Strange problem last night

[billbillw]

I was watching one of the HBO channels on my D-10 box last night, with perfect weather. Around 10pm, it just went blank. Got the "searching for sat signal" message. Checked the setup menu and I wasn't getting any signal on the 101(A) and 119(B) satellites. The 110(C) was getting 95% still. I tried resetting the box a few times. No change. Went out and checked my dish, nothing going on there. Did the built in diagnostics on the STB and it said tuner failed. I called D* to see if there was an outage or something. Took me 10 minutes of menus and holding to get connected. No outages. The rep told me to check this and that, all of which I had already done. She was like "we will have to send out a techician" and she tried to sell me on the protection plan. I was fed up and said I'm not ready to make that decision tonight. I checked my DTC210 box and it seemed to be working fine but there were some breakups on a few of the channels.

I just decided to sleep on it.

This morning, turned on the D-10 box and it was 99% through with aquiring the guide. I checked the signal strengths and the box was recieving signals from all the sats again and all the channels are there.

I just don't know what would cause something like this unless there was a problem with the satellites, but I would expect there would be other postings here if there was a widespread problem.

 

[billbillw]

Here is something crazy. After working fine all evening, it just went out again. Same thing, searching for signal...
Anyone have any ideas?

 

[greyghost]

Did it go out about the same time. Or, rather, did it go out at about the same outside temperature? There have been dish (LNB) problems in the past that had to do with temperature.

 

[billbillw]

Its been warm out (into the upper 80s), but this was occuring later at night when the temp has fallen from the high of the day. It did happen about the same time of the night (within an hour), but that may also correspond to the same amount of time viewing.

My system is very simple. I have triple LNB dish with built in multiswitch. Two cable from switch to grounding block. Two cables from ground block into house. One to my HD STB, One to my D-10.

If the problem is with my equipment, it is either the D-10 or the triple LNB/Multiswitch. There's not much else that could be responsible. Unfortuantely, my HDTV is inoberable right now, so I can't really test my HD STB to see if it has problems at the same time.

By the way, it is working fine again this morning.

 

[uboatcmdr]

Its been warm out (into the upper 80s), but this was occuring later at night when the temp has fallen from the high of the day. It did happen about the same time of the night (within an hour), but that may also correspond to the same amount of time viewing.

My system is very simple. I have triple LNB dish with built in multiswitch. Two cable from switch to grounding block. Two cables from ground block into house. One to my HD STB, One to my D-10.

If the problem is with my equipment, it is either the D-10 or the triple LNB/Multiswitch. There's not much else that could be responsible. Unfortuantely, my HDTV is inoberable right now, so I can't really test my HD STB to see if it has problems at the same time.

By the way, it is working fine again this morning.

Move the D1 to the location of the HD and connect it to a small tv if you have one for a couple of days. If it works fine there then the problem is in the line. I have seen this type problem quite a bit and most often it is solved by either replacing the LNB or the line. Most often it was the line, I can't count the number of times I traced the line and found chew marks in it from a dog or rodent. Also check your connections. Changes in the temps can cause the wire to expand & contract, if the stinger (center wire) is too short it can pull out of the conector (at the LNB or grounding block) when the temps drop and wire contracts. If the stinger is corroded from moisture getting into a connection it can give you the same problems. Check the simple things (connectors) first then move on from there. If there is a bad connection at the grounding block (corrosion) don't just replace the connector, also replace the grounding block.

 

[billbillw]

The whole system is only 5 months old, so I don't think corrosion is a culprit. I will check them all though. Since it is only losing 2 of the 3 sats, I'm suspecting the LNB/Switch unit. That damn thing is $69 to replace, unless someone here knows a cheaper way to get one.

 

[wobbie]

Cheaper way to get one would be to call DirecTV and ask them to send a tech. When the tech calls to let you know he's on the way ask him if it is a chargeable service call?? What did the CSR say about sending a tech, we're they going to charge you??

 

[billbillw]

Cheaper way to get one would be to call DirecTV and ask them to send a tech. When the tech calls to let you know he's on the way ask him if it is a chargeable service call?? What did the CSR say about sending a tech, we're they going to charge you??

Yeah, she said it would be $60 unless I joined the protection plan for a year, then it would only be $30 (?). That's bs. $7 a month for a year is $84, plus the $30 for the visit.

 

[uboatcmdr]

The whole system is only 5 months old, so I don't think corrosion is a culprit. I will check them all though. Since it is only losing 2 of the 3 sats, I'm suspecting the LNB/Switch unit. That damn thing is $69 to replace, unless someone here knows a cheaper way to get one.

Send me your address and I'll mail one out to you, you'll just have to cover the shipping.

 

[meStevo]

Yeah, she said it would be $60 unless I joined the protection plan for a year, then it would only be $30 (?). That's bs. $7 a month for a year is $84, plus the $30 for the visit.

....or you can pay out of pocket when your HD box happens to die, and you need a dish alignment, and a remote breaks, and to fix this problem....

While everyone sees that kind of stuff as unlikely, and D* certainly makes competent equipment, this is all electroincs and $@!% happens.

Its not BS, its their offers to fix the equipment that you own that is out of warranty.

 

[billbillw]

Its doing screwy things again tonight. Signal is bouncing from 85 to 0 on most of the 101 transponders. My HD STB seems to be working fine from the same dish. I'm going to remove and check all my cable fittings for corrosion and make sure that there isn't a bad connection somewhere tomorrow.

 

[uboatcmdr]

Its doing screwy things again tonight. Signal is bouncing from 85 to 0 on most of the 101 transponders. My HD STB seems to be working fine from the same dish. I'm going to remove and check all my cable fittings for corrosion and make sure that there isn't a bad connection somewhere tomorrow.

One more thing to try, switch the wires coming from the LNB on the grounding block, and see if the problem moves to the HD receiver. If it does then the problem is with the wire between the LNB & grounding block. If it doesn't then it is either in the line between the grounding block and the D10 or with the D10 itself. I got your address so I'll ship out that LNB tomorrow, even if it proves not to be the problem it's nice to have a spare.

 

[billbillw]

One more thing to try, switch the wires coming from the LNB on the grounding block, and see if the problem moves to the HD receiver. If it does then the problem is with the wire between the LNB & grounding block. If it doesn't then it is either in the line between the grounding block and the D10 or with the D10 itself. I got your address so I'll ship out that LNB tomorrow, even if it proves not to be the problem it's nice to have a spare.

Thanks for the help on this. I'll follow up with the results of testing and the replacement part.

 

[billbillw]

I checked all the connections today. They all looked as new as the day I installed them. Bright shinny copper on all the stingers. No signs of any damage to the cables either. I took off the LNB and checked those too and switched to different outputs while I was at it. No change. So its either the LNB/switch or the D10 box. Thanks to uboatcmdr, I should be able to see if the LNB is the culprit in just a few days. What a great offer. I owe him a drink next time he's in the Atlanta area.

 

[billbillw]

Yesterday, the D10 was unwatchable, so I ran an S-video cable and audio cables from my HD STB. With the HD box, I was able to watch D* for several hours last night with no breakups or searching messages. The culprit might be the D10 itself. I went and grabbed a used Samsung SIR-s300w for less than $15 shipped off Ebay. If the LNB from uboatcmdr doesn't solve it, I'll have a different STB to test as well. It's got to be one or the other.

 

[uboatcmdr]

Yesterday, the D10 was unwatchable, so I ran an S-video cable and audio cables from my HD STB. With the HD box, I was able to watch D* for several hours last night with no breakups or searching messages. The culprit might be the D10 itself. I went and grabbed a used Samsung SIR-s300w for less than $15 shipped off Ebay. If the LNB from uboatcmdr doesn't solve it, I'll have a different STB to test as well. It's got to be one or the other.

You said in another post that you switched the wires, did you do that at the LNB or the grounding block? If you did it at the LNB and that made no difference then try switching wires at the grounding block. Also try it on each side of the grounding block (could be a bad grounding block). You said you hooked the HD receiver up, did you hook it up in place of the D10? Or is it still connected to the same line running from the dish that it was before? If so, then try connecting the D10 to that line (using the same S-video & a/v connections) and see if it works there.
What type of connectors are in use on the coax? Screw on, crimp on or compression?

 

[billbillw]

I tried several combinations of switching around. At the block, at the switch, and at the STBs. Luckily, both my TVs share a wall and the cables come through a cubby hole so they are easy to switch. I think I've eliminated the cables as the problem.

 

[Plywodstatebum]

Mine has been searching for a signal the last few days also and my system is 3 weeks old and the dish was set up by the D* Tech.

 

[uboatcmdr]

Mine has been searching for a signal the last few days also and my system is 3 weeks old and the dish was set up by the D* Tech.

Call D* and have them send the tech that did the install back out to fix it. Seeing how your install was done within the past 30 days they should cover it without charging you for a service call.

 

[uboatcmdr]

I tried several combinations of switching around. At the block, at the switch, and at the STBs. Luckily, both my TVs share a wall and the cables come through a cubby hole so they are easy to switch. I think I've eliminated the cables as the problem.

How long have you had that D10? If you have had it longer than 30-90 days then D* won't change it out without charging you for a service call. If you have the service plan (costs an extra $5.99 per month) they will cover it after the 30-90 day period.
If the LNB I sent you doesn't do the trick let me know. I know you said something about buying a Samsung receiver off eBay. If you hook up that receiver and it solves the problem, Bemail me before ordering a card (they cost about $20) from D*. I'll give you a installer activation number where you might be able to get them to marry the card from the D10 to the Samsung (it's worth a shot and could save you a few bucks, but calling the main number for D* will not get you to the proper people who will try that proceedure).