# LIDL satellite ...how to?



## Texas (May 9, 2005)

Despite following the instructions carefully. I can't get the system to tune in.

All that appears is a notice 'Signal is weak' I've checked the coax cable connections and all are in order. I'm trying to locate *ASTRA* satellite.

I've driven round the local villages and all sat aerials are pointing in the direction I have mine. Even tho' we are in the hills.

Am I doing something wrong, or am I missing the obvious?

Any help gratefully received.

Texas


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

Most of your answers will be found here *Texas*:-

http://tinyurl.com/bv5x9


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## rowley (May 14, 2005)

I found the compass useful for initial setting up. I found that with the dish in the case I needed the bubble to be set on 30. I also found that the astra setting on the compass was slightly out, best result being slightly more to the right.
I know this sounds a bit non technical but it gave me a 77% quality outside and 64% inside through the plastic window.


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## Texas (May 9, 2005)

I'm afraid that site hasn't made me any the wiser.

I'm still no further forward.

Thank you for trying to help.

Texas


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## Brambles (May 12, 2005)

Hi Texas,

Can I jump back a bit and check a few things with you. 

1. Are you going into installation menu to check for signals.
Do do this press Menu (black round button on remote) not the grey one below the 'text' printing.
When in the main menu, select installation (OK button) and enter password '0000'. You wil now get a screen showing the strength and quality.
Check strenth is 60ish . If you have no strength then connection to LNB is bad probably.
Next you ned to select the satellite you want to find - ASTRA2. You could also try astra1 or Eurobird if you have problems.
Next point dish at wher you think it needs to be, and look for quality bar rising.
You need 60ish (think 55 was mentioned by comag reply previously).

Now this may not mean you will get rid of the weak signal warning as now you need to select a channel that you can get on that satellite. So exit menus...exit exit exit .
I will post more later depending on how you get on now. Once you have a quaity signal on the installation menu you are almost done if not done.

Jon.


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## Texas (May 9, 2005)

Thank you Brambles for your info, I'll give it a try in the morning. I'm sure the kit must be OK, It's with the operator where the problem lies.

I'm still annoyed from my exploits earlier today, perhaps it will all fall into place on the morrow.

Texas


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Hi Everyone

Don't blame yourself if you have problems with this set-up, you could well have a duff unit, there is no doubt that my receiver at least has a number of problems. After setting it up Monday without any problems it froze on me and had to be consigned to the fridge for half an hour to recover. It has been left switched on since to soak test which has shown up further problems. Although I can set it up easily, it now point blank refuses to display any programmes from Astra 2 transponder 10773 which is the one with BBC 2,3,4,CBBC and News24 on it. Reception from the other transponders is fine. Signal quality is 90% and if I put a digibox on the dish feed it picks up transponder 10773 just fine. Also I am now unable to get Hotbird at all whereas on Monday it was strong and clear. I have double checked all the settings and consigned it to the fridge again, all to no avail. I suspect it will be going back to Lidl with a demand for a refund unless anyone else has any good ideas?

Gaspode


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## Brambles (May 12, 2005)

Hi Gaspode,

Sorry to hear you are having problems and agree people should not blame themselves. Its not easy setting up if you do not know how it all works and very easdy to lose settings and get confused as there are a lot of variables.
If you are getting a signal from other transponders then I would suggest your system is woking and something else is wrong, maybe not properly lined up, or you have not progamed reciever correctly. I would not put the unit in the fridge to cool down - when you take it out you wil get condensation forming on the circuits and could cause problems so you should wait 45 mins or so for unit to come back up to ambient temp and any condensation dry out begore switching on.

Anyway, as I mentioned am sure you will get ASTRA 2 again if you perservere...
good luck though as I know it is frustating. 
Jon


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## Texas (May 9, 2005)

Despite following all instructions kindly given (gaspode Brambles johnsandywhite) I can not get any reading whatsoever on the quality bar, not even a quick flicker...it's a consistent OO% . I have no way of checking if the dish is actually working or not. What do you think? any ideas?
Thank you

Extremely frustrated Texas


PS. Is it normal for the unit to smell ?


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

:? Hi *Texas*. If you have the dish pointing towards the Sun at 11.30am (perhaps a little late now) with the face of the dish virtually vertical move it *VERY* (when stood behind) slowly to the left, then *VERY* slowly to the right. You should get something?


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## Texas (May 9, 2005)

I've been doing just that for the last 15 mins johnsandywhite...however I'll give it another try, I just wish the quality meter would just even flicker, it would encourage me to stop thinking the dish is faulty.

Texas


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

8O I had a similar problem with my Kathrien dish while was away last week at Reighton Sands. I did eventually get a signal but it wasn't that good. It is possible you have a faulty LNB, but I usually find they either work or they don't. I don't need to ask if you have checked the connections? Sometimes if the earth shielding on the cable is shorting ( a single thin wire is enough) it can also give the same problem.


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## Texas (May 9, 2005)

As you say I have checked and refitted the connections more than once to try and eliminate any possible fault from that source. But I am not getting even the slightest increase in quality, it seems like there is no antenna attached. I have got a compass rigged up near the dish so I can accurately move it through the required areas...but NOTHING absolutely NOTHING in way of even a single % of quality increase. Is there any way of testing the dish or the grey LNB? unit that is fastened to it?

*UPDATE: HAVE GOT 65 - 72% ON QUALITY SEEMS TO BE GETTING THERE*.

Texas


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

I was just going to post, but it looks like you are getting there while I was looking up about the kit. It doen't come with a meter which would have told you (if it lit up) that you had power from the satellite receiver up the cable. The only other way to check for voltage (it duesn't send 13/18v unless there is an LNB connected) would be to wet your fingers and see if you get a tingle? Not really recommended, but it does work. :roll:


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## Texas (May 9, 2005)

Thank you for your continued interest and help, sometimes the qualty disappears altogether. I'm waiting 'til all channels have been found to see what I can actually watch. Seems like the set needs fine tuning on some channels. There does appear to be a lot of German based channels.

Texas


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

8O Oh dear *Texas* looks like you on either Astra 1 or Hotbird. Never mind, at least you are getting there. Astra 2 is further to the left as you stand behind the dish. Good viewing.


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## 88905 (May 10, 2005)

There's lots of mention about compass bearing in the comments, but don't forget that an element of elevation is also required to find the satellite.
If I can find the link I will post a route to a swedish website which gives elevations for any latitude and satellite bearing.

nobby

EDIT
Try looking at www.smw.se for the free download proggy for azimuth and elevation info on any stellite.
The Sky one is at 28E.


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## Texas (May 9, 2005)

I seem to have a choice of 3 sats Astra 1 2 and hotbird, my next question is. How do i get back to a full screen, as at the moment I've just got a small edit screen in the top right corner?

Texas


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

8O If there is no exit key and as I don't actually have the set you have. I can only suggest, switch off the set and then back on again. Unless of course it's your TV ?


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## Brambles (May 12, 2005)

HI,
If you are stuck in a menu use the exit button - bottom half of remote, upper right round button.

It could be you l not get a quality rating unless you have selected a channel that is on the satellite you are looking at - Thats the catch 22 that can throw you sometimes I think. 

Signal strength shown is teh signal from the LNB. If it has a connection problem you will not get a signal strength.

Hope this helps some.
Jon.


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Hi again everyone

I have to say that I have messed with a few satellite set-ups in my time but this one has to be the most difficult system to navigate that I have ever come across! At last I seem to have found out how to get it to work properly (the receiver that is - I never had a problem with the dish set-up). The answer is to simply restore the factory defaults then start from scratch adding only the satellites and programmes that you need. The main problem when resetting is that it loses all data and sets the menu language to German! Once I found the language change menu and restored the English setting all was plain sailing. I added only the Astra2 satellite then made a programme search of all FTA channells. Bob's your uncle - all Astra2 programmes present and working fine. Now I know what to do when it throws a wobbler again!
I feel heartily sorry for those of you struggling to get a signal from the dish, it's OK for me, I've done it many times before and experience helps a lot. It would help if the manual made some sort of sense.
Just a suggestion for those of you who simply can't get a signal:

If you have a Sky digibox setup, you can plug the connector for the lead from the Sky dish into the Lidl receiver and it will work if the Lidl receiver is set to Astra2. This will help diagnose if the problem is with your receiver or the dish alignment/connection. ALWAYS REMEMBER -unplug your receiver before undoing the lead from the dish as it carries a small voltage and if shorted out may damage your equipment!

Gaspode


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## Paulway (May 9, 2005)

Thanks for everyones help setting this up, never done one before, I have only just got round to trying it would have given up without the posts. 
Just a question I hope it is not to stupid, do you have to go through this procedure every time you set up i.e. do the settings you have made:- sattelite and channels, have to be re-found or do they retain for the next time you connect up to the power supply?
I just can't imagine going through this process every time I set it up on site, I would be spending all my holiday trying to sort it out.


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

Hi *Paulway*. Once you have all your channels on the set. All you have to do is find the signal for the Satellite you wish to watch. I am sure you have enough practice at that now to be able to set it up in no time. :wink:


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## Paulway (May 9, 2005)

Thanks for that John Sandy, I think I can cope with that then!!
Must say I have not bothered with TV in the past with the mediocre picture quality and always thought of Sat being overly costly, but this little setup is really quite impresive and if i've only got to align the dish then that is no worse than fidling with the rotten aerials that don't work to well.


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## 88726 (May 9, 2005)

moving this back to top as somebody needs it . :wink: 
cheers
kenny +stella


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## 88781 (May 9, 2005)

Followed the same posting Ken,...helping out too!..... :wink:


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## 88726 (May 9, 2005)

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

fink ours is busted


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

carolgavin said:


> fink ours is busted


 :? Daft question? Is it not powering up? Have you checked the fuse in the plug? Is it powering up but not working? Need more information to give you some definitive pointers of what to look for. :wink:


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## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

Hi johnsandywhite. We think we may have a faulty LNB. We have followed ALL the advice given to the letter ( it must have been really funny watching us :lol: )to set it up and we get no reading at all just continual weak signal. Took your advice re non bendy signal and even took it up to my dads who has an open outlook and still diddly! Have printed off all the advice from various people and have referred to it we were at it for 4hours Tuesday am (sun at 11:30 am) and still no nothing, diddly squat in the way of picture and the quality reading still rests firmly at zero.
Offer is still open to anyone coming to Scotland re meal/chinese/indian/fish/haggis/hook up coffee/whisky/vodka/beer/tea etc etc but be quick as we're probably gonna take it back.
Oh every thing else checks out fine fuse plugs etc
Thanks for all your (and everyone elses) advice so far  Course its just possible that we are just too stupid


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

8O Hi *carolgavin* I am certain you are not stupid. Perhaps just a little unlucky. Wish I could help out more but I am not planning on a trip up North just at the moment.. :roll:


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## Brambles (May 12, 2005)

Hi Cariolgavin.
Lets jump back to square one an see if we can get you working.

You should have two signal bars. Strenghth and quality. Do you have a reading for Strength. That will show your LNB is connected. 
Next, using the grey buttons below menu do you get a long list of channels?
(checking to see sytem has not been reset and memory for stations cleared out).
If you have no strength (not quality) then you have a problem with connections or LNB. (possibly with sytem setup for the LNB but unlikely unless you have been playing with them).
Jon.


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## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

Hi Brambles we have strength but no quality and a huge long list of channels when we press the button. Going to give it one last try tomorrow following all recommendations hopefully we'll get it going. Thanks again for taking the time to reply!!


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## Paulway (May 9, 2005)

Hi Carolgavin, 
I too had a lot of problem getting a signal. After following the infomation on here I managed to get it to work. I believe that in my case I had to much inclination on the dish, after I got the stations I experimented to try to improve on the 72% Quality and realised how easy it was to lose the signal and that the dish (in my case) had to be completely vertical if not looking down a little from the vertical. When I origionally tried it I had put a bit of incline on the dish which I realised from my experimentation after getting the signal was enough to lose it again. I still was not able to better 72% but the pictures were superb.


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## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

Flippin eck this could be our problem ours is pointing skywards, in the same direction as our home satellite, which actually probably isn't on as steep an incline as we thought. Hmmmm will go try again. See ya in a while


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## Brambles (May 12, 2005)

Hi, I was goping to come to that next.

It must be almost vertical (the front outer edge of the dish) in other words looks like it is aiming horizonally. Find your direction and move slowly from side to side about 10 degrees. If no signal, then tip back very slightly - very sightly and sweep again slowly..patience is required. repaeat agin and you wil get a dignal eventually. Might not be the satellite you want but is a start.


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

:? 8O :? 8O :? 8O If you had read ALL the posts? That has been mentioned on several occasions in this and another thread. *carolgavin* said it was not working..It obviously is, but not pointing at the correct point in the sky. 8O :? 8O :? 8O :?


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## Brambles (May 12, 2005)

Johnsandywhite,
I am well aware it has all been mentioned before, I did mention I was going back to square 1. I have no intention of reading all the posts again - all I am doing is trying to help solve a problem but fortuately carolgavin has found what is wrong..fingers crossed. A little reinforcemnt of the basics does no harm and taking one step at a time so not to get side tracked sown the wrong path..

Carolgavin - hope you have had success this morning and I will now butt out on this topic and leave others to help unless you want to PM me.
Regards Jon.


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## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

Gavin informed me this am that he has already tried adjusting the vertical and horizontal with my dads help and had no success. We are not giving up just yet and are going to persevere over the weekend we are sure that we WILL get something with all the help and tips you have so kindly given. When we get it working we will let you all know but I think it's time for us to remain quiet on this subject. :roll:


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## 88781 (May 9, 2005)

The mounting bracket on my dish has a reference mark set at 22.5 deg angle of elevation from the horizontal.

That may help in searching the skies for a sat!


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

8O :? Wouldn't help much if he is parked on a slope. Also if he has got the wrong Satellite postion for the channels he trying to look at.he has no chance what so ever. :roll:


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## annej (May 27, 2005)

*LIDL Satellite ...how to?*

Hi carolgavin, 
I've just found this thread. Have you had any success with the Sat. Eddie set it up inside the house, dish at the window, and got a great signal in a short space of time. Mind you he hasn't tried it on the van yet :roll:


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## solentviews (May 9, 2005)

Hello, Tried setting up my system to no avail. Yesterday went to a friends house who has a satellite finder and compass. With the use of these two items found the whole system very easy to set up and get brilliant picture. Have now ordered satellite finder and compass to compliment the system bought from Lidl. Hope I have same success when away in the van.
Ian


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Hi Carolgavin

Well I have been all the way to Italy and back since last contributing, I didn't expect to find this thread still live on my return. I know it's no comfort to you but I can report that we picked up Astra 2 BBC signal well down into Italy using this receiver (although admittedly with a mini-dish).
I may have suggested this before but will make the suggestion again. If you have a Sky system in the house (sounds as if you have) then connect the wire from the Sky LNB to the Lidl receiver (switch off first to avoid short circuits) then connect the Lidl scart to your TV. Select Astra 2 as your satellite and you should see a strong quality signal and receive all the BBC programmes. If this works then you know your receiver is OK and that your problem is with your setup of the dish.
As an observation on recent comments about dish inclination, in Scotland you may actually need to have the dish at a negative angle to point it at the satellite.

Wishing you success in the end

Gaspode


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

buy a sat meter from maplins, the sat dish from lidl has to be spot on


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