Turns out that the problem was the PSU - had it repaired yesterday & all ok.

"Springtime"  wrote in message 
news:J-CdnYlVEu4sUyLXnZ2dnUVZ8s-dnZ2d@pipex.net...
>I have been having problems on certain channels i.e. premier movies no 
>signal discovery shed intermittent & some others blocky or non functional.
> I initially thought that it might be the signal being blocked by a 
> neighbouring tree - on this basis I had the dish moved from half way up 
> the wall to under the eves & a new LNB fitted.
> There has been some improvement to the occasional picture blocking on some 
> channels but the above still don't work. Interestingly I find that if I 
> re-boot, channel 5 says no signal but after 5 minutes or so it then works.
> The HD box is a Thompson and is now no longer under warrantee.
> I now assuming that the HD box is faulty - any thoughts?
>
> Steve
>

Ret. wrote:
> Anthony R. Gold wrote:
>> On Sun, 11 Oct 2009 09:56:29 +0100, "Ret." <xxx> wrote:
>>
>>> Having suffered sound drop outs on Anytime recordings, I thought I
>>> had solved the problem by following the advice to disable Anytime,
>>> re-boot (which has the effect of 'clearing' the Anytime recordings),
>>> and then re-enable Anytime which slowly re-builds the recording
>>> list.
>>
>> You also received suggestions to have a competent installer test the
>> signal quality of any problem channels with a BER meter.
>
> Two points: firstly, according to my HD box, my signal strength on
> both incoming feeds is excellent. One is right up to the bar, and one
> is just a single 'block' back from that.
>
> Secondly, can you explain how signal strength could affect just movie
> recordings on Anytime?  It doesn't affect other recordings on
> Anytime. It doesn't affect 'live' programmes, and it doesn't affect
> my own recordings in my planner.
>
> My own view is that this proves the problem has absolutely nothing to
> do with signal strength or quality whatsoever.
>
> Kev

Anthony didn't say anything about signal strength, which is pretty 
meaningless anyway, he said test the signal _quality_ of any problem 
channels with a BER meter. If you want to ignore the advice you're given, 
why bother to ask?
-- 
 >^..^< This is Kitty. Copy and paste Kitty into your signature to help
her wipe out Bunny's world domination.

Adrian wrote:
> Ret. wrote:
>> Anthony R. Gold wrote:
>>> On Sun, 11 Oct 2009 09:56:29 +0100, "Ret." <xxx> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Having suffered sound drop outs on Anytime recordings, I thought I
>>>> had solved the problem by following the advice to disable Anytime,
>>>> re-boot (which has the effect of 'clearing' the Anytime
>>>> recordings), and then re-enable Anytime which slowly re-builds the
>>>> recording list.
>>>
>>> You also received suggestions to have a competent installer test the
>>> signal quality of any problem channels with a BER meter.
>>
>> Two points: firstly, according to my HD box, my signal strength on
>> both incoming feeds is excellent. One is right up to the bar, and one
>> is just a single 'block' back from that.
>>
>> Secondly, can you explain how signal strength could affect just movie
>> recordings on Anytime?  It doesn't affect other recordings on
>> Anytime. It doesn't affect 'live' programmes, and it doesn't affect
>> my own recordings in my planner.
>>
>> My own view is that this proves the problem has absolutely nothing to
>> do with signal strength or quality whatsoever.
>>
>> Kev
>
> Anthony didn't say anything about signal strength, which is pretty
> meaningless anyway, he said test the signal _quality_ of any problem
> channels with a BER meter. If you want to ignore the advice you're
> given, why bother to ask?
>> ^..^< This is Kitty. Copy and paste Kitty into your signature to help
> her wipe out Bunny's world domination.

Which 'channel' would you check in this case?  As I have already explained - 
I can watch a movie on any channel without problem. I can record a movie off 
any channel without problem. The only sound drop-out problem is on movies 
recorded automatically on Anytime.  Also, as I have explained elsewhere, if 
I rewind immediately after a sound drop-out and then replay the same scene - 
the sound drop-out has gone (but the regularly spaced sound drop-outs then 
just restart once the movie is restarted). So does this sound like it has 
*anything* to do with signal quality?

Kev