Cable length problem?

[boondoggle]

I'm having a problem with a DirecTV H10 receiver that I haven't beem able to solve. I'm in a market that uses two dishes, an oval dish for the Std & HD sats, and a round dish for locals (the bird at 72.5 degrees) along with a 6x8 multiswitch. In both cases, the H10 is located over a longer cable distance from the multiswitch, ~100-120 feet. Depending on how many times I curse at it, the result is one or a combination of these problems: misidentifying the multiswitch type, misidentifying the dish types, no HD channels, no local channels. When I set the dish type manually, I find that later, the unit has reverted to the incorrect dish type. Sometimes I can get them working perfectly only for them to fail a week later.
I'm assuming this is a cable length problem as all of the other receivers in the house are much closer to the multiswitch, and they all work fine. However, DirecTV says cable lengths from the multiswitch to the receiver up to 150 ft shouldn't be a problem. I've tried replacing the receiver (twice), replacing the multiswitch (3 times), re-pulling the cable drop (quad shield RG-6), re-terminating the cable (lost count) and using an in-line amplifier. DirecTV even sent out one of their techs (on 2 occasions), and they couldn't figure out the problem. If cable length is the problem, someone else certainly must have had these same problems. BUT, in a large home, not every receiver can be close to the multiswitch!
Anybody got any ideas?

 

[riggscm]

I'm wondering if the cable mignt be shorting somewhere in the run, maybe even grounding out. A couple of thoughts...

Have you tried switching this long run to a different out port on the switch and running the setup on the box again? How about using the same port with a shorter run to determine if there may be a issue with the cable run itself?

based on what I'm hearing I'm left scratching my head...

 

[boondoggle]

I've actually re-run the entire cable, re-terminated and checked for shorts with a VOM. If I take the receiver and place it close to the multiswitch with a short cable, and re-run the setup, everything works perfectly. I've tried different ports on the multiswitch and have changed out the multiswitch 3 times.

 

[dragon002]

100 to 120 feet wont cause any problems.

is the IRD plugged into a switched outlet, or is it live all the time. it seems to me the IRD is losing power and has to be re-set to find all the sats, and in a power failure it all HAS to be reset.

just a thought

 

[wolfman]

100 to 120 feet wont cause any problems.
is the IRD plugged into a switched outlet, or is it live all the time. it seems to me the IRD is losing power and has to be re-set to find all the sats, and in a power failure it all HAS to be reset.
just a thought

dragoo2 is right, with a good quality cable and proper connections you should have no problem with that cable length. I have two runs of at least 130' with no problems.

 

[dragon002]

dragoo2 is right, with a good quality cable and proper connections you should have no problem with that cable length. I have two runs of at least 130' with no problems.[/QUOT


wolfman,

ive run good quality rg-6 solid copper . 75% braid, 200 feet with no problems. one thing though, over 100 feet WITH a multiswitch, I prefer the powered switches. i have has less service calls and i consider it to be more of a heavy duty system.

 

[wolfman]

dragoo2 is right, with a good quality cable and proper connections you should have no problem with that cable length. I have two runs of at least 130' with no problems.[/QUOT
wolfman,
ive run good quality rg-6 solid copper . 75% braid, 200 feet with no problems. one thing though, over 100 feet WITH a multiswitch, I prefer the powered switches. i have has less service calls and i consider it to be more of a heavy duty system.

I just had the upgrade to the 5 LNB dish and the multi-switch for the KA band is the Zinwell WB-68 which is a passive type. So far no problems.

 

[superyurik]

compare the quantity of transponders on each receiver . if the one you having problem with has less transponders count , then most likely lnb does not produce enough power to the multiswitch and the one with the longest cable run receiver is beeing affected.......