Paying for Sky Mexico in SF Bay Area

[markofca]

Thanks. I'm off and running again. I'll post back once I have the equipment and (hopefully) it's working.

 

[markofca]

Not so easy to buy these items in the US. No one stocks them and Invacom USA doesn't even receive them from Invacom. They are forwarding my request along to Invacom central to see if there's a way to get them.

 

[mr.crane]

Not so easy to buy these items in the US. No one stocks them and Invacom USA doesn't even receive them from Invacom. They are forwarding my request along to Invacom central to see if there's a way to get them.

What parts exactly you need? I thought all you needed was the Invacom
Universal Lnb, that is even on Fleabay? You got me puzzled now.

 

[markofca]

ADF-120 and TWF-031. You're right. There is one selling on eBay right now from the UK. Just bought it.

 

[mr.crane]

ADF-120 and TWF-031. You're right. There is one selling on eBay right now from the UK. Just bought it.

ADF-120 Is for sale here in States for $27.95

 

[markofca]

If you're looking at the same sites I saw, then if you dig deeper, you'll find that none of the places listing the item actually have it in stock. I called Invacom USA, and they do not receive these items from Invacom any more in the US. Invacom USA is actually some other company acting as an Invacom distributor.

 

[mr.crane]

If you're looking at the same sites I saw, then if you dig deeper, you'll find that none of the places listing the item actually have it in stock. I called Invacom USA, and they do not receive these items from Invacom any more in the US. Invacom USA is actually some other company acting as an Invacom distributor.

just checked another site, backed order.

 

[SatelliteAV]

Scaler and LNB $94 on eBay Ship Worldwide.

 

[markofca]

75% Q - no picture

Well, I finally received my Invacom TWF-031 and feed horn. Awesome improvement in signal quality. My FTA receivers are both reporting around 75% Q instead of 45%. I can still see free channels on the FTAs.

On the Sky boxes, I've gone from 0% quality to about 20% quality with a BER of 1.5x10-3. BUT STILL NO PICTURE . I have both LNB cables plugged in to the two satellite inputs and have the LNB set to Universal settings. When I was in Mexico, I checked a working Sky receiver in Mexico City and the Q was also down around 30%...I think the boxes may just report a lower Q than typical receivers.

The diagnostics menu reports "Tune Status: DMOD NOT LOCKED". The diagnostics also report that the software on the receiver updated in November 2009. The box hasn't been in Mexico since September 2009, so I've received a complete software update successfully (the GUI also changed) with my current set-up. I must have been getting a good enough signal from Mexico for a software update, and now my signal is significantly better than that.

The only things I can think of to explain why I don't have a picture:
- maybe there is a transponder that the Sky box is expecting to see that is more localized (smaller cone) than the transponders I'm seeing
- there's some magic hidden setting on the receivers that I can't find (hold down this button, and press that button or something)
- I need some signal re-sent from Sky since the boxes have been disconnected for a while

Can anyone think of anything else? Thanks...frustrated as heck...

 

[pro96]

Question for ya, what skew do you have the LNB at?

 

[markofca]

Skew

It's at about -45. I can never remember which way is +/-, but if I am standing in front of the dish (blocking its reception), the LNB is rotated clockwise from vertical about 45 degrees. I have tweaked the skew while watching a meter and have peaked it with its current position.

The skew has a massive effect on the Q (if you rotate it back to zero, Q drops to near zero).

 

[pro96]

It's at about -45. I can never remember which way is +/-, but if I am standing in front of the dish (blocking its reception), the LNB is rotated clockwise from vertical about 45 degrees. I have tweaked the skew while watching a meter and have peaked it with its current position.

The skew has a massive effect on the Q (if you rotate it back to zero, Q drops to near zero).

OK on the menu you are getting any CALIDAD reading? and which SAT do you have selected as they have 2 for the 58w slot?

btw: I have many family members with SKY MEXICO here in Socal, so I can confirm settings with them to match with yours

 

[markofca]

Settings

Thanks for your help. I'm getting Calidad that varies between 20-30. BER at the moment is 8.5E-4.

I have the satellite set to PAS-9 24K

LNB is set to Tono, Banda Baja: 9750, Banda Alta: 10600

 

[pro96]

Thanks for your help. I'm getting Calidad that varies between 20-30. BER at the moment is 8.5E-4.

I have the satellite set to PAS-9 24K

LNB is set to Tono, Banda Baja: 9750, Banda Alta: 10600

Try PAS9 13K see if that helps

 

[markofca]

There's one other setting:
Id de la Region

I've tried different things for this, current have it set to 7, but no idea what this is for or what it should be.

 

[markofca]

PAS-9 13K gives the same thing. "Senal interrumpida" and "DMOD abierto" in the diagnostics.

 

[pro96]

what size dish u using? You might be in the fringe area

 

[markofca]

6 foot dish with Invacom LNB. Getting great Q and signal with the large dish, but I'm definitely not in the middle of their coverage area.

 

[pro96]

6 foot dish with Invacom LNB. Getting great Q and signal with the large dish, but I'm definitely not in the middle of their coverage area.

OK.. have u tried with an FTA receiver the transponders from SKY to see what kinda signal u get?

Like 11960H 30000

 

[markofca]

Yes. I've used the transponder for SkyView which is one of the 'Mosaico" channels that is unencrypted (just shows you what's on Sky PPV). I get signal and Q of 75% on two different FTA receivers and can actually watch the channel.

The Sky receivers always report much lower Q than the FTA's. I have read that this may just be a problem with how the Sky receivers report Q.