Multi-switch problem(message 749)

[Depep]

Hi guys. Every day my receiver freezes and I get the same message Multi-switch problem (message 749).
I have only one receiver and no multi-switch. The only way I can fix this problem is if I reset the receiver , but that works only for a day and the next day same thing. I called the customer service and they send the technician, twice, and they replaced the receiver first, they give me the new HR-21, and then after I was still getting the same message they replaced the LNBs but still the same. Now I have appointment for Tuesday with another technician but I don’t think that he can help me. So maybe if somebody had the same problem (MULTI-SWITCH PROBLEM -message 749) can you tell me how to fix it. The only thing that I would think is wrong is that I don’t get signal on satellite 119, but the customer representative told me that got nothing to do with it. So what is it? Is maybe the software ? Please somebody give me an advice.

 

[charper1]

What about the RG6 cabling or connectors or the B-band units? Were any of these things checked?

P.S. The multi-switch in the the dish's LNB array; on both the Phase III and 5LNB dish models.

 

[skistowe]

Same thing

Same problem- same sequence but Directv sent me a new H21. That didn't help. I also get an occasional message 'unsupported audio input" but that doesn't seem to cause any problems.

I unplug it, plug it back in and get the Hi, your new receiver is starting up. It then gets satellite info and works fine until I unplug it.

I would like to get a fix for this annoying problem

 

[jcrandall]

If all else fails, as the technician to replace the LNB - the multiswitch is built-in like charper said.

 

[charper1]

I unplug it, plug it back in and get the Hi, your new receiver is starting up. It then gets satellite info and works fine until I unplug it.

Once its working fine; why unplug it again? I may have missed the explanation for that.

 

[Depep]

Last time they replace the LNB, and that did not help. I notice that receiver had a hard time to pick up the guide. And sometimes all of the channels show regular schedule. I always know that after that the receiver will freeze.
Maybe if I connect the phone line or the network cable may fix it?

 

[jcrandall]

You said you don't get 119. I"m curios here, what signals are you getting on 101?

More I think about this, you said "had trouble" getting the guide, sounds like you may have a low signal.

Phone & Network lines will make no difference for what you're describing.

 

[Depep]

You said you don't get 119. I"m curios here, what signals are you getting on 101?

More I think about this, you said "had trouble" getting the guide, sounds like you may have a low signal.

Phone & Network lines will make no difference for what you're describing.

I don’t get sat. 119 because there is a tree across the street that is in the way. I live in association and that is the only place I can put the dish, and I can’t do anything about the tree. The signals on 101, 110, 103 and 99 are in the nineties. In the winter I get 119 too but when the leaves grow back on the tree I loose that signal. But the representative told me that is not the reason for multi-switch problem, but then again they are not always correct like they were trying to convince me that channels 79 and 209 HD (ESPN2HD) are not coming of sat 119 because there is no HD channels that are coming of that satellite. Every time when I lose 119 I can not get ESPN2HD(channel 72 and 209 HD), HDNet(channel 79), UniversalHD(channel74) and a lot of other SD channels mostly Spanish that I don’t watch.

 

[jcrandall]

OK,you know what you're talking about (119 wise - that's good) and you're signals are good.

You've replaced the LNB and receiver, and you don't have a switch, I'm out of ideas.

 

[texasbrit]

OK, two different problems here. First, the multiswitch issue. You can usually solve this by going through satellite setup again from the beginning.
Second, the guide problem. The loss of guide data is because you are not receiving the 119 satellite. Guide data comes from 101 and 119. If you are tuned to a channel on 99 or 101 the guide data is coming from 101, if you are tuned to 103/110/119 it is coming from 119. That means that if, for example, you are watching HD channels most of the time you will be tuned to a 103 channel and so you will not be getting any guide data because you are not receiving 119.
I think you have a DVR (your posts are a bit confusing on this) so the way to solve it is as follows. You have to make sure that your DVR is tuned to a 101 channel occasionally, and that this is done on tuner 1 (which is the one used to get the guide). Set up to record two stations from 101 (SD channels like CNN SD or USA SD) at some time each early morning. You can set up manual recordings to record for say 30 minutes on the channels. By setting up two recordings at the same time you will be sure that tuner 1 is tuned to 101. You should find this solves the guide problem. Obviously you will have two "junk" recordings every morning that you will need to delete but it is the only way to solve the guide problems.

 

[Depep]

OK, two different problems here. First, the multiswitch issue. You can usually solve this by going through satellite setup again from the beginning.
Second, the guide problem. The loss of guide data is because you are not receiving the 119 satellite. Guide data comes from 101 and 119. If you are tuned to a channel on 99 or 101 the guide data is coming from 101, if you are tuned to 103/110/119 it is coming from 119. That means that if, for example, you are watching HD channels most of the time you will be tuned to a 103 channel and so you will not be getting any guide data because you are not receiving 119.
I think you have a DVR (your posts are a bit confusing on this) so the way to solve it is as follows. You have to make sure that your DVR is tuned to a 101 channel occasionally, and that this is done on tuner 1 (which is the one used to get the guide). Set up to record two stations from 101 (SD channels like CNN SD or USA SD) at some time each early morning. You can set up manual recordings to record for say 30 minutes on the channels. By setting up two recordings at the same time you will be sure that tuner 1 is tuned to 101. You should find this solves the guide problem. Obviously you will have two "junk" recordings every morning that you will need to delete but it is the only way to solve the guide problems.

Thank you Texasbrit. I don’t have a DVR but finally my box started to pick up the schedule. I left the box on channel 3 SD while I was at work and when I came back the schedule was on for the whole week. I think that will solve the problem with the multi-switch. Lately I was watching only HD channels . And since the box could not pick up the schedule, maybe somehow that was the reason to make it freeze. I will live it over night on some SD channel and I will see tomorrow if it works but I think it will be all right.
Thanks again for your help.

 

[texasbrit]

Thank you Texasbrit. I don’t have a DVR but finally my box started to pick up the schedule. I left the box on channel 3 SD while I was at work and when I came back the schedule was on for the whole week. I think that will solve the problem with the multi-switch. Lately I was watching only HD channels . And since the box could not pick up the schedule, maybe somehow that was the reason to make it freeze. I will live it over night on some SD channel and I will see tomorrow if it works but I think it will be all right.
Thanks again for your help.

The easiest way to do this on a receiver is to set an autotune for a sat 101 channel for, say, 3am daily.

 

[jcrandall]

Great info Tex!

 

[grg3]

I have a friend that is having a similar problem with her upgrade to a new HD system. Techs have been out twice and last time they replaced the LNB and receiver. She has some issues with trees that she didn't have with the old system that seem to mainly affect 119. She has great signal strength on all satellites except 119 and the lowest signal on that satellite is 74.

The system works fine for a few days at a time and then the screen goes black. Changing channels sometimes gets video for a few seconds and then it goes black again. Sometimes it will display and error and sometimes not. When the error is displayed it is Multi-Function Switch Problem. I can still access the self test functions and check signal strength when this occurs and everything looks fine. Unplugging and replugging the power cord gets everything working again until the next time it goes blank. So far she does not seem to lose guide data

The install techs and technical support don't seem to have a clue about what is happening. If anyone has any ideas, I would really appreciate it.

 

[grg3]

We had a third visit for our problem today and the tech seemed to be familiar with it this time. He said that he has had this in the past and setting the dish to 3 LNB and then back to 5 LNB seems to fix it. He did this and redid the satellite setup as recommended here.

We shall see!

 

[texasbrit]

We had a third visit for our problem today and the tech seemed to be familiar with it this time. He said that he has had this in the past and setting the dish to 3 LNB and then back to 5 LNB seems to fix it. He did this and redid the satellite setup as recommended here.

We shall see!

yes, that should fix it...but post back and tell us if it does!