DVR 522 / DPP44 / Signal Strength

[mxr]

I had two DISH 301s with a Superdish

Last week we had Dishnetwork upgrade one Dish 301 to DVR 522. I use the 522 in single mode, connected to a phone line. The installer simply installed a DPP44 switch and left the existing lines to the two receivers alone. There's a splitter and power inserter at the 522 for the two tuners.

When I check the signal strrength on my 301, I get:

110: 124
119: 124
121: 82

When I check the signal strength on my 522, I get:
110: 104
119: 102
121: 72

Does anyone have any idea what could be the reason behind this difference?

Thanks.

 

[TuxCoder]

Yes, the x22 (522, 322) models are known to report lower signal strength values. Everything is probably fine, those are pretty decent numbers. If you start having pixellation problems in clear weather, then there could be a problem somewhere.

Welcome to SatelliteGuys.US, mxr!

 

[mxr]

Yes, the x22 (522, 322) models are known to report lower signal strength values. Everything is probably fine, those are pretty decent numbers. If you start having pixellation problems in clear weather, then there could be a problem somewhere.

Welcome to SatelliteGuys.US, mxr!

Thanks.

Just wondering if the signal strength would increase if we run a second line from the DPP44 to the 522 (instread of using the splitter and power inserter).

Thanks

 

[Bill R]

Thanks.

Just wondering if the signal strength would increase if we run a second line from the DPP44 to the 522 (instread of using the splitter and power inserter).

Thanks

No, it wouldn't. And you really don't have anything to worry about, your signal strength is fine.

 

[BobaBird]

The installer simply installed a DPP44 switch and left the existing lines to the two receivers alone. There's a splitter and power inserter at the 522 for the two tuners.

Though it may look like one, that is not a splitter, it's a DishPro Separator which is more akin to a diplexer. The 522 tells the DP Plus switch which transponder from which satellite is needed for each tuner. The switch leaves one in the normal frequency range and stacks the other by moving it to a higher range. The DP Separator then sends the low range to tuner 1 and the high range to tuner 2.

The power inserter is not for the tuners, it's for the switch. Most switches don't need extra power but a few of the larger ones (SW44, SW64, DPP44) do.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Maybe a little - but let me rephrase what TuxCoder said: You've got EXCELLENT numbers. Fageddaboudid. Just watch TV.

 

[JohnL]

I had two DISH 301s with a Superdish

Last week we had Dishnetwork upgrade one Dish 301 to DVR 522. I use the 522 in single mode, connected to a phone line. The installer simply installed a DPP44 switch and left the existing lines to the two receivers alone. There's a splitter and power inserter at the 522 for the two tuners.

When I check the signal strrength on my 301, I get:

110: 124
119: 124
121: 82

When I check the signal strength on my 522, I get:
110: 104
119: 102
121: 72

Does anyone have any idea what could be the reason behind this difference?

Thanks.

I would add that "Signal strength" is not really the amount of signal that is received.

The Signal strength bar is really a visual meter of the amount of FEC (Forward Error Correction) code is being used by the receiver to be able to resolve a Picture. Receivers are always going to have trouble with dropped bits, FEC allows the receiver to recover the dropped bits from the FEC code. When you get to a certain threshold the FEC code can not fill in enough of the dropped bits for the receiver to be able to resolve a picture. The highest Signal Strength bars are reflecting that the receiver is not or hardly using any FEC code to resolve a picture. Once the signal strength bar gets to about 40-45 percent there are not enough received bits or FEC code for the receiver to resolve a picture.

I will say you could connect two of the same model number receivers to the same feed (obviously not at the absolute same time) but both receivers are likely to display different values although not by alot.

In the end the other posters are correct your signal strength readings are fine. 125 percent signal will give you the same quality picture as a 60 percent signal strength. Digital is ALL OR NOTHING, either enough bits to display a picture or NOT, again a digital picture is a digital picture there is no difference in PQ either way.

The only thing a higher signal strength will do is give you more leeway when the signal gets attenuated by bad weather or other factors. A VERY BAD Storm is likely to knock out your signal regardless of your signal strength although your outage won't last as long with higher signal strength numbers.

John