes signal strength check screen where both No1 & No2 input strength bars are shown, then on the boxes dish input No2 try each of the two connections from the dish in turn, if one indicates OK but the other doesn't then that particular port on the LNB is defective (or connection to) so mark the lead to identify it.
If however both leads from the dish indicate OK (which they should) on No2 input but show no signal on the signal check screen when connected to No1 input, then its the box at fault.
Its just on re-reading your posting I am not quite sure if the storm referred to was of an electrical nature (lightning) or just blustery, but should the former be applicable then high static rain can occasionally cause damage to LNB's and also some types of mast head amplifiers used on analogue or Freeview systems.
What makes me a bit suspicious that some other factor might possibly be applying is that Sky boxes tuner inputs aren't damaged that easily.
AllanSaturday 7 January 2012 7:18PM
need help just phoned sky as my sky+ hd box has just decided to stop receiving any signal at first i was getting the number 10 in the little box that the message came up in and then it changed to 25 i followed what sky had to say which made my box worse as i was receiving some channels but then i received none after i followed what was said to me over the phone i explained that to them and they gave me a number to call for a 3rd party and i did but was answered by an automated service saying that the offices were closed how can i rectify the problem i have without a service engineer?jb38Saturday 7 January 2012 8:37PM
Allan: What model of Sky+ HD box do you have? as there is two types in use so look at the plate on its underside, but I would suggest that you unplug it from the power supply for a few minutes before powering it up again and letting it go through the usual procedure of searching for listings, that is if Sky hasn't advised you to do that already.
Dave BlackshawFriday 13 January 2012 2:04PM
Hi,
Just stopped paying for sky & we have a sky+HD box(Samsung model). have connected a Freesat box to my sat dish along with the sky box, but we are getting the no signal message for the sky box, the freesat box works fine. There are 4 connections on the LNB & we have connected 1 twin cable for the freesat box & 1 twin cable for the sky box can you offer any advice on how to get the sky box to receive a signal please.
Thanks.jb38Friday 13 January 2012 5:00PM
Dave Blackshaw: If that is all you have done then it sounds suspiciously like one of the "F" connector plugs is shorting as what you have done should have worked.
The only thing I did think about was if you are positive that all four leads are actually coupled into the quad block?, although a quick way to verify this is, "if" your Freesat (PVR?) is working OK leave it on the signal strength check screen and remove its two "F" connectors, then transfer the two from the Sky box into the Freesat PVR, if there's a fault on one of the dish leads then only one of the two signal strength bars will indicate, so if you observe the strength bar as you remove them again that will indicate which one requires checking, i.e: the one that doesn't show any difference on the bar when its removed.
JasonFriday 13 January 2012 6:05PM
Hi I have a Sky +HD install and cannot recieve some channels... mainly the misic channels, when I try to record them I get 'Failed Technical Fault'. When I try to watch them I get 'No Satellite Signal is being recived'
I have checked all cable connections, and the signal levels, they are all fine on working channels, but when I select a music channel I loose Input 1 signal & quality.
I spoke to sky yesterday and they said it was a dish allignment problem, so I have re-alligned the dish today with a sat meter and it's still the same. I did notice that the LNB has a twistable setting, do you know what this should be and do you have any suggestions on how to resolve.
Many thanks
Jasonjb38Friday 13 January 2012 9:17PM
Jason: That setting you refer to is called "Skew" and should be initially set to position 3, or if its not marked with numbers then looking directly onto the block from the rear it should be turned clockwise approx 35 degrees or so and then trimmed either way from this position whilst observing any changes in signal quality, this viewed via the boxes signal check screen.
The type of problem you mention might require the box to be reset using what's known as a "planner rebuild" this accessed from the hidden menu, but have a check on the LNB skew setting first.
If you require further assistance please state the model of box you have.JasonFriday 13 January 2012 9:35PM
Thanks jb38, I will check the skew tomorrow, although the quality levels are about 80%, if I do the planner rebuild will I lose my recordings?jb38Friday 13 January 2012 11:09PM
Jason: Unfortunately yes, that's why this measure should only be used as a last resort, anyway see how you get on with your skew adjustment checks.LornaThursday 19 January 2012 8:45PM
Please help I have sky Ireland and have no channel 5 it just went. Sky say I have to tune manually I have done this but only BBC channels come up on screen what can I do. jamesThursday 19 January 2012 9:01PM
same as lorna,when i clicked into channel 5 techanical fault came up on the screen..so i tried to remove it and retune,now it doest come up when i put in the frequencyliamThursday 19 January 2012 9:53PM
lorna, james you need to retune channel 5 to new freq! ch5 on astra 2D is gone.... so new freq is 10.964 H 22 5/6
about 6 of them will come up so save em all and do card trick againNiamhThursday 19 January 2012 10:45PM
Thanks Liam,Searching for Channel 5 under the new frequency worked for me! :)CharlotteSunday 22 January 2012 1:46PM
Hi, I wondered if you could help. I have a TV with built in freeview which has worked before fine, I moved house and now cannot pick up any signal whatsoever, i've tried re-tuning it which hasn't worked and i've even tried hanging the aerail out of the window and had no luck! :-(
Please help!!
ThanksCharlotte: Please give your location, preferrably post code, so the chances of reception might be checked upon.
Are you using an indoor aerial and if so, is there not an outdoor one you can use? You might need to get a suitable lead to plug into the outdoor one, for example, if there is a wall socket for it but the previous occupier didn't leave the fly lead that connects from the wall socket to the TV/recorder. 
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