House Layout:

3 LNB Dish - 100' from house
125' from house entrance to racks (total 225')
4 Outputs go into a Spaun 4x12 multiswitch
1 DVR39 (Tivo)
5 D10's

Problem: Customer states that the picture blanks (goes black for second) and comes back. Customer also states there is alot of pixelization (spell check). Customer also says its much worse during commercials breaks, no difference in the time of day. The units are left on at all times.

I have no idea on where to begin. I have heard a rumor that DirecTV has some pixel issues. I don't know to what degree and have not had any other clients calling. Any ideas on what i could troubleshoot would be appreciated.

Can you put a dish (temporary) near the racks, and run the wires in through the window just to try it? This would eliminate the 225' being the issue right from the start.

What kind of readings are you getting out of the signal meters on the IRD's?

Start by checking the signal strength on ALL transponders, on ALL satellites. This will help determine if its a signal/long cable run issue. If the signal is low on some transponders, that is likely the transponder needed for the suspect channel. On some, (cant remembe if all) ird's, if you put it on the suspect channel, then go to the dish pointing menu, it will autmatically be on the appropriate transponder for that channel. If the signal is low on certain transponders, start with process of elimination, similar to what djnorm suggested. Bypass the multi-switch running direct to the dish, run temporary lines, check/replace connetions, etc. A bent/kinked/damaged cable can still pass signal, yet lose CERTAIN transponders.



Key point as well is that not ALL transponders are active, so if you come across a few that are NO signal, they are not necessarilly suspect. You will need to verify w DTV which ones are active. (I had a list somewhere, but not sure where now.)

Not sure why its happening more on commercials, unless its in his head. You might also ask hin which CHANNELS do it, as this will help isolate. If its an HD channel for example, it is most lilkely NOT the 101 satellite, if its a CORE channel, it IS most likely the 101 satellite, etc

How coincidental. I have the same problem as your customer. However, I dont see it happen more often on commericials. It just happens randomoly. Plus I don't have any runs longer then about 100' max.

I've had Direct TV out to look at twice now. As you might well guess, that has been a waste of my time. The standard excuse is: "I can't do anything about if I don't see it happening while I'm here. And I don't have time to sit here and watch TV with you and wait for it to happen."

I use to think it was just on HD channels but have since seen it on other channels and on different receivers in different rooms.

Look here for more on my original post on this issue:

[Link: remotecentral.com]

I have had couple of customers complain about this in the last week. I have seen it on my system mainly on my local NBC station over directv. Other stations don't seem to have this problem, esp the regular dtv channels. This is on non HD channels, I don't have HD. I have a 24" dish, signal strength is mid 90's. The picture pixelates esp on fast motion scenes and will drop out for 1/2 second at scene or camera changes. I called tech service, she said they were having a problem with the feed from Italy. I told her the feed was from my local channel to dtv and the pix from my roof antenna didn't do it. She said she was sorry.

This sounds mor elike a bandwidth issue (fast motion issues)

Not to get away with your problem, but doesn't it sound funny that both of the Satellite providers needed custom guys to get there business going.

remember when we taught them how to modulate channels.

Now for the 2nd time they want to cut out the middle guys, that is us CI people and do the business themself.

In the last 2 years I have never called there tech support and received a solution to my problem.

Sorry, you have a really good problem, but I will never believe that DishNet or Direct TV will solve the problem.

Mike

Good point, avbydesign.


Depends on where you are. I know of four transponders on SAT A that beam to the southeast, and rarely show any signal level here in the Los Angeles area. They almost make a pattern when you look at the levels and the receiver shows all transponder levels in rows of eight. There is 4, then the one below it, which is 12, then NOT the one below it, 22, I think, then the last one below 4, 28. I might be wrong but if you look at all transponders and see a pattern like this, you will be seeing what we are talking about.

Of course, if you are in Florida, you might only get those four, I don't know! I know that they beam those four to a smaller area than the others send to because the consisten high humidity in the air attenuates the signal so much that they had to to guarantee coverage.

Reminds me of a line from that movie (America?) about an Irish family that moves to the US and settles in Hell's Kitchen: "We learned a new word this summer: humidity."

Well after further review witth the customer, they primarily watch NBC and now more during the olympics. I have witnessed he pixel and dropout (black screen) problems. The signal strength after all that cable is still at 85. Though i will look at the transponders.

So if a transponder is low...how does one go about fixing that. Apply a liberal amount of in-line amplifiers?

If the transponder is low, there is a cabling issue.

HOWEVER, I just read on dishretailer.com (the dealer version of satguys.us) that there is a problem very similar to yours, that appears to not have an asnwer yet. It has happened on D-10's, H-10's, and seems primarily on the 119 satellite, maybe more so on locals

Id post a link, but its a verified forum, so Ill copy and paste trhe best I can.
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I've got quite a few customers calling and complaining about local channels blacking out for 1-2 seconds at a time. Any of you getting any calls?


I was just going to ask the same question ? I had three cust calling with the same problem. They all have d-10 rec. they said its been doing it for a few days, Pix blacks out a few second then comes on.
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have had 4 more cust calling today with same prob. anyone heard of anything going on. Called tech service they are clueless
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Got a call today. Went over and there were two receivers, a D 10 and another one that looked like an upgraded D 10, had silver buttons on it. Anyway did the simple thing first, moved the receiver that was acting up, was dropping 360 & 255. It worked ok in the other room. So, now I know it is in the line going to the front room. So, I checked it out. Founded nothing major wrong. Then went up on the roof and took a look at the Lnbf. This was a P III antenna. The two receivers had been hooked up to ports 2 & 3 with 1 & 4 not being used.

So, I moved the one acting up, which had been on # 2 over to #1 port and it worked just fine.

Customer noted to me that when the two young boys were finishing up the install they told him WE WILL BE BACK !

So, can't help but think they had set this up on purpose to create a problem.

Thoughts ?

I have a H-10 and am watching the Olympics from LA in HD and it is blanking out for a few seconds at a time every so often. Very annoying. At least we know it isn't the receiver or the network. Looks like it is the satellite. That sucks.
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Same problem here in Indy DMA.


More customers stopping by today complaining with satellite channels blacking out. I've not seen it yet, but local channels seem to be where problems are. Does anyone know if Directv knows about this?

I was told by tech service that the problem is with the D-10 unit. They must be replaced. I swaped one out this AM with a new D-11 and the problem was fixed.Who in the hell is going to pay for this crap, I must have at least a thousand of those pieces of crap out there !

My HD receiver does it too. What does the tech have to say about that?
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It should be the problem from 119 satellite, while I was watching Jade woeld channel last night, it all black out for few minutes, but the CCTV 9 which is on 110 was o.k. at that moment.
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Just had this at a customer's house today - pixels and drop out on the HD channels. The D*TV contractor came (2 hours late), scratched his head, and tried to blame it on the wire that had been run in the wall, until he heard it was his company that ran it... Bypassed the wire, and still had the problem. After wasting almost two hours without solving the problem, he left saying 'someone will have to come back with a new switch - I don't have these new ones on the truck, and they don't give us any spare parts'.

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