View Full Version : Channels breaking up....need help please
I have had DirecTV for several years. Over the last month or so, I'm getting a distorted picture from time to time...like we're having a storm. The weather has not been an issue as far as I can tell. I'm wondering if this has been an issue with others. I'm wondering if I need to call for service or not. It seems to be more frequent. I have tried to "reset" the receiver by unplugging it, but it hasn't helped. Any suggestions?
Todd:confused:
It is not happening with me, but I live in NY.
Is this happening on all channels? (if only local channels I could not see it from here and could be something related to your local channels).
It's happening with all channels. It will freeze momentarily and you'll see "squares" and then the picture will clear again. It's happened 10-15 times during the opening ceremonies tonight. But it's been happening for the last month on all channels.
leww37334
02-10-06, 09:49 PM
It's happening with all channels. It will freeze momentarily and you'll see "squares" and then the picture will clear again. It's happened 10-15 times during the opening ceremonies tonight. But it's been happening for the last month on all channels.
you need to check your signal strength, sounds like you are not getting enough signal, this could be a misaligned dish, a bad LNB or even a bad cable. If you are not getting a strong enough signal I would call Directv.
I am watching the opening ceremony here and it is not happening here.
You should verify the satellite signal level this may be antenna mispointing or obstruction (by a tree or something else)
I check my signal strength regularly. I've noticed that it will be around 92 or 93 and then I'll check it a couple of days later and it will be around 85. I also just found out that the same thing is happening to my dad's DirecTV signal and he lives three houses down the street. We live in Missouri.
The signal strengh is good. And I guess if it is repeating in your dad's house it needs to be related to the location you live (satellite, interference from something, etc) or genetic.
I suppose we should discard the genetic bit :-)
I know you already said, but as the Olympics was in a local channel... which national channel did you see it happening?
I've seen it happening on stations like ESPN, Fox Sports Midwest, TNT, USA...really just about any one that I might be watching.
Crazy 1
02-10-06, 11:10 PM
I've been noticing freezing of the picture on my locals alot lately. I get my locals out of St. Louis, and my signal strenth is good and no obstrutions. Anyone else seeing this in the St. louis locals or is it just me?
JLucPicard
02-11-06, 02:10 AM
I had intermitent troubles like that at one time. Sometimes things were fine, other times there would be pixilating, etc. or sometimes no signal at all. What I found was it was one of my cables on the roof, which had been "bound" together with other cables using one of those plastic zip things. Over time, some of the rubber coating had been damaged and depending on wind/weather/etc. it would sometimes cut out.
If possible, a look over your cable might be a good idea - especially if it's been there for a number of years.
lspear76
02-11-06, 11:35 PM
I've been having problems with certain SD channels breaking up a lot the last few days. Most notably VH1 (335), G4 (354), as well as Disney Channel 1 & 2, Noggin (298). Channel 250 is broken up and as well (blocks and squeaking sound). I know all of these are carried on the 101 satellite. My overall 101 strength varies between 78 to 82. Every transponder is 72 or above, except transponder 28 which is 11, and 2 which is 65.
I have the Directv 5 LNB Dish and H20 receiver. Granted there is snow today (I'm in PA) but G4 and VH1 have been broken up for at least 3 days and the weather was nice.
Any one have information?
lspear76
02-12-06, 06:06 AM
I've been having problems with certain SD channels breaking up a lot the last few days. Most notably VH1 (335), G4 (354), as well as Disney Channel 1 & 2, Noggin (298). Channel 250 is broken up and as well (blocks and squeaking sound). I know all of these are carried on the 101 satellite. My overall 101 strength varies between 78 to 82. Every transponder is 72 or above, except transponder 28 which is 11, and 2 which is 65.
I have the Directv 5 LNB Dish and H20 receiver. Granted there is snow today (I'm in PA) but G4 and VH1 have been broken up for at least 3 days and the weather was nice.
Any one have information?
No one can help? Which satellite and transponders are G4, VH1, Real TV, and FOX NEWS on? I'm experiencing picture breakup and sound sqeaking on all of these channels.
Channel 335 Transponder 1
354 27
298 23
250 1
Blocks and squeaks are usually a line of sight issue. A signal strength in the 70's is kind of low for the 101. You could also check the dish to see if any thing is loose. ;)
Larry_Rymal
02-12-06, 12:13 PM
Channel 335 Transponder 1
354 27
298 23
250 1
How do you guys know this stuff? I mean, the only charts I have found are for early 2005 and 2004.
Bill Johnson
02-12-06, 01:21 PM
I've found the below TP site useful.
http://www.widemovies.com/dtvtransponders.html
How do you guys know this stuff? I mean, the only charts I have found are for early 2005 and 2004.
You just tune to the channel and do a signal test, the transponder that first shows up is the transponder that the channel you are watching is on.
Larry_Rymal
02-12-06, 02:26 PM
You just tune to the channel and do a signal test, the transponder that first shows up is the transponder that the channel you are watching is on.
There lies the confusion, then. The H20 always shows the same transponder numbers, no matter what channel one is tuned to.
lspear76
02-12-06, 11:25 PM
There is a bunch of snow on my balcony and it's freezing so I won't be going out any time soon. However, when it warms up I'm going to try and adjust my 5 LNB dish, either with my brother's help or reschedule and installation.
I had a single LNB dish on my balcony for several years and had a 90+ signal. My balcony faces the wrong way and therefore I used a long pole to put my dish on, to get the dish over the building. They replaced all the baclonies from metal to wood style, and I took down my dish. When the balconies were done, amazingly I could get a quality signal (80's) with my dish screwed right into my balcony.
However as soon as I upgraded to the 3 LNB (and then the 5 LNB) dish, my reception on Satellite A is around 78% to 82%. Satellite B is around 53%. Satellite C is 70%. I have not had any problems getting channels 70 through 79, or my high def channels. However, as I mentioned earlier, VH1, G4, Real TV, Noggin, Disney, Fox News are all broken up now. The "professional installation" was not worth it, I feel my brother and I could have done it like we did it before even though this dish is bigger. The installer said he did not have the "100 lbs of cement" needed to make sure the pole wouldn't move on my balcony. I suggested clips (from autozone) but the installer did not have what was needed for such an installation. Therefore I'll probably do it myself.
I was getting signal reception in the 70's for more than a year. Suddenly one day several station's picture began to break up. I called D* and they sent a repairman. Initially D* had said it was the LNB. The repairman said it wasn't the LNB, but that the antenna wasn't properly aligned. He realigned it and now my signal strenght is in the 90's and no break up. A good installer is the difference.
There is a bunch of snow on my balcony and it's freezing so I won't be going out any time soon. However, when it warms up I'm going to try and adjust my 5 LNB dish, either with my brother's help or reschedule and installation.
I had a single LNB dish on my balcony for several years and had a 90+ signal. My balcony faces the wrong way and therefore I used a long pole to put my dish on, to get the dish over the building. They replaced all the baclonies from metal to wood style, and I took down my dish. When the balconies were done, amazingly I could get a quality signal (80's) with my dish screwed right into my balcony.
However as soon as I upgraded to the 3 LNB (and then the 5 LNB) dish, my reception on Satellite A is around 78% to 82%. Satellite B is around 53%. Satellite C is 70%. I have not had any problems getting channels 70 through 79, or my high def channels. However, as I mentioned earlier, VH1, G4, Real TV, Noggin, Disney, Fox News are all broken up now. The "professional installation" was not worth it, I feel my brother and I could have done it like we did it before even though this dish is bigger. The installer said he did not have the "100 lbs of cement" needed to make sure the pole wouldn't move on my balcony. I suggested clips (from autozone) but the installer did not have what was needed for such an installation. Therefore I'll probably do it myself.GO TO CHANNEL 592 and watch the correct installation of a AT9 dish then decide if you are qualified to adjust it.:)
How do you guys know this stuff? I mean, the only charts I have found are for early 2005 and 2004.
http://www.widemovies.com/dtvtransponders.html
Larry_Rymal
02-13-06, 06:16 PM
http://www.widemovies.com/dtvtransponders.html
At the risk of being slightly repetitous with my earlier message :)
01-05-05 Improved filtering of inactive channels
01-04-05 Initial Report
These dates are over a year old...
There lies the confusion, then. The H20 always shows the same transponder numbers, no matter what channel one is tuned to.
Other models show the specific transponder, that's how everyone else knows. Here's a recent one that I updated a week ago.
Larry_Rymal
02-13-06, 07:01 PM
Other models show the specific transponder, that's how everyone else knows. Here's a recent one that I updated a week ago.
EXCELLENT job! If we were to lose satellite 101.....................
Hmmmm, maybe we oughta Wiki this so others can assist in keeping it up to date, updating the remaining satellites, etc.
Good work....
110 and 119 are on it as well, you just have to click the tab at the bottom. The locals are a different issue though.
Larry_Rymal
02-13-06, 08:09 PM
110 and 119 are on it as well, you just have to click the tab at the bottom. The locals are a different issue though.
Oh yes, I noticed the tab layout. Good job.
I'm thinking also sat 103 and 99. Could be nice if others could contribute information as things become active and online---keeping the spreadsheet fresh.
I've been noticing freezing of the picture on my locals alot lately. I get my locals out of St. Louis, and my signal strenth is good and no obstrutions. Anyone else seeing this in the St. louis locals or is it just me?
It's not just you, I too have noticed a problem with this during the olympics and another person I know mentioned the same thing. It has been happening really bad during the snowboarding last night and tonight. I guess it could be something with our local NBC affiliate since people in other states do not notice the same thing.
Allen
jeffreycentex
02-13-06, 09:17 PM
It's not just you, I too have noticed a problem with this during the olympics and another person I know mentioned the same thing. It has been happening really bad during the snowboarding last night and tonight. I guess it could be something with our local NBC affiliate since people in other states do not notice the same thing.
It isn't that either... The issue is primarily local channels (although a few have noted the problem with other channels) and they supposedly have engineers working on it.
I notice it while watching my locals (the Olympics, the Superbowl, and 24 all have this problem).
And it was fun yesterday seeing my R10 lag the D10 in the other room by 5 minutes due to the slowdowns while watching the snowboarding last night.
jeffreycentex
02-13-06, 09:20 PM
Locals are breaking big time right now (at least for SD) - one look at the Directv customer forums will get you an eyeful right now...
lspear76
02-13-06, 11:49 PM
Now after five days of blocky squeaky picture on G4, Fox News, Real TV, VH1, tonight they're ALL back to normal and I didn't touch anything. Why is this?
lspear76
02-13-06, 11:53 PM
I spoke too soon. It was all back to normal 2 hours ago. Now VH1, Fox News, Noggin, G4, all all squeaky and broken up again. I'm really sick of this. If I set up another installation, will they be able to bring a pole and cement so it's high enough to look over my balcony/roof? (i'm on the top)
Crazy 1
02-15-06, 12:21 AM
It's not just you, I too have noticed a problem with this during the olympics and another person I know mentioned the same thing. It has been happening really bad during the snowboarding last night and tonight. I guess it could be something with our local NBC affiliate since people in other states do not notice the same thing.
Allen
Thats good to know thats it's not my reciever,or dish, I was begining to think It was on my end. What do you think can be done, who to call first on this issue?
Thanks for your input.
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