Coolsat 5000 pixelates on IA6

[ftamart]

First of all, I want to thank all of you guys for answering questions newbies like me post.
My Coolsat 5000 pixelates every 5 secs or so on TV Azteca IA6 mostly, even with a signal quality of 91-93%. My highest signal quality of all satellites. IA5 has some of the problem too. First I thought it was a bad connection somewhere so I replaced all the cable ends. Then I found out that if I turn off the receiver in back and let it sit for a while, and then turn it back on, TV Azteca works fine for 20 -30 minutes. After that, it starts pixelating again, constantly. G10 channels seem to work fine, the problem seems to be on IA6 mostly.
I decided to hook up a Viewsat Xtreme (clone) I have, left it on for a long time on TV Azteca, and it never pixelated.
What could it be? My firmware on the Coolsat 5000 is ver. 1.01.
The dealer I bought the Coolsat from wasn't very helpful and suggested me to use third party firmware, which I am not interested in.

All you suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,

Ftamart

 

[RVD420]

I would check the www.coolsatusa.com (manufacture's web site)

 

[Anole]

I found out that if I turn off the receiver in back and let it sit for a while, and then turn it back on, TV Azteca works fine for 20 -30 minutes.
After that, it starts pixelating again, constantly.

Is it overheating in a cabinet?
Can you take it out and let it set in free air, and if so then does it operate oddly?
Have you tried a fan once it starts pixelating, and see if that cures it?

If it's temperature, then it's hard to say if it's your fault for packing it into a stack of hot equipment, in a hot cabinet...
... but if it's sitting out in free air, not on top of anything hot, not covered, and not in a cabinet, maybe it's just defective.

How long have you had the receiver, and where did you buy it?
Was it new or used?

edit:
...every five seconds...
Doesn't really sound like any sort of local interference, does it?
Anyone ever see a radar give Ku any trouble?
I thought that was limited to C-band users.
Naw, I'm in favor of the the "overheated" line of thinking.

 

[Mr Tony]

I would check the www.coolsatusa.com (manufacture's web site)

all the Coolsat site shows is version 1.00

There technically is 2 factory versions (1.00 & 1.01)

Differences are
1.01 meter goes to 99 but 1.00 goes to 85
1.01 seems to log a radio channel when it hits a data TP. Version 1.00 does not
1.01 keeps the "moving to XXX satellite" while it moves. Version 1.00 does it for 3 seconds or so

 

[Mr Tony]

I have a Coolsat 5000 and havent run into that issue and my box has been on for hours on end (during college sports season)

 

[ftamart]

The receiver in a separate part of the entertainment unit which is open in the back and front. I set up a big fan to blow over it once it started pixelating. It nicely cools the receiver, but it's still pixelating. Again, it does it on TV Azteca on IA6 but Univision on G10 works fine.
I have had this receiver since the beginning of March. I bought it a Incredible Electronics Wholesale in Winnipeg, MB.
I don't know when it started acting like this, because I thought I was the cable and therefore didn't pay attention to receiver.
I have a dual standard Digiwave LNB. Could it be the LNB and that the Viewsat Xtreme (clone) is a little less sensitive to the LNB's defect? Just a thought.

Thanks for your responses.

Ftamart

 

[ftamart]

I just noticed Univision on G10 pixelating as well. Not as much as TV Azteca. The signal quality fluctuates a lot. Form 87 down to 70. Is this normal?

Ftamart

 

[Mr Tony]

The meter on the Coolsat 5000 is wacky. Minimum (threshold) is 63. Most of my channels are around 70-72 (I have version 1.00 in my box which maxes at 82 or so)

 

[stogie5150]

I just noticed Univision on G10 pixelating as well. Not as much as TV Azteca. The signal quality fluctuates a lot. Form 87 down to 70. Is this normal?

Ftamart

Mine does the same thing on some satellites. Actually sometimes it does it from transponder to transponder. I examined all my connections, too, I but I surmised that if it were a connection it would do it ALL the time, and it doesn't.
I just got a Sonicview 4000, so next time my 5K does it I'll put the Sonicview on the same TP and we'll see.

But for now I'll defer to Ice and agree that the signal meter is flaky.

 

[Anole]

The receiver in a separate part of the entertainment unit which is open in the back and front.
I set up a big fan to blow over it once it started pixelating.
It nicely cools the receiver, but it's still pixelating.
Again, it does it on TV Azteca on IA6 but Univision on G10 works fine.

Sounds like you've done a good job working through the problem.
But, if the other CS5000 users don't see a similar problem, with similar firmware, I would have to go with a defective receiver.
Especially since your Digiwave works fine on the same dish/LNB/cables, etc.

As for why on some birds and not others, it may well have to do with the signals they are transmitting.
But the bottom line is - you said it's okay cold and fails after warming for 20 minutes.
That spells defective receiver to me.

Can you test your receiver elsewhere, or get the seller to swap out the unit?