Protection plan issue.

[cappy29]

I called Directv up today to see if they could come out and check my outside installation. The reason for the call is due to signal loss in just your average rainfall/storm. So, the rep I talked to today is trying to tell me that unless I call in when it is losing the signal or at least copy the error code down, that the protection is not able to cover me then. I can honestly say I have never heard this before, unless they recently changed it, since prior times I would have called and they would just send somebody out. Now I have already posted here on the forum at least once with my signal strengths and was told they look good, which they do to me as well. The last time a tech. came out last year, all he did was checked the receiver for the 4 digit code showing the installation is good. Now the code may show a good installation, but I doubt it shows if the dish is slightly off alignment or if their could be a bad, damaged coax cable or coax cable connectors outside. I also doubt it shows if there would be some sort of problem with the lnb, such as being defective or water getting to it internally by chance. So, has anybody else heard this line from Directv on their protection plan?

 

[Hutch1814]

I called Directv up today to see if they could come out and check my outside installation. The reason for the call is due to signal loss in just your average rainfall/storm. So, the rep I talked to today is trying to tell me that unless I call in when it is losing the signal or at least copy the error code down, that the protection is not able to cover me then. I can honestly say I have never heard this before, unless they recently changed it, since prior times I would have called and they would just send somebody out. Now I have already posted here on the forum at least once with my signal strengths and was told they look good, which they do to me as well. The last time a tech. came out last year, all he did was checked the receiver for the 4 digit code showing the installation is good. Now the code may show a good installation, but I doubt it shows if the dish is slightly off alignment or if their could be a bad, damaged coax cable or coax cable connectors outside. I also doubt it shows if there would be some sort of problem with the lnb, such as being defective or water getting to it internally by chance. So, has anybody else heard this line from Directv on their protection plan?

That 4 digit code is only given of everything pans out good. It's called "installation verification" for a reason. If the dish is slightly off or it's not keeping a solid signal which would be caused by everything you just described it will pop red X's and won't give that code. The only thing is doesn't test is the db level which needs to be between -25 and -55. And thing lower that -25 is considered too "hot" and can burn up the receiver and anything over -55 can cause a receiver to be more prone to rain fade. If you have a SWM system you can press the guide and right arrow button on the receiver at the same time to pull up mesh rates. Only available on Receivers with built in decas. You want to see 220 or higher on all numbers, if you have a lower number then you have a cabling/connector problem.

 

[cappy29]

That 4 digit code is only given of everything pans out good. It's called "installation verification" for a reason. If the dish is slightly off or it's not keeping a solid signal which would be caused by everything you just described it will pop red X's and won't give that code. The only thing is doesn't test is the db level which needs to be between -25 and -55. And thing lower that -25 is considered too "hot" and can burn up the receiver and anything over -55 can cause a receiver to be more prone to rain fade. If you have a SWM system you can press the guide and right arrow button on the receiver at the same time to pull up mesh rates. Only available on Receivers with built in decas. You want to see 220 or higher on all numbers, if you have a lower number then you have a cabling/connector problem.

I tried the guide and the right arrow and it does not do anything on my genie.

 

[Hutch1814]

I tried the guide and the right arrow and it does not do anything on my genie.

You have to hit them at the same time on the receiver itself. It can take several tries but it pulls up the mesh screen

 

[Hutch1814]

Sorry for the quality, using my cell phone. These are the screens from hitting the guide and right arrow at the same time

 

[cappy29]

View attachment 89181


Sorry for the quality, using my cell phone. These are the screens from hitting the guide and right arrow at the same time

PHY levels read -19,-15, and -25 As for your second screen shot my numbers are pretty much similar to yours.

 

[Hutch1814]

PHY levels read -19,-15, and -25 As for your second screen shot my numbers are pretty much similar to yours.

Then it seems everything is more than likely fine. I've actually lost signal more this year then in the pasts. Many people I've talked to have seen the same as well, I can only think either something is going on 23,000 miles away or something in the weather is getting worse. For peace of mind you can always keep calling until you get a tech out, with me not being there to look at your system I can't say everything is perfect but it seems like it is.

 

[markfp-1]

.....or something in the weather is getting worse.

Don't know if that's the OP's problem, but just looking at the the extreme and crazy weather around the country over the last few months and it's got to be making a difference to some people. Here in my little corner of the world (upstate New York) we've been having extreme heat and humidity and heavy thunderstorms almost everyday which is very unusual for this area. I rarely get an outage due to weather, but in last month I've had more than in the last two years. Nothing major, just a couple of minutes here and couple there, just the same it's different.

 

[cappy29]

Don't know if that's the OP's problem, but just looking at the the extreme and crazy weather around the country over the last few months and it's got to be making a difference to some people. Here in my little corner of the world (upstate New York) we've been having extreme heat and humidity and heavy thunderstorms almost everyday which is very unusual for this area. I rarely get an outage due to weather, but in last month I've had more than in the last two years. Nothing major, just a couple of minutes here and couple there, just the same it's different.

I wish I could say mine was only a couple of minutes, try like in most cases 20 minutes to 45 minutes in some cases.

 

[ranmic]

Don't know if that's the OP's problem, but just looking at the the extreme and crazy weather around the country over the last few months and it's got to be making a difference to some people. Here in my little corner of the world (upstate New York) we've been having extreme heat and humidity and heavy thunderstorms almost everyday which is very unusual for this area. I rarely get an outage due to weather, but in last month I've had more than in the last two years. Nothing major, just a couple of minutes here and couple there, just the same it's different.

I'm with you. Here in NH I seem to be having an outage way more than normal. I can count on one hand how many outages I have had over the past 4 years, but this year has been terrible. I actually thought my dish was knocked out of alignment or one of my trees on the other side of my yard sprouted a new limb blocking my view until I checked my strength.