VM Signal Suddenly Dead!?

[Montana]

Can anybody give any pointers as to what is wrong here/what to do next plz? TIA.

At different homes, two of us have Miraclebox Mini+ Hybrid boxes. We also have a Miraclebox Premium Micro at another home which suddenly seems to have no signal. It was working, albeit patchy (freezing and unable to obtain some channels). To try and remedy this, a couple of nights ago we changed the cable from the splitter to the box - since when there appears to be no signal.

I took the box to my home, factory reset it, set it up fresh, applied Slyk Q skin and made a backup image. Ran it at my home for 6-7 hours perfectly, all channels, etc. Took it to my sons - nothing! Checked and double checked all cabling again, changed cables from splitter to box, tried a different NetID from 41011 to 41022 - nothing. Took my Miraclebox Mini+ Hybrid there - nothing.

Again checked all cabling and tried a new splitter, no difference. Checked in the Signal Finder and appears to be no signal?

Again - it has been working until a couple of nights back. What to do next, anything to try? TIA.

 

[Ferret]

Well you say it was working intermittently till you changed the cable. But you've gone over all that again.

Does he have internet is that running ? If so login to the modem and check the incoming signal levels.

 

[Montana]

Well you say it was working intermittently till you changed the cable. But you've gone over all that again.

Does he have internet is that running ? If so login to the modem and check the incoming signal levels.

Yes his internet is through the same cable. We tried a different splitter, official Virgin one - no difference. I can't get to login to his SuperHub until tonight and I'll post the signal strengths.

Also, I've just been reading the thread about Noise on the line and links from it which talk about open cables causing problems. From the brown box on the outside of his house he has one cable going into the main point where we put the splitter and one off to Superhub and one to his Miraclebox. But also from the brown box outside are two open leads going to upstairs where used to be cable boxes, should I disconnect those on the splitter in the brown box outside?

Thank you, will post signal strengths tonight.

 

[dar1437]

But also from the brown box outside are two open leads going to upstairs where used to be cable boxes, should I disconnect those on the splitter in the brown box outside?

.

Yes, i'd disconnect any unused leads.

 

[Ferret]

Login to your modem and tell us the signal levels, as above disconnect any cable not been used.

 

[Montana]

Login to your modem and tell us the signal levels, as above disconnect any cable not been used.

Will do as soon as I go there, will be tonight or tomorrow sometime. Cheers.

 

[Montana]

Just got back from my sons place. From the splitter in the brown box outside, I disconnected the two spare cables that used to feed VM boxes upstairs some years ago. The noticeable change is that where there was no signal at all last night, it now continually bounces between 0% 69% and sometimes 88%, the Lock tick box also continually flashes ticked/unticked. Internet through the same cable is fine though it seems to take the Superhub 2 a long time to establish a connection. Screenshot below.

I logged into his Superhub 2 and I assume this is all the signal information?

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[jfish]

do they have any attenuators on the line as these are used incase ths signal is too strong and needs to be reduced

 

[Montana]

do they have any attenuators on the line as these are used incase ths signal is too strong and needs to be reduced

No, incoming on outside wall into brown box, that "was" split with two leads going upstairs (now unplugged) and one going into the main point, off that is a short lead to a splitter (5-1000Mhz) and leads off that to Superhub 2 and their Miraclebox Premium Micro.

 

[chookey]

The way I see it your options are very limited now. You have ruled out the box, splitter and splitter cable, the next step would be to replace the cable from brown box to main point (is this a connection unit?) and leading up to the splitter. Wouldn't cost much and if nothing else just rules the cable out.
The only real thing left is the street cabinet. I don't know if it's still the same now but position in the cabinet used to determine the signal strength. Those with both tv and broadband would be on the stronger ports. Your position may have been changed in favour of a new install.

Disconnect the internet and test the snr on the box and see if you get a steady lock. If so, then it's fairly safe to say the signal strength won't support both. Change the cabling and if no joy then the problem is on their end.

 

[Montana]

@chookey - Cheers for the informative post which makes a lot of sense, that may obviously explain why the signal strength is bouncing up and down and won't lock (if that's the correct terminology)? I assume you saw something in my previous post of the signal strengths that indicates what you posted? Next thing I'm going to try is removing the splitter in the brown box outside and replacing with a straight thru connector.

I've never before terminated any of this type of cable.

By connection unit you mean a proper incoming cable point? If so, yes it is, (Telewest Broadband) I took the cover off and it has one of those small metal boxes in with in and out, that metal thing is sort of locked into the box with the thread sticking out for you to screw your cable onto.

Cheers again for your informative post.

 

[Montana]

Disconnect the internet and test the snr on the box and see if you get a steady lock.

Thinking about it, I'm pretty certain I did that last night and no it still wouldn't lock, however I will try that again.

 

[Ferret]

Your downstream power level seem ok but your upstream dbmv is too high mid 40s would be better, you on the upper limt at 54. Do you have a attenuators anywhere ? If not i suspect a doggy splitter or cable.

 

[Montana]

Do you have a attenuators anywhere ? If not i suspect a doggy splitter or cable.

No, incoming on outside wall into brown box, that "was" split with two leads going upstairs (now unplugged) and one going into the main point, off that is a short lead to a splitter (5-1000Mhz) and leads off that to Superhub 2 and their Miraclebox Premium Micro.

Thank you Ferret. No attenuators. Soon as I get chance I'm going to bypass the splitter in the outside brown box using a straight through connector. Then I'll post signals again and also check whether TV signal will lock, with and without the superhub connected. May be tonight or tomorrow.

As to cutting the ends off the cables and re-terminating them, I've never done that before with this cable and don't have plugs or the required crimping tool, have to say that I'm also hesitant to do that, just can't see a short 12 inch piece of cable passing through wall from outside brown box to connection unit inside would have gone down.

Thank you all, will post back tonight or tomorrow with progress..