can a digital receiver replace an analogue ? [Archive]

judderman62

02/10/2007, 22:10

Hi all

Quick question if anyone can help please.

My farther has an analogue receiver - a Pace PRD800 and it has recently died.

We took it to two shops inc one who specialises in satellite set ups and further specialises in setting them up for non UK viewers (we are German so my dad used to watch the free to air German progs (I think it may be from the astra 19 satellite).

Seems it cannot be fixed - PSU gone and cannot get replacements.

So we were going to plan b which was to get a replacement - so plan b is scuppered as one cannot get analogue boxes any more :(. For reasons I can't be bothered going in to I don't want to get one off eBay.

So part of plan b was to ring Maplins and see if they had any - now one store reeled off several model numbers but on checking they were digital. So I rang a different Maplins store to asj if these would actually work as the previous box was analogue and would they work with the same dish.

They did not know and said I should ring their tech bods and gave me their number.

They advised that yes a digital receiver would work no problem and no need for a new dish,

So question is are any of you knowledgeable in this area and do you agree that a digital receiver would work ?

Thanks for any replies in advance - much appreciated

wfnuk

02/10/2007, 22:16

Pace satellite receivers were renowned for having poor power supllies. A kit of replacement parts is available from a firm called Satcure (http://www.satcure.com/spares/kitlist.htm).

Which satellite is the dish pointed at?

smartybones

02/10/2007, 22:17

if the box does not power up at all, the most probable cause is the smoothing capacitors in the PSU....

the caps dry out while the box is plugged in for years at a time, then when its switched off, they go short circuit, then the box will not switch back on...

its not a massive job to replace them, or expensive... the replacement caps will cost you less than 5 quid... just need a steady hand with the soldering iron...

judderman62

02/10/2007, 22:22

thanks guys

Smarty - I am useless at anything like that and the place we took it too said they could do nothing with it. We have also been told the same thing that wfnuk said about Pace being renowned for the psu's dying :(:(

I think **IF** a digital can just be plugged in (are even the connections the same ) buying one (maplins have one at £40 that looks quite well featured) would be the way to go in our situation.

Anyone know if we can use a digital one in place.

wfnuk - I think it's astra19

The Villan

02/10/2007, 22:24

Try this link and scroll down and post your question http://blog.wotsat.com/page/whatsat?entry=satellite_faqs_euro_satellite_tv

Try this forum as well http://www.satellitehelp.co.uk/forum/index.php

Les

tinyclanger

02/10/2007, 22:24

My brother is a tv techie guy/geek..he would know all about this stuff....and possibly even have an old pace lying about somewhere:eek:

I'll ask

smartybones

02/10/2007, 22:26

you will need to replace the dish and LNB too.... and reposition it to a sat that is transmitting digital signals...

check around a few more places, someone will be able to fix it.... its only the psu....

problem is, most shops just want to pull the old one out and fit a new one... not interested at actually fixing things...

so many electrical items get thrown away and could easy be repaired with componants that cost less than a quid...

wfnuk

02/10/2007, 22:26

judderman62

02/10/2007, 22:26

My brother is a tv techie guy/geek..he would know all about this stuff....and possibly even have an old pace lying about somewhere:eek:

I'll ask

Thanks TC you are a star :D:D

Judders

judderman62

02/10/2007, 22:29

thanks everyone

so we def cant just whack a digital in place with same dish :(:( that's 100 def yeah ?

sorry what's LNB ?

thanks again all

Jud

wfnuk

02/10/2007, 22:29

wfnuk - I think it's astra19For a digital box, you would probably have to realign the dish to (I think) 28.2 degrees East and also probably have to change the LNB as well..

The Villan

02/10/2007, 22:30

Here is another excellent link http://www.satellites.co.uk/satellite/dish-setup-single-sat-multi-sat-motorised-systems/

smartybones

02/10/2007, 22:32

LNB - low noise block....

it's what the dish focuses the signal onto, it then amplifies the signal a little and sends it to the receiver...

wfnuk

02/10/2007, 22:33

sorry what's LNB ?The LNB is the 'Low Noise Block', the bit that fits on the end of your dish arm.

judderman62

02/10/2007, 22:34

OK just seen what an LNB is on that site.

tinyclanger

02/10/2007, 22:36

OK. Brother says you need to change the LNB.

He says Hotbird will have all channels that are on Astra, plus about 400 more.

You don't to change the actual dish, just the bit in the middle, and shift the dish round to Hotbird, round about 10 degrees, 13 and 16 degrees. Setting it at 13 deg will still pull in sats at 10 deg and 16 deg.

New free to air receiver is about £100, and an LNB is about £25.

Typed that whil on phone to him..does it make sense??

wfnuk

02/10/2007, 22:39

An appropriate link here (http://www.satellites.co.uk/satellite/dish-setup-single-sat-multi-sat-motorised-systems/60811-use-old-analogue-sky-dish-cable-digital.html)

wfnuk

02/10/2007, 22:41

Setting it at 13 deg will still pull in sats at 10 deg and 16 deg. He's definitely wrong on that score, TC - unless multiple LNBs are fitted.

tinyclanger

02/10/2007, 22:43

I dunno Frank...it was all Greek to me:D I don't have a dish, so I know nothing:o...maybe he's a multiple LNB kinda guy, and would it be different here in NI? We're so weird here :D

Just trying to help out...:)

smartybones

02/10/2007, 22:50

if you took a hammer to the dish, and bashed it around a bit, you might bring a signal in from a couple of degrees ether way, but even if it did work, the signal quality would be poor.

wfnuk

02/10/2007, 22:50

I dunno Frank...it was all Greek to me:D I don't have a dish, so I know nothing:o...maybe he's a multiple LNB kinda guy, and would it be different here in NI? We're so weird here :DNo, definitely no different in NI, TC! For my sins, I once had a business supplying/installing and repairing satellite equipment right back from the Amstrad SRD100 onwards, up to high-end Chapparal motorised setups (I was their authorised installer at one stage). I've now forgotten most of what I used to know though, unforunately! Must be getting old! :(

wfnuk

02/10/2007, 22:56

if you took a hammer to the dish, and bashed it around a bit, you might bring a signal in from a couple of degrees ether way, but even if it did work, the signal quality would be poor.The digital signal is 'different' from the analogue, which used to degenerate into 'sparklies' in the case of a poor signal. With digital, it either works or it doesn't, it doesn't degenerate (Except with very, very slight dish mis-alignment, when pixellation of the picture may be experienced).

judderman62

02/10/2007, 23:04

if you took a hammer to the dish, and bashed it around a bit, you might bring a signal in from a couple of degrees ether way, but even if it did work, the signal quality would be poor.

hmmm we wont do that then LOL

tinyclanger

02/10/2007, 23:12

wfnuk

03/10/2007, 08:50

Hey Frank..I will at this point draw your attention to my new siggy line. It is most appropriate in this case, and therefore I feel it absolves me of any blame in my failed attempts at helping judderman:D:DWell you did your best, TC, as always - nobody can do more than that and I'm sure that judderman appreciates your efforts! :)

judderman62

03/10/2007, 09:46

I appreciate everyone's efforts who has contributed to this thread

J

judderman62

03/10/2007, 21:52

So have emailed the co which one of you kindly supplied the link for and their reply was such:

> My father has a Pace PRD800 that he used to watch German free to
> air Analogue programs (somebody suggested the satellite may be
> Astra 19) and it recently died a death.
<snip>
> So bottom line can I get a new psu or whatever else may be needed
> from yourselves

We can still make the kits to order.

Click here: http://www.satcure.co.uk/ordform.htm

Underneath "Analogue Sat" click on "SATkits".

Click on "Jump to SATKITS and RELKITS"

Scroll down to Pace. You will need:
PRDKIT1 combined kit for PRD800/900 £13.95 (plus £2.50 p&P plus VAT).

Copy: PRDKIT1 combined kit for PRD800/900
and: 13.95 into the boxes at the top of your screen then click [Add
to Cart].

Anyone with an ounce of sense and a soldering iron should be able to
do this job in half an hour.

Best Wishes und gutes Glück zu Ihrem Vater!

BTW you should really be thinking of buying a Free To Air Digital
receiver. Swap the LNB on your dish to a "universal" type, connect
the digital receiver, and your father will have more German channels
than he can surf through in a week!
See http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/skypacker.htm

so all I need is someone to do the job - Hey Frank you're not anywhere near Greater Manchester are you :D;)

smartybones

03/10/2007, 21:58

i am not that far away.... in sunny Blackpool.....

judderman62

03/10/2007, 22:09

i am not that far away.... in sunny Blackpool.....

OOOoh :D

so anyone nay nearer who could sort this out ?

wfnuk

03/10/2007, 22:22

Hey Frank you're not anywhere near Greater Manchester are you :D;)I used to live in Manchester (Levenshulme) but moved to sunny North Wales some 19 years ago! :)

Whereabouts are you located?

judderman62

03/10/2007, 22:35

I used to live in Manchester (Levenshulme) but moved to sunny North Wales some 19 years ago! :)

Whereabouts are you located?

bout 7 mins drive from ADSL LOL - Hey James you any good with a soldering iron and fancy doing me a favour LOL - in Oldham, Greater Manchester.

Whereabouts in North Wales are you frank - went to Snowdonia in 2004 and fell in love with the place , also loved Flint Castle.

Loved Bala - what a great place

wfnuk

03/10/2007, 22:52

Whereabouts in North Wales are you frank - went to Snowdonia in 2004 and fell in love with the place , also loved Flint Castle.I live just outside Holywell, only about 5 miles from Flint Castle. It's a totally different way of life here to the rat-race that Manchester had become. :)

I had a further dig around here (http://www.highlandelectrix.fsnet.co.uk/) and came up with the following Pace PRD800 repair 'tips':

PRD800 LO/NO H VOLTS C23
PRD800 PSU SEE TV MAG JAN 1998
PRD800/900 DEAD C5,C7,C8.
PRD800/900; WHISTLE C5(22UF35V)+C6+C7+R12(20K) ACROSS R11.
PRD800/SWIRLING PICS C23
PRD800DISPLAY MISSING C15

Only you can decide if a repair is a viable proposition when the parts work out at £19+ from Satcure but my considered advice would be to put that money towards buying a digital box instead! You are very lucky indeed that your old Pace actually 'survived' for this long when you consider that a lot of them hardly made it out of the warranty period before going toes-up!

wfnuk

03/10/2007, 23:01

I found this link here (http://www.lpilsley.co.uk/prdpsu.htm) on the Pace PRD series power supply problems and also this very comprehensive and in-depth FAQ section here (http://www.your-book.co.uk/prd.htm).

They've taken me back a few years, I can tell you! :)

judderman62

03/10/2007, 23:03

I live just outside Holywell, only about 5 miles from Flint Castle. It's a totally different way of life here to the rat-race that Manchester had become. :)

I had a further dig around here (http://www.highlandelectrix.fsnet.co.uk/) and came up with the following Pace PRD800 repair 'tips':

PRD800 LO/NO H VOLTS C23
PRD800 PSU SEE TV MAG JAN 1998
PRD800/900 DEAD C5,C7,C8.
PRD800/900; WHISTLE C5(22UF35V)+C6+C7+R12(20K) ACROSS R11.
PRD800/SWIRLING PICS C23
PRD800DISPLAY MISSING C15

Only you can decide if a repair is a viable proposition when the parts work out at £19+ from Satcure but my considered advice would be to put that money towards buying a digital box instead! You are very lucky indeed that your old Pace actually 'survived' for this long when you consider that a lot of them hardly made it out of the warranty period before going toes-up!

Thing is Frank I'd agree with you if it were for me or Dad was younger - but he's 83 and can bearly see 6 inches in front of his nose, he has prostate cancer and is in not great shape - I think an investment in another box , particularly if it meant a new LNB and disc repositioning would not be worth it :(:(

ta for the advise though :)

so james how's about it then :D

Pat

03/10/2007, 23:10

FWIW I put in a sky digital box, didn't change the dish or LNB, and it works really well. Of course, the old (analogue) receiver was already used to receive Sky, so no dish realignment required.

judderman62

03/10/2007, 23:16

Interesting

wfnuk

03/10/2007, 23:28

FWIW I put in a sky digital box, didn't change the dish or LNB, and it works really well. Of course, the old (analogue) receiver was already used to receive Sky, so no dish realignment required.The analogue receivers used 'voltage switching' to change LNB frequency between horizontally and vertically polarised transmissions whereas the digital receivers use 'tone switching'. If a digital receiver works on your LNB then it is likely that you will only be receiving one polarity or the other (but not both).

wfnuk

04/10/2007, 09:03

judderman62

05/10/2007, 15:26

Very sorry to hear about your Dad, J. :(

I've asked around some friends who are/were still in the trade to see if I could locate a working analogue receiver for you. I haven't had any luck as yet but I will let you know if I do get lucky. I had a clear-out a while back and dumped some working analogue boxes as I thought that no-one would ever want one again. Sod's Law, isn't it? :(

Aint it just Frank, aint it just.

Need to ring round a few local repair shops and see if I can find one capable - rang one and they said don't do repairs any more and when I asked did they know anyone else in town who might be able to do it he reckoned kn one as no one in our town repairs stuff any more and then commented that we live in such a throw away society - he's sadly not wrong there :(

judderman62

12/10/2007, 15:40

well after all that we've gone for a new install :rolleyes::rolleyes:

thanks for all the replies everyone

J

wfnuk

12/10/2007, 18:57

Good luck with your new install, J. :)

tinyclanger

12/10/2007, 20:54

ooohh...loads more channels:D:D

Hope your dad is doing better:)

judderman62

12/10/2007, 20:58

Thanks.

Thanks TC - very slowly but he is now getting up and not spending 100% of the time in bed - so that's something. Hence the keenness to get satelite back so he has his channels to watch (not that he sees much except shapes and on good days outlines :( )

Thnaks TC and thanks again to all who replied :):)

I like it here - nice people :cool: