Trouble with OTA lately

[Almighty1]

Interesting. I'm going to look into that as I'm getting a few customers who are having a similar problem, but it never occurred to me to ask about the internet service.

It can be the internet service if it's 5G/LTE or the mobile phone but it can be just nearby towers from the signal even if one doesn't have the former two, similar to FM radio frequencies in the air even though you might not have an FM radio.

 

[Almighty1]

I checked the signal strengths with the Tmobile Home Internet turned on and noted the strengths on the Dish screen. About an hour later I turned off the Tmobile device and basically got about the the same strengths. Guessing that isn't the problem.

Depends as it has more to do with the 5G/LTE towers and the signals in the area, not just the devices at home... Read the replies to this comment...


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[MikeD-C05]

I have a 4g/5g filter on my antenna and I don't really notice much difference on my reception. Same channels came through either way. But then again I am not near a T-mobile tower in the mobile home park I live in. When I drive from the back of my park to the front exit I am in a dead zone in my car. My Android auto app won't start playing again till I am out on the highway. I don't know if it is all the trees blocking reception but either way I refuse to go with T-mobile for my home internet since I only get a couple of bars in the house. Good thing I don't rely on them for my home internet and use Spectrum instead. Wifi through out my house yard and in my drive way.

 

[11555h]

A recent update on my problem. I got up the courage today to pull the entertainment center out and unhook the OTA cable from the Dish OTA adapter and all of my channels are working as before. With my antenna pointed east I can get all of the Detroit area stations (65 miles) and also the Lansing stations (45 miles) off from the side of the antenna without using the rotor. I am going to see if it lasts a few days. So then is the problem the adapter or the Hopper. Easiest thing to try is the adapter. Now if I can only figure out how to program my old Panasonic plasma to my dish remote.

 

[11555h]

Looked on Amazon and they have the adapters at many different prices. What would be your recommendations for the best one to buy

 

[Jim5506]

I only saw 2 on Amazon. Both black with the USB cable permanently attached, $42 and $49.99 respectively.

AirTv also had one just like the black ones mentioned above but it is white. Same internals just the case is different color and says AirTv instead of Dish on the case.

Be sure to get the dual tuner with the USB cable permanently attached.

Earlier Dish had produced a single tuner version and a dual tuner version, both with detachable USB cables but the dual tuner one has a tendency to over heat.

 

[11555h]

I looked earlier today and there was one for $58. I see the 2 you are referring to, one from China and one from India.

 

[sktrus]

I refuse to go with T-mobile for my home internet since I only get a couple of bars in the house.

I don't mean to change the subject.
I use T-Mobile home internet service, too. My gateway device is I believe the second generation. ( The silver color.) The latest looks so different. Anyhow, I mostly get only two bars no matter which room I am in since I got the service. Very rarely have I seen 3 bars.
2 bars let me use plenty of wifi gadgets and 4K streaming with no issues. I use 3 can mesh system. Forget the extenders. They spread the signal. But, they cut the speed in half.

 

[11555h]

I looked earlier today and there was one for $58. I see the 2 you are referring to, one from China and one from India.

I have had a few channels break up slightly today. The tv signal meter shows most are in the 70"s and 80"s but some may drop 5 or 6 per cent in a matter of seconds and then back up again. Again, I don't mind a little bit of breaking up but it shuts the dish system down when hooked up to the dish receiver and it takes several minutes to reboot. Looking forward to trying the new adapter I ordered.

 

[11555h]

I have had a few channels break up slightly today. The tv signal meter shows most are in the 70"s and 80"s but some may drop 5 or 6 per cent in a matter of seconds and then back up again. Again, I don't mind a little bit of breaking up but it shuts the dish system down when hooked up to the dish receiver and it takes several minutes to reboot. Looking forward to trying the new adapter I ordered.

Well I got the new adapter today and it didn't seem to make any difference. I'll have to keep chasing the problem.

 

[KAB]

Well I got the new adapter today and it didn't seem to make any difference. I'll have to keep chasing the problem.

Enough with adapters and filters. It's got to be your antenna...move, tweak, amplify, replace, whatever. What kind do you have (I don't think you ever said)?

 

[brice52]

Enough with adapters and filters. It's got to be your antenna...move, tweak, amplify, replace, whatever. What kind do you have (I don't think you ever said)?

 

[brice52]

Not entirely true, back in 2020 I changed from the adapter to HdHomerun tuner and I can tune weaker signals than over the Dish adapter.

I have a 30ft tower and that was also with the adapter.

 

[dishdude]

Enough with adapters and filters. It's got to be your antenna...move, tweak, amplify, replace, whatever. What kind do you have (I don't think you ever said)?

100% this.

 

[Bobby]

Your symptoms reflect issues with either trees or multipath. Does your antenna face any trees? Multipath is where TV signals from other stations interrupt your signal briefly and cause havoc. You can mitigate multipath, sometimes, by rotating your antenna a bit either way. This is all assuming you have an outdoor antenna. You say you are receiving your Detroit stations from the front of the antenna and Lansing stations off of the side. This could be a part of your issue. You mentioned a rotor in your system. While I know it makes perfect sense to find that happy place where you can receive both cities without turning the antenna it might be the cause. Are the stations that drop down from Lansing or Detroit, or both?

 

[11555h]

 

[11555h]

View attachment 172441

 

[11555h]

That is a pic of my Channel Master antenna that was installed in 2002 on a 30 foot tower with a CM amplifier up at the antenna and something associated with that in the basement. I also have a 4 way splitter in the coax that I understand tends to It is pointing directly at a stand of mature oak trees about 150 feet to the east (toward Detroit stations). It is very possible that it is a tree problem, however, we have never had a problem with this situation before. It could be that the trees have grown that much in in the last year. I am not savvy on tv signals and equipment and have lost the fellow that has installed all of this equipment over the years. I did have the rotor replaced awhile ago but wasn't empressed by the guy. I think I will drop the antenna and tower before winter and replace the cables and check connections and learn how to test the amplifier and see what the antenna looks like condition wise and if that doesn't fix it I will accept that it is a tree problem and just go with local channels from Dish, although they don't let us have the Detroit channels that we like. Appreciate all of the comments and suggestions so far. I'll keep updating as I do something.

 

[sam_gordon]

That is a pic of my Channel Master antenna that was installed in 2002 on a 30 foot tower with a CM amplifier up at the antenna and something associated with that in the basement. I also have a 4 way splitter in the coax that I understand tends to It is pointing directly at a stand of mature oak trees about 150 feet to the east (toward Detroit stations). It is very possible that it is a tree problem, however, we have never had a problem with this situation before. It could be that the trees have grown that much in in the last year. I am not savvy on tv signals and equipment and have lost the fellow that has installed all of this equipment over the years. I did have the rotor replaced awhile ago but wasn't empressed by the guy. I think I will drop the antenna and tower before winter and replace the cables and check connections and learn how to test the amplifier and see what the antenna looks like condition wise and if that doesn't fix it I will accept that it is a tree problem and just go with local channels from Dish, although they don't let us have the Detroit channels that we like. Appreciate all of the comments and suggestions so far. I'll keep updating as I do something.

Next test... disconnect the 4 way splitter (tag the cables), and run the input to a single Dish receiver (use an RF barrel). Let that run a little and see if you still have the problem. You can look at the signal meter, but don't put a lot of stock in that.

That splitter is cutting the signal TO 25% for each output. *IF* bypassing the splitter solves your problem, you need another amplifier just before the splitter. Splitters used to have how many db drop labeled for each output. A four port splitter will probably be -6 to -7.5db. Take that number, multiply by 4, and add an amp equal to that (6 x 4 = 24, so get a 25db amplifier).

 

[Bobby]

and if that fixes your issue you can purchase one of these and do a one for one replacement from your 4 way splitter. I have one and it works very well.

Amazon.com