Signal on one tuner on one HR20, one on another, none on a third?!

[The Big Bad]

Came home from a long weekend to discover "searching for signal" errors on all three of my HR20-700 HDDVRs. Did RBR and, after that didn't get the signal to reappear on all of the tuners, pulling the electrical plug waiting a few minutes then plugging back in on all three and now have one tuner getting a signal on the HR20 downstairs, one tuner getting a signal on the HR20 in the bedroom, and no signals on either tuner on the HR20 in the playroom. The system test shows that all of the tuners on all of the units are "OK." Prior to this event, my system's been working relatively fine (save for various errors introduced by firmware updates) for months (dare I say years).

So, anyone have this issue before, or can suggest something for me to try?

[Mike Bertelson]

Have you looked at your dish?

It may be loose or otherwise out of position.

Where is your multi-switch? (assuming you have one because of six tuners)

If all your DVRs are looking for sats it's almost certainly the dish or the multiswitch.

Mike

[The Big Bad]

I have not look at the dish physically. I frankly wouldn't even know how to measure the various angles and such if I climbed up to my roof to look at the thing.

Would I be correct in assuming that running a signal test on one of the receivers that is getting a signal (albeit on one tuner) will confirm that the dish is OK, i.e., if there is signal strength on the transponders on which I should have a signal?

My multiswitch is in the compartment on the side of the house originally used for the cable, so it's behind a metal covering but not exactly inside the house -- really more outside than inside, but still protected from the elements except for heat.

[Mike Bertelson]

I have not look at the dish physically. I frankly wouldn't even know how to measure the various angles and such if I climbed up to my roof to look at the thing.

Would I be correct in assuming that running a signal test on one of the receivers that is getting a signal (albeit on one tuner) will confirm that the dish is OK, i.e., if there is signal strength on the transponders on which I should have a signal?

My multiswitch is in the compartment on the side of the house originally used for the cable, so it's behind a metal covering but not exactly inside the house -- really more outside than inside, but still protected from the elements except for heat.
Can't hurt to check the strengths.

Satellite transponders (32 total at 101º)
1-8 # # # # # # # #
9-16 # # # # # # # #
17-24 # # # # # # # #
25-32 # # # # # # # #

Satellite transponders (3 total at 110º)
1-8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA #
9-16 NA # NA # NA NA NA NA

Satellite transponders (11 total at 119º)
17-24 NA NA NA NA NA # # #
25-32 # # # # # # # #

Satellite transponders (6 total at 99º(s))
1-8 # # # # # # NA NA
[Note: these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(s))
1-8 # # # # # # NA NA
9-16 NA NA NA NA NA NA # #
17-24 # # # # # # # #
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(c))
1-8 # # # # # # # #
9-16 # # # # # # NA NA
17-24 # NA NA NA NA # NA NA

Mike

[K4SMX]

You may have a bad multi-switch. Try hooking the playroom HR20-700 directly to two of the dish lines through a pair of double-female "barrel" adapters (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103459&cp=2032058.2032231.2032280&pg=2&allCount=314&fbn=Cable+type%2FCouplers&f=PAD%2FCable+Type%2FCouplers&fbc=1&parentPage=family) for a quick test.

[The Big Bad]

I checked the signal strength meter and the readings are below. I only get readings on Tuner 1; given my problem, I'm not surprised that they are all zeros on Tuner 2. Are these within acceptable ranges?

Satellite transponders (32 total at 101º)
1-8 91 92 89 0 85 97 83 97
9-16 85 95 91 0 91 97 88 97
17-24 87 100 88 0 92 97 89 98
25-32 92 0 89 100 95 98 92 97

Satellite transponders (3 total at 110º)
1-8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 86
9-16 NA 88 NA 86 NA NA NA NA

Satellite transponders (11 total at 119º)
17-24 NA NA NA NA NA 82 0 79
25-32 91 83 87 82 0 85 57 86

Satellite transponders (6 total at 99º(s))
1-8 0 70 0 79 0 95 NA NA
[Note: these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(s))
1-8 0 0 0 0 0 0 NA NA
9-16 NA NA NA NA NA NA 0 100
17-24 73 67 97 99 99 0 0 0
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(c))
1-8 73 83 68 78 71 82 66 79
9-16 73 83 68 78 74 83 NA NA
17-24 73 NA NA NA NA 79 NA NA

[Mike Bertelson]

I checked the signal strength meter and the readings are below. I only get readings on Tuner 1; given my problem, I'm not surprised that they are all zeros on Tuner 2. Are these within acceptable ranges?

Satellite transponders (32 total at 101º)
1-8 91 92 89 0 85 97 83 97
9-16 85 95 91 0 91 97 88 97
17-24 87 100 88 0 92 97 89 98
25-32 92 0 89 100 95 98 92 97

Satellite transponders (3 total at 110º)
1-8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 86
9-16 NA 88 NA 86 NA NA NA NA

Satellite transponders (11 total at 119º)
17-24 NA NA NA NA NA 82 0 79
25-32 91 83 87 82 0 85 57 86

Satellite transponders (6 total at 99º(s))
1-8 0 70 0 79 0 95 NA NA
[Note: these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(s))
1-8 0 0 0 0 0 0 NA NA
9-16 NA NA NA NA NA NA 0 100
17-24 73 67 97 99 99 0 0 0
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(c))
1-8 73 83 68 78 71 82 66 79
9-16 73 83 68 78 74 83 NA NA
17-24 73 NA NA NA NA 79 NA NA
These numbers seem a little low to me.

I'm on the east coast and all of mine are higher.

I think you might take K4SMX's advice and bypass your multiswitch.

Then redo the signal strengths. That'll show if the multi-switch is good or not.

Mike

[The Big Bad]

Looks like it was a bad multiswitch. Swapped the old for a new and everything is back to normal. Thanks all for the advice.