[James_Watt]

Hello all.
Today I purchased the HD kit from my local B & Q for a (non technical) chum who has been desiring to make use of his High Def' Samsung Television. HD Freeview not available here until the end of 2012

I tested the Set-Top box with my existing equipment. It worked fine.

I then tested the LNB. It worked fine.

The total number of programmes was over 360.

When I took it to my chum, we made up the dish and LNB assembly, then tested the system.
I took the dish assembly into the garden with a clear line of sight to 28 degrees West.
The Signal strength indicated 99%, and Quality 0% wherever I pointed the dish assembly (even with my hand covering the LNB).

I am fully aware of the accuracy required to receive signals emanating from the 'Birds' in the 'Clarke Belt'.

My chum and his wife were not impressed, my wife and I had already told them it worked well when I checked it at home.

Removing the feed-line, caused the signal strength to drop to about 20% ( I assume noise level).
I left my compass at home, so was unable to set the correct angle. I use about 154 degrees magnetic.

With my Lidl Silvercrest system, the signal strength drops when I move the dish, or put my hand over the LNB.

To have a problem so soon after purchase is disappointing.

Has anyone else had this happen?

Tomorrow (Sunday 8th) I will return with compass, my Feedline, LNB, and Set-Top Box.
Then we will fix the dish assembly to a suitable permanent mount, and try again.

As the system was purchased as a kit, if one item (e.g. LNB or Set-Top box) is defective, the whole kit will have to be dis-assembled and replaced?

With my LIDL system, all the items were separate, therefore simple to replace.

This could bring shame upon me from my chum (and especially his wife), if this is the case.

I'll update tomorrow as to how we get on.

Kind regards James