Problem with New Starchoice Software

[Green Frog]

I am in Southern California. I have been using Starchoice for a couple of year. I have 2 DSR530 and 1 DRS505. After the new software download (last week), all 3 units started to pixelate and to drop the sound very frequently. Everything was fine before the new software.

Anyone down south is doing well with the new E4/E0 software?

I have a 90CM dish and I get signal strength in the high 50, low 60. Can the new software require a stronger signal? Is it possible to achieve better that low 60s in So Cal?

 

[Satellite Expert]

Is this happening on SD or just HD channels?

 

[Green Frog]

Is this happening on SD or just HD channels?

Both HD and SD Pretty much all channel are pixelating and sound is dropping out.

It was fine with the old software. Signal quality in the 6.9-7.5 range.

 

[bwaldron]

Anyone down south is doing well with the new E4/E0 software?

No problems here with E0 on a DSR505.

 

[Green Frog]

No problems here with E0 on a DSR505.

What signal strength/quality do you get in FL?

 

[bwaldron]

What signal strength/quality do you get in FL?

I get Ecb/No readings between +8.0 and +10.5, depending upon the sat/transponder.

 

[Green Frog]

I get Ecb/No readings between +8.0 and +10.5, depending upon the sat/transponder.

That is stronger than what I get in Southern California. Maybe the new software requires stronger signal.

 

[Mr Tony]

you could try and repeak the dish...the numbers seem a little low but stable (I think +3.5 is stable)

 

[Jumbo Dumbo]

Since you have 5 lines in operation, I'm assuming that you have a 4X8 or 5X8 multiswitch in the middle. I would temporarily bypass it to eliminate it as the problem source.

 

[Green Frog]

Since you have 5 lines in operation, I'm assuming that you have a 4X8 or 5X8 multiswitch in the middle. I would temporarily bypass it to eliminate it as the problem source.

Unfortunately, I tried that last night. It made no difference. I do have a branch growing in front of the dish. I will try to move the dish this weekend. Hopefully that will take care of it.

Any idea if a 7.5 signal behind a tree is worse that a 7.5 without the tree, or is a 7.5 a 7.5 no matter what?

 

[Mr Tony]

same regardless. That + number (ebno) is how strong the signal quality is. If its a +6 or a +12 the picture is the same...it just changes during storms (and would go out quicker with a 6 than a 12)

 

[Green Frog]

The new 5XX software may require better signal quality that the old one. Never had pixelation with the old software. I get pixelation and the sound is dropping every 5 seconds with a signal quality in the 6.5-7.5 range.

I am not sure that I can do much better than that in So California. It is a major pain to move the dish to find out (especially, that I am pretty sure that the signal won't get much better).

 

[bwaldron]

I haven't noticed any changes in how weaker signals are dealt with -- when we have heavy cloud cover/rain, the picture holds up fine down to EcbNo of 3.5 or so. You shouldn't have issues at 6.5-7.5.

My gut feeling is that something changed coincidentally with the new software. The pixellation/dropping every 5 seconds sound very much like a problem I had a few years back with tree growth in my signal path.

Regardless, I hope you are able to figure out and solve your problem.

The new 5XX software may require better signal quality that the old one. Never had pixelation with the old software. I get pixelation and the sound is dropping every 5 seconds with a signal quality in the 6.5-7.5 range.

I am not sure that I can do much better than that in So California. It is a major pain to move the dish to find out (especially, that I am pretty sure that the signal won't get much better).

 

[Green Frog]

I haven't noticed any changes in how weaker signals are dealt with -- when we have heavy cloud cover/rain, the picture holds up fine down to EcbNo of 3.5 or so. You shouldn't have issues at 6.5-7.5.

My gut feeling is that something changed coincidentally with the new software. The pixellation/dropping every 5 seconds sound very much like a problem I had a few years back with tree growth in my signal path.

Regardless, I hope you are able to figure out and solve your problem.

Please tell me more, about the symptoms of your tree problem. It is difficult to move my dish, so I am trying to figure out is that will solve my problem or not before spending my weekend on that project (an possibly falling off the roof).

Did you still get decent signal with the tree obstructing the view? As I mentioned, I get signal in the high 6s to mid 7. But the pixelation/sound drop pretty much make it unusable. It started with the new software, but it could have been just the bad luck of a few leaves growing at the same time.

 

[bwaldron]

I had a tree branch grow into the dish line of sight -- it wasn't a huge branch, but perfectly placed. When a breeze would blow, the leaves (which contain lotsa water) would block the signal and I'd get the same pixellation/audio issues you'd get with a storm--just much shorter. When they were completely still, the picture was fine.

Please tell me more, about the symptoms of your tree problem. It is difficult to move my dish, so I am trying to figure out is that will solve my problem or not before spending my weekend on that project (an possibly falling off the roof).

Did you still get decent signal with the tree obstructing the view? As I mentioned, I get signal in the high 6s to mid 7. But the pixelation/sound drop pretty much make it unusable. It started with the new software, but it could have been just the bad luck of a few leaves growing at the same time.

 

[Green Frog]

I had a tree branch grow into the dish line of sight -- it wasn't a huge branch, but perfectly placed. When a breeze would blow, the leaves (which contain lotsa water) would block the signal and I'd get the same pixellation/audio issues you'd get with a storm--just much shorter. When they were completely still, the picture was fine.

Hopefully that is my problem too. I will let you know when I have a chance to move the dish.

 

[BigFella]

Green Frog - I'm in north LA county and I'm getting a much stronger signal than you with a 75cm elliptical dish. Usually a 9-9.5 ecbno with a DSR530 and the new guide. Sounds like your tree is a problem or you need to re-peak, or both.

 

[Green Frog]

Thanks, I will move the dish in a better spot (away from the trees).

I did a quick test with a dish I set up in my boat at the marina (no trees around) and it worked much better.

 

[daves1]

It sounds like a problem for ech support, if you know your canadian address and phone no used to start your account I would call *C, or if you have a broker, call him/her.

 

[daves1]

It sounds like a problem for ech support, if you know your canadian address and phone no used to start your account I would call *C, or if you have a broker, call him/her.