No sat signal - 5LBN switch prob?

[spencerhg]

On advice from a Directv tech person, I removed the B Band Converter to see if that got rid of some pesky pixilation (no other probs of any kind). It got rid of the satellite signal altogether! Putting the converter back in did not help..."Searching for signal" After trying reset, unplugging, again trying with the converter in and the converter out...no signal. The tech person decided my unit, H20-600, had just gone bad and would send me a new one.
Being a curious person, I removed the B Band converter from the receiver in the other room, which had been working perfectly....you guessed it, now there is no signal detected by that unit either. Of course, have tried reset, unplugging, with and without the converter.
So, the tech set up an appt. for service, which will be in about two weeks due to my schedule. No TV of any kind for two weeks.
Unless someone out there has some idea of how to get these two units to start detecting the satellite???
I now think the problem MUST be with the multiswitch. Any ideas how I might fix it? I hate waiting for a service call!

 

[jdspencer]

I believe that without the B Band Converter you won't get signals from the new sats. Did you try each BBC on the other receiver? Do you receive any of the satellites? There are 5 of them you know?

 

[spencerhg]

JD,
Well, I just tried switching the BBCs, but...no luck, still no signals, and yes, on none of the satellites! Ah, well, worth a try.

 

[Jimbo]

You can bypass the MS and see if that helps.

What kind of signal strength did you have prior to this ?

By chance, are you in a favorite mode with JUST HD channels ?
Try going to the "All Channels " option if it's not already.

Jimbo

 

[charper1]

Not 100% sure if this is info needed, but it can't hurt. When you are disconnecting and reconnecting the RG6 lines (including the BBC_ are you making sure to UNPLUG the receiver(s)? Not doing so can result in shorting.

 

[Joe Diamond]

In addition to what Charper1 said.............check the fittings themselves. If the installer did not compress them correctly you could damage their contact by touching them. See if they are firmly attached to the cable with a center wire that is not bent or loose.

A reset should do it or bye bye box.

Joe

 

[spencerhg]

Thanks everyone for replying.
Jimbo - how do you bypass the MS? My signal strength before all this was in the 90s.
Charper1 - well, I didn't always unplug units... so maybe I shorted out both receivers??

 

[rockaway1836]

There's a chance that you did short out the receivers. There is also a chance that you shorted out the MS. Try what Jimbo mentioned. If you get the signal back it's the switch that's bad. Just make sure the receiver is unplugged befor making your connections.

 

[Jimbo]

Thanks everyone for replying.
Jimbo - how do you bypass the MS? My signal strength before all this was in the 90s.
Charper1 - well, I didn't always unplug units... so maybe I shorted out both receivers??

to the site !
I missed this earlier

Go out to the MS , find the line that goes to the rec. in question, (either one I guess, seeing you now have trouble on both of them).
Remove the coax going to the rec and take one feed from the dish side and use a barrel to connect them and go in and reset your rec. and give that a try, IF all works well again then you know the MS is the problem.

Jimbo

 

[spencerhg]

Jimbo,
Thanks for the welcome.
You wrote: "take one feed from the dish side and use a barrel to connect them." Sorry for my ignorance..but what is a barrel?
Oh, I'm from Cincinnati!
Spencer

 

[rockaway1836]

100 COAXIAL BARREL RG6 RG59 F TO F CONNECTOR COAX FTA - eBay (item 220190855509 end time Jan-17-08 19:09:57 PST)

 

[charper1]

You can get these by the piece or maybe 2pc bag at Wal Mart and Radio Shack too in a pinch.

 

[rockaway1836]

I should have mentioned that. I posted the Ebay thing because of the clear pic, so he would know what to look for.

 

[spencerhg]

Ok, thanks, I think I now understand what you are suggesting...I would have to break into the plastic housing from which the four male coax connectors emerge, as I see no screws. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to break the plastic!

 

[FHSPSU67]

You don't have to break in to any plastic box.
The multiswitch has 6 coax connectors on the dish side and 8 on the receiver(s) side.
At the WB68 multiswitch take off(unscrew) one cable on each side of the multiswitch and connect the two now-loose cables with a barrel.