LNB Drift Detected?

[joyabird]

I get this message when I check sat signals:

LBN drift detected.
0x00, 0x00, 121 e-7
0x0d, 0xa1, 110 e-7
0x00,0x00, 119 e-8 0-5

I'm not sure if the "0"s are zeros or letter O. What does it mean and can I fix it? I've been on the roof to remove the shroud and clean out the bees and didn't notice anything amiss.

Thanks,
Jane

[kstevens]

I just had this issue. Dish came and replaced my lnb's for free. When the lnb's start to drift too much, you can start to lose you lock on the satellite.

Ken

[Raymie]

I get this message when I check sat signals:

LBN drift detected.
0x00, 0x00, 121 e-7
0x0d, 0xa1, 110 e-7
0x00,0x00, 119 e-8 0-5

I'm not sure if the "0"s are zeros or letter O. What does it mean and can I fix it? I've been on the roof to remove the shroud and clean out the bees and didn't notice anything amiss.

Thanks,
Jane

The "0"s are zeros, and they're exception codes.

Is 121 for internationals? I thought they were phasing out 121.

[joyabird]

The 121 is for my locals.

So can I fix this problem or should I call Dish?

[Jim5506]

Call Dish, sign up for Dish Home Protection plan (If you don't already have it). Call back and report your lnb drift numbers (7 is the magic number - they will replace your lnb's.

Had my 129 lnb replaced yesterday - no cost (I'm under the 18 month DIU committment for my new ViP211). Rep also realigned my 61.5 dish to 148 and set me up for locals.

[chainblu]

The 121 is for my locals.

So can I fix this problem or should I call Dish?

You have done all you can do. Your SuperDish needs service. Make it very clear that you have an LNB drift issue when speaking to the CSR and you might get a free service call out of them.

[aegrotatio]

How do I check my LNB drift?
Does it only show up when the LNB drift is actually happening?

[jsk]

I've been running OK for a few months with that error. Does anyone know about how long you can go before it must be replaced?

Maybe I should sign up for the protection plan for a month. Is there any waiting period before you can use it?

Or, is this something that would be cheap and easy to replace myself?

[Kevin Brown]

There is another thread with some info. My impression is that if there's LNB drift, then there's a component that needs to be replaced. Because we all lease, (well, or most of us), Dish should do this for free. We shouldn't need the Home Protection Plan. ??

[P Smith]

The "0"s are zeros, and they're exception codes.

Is 121 for internationals? I thought they were phasing out 121.
Yeah, but actually they are DiSEqC commands.

[psnarula]

do menu 6-1-3

if you have the problem, it will tell you to view the details at the conclusion of the test.

i have -7 but the csr told me they woudln't replace it until -8.

[P Smith]

do menu 6-1-3

if you have the problem, it will tell you to view the details at the conclusion of the test.

i have -7 but the csr told me they woudln't replace it until -8.

It was posted official Dish PDF file - there they stated +-5 MHz is the limit. Search for it, get it handy and pest ;) the CSR !

[kstevens]

All four of my lnb's where out of spec. They replaced all 4 for free. I don't have the Home protection plan.


Ken

[zlensman]

0x00,0x00, 119 e-8 0-5

I'm not sure if the "0"s are zeros or letter O.

The circular character in "o-5" is a letter oh, not a number zero. The e is for even transponders, the o for odd transponders. So, this line says the LNB for azimuth 119 indicates a drift of -8 for even transponders and -5 for odd transponders. All of the others 0's are the number zero. BTW, what receiver and firmware was this on?

I've been running OK for a few months with that error. Does anyone know about how long you can go before it must be replaced?

I, too, have had an LNB drift for months and have been waiting for the drift to reach the magic number +/- 8 to get it replaced. This on a vip622 with L4.44. Having watched this for a while, I notice that prior firmware versions gave decimal drifts, such as "e -6.60". The newer firmware just gives integers. Also, I wonder if they have changed the scale because my drift was getting worse and worse, but now it's stuck at |7|.

How long can you go? For as long as you are not losing signal lock from the satellite, don't have dropouts on sat channels, or can't find any tangible problem that can be tied to the drift. I have no symptoms, even with a drift of |7| so I will keep waiting for the 8 and then get it replaced.

[psnarula]

i have -7 on 119 and occassionaly do have problems getting the receiver to lock. generally when this happens, i use dishchannelchart.com to find the satellite and transponder for the channel i am trying to watch and then i use menu 6-1-1 to try to get it to lock. this usually takes a few minutes but once it locks in, i exit back to live tv and try not to change the channel to something that uses a different satellite and/or transponder. but, for instance, changing from espn to espn2 isn't an issue since they both use sat 119, transponder 8.

[zlensman]

i have -7 on 119 and occassionaly do have problems getting the receiver to lock.

With symptoms like that, you could make a case that the LNB drift is causing you to lose signal lock. You should try calling Dish and ask them to fix it at no charge.

I did call a few weeks back to report that I had LNB drift of -7 and the CSR asked what symptoms I had. For me it was none, but if you're seeing channels that won't lock, they might fix your problem without waiting for the drift to get to 8.

[psnarula]

good idea. basketball season is coming up soon so that's when i do a "move" to get a different RSN. i definitely don't want to have to "move" back to the baltimore DMA for a service call.

[Schizm]

last night my 61.5 was at -10. I wonder how long it will be before either satellite company will spend some more money up front rather than just replacing cheaper parts.

I will give them a call to fix this one as well (my 119 was -9).

[joyabird]

I own the equipment but have DHPP so it only cost me $29 for a service call. They came out the next day and replaced my Superdish with a Dish 500 and now all is well.

[satexplorer]

Here's another thing, don't buy more programming on DISH. That's where your transponder reading goes negative.

[P Smith]

Here's another thing, don't buy more programming on DISH. That's where your transponder reading goes negative.

Weird suggestion. Care to explain the connection ?

[Raymie]

They took your Superdish and gave you a 500.

No upstate NY locals are on 121 anymore. You should be able to get your locals on 110 now.

[psnarula]

i would love it if they would replace my 105 superdish (used to be needed for baltimore local channels) with a dish 500. that thing is a beast.

[UGAChance]

I get this message when I check sat signals:

LBN drift detected.
0x00, 0x00, 121 e-7
0x0d, 0xa1, 110 e-7
0x00,0x00, 119 e-8 0-5



e = even
o = odd

The hex numbers are Manufacturer and LNB Type returned from the Diseqc Commands as PSmith stated.

0x00 means that it probably timed out getting the info from the LNB. Maybe due to being behind a switch, multiple switches, or a distribution system.

[John W]

Here's another thing, don't buy more programming on DISH. That's where your transponder reading goes negative.

Bogus.

[EVAC41]

Someone told me that when the signal is too low it can produce that drift error. My parents house gets that drift error sometimes due to her signal on 121 being so low. The highest I have seen it was 30. Since they moved our locals from 121 to 110 I don't even worry about it anymore.

[P Smith]

Actually it's goes opposite way - LOF drifted so the LNBF going offset and begin lost the tp spectrum.
Simple physics ;).

[jsk]

I have noted some discrepancies on this list about what the "magic number" to have an LNB replaced. I think I have found out why.

Look at the chart that comes up if you do the following:

Click here to go to the troubleshooting web page (http://tech.dishnetwork.com/departmental_content/TechPortal/content/tech/receiver/522.shtml)
Along the left hand side, there is a drop down box with Select Symptom in it. Choose, Signal Loss, Intermittent
Click Clear, No Worse than usual when it asks about weather
Click Fall: Sept. 21 to Dec. 20
Click Continue
Click Check "details" for LNB

Note that the Action Needed box is blank for drift values between +-6 and 8.

These instructions look exactly the same as the CSRs use when you call and I can see how different people will interpret a reading of 6, 7, or 8 differently using this chart.

[leegart]

I guess my -5 LNB drift on 61.5 doesn't rate. :(

[P Smith]

Tell them you have -8.1 MHz :D.

[psnarula]

is there any way for the CSR to see what my LNB drift is? or if i say it's at -8 will they not have any way of disputing it? then it could just "fluctuate" back to -7 when the rep shows up to replace it. of added interest for me is the desire to get rid of my 105 superdish (baltimore locals used to be on 105). my guess is that they don't even stock the 105 lnbfs anymore so that they'd just replace my 105 superdish with the much more desireable dish 500.

[P Smith]

Right, they can't see the parameter remotely.

[jsk]

I believe that the dish does report back some settings if you have it connected to a phone line, but I'm not sure if this is one of them. The receiver might keep the high reading in its memory and report that.

There is no guarantee that they will swap out your dish, they might just swap out your LNBs. Also, if the drift is on 105 only, they probably won't do anything about it. I would like to replace my SuperDish with a 500 as well though.

[psnarula]

my drift is at -7 on 119

the reason i have hope for getting a dish 500 is that the mast for the 105 superdish puts some of the LNBs together. so swapping out 119 may not be as easy as just replacing the 119 LNB. they may have to replace another one too. and if that dual LNB part is in limited quantities (which is what i fully expect given that nobody installs these things anymore) then they would have no choice except to install a new dish 500.

[UGAChance]

Right, they can't see the parameter remotely.

Wrong. There is something called Set-top Box Health.

The receiver reports back it's "Health" on a regular basis. It has a bunch of values for the normal Counters, Hard Drive Values, Temps, LNB Drift Values, etc.

It can be done over the phone line or ethernet.

It is so the CSRs can better indicate what your problem might be.

[P Smith]

Overhype actually, don't bull it. CSR will ASK you the drift numbers.
The parameter is DYNAMIC and don't exist in Diags counters.
You can speculate by yourself, but don't assume you know what IRD sending once in month.

[Kevin Brown]

It can be done over the phone line or ethernet.

?? You don't have to have a phone line connected, and most people don't have an ethernet connection to their box either.

[P Smith]

He is from Denver ;) .