DTV Recievers will not detect triple LNB dish!

[bjanice44]

I recently purchased a Sony 50" HDTV. Before this purchase I had standard DTV service in two rooms with 2 hughes recievers (one in bedroom and one in LR) and a standard 18" round dish on the roof.
Not wanting to shell out the $400 for the DTV installation of a reciever and the triple LNB dish, I decided to do it piecemeal. I purchased a Samsung SIR-TS160 from Best Buy. I hooked it up and activated it with DTV. I did this so I could use the "off-air" capability to pick up HDTV broadcasts for the time being, until I was ready to install the triple LNB and subscribe to the DTV HD package. My townhome is 2 years old.

Here is my problem. Having gotten spoiled watching off air HD broadcasts, I got the itch to add the Triple LNB dish. I went to Best buy and bought the Funai Triple LNB dish. I went up on the roof and installed it according to the instructions. I set the tilt, elevation, and azimuth (using a compass). I plumed the mast etc........ I used the same spot as the 18" dish, which seemed to have the proper clearance. It took me a total of 30 minutes to hook up the dish and I have spent the last two days trying to figure out why it will not work.

Neither one of the recievers (in bedroom =Hughes standard DTV reciever, or the Samsung HD) will recognize the dish. I did not mess with the wiring at all and everything seems fine with that. All connections are sound, etc..

Specifically on the Samsung, I set the dish type to Oval 3 then it tries to find satellites.. always comes back as "failed" same. On the hughes... same thing. The auto setup fails. I tried the autodetect on the Samsung.. autodetect failed. It is almost like neither reciever recognizes that there is a satellite dish installed.

I have no idea how to diagnose the problem since the troubleshooting for both the dish and recievers are inept. I do not know if the dish is bad, the wiring in my walls is the wrong type, or the reciever is bad (i should point out that the Samsung worked fine with the 18" round dish).

Can anyone help with any suggestions? It seems like something simple, but DTV cannot help and I want to avoid calling an installer if I do not have to.

Thanks!

 

[Ramy]

You will need to play with the Dish some, because the manual is not correct for every situation of how the dish should be aimed. Keep moving the dish around little by little. Have some one helping you on the inside makes it alot easier too. Put the screen on that shows the signal strength so the person inside can tell you when they are seeing a signal. Hope this helps.

 

[bjanice44]

Thanks Ramy. The recievers are not getting any signals at all, neither receiver can even detect the dish itself, let alone get a signal from it. I have tried this, however, and no matter where I point it.. nothing.. not even a 1% on any sat. This is part of my problem.

 

[bjanice44]

Why would a DTV HD reciever not recognize a 3 lnb dish?

I have installed a triple lnb dish that cannot be recognized or detected by either my Samsung SIR-TS160 HD DTV reciever or my standard DTV Hughes reciever. No signal at all... finding satellites failed, autodetect fails.. on both. 0% signal on all. ..BTW I selected the dish type properyl and the 3 lnb is precisley pointed, tilted, and elevated.....


I am looking for ideas on what it could be Thanks

 

[PMKS]

Did your 3 LNB dish have a seperate multi-switch? or was it built in the dish?

 

[bjanice44]

Hi, the Multi-switch is built in. It is Funai model number DSA-20MA

 

[Smthkd]

Did you check your line of sight? Elevation? Tilt?

 

[Smthkd]

Please dont double post! We see your first question everytime. No need to post it twice.

 

[bjanice44]

Yes, I have the tilt, elevation, and azimuth set properly. Would a misalignment or poor line of sight cause both recievers to not even recognize a satellite is attached? I would think that a misalignment would cause poor signals or the inability to find satellites, not cause the inability to even autodetect that a dish is connected. But maybe I am wrong... that is why I am posting here. Thanks for your help.

 

[bjanice44]

sorry! I am new to the forum. How do I not double post?

 

[mcbeevee]

Check the Elevation/Azimuth numbers on the DirecTV website to see if they match what your receiver is showing:

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/DishPointerAction.do

 

[bjanice44]

ok, I know what you mean by double post now. I was trying to post in a few different sections.. not knowing where I would get the best response. I also created a shorter pots because I realized that my first was very long and people may not be apt to read it. Thanks

 

[bjanice44]

Hi thanks for the suggestion. The Directv site only gives the azimuth and elevation for the 18" round dish.. these coordinates match what my reciever tells me for the round 18" dish. DIRECTV Dish Pointer for the 18" says.

Azimuth 222.7
Elevation 42.2

The tuner gives a different Elevation 36.9, Azimuth 237.5, and adds a tilt of 54

I have it set to the latter.

 

[bjanice44]

Abriged version of triple lnb installation problem

I have posted this short version of my original post in case the other is too long.

I have installed a triple lnb dish that cannot be recognized or detected by either my Samsung SIR-TS160 HD DTV reciever or my standard DTV Hughes reciever. No signal at all... finding satellites failed, autodetect fails.. on both. 0% signal on all. ..BTW I selected the dish type properyl and the 3 lnb is precisley pointed, tilted, and elevated.....


I am looking for ideas on what it could be Thanks

 

[fkostyn]

You may still need to "play" with the elevation and the direction. I would reccommend going to the signal strength meter, and then moving it just a bit at a time until you get a good solid signal strength, it is also possible that you could have a bad dish/lnb.

 

[branchbouncer]

Are the RG6's connected to 1 and 2(where the F connector attaches to the LNB)or 3 and 4 and not the two middle,some people have stated that this was thier problem setting up,although this was not mine,have you aquired a signal strength first before the setup-go into the menu and find one of the satellite screens and check for a signal-no signal you will need to tweak the dish.The settings for the triple LNB dish are different it seems than what is actually listed

 

[Ramy]

Even though the website or manual says one thing about Azmith, elevation, etc..... You can't always go by that. You need to experiment with it. I know I had to.

 

[bjanice44]

I understand. Nobody seems to be able to answer my question about whether or not the recievers should be able to recognize that the 3 lnb dish is actually hooked up regardless of where it is pointed. I have already tinkered with the direction.. I am wondering if there is a wiring problem in the walls preventing the receivers from seeing the dish.

 

[Smthkd]

Hi thanks for the suggestion. The Directv site only gives the azimuth and elevation for the 18" round dish.. these coordinates match what my reciever tells me for the round 18" dish. DIRECTV Dish Pointer for the 18" says.

Azimuth 222.7
Elevation 42.2

The tuner gives a different Elevation 36.9, Azimuth 237.5, and adds a tilt of 54

I have it set to the latter.

Your receiver is going to give a more accurate azimuth, elevation and tilt than the website because your doing it from your phsical location. Make sure your dish is in connection to the receiver instructions. Also your line of site can be affected if you have high foilage like trees or even a neighbors home . I suggest check all your coaxial cable, make sure there isn't any nicks in it or exposure, also check your coaxial connectors (make sure the pin isn't bent), next make sure you didnt connect to the antenna jack instead of the satellite jack. Finally after positioning your dish with the receivers coordinates, play with the Elevation and Azimuth, your Tilt should remain the same as suggested by your receiver!
Yes, your receiver whether older model or newer model should recognize a 3 Lnb set, especially after you manual setup such options in your menu!

 

[boba]

You must aquire a signal before the receiver will recognize the dish, make your adjustments in very small increments. That isn't a TV antenna you are spinning around it is not going to give you a poor quality picture when you are close. A satellite dish is looking at something about the size of a van 22,300 miles away from you. If you are 1 degree off you won't see it.