Getting 4DTV and HDD200 working again after idle since 2004

[captain_ed]

I've had a BUD system for decades, but in 2004 my antenna experienced some damage. I finally got 2 used panels to replace the damaged panels, and got them installed today. I did not know quite what to expect when I fired up the system, again, since it had been idle since 2004. Anyway, everything seemed to come on ok, but I cannot get any channels. For now, I am just using the 4dtv. It seems to work, but obviously my channel map is very out of date. I am typically getting signal levels of about 50 to 64, but I've not been able to get a signal higher than that, and I have not been able to see anything. Also, I forgot the master password. I'm sure I have the documents somewhere, but if someone knows what it is, off hand, I would appreciate that.
Anyway, I suspect I may be wasting my time, since it sounds like the 4dtv is pretty much dead as of Jan 1, but I thought I could still use it as a sort of fta receiver, although I don't know how much programming would be available. Anyway, my main concern is to see if it is even serviceable. The dish moves fine, and if I disconnect the coax, the signal level drops to 10. So, I think the KU and C band LNB's are fine.
What would be the best way to try to set up the system, today, and get a new channel map into it, or is there nothing available for the 4dtv today, in which case I am just wasting my time. I know that if it does work, I may be able to convert it to a single satellite (W5) receiver, but the 401 seems to have more programming, although even that programming is pretty limited, and I would really like to get some HD channels.
Any suggestions?

 

[Candid]

It seems that you first need to tune the dish as the signal levels are very low. After you tune the dish go to G1 3 and let the maps download, but that can only happen if your TDT count is less 1920. You will be abled to check on M5 for fta channels with the 4dtv once it is tuned also.

Currently their is no HD available for C-band. These are the Channels that will be available as of Jan 4th 2010

Check out this site as well for information that will be helpful 4DTV Online By TvroPro... The Official 4DTV Info Site


Regards,

Candid

 

[captain_ed]

Suggestions on how to set up an old 4dtv today?

I just got my old BUD system back together, but I can't receive any signals, and I can never get a signal level greater than about 90. I suspect it is because the satellite table in the unit is from 2004, the last time the system worked. I also suspected an lna/polarotor problem, and that was confirmed. I replaced my horn with an older, C-band only horn. I now know that the horn is good, as is the polarotor. But, I can't seem to get anything. I am reluctant to do a system reset, since that will wipe out everything, but I don't know how to get a new table loaded, since I can't seem to receive anything. For now, I must try to restrict the satellites that I am trying to use to anik f1, f2, and f3, satmex 6, T7, and (maybe) G0. (This is because trees have grown larger since the last time I used the system, and these are the only birds that I know I have a clear shot at, although with no leaves on the trees and a 10 foot dish, I suspect I can get just about everything.
I tried C3-7, since that is supposed to have an analog channel (c-span), but I could not get anything. I don't know if it is because it is too low on the horizon, or because there is something wrong. The LNA and everything seems to be working, because I do see changing signal levels as I peak the polarotor and move the dish, but I can't get a solid lock on a known channel so as to set things up to try to get a new table. Am I just wasting my time? I might want to go to the w5 program, but I need to know if my system will receive an adequate signal on that bird, since that is a little into the branches, although, again, without leaves, it will probably work since it is on the edge. Does anyone know of any way to get a good solid signal given my limitations. I don't think there are any analog signals on those birds. I could try one of the generics for C3, but I don't know which one to try, and, again, I don't know if it would work because of tree interference, although it is not too bad on that bird.

 

[Cameron12]

You need to disconnect the lnb from your receiver and read here some more.
or lose your 4DTV.

 

[captain_ed]

It seems like I have already lost it before I even got started, since no matter what I do, I cannot get a signal strength greater than 90, and I cannot see anything like a signal, on any satellite. I suspect I may need to do a master reset, since the receiver has been off since 2004 until yesterday, but not sure. I can't do anything on w5, since I don't know how I can find w5, since I cannot get any signals.

 

[Kb Cool]

Do not do a master reset! Work on your alignment instead. There is analog on G1 11,17. Tune the Dish to that. Then go to C3 7. Program that sat too. After programming in 2 sats the 4DTV will have an idea where the rest of the sats are located. Also adjust your polarity as needed.

 

[Candid]

Do not do a master reset! Work on your alignment instead.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/4dtv-discussion/238962-getting-4dtv-hdd200-working-again-after.html

 

[captain_ed]

I don't think there is anything wrong with the alignment. The system worked fine in 2004 until some panels on the dish got damaged. I've replaced those panels, but nothing seems to work. I did find that the old feed horn was filled with a yellow jacket nest, and when I re-activated the system, the polarotor broke the plastic connection between the motor and the antenna. So, I replaced that feed with a previously working feed, using the same lna. It might be that something is wrong with the LNA, but I don't think so since I do get signal levels varying from about 50 to 90, but never higher than 90. The dish has been there for over 22 years, and it always worked fine with alignment until the dish was damaged in 2004. But, I just replaced those 2 bad panels, so that should not effect the alignment.

 

[Kb Cool]

I don't think there is anything wrong with the alignment. The system worked fine in 2004 until some panels on the dish got damaged. I've replaced those panels, but nothing seems to work. I did find that the old feed horn was filled with a yellow jacket nest, and when I re-activated the system, the polarotor broke the plastic connection between the motor and the antenna. So, I replaced that feed with a previously working feed, using the same lna. It might be that something is wrong with the LNA, but I don't think so since I do get signal levels varying from about 50 to 90, but never higher than 90. The dish has been there for over 22 years, and it always worked fine with alignment until the dish was damaged in 2004. But, I just replaced those 2 bad panels, so that should not effect the alignment.

When you replaced the feed. Did you center it in the scaler ring and at the same focal depth of your old one. The sat info from 2004 should still work. But, i'm not positive? Do you have w5 in the "program sateliite menu". Also was this receiver previously hooked to this same dish.

 

[captain_ed]

Actually, the "new" feed that I used to replace the broken co-rotor (I think that was the name) was the feed that I was using for 16 years before buying a dual band feed. It was just a C band feed. In 2004 I bought the new dual band feed and put new, high stability LNB's on it. I was trying to get KU band tuned up and working in 2004 when the dish got damaged. (I left the ladder near the dish and forgot that the dish moves every night for new programming info. When it moved, it pushed the step ladder aside, but not over. So, the step ladder went back to its place. Then, when the dish came back down after it's update, it hit the ladder and the two lower panels got crushed.) At the time, I had C band working perfectly, and almost had KU working, but it was not quite tweaked perfectly. When I replaced that feed, I used the old one that had been on the dish and working for about 14 years. It had rust marks on it from the mounting points, so I was able to replace it very precisely to where it had been for 14 years. So, mechanically, everything should be fine. But, I can't get anything. As to the earlier post, I have tried many times to get something (anything) on C3-7, but the best signal strength I can get is about 90. Of course, no signal. Unfortunately, C3 is pretty low (17.1 degrees), and I have some trees in the way. No leaves, so I thought they would work, but maybe not. G1 is even lower, so even more trees.

 

[Kb Cool]

. Of course, no signal. Unfortunately, C3 is pretty low (17.1 degrees), and I have some trees in the way. No leaves, so I thought they would work, but maybe not. G1 is even lower, so even more trees.

That is really low. Go over to G4 16. And see if you can get it. It's an analog religious channel.

 

[captain_ed]

Now we are getting somewhere! I got G4 16. A few sparkles, but signal at 90. The one tree is just touching the path. Are there any other satellites a bit to the West, but higher than C3, that have some working analog channels that I can go to for the other needed calibration point so that the receiver can recalculate the locations of the satellites in the 2004 memory map?

 

[Kb Cool]

Now we are getting somewhere! I got G4 16. A few sparkles, but signal at 90. The one tree is just touching the path. Are there any other satellites a bit to the West, but higher than C3, that have some working analog channels that I can go to for the other needed calibration point so that the receiver can recalculate the locations of the satellites in the 2004 memory map?

Try W1 400. If it's mapped. It's a digital channel. But in the clear. It's 2 sat positions west of G4.

 

[captain_ed]

Finally got 4dtv (off since 2004) working on analog G4-16. Where can I get new maps? G1 too low

I finally got my 4dtv receiver, which has been off since 2004, working on G3-16. I have a limited range of satellites that I can expect to get, because of trees. G3 is about the eastern limit, and G5 is about the western limit. (I calibrated on these two birds, but analog signal at G5-3H was very poor, due to trees. But, at least I could peak and set the actuator. Now, I need to get new 4dtv maps, hopefully before Jan 4. I don't think I will want to covert to w5 receiver, since that would loose all other functionality. Will buy 904 receiver if I decide to go that route. At least that bird should be in the clear, since it is west of G4.
How can I get the maps? Someone suggested G1 channel 3, but that is way too low on the horizon for me.

 

[photoman76]

You could try G5 Transponder 12 (Starz mux G5-100) or G0 Transponder 5 (Showtime mux G0-101). Both still look to have channel maps.

 

[captain_ed]

No good. It was in the system, but when I hit that channel, the dish went to the place that I had just determined for G4. I told the system to adjust values after I found G4, but apparently that did not happen. I set to W1 400 and started moving the dish west, but basically the signal strength stayed in the 84 to 88 range, and quality stayed at 0. I suspect the maps or something are bad for the digicypher. And, any time I go to opt 9, I get told there is no appropriate signal. Anyone else have any ideas?

 

[Kb Cool]

No good. It was in the system, but when I hit that channel, the dish went to the place that I had just determined for G4. I told the system to adjust values after I found G4, but apparently that did not happen. I set to W1 400 and started moving the dish west, but basically the signal strength stayed in the 84 to 88 range, and quality stayed at 0. I suspect the maps or something are bad for the digicypher. And, any time I go to opt 9, I get told there is no appropriate signal. Anyone else have any ideas?

If you can set the receiver to W1 400. Then you already have the map. Or at least for that channel. I think you need to bump the dish slowly. Starting from G4 over to the west. Remeber make sure it's on W1 channel 400 when your moving it to the west. Also get rid of the sparkles on G4. You'll be better off. You may even want to go out and make some small adjustments to the dish. To bring in the best signal.

P.s.
Don't pay to much attention to the signal meter. Quality is what your after. Mine says, i have a signal of 76 on G4 16. But, my picture is totally clear.

 

[TheTechGuru]

There is now only 1 channel your HDD200 is good for right now. NET-HD (PBS) on T4-603.

In the future if SRL is able to auth channels on other sats though HITS Discovery HD Theater and Wealth HD may be a options again.

 

[captain_ed]

Some progress in bringing up old 4dtv unit, but can't get quality greater than 12

I've been trying to get my old 4dtv unit up and running again since being turned off since 2004. I was finally able to get a couple of analog channels on several satellites, although most have a little bit of sparkles, even though I can generally get a signal of 84 to 90. But, I am still not able to get the 4dtv system to work. I suspect the channel maps are too old. After much trying, I finally got something other than 0 for quality on G0-101. (At least I think that is the satellite I am tuned to. I can't be sure since there are no analog channels on that bird.) But, no matter what I do, I could not get a quality greater than 12. (Actually, earlier today I had a quality of 25, but I don't know what satellite I was really pointing at, again, since there are no analog channels for reference.

But, I just noticed on G0-101 that I get a message "not subscribed", which is correct, and it lists the channel as Showtime West, which is what it should be. The question is, is this information coming from the data stream, in which case perhaps my channel maps are being rebuilt, or is this just info from my old 2004 channel maps? If I go to options and hit 9, I get a message that I must be tuned to a videocipher channel for that function to work, and it says that the nearest videocipher channel is G0-21. That sounds wrong, since G0-101 is a videocipher channel.

Any ideas why I can't get a decent quality? I can't get a quality reading on any satellite other than G0. (I think I may have gotten one on G5-100, but not sure. Again, I can't tell what satellite my receiver is tuning since there are no analog channels except on other satellites. I have received analog channels on C3, G4, G5, and W1.

I know that 4dtv is going away, for the most part, but I want to be sure that my system is at least working before either buying a FTA receiver, a W5 receiver, or converting my 4dtv to W5.

 

[Candid]

Go here North & South America - LyngSat and select your lowest satellite and make sure you are getting a signal and then go to the highest satellite you can get and try to get a signal. That will be the test to see if you are tracking the arc correctly or whether you need to do more tuning. The Sat Maps are gone until further testing is done from Comcast, so you cannot update to any new maps at this point. It will call for a lost of time and patience but you will be happy when you are tracking the arc the way the dish should. If you have a fta receiver you can use that to do some blind scans to help determine where you are at in the arc or clark belt. Do not not get frustrated you are progressing from what I have seen from your earlier post.

Regards,

Candid