Can't receive 99(b) sat and ?related problems?

[oenophile]

I would sincerely appreciate your input on the following problem.

I just moved and they just put a new slimline 5lnb on my roof. I had noticed I was having some problems that would indicate both tuners weren't active. (example, I was only recording one program, but when I tried to change the channel it acted similar to as if I was recording two and asked me if I wanted to stop recording or cancel) I re-did the satellite setup and, upon completion, it said that Satellite 99(b) had "Failed" and that it couldn't recieve it.

Is that normal? related to my issues? unrelated? (I know that previously 99b wasn't used, but I had thought it was launched now?) (I do receive locals and I'm in the SF Bay Area)

Thank you.

[Michael D'Angelo]

Try doing a receiver reset by the menu and let me now if that helps.

[oenophile]

Try doing a receiver reset by the menu and let me now if that helps.Thank you. That was good advice. I think/hope that it solved my issues. So far so good. I will report back if this didn't work. Otherwise--thanks!

(One of the reasons why I love this forum: Faster and better than customer support sometimes.)

[bigpro]

I'm getting straight 0's across 99 as well. Just moved from Maryland to western Colorado. The locals in MD are still active but obviously I can't get them because they're spot beamed. We don't get locals where I've moved.

[texasbrit]

I'm getting straight 0's across 99 as well. Just moved from Maryland to western Colorado. The locals in MD are still active but obviously I can't get them because they're spot beamed. We don't get locals where I've moved.


If you are not anywhere near a 99 spotbeam you will get zero on all the 99 transponders.

[bigpro]

That's what I was looking for. So 99 covers only part of the country?
Anyone know what satellite the Denver locals would be on?

[oenophile]

FWIW, I do now get 3 99 signals. My display looks something like this:

91 0 95 0 97 0

(all the rest are n/a)

[texasbrit]

That's what I was looking for. So 99 covers only part of the country?
Anyone know what satellite the Denver locals would be on?

All the transponders on 99 and 103 are driving spotbeams, each aimed at a different city. So some cities are on 99 and others on 103, scattered all across the country.
Your Denver locals come from a transponder on 103, so any other transponders on 103, and all the transponders on 99, are delivering locals to other cities. In the east, where the cities receiving locals are close together, it's normal to see signals on many of the transponders both on "your" satellite and on the other one, because you are in the coverage of several spotbeams. In areas of the country where the cities getting HD locals are further apart, you see less of these other cities' transponders. Here in DFW for example where our locals are on 103 we see a couple of other 103 transponders (Houston and San Antonio maybe) and one 99 transponder (Austin??). In the northwest, it's not unusual just to see one transponder from one satellite, and no others.

When DirecTV10 launches (early July hopefully) you will see new transponders appear at 103 and many of these will be carrying national HD. DirecTV11 is planned to go to the 99 slot when it launches (early 2008) and then you will see the same increase in "live" transponders at 99.