Moved and now having signal issues

[david22585]

I moved into a new apartment, and I decided to set my own dish up as I am still stuck with DTV in contract, and my apartmnent complex no longer offers a DTV dish anymore, just Dish networks service. Well my view to the southern sky isnt the greatest, but there is a view. I have a 3 story building about 50 feet behind me. A DTV tech told me before that I would be able to clear the building that close for the angle I need to get service. There are the numbers that I need to get the signal:

Azimuth: 218
Tilt: 66
Elevation: 39

Located in SW Michigan.

Well I put my kit up today, and I seem to be getting a strong signal for 5 seconds, then it goes out for 5 seconds, then come back for 5 seconds and back and forth. Signal is in the high 80's to low 90's in very cloudy weather. When I checked the transponders, I get all the odd's, and only a few evens. When the system does the self check, it shows that everything is fine. When it searches for the sat signal, it only takes 15-20 seconds, but when it his the recieving satellite signal phase, it hangs at 0%. I am using a R15 reciever less then a year old.

I have tried the triple LNB dish, and the old school round single LNB that DTV sent me out. Both do the same thing. I am using brand new wiring supplied directly from directv also. This is not my first time installing, so I know it pretty well also. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas to what this could be. Could it be recieving the signal for a few seconds due to the ionosphere and the flux of the signal, or is it something else I should check out.

If it ends up that my view sucks, what are my options with DTV if anyone knows? DTV still shows my apartment complex as a MDU, but they switched to Dish Network a few months ago.

Thanks for the help, and looking forward to the replies.

 

[BluegrassGuy1976]

How are you getting your cables from your dish into your apartment and how many? One or two? At the entry point I mean. Flat cable? Said wiring is new, check the connectors, at the LNB, at your entry point on both sides, and at the recievers, make sure you haven't inadvertantly wrapped a strand of silver braid around the copper center conductor. Look at them really good, it only takes one strand to short between the copper and the braid.

 

[david22585]

How are you getting your cables from your dish into your apartment and how many? One or two? At the entry point I mean. Flat cable?

I am currently using a tri-pod to test the setup, so I am running a 50' of brand new RG6 cable with sealed compression fittings through the door, while its cracked open a little bit. Door is not crimping on the line at all. Wiring is directly to the R15, no multiswitch, splitter, or anything else. When plugged into both input 1 and 2, I get the same thing.

I do know that when I moved in, they had to put it on the internal stacker to get it to work. I know that the DVR needs 2 lines, but using the one right now just to test should be getting me all the transponders, or atleast it shouldnt be cutting out as it is. I also just looked, and its picking up a FEW of the even tansponders, but its still cutting out on the signal from mid to high 80's, sometimes low 90's to 0 every other 5 seconds.

 

[harshness]

Even only may suggest a low switching voltage situation or some sort of legacy LNB.

 

[BluegrassGuy1976]

50' storebought? It's either the connectors on it, could be be the port you are using on the LNB. Could be a switching problem on the LNB itself like Harsh said. If it's a solid line that's the only thing it could be other than the reciever. Doesn't sound like a signal issue. If your Odd's are in the high 80's to low 90's the even's should be the same. I'd try another port on the LNB first since it'd be the easiest to do, then I'd replace the connectors. The only 2 even# transponders on the 101 that should be 0 is #18 and #28. The thing that bothers me is you said both the triple LNB AND the single/dual LNB are both doing it. While it's not likely they would send you a bad LNB it's possible.

Only other thing it could be if neither of those work is the reciever itself.

 

[david22585]

Video of DTV problem - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

A video of what it is doing. I used a 3 LNB dish and I got the same thing. Tried a single LNB that I just got from DTV and its the same thing. The 50' RG6 is from DTV also. Its in their temp install kit that they send out. Reciever worked perfect before the move also. Going to switch the line on the LNB right now to see if that works at all.

EDIT: Switched over the port that the RG6 was screwed into to the other one, and its doing the same thing. Also, as you can see from the video, its doing it on both the number 1 and 2 transponder.

 

[BluegrassGuy1976]

From your video, you're getting intermittent signal on xpndr 1 and 2, but they are both reading the evens/odds... It's picking them both up, looks like the LNB is switching while it's on, but why it's cutting out.... weird. Not a sight issue. I'm leaning heavily toward something internal with that box, as much as I hate to. Harshness what do you think? His signal doesn't fade and drop either like if it had water/moisture in it, it just drops completely...

 

[david22585]

Anyone else?

 

[markon3]

Have you tried reseting the receiver? Also, try connecting the cable to the Satellite 2 input? And if THAT doesn't work, I'd make double-sure that your cable isn't crimped in the doorway. If those don't help, it just MIGHT be the receiver itself.

 

[david22585]

Have you tried reseting the receiver? Also, try connecting the cable to the Satellite 2 input? And if THAT doesn't work, I'd make double-sure that your cable isn't crimped in the doorway. If those don't help, it just MIGHT be the receiver itself.

Resetting as in a power cycle, or doing a hard reset? If its a hard reset, how do you do that? Also, how do I access the submenu to turn the internal destacker on and off?

And I know the cable isn't crimped in the door, as the door is open with the cable running through it.

 

[markon3]

To do a hard reset... unplug it - wait 10-15 seconds plug it back in. Sometimes this is necessary with dvrs... especially if you didn't hook up everything before plugging it in. And what do you mean by "destacker"?

 

[david22585]

Finally got it to work.

The LNB in the system was set up to stacked. I changed it over to destacked and now it works great. Odd little setting to cause that issue. May be something good to add to a FAQ or something.