HIC installation problems.

[jimgpayne]

Hi guys,

I had a HIC sent to me today (they added it to my monthly bill since I couldn't get a free one).

I installed a tap into the line going into the hopper. I connected one side of the tap to the hopper and everything works just fine.

The problem arises as soon as I attempt to plug the HIC into the second port on the tap. As soon as the coax is connected, the Hopper goes to the acquiring signal screen and can not find a signal.

Unscrew coax and the picture magically reappears.

With both the Hopper and the HIC connected; DNLA works and all my Joeys (two of them) see the internet and my PlayOn Server.

This occurs whether or not the terminating resistor is on the pass through on the HIC.

Any ideas?

Jim

 

[stimpson]

Try hooking it up to a client/Joey line.

 

[jimgpayne]

Hmmmm... My router is with my Hopper and not my Joeys.... So I can't put it in line with one of them without some serious re-organization.

But the instruction sheet that comes with the HIC clearly shows a Tap between the Satellite IN and then the HIC and the Hopper on the two outputs. Does that setup not work?

There's a "Mode" switch on the back of the HIC ("1" and "2"). Any idea what that setting is for?

 

[stimpson]

Hmmmm... My router is with my Hopper and not my Joeys.... So I can't put it in line with one of them without some serious re-organization.

But the instruction sheet that comes with the HIC clearly shows a Tap between the Satellite IN and then the HIC and the Hopper on the two outputs. Does that setup not work?

There's a "Mode" switch on the back of the HIC ("1" and "2"). Any idea what that setting is for?

Yes it does show that, but most folks are hooking t up a Joey with good results. That does suck you dont have ethernet at the Joey. The mode switch should be set to "1", and then not messed with.

 

[stimpson]

What's your set up? If it's a solo node, connect the HIC to the client port of the tap.

 

[JamesC]

Do you have a terminator on the coax out port of the hic?

 

[jimgpayne]

Ok... Here's the solution to my problem.

If you are going to split the signal going into a Hopper to use a HIC, you need to insure that the splitter will handle upwards of 2500mhz.

It turns out that the average everyday run-of-the-mill splitter is somewhere in the 900mhz range. This does not allow the signal for the Hopper to pass.


In particular, the tuner that record PTAT is multiplexed. This means they are sending all four networks at the same time down through the tuner and it is splitting the signal into 4 separate streams. That is a *lot* of bandwidth; especially when you add two additional streams coming over the same coax for the other tuners. Even though we have control of only three tuners at any given time; when PTAT is running we are pushing 6 HD signals over the coax at the same time. That's why when I plugged it in I lost signal.

That is also why some of you have been saying above (and on other threads) that the only way to do this is to plug it inline with a Joey.

The best way to be sure that you have the correct splitter is to look at the color (this is not always true, just most of the time). The normal silver splitters are usually the 900mhz variety. But the gold ones will usually handle the added range.

Since putting this new gold splitter (about $10 at my local parts store), my home networking has been working great and I am able to use my playon and my two media servers on the hopper and all three Joeys without issue.

Jim