Signal problem with used HDVR2

[cot]

I hope this is the right place to ask this - I've looked around for a few days and haven't been able to find any answers on this.

When I power the unit on and go through the setup it seems to only find most of (but not all of) the odd transponders for the 3 sats. I am hooking the unit up in place of a D10, and I can swap back to confirm that the D10 still works with the same cable/multiswitch/etc. The problem is bad enough that it doesn't seem to receive any data from directv over the sat signals it does receive, maybe they use a transponder I'm not getting.

Any idea what the problem is? I read that a 13/18V DC signal is used on the line to switch between even/odd transponders, and i could check that with a voltmeter, but i also read somewhere that removing the sat line with the receiver on can damage the lnb (is that true?) so i dont know how i'd check for that signal without doing that. i do have an oscilloscope and could check for the 22khz signal too if that is suspect.

the software on the hdvr2 is 3.1.1e, is there any reason I should expect this to not work with a newer system?

If there's a better place to be asking this please let me know, thanks

Oh, I should add that at the end of the sat setup dialog it says:
101deg : right side not detected
119deg : not detected
110deg : not detected

which seems weird since some of the transponders on ALL of the 3 do show up. i don't know what the "not detected" criteria is set by, though.

 

[uboatcmdr]

I hope this is the right place to ask this - I've looked around for a few days and haven't been able to find any answers on this.

When I power the unit on and go through the setup it seems to only find most of (but not all of) the odd transponders for the 3 sats. I am hooking the unit up in place of a D10, and I can swap back to confirm that the D10 still works with the same cable/multiswitch/etc. The problem is bad enough that it doesn't seem to receive any data from directv over the sat signals it does receive, maybe they use a transponder I'm not getting.

Any idea what the problem is? I read that a 13/18V DC signal is used on the line to switch between even/odd transponders, and i could check that with a voltmeter, but i also read somewhere that removing the sat line with the receiver on can damage the lnb (is that true?) so i dont know how i'd check for that signal without doing that. i do have an oscilloscope and could check for the 22khz signal too if that is suspect.

the software on the hdvr2 is 3.1.1e, is there any reason I should expect this to not work with a newer system?

If there's a better place to be asking this please let me know, thanks

Oh, I should add that at the end of the sat setup dialog it says:
101deg : right side not detected
119deg : not detected
110deg : not detected

which seems weird since some of the transponders on ALL of the 3 do show up. i don't know what the "not detected" criteria is set by, though.

I have had to replaced older receivers due to this type (only getting odd or even transponders) problem but I most often find that wiring or the LNB is the cause. In your case if the D10 functions normally and the HDVR2 is only getting either odds or evens then I would guess (as that is all I can do without actually testing the equipment in person) the problem is with the receiver. Are you just connecting one coax or two?
If you are using two coax cables, did you run a second line from the dish (or multiswitch) or put a splitter in the single line you had for the D10? You cannot split the single line to feed both inputs of the DVR (unless you use a stacker/destacker, splitters will cause odd/even problems or give you no signal at all). If you ran a second new coax which input is it connected to on the DVR, 1 or 2? If you have two lines, connect the original coax (which works with the D10) to input 1 and the new one to input 2 and test your signal strength again. Could be the second (new) line that has the problem.

 

[cot]

I have had to replaced older receivers due to this type (only getting odd or even transponders) problem but I most often find that wiring or the LNB is the cause. In your case if the D10 functions normally and the HDVR2 is only getting either odds or evens then I would guess (as that is all I can do without actually testing the equipment in person) the problem is with the receiver. Are you just connecting one coax or two?
If you are using two coax cables, did you run a second line from the dish (or multiswitch) or put a splitter in the single line you had for the D10? You cannot split the single line to feed both inputs of the DVR (unless you use a stacker/destacker, splitters will cause odd/even problems or give you no signal at all). If you ran a second new coax which input is it connected to on the DVR, 1 or 2? If you have two lines, connect the original coax (which works with the D10) to input 1 and the new one to input 2 and test your signal strength again. Could be the second (new) line that has the problem.

Thanks for the reply, I didn't run another line yet for the receiver, so I've been connecting the existing line to input 1 and selecting the "1 input" option in the satellite setup. I guess I was naively assuming that the most likely source of failure was the hard drive and that all of the solid state stuff would be functional if not obviously physically damaged. I guess lightning/power surges are always a possibility since I don't know the history of the unit.

I'll try looking for the 13/18VDC output and other than that I'm kinda stuck.

 

[uboatcmdr]

Thanks for the reply, I didn't run another line yet for the receiver, so I've been connecting the existing line to input 1 and selecting the "1 input" option in the satellite setup. I guess I was naively assuming that the most likely source of failure was the hard drive and that all of the solid state stuff would be functional if not obviously physically damaged. I guess lightning/power surges are always a possibility since I don't know the history of the unit.

I'll try looking for the 13/18VDC output and other than that I'm kinda stuck.

Like I said if your D10 still works fine when hooked back up then the problem is with the DVR's receiver. If it were a hard drive problem then the DVR would most likely hang up on the "Welcome powering up" or "almost there a few more seconds" screens. I purchased a used DVR online and had the hard drive problem. By the time I got the replacement drive, purchased the proper OS software and bought a new card from D*, I had as much in it as I would have if I bought a new one.
You could try fixing it yourself by replacing the motherboard. Here is a link to an eBay auction for a board. http://cgi.ebay.com/HDVR2-DirecTV-PARTS-ONLY-Mother-Board-w-card_W0QQitemZ5822253201QQcategoryZ79865QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[cot]

Like I said if your D10 still works fine when hooked back up then the problem is with the DVR's receiver. If it were a hard drive problem then the DVR would most likely hang up on the "Welcome powering up" or "almost there a few more seconds" screens. I purchased a used DVR online and had the hard drive problem. By the time I got the replacement drive, purchased the proper OS software and bought a new card from D*, I had as much in it as I would have if I bought a new one.
You could try fixing it yourself by replacing the motherboard. Here is a link to an eBay auction for a board.

Wow, thanks for the link, thats actually not a bad price. Are the sat receivers on the motherboard? If they're the problem it'd be nice if this replaced them.

The hard drive is something that I expected to be the most likely problem, and I figured on upgrading it anyways so I wasn't concerned. I personally feel like there's no real excuse for electronic failures when it's not either a high temp job like a cpu or a portable that gets dropped. When it's the electronics it seems like its either bad design that stressed a component or bad solder joints, etc. - nothing really excusable.

 

[cot]

Another update, I looked for the 13/18VDC switch on the inputs when going between odd/even transponders

both inputs gave 13V ok, but only one gave a value near 18 (~19VDC) when switched to even transponders, the other oscillated around 0-3 or so, and was quite unstable. Maybe I should drag out the scope and see what its doing. if im lucky maybe just the circuit that sets the DC offset is blown? That is something I might actually be able to fix, if its not too complicated. I wonder if there's any way I could possibly get a schematic of this thing. I could even imagine adding on an external circuit to transformer isolate and then inject my own dc offset (ie map the 19V out to a 18V offset, the ~0-3V out to a 13 V offset) but that might be going a little too crazy. It would especially suck to build something that complicated and specific and then have the receiver outright die a week later.

Hooking the sat up to the 2nd input did show signal strength on both odd and even transponders, but it didn't get the sat acquired data that way either.

I did go ahead and order that motherboard you posted - $15 for another shot at it. hell, in for a dime in for a dollar i guess.

 

[uboatcmdr]

Another update, I looked for the 13/18VDC switch on the inputs when going between odd/even transponders

both inputs gave 13V ok, but only one gave a value near 18 (~19VDC) when switched to even transponders, the other oscillated around 0-3 or so, and was quite unstable. Maybe I should drag out the scope and see what its doing. if im lucky maybe just the circuit that sets the DC offset is blown? That is something I might actually be able to fix, if its not too complicated. I wonder if there's any way I could possibly get a schematic of this thing. I could even imagine adding on an external circuit to transformer isolate and then inject my own dc offset (ie map the 19V out to a 18V offset, the ~0-3V out to a 13 V offset) but that might be going a little too crazy. It would especially suck to build something that complicated and specific and then have the receiver outright die a week later.

Hooking the sat up to the 2nd input did show signal strength on both odd and even transponders, but it didn't get the sat acquired data that way either.

I did go ahead and order that motherboard you posted - $15 for another shot at it. hell, in for a dime in for a dollar i guess.

The signal and initial set up data uploads via the #1 input. If that input has problems you can't get the DVR setup as it should be.
When/if you get ready to upgrade the hard drive remember the DVR's use 5400rpm drives not 7200rpm ones. I have heard it said that 7200rpm drive are more susceptible to damage due to the higher spin rate, they will work but they may have a shorter lifespan (not sure if it's true or not, it's just what I have been told). Here is a link to another place where you can get the OS software needed when you install a new/replacement drive http://www.ptvupgrade.com/ (PTV's software is a lot cheaper than ordering a preloaded drive from Weaknees, http://www.weaknees.com/ ). PTV is where I got the software to reload the replacement hard drive I had to put in the DVR I purchased of eBay. I got another used 35hr DVR a few weeks ago at a yard sale for $5. It works just fine but I am planning to order a drive caddy (allows two drives to be mounted & used in the DVR) and expand the storage capabilities. If there is nothing wrong with your drive it might be easier to add a storage drive than to replace the existing drive. Just a thought.
Good luck, hope the links help.