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View Full Version : DM500C cable is garbage



carl0s
21-05-2007, 08:02 PM
I'm trying to convince the family that the DM500C is technically superior to the Sagem DBox2, but they just keep telling me to plug the DBox2 back in.
I've bought an SLX-1P antenna booster from Argos, and now the box finds an extra ~30 channels, but they still freeze after a minute or so with "service not available" appearing in the corner. I then have to switch to another channel and back again.
Are there any options for tweaking the tuner? Maybe some kernel parameters that can be given at the console boot prompt, or something that can be sent to /proc/blah/blah ?

/proc/bus/dreambox says I have a Philips tuner by the way.

corky_the_bung
21-05-2007, 10:09 PM
I had a similar problem, although your sounds more severe. In my case I found the slx1p did not have enough gain. I had been using a booster from b&q and I got some advice on here which suggested that it had too much gain. So I experimented with the slx1p. But I was getting pretty gross pixelation at lower gain and at max. gain I was seeing the "service not found" message. Like you I was having to change channel to recover.

I've found that the optimal solution for me was to install the UK 1.62 image and use the b&q booster. Very occasionally I see a minor freeze (on new24) but it seems that the 1.62 image is able to deal with it and seems to re-sync and recover, whereas the gemini 3.40 would freeze and require a channel change to recover.

It seems that there are various solutions dependent upon your particular situation and you have to experiment.

Hope this helps.

oldskool
22-05-2007, 09:08 AM
I find using a neutrino image helps with service not found errors. I get them all the time even with a signal level of 96% on Enigma images but get every channel with Neutrino.

Timoweb
22-05-2007, 09:51 AM
I'm trying to convince the family that the DM500C is technically superior to the Sagem DBox2, but they just keep telling me to plug the DBox2 back in.
I've bought an SLX-1P antenna booster from Argos, and now the box finds an extra ~30 channels, but they still freeze after a minute or so with "service not available" appearing in the corner. I then have to switch to another channel and back again.
Are there any options for tweaking the tuner? Maybe some kernel parameters that can be given at the console boot prompt, or something that can be sent to /proc/blah/blah ?

/proc/bus/dreambox says I have a Philips tuner by the way.
Well it is but if yours is a fake then who can so how good it is. Originals work better and dont have too many problems but if its a fake qc mabye has been compromised over cost.

carl0s
25-05-2007, 02:09 PM
Thanks for the ideas guys.
The girlfriend calls it the NightmareBox now :D

The only booster I could find at B&Q was a Masterplug one, and it doesn't state the gain on the box, nor is that information available on the web, but I'll try it tonight.

Hopefully DW 1.6.2 will be available in the downloads section, although I have a feeling it isn't.

notanotherone
25-05-2007, 02:36 PM
yep its there you should get it and many more np

carl0s
26-05-2007, 07:55 AM
I had a similar problem, although your sounds more severe. In my case I found the slx1p did not have enough gain. I had been using a booster from b&q and I got some advice on here which suggested that it had too much gain. So I experimented with the slx1p. But I was getting pretty gross pixelation at lower gain and at max. gain I was seeing the "service not found" message. Like you I was having to change channel to recover.
I've found that the optimal solution for me was to install the UK 1.62 image and use the b&q booster. Very occasionally I see a minor freeze (on new24) but it seems that the 1.62 image is able to deal with it and seems to re-sync and recover, whereas the gemini 3.40 would freeze and require a channel change to recover.
It seems that there are various solutions dependent upon your particular situation and you have to experiment.
Hope this helps.

Corky you're dead right. DM 1.6.2, especially with the old tuner, it'll display almost anything. I can watch discovery channel with my booster (which ruins the signal), and I get a screen full of moving mosaics, but DW 1.6.2 carrys on displaying it, so it's much much better to work with playing with different boosters etc.

I'm going to acquire an attenuator and play with that. My signal booster improves ITV2 very much but completely ruins all the UKTV channels and Discovery.

davep
31-05-2007, 10:17 PM
your wrong, it is better than dbox2, they have been around for seven years and you can only buy second hand ones

carl0s
31-05-2007, 10:20 PM
your wrong, it is better than dbox2, they have been around for seven years and you can only buy second hand ones

I know. I own a Sagem Dbox2. The DBox2 has a more reliable/better tuner than my Dreambox DM500C. I am coping with a ****ty Masterplug (B&Q) aerial booster and an older image on the 500c, which means all channels except ITV2 and Film4+1 are good now.

carl0s
03-07-2007, 02:14 PM
For the record I now have two DM500Cs and three Sagem DBOX2s. Neither DM500c will show ITV2, but all of three Sagems will although the audio cut out on one of them before.

Timoweb
03-07-2007, 03:44 PM
The Dbox does have a better tuner than the 500c. Most cases the 500c can be boosted to run stable. It might be your area your are in and your 500c's just not reading it because its a lower signal or something.

I take it you have tried DW1.65 using OLD tuner. None of my boxes pick up ITV2 if am not using OLD tuner. Be sure to select OLD tuner then do a full scan.

carl0s
03-07-2007, 04:08 PM
The Dbox does have a better tuner than the 500c. Most cases the 500c can be boosted to run stable. It might be your area your are in and your 500c's just not reading it because its a lower signal or something.

I take it you have tried DW1.65 using OLD tuner. None of my boxes pick up ITV2 if am not using OLD tuner. Be sure to select OLD tuner then do a full scan.

Yeah, DW 1.6.2. Old tuner is definately better. I'm on my third booster now, it's one from Hong Kong and seems to work better than the rest, but ITV2 just says Service Not Available all the time now, as does ITV4. The booster I'm using now is 14db.

All of the Dboxs pick up everything without any booster whatsoever!

I've tried attenuators too. No worries. I'd keep the Dbox, but the text on the EPGPlus is too small for me to be able to see, and page scrolling in the EPG is too slow. I like that the DM500 will whiz through the whole channel list in a few seconds. I do think the DBox has a nicer looking EPG though but I guess I could get that on DM500 if I installed Neutrino.

jolpool
15-07-2007, 02:07 AM
I find using a neutrino image helps with service not found errors. I get them all the time even with a signal level of 96% on Enigma images but get every channel with Neutrino.


Can i just ask what neutrino file are u using?

uglybetty47
15-07-2007, 05:31 PM
yous guys are talking about signal boosters. Doesn't this box plug into the coax cable the old cable company provided?

Timoweb
15-07-2007, 07:10 PM
yous guys are talking about signal boosters. Doesn't this box plug into the coax cable the old cable company provided?
Yes but some times a booster is needed to get a full signal.

gsmlord
04-09-2007, 02:25 AM
Why don't you try and purchase the original equipment from Technetix Ltd Technetix Group LTD, Broadband, communications, engineering, supply chain, multimedia Solutions (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. they sold me all the original connectors/tools/coax/terminators/splitters/boosters etc.

How are you testing the signal strength? Do some of you have access to a meter?

A quick checklist:
Keep cable runs to a minimum.
Use a good quality cable/splitter/connector.
Terminate any unconnected ends on your splitter & booster.
Use original equipment where possible.

Hope that helps...