Mrs Mac

Thanks everyone for your invaluable help in identifying the real cause of the problem.  Now I don't have to get shirty with Goodmans! 

Martin963 - the meters are at maximum for signal strength and quality. Danny - thanks for the link.  I didn't realise there is a difference between quad and quattro - according to the box it came in, it's a "Quattro 40 mm LNB".  We were told that we'd be able to watch a program and record at the same time (although not on our current basic Goodmans box) but it sounds as if the wrong type of LNB has been installed.

[quote user="RicandJo"]Goodmans are referring no doubt to quad LNB's where the signal is split into four components for installation into an amplifier/splitter box normally for use in an apartment block where multiple signal feeds are used. If you're using a quad LNB with four cable sockets on it, chances are its one of these and should be changed either for a single output LNB or a true quad LNB with four stand alone output signals. Still with me? Reason I know about this is I was the dumbass who changed my single for a quad - but I'd bought the wrong kind of quad oops. My sparky kindly explained the difference.........[/quote] Aha!   We had a quad LNB fitted to replace a single output LNB when we moved in.  I've just checked the supplier's website and  the model we have does seem to be for use with a multi-switch.  That may also explain (somehow) why the Freesat box only works on one of the four cables. Thanks RicandJo.

[quote user="Will"]We had something similar with a freesat system recently - both boxes (a Humax recorder and a Humax HD single-channel) lost certain channels and could not retune automatically after doing a system reset. This coincided with the BBC changing satellites for BBC News channel, some regional BBC1 channels, Alba and BBC3/BBC4. A manual tune reinstated these, but we had lost the freesat EPG so they were all on non-freesat chennel numbers. The problem was that the dish had been knocked, so was slightly distorted and out of alignment, combined with an intermittent fault on the LNB. Replacement of the dish and LNB, in a better location where it was less likely to suffer damage in future, solved the problem. I suggest you try looking at the various regional channels on your freesat box (channels 950 upwards) to check that you can get them all. Note that you will probably only find ITV London on the EPG, but there should be variants of BBC1 and BBC2, also alternative C4 transmissions. I don't know the Goodmans box, but on the Humaxes you can do a 'non-freesat tune' which finds all available channels, including scrambled Sky ones (though you won't see these programmes without a decoder card). This will give you the regional ITV transmissions. [/quote] Thanks for this suggestion Will.  The regional channels listed are from 950 - 977, some of which have a signal and others that don't. Your post prompted me to try an initial install with various postcodes (it took a while!) and I've found that if I use a Dover postcode I can get ITV1 and the other ITV+1 channels (but not the non +1 channels) except for ITV3 +1.  However, this is the first time that I've been able to get BBC1 and ITV1 so it's already an improvement.  The initial install finds around 177 channels depending on the postcode. There is an option to add non-freesat channels but the only way is to do it manually and I wouldn't know where to start.  Right now I'm just happy to be able to watch ITV1 again!  [:)]

[quote user="Martin963"]It should point you in the right direction. There's a formidable chance that your friend's Sky box will have a different postcode to yours,   but the telling part will be ITV2/3/4 - these transmissions aren't affected by the post code.   (ITV 1 could be) Similarly,  the BBC 1 signal is governed by the set post code,  but you can check the other BBC channels,  AND you should try and have a look on the Sky box at 941 onwards (I think it is);   these are the regional BBC 1 feeds,   and you could check that they're ALL working (there should be over twenty of them). Then come back here if you're still having trouble. We'll try and help,  although on the face of it it's an odd problem.... [/quote] My friend didn't make it today and now it will be another couple of weeks before I get a chance to try it. I appreciate your help - will let you know how I get on.

Thanks Martin963.  I'll have the chance to try someone else's Sky box on my dish tomorrow so will let you know what happens.

Thanks for your reply Crabtree.  I tried a search but didn't find anything so thought I'd create an account to ask the question myself.  Unfortunately, their system thinks I'm a spammer and wouldn't let me register with them!  Oh well!

Hello everyone, I'm new to this part of France and to the forum.  I'm having some trouble with my freesat receiver and hope that someone can help.  It's a Goodmans GFSAT101SD which I bought new a couple of months ago.  All the ITV channels are listed with a description of the programmes but when I select some of them (eg ITV, ITV2, ITV3, ITV3+1) there's a message on the screen that says there is no signal.  If I change the postcode, I then get the ITV programmes but not BBC. I contacted Goodman's and got the following response: "I can advise that the loss of regional stations would usually indicate that you are using the wrong connection on the Satellite dish, and we would ask that you ascertain that you are not using a single LNB connection on the dish, or if you have a muliple connections available that you are not using an even number: 2,4 for example, as these are not supported by FreeSat nor the unit you are trying to use." Does anyone know what they mean by not using an even number and how I can check it?