Can a bad 301 cause dropouts & "acquiring satellite" messages?

[MikeInSeattle]

Yesterday I inquired what could happen externally to my house to cause dropouts lasting anywhere from 1 second to 40 seconds along with the "acquiring satellite" message displayed.

I was talking to a neighbor and he suggested that the problem might not be external at all, that it might be the receiver. I have a 301 that I've had for 5 years or so, and who knows how long it had been around before that. Could this be the problem? Time to get a new receiver?

I've rebooted it and the problem remains.

I don't need a DVR. I have a replaytv I'm very happy with. But if there is another receiver that's better than the 301 I'll get it tomorrow if it solves this problem.

Advice? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.
Mike

[shadough]

I guess anything is possible but I find it hard to believe that the receiver is the culprit. I would first check all connections, especially the ones outside the house. An old install, 5+yrs, could easily have a water damaged connector where the copper has desinigrated. This should cause signal loss on odd numbered transponders first, and subsequently later the evens.

[jarvantgroup]

Yesterday I inquired what could happen externally to my house to cause dropouts lasting anywhere from 1 second to 40 seconds along with the "acquiring satellite" message displayed.

I was talking to a neighbor and he suggested that the problem might not be external at all, that it might be the receiver. I have a 301 that I've had for 5 years or so, and who knows how long it had been around before that. Could this be the problem? Time to get a new receiver?

I've rebooted it and the problem remains.

I don't need a DVR. I have a replaytv I'm very happy with. But if there is another receiver that's better than the 301 I'll get it tomorrow if it solves this problem.

Advice? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.
Mike


Could be the LNB. After 5 yrs it could be on its way out. I've replaced the LNB's more than the rcvrs. Its not impossible for the 301 to go on the fritz, it happens, but check the connections outside, ground block, outside splices and the LNB. :scratch:

[DoyleS]

Have you checked your signal strengths on the setup screen? Is it possible your dish has moved?

..Doyle

[albert71292]

Yesterday I inquired what could happen externally to my house to cause dropouts lasting anywhere from 1 second to 40 seconds along with the "acquiring satellite" message displayed.

I was talking to a neighbor and he suggested that the problem might not be external at all, that it might be the receiver. I have a 301 that I've had for 5 years or so, and who knows how long it had been around before that. Could this be the problem? Time to get a new receiver?

I'd say "Yes". I was having that problem on a few channels with my 301 (mainly HBO, CourtTV, and History Channel). Several calls to Dish never resolved the problem. After my son came to live with me last year, I bought a new 311 receiver to put in the living room, and moved the 301 to his room, since I only had the one receiver previously. The 301 I moved to his room still has the dropout problem on the same channels, the new 311 hasn't dropped out yet.

[cdoyle]

Yesterday I inquired what could happen externally to my house to cause dropouts lasting anywhere from 1 second to 40 seconds along with the "acquiring satellite" message displayed.

I was talking to a neighbor and he suggested that the problem might not be external at all, that it might be the receiver. I have a 301 that I've had for 5 years or so, and who knows how long it had been around before that. Could this be the problem? Time to get a new receiver?

I've rebooted it and the problem remains.

I don't need a DVR. I have a replaytv I'm very happy with. But if there is another receiver that's better than the 301 I'll get it tomorrow if it solves this problem.

Advice? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.
Mike

My 301 did this exact same thing just a few weeks ago. Mine was only about 1.5 years old, and I was able to get dish to send me another one. Since I was on the free for all program, and they were still giving me 5 credits each month for it. I told them it didnt' seem right that the receiver couldn't even last long enough to get all my credit back.

And they agreed.

[MikeInSeattle]

I got a new 311 receiver on Tuesday last and so far I have not experienced the pixilation or "acquiring satellite" message. Nothing else about my setup has changed.

So, something to put in our back pockets, it appears a receiver can go bad and the message and pixilation might be masking the problem.

Many thanks to those that offered suggestions and advice.

Mike