HR20-700 and Slim 5 dish connection problems

1486 Views 20 Replies 12 Participants Last post by K4SMX, Aug 27, 2008

ojai00

Discussion Starter · Aug 23, 2008

Hi guys. First time poster here. Had a problem a couple of weeks ago where I turned on my HR20-700 receiver in the living room and saw "Searching for Satellite." I went upstairs to check my H20 receiver and that was fine. So I brought the H20 downstairs, hooked it up and saw "Searching for Satellite" again. I decided to go out and take a look at my satellite connections and it looked like someone came and f***** with my connections! :new_cussi I fiddled around with it and was finally able to get a signal on one of the tuners.

I am now able to watch TV but cannot change channels when I am recording on the HR20. In checking the signal strength, tuner 1 shows 92% but tuner 2 is not able to pick up a signal. It will show 72, 0, 72, 0, etc. If I go back to the Setup and check the signal strength on tuner 2 again, I will see 0, 72, 0, 70, etc.

Please excuse the crude diagram since I can't attach an image yet.

living room hr20-700 tuner 2 ------|------ dish connection (on multiswitch)
living room hr20-700 tuner 1 ------|------ dish connection (on multiswitch)
bedroom h20 ----------------------|------ dish connection (on multiswitch)
spare bedroom connection ------|------ dish connection

Thanks in advance for any help that you can provide!

w w w . f l i c k r .c o m/photos/[email protected]/2788925027/

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

jdspencer

· #2 · Aug 23, 2008

I assume from your description that you have another multiswitch connected to the dish. But, there are only three connections from the dish to the multiswitch. You need all four from the dish to the switch.

I couldn't get to your photos even after removing the extra spaces.

2dogz

· #3 · Aug 23, 2008

Could you post all the signal strengths from all active transponders from satellites 101, 119, 99c, and 103c. Gives a better picture.

BattleZone

· #4 · Aug 24, 2008

As jdspencer states, if you are using a multiswitch, ALL FOUR lines from the dish MUST go to the multiswitch. The switch switches between 4 banks of transponders, with each bank coming down one of the 4 lines from the dish. The problem you are having is that you are missing a bank of TPs, which makes sense because you are missing a line going to the switch's inputs.

Run the line from the spare bedroom into the switch, and run a line from one of the switch's outputs to the spare bedroom.

ojai00

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 24, 2008

Thanks a lot for the replies guys. I'll take a look at the connections tomorrow. I should have been more clear with my depiction of the multiswitch connections. Let me give it one more try

living room hr20-700 tuner 2 ------|------ dish connection (on multiswitch)
living room hr20-700 tuner 1 ------|------ dish connection (on multiswitch)
bedroom h20 ----------------------|------ dish connection (on multiswitch)
empty ------------------------------|-------- empty
spare bedroom connection ------|------ dish connection (this seems to be a direct connection from the dish instead of it going to the multiswitch)

So from what I understand, I need to disconnect that direct connection between the dish and the bedroom, connect one end from the dish to the empty multiswitch port and the other end to the other empty port on the multiswitch.

I seem to be able to load the picture fine after removing the spaces

K4SMX

· #6 · Aug 24, 2008

ojai00 said:
......So from what I understand, I need to disconnect that direct connection between the dish and the bedroom, connect one end from the dish to the empty multiswitch port and the other end to the other empty port on the multiswitch.....

Right! :righton:

At least that will get you wired correctly. As you mentioned, you may have other connector/cabling issues.....

samrs

· #7 · Aug 24, 2008

These are called ground blocks, not switches. This one needs some attention.

See less See more

bobnielsen

· #8 · Aug 24, 2008

I agree. The lower connector from the dish looks like it is cross-threaded.

ojai00

Discussion Starter · #9 · Aug 24, 2008

samrs said:
These are called ground blocks, not switches. This one needs some attention.

Sorry for my lack of knowledge of terminology here. Is there something that I need to purchase?

2dogz said:
Could you post all the signal strengths from all active transponders from satellites 101, 119, 99c, and 103c. Gives a better picture.

So I disconnected the direct connection between the dish and the bedroom and hooked it up to the grounding block. Here are my signal strengths.

Tuner 1 - Satellite 101 (32 total at 101 degrees)
90 87 77 96 74 96 80 95
79 85 75 97 70 95 77 95
72 100 70 93 72 95 79 95
81 95 86 66 86 95 82 97

Tuner 1 - Satellite 110 (3 total at 110 degrees)
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 95
N/A 91 N/A 95 N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Tuner 1 - Satellite 119 (11 total at 119 degrees)
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 98 73 96
96 98 98 96 98 98 0 99

Tuner 1 - Satellite 99c (14 total at 99degrees (c))
62 61 53 56 60 58 82 55
59 55 55 55 61 57 N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Tuner 1 - Satellite 99s (16 total at 99 degrees (s))
85 38 86 33 70 51 N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Tuner 1 - Satellite 103s (16 total at 103 degrees (s))
51 0 0 0 37 0 N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 80 47
0 73 61 57 0 0 76 77
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Tuner 1 - Satellite 103c (16 total at 103 degrees (c))
61 53 58 52 60 53 56 52
60 53 56 51 59 52 N/A N/A
0 N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Tuner 2 - Satellite 101 (32 total at 101 degrees)
58 0 62 0 60 0 65 0
56 0 59 0 52 0 63 0
58 0 60 0 61 0 67 0
61 0 51 0 0 0 0 0

Tuner 2 - Satellite 110 (3 total at 110 degrees)
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0
N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Tuner 2 - Satellite 119 (11 total at 119 degrees)
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 67 0
61 0 50 0 0 0 0 0

Tuner 2 - Satellite 99c (14 total at 99 degrees C)
51 0 43 0 52 0 44 0
34 0 31 0 24 0 N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Tuner 2 - Satellite 99s (16 total at 99 degrees S)
0 0 0 0 0 0 N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Tuner 2 - Satellite 103s (16 total at 103 degrees S)
0 0 0 0 0 0 N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Tuner 2 - Satellite 103c (16 total at 103 degrees C)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 N/A N/A
0 N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

See less See more

samrs

· #10 · Aug 25, 2008

Sorry for my lack of knowledge of terminology here. Is there something that I need to purchase?

Directv's protection plan.

flipptyfloppity

· #11 · Aug 25, 2008

Time to adjust your dish. It's not pointed correctly. Your 99c and 103c are too low. They should be around 80 or higher. A tiny bit of searching in this forum will find you some instructions for aiming a your dish.

Johnnie5000

· #12 · Aug 25, 2008

Get some new connectors, weather seals, and a proper ground on that ground block too.

ojai00

Discussion Starter · #13 · Aug 25, 2008

samrs said:
Sorry for my lack of knowledge of terminology here. Is there something that I need to purchase?

Directv's protection plan.

The main reason I posted here is because I don't think it's right for DirecTV to charge $80 to have someone come out and take a look at a problem. I am already paying them to lease their equipment so why should I fork out more money? Yes, the insurance plan is $5/month but that's still an extra fee.

I am living in a house where I was not there when the dish was put in so I am not able to recall how everything was hooked up. I was just trying to see if I could figure this out with the help of other members before I had to give in and fork over money to DirecTV.

BattleZone

· #14 · Aug 25, 2008

First, switch the two lines (and BBCs) feeding the two tuners, and see if the problem (the missing even transponders) follows the cables.

If the problem follows the cables, then you've got bad cabling or a bad LNB.

If the problem doesn't follow the cables, the receiver is bad.

jwd45244

· #15 · Aug 26, 2008

ojai00 said:
The main reason I posted here is because I don't think it's right for DirecTV to charge $80 to have someone come out and take a look at a problem. I am already paying them to lease their equipment so why should I fork out more money? Yes, the insurance plan is $5/month but that's still an extra fee.

I am living in a house where I was not there when the dish was put in so I am not able to recall how everything was hooked up. I was just trying to see if I could figure this out with the help of other members before I had to give in and fork over money to DirecTV.

The problem is that you have a sub-standard install. You have said that you don't have the correct knowledge to fix it yourself. So you have a couple of options.

Pay DirecTV to fix it.
Pay someone else to fix it.
Live with what you have.
Learn how to fix it yourself.

If you switch the BBCs, and the problem omves to the other tuner, the the problem is a bad BBC. You can order more free of charge from DirecTV

ojai00

Discussion Starter · #16 · Aug 26, 2008

jwd45244 said:
The problem is that you have a sub-standard install. You have said that you don't have the correct knowledge to fix it yourself. So you have a couple of options.

Pay DirecTV to fix it.

Pay someone else to fix it.

Live with what you have.

Learn how to fix it yourself.

If you switch the BBCs, and the problem omves to the other tuner, the the problem is a bad BBC. You can order more free of charge from DirecTV

After reading some other posts, it seems like substandard posts are the norm, unless you know what the tech is supposed to do. Which is another reason why I don't want to pay DirecTV to have them send someone else out to do another half-ass job. I will try to switch the BBCs and continue reading other posts to see if I can take care of this myself.

Mertzen

· #17 · Aug 26, 2008

ojai00 said:
The main reason I posted here is because I don't think it's right for DirecTV to charge $80 to have someone come out and take a look at a problem. .

Where in NY are you?

K4SMX

· #18 · Aug 26, 2008

ojai00 said:
After reading some other posts, it seems like substandard posts are the norm, unless you know what the tech is supposed to do. Which is another reason why I don't want to pay DirecTV to have them send someone else out to do another half-ass job. I will try to switch the BBCs and continue reading other posts to see if I can take care of this myself.

Problems:

1. Alignment poor, below DirecTV minimums (70) on 99(c) and 103(c) satellites

2. Bad cable/connectors on line 2 or a bad BBC. Less likely: a bad tuner 2 (Swapping BBC's and antenna lines should answer the latter.)

Unless you feel like tweaking your alignment yourself, you might as well let the service tech fix problem #2, if swapping the BBC's doesn't identify the problem. If you do want to adjust your alignment yourself, we can advise you how to do that. It's not really a big deal, provided you don't break your bones doing it.....

ojai00

Discussion Starter · #19 · Aug 27, 2008

K4SMX said:
Problems:

1. Alignment poor, below DirecTV minimums (70) on 99(c) and 103(c) satellites

2. Bad cable/connectors on line 2 or a bad BBC. Less likely: a bad tuner 2 (Swapping BBC's and antenna lines should answer the latter.)

Unless you feel like tweaking your alignment yourself, you might as well let the service tech fix problem #2, if swapping the BBC's doesn't identify the problem. If you do want to adjust your alignment yourself, we can advise you how to do that. It's not really a big deal, provided you don't break your bones doing it.....

I tried swapping the BBCs but it did not help.

techrep

· #20 · Aug 27, 2008

ojai00 said:
I tried swapping the BBCs but it did not help.

You need alignment. It could be that a simple increase in elevation will get your 99c and 103c sat readings into the mid 80's or higher. If you can get to the dish, and are so inclined, you can do this yourself. If not, get DirecTV to send someone out.

If you decide to call DirecTV, tell them that you are getting pixelation and picture drop outs.

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.