Not getting all subscribed W5 channels

[Hallowsend]

Hi,
New member here. Glad to see C-Band alive and well on this forum!

I have finally been able to find the W5 bird. I subscribed to a package but am only getting a few of the channels. For example, I get 603 & 605 but not 604, get 252 but not 253. Signal quality is in the 90s.

I've gone through the digital channels with the analog receiver on both odd and even transponders and the result is the same.

I am new to digital and am pretty well ignorant of the finer points of satellite TV in general - I may be missing something pretty obvious to you pros.

Equipment is GI350i, 905 Sidecar, and unknown model 10' mesh dish. Location is about 50 miles north of Montreal, Quebec.

Thanks

 

[sergei]

First guess is since both channels are vertical that you may have a problem with your servo motor on the feedhorn, check your wiring and make sure you have the correct feedhorn type selected in the receiver.

 

[Hallowsend]

Thanks for the reply, Sergei, but I don't know my servo from my elbow.

Is there an 'indoor' method of checking this, e.g., if I can get G5 analog channels 5 & 6 (one horizontal, one vertical, if I understand correctly) then servo is NOT the problem? Or does this not apply to digital?

(I sent a photo of my feedhorn innards to a technician and he said it looked like a C-Band LNB. That's what is selected in Setup.)

Is there some setting on the 905 I can fiddle with?

 

[sergei]

It will be a blue or black rectangle box next to the LNB on the feedhorn with three wires coming out. Servo motors are funny in the problems they can cause and getting a digital signal is more tricky, analog is less of a problem in getting a signal. When you change channels does it lock right away or does the picture take a few seconds to lock in, if it takes time then the servo is most likely going out.

Check out this link for the manual:

http://www.bigdish.info/pfd/905Install.pdf

 

[jayelem]

When I first subscribed to the pick 10 Digital Ku pack last year ( before it moved to C-band ), I had several channels missing and called a rep and I then got a rehit and they opened up.

I'd try calling the programming center first .

 

[Corrado]

Does it skip the channels altogether or will it go to the desired channel with a blank screen? I know there is a setting in the menu that if selected causes the 922 to skip channels. Make sure under "viewing and language settings" the the channel tuning is set to "step" not "alt".

If it doesn't go to the desired channel at all, the mapping may not be current. In that case, leave the receiver on channel G1-3 or G5-100 for a while.

 

[Hallowsend]

Thanks jayelem. I seem to remember having similar problems with C3 or F3 digital a couple of years ago. I wound up dropping digital because I couldn't get enough of a package's channels to justify subscribing to it. We've been limited to G5 analog channels since. Hubby wants to go to pizza dish for simplicity. I want to give BUD another chance.

Sergei, there is such a black box in the feedhorn labelled 'Channel Master'. I found these instructions for testing servo from westviewsatellite.com:

"To test :
Unplug satellite receiver
Remove servo motor from feed assembly
Connect red +, black - , white pulse directly to rear of satellite receiver
Plug in satellite receiver
Change channels on satellite receiver
If you can't hear smooth motor noise switching your servo motor is bad."

Does that sound right to you? Before I start taking things apart, could my problem be a symptom of improperly wired receiver/905?

(Hubby is snoozing, sorry, that should be 'meditating' in the living room where the equipment is so I'll have to get back to you on how long it takes to get a lock on channels it does pick up. I thought it was fairly instantaneous, but I'll check and make sure once hubby changes his polarity from horizontal to vertical.)

 

[Hallowsend]

Hi Corrado,

I get a 'searching for channel' or words to that effect. On some channels, I get 'you have selected a digital carrier with no video' or something like that which kind of surprised me because the DC light was not green. I guess it is not relevant, though.

 

[Hallowsend]

Further to my question about improperly wired units, it looks like the servo is wired to the GI350i and not the 905. Would this make any difference?

 

[phlatwound]

...... I thought it was fairly instantaneous, but I'll check and make sure once hubby changes his polarity from horizontal to vertical.)

Now that was funny.

Can't help you with your problem (I'm 4DTV-illiterate), but I'm sure someone will jump in before long, good luck!

 

[Hallowsend]

Back again.

There does not seem to be any pause between channels.

 

[Hallowsend]

Eureka!!!

Sergei, you were right about the polarity issue. I dug up a few manuals and references from the internet and found that the Sidecar had been incorrectly wired. The servo wires were only connected to the receiver because, I guess, I did not have the "Polarizer Jump Cable" mentioned in Skyvision's instructions.

I rewired the servo to the Sidecar and cut three lengths of wire to go from the Sidecar to the receiver. I thought I had killed it - for a while, all I was getting was snow. Turned off the Sidecar, changed satellites to G5. Confirmed analog reception (phew) and went back to W5 and switched on the Sidecar. Bingo!

I have not tried all formerly missing channels yet but I can confirm several new ones.

Thanks to all.

 

[rv1pop]

Sergi, I thank you also. Although I do not have C-band yet, that is a problem I had heard of and Those who had it had not solved it... I will refer them to youer comments!
POP

--- My fingers say it is cold out here in the shed! --