[crazyred]

Hi, this is my first post with DBStalk and want to thank you for the suggestions in advance.

I apologize but I think this may be lengthy but I want to make sure that I accurately describe the issue I am having.

First the equipment we have is:

3 lnb with a slimline dish
power injector
8 way splitter but only using 5 ports
1 - hr21-200 dvr
1 - h23-600 hd only
1 - hr24-200 dvr

Located in the Houston, TX area

The issue we are experiencing is the video will freeze but audio continues while watching live tv. The video will freeze for just a second or two and then catch up to the audio. Sometimes its like a fast forward action and sometimes it goes black and then starts where the audio is. This appears to be happening on ALL channels and it does happen on all 3 boxes. This does not happen on any of the recorded shows on the two dvr boxes only live tv. Also, this has been happening for the last month or two and when it starts, it happens about every 5 minutes. OK, I have timed it and it's 4 - 5 minutes on a cycle. This happens on the clear sunny days and on cloudy days, so the weather is not an issue.

I have checked all connections in the house and everything is tight. The cable connections on the dish are tight and the dish adjustment bolts are tight. Since it happens on all three boxes I assume it is a common device used by all 3. I checked the signal strength on all 3 boxes and they are all the same and posted below:

sorry if the order is incorrect

satellite 101
97 96 97 0 97 100 96 100
96 96 96 100 96 100 96 100
97 0 97 100 98 100 99 100
98 85 98 100 99 100 98 100

satellite 99 cb
95 90 89 87 91 88 88 88
90 91 88 88 94 92 na na
this line na
this line na

satellite 99 ca
this line na
na na 96 na 96 96 96 0
96 96 95 96 0 na 96 na
this line na

satellite 99 s
0 0 0 0 93 63 95 79
na na na na na na 0 0
99 98 0 0 0 0 0 0
this line na

satellite 103 cb
95 95 94 94 89 95 92 93
89 95 91 93 89 93 na na
this line na
this line na

satellite 103 ca
this line na
97 95 96 95 96 93 95 95
96 95 96 95 97 95 98 96
this line na

satellite 103 s
95 0 0 0 na na na na
na na na na na na 88 96
66 57 96 96 47 46 96 95
this line na

So if anyone has any thoughts on what may be causing the issue please let me know.

Thanks again!

 

[jimmie57]

Welcome to the forum. Nice detailed first post.

You state that you are using 5 ports of an 8 way splitter yet you only have 3 receivers. What are the other 2 connections going to ?

Since it is happening on all 3 receivers it is possible that the LNB is going bad.

 

[crazyred]

Jimmie57,

Thanks for the response.

I stand corrected I am only using 4 of the 8. On the hr24 I have 2 lines going to it, one for tuner 1 and the other for tuner 2.

I was thinking the same thing about the lnb but I wanted to see if others have had this issue before I started buying new parts.

 

[jimmie57]

Jimmie57,

Thanks for the response.

I stand corrected I am only using 4 of the 8. On the hr24 I have 2 lines going to it, one for tuner 1 and the other for tuner 2.

I was thinking the same thing about the lnb but I wanted to see if others have had this issue before I started buying new parts.

This is a little bit confusing. You say you have the power inserter. Power inserters are used in the SWM system and only use one coax to each receiver, even for the DVRs and Genies.
????????

 

[crazyred]

I went and looked at the device and it's a power inserter and on the front it says swm odu only. I am not sure if the hr24 requires one or two cables? If it only requires one then I can disconnect the other. Should this have anything to do with the freezing?

 

[samrs]

This is a little bit confusing. You say you have the power inserter. Power inserters are used in the SWM system and only use one coax to each receiver, even for the DVRs and Genies.
????????

Don't be confused Jimmie. Installers leave all kinds of stuff hooked up instead of cleaning up.

I went and looked at the device and it's a power inserter and on the front it says swm odu only. I am not sure if the hr24 requires one or two cables? If it only requires one then I can disconnect the other. Should this have anything to do with the freezing?

It could, but not likely.

Things in common
LNB
Cable from LNB to splitter
Splitter
Cable from splitter to power supply
Power supply

Power to power supply.

Ground.

Call.

 

[crazyred]

I agree those are all the things in common but does anyone have thoughts on what could be the issue?

 

[mjd180]

I agree those are all the things in common but does anyone have thoughts on what could be the issue?

Most of the things samrs listed (bad LNB/bad cable/bad splitter/bad power injector).
Notice he doesn't say hard drive in the receiver (the most common reason for the symptoms you describe).
Why?
Because you claim all three boxes started experience the problem around the same time, and the chances that all three are having near simultaneous drive failures are almost impossibly small...