I started this thread to outline all the detail I went though to solve a pesky satellite problem with an HR-21. Turned out I wasted a lot of time. So here I humbly offer this:
Here's where I failed: I did not use BASIC troubleshooting skills first. Instead, when I did not get some channels, I looked at signal levels and found that one tuner seemed to have more signal than the other. I then looked at transponder levels, and found them so confusing that I copied down the signal levels for Tuner 1 and Tuner 2.
I then went further down the rabbit hole by doing this for several satellites.
Then, as they say, it hit me. As ridiculous as it seems, I had not switched cables going into the receiver. So I did that. No change. Then I switched B-Band converters. In addition to seeing some quite high signal levels WITHOUT a B-Band connected, I found that switching converters switched the probloem. I popped in a new one and I'm done, except for the reporting. Now that's done.
Always troubleshoot. Do the simplest things that can make a big difference first! And while this is the first time I've seen a B-Band converter go bad, it was completely to be expected. It's only human, after all.
