Can anyone advise? (sky dish)

if the dish has gone, that would imply the laws of physics, as understood for centuries, are in fact nonsense.

Dish itself won't be gone (have you had high winds or something that might have misaligned it that coincided with the failure)?
Most likely is the bit the cable goes into has gone, the LNB. Do some channels work and some not?
If the dish is still aligned and you can access the dish, replacing the LNB like for like isn't hard as long as it's not rusted to crap.

Any satellite engineer could also fix it, SKY Afaik often just employ freelancers anyway.

Thanks Dave,i just relayed that to mrs lapsy and she is enamoured, i am terrible with technology.

If you're still oaying sky a monthly subscription. The contract shouldn't matter much. If you call them they will tell you there is a charge to repair. Your answer is, "I pay to watch it and if I can't I'll cancel my subscription you should always provide me with a working box, I'm not paying anything". Then they SHOULD capitulate and offer a new box or a repair/dish realignment for no charge.

If not and you're not paying a subscription, but using the dish for freesat (same dish, cable and LNB will work a freesat box), then just call a local aerial firm. they'll re-adjust

and it'll cost probably £20 or £30.

At JC,it was a gradual decline,by turning the power off,it would come back good but deteroriate after a few hours(picture turning pixelly)  thank you.

No study,left them about a year ago but just using their box for freeview.

I'm having similar problems with my box here, but the one in the front room is fine so it's not the dish that's the problem.

An LNB is a standard...ish component. You get different types but .. I doubt it's wierd unless maybe tht new Sky Q does somehing odd which it MIGHT . Did some channels go first and others were ok? Often one polarisation will go (e.g. horizontal) first so some channels are ok.

The standard older setup was just one or two cables in, each could handle a different signal which allowed you to watch one channel and record another. I've not googled but I'd be very surprisde if you can't just google replacement sky LNB and find one thta looks exactly like what you have.

The other option might be water ingress of course. Does the cable look properly sealed at the end? Has does it go round bends/brickwork and might have rubbed a hole? Did being crap coincide more with rainy days?

that's a bit odd.  Did the pixelness coincide with heavy rain or even thick cloud?

If a nearby house has a dish, compare the alignment.  Also look at the angle of the lnb.

If you do replace it yourself making sure water won't get in at the cable insert is very important. The cable is much like a higher quality TV aerial but the ends are a threaded connector to hold it on properly. It might have some sort of plastic thing to try to stop water getting in or you get special tape for it that looks like (but is different to) electrical tape. Your box might of course be going. Far less likely imho but possible.

Amazon does replacment sky LNBs for about 15 quid. Don't stress the arm and rotate dish if you try it yourself, assuming it's already aiming correct way.

That is possible JC,there is a tape(bit frayed) at the end of the black wire where it goes into the dish,it is an old system,box 10 years plus and maybe more for the cable. Thanks again

Sounds more like the box has had it if it's old or possibly some trees might have grown higher since the dish was installed and could be interfering with the signal.

If you're still paying a monthly fee to Sky they should come out and investigate free of charge. We got a new dish and upgrade to Sky Q last year for similar problems.

Might find this forum useful http://www.skyuser.co.uk/forum/

LNBs go, they are are out in all weather from beating sun to sub zero. They are actually powered inside, the cable carries a DC signal to power it, then there is the actual signal modulated back onto that voltage. I've seen all the problems listed above. Worn out LNBs AND cable worn through from being rubbed by wind on a corner. But the fact you say it works for a while then stops doesn't sound like that, it sounds like the LNB has gone or possibly the box overheating or something.

Maybe make sure box ventillation isn't blocked or dusty etc or try another box if you can borrow one.

If it's a bad cable or water getting in you'd probably have noticed a pattern like the picture is going when the wind gusts or when it's raining etc.

If it is a very old Sky dish it might need replacing as the LNB fittings have changed .

Sincere thanks for replies, i am so bad with technology, an amazing thing happened though, i removed anything with sky and maybe there is built in freeview but have pictures now and skybox is off.

Phone Sky. Start a new contract. They'll sort new box new dish new LNB, new cable.... youre sorted.

For Gods sake do it before the 29th March... (everything's getting switched off then)

Freeview is terrestrial free stuff so if you've an aerial you'll get that if the TV input is set to that, your SKY will have been on scart or hdmi as a TV input.
The free stuff on a sky dish is called FreeSAT, which is a similar idea but over satellite. A sky card will revert to that after you cancel sky, or you can get one specially called that if you have a UK address. There is some form of control (i.e. require a card) to stop anyone in the EU just pointing a dish and getting all our stuff like the BBC with no control.

There is FTA (free to air) satellite = no control at all, and FTV (free to VIEW) which is still free but requires some sort of card. I'm not sure how much more freesat gives you these days beyond terrestrial freeview and anyway people are switching to using the internet for their extra things. In fact NOW TV is just a customised internet box sold by Sky under a different name to get Sky stuff a different way without a dish, and it also gives you catchup etc without a subscription.

That was the plan Emitdeb though i left them as they were losing the Irish racing and their "live" golf pictures were getting further behind leaderboards, it was last resort though as don't like the company.
Thanks to all for your help.

If the dish has become misaligned or the LNB has gone faulty then your tv should say "no satellite signal being recieved"

though that could be cable got water in etc etc as well

If it doesnt say that, then the card may have been deactivated, or a loose connection of leads to back of tv.

Will sky fix it? No, remember it is your box (assuming its not sky q), why would Sky fix or replace a box for someone who isnt even a customer??? Just as the AA wouldnt send a van out to repair someones car for free if they werent a member.