Receivers, decoders, and quiet storage

Set-top boxes from the analogue satellite years are heavy for their size and hate damp cupboards. Vent slots clog with dust; remote sensors crack if a box slides face-down across a van floor.

Since September 2022 we have been logging which chassis still power on after long storage, and in May 2024 we published a short checklist for foam-wrapping SCART-era units. Label mains leads — mixed PSUs are a common failure after a rushed clear-out.

Collectors who relocate often move receivers in the same load as books and kitchenware. Give them their own crate layer so a cast-iron pan never rests on a plastic lid. For London half-day jobs, a compact man-and-van booking usually beats stacking fragile electronics into a car boot.

See also dishes & mounts and our home notes on why people move house with satellite kits in tow.