After seeing your diagram, I'm a bit perplexed. Did you swap hoppers to see if the problem stayed in that one room with the low readings?
Satellite Transponder has Different Readings for Hoppers
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He swapped connections at the nodes and it was always the left port that exhibited the issue. So that rules out room issues, I told him to try swapping around the cables between the switch and the node to see if the issue changes ports or stays on the same port. He's going to do that tomorrow.
I am very perplexed too lucky86. Unless it is designed in the DPP44 switch or the Duo None for some reason. You would think a same receiver tuner #3, transponder #1 reading would kinda read the same for tuner 1 and 2. As 3Haloodst stated in post #22 low reading is from left host port on the Duo Node. The Hopper attached to the right host port the #3 tuner, transponder #1 reading is higher and is within 1 to 2 points of tuner 1 and 2. The right side Duo Node is doing the same thing with its attached two Hoppers. I have eliminated the receivers as the issue. Also, I isolated the left and right side from each other by removing the DPP44 four trunk coax. Left side still had the issue. So I disconnected the four satellite input coax from the left switch and attached them to the right switch. Right side Hoppers still had the same identical issue. This morning I have done some more testing with the three coax that attach the DPP44 switch to the Duo Node and sent the results to 3HaloODST. Will PM them to you too.
Today a Dish technician took a look at my 118, transponder 1, tuner 3 low reading issue. He couldn’t figure out why the left host reads low and the right host readings are good. He is going to elevate the issue up the Dish ladder for possible reasons and go from there. All signals test good when he tested the right DPP44 switch 4[SUP]th[/SUP] right hand trunk port that is not being used. He then connected his Super Buddy to the right side Duo Node, left host port. I don’t know what he was looking at, but 118, transponder #1, tuner #1 & 2 had good signal strength, about the same readings at what the Hopper shows and there were no spikes. But, his tester doesn’t say anything for tuner #3. He then connected his tester to the right host port and it had same results as the left host port. He is going to check back at his Dish shop to see why his tester does not show results for tuner #3. He said that there might be a software update his tester requires. He is going to get back with me as soon as he has some answers and come back to test again if required.
Are there any installers that use the Super Buddy tester know why the technician’s tester did not show results for tuner #3? Thanks for any help.
Are there any installers that use the Super Buddy tester know why the technician’s tester did not show results for tuner #3? Thanks for any help.
Sounds like his transponder maps on his SuperBuddy are old. He needs to update them to the latest set.
OK, thanks Scott. Technician is researching with his Dish shop and hopefully they find an update so the Super Buddy can also test tuner #3. He is a Dish technician out of the St Louis Dish TV shop and not a contractor, so I am sure they will come up with something.
I recently emailed the Applied Instrument Company inquiring about the Super Buddy capabilities to test Hopper’s tuner #3. They replied and said the Super Buddy can measure the signal level and quality on bands 1 and 2 but not band 3. The frequency tuning range of the Super Buddy satellite meter is 950 to 2150 MHz. The frequency range of the Joey/Hopper system's Band 3 is 2500 to 3000 MHz and therefore is outside the frequency tuning range of the Super Buddy meter. The company has built a couple of prototype frequency down-converters to down-convert the Band 3's signals into the frequency tuning range of the Super Buddy meter, but have not received enough inquiries to justify going to production. I hope Dish technicians someday have Super Buddys that are capable of testing tuner 3.
Techs can measure the signal prior to the node and use the point dish screen on the receiver to measure, but can’t check the line behind the receiver with a node inline. If the tech is hooking up his Super Buddy to the node, then he isn't following the instructions. The node should be bypassed when checking signal strengths.
Also, the way that you have your nodes connected with a jumper between the client ports is not an approved installation method and can cause MoCA performance issues.
Also, the way that you have your nodes connected with a jumper between the client ports is not an approved installation method and can cause MoCA performance issues.
OK, thanks lucky86 for the info. The technician connected his Super Buddy to the right DPP44 switch right lower trunk port that is not being used. The port has bird 118.7 signal. Quality signal was good including transponder #1. He then connected his tester to right DPP44 switch power inserter extra port that is not being used. The other port on the power inserter is connected to the switch receiver port #1. All four satellites signal quality was good. I have a new spare black dot Duo Node that I have purchased and I am in the process of changing out the right Duo Node. Will post signal results a little later.
The jumper cable that connects both DPP44 switches from client to client port works great with no MoCA issues when I have my system in MoCA bridged mode. However, I keep all my Hoppers and Joey in Ethernet mode. Each unit has their own Cat5 cable to the router. The jumper cable is not even required when the system is in all Ethernet mode. I have tested my system for several days without the jumper cable and did not have any MoCA performance issues with my system in Ethernet Bottom mode. I keep the jumper cable installed so I have the capability to go to MoCA bridged mode if needed for some reason.
Just installed a new black dot right Duo Node. Performed a Send Status test (Yellow - Blue - 3 - Send Status). Left host Hopper satellite 118, transponder 1, tuner #1 reads 57, tuner #2 is 56, and tuner #3 is 37. All other satellite signals are good. The Hopper attached to same Node right host satellite 118, transponder 1, tuner #1 reads 57, tuner #2 is 56, and tuner #3 is 59. All other satellite signals are good. Swapped both Hopper's coax at the same right Duo Node and performed another Send Staus test after the point dish check switch test was complete. Satellite 118, xponder 1, tuner #3 lower reading stayed with the left host port. So, a new Duo Node did not fix the issue. And, swapping the Hopper's coax at the Node tells me that the coax from the Duo Node both left and right host port to the Hopper is good and of course the Hopper is good too. I have done this test numerous times and the low signal always stays with the left host port. The same identical thing is happening for the left Duo Node too. I have even separated my system into two halfs, left and right by removing the four trunk cables that connect the left and right DPP44 switch and then running with all four satellite coax cables connected to the Left switch and then with the satellite coax connected in to the right switch. Both Duo Nodes left host puts out a lower reading at the Hopper attached to it. I also have a new spare DPP44 switch that I have purchased. Does anyone have a preference to which DPP44 switch I can change out first to troubleshoot the issue? Next time I can do more testing I will swap out whichever DPP44 switch anyone wishes me too and go from there. Would be nice if the Super Buddy was able to test tuner #3! I am done testing for the day, the Mrs is on my A--!!
Agree with the first paragraph, don't agree with the second. It might not be approved but I've never had issues with it hooked up that way. All of my Hoppers have excellent MoCA strength. The jumper is required in order for all four Hoppers to see each others' recordings.
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I think Dish might consider to approve the jumper cable you figured out that works as one of their approved methods so customers would have the capability for multiple Hoppers.
I really don't think this is a switch issue, I'd just replace the left switch and go from there. But first I'd either get the tech back to use his Super Buddy on all eight ports or connect Hopers directly to each of the six ports (don't bother with connecting Hopper to power inserter) and see if they have good signal on tuners 1 and 2 on each port. At this point in starting to think that this is just some weird anomaly. You could try taking the switches out completely and hook the three cables from the dish directly to a duo node but that would require going up to the dish and hooking up the 129 feed to the 110/118.7/119 or the 118.7/119 lnb depending on which 1000+ you have.
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OK, thanks. This weekend I am going to install a new black dot Duo Node on the left side and take readings. If no change going to install a new DPP44 switch on the left side and leave the right switch disconnected and take readings. If no change going to request the technician to come back and take readings from 2, 3, and 4th port from both switches and see if they have good signal quality for tuners 1 and 2 and go from there. You have lost me on hooking the dish directly up to the Duo Node, that's above my level. I have four cables coming from a Dish 1000+. Will the dish work with the elimination of the power inserter? I will suggest the dish to Node idea to the technician when or if he comes.
Which dish do you have? Does it look like the one on the left or the one on the right?
Oh, that LNB setup doesn't have a built-in switch, so yeah no way to hook it directly to a node.
