622 OTA signal loss

[boy921]

Has anyone identified what condition of the transmitted signal is causing this compatibility problem with Dish receivers? Some details might provide some insight to those experiencing the same problem with other manufacturer's exciters.

Barrysb, the CE at our affected station thinks that your theory about AGC is a good one. They really don't know what in the firmware is causing the negative reaction.

 

[barrysb]

Barrysb, the CE at our affected station thinks that your theory about AGC is a good one. They really don't know what in the firmware is causing the negative reaction.

I was afraid of that. The ultimate fix could be a long time coming until they uncover the real culprit.

 

[boy921]

Heads-up - another related OTA problem for ViP 622 receivers

To compound the existing problem of pixilation and audio dropouts, another procedure/fix has created an new problem.

Yesterday, KCVU FOX installed a software update for fixing the DST time parameters needed for the PSIP generator. Now the ViP 622's can not scan and lock on the FOX channel. When trying to add the channel, the transmit number shows the digital channel (20) with the usual signal strength green bar. The Channel number lists, "0." About every minute the Channel number will register "30" for a fraction of a second, then will return to, "0". I discovered this when I removed the troubled channel and tried to scan/add it back.

On the remaining 622's when tuning to the FOX channels, sometimes there is just a black screen, no audio or the sub-channel and HD channel have swapped channel numbers.

 

[Pinchhitter]

I am having major dropout issues with the following Sacramento area stations:

- 6 (KVIE/PBS)
-10 (KXTV/ABC)
-40 (KXTL/FOX)

This started about Sunday. They are unwatchable. All the other stations come in at 85-100 % strength.

Sorry....just noticed....mine is not a 622 but a vip 211

 

[boy921]

I am having major dropout issues with the following Sacramento area stations:

- 6 (KVIE/PBS)
-10 (KXTV/ABC)
-40 (KXTL/FOX)

This started about Sunday. They are unwatchable. All the other stations come in at 85-100 % strength.

Sorry....just noticed....mine is not a 622 but a vip 211

In my DMA 211 reacts the same as the 622. Are others in your area having the same problem?

 

[Pinchhitter]

Yes there are others in my area having the same issue. I have rebooted, unplugged, deleted, re-added the channels. Nothing works. My 811 is just fine though.

 

[dclboro]

I've spent a lot of time the past week in the AVS Forum communicating with the Director of Engineering at WAVY-DT. He will not unilaterally take any action to resolve the problem at his end, primarily because his test equipment indicates their signal is compliant with the ATSC requirements. He will work with engineers at Dish to try and help them find out why the 622 cannot handle this signal. I thought I had a pretty good clue as to what might be happening in the receiver but now I'm not too sure. The culprit might even be a second signal but I haven't been able to identify any source.

In the mean time, you could try my work-around of inserting a large amount of attenuation in the antenna feed to the 622. Here's a source

Barrysb,
My fixed attenuator was too "iffy" for getting a signal for an extended period without breakups, so I bought the variable attenuator from antennasdirect.com that you suggested. So far, so good. I have set WAVY-10 to about 67 signal strength and no breakups yet Are you still having success? Any new updates from the chief engineer at WAVY-10? Thanks.

 

[barrysb]

Barrysb,
My fixed attenuator was too "iffy" for getting a signal for an extended period without breakups, so I bought the variable attenuator from antennasdirect.com that you suggested. So far, so good. I have set WAVY-10 to about 67 signal strength and no breakups yet Are you still having success? Any new updates from the chief engineer at WAVY-10? Thanks.

I'm still having success with receiving WAVY-DT at about 68-72 with attenuation. I've tried removing my preamp to see if it was affecting this problem. It was not, except I have to use a different amount of attenuation to stabilize WAVY.

Have not had any recent communication with WAVY's CE. I saw your post in the AVS thread asking for an update, but with no response. I guess there's nothing new to report. The last info I've seen is a post where the CE acknowledged OK'ing an expenditure to repair an old backup exciter to be used when updating the one on-line.

 

[MRUSS]

L4.01 software seems to have fixed OTA problems for KSFX FOX 27 and KOLR CBS 10 in Springfield MO. I will be checking further but is looking good now. I hope dish knows how they fixed this and does the same for the 942 as it is still messed up.

 

[ScottChez]

Wow, had troubles with two DTV stations 40 miles away. Just put a Rat Shack RF blocker on right before the Ant Plug in and WOW

They come in great now. I think I found the suggestion in this thread somewhere. Who ever had it, thanks.

 

[boy921]

Fox30 Kcvu

After 3 months plus, KCVU got their transmitter problems fixed. They are back at full power and without flaw. All attenuators were removed from all ViP receivers. They obviously got the darn Axcera exciter replaced or fixed. One thing is for sure, L403 was working worse with reception shortly after it downloaded, so can't say that L403 fixed the problem.

 

[barrysb]

After 3 months plus, KCVU got their transmitter problems fixed. They are back at full power and without flaw. All attenuators were removed from all ViP receivers. They obviously got the darn Axcera exciter replaced or fixed. One thing is for sure, L403 was working worse with reception shortly after it downloaded, so can't say that L403 fixed the problem.

It's amazing that whatever the condition was, it as fixed either by 622 software revision (my case) or exciter mod (your case).