pendragon, what's this polarization issue about anyway? at first glance I'm wondering if it could be the cause of the frequent "No Signal" pop-up message. I've noticed that it occurs on either V or H.
My Recent Exchange with Pansat USA!!!
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pendragon, what's this polarization issue about anyway? at first glance I'm wondering if it could be the cause of the frequent "No Signal" pop-up message. I've noticed that it occurs on either V or H.
Yea I eventually got it to play after switching from an encrypted radio channel and back to access america. Even deleting and rescanning transponders wouldnt fix it. I even tryed deleting the entire radio list, and then rescanning and that was a no go.
Another issue I have is Ill go to Antenna setup, move the motor over to AMC 15 (example) Veryify im on the bird, and then Ill go do a blind (smart) scan, and the blind (smart) scan doesnt happen, instead the line will screach across the screen and say that it found no transponders. Ill have to exit out of everything and then go back in and retry.
If you see "No Signal" on both H & V, I doubt the vertical voltage problem is the cause. However if you see this on V only, that's another story. The basic problem is some 9200HDs appear to output a voltage a bit on the high side for vertical polarization. This can cause LNBs and/or switches to flip to horizontal polarization. As this voltage is in "no man's land", the result can be erratic and the polarization may switch back and forth unpredictably. The solution is to lower the voltage by tweaking the 13V regulator.
Thanks pendragon for your explanation and goaliebob99 for your informative input. With this further information I can only conclude that it must be firmware related.
Another annoying issue I neglected to mention is the "wait for playback" message that sometimes won't terminate after starting playback of a recorded movie unless I reboot each time before using the PVR.
I'm not sure if heat has much influence but I certainly consider it. One would hope that if Pansat is aware of any 'heat' induced problems they would have offered a solution rather than offer more revenue making products with the lack of a neccessary solution.
Another annoying issue I neglected to mention is the "wait for playback" message that sometimes won't terminate after starting playback of a recorded movie unless I reboot each time before using the PVR.
I'm not sure if heat has much influence but I certainly consider it. One would hope that if Pansat is aware of any 'heat' induced problems they would have offered a solution rather than offer more revenue making products with the lack of a neccessary solution.
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I did some research on this
I did some research hitting different sites I found on google some of which is older information and maybe some info you don't want to know about.
I am not suggesting this would fix your problems but it might give you some ideas.
From what I read the computer you are installing your firmware from can cause problems depending on the operating system. I don't know why, I just read that...It was suggested to use an XP based machine or even a WIN2K machine rather than WIN7 or Vista box. That does not always help but some claim this solved their problems. Here again I am not sure why that makes a difference but a lot of people sure claim it does.
Ok here this is something I do not condone but I read on and some people use a "3rd Party Firmware and loader" because they feel the Pansat Firmware is filled with bugs that caused the box to not work as it should. Some of the issues you are having was solved when using the other firmware. Over heating and other problems was discussed and being you are having some of the same issues maybe you can search this out for yourself. Again I DO NOT CONDONE OR AM I SAYING FOR YOU TO USE A 3rd Party FIRMWARE. Just relaying some of the information I read last night. Not all the information I read pertained to your receiver but a wide range of Pansat receivers.
I am not even sure how you update the firmware on your box so anything I read might not even work and was a waste of my time. I was just trying to help you.
I am not sure any of this would help you but hopefully you can find something that will. It would be my advice to return it and Make them repair it as clearly something is wrong. Over heating can be related to firmware but that would be something I would make them fix. If it's under warranty I diff would send it back and diff would not use a 3rd party firmware. If it isn't under warranty then you can make your own mind up...
I did some research hitting different sites I found on google some of which is older information and maybe some info you don't want to know about.
I am not suggesting this would fix your problems but it might give you some ideas.
From what I read the computer you are installing your firmware from can cause problems depending on the operating system. I don't know why, I just read that...It was suggested to use an XP based machine or even a WIN2K machine rather than WIN7 or Vista box. That does not always help but some claim this solved their problems. Here again I am not sure why that makes a difference but a lot of people sure claim it does.
Ok here this is something I do not condone but I read on and some people use a "3rd Party Firmware and loader" because they feel the Pansat Firmware is filled with bugs that caused the box to not work as it should. Some of the issues you are having was solved when using the other firmware. Over heating and other problems was discussed and being you are having some of the same issues maybe you can search this out for yourself. Again I DO NOT CONDONE OR AM I SAYING FOR YOU TO USE A 3rd Party FIRMWARE. Just relaying some of the information I read last night. Not all the information I read pertained to your receiver but a wide range of Pansat receivers.
I am not even sure how you update the firmware on your box so anything I read might not even work and was a waste of my time. I was just trying to help you.
I am not sure any of this would help you but hopefully you can find something that will. It would be my advice to return it and Make them repair it as clearly something is wrong. Over heating can be related to firmware but that would be something I would make them fix. If it's under warranty I diff would send it back and diff would not use a 3rd party firmware. If it isn't under warranty then you can make your own mind up...
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Thanks Ironsides, I use Windows XP Pro and all I do is download the file to the USB stick which is the device used to install the firmware. I've also used hash file comparison software utilities to check the integrity of the file before downloading.
I have been there and done that prior to the DVB-S2 Plus tuner module installation but unfortunately this new module (hardware) leaves us no choice but to use the Pansat latest '1226' firmware for proper functionality. Previous Pansat f/ware and 3rd party hackware do not support this hardware. We are now at the mercy of Pansat unless I remove my $130.00 investment and toss it just to use other f/ware. But I already know that wouldn't help either because these common issues were here before this S2 install. Other's can vouch for it.
I once had small fans installed for cooling but had to remove them with the installation of this new module and with the possibility of having to return it for warranty repair. I am seriously considering adding another cooling system but will plan it more carefully for optimum effectiveness.
Thanks again for your concern and research, you have revived some things I've forgotten about.
I have been there and done that prior to the DVB-S2 Plus tuner module installation but unfortunately this new module (hardware) leaves us no choice but to use the Pansat latest '1226' firmware for proper functionality. Previous Pansat f/ware and 3rd party hackware do not support this hardware. We are now at the mercy of Pansat unless I remove my $130.00 investment and toss it just to use other f/ware. But I already know that wouldn't help either because these common issues were here before this S2 install. Other's can vouch for it.
I once had small fans installed for cooling but had to remove them with the installation of this new module and with the possibility of having to return it for warranty repair. I am seriously considering adding another cooling system but will plan it more carefully for optimum effectiveness.
Thanks again for your concern and research, you have revived some things I've forgotten about.
I read the same and thought about installing 3rd party firmware on my unit to see if it fixed some of the problems. But I also read that if you have to send your unit for repair and 3rd firmware is found on the unit your name is (required by law) forwarded to Dish. Some say that even if you reinstall the Pansat firmware traces of the 3rd party firmware still remain. Also the warranty is voided. So needless to say I did not install eye patch firmware on my 9200HD.
I doubt that
I doubt that anything remains on a Flashrom...It's possible I guess but Idk...I don't use it anyway and don't condone it's use. It does void the warranty that's in the owners manual. I guess if it got into the bootloader that might cause it to stick in the memory??
SO USB stick is the only method of firmware updates? If that is the case that sucks! Can you not use an RS232 cable?
That would be best if you could...
Well unless I researched the wrong thing you can Use RS232 to update the firmware which would be best. Nothing Like a direct connection to fix those bugs...
I do wonder though if this has a 1st stage bootloader and a 2nd. If it has a 1st stage it is possible this has become corrupted and would give you lots of troubles...
dude I would try using the RS232 cable and reinstall the firmware directly to the pansat from the pc.
I doubt that anything remains on a Flashrom...It's possible I guess but Idk...I don't use it anyway and don't condone it's use. It does void the warranty that's in the owners manual. I guess if it got into the bootloader that might cause it to stick in the memory??
SO USB stick is the only method of firmware updates? If that is the case that sucks! Can you not use an RS232 cable?
That would be best if you could...
Well unless I researched the wrong thing you can Use RS232 to update the firmware which would be best. Nothing Like a direct connection to fix those bugs...
I do wonder though if this has a 1st stage bootloader and a 2nd. If it has a 1st stage it is possible this has become corrupted and would give you lots of troubles...
dude I would try using the RS232 cable and reinstall the firmware directly to the pansat from the pc.
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trouble shooting:
Having seen these two comments, I wouldn't spend 10 seconds working on the receiver before I'd double check the LNB voltages! -
As there are many different switch 'n LNB configurations possible, it's impossible to predict how a wrong voltage would affect operation!
(Obviously, some problems you've described would not be related, but others . . . . ) -
As for heating, that's often improved by placing a laptop cooler under the receiver.
When that's shown to work, I'm happy for the user.
However, as a technique to test overheating, it leaves a lot to be desired!
The only way for heating to be discounted, is to remove the receiver from wherever it's currently located...
... remove the cover from the receiver...
... set up a large fan to blow copious amounts of cool air over the receiver continuously for testing.
Only if that helps, may you then cut back on the cooling to determine the amount needed.
Of course, it's possible there are other electrical failures within your single sample.
I'd double check all the voltages provided by the power supply, to see if they look reasonable.
Often, the expected voltage is printed on the main receiver board, or the power supply board.
Visually check the power supply - sometimes older electrolytic capacitors will be leaking or appear bulging.
If you have an oscilloscope, checking the voltages for ripple (switching power supply noise) may be revealing.
Having seen these two comments, I wouldn't spend 10 seconds working on the receiver before I'd double check the LNB voltages! -
As there are many different switch 'n LNB configurations possible, it's impossible to predict how a wrong voltage would affect operation!
(Obviously, some problems you've described would not be related, but others . . . . ) -
As for heating, that's often improved by placing a laptop cooler under the receiver.
When that's shown to work, I'm happy for the user.
However, as a technique to test overheating, it leaves a lot to be desired!
The only way for heating to be discounted, is to remove the receiver from wherever it's currently located...
... remove the cover from the receiver...
... set up a large fan to blow copious amounts of cool air over the receiver continuously for testing.
Only if that helps, may you then cut back on the cooling to determine the amount needed.
Of course, it's possible there are other electrical failures within your single sample.
I'd double check all the voltages provided by the power supply, to see if they look reasonable.
Often, the expected voltage is printed on the main receiver board, or the power supply board.
Visually check the power supply - sometimes older electrolytic capacitors will be leaking or appear bulging.
If you have an oscilloscope, checking the voltages for ripple (switching power supply noise) may be revealing.
I don't know about a 1st or 2nd stage bootloader on this model but Pansat does offer a bootloader download which I've done also, believe me... I've covered almost every step and possibility but I'm making some progress which I'll tell you about shortly in another post.
There is a serial DB-9 port but I don't use it, it's a real pain in the rear to disconnect all the cables to do it, so I use the USB and I seriously don't think it had any ill effect with the problems.
Having seen these two comments, I wouldn't spend 10 seconds working on the receiver before I'd double check the LNB voltages! -
As there are many different switch 'n LNB configurations possible, it's impossible to predict how a wrong voltage would affect operation!
(Obviously, some problems you've described would not be related, but others . . . . ) -
As for heating, that's often improved by placing a laptop cooler under the receiver.
When that's shown to work, I'm happy for the user.
However, as a technique to test overheating, it leaves a lot to be desired!
The only way for heating to be discounted, is to remove the receiver from wherever it's currently located...
... remove the cover from the receiver...
... set up a large fan to blow copious amounts of cool air over the receiver continuously for testing.
Only if that helps, may you then cut back on the cooling to determine the amount needed.
Of course, it's possible there are other electrical failures within your single sample.
I'd double check all the voltages provided by the power supply, to see if they look reasonable.
Often, the expected voltage is printed on the main receiver board, or the power supply board.
Visually check the power supply - sometimes older electrolytic capacitors will be leaking or appear bulging.
If you have an oscilloscope, checking the voltages for ripple (switching power supply noise) may be revealing.
Well, GOOD NEWS Anole.... it dawned on me what could be causing the "no signal" pop-up message I constantly get on a couple of channels so I put my thought to work and just finished testing it. All I did was tweak the frequency and SR numbers a bit by lowering them one digit and so far I'm not seeing the pop-up message. I've only tweaked one channel so far and I'll continue to test it for a while and see if I need to tweak more.
I hope other 9200HD owner's who experience this "no signal" pop-up message will read this and try it. There may be nothing wrong with the stb itself except it's a little quirky.
So far it looks like I'm getting the bugs worked out except for one and that's the PVR issue of recording channels other than the one specified in the timer settings. This bug must be f/ware related cuz I can't see how anything else would effect this.
All of you who have posted have been of great help and support and I thank you :up
Yea, it could be that your LNB or your receiver are a bit off frequency...
... or maybe both, and in opposite directions...
but it's still strange that once locked on, you can't track the signal.
Try offsetting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 mhz each way and see where you lose the signal most readily.
Choose the middle ground.
Some people actually set their LO frequency off a little to do the compensation.
I don't know if all receivers support that idea, and it might not a good one if you use multiple lnbs. -
... or maybe both, and in opposite directions...
but it's still strange that once locked on, you can't track the signal.
Try offsetting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 mhz each way and see where you lose the signal most readily.
Choose the middle ground.
Some people actually set their LO frequency off a little to do the compensation.
I don't know if all receivers support that idea, and it might not a good one if you use multiple lnbs. -
Yea, it could be that your LNB or your receiver are a bit off frequency...
... or maybe both, and in opposite directions...
but it's still strange that once locked on, you can't track the signal.
Try offsetting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 mhz each way and see where you lose the signal most readily.
Choose the middle ground.
Some people actually set their LO frequency off a little to do the compensation.
I don't know if all receivers support that idea, and it might not a good one if you use multiple lnbs. -
Thanks for the tips Anole. I suppose a little here and a little there can add up and especially when blind scanning, not all receivers scan in the same numbers and even if this stb scans in a certain number it may not neccessarily like them either. In my exchange with Mr. Montenegro at Pansat he mentioned that some customers who use these stbs professionally at TV stations, etc, use this technique for sorting out certain issues but he wasn't specific. His statement got me thinking and this is how I got the idea.
Well it looks like that little bugger "No Signal" message is conquered, I haven't seen it in hours of viewing that same plagued channel.
Now I getting somewhere with this 9200HD
Now I getting somewhere with this 9200HD
Congrats on the No Signal!
Hey Congrats on getting that No Signal Problem worked out!
DB9 connection or RS 232 port vs the USB upgrade method. It has been my experience when doing Firmware updates it is by far better to connect directly to the STB. Some Folks will disagree with that but where you run into problems is how your computer formats your USB stick and how it writes information to the stick. Several other issues are discovered when using the USB stick to transfer your new firmware. I don't understand them all but I know from trail and error I have less problems with Firmware when I go directly to my computer and go to all the trouble to hook that cable up.
At this point in the game it's worth trying the RS232 and see if that helps.
I would guess also the 9200 does have a 1st stage boot loader and I would bet it can be corrupted. I am not sure because I've only recently been reading about this box. Being it uses a Flash Rom I would bet it does have a stage one and two. I would guess also your write data to stage 2.
Hey Congrats on getting that No Signal Problem worked out!
DB9 connection or RS 232 port vs the USB upgrade method. It has been my experience when doing Firmware updates it is by far better to connect directly to the STB. Some Folks will disagree with that but where you run into problems is how your computer formats your USB stick and how it writes information to the stick. Several other issues are discovered when using the USB stick to transfer your new firmware. I don't understand them all but I know from trail and error I have less problems with Firmware when I go directly to my computer and go to all the trouble to hook that cable up.
At this point in the game it's worth trying the RS232 and see if that helps.
I would guess also the 9200 does have a 1st stage boot loader and I would bet it can be corrupted. I am not sure because I've only recently been reading about this box. Being it uses a Flash Rom I would bet it does have a stage one and two. I would guess also your write data to stage 2.
Thanks for the info Ironsides, every bit helps with these issues. Don't recall if I mentioned it but I did download a fresh copy of the bootloader file along with the latest f/ware a few times to make sure it saturated.
At this point in time it doesn't appear to have any issues with the download method using the USB, I'm sure Pansat would have recommended using the serial bus instead. The final issue now is the common malfunction of the PVR event timer recorder, it won't record the specified channel, it somehow switches to another channel and records something else every time. Other user's and myself have witnessed this problem even before the f/ware upgrade, it's an inherent issue with the coding of the f/ware. Pansat has not fixed this bug yet and this is what I'm currently addressing with Pansat.
I would be pleased to hear from other user's about their experience with this issue. Any 9200HD PVR tester's out there?
...Now I getting somewhere with this 9200HD
The rug has been pulled out from under you, however. This receiver is now discontinued, according to a discussion on Sattalk last night. By agreement with Dish Network. More info soon...
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