Help Diagnose- Lost 103c on ONE box!

[mixer99]

I have lost 103c on one of my boxes- HR21-200 HD DVR. I get all zeroes on both tuner 1 and tuner 2. Now, here is the kicker---- If I replace the box with an HR20-700, I get alternating transponders coming in. If I replace it with an HR22, I get all zeroes again. I had a 'lead tech' out on monday, and he was stumped. He was trying all kinds of different boxes to see what would happen because he didnt believe me initially that my HR20-700 would work in that location, but only get alternating transponder signals...

Now, here is my setup:

*Have bastard dish- old dish that used to have sidecar LNB that was replaced with the 5 in 3 LNB last year, leaving the old dish
*4 wires from dish running inton 4 skywalker high frequency splitters
*Those eight wires running into two, 6x8 multiswitches (yes, i paid attention to put the same split pair to the same input on each switch)
*I have a total of 14 of the 16 outputs used

Where is my issue? The tech changed the setup and cascaded the second switch with same results. And why oh why do HR20's work and any other HR series NOT work? And what is up with the alternating transponder signals?

Tech ordered a 16 port powered multiswitch and will install tomorrow with his boss present to help troubleshoot if that doesnt do it. I wouldnt be such a whiner, but this is in my main TV room, so I'm dying here. Thanks in advance for the expert help!

[carl6]

How long are the cable runs to the problem location? I'll bet either the powered multiswitch, or adding a sonora phase locker/power inserter (between the dish and the splitters) will solve your problem.

[Canis Lupus]

Sounds like a pretty hefty setup.

Sure seems like power/voltage/multi-switch somewhere. But IIRC, it may be important to check the BBCs in the case of receivers that require BBCs vs. newer receivers which don't, especially because it's 103C and you have a variety of receivers you're testing at that location?

[Mertzen]

*Have bastard dish- old dish that used to have sidecar LNB that was replaced with the 5 in 3 LNB last year, leaving the old dish



Wait, are you saying you have a slimline LNB on a AT9 sidecar dish assembly????
If so get that fixed, their focal points are different and LNBs not interchangeable.

[mixer99]

Wait, are you saying you have a slimline LNB on a AT9 sidecar dish assembly????
If so get that fixed, their focal points are different and LNBs not interchangeable.

I am not hip on all the types of dishes, but I will say what I know:

*Had the original 5 LNB HD dish installed 8/06. It had the 'sidecar' LNB setup

*The LNB failed so they left the original dish and put another LNB that has all the LNBs in one solid assembly. I don't know if this is a 'slimline' LNB or not.

And to answer the other person's question- All cable runs are between 20to 40 ft. The multiswitches are almost in the center of my upstairs attic.

[evan_s]

I am not hip on all the types of dishes, but I will say what I know:

*Had the original 5 LNB HD dish installed 8/06. It had the 'sidecar' LNB setup

*The LNB failed so they left the original dish and put another LNB that has all the LNBs in one solid assembly. I don't know if this is a 'slimline' LNB or not.

And to answer the other person's question- All cable runs are between 20to 40 ft. The multiswitches are almost in the center of my upstairs attic.

A slimline dish will say slimline on it and would have never come with a sidecar LNB. From the sounds of things you need your dish replaced because that LNB just isn't designed for that dish and they don't have replacement parts for the old sidecar lnbs. That may or may not be related to your issue but it is something that needs to be taken care of.

The WB616 isn't a bad thing and may resolve the issue if not I'd recommend simplifying the setup as a test. Temporarily bypass both the splitters and the multiswitch and run the problem location directly off the dish.

Getting every other transponder is not that unusual actually because of the way the stacking plan works. You get all the odds or all the evens at one time. If you having any number of issues you can end up receiving just one or the other.

For your splitters are the single power passing our dual power passing? Single power passing could cause all sorts of strange issues in this type of setup.

[mixer99]

Tech did the following on return trip:

*Replaced dish assembly with 'slimline' to match the LNB

*Added 16 port powered multiswitch

*Replaced HR21 receiver that had lost the ability to see 103c

All transponders on all boxes now...happy and content (for now!!)

Thanks to all for the input.