[Analogvideo]

Greetings,

Our E* system has been trouble-free since installation (Jan07).

About two weeks ago we started to see dropouts on the PCM
sound and also picture break-up/freezing, on a few of the
channels that we watch regularly. I decided to re-align the dish today.

The current location has a clear view of the sky, and we have
cloudless and dry weather most of the year (SF Bay Area/
San Jose).

I wondering if the airborne debris from the local forest wild
fires is attenuating the signal? Has anyone else seen this
problem? On some days it is possible to view the setting sun
directly (as an orange orb).

This is my first re-alignment of this dish, using the on-screen
tools (VIP-622 Rx, 1000 Dish, three LNB, single coax).

Also, the signal strength meter screen has a flashing message
that recent software upgrades have changed the scale of
the signal strength meter (and not to worry about lower
readings compared to earlier testing).

Here is the data that I collected (07/08/08):

Bird...Transponder.....Old...Transponder......New
110...07...................38....01...................56
110................................31...................41

119...07...................50....02...................58
119................................02...................59

129...07...................18....01...................27
129................................32...................37

Do these make sense? While I have bumped every one
up a bit my best reading is 58 out of a scale that goes
zero to 125.

I tried to get the highest readings for all three birds, and
the lowest and highest transponder number for each.

When selecting bird 110 transponder 31 the screen text
changes to "spotbeam", any idea what this means?

Comments Welcome!

 

[topcat0399]

Greetings,

Our E* system has been trouble-free since installation (Jan07).

About two weeks ago we started to see dropouts on the PCM
sound and also picture break-up/freezing, on a few of the
channels that we watch regularly. I decided to re-align the dish today.

The current location has a clear view of the sky, and we have
cloudless and dry weather most of the year (SF Bay Area/
San Jose).

I wondering if the airborne debris from the local forest wild
fires is attenuating the signal? Has anyone else seen this
problem? On some days it is possible to view the setting sun
directly (as an orange orb).

This is my first re-alignment of this dish, using the on-screen
tools (VIP-622 Rx, 1000 Dish, three LNB, single coax).

Also, the signal strength meter screen has a flashing message
that recent software upgrades have changed the scale of
the signal strength meter (and not to worry about lower
readings compared to earlier testing).

Here is the data that I collected (07/08/08):

Bird...Transponder.....Old...Transponder......New
110...07...................38....01...................56
110................................31...................41

119...07...................50....02...................58
119................................02...................59

129...07...................18....01...................27
129................................32...................37

Do these make sense? While I have bumped every one
up a bit my best reading is 58 out of a scale that goes
zero to 125.

I tried to get the highest readings for all three birds, and
the lowest and highest transponder number for each.

When selecting bird 110 transponder 31 the screen text
changes to "spotbeam", any idea what this means?

Comments Welcome!

particulate matter in the atmosphere between your dish and the sats can absolutely interfere with your signals.

a spot beam is used to beam local channels from a satalitte to a specific area of the country, as opposed to a CONUS beam that transmits nation wide. For exmp: San Fran locals go only to San Fran area, HBO goes everywhere.

report your signal levels on these please: 119 Transp 11, 110 Trasp 11, 129 find the highest transponder and report that.

 

[BattleZone]

IMO, your signals are slightly low (3-5 points), but still quite good an all sats with the new modified signal meter, based on the TPs you posted. I'm in the east bay.

 

[topcat0399]

IMO, your signals are slightly low (3-5 points), but still quite good an all sats with the new modified signal meter, based on the TPs you posted. I'm in the east bay.

cool.

3-5 points shouldnt be causing the issues hes describing. perhaps he has a loose mount?

 

[Analogvideo]

Greetings Topcat0399,

report your signal levels on these please: 119 Transp 11, 110 Trasp 11, 129 find the highest transponder and report that.

Data collected (07/09/08):

Bird...Transponder
110...11...................46
119...11...................51
129...11...................26

129...01...................22...Lo
129...31...................47...Hi

Thanks for clarifying "spotbeam".

3-5 points shouldnt be causing the issues hes describing. perhaps he has a loose mount?

I checked all hardware and nothing was loose. Well, the LNB heads
move about 3mm due to mechanical slop, I don't see any way to
lock them down. The arm holding the LNBs is solid. The mount is
on a brick chimney, not much chance of deflection.

Did someone edit my OP? (E* = Echostar? D* = Dish or Directv??).

Comments Welcome!

 

[joebird]

I had my alternate dish re-pointed recently from 61.5 to 129. I *think* the guy said that anything above 30 is good. Your 22 level from the 129 dish definitely seems low.

 

[Analogvideo]

Greetings (No First name Supplied),

IMO, your signals are slightly low (3-5 points), but still quite good an all sats with the new modified signal meter, based on the TPs you posted. I'm in the east bay.

Thanks for your signal report.

Last night we did not suffer any PIX dropouts! Mission accomplished.
But on KTVU local FOX channel 2 we do have audio drop outs. We use
the FO digital feed from the VIP-622 to a Sony STR-DE985.

We are familiar with audio drop outs when any program is in Dolby
Digital and commercials are not, causing a one second silence.
Same with switching between some source material in, say, news
broadcasts.

With KTVU the drop outs occur randomly during the program.

As you are local to me do you see (hear) similar problems on this
channel?

Should I repost this as a new question as its OT to my OP?

Comments Welcome!

 

[Analogvideo]

Greetings Joebird,

I had my alternate dish re-pointed recently from 61.5 to 129. I *think* the guy said that anything above 30 is good. Your 22 level from the 129 dish definitely seems low.

So you have two dishes? We have the 3 LNB E* 1000 (not sure
why some call it 1000.2). I think the 3 LNB set up is a compomise,
plus it been reported in other threads that the 129 bird has marginal
CONUS coverage in the NW (possibly Bay Area, too).

Perhaps the trick is to average all three birds, or bias it to get
the most from the 129 bird?

Another channel with frequent drop outs (before my re-alignment)
was TBS ch 139, I have no idea which bird and transponder
carries which channel, is there a reference doc or table somewhere?

Comments Welcome!

 

[boba]

Right now with light rain falling I have 119-11-71/ 110-11-62/ 129 11 isn't active for me but I have 45-47 on active transponders.

 

[topcat0399]

Right now with light rain falling I have 119-11-71/ 110-11-62/ 129 11 isn't active for me but I have 45-47 on active transponders.

we dont see transponder 11 on 129 either. thats why i asked for another. ussually here we look at T27.

its a 1000.2 dish as opposed to the old 1000 dish, sometimes called a 1000.1.

i always steal from 119/110 to maximize a 1000 dish of anykind on 129.

to check which sat/trans a channel is on, tune to that channel and go to the point dish screen. whatever is listed there is your answer.

 

[scoobyxj]

When I set up a 1000.2 I used to fine tune it to be the strongest on the 129* (I have now found the perfect skew setting to not have to do that.) The transponders I use for 119* and 110* is 19, and I get an 85/75. The 129* usually pulls a 52 for me on transponder 21.

 

[Analogvideo]

Greetings topcat0399,

its a 1000.2 dish as opposed to the old 1000 dish, sometimes called a 1000.1.

Anyway to tell them apart? Mine has '1000' on the logo.

to check which sat/trans a channel is on, tune to that channel and go to the point dish screen. whatever is listed there is your answer.

Very kewl! I've traced the channels that were a problem before
the re-alignment fixed them. Currently as follows:

KTVU (FOX) Air:2 E* ch.2, Spotbeam 26, on 110 Bird, strength 58
KTVU E* ch.2HD, Spotbeam 07, on 119 Bird, strength 57

TBS E* ch.139, Transponder 18, on 119 Bird, strength 57
TBS E* ch.139HD, Transponder 06, on 129 Bird, strength 26

So boosting the 129 bird signal fixed the TBS HD signal loss,
still have audio drop-outs on the local Fox channel (carried
on a different bird).

Is there a reverse look up table anywhere? I'm wondering what
other channels we get from the 129 bird? E* ch.2HD is the only
one I've found so far. Also, some SD channels map to the
same bird and transponder number, so can a transponder
carry more than one channel? (Given that transponders have
different polarization and if wideband can carry multiple SD
channels - up to four I think).

Comments Welcome!

 

[Richard King]

Did someone edit my OP? (E* = Echostar? D* = Dish or Directv??).

Comments Welcome!

Guilty. E* = Echostar, D* = Directv.

 

[BattleZone]

Original Dish 1000. Uses standard LNBs, either a Dual and a Twin or 3 Duals. LNBs are close enough to touch. Fairly small reflector, and dish focus makes it a little tougher to point.

Dish 1000.2.

Replaces Dish 1000. Integrated triple LNB pack with DPP43 switch, meaning it has an input for a wing dish and 3 DPP receiver outputs. Also has a larger reflector and gets better signal than Dish 1000. An optional bracket is available to allow the use of 3 DP Dual LNBs (for feeding external multiswitches). With the optional bracket, the separate DP Duals are spread out, not touching.

 

[Taco Lover]

I noticed last night that I too am having an issue with TBS...

I live in Tracy (Central Valley, CA) and the smoke from wildfires may be causing signal loss. Last night I got a scrambled pixelation, and the SS was around 19. Usually it's high 20s to low 30s.

 

[Doug E]

Greetings topcat0399,
Anyway to tell them apart? Mine has '1000' on the logo.

Very kewl! I've traced the channels that were a problem before
the re-alignment fixed them. Currently as follows:

KTVU (FOX) Air:2 E* ch.2, Spotbeam 26, on 110 Bird, strength 58
KTVU E* ch.2HD, Spotbeam 07, on 119 Bird, strength 57

TBS E* ch.139, Transponder 18, on 119 Bird, strength 57
TBS E* ch.139HD, Transponder 06, on 129 Bird, strength 26

So boosting the 129 bird signal fixed the TBS HD signal loss,
still have audio drop-outs on the local Fox channel (carried
on a different bird).

Is there a reverse look up table anywhere? I'm wondering what
other channels we get from the 129 bird? E* ch.2HD is the only
one I've found so far. Also, some SD channels map to the
same bird and transponder number, so can a transponder
carry more than one channel? (Given that transponders have
different polarization and if wideband can carry multiple SD
channels - up to four I think).

Comments Welcome!

Analogvideo, to view what channels transmitted on 129° click on this link...

http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/dish129.html

HTH