Technology

Technology Satellite TV and Internet by Stuart Wallace

As I was typing away recently, trying to make the deadline for the very understanding editors of this publication, Mrs W looked across and asked what I was doing. ‘My monthly column for the DSM’ I said. ‘Hmmm’, she replied, ‘I didn’t know you could read and write, let alone use a computer’. It’s these little moments of closeness and understanding that really make it all worthwhile. We’ve been married for 25 years and I can confidently say that someone, somewhere, must have enjoyed them. Well, it’s been a bit warm hasn’t it? I played it very sensibly and had a curry on two consecutive evenings in early August, as nothing says keep cool like a spiced-up Chicken Vindaloo. It’s amazing the places you can sweat from. Anyway, I hope you’re all keeping well and have been having a good summer. So, hoping that the weather has cooled a little bit and you can read this whilst not creating your own swimming pool of bodily fluids, let’s crack on. Freesat is not the same as Freeview. Right, if you have a Sky box and it’s not playing ball, there is the possibility that it might require a forced software upgrade. This is relatively unusual but not unheard of. However, before you attempt to do one, you need to be sure that your Sky box is receiving a signal. So, if you have another decoder available, or you can borrow one from a friend, you can check the incoming signal on that particular cable. Once you know you know you have a signal (by making sure all the channels are working on the temporary box), if all else has failed to coerce the Sky box into working, you can go for the ‘nuclear’ option and try a forced software upgrade.

To do this, you need to unplug the unit from the mains, or simply pull the power lead out the back. Then, press and hold the ‘back up’ button on the top of the Sky box. Do not release it yet. Then, reconnect the power supply to the mains. Keep the ‘back up’ button pressed until 4 lights appear on the front of your Sky box. At this point, you can release the button. If your TV is on, you’ll also see an on-screen message confirming the operation. The software download is underway and can take up to 10 minutes. Once it’s finished, the box will go back into standby. Give it time to catch up with life and then try to switch it on and see if it works. I wrote last month that the latest Freesat+ box will work perfectly well from a standard twin or quad LNB. I should also have said that it’ll also work from a single cable, but you’ll lose some of the functionality. Even though it has ‘Sky’ in the name, Sky Arts is actually a free channel. It can be found at channel 147 on the Freesat platform and at frequency 12070, H, 27500 for those with a free to air receiver that haven't already found it.

For those interested in 4G reception, please bear in mind that if you do not already have a signal outside your property, a booster system will not create one. These systems are great at bringing the outside signal to inside the house, but they only work if you have an external 4G reception already. It cannot boost what isn’t there. If you can’t receive 4G and don’t have a landline telephone, then your next port of call for an internet connection is satellite internet.

Going back to last month’s article about Orange offering a free TNTSAT box to customers following the closure of its satellite TV service, I can confirm that this is true. My neighbour received one and all was fine. Naturally, he had to ask Orange for it, it wasn’t automatically offered, but that may have been an isolated case. Hint, it won’t be! As always, please feel free to get in touch if you would like any further information or would like to discuss your requirements. Contact details can be found on the advert. Have a great month.

Stuart runs The French House Satellite TV tfhsatellite@gmail.com Other contact details in his advert in the Buildings & Renovations section of the magazine