Is any one else having problems w/ freeze ups and signal flucation.signal goes 97,97,90,55,11,87,95,32,87,etc... picture freezes up.Tells me i can't even get espnhd says i need to upgrade also getting c-span i believe it was on espn2, going on for three weeks now, can't get anyone out yet to fix it channels missing says they are tracking the freeze up promblem so to me it sounds like it is a nationwide promblem but i have seen no posts on it. Probally just another way to get me off the phone did get $37 credit though.Yeah!!! i would rather be able to watch my hd then get credits though. sorry for ranting on.
picture freeze up and signal flucuation
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yes, I have been experiencing similar problems since the firmware upgrade; sometimes you cannot change the channel without doing a soft of hard re-boot; some times the sound just goes away for no reason, and a reboot is also needed to get it back...
tried hard and soft reboots still not helping tried to repeak dish still comes and goes csr says they are tracking the promblem like everyone is having this promblem HUH HUM BS!! just trying to get me off the phone so they can lie to their next customer to
We're having frequent (about once every other day) channel dropouts where randon channels from the bottom of the OTAs to 999 freeze out. Power button reboot brings them back . It has been a problem since the new firmware download and is a known problem to VOOM engineers.
However, have not had the signal changes you mention except related to weather.
Still watching HDTV under clear cold Seattle skies, Gill
However, have not had the signal changes you mention except related to weather.
Still watching HDTV under clear cold Seattle skies, Gill
Trey/Wase,
I might be lucky, but I am not having any problems with either of my two receivers, both of which are attached to a single 24 inch dish antenna. Although it might be another problem, the fluctuating (and low) signal strength is likely indicative of an incorrectly aimed antenna. I can get the same result by slightly changing the elevation on my antenna.
What is your software version? What is your firmware version? Both of these numbers are shown in the installer and system status windows. If you are on the most current software and firmware, then I would disconnect the phone line from the receiver and see if that improves overall reliability.
I have had one receiver lockup in about 5 weeks; the receiver would not change channels and I had no audio from it. Holding the power button down for about ten seconds and then releasing it caused a warm reboot. That receiver has worked fine without further reboots for about 5 days now. Neither of my receivers is hooked up to the phone jack. Both receivers are used extensively for HD and SD reception from the local OTA channels.
If anyone is not sure how to perform a warm reboot, then do a cold reboot by just unplugging your receiver from the wall for about a minute and then plug it back in and press the power button. Anyone with a Bill Gates computer operating system in the house should be very familiar with this procedure...
I might be lucky, but I am not having any problems with either of my two receivers, both of which are attached to a single 24 inch dish antenna. Although it might be another problem, the fluctuating (and low) signal strength is likely indicative of an incorrectly aimed antenna. I can get the same result by slightly changing the elevation on my antenna.
What is your software version? What is your firmware version? Both of these numbers are shown in the installer and system status windows. If you are on the most current software and firmware, then I would disconnect the phone line from the receiver and see if that improves overall reliability.
I have had one receiver lockup in about 5 weeks; the receiver would not change channels and I had no audio from it. Holding the power button down for about ten seconds and then releasing it caused a warm reboot. That receiver has worked fine without further reboots for about 5 days now. Neither of my receivers is hooked up to the phone jack. Both receivers are used extensively for HD and SD reception from the local OTA channels.
If anyone is not sure how to perform a warm reboot, then do a cold reboot by just unplugging your receiver from the wall for about a minute and then plug it back in and press the power button. Anyone with a Bill Gates computer operating system in the house should be very familiar with this procedure...
I've had V for eight months. Had rain fade, got 24" dish. No help. Finally got a guy who knew what he was doing, moved whole dish, had great results for about a month. When he moved the dish, however, he said the 24 " dish should have come with a longer arm as it didn't look right to him with the arm that came with the 18" dish. So he put the 18" dish (reflector) back on instead of the 24, and signal was high 80s. Now I'm back to low 80s, and geting drop outs when it's cloudy or rainy or snowy, etc. Anybody know for sure if the 24" dish should have a longer arm than the original 18" one? (The guy just changed the reflector from the 18 to the 24). I'm wondering if I could change the reflector back myself and get a stronger signal. Anybody know? Thanks! Appreciate it!
I got the 24 inch dish and the installer tried to do the same thing to me. The arm MUST be replaced also, not just the reflector. The focal length of the reflector is different and to place the LNB in the correct focal point you need the arm to be the correct length.
As for the signal jumping up and down it sounds to me like the dish isn't aimed correctly or is blowing around a bit in the wind.
Also, for the channel locking problem, try disconnecting the phone line. When a call comes in there is a 70 volt spike sent over the phone line. It is my belief that the STB can't deal with the spike correctly. My STB lockup problems stopped after I disconnected the phone line.
As for the signal jumping up and down it sounds to me like the dish isn't aimed correctly or is blowing around a bit in the wind.
Also, for the channel locking problem, try disconnecting the phone line. When a call comes in there is a 70 volt spike sent over the phone line. It is my belief that the STB can't deal with the spike correctly. My STB lockup problems stopped after I disconnected the phone line.
I agree with tdillon about the antenna. We just had our 18" relaced and the arm was replaced as well. Now we get 97-98 in clear weather instead of 95-96. A loose mount could be causing the lower signal as well as tdillon said. We had a loose LNB which caused picture dropouts until a service call got it fixed.
However, we have had no luck disconnecting the phone line. Hasn't changed the number of lockups for us which started with the 7.26 firmware.
Watching HDTV under very cold clear Seattle skies, Gill
However, we have had no luck disconnecting the phone line. Hasn't changed the number of lockups for us which started with the 7.26 firmware.
Watching HDTV under very cold clear Seattle skies, Gill
I also got upgraded to the 24" dish and the installer just replaced the dish and nothing else. I did notice my signal was a bit weaker since then. He's coming out Friday to replace a defective box that has me locked out of parental controls and advanced settings. I'm going to ask him about the the arm replacement but I'm sure he will tell me it doesn't matter. Will adding an 5' extension arm to the OTA antenna help in reception any?
They somehow fixed the ESPN issue for me.
As for the signal strength, this has happened to me twice. Both times in a clear sky.
I was watching TNTHD and the picture started pixilating so I popped over to the signal strength. It slowly went from 80 to 0. Stayed there for a few second, and then slowly made its way back up to normal.
There are no obstructions in front of my dish unless Big Foot happened to be crawling around on my roof at that particular time!
As for the signal strength, this has happened to me twice. Both times in a clear sky.
I was watching TNTHD and the picture started pixilating so I popped over to the signal strength. It slowly went from 80 to 0. Stayed there for a few second, and then slowly made its way back up to normal.
There are no obstructions in front of my dish unless Big Foot happened to be crawling around on my roof at that particular time!
24 Inch Dish Signal Strength
Joverstr2,
If correctly installed and your have a clear view of the satellite (no trees, etc.), there is NO WAY that the replacement of a 24 inch dish should result in a signal loss from an 18 dish. Others have reported a clear weather signal strength of 95-96 with an 18 inch dish and 98-99 with a 24 inch dish.
I have 98-99 on my two receivers with a 24 inch dish and I am not in a good location (SoCal) to receive the easterly and low in the sky Voom satellite. What is your current signal strength?
If your installer cannot deliver signal strengths as noted above, he is not aiming the dish correctly, he is using the wrong feed arm, or you have some severe loss in your downlead cable. You need to get a different installer on the job if he cannot correct this on his next visit.
Joverstr2,
If correctly installed and your have a clear view of the satellite (no trees, etc.), there is NO WAY that the replacement of a 24 inch dish should result in a signal loss from an 18 dish. Others have reported a clear weather signal strength of 95-96 with an 18 inch dish and 98-99 with a 24 inch dish.
I have 98-99 on my two receivers with a 24 inch dish and I am not in a good location (SoCal) to receive the easterly and low in the sky Voom satellite. What is your current signal strength?
If your installer cannot deliver signal strengths as noted above, he is not aiming the dish correctly, he is using the wrong feed arm, or you have some severe loss in your downlead cable. You need to get a different installer on the job if he cannot correct this on his next visit.
"Ronald_Jeremy", assuming Big Foot hasn't been crawling around on your roof and blocking your sat have you noticed this happening on any other sat channels? It may be a TNTHD problem. But if not then I'd get a service call and find out what is going on.
Still watching under cloudless and cold Seattle skies, Gill
Still watching under cloudless and cold Seattle skies, Gill
BigTVSteve,
Thanks for the response. My sig strength w/ the 18" was about mid 90's and now it's in the low 90's. He said he couldn't get any better than that but I did notice while he was adjusting the dish after putting in the 24" one that sat sig strength was mid 90's then went to low 90's and he said that was the best he could do. I do not know if he had a meter to test with, he must have since he never came in the house until he was done aligning the new dish. I'm in south alabama and have a good open view of the southern sky. I have the winegard sensor II antenna w/ a 24" dish, he installed a diplexor? under the overhang and two cables run to it, one from antenna and the other from sat. Then one cable comes out and runs to the voom box. I also have mediacom HD as well and I beleive it's still run by itself, what gets me is now I no longer have local weather using mediacom cable, it goes to the national weather. You think they somehow spliced into cable some how? I'm having mediacom removed this week and I'm going to take some pictures of the install if y'all will be so kind to give me some feedback. Thanks and sorry for hijacking this thread.
Thanks for the response. My sig strength w/ the 18" was about mid 90's and now it's in the low 90's. He said he couldn't get any better than that but I did notice while he was adjusting the dish after putting in the 24" one that sat sig strength was mid 90's then went to low 90's and he said that was the best he could do. I do not know if he had a meter to test with, he must have since he never came in the house until he was done aligning the new dish. I'm in south alabama and have a good open view of the southern sky. I have the winegard sensor II antenna w/ a 24" dish, he installed a diplexor? under the overhang and two cables run to it, one from antenna and the other from sat. Then one cable comes out and runs to the voom box. I also have mediacom HD as well and I beleive it's still run by itself, what gets me is now I no longer have local weather using mediacom cable, it goes to the national weather. You think they somehow spliced into cable some how? I'm having mediacom removed this week and I'm going to take some pictures of the install if y'all will be so kind to give me some feedback. Thanks and sorry for hijacking this thread.
Maybe he did a poor installation job. We use a diplexor (although many recommend against them) but still are getting a signal of 97 this morn under typical rainy Seattle skies. You might have a bad diplexor. We did and it cut the signal strength. Also, we had some cable connectors that were defective letting in rain (which just could be a problem in Seattle!) and cut the signal. I think it's time for a service call maybe from another installer. Call a CSR at VOOM and have them fix you up. Good luck.
Watching HDTV under rainy Seattle skies, Gill
Watching HDTV under rainy Seattle skies, Gill
Try Bypassing the Existing Diplexer and/or Cable
I suspect your 24 inch antenna is either mis-aimed slightly or the wrong arm was used with it. You should be getting a stronger signal than the low 90s. With some simple troubleshooting, you can verify that your diplexer or cabling are not the problem by simply bypassing them:
1. Get a long enough length of RG6 cable to make a temporary run directly from your antenna feed horn to the input jack on your Voom receiver. You can just string the cable on the roof and ground and run it through a partially open window or door; just don't run it near any fluorescent light fixtures (to avoid picking up 60 cycle noise). Then check your signal strength with the new temporary cabling. If it goes to 98 or higher, your antenna aim and feed horn are fine. If the signal strength is less than 98, get a different installer back out there by calling Voom to schedule it.
2. Bypass the diplexer by temporarily directly connecting the existing downlead (single wire out of the diplexer) to your antenna feedhorn. This bypasses the diplexer; you will temporarily lose the OTA stations feed from your Wineguard antenna. If this works, then call Voom and have the installer install a second RG6 downlead as he was supposed to done in the first place.
I have a diplexer installed on one of my two satellite downleads. It causes a minimal reduction of about two points on the signal strength (from 99 to 97, in my case).
Let us know what you find.
I suspect your 24 inch antenna is either mis-aimed slightly or the wrong arm was used with it. You should be getting a stronger signal than the low 90s. With some simple troubleshooting, you can verify that your diplexer or cabling are not the problem by simply bypassing them:
1. Get a long enough length of RG6 cable to make a temporary run directly from your antenna feed horn to the input jack on your Voom receiver. You can just string the cable on the roof and ground and run it through a partially open window or door; just don't run it near any fluorescent light fixtures (to avoid picking up 60 cycle noise). Then check your signal strength with the new temporary cabling. If it goes to 98 or higher, your antenna aim and feed horn are fine. If the signal strength is less than 98, get a different installer back out there by calling Voom to schedule it.
2. Bypass the diplexer by temporarily directly connecting the existing downlead (single wire out of the diplexer) to your antenna feedhorn. This bypasses the diplexer; you will temporarily lose the OTA stations feed from your Wineguard antenna. If this works, then call Voom and have the installer install a second RG6 downlead as he was supposed to done in the first place.
I have a diplexer installed on one of my two satellite downleads. It causes a minimal reduction of about two points on the signal strength (from 99 to 97, in my case).
Let us know what you find.
