HD Receivers will not pick up HD Locals

CU2000

SatelliteGuys Guru
Original poster
Mar 1, 2004
147
22
My hd receivers stopped picking up the local Hd channels
when you go to the add channel screen it shows good signal but its in red
and will not lock. It does the same on both receivers I have. Previously they worked fine. I connected directly to the TV & it picks up the signal fine but not through the dish receiver. Anybody else seeing this?
called dish tech, no help
 
Have done that already, Picks upnothing in the scan however if you plug in the digital channel number its there but signal meter is in red & does not lock. works fine on Digital TVs built-in tuner
 
the rcvr has most likely is the issue call us at 1-800-333-3474 we should be able to take car of you -- Dish TSR III
 
I hate to be "that guy..." but please be careful not to post a topic more than once...

Maybe a mod could close the other one (or just delete it) since this one is the only one showing activity.
 
Call level 3 tech service, no help. TV station says all is ok however they have had some tech issues in the past. Works fine directly in to the TV off air tuner but all dish receivers will not store channel signal bar remains red.
 
I have a VIP 211 that did just exactly the same thing. Every test I did kept coming back to the receiver. I called Dish and they sent me a new one straight away and the problem was cured. Free of any charge I might add. They even paid to send the old one back to them.

Nice folks.
 
If both of your receivers quit receiving locals at the same time, it has to be a cable or antenna problem. Check you splitter and cable connections from the antenna, including the connection at the antenna.
 
I have connected the antenna directly to the TV it works fine.
Will not work through the Dish receivers & I have talked to other people in the area that are experiencing the same.
 
What receiver is it? I know the 942 and the 811 has software issues now and has to be upgraded but if it is a 622/722/211 or 222 should not have any problems. Try turning the receiver off (make sure green light is off)and wait 20 minutes. if that don't work try unpluging the receiver for 10 seconds. If that don't work were looking and switch/cable or LNB issues and will need a service tech. Little advice, I hate to say this cuz every installer will be after me and I hate this myself but when the installer gets there watch him/her and make sure they check every connection for rusty connectors, ask them to replace the LNB and see if you can get a updated dish like a Dish 1000.2 so you can get rid of the SW44 switch. Make sure that every barrel of wall plate has a blue or red barrel (Not Clear or white) they will not allow enough power to the lnb and may just be most of the problem the more I think about it. Infact, Check every connection like wall plates, barrel connectors, ground block to see if the plastic insides are blue or red. Also, Another biggie is the diplexers. If you have a dual tuner chances are you have a diplexer behind the receiver and again a diplexer at the other end. The diplexers should have a blue tip on the SAT port, If not they will not pass the right amount of juice to the LNB. Let the tech know that you need "Holland Diplexers" They are Dish Approved. Wish I could help more.
 
thanks for the replies. These are showroom receivers on a 1000.2 622 & 211 plus many calls from customers in the area with same thing happening.
If fact I have not been able to find any of our Dish Customers than can pick up the signal on the Dish receiver.
There has been some bad blood here between the local ABC station & Dish
the station seems to have stumbled on to something in tweeking the signal to make Dish receivers not lock while most built in TV tuners pick up the signal.
 
... the station seems to have stumbled on to something in tweeking the signal to make Dish receivers not lock while most built in TV tuners pick up the signal.
This happens every so often all over the country. The local station must have updated something on their end that's not compatible with Dish's receivers. I say the station did it because the 622/722 receivers haven't rec'd s/w updates in a couple of weeks. Well, L447 has been rolled out and it's possible it's part of that...
 
Interesting !

I have a vip-211 receiver and have it hooked up to a Channel Master 3671 deepest fringe antenna and an amp. I put the antenna up in May of this year and up till October life was good ! Then I lost half of the 11 local channels I was receiving. I can get these stations analog signal great, but not the digital. Were talking all the digitals in the 70-100 power range, then nothing ! I only live about 20 miles from these towers. Very interesting thread !:up
 
The problem you have might be the result of invalid PSIP info sent by the channel. I had the same issues with the local Atlanta WPBA station: the signal had good strength, but wouldn't lock on some DISH receivers, including VIP211. At the same time built in TV tuners had no problem.

Only after WPBA fixed their PSIP info I was able to receive the channel on my VIP211.
 
It is just as likely that the channel is at fault. When the TV tunes it in does it reflect the actual channel number or the one that would be carried in the PSIP data. In other words the digital station may really be at 48 but the PSIP data tells the receiver that it is 5.1, 5.2 etc
 
Went to a customers house yesterday & he has 2- 811 receivers. The Digital channel 33 came in fine there. Seems to be an issue with 222s, 622s
 
It wouldn't surprise me to see both "E" & "D" discontinue support altogether for OTA digital locals at some point.

Why should they keep shooting themselves in the foot? It's hard for them to talk tough with affiliates and then convince customers to pay for locals if their own receiver helps the customer get a better quality HD picture OTA - for free - and they can DVR it to boot - archive it even.
 
Where are you located?

Is it all stations or just one?

If you are getting the signal, (red bar) but not locking the signal (green bar) then the station is having problems with the PSIP data they are transmitting. That is why it won't lock. If the PSIP data is not correct, the Dish Receiver will not let you add the channel.

The reason the TV can see it when you hook it up is probably that the tuner in the TV is not as discriminating when it comes to PSIP data. I have a local station here in this situation. My VIP622 won't lock in to it. But my LCD in the bedroom has no problem getting the channel. The local channel engineer is aware of the problem and they hope to have it fixed soon. You may want to check out your local HDTV thread at avsforum.com.
 

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