"Searching for on Satellite In2 (771)..."

[ArtChee]

This "Searching for Satellite..." message appeared Thurs. evening, and we apparently do not receive the signal from tuner 2. Had removed/replaced dish 2 weeks earlier for roof shingle replacement, but afterwards watched the final week of the Olympics, and thru most of this week with little problem. Had some weak signal, but got all the channels. This week, apparently not receiving enough of a signal on tuner #2 for any image at all.

Hoping that someone can help me understand what sort of problem I could be encountering. Nothing has happened to my receiver to cause such a problem. My dish is intact. I have re-set several times & lost ALL of my recorded programs in the process.

I called DTV for assistance, and all they could do was have me swap the cables in the back of the DVR and another RE-SET, which did not help. They suggest that a tech come out to resolve the problem, which is billed at $70+!! I pay DTV $65 month for the TV signal. Now when it is not delivered, they want me to pay to have a tech come out to restore it?!?!?

IF my telephone, water, or electric service is interrupted, the provider is responsible to restore the service (unless the problem is with MY telephone, house plumbing, or circuit box). I understand that the DTV HR21 HD-DVR is on LEASE from DTV. If it is faulty it is their equipment to fix. I had to upgrade to the HDTV DVR when they could not resolve the poor reception to my old TiVO. Now it is worse on the new, 8-month old system.

I am VERY INTERESTED in getting straightened out on this issue, if anyone has something to offer.

Thanks

 

[charper1]

The low signal sounds like the culprit, but what are you siganl reading listed by satellite?. Who moved your dish to begin with? If their is hardware at fault then they will replace it.

AND FYI those items you mentioned are utilities not a premium subscriber service so not a true, fair apples to apples comparison.

 

[meStevo]

From the sound of the solution you had no signal on tuner 1 when you swapped cables (you didnt tell us what happened when D* told you to do that), so there is a cable/multiswitch problem, requiring a tech to come out. If you don't have the protection plan then yes it will cost $70.

This is reasonable, though if you have good history, or are willing to sign up to the protection plan you might be able to call and haggle a little, though with a $65/mo plan, perhaps not.

When a pipe would break in our front yard I don't recall my dad calling the water company... we dug a hole and fixed the thing.

If it would have broke in the street and the whole block was out, then you'd have a comparable scenario.

 

[ArtChee]

Well... D* instructed the swapping of the cables in the back of the DVR, I reported that it was then suggested to RE-SET the system, and that the result was "did not help" - meaning, still had the problem.

I see "cable" or "satellite" as a utility. The "provider" transmits the "service" into my home. Of course, if a pipe is busted in my yard, it's my pipe to repair. If the provider's meter is malfunctioning, it is not my place to repair. If I had Comcast Cable, I rent the receiver cable box. If it "scrambles" my signal (when I am paying for the service that is not coming thru) Comcast will replace the "box."

The roofer removed/replaced the dish, in the same roof deck holes. They were careful not to change any angle settings in order to replace it just as it was before. They say that they do this routinely.

 

[iwc5893]

Well... D* instructed the swapping of the cables in the back of the DVR, I reported that it was then suggested to RE-SET the system, and that the result was "did not help" - meaning, still had the problem.

I see "cable" or "satellite" as a utility. The "provider" transmits the "service" into my home. Of course, if a pipe is busted in my yard, it's my pipe to repair. If the provider's meter is malfunctioning, it is not my place to repair. If I had Comcast Cable, I rent the receiver cable box. If it "scrambles" my signal (when I am paying for the service that is not coming thru) Comcast will replace the "box."

The roofer removed/replaced the dish, in the same roof deck holes. They were careful not to change any angle settings in order to replace it just as it was before. They say that they do this routinely.

You can view it as however you want, but the fact remains that D* will charge you for a service call if they have to send a tech out. That's why they offer the protection plan.

As far as your roofer goes, I've been to several service calls that were exactly like you described. Sure, they put the dish back in the same holes and think that's all they need to do. There are several issues with this.
1) Using the same holes - this means that the lag screws holding the dish down may not be as secure as they once were.
2) When they put the dish back in place, did they ensure that the mast was perfectly plumb? Of course not, unless they took the dish off the mast. If they did that, they need to repeak the signal. But wait, they're roofers and probably don't have satellite signal meters.
3) If they did take the dish off of the mast, how did they manage to get it aligned back up?

Remember, the dish is pointing to something about the size of a van that is located 22,000+ miles up in space. A fraction of a degree can make a big difference at that range.

To give you the benefit of the doubt, and since you haven't posted any signal strengths from any sat, here is a list of possible problems in order of likelyhood:
A) Dish out of alignment caused by your roofers
B) Damaged cable caused by your roofers
C) Bad connector
D) Damaged dish reflector/arm assembly - possibly caused by roofers
E) Bad multiswitch
F) Bad LNB
G) Signal obstruction
H) Bad receiver

 

[sat.ninja]

In D*'s eyes, this is "customer caused". What you should have done was to schedule a service call to reinstall your dish by a tech, not a roofer. You probably didn't want to hear this, but this happens frequently. Your system was fine until you allowed someone other that a qualified technician to mess with it. Now your eq. isn't functioning properly. Do yourself a favor by calling in a service call and be done with it, please.

 

[ArtChee]

OK. You guys have been VERY helpful. I certainly understand "customer caused" problems. This is the SECOND house that had re-roofed and had NO PROBLEM at the other house afterwards. I get the idea that the HD disk must be PRECISELY aimed to hit that dot in the sky, and how it could be slightly off after ANYBODY removed/replaced it.

I APPRECIATE all of the replies. THAT'S WHY I POSTED THE QUESTION!!

THANKS, again, to all

 

[Horns]

Darned Roofers! I had my roof replaced a few weeks ago and now I am missing some HD channels too. I get the 70 series HD channels just fine. When I review the satellite meter I get absolutely no signal from 99 at all. Just in time for football season. I am a Sunday Ticket / Superfan subscriber. Unfortunately the installer cannot come out until the end of September. Doh!