Troubled with new D*

[Chazb]

I just had my hr20 and two standard boxes installed along with a slimline dish.The problem is when I use hd with my hr 20 my two other tvs lose there signal I get off of hd and they comeback on.I do have a weak signal with hd alot of 92-0-92-and so on with a 57% reading on hd side.They are going to tweak my dish tomorrow but there is more wrong here that aligning the dish.My hr20 is off now and the tvs are fine in the two other rooms now.I posted this on the avs forum I was hoping to get more help as to what could be wrong.Thank you.

[D-Bamatech]

I just had my hr20 and two standard boxes installed along with a slimline dish.The problem is when I use hd with my hr 20 my two other tvs lose there signal I get off of hd and they comeback on.I do have a weak signal with hd alot of 92-0-92-and so on with a 57% reading on hd side.They are going to tweak my dish tomorrow but there is more wrong here that aligning the dish.My hr20 is off now and the tvs are fine in the two other rooms now.I posted this on the avs forum I was hoping to get more help as to what could be wrong.Thank you.

LNB or MSW

Maybe a simple braiding on the center conductor prob , but i doubt it.

Your equation points me First with a meter and/ or toner if i was on site Straight to the MSW 1st.. then up the ladder to the LNB if the MSW voltage on BOTH sides didnt show anything..

=Voltage prob some where IMO.. check at both locations(MSW and LNB).
AND on Each side of the MSW 1st before i even took the ladder of the truck.

Make sure you demonstrate this to the tech while he is there.

If he knows what hes doing (IF) he'll go to the MSW and quick after your demonstration of the intermediate sig loos per diff tv's.. Dont tell him either just watch and see what he does 1st. That will tell you a lot of just who and what kind is at your house maybe.

Good Luck!

[bonscott87]

Sounds like a bad LNB or multiswitch as posted above. I'd lean toward multiswitch though as everything seems to work except when you use all the receivers at once. Make sure the installer put in the new Zinwell 6x8 switch as that is required for use with the 5LNB. If he didn't and is just using your old switch that could be the source of the problem.

If you have really long runs (125+ feet) and don't have a power booster/line amp that could cause it as well.

[Chazb]

Sounds like a bad LNB or multiswitch as posted above. I'd lean toward multiswitch though as everything seems to work except when you use all the receivers at once. Make sure the installer put in the new Zinwell 6x8 switch as that is required for use with the 5LNB. If he didn't and is just using your old switch that could be the source of the problem.

If you have really long runs (125+ feet) and don't have a power booster/line amp that could cause it as well.

This is a brand new install and the switch is a astra 3x4.Thank you guys for your help what about the astra switch?I have three tvs by the way.

[cadet502]

This is a brand new install and the switch is a astra 3x4.Thank you guys for your help what about the astra switch?I have three tvs by the way.


I would wonder about that switch if it is really a 3x4.

Don't see anything close to it listed here;
http://www.solidsignal.com/satellite/directv_dish_antenna_types.asp

[Supervolcano]

I thought the Zinwell 6x8 and Zinwell 6x16 were the only "approved" multiswitches for the Slimline dish and HR20?

If your only using 4 coax cables (1 dvr and 2 non-dvr) then you shouldn't be using any other multiswitch aside from the one that is built inside the slimline's lnb case.

Sounds to me like your installer was too lazy to run 2 more cables from the dish to your ird.

[JLucPicard]

This is a brand new install and the switch is a astra 3x4.Thank you guys for your help what about the astra switch?I have three tvs by the way.
Is that a switch the installer brought with him, or did you supply it? Either way, becuase of the multiple frequnecies and voltages the 5 LNB dish uses to determine which channel is tuned, the only multi-switches that currently work properly (as mentioned above) are the Zinwell WB68 (6x8) and Zinwell WB616 (6x16).

The installer should have used the WB68 in your case - even if you provided him with the switch. Another installer screw-up. Call D* back and tell them the problems you are having, maybe starting out with the fact that the installer used a 3x4 switch. If you get lucky and get a CSR that knows a little about things, they should recognize right away that the switch is a problem. Someone in the Installations Dept SHOULD see it's a problem right away.

If you are going through a multi-switch at all, only connecting three cables from the dish is most definitely one cable short - they must have all four feeds from the dish connected to the right switch. The installers may actually need to run another cable if the original guy only ran three.

[Supervolcano]

3x4 switches were old technology that allowed 1 OTA coax to be combined with 2 sat coax. I'm sure this is the root of his problem.

If you call D*, don't even deal with the level 1 CSR you get.
Ask to be transferred directly to the installation department.
(Or say "Installation" during the voice prompt menu)

[TigersFanJJ]

I agree. The 3x4 multiswitch is your problem. They may not put in a 6x8, as you only need the four lines ran, but they have got to bypass that 3x4.

[Chazb]

Thank you gentleman maybe I have something to work with now.You people are great with the advice.

[bonscott87]

Yep. You *have* to have 4 cables from the dish into the Zinwell 6x8 (WB68)switch. From there cables out to your receivers.
Now if all you have is 4 tuners total in the house they could just run 4 cables from the dish direct to your tuners with no switch but since the WB68 is free anyway might as well get it so if you decide to add another receiver in the future you're all set.

Definately idiot installer strikes again by not pulling enough cables from the dish and using a 3x4 switch which will not work.

Good luck.

[Chazb]

Well I wish to thank everybody so much they were just here added 2 more lines from the dish took out the switch altogether and everything is working now.

[D-Bamatech]

Wow.

the first guy used a 3x4 (or tied into the existing one) ...what?

Good greif , i took that part for granted that at least the right MSW was installed in actuallity,& you dont even need one period (lol)

All my tech talk was really to no avail in this case.. youd didnt even have a prob you had a another one of those untrained OR lazy (as was said) so called techs orig.

When IS this mess i read here gonna end?

Maybe i need to stay out of here(forum) for real.. this is becoming more a disheartening laugh than i can take at times. .> ughghgh