[ratbrain25]

Setup:

HR-24 / 500
Slimline 5 LNB dish

I have 2 rg6 runs from my dish to my HR-24 (with B band coverters) in living room. No SWM or other receivers in the house.

I've checked all the suggested sources: 1) no obstructions to dish 2) checked all physical connections (cables and connectors from all points from dish to receiver) and 3) alignment

I have signal strength in the 80/90s for all sats except for 103CA (mid to high 70s).

I've started to get intermittent 771 error over the past 2 weeks. Tried cold booting , but the problem returned.

I dont think its a hard drive problem as I'm familiar with those and it always effects playback, but my 771 is during live tv

When the error occurs the msg always notes 771 on tuner 2.

I will switch inputs at the LNB tomorrow morning, but i suspect this will not fix the problem as if the LNB was bad i would have no signal on both tuners.

If switching inputs at the LNB does not isolate the issue, i will try switching the receiver to 1 tuner mode.

I'm tempted to just swap receivers w/ my brother and if the problem follows the receiver, its defintely my POS HR-24....

Long shot, but how does one diagnose if the b band converters are bad?

THoughts?

This is starting to drive me insane.... cant i just watch some olympic beach volleyball?

 

[carl6]

You have the right idea on isolating the problem.
1. Swap coax at the back of the HR24. Give it a day or two and see if the symptom/problem changes tuners.
2. Swap coax at the LNB, ditto.
3. Swap LNB. Yes, it could fail in a manner to cause this. It has a built in multiswitch that could cause the symptom.
4. Swap HR24.

If you have a bad b-band converter, swapping coax at HR24 should cause symptom to move. One more step, swap coax but not BBC to isolate BBC.

 

[ratbrain25]

Thanks for the tips.

One point of clarification.

My dish's LNB is not the version with a built in multi switch. i believe its the standard:

DIRECTV SL5 SlimLine Five LNB Ka/Ku Slim Line LNB for Satellite Dish (SL5)

Does this affect my approach in diagnosing the problem?

i did a cold boot last night after leaving the darn thing off for 1/2 hour and its been fine since....

was going to swap the connectors on my LNB at the dish but its recording all my olympic coverage thru the day now....

so i will wait and see when it happens again.

im not sure what to do next? 1) buy a new LNB ($50) or 2) swap receivers...

im thinking i need to wait until the problem worsens to the point where a cold boot doesnt temporarily fix it as i could swap receivers with someone but i may need to swap for an extended amount of time to ensure that the receiver is the issue.

thoughts?

 

[drhart416]

I had this problem. I swapped out my LNB and it worked fine. I have the Slimline 5LNB with NO multiswitch. I kept getting these 771 errors on tuner 2. I noticed it would happen in the late afternoon when the sun would beat on it. One time I took my hose and sprayed cold water on it. Sure enough, the signal would come back. I then swapped that LNB out and voila..I have never had an issue. This was 3 years ago.

 

[P Smith]

Thanks for the tips.

One point of clarification.

My dish's LNB is not the version with a built in multi switch. i believe its the standard:

DIRECTV SL5 SlimLine Five LNB Ka/Ku Slim Line LNB for Satellite Dish (SL5)

Does this affect my approach in diagnosing the problem?

i did a cold boot last night after leaving the darn thing off for 1/2 hour and its been fine since....

was going to swap the connectors on my LNB at the dish but its recording all my olympic coverage thru the day now....

so i will wait and see when it happens again.

im not sure what to do next? 1) buy a new LNB ($50) or 2) swap receivers...

im thinking i need to wait until the problem worsens to the point where a cold boot doesnt temporarily fix it as i could swap receivers with someone but i may need to swap for an extended amount of time to ensure that the receiver is the issue.

thoughts?

It has internal multiswitch !

You can't use ANY multi-LNBF (for more then one sat) without a switch: internal or external.

 

[ratbrain25]

thanks for the quick reply guys.

drhart416, thanks for the input. i guess its cheap enough where if the LNB turns out not to be the problem, ill have an extra one when it does die.

going to order the new LNB shortly then and have it ready to go when the 771 pops up again...

cheaper than paying $200 for a new HR-24 as its been 1.5 years so no longer under warranty.

when directv agrees to replace it, am i assured of getting another hr-24 or another model? if it is a hr-24, will it be a refurb unit?

 

[drhart416]

Don't know what they will give you when it comes time to replacing. I'm curious to know if the lnb switch works. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Skyboss]

Setup:

HR-24 / 500
Slimline 5 LNB dish

I have 2 rg6 runs from my dish to my HR-24 (with B band coverters) in living room. No SWM or other receivers in the house.

I've checked all the suggested sources: 1) no obstructions to dish 2) checked all physical connections (cables and connectors from all points from dish to receiver) and 3) alignment

I have signal strength in the 80/90s for all sats except for 103CA (mid to high 70s).

I've started to get intermittent 771 error over the past 2 weeks. Tried cold booting , but the problem returned.

I dont think its a hard drive problem as I'm familiar with those and it always effects playback, but my 771 is during live tv

When the error occurs the msg always notes 771 on tuner 2.

I will switch inputs at the LNB tomorrow morning, but i suspect this will not fix the problem as if the LNB was bad i would have no signal on both tuners.

If switching inputs at the LNB does not isolate the issue, i will try switching the receiver to 1 tuner mode.

I'm tempted to just swap receivers w/ my brother and if the problem follows the receiver, its defintely my POS HR-24....

Long shot, but how does one diagnose if the b band converters are bad?

THoughts?

This is starting to drive me insane.... cant i just watch some olympic beach volleyball?

This is the same thing I had. Couple of drop outs then bam. Lnb died. Could be an alignment issue though. Call for service.

 

[carl6]

One point of clarification.

My dish's LNB is not the version with a built in multi switch. i believe its the standard:

Any LNB assembly with more than one LNB has a built in multi-switch. Don't confuse "SWM" with "multi-switch". The built in switch basically means that any one of the four outputs can provide any one of the four stack plans, individually or simultaneously.

For more info: http://hr20.dbstalk.com/docs/Dish,%2...able FAQ.pdf

 

[ratbrain25]

update:

went strong today. worked from home today and checked multiple times and no 771.

however , just around the same time last night 830-9 pm PT, dreaded 771.

pissed off as i was recording olympic coverage all day to catch mens basketball game.

cold booted after 1/2hr unplugged.

watched basketball game, miraculously didnt get cut off until after the game was over.

after i finished watching the game and went back to live tv, 771 again...

ARGHGHGHGH!!!

will switch inputs on LNB tomorrow am, confirm which one i have, and order a new one.

 

[ratbrain25]

update 8/3 AM

just switched connectors from #1 & #2 to #3 & #4 from LNB and now receiver is giving me 771 on sat 1.

does this confirm that its 99% LNB issue?

This leads me away from my original reciever / tuner suspicion....


thoughts?

 

[texasbrit]

I have re-read all your posts and it seems to me you that maybe you are not being very methodical. But trying to put together a picture of the situation, it seems to me that a faulty cable or connector is most likely, not the LNB or receiver.

Let's start again. You currently have a 771 on sat 1. Switch the two cables at the receiver. Leave the BBCs connected to the same inputs they are now - i.e. only move the cables.
Two possible results. You need to follow the following troubleshooting steps exactly.

First situation, the problem has moved to sat 2. If it does, there are only two possibilities - a faulty cable/connector or a faulty output at the LNB. Switch the two cables at the LNB. Does the problem stay on sat 2? If so, it's definitely a cable/connector issue with the cable that is connected to the sat 2 input at the receiver.

Second situation, the problem stays on sat 1. That means it isn't the cable. It might be the BBC. Leave the cables connected the way they are. Just swap over the BBCs between the cables and inputs. If the problem moves to sat2, you have a faulty BBC, the one that is on the sat2 connector.


Don't make any other cabling changes, just post back with the results.

 

[ratbrain25]

I have re-read all your posts and it seems to me you that maybe you are not being very methodical. But trying to put together a picture of the situation, it seems to me that a faulty cable or connector is most likely, not the LNB or receiver.

Let's start again. You currently have a 771 on sat 1. Switch the two cables at the receiver. Leave the BBCs connected to the same inputs they are now - i.e. only move the cables.
Two possible results. You need to follow the following troubleshooting steps exactly.

First situation, the problem has moved to sat 2. If it does, there are only two possibilities - a faulty cable/connector or a faulty output at the LNB. Switch the two cables at the LNB. Does the problem stay on sat 2? If so, it's definitely a cable/connector issue with the cable that is connected to the sat 2 input at the receiver.

Second situation, the problem stays on sat 1. That means it isn't the cable. It might be the BBC. Leave the cables connected the way they are. Just swap over the BBCs between the cables and inputs. If the problem moves to sat2, you have a faulty BBC, the one that is on the sat2 connector.

Don't make any other cabling changes, just post back with the results.

Followed 1st suggestion:

switched cables to BBC and 771 error on sat 2.

switched cables again and now no 771 code, but my screen shows acquiring data and when i go into signal test, transponders come back at 0 on sat 1 but in the 90s on sat 2.

did another switch and the 771 back on sat 2...

does this mean one of the runs is bad?

darn.... i really wasnt anticipating having to run all those cables again.

 

[texasbrit]

As a final check, is it possible for you to swap the two cables at the dish end and see if the problem is still on tuner 2? That will probably be the case, and will confirm the cable problem....but it's almost certain even now that there's a cable or connector issue on the cable that is now running to tuner 2 (where you are getting the 771s).
If you swap the cables at the Dish end and the problem moves to tuner 1, that means you have a problem connector on the LNB, but I think that is very unlikely.

Assuming the test shows it is the cable, start by checking the connector at the receiver, and then check the ones on that cable at the grounding block outside the house. Corrosion on connectors at the grounding block is one of the most common causes of this issue. If you don't see anything there, check the dish.

 

[ratbrain25]

1) replaced the lines from LNB to ground block (5ft) with new cables- no change. problem still exists

2) bypassed run from receiver to ground block and ran straight to LNB - no change. problem still exists.

so is this most definitely a problem with the long run from receiver to ground block at dish?

time to crawl under the house

 

[ratbrain25]

too hot on the roof to do anymore until tomorrow am.

going over to my bro's house tonight to pick up RG6 and will re run the lines tomorrow am before the sun bakes my house...

ill replace the short runs from the ground block to the LNB as well.

praying it really is the lines....

 

[ratbrain25]

I have re-read all your posts and it seems to me you that maybe you are not being very methodical. But trying to put together a picture of the situation, it seems to me that a faulty cable or connector is most likely, not the LNB or receiver.

Let's start again. You currently have a 771 on sat 1. Switch the two cables at the receiver. Leave the BBCs connected to the same inputs they are now - i.e. only move the cables.
Two possible results. You need to follow the following troubleshooting steps exactly.

First situation, the problem has moved to sat 2. If it does, there are only two possibilities - a faulty cable/connector or a faulty output at the LNB. Switch the two cables at the LNB. Does the problem stay on sat 2? If so, it's definitely a cable/connector issue with the cable that is connected to the sat 2 input at the receiver.

Second situation, the problem stays on sat 1. That means it isn't the cable. It might be the BBC. Leave the cables connected the way they are. Just swap over the BBCs between the cables and inputs. If the problem moves to sat2, you have a faulty BBC, the one that is on the sat2 connector.

Don't make any other cabling changes, just post back with the results.

tried switching the connectors on the LBN. went from using 1/2 to 3/4 and also tried switching to 1/4 .. no combination resolved the issue....

 

[P Smith]

Change the DVR(s) to new or from your neighbor.

 

[ratbrain25]

my original thought was that it was the receiver, however after i switched the lines to the bbc and the 771 switched lines, i dont think its my receiver.

definitely not hard drive related as i've had many of those over the course of multiple tivos, hr-22 and now hr-24.

 

[HoTat2]

my original thought was that it was the receiver, however after i switched the lines to the bbc and the 771 switched lines, i dont think its my receiver.

definitely not hard drive related as i've had many of those over the course of multiple tivos, hr-22 and now hr-24.

But you didn't follow texasbrit's advice;

Don't just randomly try different connection combinations at the LNB and receiver. Start with say the first two ports on the LNB and notice what tuner the issue occurs on.

Then switch the coax inputs at the receiver and see if the problem moves over to the other tuner. Now go to the LNB and switch the outputs (coax connected to output one now to output two and vice versa). If the problem remains on the same tuner it was after you performed the switch at the receiver the coax and/or connectors on the line to that second tuner having the issue is faulty.

If the problem switches back to the former tuner chances are the BBC is likely bad on that first tuner.