SlimLine SWM 5LNB upgrade troubles

[vev46]

I finally gave in to my wife's request for a DVR, so I bought a HR21-100 and a SWM 5LNB to replace the original. All the info I gathered showed that for a one DVR installation all I needed was a power inserter, a SWM 5LNB, and the of course the DVR. All I'd then have to do is swap the LNB, run RG6 from its port to the red port of the power inserter through a grounding block, and from the inserter's other port to the correct port on the HR21, without the BBC. I ran the setup, and NO satellites were detected. I rechecked all my cables, measured 20.45 volts at the dish (disconnected from the LNB) but no luck. I went back to the old H20 & LNB, removed the inserter, and all was OK. I tried the HR21 again with the old LNB, using the "SAT IN 2" port on the HR21, and signal levels were OK. I called DTV, and was told that another multiswitch is needed even though I have only 1 DVR. The PI-21 instructions is exactly how I did mine. The installation PDF file on DBSTalk only shows drawings of installations with multiple IRD's, and not just one. I thought maybe my new LNB is bad, but after talking to DTV, I'm not sure.

I'd really appreciate some guidance

[veryoldschool]

It does sound like you've got it connected right.
Pull the power on the DVR and recycle the power to the PI. Give the PI a couple of mins with power before plugging in the DVR.
If that doesn't work, go into the setup menu for the DVR and re-run the SAT setup.

[randyk47]

I've helped two folks in my neighborhood switch over to SWM. One went the LNB direction, the other went with the SWM-8 solution. In both cases they had trouble initially and in both cases they forgot to unplug their receivers. They thought when I told them to power off their receivers I meant turn them off not unplug them. It's an easy mistake to make.

[vev46]

Thanks, veryoldschool. Your reply was spot on! I guess I sequenced the power protocol incorrectly, & more than once. Now I'm getting familiar with my HD DVR. However, since I relocated my dish so I could get to it without going up a 23' extension ladder, I get "searching for satellite" on some channels, most notably 79. The only weak signals I have are on sat 110(c), although most of the xponders on that are coming in @ >80%. I assume that this is due to the low signals on 110, but I've never been able to find a chart saying which channel uses which sat/xponder. Is there such a list available?

[veryoldschool]

Thanks, veryoldschool. Your reply was spot on! I guess I sequenced the power protocol incorrectly, & more than once. Now I'm getting familiar with my HD DVR. However, since I relocated my dish so I could get to it without going up a 23' extension ladder, I get "searching for satellite" on some channels, most notably 79. The only weak signals I have are on sat 110(c), although most of the xponders on that are coming in @ >80%. I assume that this is due to the low signals on 110, but I've never been able to find a chart saying which channel uses which sat/xponder. Is there such a list available?
There was a chart, but things have been moving around and so "I'd guess" 79 is still on 110.
Everything from the "70s" is coming from the 99/103 SATs but on different channels
The 110 are the old Ku MPEG-2 and everything new is Ka MPEG-4.
You should be able to find the same channel in the higher channel numbers.

[joshjr]

Thanks, veryoldschool. Your reply was spot on! I guess I sequenced the power protocol incorrectly, & more than once. Now I'm getting familiar with my HD DVR. However, since I relocated my dish so I could get to it without going up a 23' extension ladder, I get "searching for satellite" on some channels, most notably 79. The only weak signals I have are on sat 110(c), although most of the xponders on that are coming in @ >80%. I assume that this is due to the low signals on 110, but I've never been able to find a chart saying which channel uses which sat/xponder. Is there such a list available?

There is no need to worry about the channels in the 70's as there are MPEG4 HD channels for them already. Like TNT is 245. There are 2 channel 245's one is HD and one is SD. If you record the channel from the 70's it will actually take up more storage space on your hard drive cause those channels are MPEG2 and are being phased out anyways. All channels in the 70's can be found higher up if you look for them.