New HR20, same problem

[marlinsfan]

I posted a few days ago about how my HR20 had died after only 2 weeks, giving me a searching for satellite signal.

HR20 dead after 2 weeks

The new HR20 arrived after 10 days (I actually called after 1 week to complain that the replacement had not arrived, and they told me it hadn't shipped....). Anyway, they shipped me an HR20-700 to replace the 2 week old HR20-100, so that's cool. I swapped the boxes last night, and am having the same problem..... Satellite 110 fails during the setup, and I am missing a bunch of channels. DTV is sending a tech person to my house this saturday. I think the lines are good, as I plugged in my old TIVO set during the 10 days I was without the HR20 and it worked fine.

Could my problem be any of these 2 issues:

1. After the HD install by DTV, I added an OTA and connected it with diplexers. One diplexer is in the attic before the multiswitch. The OTA is not plugged into the HR20, only the H20 and the H20 works fine. Or,
2. The multiswitch in my attic is a 5x8, which I bought a while ago to replace a 4x8 so that I could plug in my OTA when I had DTV without HD. The lady on the phone said I needed a 6x8 multiswitch.

Or could it simply be that I have another bad box? I am planning on going on the roof to take the OTA out this evening, and replacing the 5x8 that I purchased with DTV's original 4x8 to see if that does it.

Any thoughts, advice or anything?
Thanks!

[buzd]

I definitely think it could be the diplexers. Those would knock out particular satellite signals. Try taking those out of the equation and see what happens.

[texasbrit]

Originally Posted by buzd

I definitely think it could be the diplexers. Those would knock out particular satellite signals. Try taking those out of the equation and see what happens.

Until DirecTV10 launches next month, the diplexers should not have any effect on the system (unless they are faulty). After DirecTV10 starts transmitting, they won't work because there will be sat signals in the b-band that overlaps OTA, so you should remove them anyway and run a separate OTA cable to the H20.
You do need the Zinwell WB68 multiswitch. You should have recived one as part of the installation, if you have more than four tuners in total. The 5x8 has a built-in diplexer so will screw up the b-band as I have described.


However, neither of these is the source of your current problem. What signal strengths do you get on all your sats and transponders? You say you tried a TiVo in the same location and it was OK, what were the differences in signal strengths (if any)?

[marlinsfan]

Do you think that if I just took that diplexer out where the multiswitch is it could fix it? Without taking out the OTA (getting up on the roof is a PITA)? The OTA has the Coaxial cables going from the LNBs to the OTA, then from the OTA to the multiswitch.

[marlinsfan]

Originally Posted by texasbrit

Until DirecTV10 launches next month, the diplexers should not have any effect on the system (unless they are faulty). After DirecTV10 starts transmitting, they won't work because there will be sat signals in the b-band that overlaps OTA, so you should remove them anyway and run a separate OTA cable to the H20.
You do need the Zinwell WB68 multiswitch. You should have recived one as part of the installation, if you have more than four tuners in total. The 5x8 has a built-in diplexer so will screw up the b-band as I have described.


However, neither of these is the source of your current problem. What signal strengths do you get on all your sats and transponders? You say you tried a TiVo in the same location and it was OK, what were the differences in signal strengths (if any)?

In the H20 box, my signal strenghts are 80+ on all of them, many of them have 100.
In the HR20 (the one with the problem), I do not get a signal for the 110 satellite. For the others, I get mid 70s signal strength. In the transponders, I do get a few 0 values.
With the old TIVO, my signal strength was 80+.

Thanks.

[mcbeevee]

Originally Posted by marlinsfan

In the H20 box, my signal strenghts are 80+ on all of them, many of them have 100.
In the HR20 (the one with the problem), I do not get a signal for the 110 satellite. For the others, I get mid 70s signal strength. In the transponders, I do get a few 0 values.
With the old TIVO, my signal strength was 80+.
Thanks.

You could try bypassing the multiswitch/diplexers with inline connectors (barrels), then test the signal strengths. If this corrects the problem, the multiswitch/diplexers are the problem.

[marlinsfan]

I pulled the diplexer at the multiswitch and plugged the cables from the antenna directly to the switch. Problem went away....

Interesting that the diplexer interfered with the HR20 but not the H20....

The OTA is still clipped to my dish, however. Too lazy and tired to get up on the roof and pull it....

Thanks for the advice.

[Jimbos]

Originally Posted by marlinsfan

I pulled the diplexer at the multiswitch and plugged the cables from the antenna directly to the switch. Problem went away....

Interesting that the diplexer interfered with the HR20 but not the H20....

The OTA is still clipped to my dish, however. Too lazy and tired to get up on the roof and pull it....

Thanks for the advice.

As mentioned , you will want to remove any diplexers before D* lits up the new sat as then you will have alot of problems with signals overlapping and major confusion.

Jimbo

[marlinsfan]

I pulled the diplexers last night and it fixed the problem I had with the HR20. The H20 never had a problem.

I don't udnerstand what the problem was, as I've read here that the diplexers were going to interfere with the new satellite which has not launched yet. I don't understand why they interfered with the HD DVR but not the HD box.

[texasbrit]

Originally Posted by marlinsfan

I pulled the diplexers last night and it fixed the problem I had with the HR20. The H20 never had a problem.

I don't udnerstand what the problem was, as I've read here that the diplexers were going to interfere with the new satellite which has not launched yet. I don't understand why they interfered with the HD DVR but not the HD box.

This shouldn't happen, the H20 and HR20 receive the same signals and should behave the same way. It's possible there was a fault in the diplexer connected to the HR20 that reduced the signal strength for the HR20, or for both and the H20 had a slightly more sensitive satellite tuner so managed to continue working. However I am a bit confused by your comment on the H20 signal strengths. The H20 shows signal strengths on the 101/110/119 satellite about 20 points lower than the HR20, but you are saying you got 80+ signals on the H20?? The only way you should see signal strength that high on 101/110/119 with the H20 is if you are participating in the "Cutting Edge" test program and have one of the test releases which have not yet been generally released.

[kirbych]

Not sure if it is true but I had two HR10-250 swapped out yesterday for HR20-100 and the first thing the installer asked was if the OTA was diplexed as he said it would cause a problem.

[marlinsfan]

Originally Posted by texasbrit

However I am a bit confused by your comment on the H20 signal strengths. The H20 shows signal strengths on the 101/110/119 satellite about 20 points lower than the HR20, but you are saying you got 80+ signals on the H20??

The 80+ signal strength on the H20 was before I took the diplexers out. Now it's as strong as with the HR20.

For clarification, I did not have a diplexer connecting to the HR20. I had one diplexer in the attic splitting one of the cables into 2 going into the multiswitch. And I had one diplexer in the family room going into the H20 box.