Shaw 75e -- what kind of signal should I be getting?

[Gnab Gib]

Bought a Shaw 75e quad LNB dish last year, and I finally got around to assembling it. The best signal strength I can get is 12%. I live about 10 miles south of Seattle. Is that a typical signal strength for this area? It seems awfully low.

I don't have the service activated yet, but I don't imagine that makes any difference ...

 

[joshuals]

A signal strength that low indicates that your receiver and the LNB are communicating, but that you are not pointed at any satellites (much less the correct ones). You would likely get that level of signal even if you were pointed into the ground as long as your receiver and dish are communicating. A signal level of zero usually indicates a problem with cable connections between the receiver and dish.

If your receiver is not activated, you need to tune to Channel 299 and maximize the signal on that channel using the signal level meter at Options 6-4-3-1 and by rotating the dish. Make sure your mast is plumb and that you have set the elevation and skew correctly. Once the signal begins to rise from the initial value of 12 (that you reported) on 299, enter the number 4128 into the Provider Id Box; if the screen turns green your are looking at the correct satellites. The channel map will be downloaded automatically and you will be able to call to get your receiver activated. Then you can fine tune the signal using a channel from each satellite such as 301 and 700. The fine tuning should be done my maximizing the EcbNo. value on Line C of Options 6-4-7 and by making slight movements of the dish left, right, up, and down.

You should be able to get a signal level (Options 6-4-3-1) of at least 60 or you may have problems. In the US, signal levels in the 80's have been reported; mine runs consistently between 65 & 70 in the SW US. The EcbNo's should about +9.0 for a SDef Channels such as 301 & 700, but about 2.0 lower for HDef Channels.

 

[Mr Tony]

Then you can fine tune the signal using a channel from each satellite such as 301 and 700.

700 is on F2 and I dont think a virgin unit has F2 mapped in until it takes the "hit"

The fine tuning should be done my maximizing the EcbNo. value on Line C of Options 6-4-7 and by making slight movements of the dish left, right, up, and down.

I wonder what model receiver the OP has. Older units to see ebno is options 6-0-5 right arrow to diagnostic C screen. Newer receivers follow your path

 

[Gnab Gib]

Thanks for the input, guys. Turned out the pole I had installed for our old DTV dish was too close to the fence at our property line; I wasn't able to turn the wider Starchoice dish enough to get a full signal. Got some help from a local installer to remount the dish on the house and lock on to the satellite, and now we have about an 85% signal. (BTW, if anyone in the Seattle area ever wants help installing a Canadian system, PM me for info. These guys were terrific.)

Not sure what model I have, Iceberg.

 

[Mr Tony]

If its a HD unit or a newer SD unit that would be the numbers that Joshuals posted (options 6-4-7 line C)

the older SD only units were the 6-0-5 version

 

[catamount]

If its a HD unit or a newer SD unit that would be the numbers that Joshuals posted (options 6-4-7 line C)

the older SD only units were the 6-0-5 version

The newest HD units, i.e. 605 use options then 4-7 line C. There is no 6 under the options menu.

Catamount

 

[Mr Tony]

oh good to know. My old 505 had option 6

 

[Gnab Gib]

700 is on F2 and I dont think a virgin unit has F2 mapped in until it takes the "hit"


I wonder what model receiver the OP has. Older units to see ebno is options 6-0-5 right arrow to diagnostic C screen. Newer receivers follow your path

My model does 6-4-7. The receiver is labeled as StarChoice, so it must be a few years old. (I bought it about a year ago.) The dish, though, says Shaw Direct.

 

[Gnab Gib]

Finally figured it out. It's model 319.

 

[Gnab Gib]

700 is on F2 and I dont think a virgin unit has F2 mapped in until it takes the "hit"

That seems to be correct! All I can see right now is the authorization status for F1, but the broker said I should see F2 when my service is activated. (Should be any time now ...)

 

[joshuals]

700 is on F2 and I dont think a virgin unit has F2 mapped in until it takes the
"hit"

Yes...that is true. Until your unit is authorized you will not see any channels except 299 and possibly one or two in-the-clear channels from F1R. Sorry if I misled you....I though I indicated that the next step after getting a signal on the meter on 299 was to call for authorization.

Finally figured it out. It's model 319.

The 319 is a discontinued model, but it's not that old. It was on the market only a short time before they discontinued it, leaving the DSR-209 as the only SDef receiver they offer. As Shaw continues to migrate their signal to 8PSK, your 319 will be able to decode the new signal format, so you should be "good" for a while with this unit. However, you will not receive any HiDefinition channels with it.

I have a 319 and the logo says "Star Choice" on it, showing that it was manufactured just about the time of the name-change to Shaw Direct. And yes, the newer dishes now have the Shaw logo on them....but that's the only difference between them and older 75e dishes that had the Star Choice logo.

 

[Gnab Gib]

The 319 is a discontinued model, but it's not that old. It was on the market only a short time before they discontinued it, leaving the DSR-209 as the only SDef receiver they offer. As Shaw continues to migrate their signal to 8PSK, your 319 will be able to decode the new signal format, so you should be "good" for a while with this unit. However, you will not receive any HiDefinition channels with it.

I have a 319 and the logo says "Star Choice" on it, showing that it was manufactured just about the time of the name-change to Shaw Direct. And yes, the newer dishes now have the Shaw logo on them....but that's the only difference between them and older 75e dishes that had the Star Choice logo.

Thanks for that info. I'm not interested in HD, as we don't have a hi-def TV and actually don't watch much television anyway -- I mostly got this setup for CFL games and rugby on Setanta Sports (which went off the air in the USA a few years ago).

One question: I think I read on another post that as of this fall, a receiver upgrade (mpeg4) will be necessary to watch NHL Centre Ice. Or is that only for HD games?

 

[Frenchophile]

re: receiver upgrade: it's all speculation, but all signs point to the specialty sports packages being in mpeg4. good news is that the new 600 will be out in one week for $99

 

[Gnab Gib]

Oh, that's not bad at all.

Service is activated, but a couple of channels are missing from the bundles I ordered (including TSN2 in the Sports bundle -- says I need a subscription). Got an e-mail fired off to the broker to see what's going on. Almost there now ...