Sky Switches TV Picture Off

chateauneufdupape

After a few minutes of being on, the screen on my TV switches off, but the sound remains on. I then have to switch the TV off and on again. I sometimes have to do this many times before the picture stays. I have had a TV repairman to look at it and he says that it is a problem with the Sky Box. If I have nothing at all plugged into the TV, the screen is initially blue and then after a few minutes it goes black. The TV engineer says that this is because there is no input signal the TV switches off. I have tried the TV with just a video recorder plugged in and that seems to work OK. Does anybody have any knowledge / comments on Sky Boxes turning the picture off but leaving the sound on?

Thanks.

espresso

How are you connecting? Scart or RF?

chateauneufdupape

espresso,

I am using a scart connection.

espresso

You could try re-seating the scart cable or trying another one but it may well be the Sky box.

Moneymaker

What's the Sky Digibox make and model number?
What's the history of the fault?
How's the Digibox connected to the TV?
Does the fault occur when it's connected to the TV only by an RF fly lead?

chateauneufdupape

The Sky Box was supplied by Sky and does not seem to have a make marked on it. It is a Sky+ box DV3.

The fault first ocurred a few weeks ago and the screen ocassionaly went off, but did not always happen. The problem has just got worse. It now occurs every time the TV is switched on and I have to repeatedly switch the TV on and off to get the screen to stay on. The Digibox is connected via a Scart lead.

chateauneufdupape

Got a letter today saying that Comet will replace the TV even though it is more than 2 years old. Initially they said that as I did not have an extended warranty, I would have to pay for repairs. However, I quoted the Sale Of Goods act to them and they seem to have given in.

HoofeHearted

Good news that you are getting a replacement, but here's a suggestion that may help.
On you sky box press the following buttons: services 4 1
You should now be in the Picture Settings Menu. Move down to "Video Output" and if its value is "RGB", use the right arrow key to change it to "PAL", then move down to the bottom to Save Settings. Then use your tv as normal and see if the picture still disappears.

I am suggesting this because the symptoms sound like a problem I have with my sky box connected to my DVD Recorder that does not support RGB input. The sky box will suddenly change to RGB mode if I have Autoselect enabled on my program planner for 2 consecutive programs on the same channel. When I try to record these 2 programs, the second one is recorded as blank screen with sound.

It maybe that your tv now has a problem handling RGB input.

Hope that helps

Geoff

espresso

Surely if the video is connected via a scart, this proves that the TV is OK, so a new TV may make no difference.