Need ChannelPlus help needed

1978 Views 18 Replies 7 Participants Last post by lsokoloff, Sep 21, 2008

lsokoloff

Discussion Starter · Sep 20, 2008

I'm using a ChannelPlus modulator and cable panel to give me whole house video. I'm having an issue with it since DISH came and did an upgrade for me. Anyone here knowledgeable about this unit or can you point me to one of the forums where I can get some help?

Thanks.

Len

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Bill R

· #2 · Sep 20, 2008

Len,

It would help if you tell us exactly what kind of problem you are having.

There are many models of ChannelPlus (now called Linear) so you may want to start at their web site, http://www.channelplus.com/products_rf.html to find some information.

The most common problem that I seen with DISH receivers and ChannelPlus modulators is when the modulator is set to a channel the same as, or close to, the channel that the satellite receiver (like a ViP receiver) home distribution is using.

lsokoloff

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 20, 2008

Thanks Bill - I wanted to make sure I was in the right place before I posted what the problem was/is. Here ya go:

My ChannelPlus video distribution system has been driving me nuts for the past few days. I'm using a ChannelPlus 5545 modulator and a ChannelPlus DA_8200HHR cable panel and have been for the past eight years.

On Wednesday morning the system was working fine. Then DISH came in and installed a new receiver for me. Then my ChannelPlus system wasn't working properly. I at first blamed DIS but I guess it could have been a HUGE coincidence.

Anyway, here is what happened and what I've done. The pictures on all of my TVs going through the ChannelPlus were terrible and the signal strength to the digital channels dropped off by about 40 or so points from where they usually were. It turns out that for some reason the cable panel was no longer getting power over the coax cable from the modulator. So I dug out the power supply that came with the unit and powered it up directly. The power light came on and now all the TVs are fine and the signal strength is back to where is was. All is good in that area now.

My only issue now is that I cannot get the IR transmitters to work. They worked fine prior to this. I'd appreciate any troubleshooting help you can give me to get this fixed. Could there be any connection between the new receiver install, the power light on the cable panel not working and this IR issue? I have checked all that I can think of. The IR targets and emitters are in place and the two connectors are plugged in. What can be the problem? Does it make any difference which two ofthe four IR connector ports I use? Do the terminating jumpers on the side of the modulator have any bearing on this? They are all in place. I'm stumped.

Thanks.

Len

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shadough

· #4 · Sep 20, 2008

What is it that the IR emitters are trying to control?? The new sat box or, as before the install, a cable box, dvd?

lsokoloff

Discussion Starter · #5 · Sep 20, 2008

I'm trying to control both DISH receivers, a 625 and the new 211. I have IR targets at TV's away from the receiver and modulator location. Prior to this issue they worked okay.

Len

BattleZone

· #6 · Sep 20, 2008

What receiver did you just get, and what did it replace? Tell us which TVs they were connected to and how.

lsokoloff

Discussion Starter · #7 · Sep 20, 2008

Just replaced a 6000 with a 211. Continuing to use the 625 also. Both receivers are located at my only HD TV along with the ChannelPlus modulator. Both receivers are connected directly to the HD TV and both are also connected to the ChannelPlus unit and sent out to the rest of the house that way. I had been able to use IR remotes in the other rooms where I had the IR targets to work either of the receivers. I also put the 6000 receiver back in service to see if I could get the IR to work and it would not.

Len

BattleZone

· #8 · Sep 20, 2008

Hmm... assuming you weren't trying to send the IR control signals over the sat coax's before (the lines between the dish and the sat receivers), then going from a 6000 to a 211 shouldn't have made any difference, unless the installer unplugged a cable somewhere that he shouldn't have messed with.

You really need someone familiar with IR distribution to have a look; there are far too many things it could be to troubleshoot via forums. Sorry.

scooper

· #9 · Sep 20, 2008

Check your cabling - something behind your cabinet got disconnected accidently. Start tracing all the cables - This is where having labeled cables and and a wiring diagram are nice to have before any changes were made.

I have a Channel Plus Multiroom Distribution system that I use to do the same thing, and I really need to follow my own advice regarding documentation

.

Ideally - all the Dishtech would have had to do was disconnect the 6000, and move it's cables to the 211 one at a time, and nothing should have happened to the rest of your setup.

lsokoloff

Discussion Starter · #10 · Sep 20, 2008

Thanks for the replies. I think I have checked the cabling. I'll do it again to be sure. What I really need is another 8200 to swap out with mine to see if that is in fact the problem. I'm thinking that my 8200 might be dying since it also can't seem to power itself up from the modulator anymore and for the first time I've got to connect a power cable to it. Does that line of thinking make any sense?

Len

scooper

· #11 · Sep 20, 2008

It's possible that your 8200 is dying. That could also explain why the IR isn't working any more - and I think it's more of a coincidence than anything else.

mw1597

· #12 · Sep 20, 2008

Also, it might be the 5545 modulator isn't working since it is suppose to power the 8200. I would verify that the 5545 output cable is connected to Input B of the 8200. Input A will not power it.
The 8200 and the modulators have built in circuit breakers. To reset them you have to disconnect then reconnect all power supplies.

lsokoloff

Discussion Starter · #13 · Sep 21, 2008

I tried the output cable on both A and B and neither give me power. There have been times in the past where I would get a less than acceptable picture on the ChannelPlus channels and I wold unplug the 5545 for a minute or so, plug it back in and all would be okay again. That didn't work this time.

Speaking of the A and B connections, can you answer this one for me? There is a port on the 8200 labeled for "Antenna/Cable." That is where my cable from the antenna is supposed to go. However, when I connect my antenna there, the picture quality is pretty bad. So I have my antenna gong to A and the 5545 power cable going to B.

At one point I did get the power light on the 8200 to come on from the 5545 power cable, but then as I was moving cables around trying to get things to work, it never came back on again until I used the power pack right at the unit. I don't think it was my imagination, but it sure seemed like the brightness of the power light was brighter with the direct connection to the power supply than it was when the 5545 powered it up.

Len

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mw1597

· #14 · Sep 21, 2008

The 5545 output cable should be connected to Input B of the 8200. Input A on the 8200 should be vacant (don't connect anything here). Connect OTA Ant to the 8200 Ant/Catv input. Be sure the channels assigned by the modulator (for inputs 1, 2, 3, and 4) aren’t adjacent to any OTA channels or there will be interference.
If this doesn’t work then my best guess is there is a bad cable connector on the cable from the modulator to the 8200, or the modulator unit/power supply is bad.

lsokoloff

Discussion Starter · #15 · Sep 21, 2008

Okay, I played around with things again this morning and I really don't understand why this is working like it is. I swapped some cables around just to see what would happen. I also unplugged both the power to the cable panel and the power to the modulator.

Test #1 - 5545 power cable going to B. Antenna cable going to A. Strongest picture, but no IR function.

Test #2 - 5545 power cable going to B. Antenna cable going to the antenna jack like I think it's really supposed to. Weak picture (lost about 20 to 40 points) and no IR function.

Somewhere in here I unplugged the power.

Test #3 - 5545 power cable going to B. Antenna cable going to the first of the four TV outputs jacks on the bottom row. IR function returns, but picture is weaker than in Test #1, maybe a drop of 20 points or a little more.

Test #4 - repeated Test #1 hoping that I still had the IR function which also gave me the strongest picture. So far it's working there, but why?

I'm really happy that it's all working again, but I am sure confused as to why it works with the antenna cable in the wrong place.

Len

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mw1597

· #16 · Sep 21, 2008

From your tests above it seems to confirm the 8200 distribution amp is bad. The TV/cable input has its own amp that provides a +3dB gain to output. The modulator inputs (A and B) are -10dB. So the TV/cable input is shot (provides +3B gain). Plugging the antenna into mod Input A works but at the expense of providing a -10dB signal loss. If your OTA signal strength is strong enough it makes no difference. So if your OTA TV reception acceptable then there probably is no reason to replace the 8200.

lsokoloff

Discussion Starter · #17 · Sep 21, 2008

Thanks again - I guess I'll just try to nurse it along and see how long it continues to work.

Len

SaltiDawg

· #18 · Sep 21, 2008

lsokoloff said:
I'm trying to control both DISH receivers, a 625 and the new 211. I have IR targets at TV's away from the receiver and modulator location. Prior to this issue they worked okay.

Len,

Is the IR address the same on the new Dish recvrs as on the old ones?

lsokoloff

Discussion Starter · #19 · Sep 21, 2008

That shouldn't matter should it? I'm using the IR remote that came with the new receiver. All the IR repeaters do is transfer that signal to the receiver right? Also, the IR for the other receiver (the 625) stopped working too. It is fine now. The new one is still a little flaky.

Len

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