Low signal levels

Jim5506

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Oct 19, 2004
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Lubbock, Texas
Well, I just had a very unusual experience with my Dish Network installation.

Here's my setup: 3 VIP 211's, 1 VIP 211k and one VIP722k, DPP44 switch with power inserter on port 1 and a Dish 1000 and a side dish 500 half of it looks at 61.5.

I tried to watch a recording done an hour or so ago on channel 112 HGTV, but the picture was pixellating so badly that even the audio was often garbled, picture was heavily macro blocking, green patched horrible. On the Point Dish screen I looked at all the TPs on all three satellites and they were mostly abnormally low, many in the low 20's a few looked normal in the 50's or 60's but 129 and 110 were both low, 119 TP 21 looked OK.

So, I checked my signal level on 112 off the 129 satellite - it was 20-25 and flopping around a bit. Oh dear, did yesterdays winds misalign my dish that has been so stable for over 3 years.

I checked one of my 211's, it was seeing the same channel at about 36, not pixellating but lower than normal.

I had moved my cables around a bit this afternoon doing some house cleaning, so I checked that I had not created any choke loops - that was OK.

By happenstance I looked at the power supply for the DPP44 and reached over and unplugged it. The receiver was on the Point Dish screen where it was reading 25 and a few seconds after I unplugged the power supply the signal dropped to 0. I plugged the power supply back up and nothing happened on the Point Dish sreen, still read 0, so I dropped from 129 TP 17 to 129 TP 16, still 0 but I believe this is a spot beam somewhere else. I went back to 129 TP 17 and the TP said "Locked - Echostar 129 West and the signal jumped to a solid 60 and held there.

I checked the signal on my 211 which had been 36 and it says 60 now also (after bumping it up and down one TP to re lock the transponder).

129 TP21 now reads 73, 61.5 TP21 reads 67, 110 TP 21 reads 67 and 119 TP 21 reads 78.

Who would have thought that powering off and on the power supply to the DPP44 would make that much difference in the signal?

I have had a few issues with my DPP44 in the past, where I had to disconnect everything from it for 30 minutes to reset it to get certain channels back, maybe in the futurre I'll just pull the power plug and see if that fixes it.
 
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I'm glad you were able to increase your signal stregnth. If your signal keeps dropping to low levels the DPP44 may need to be replaced, and you can contact myself or another member of the DIRT team for assistance with this.
 
It had been perhaps 6 month or more since the last episode where my DPP44 would loose one or more receivers totally, one or 2 of the 211's would work normally and the others were total loss of signal.

Today's episode may have been the beginning of what I had seen earlier or it may have been something different - time will tell.
 
How do you check your signal levels on the 722K? I remember I used to do it on my 625 but I forgot now.

I recorded a movie in the middle of the night last night and I got the blue screen that said signal loss when I played a part of it today. Although the picture and sound were fine and just that "signal loss" screen came up several times.

I just wanted to check and sure everything is okay.

Also how low can the signal numbers go before I should worry?
 
Thanks Zach.

I got a signal of 69 on 110, 59 on 119, and 11(?!) on 129.

I also have no reception to Starz in Black.

Am I doing this right? Menu 6-1-1 and then go under "Satellite" and switch those numbers to 110, 119, and 129 respectively? Because that's all I did.
 
Thanks Zach.

I got a signal of 69 on 110, 59 on 119, and 11(?!) on 129.

I also have no reception to Starz in Black.

Am I doing this right? Menu 6-1-1 and then go under "Satellite" and switch those numbers to 110, 119, and 129 respectively? Because that's all I did.

Correct you are doing that right. That is really low on 129. What is the signal strength of satellite 129 t 21? If it is low as well I think we may need to get a tech out to take a look. There is nothing blocking the dish correct?
 
If you enter Menu+6+1+1 from the channel you want, then the satellite and transponder will be selected and displayed.
Thus you'll know you are measuring that channel.

For a easier survey of all your satellites use Menu+6+1+3 to see them (at least up to 4).

-Ken
 
Correct you are doing that right. That is really low on 129. What is the signal strength of satellite 129 t 21? If it is low as well I think we may need to get a tech out to take a look. There is nothing blocking the dish correct?

I just checked. Nothing is blocking the dish.

Anyways, yesterday I also did Menu 6-1-3 and 110, 119, and 129 were all green but it said 129 had an "LNB drift". I saw -2 on Value 7. I searched on the forum and it said that Dish won't replace the LNB unless it's -5 and/or signal loss.

So, after losing Starz in Black, I did what it said on the screen. Unplugged the 722K for at least 10 seconds and replugged it in. Is that what they call on this site a "hard reset"? Because I read about it and wasn't sure exactly what it was. Anyways, I got Starz in Black back. Picture and sound were fine. And Menu 6-1-3 brought it to all green again on the 110, 119, and 129 with no problem messages about the LNB this time. Status was listed as "good".

Then today I checked the signal readings and got around 69 to 70 on 110 and 119, but 14 on 129. Menu 6-1-3 once again brought me "LNB drift", -2. This time I lost both Starz in Black and Starz Cinema to a signal loss. So I did a "soft reset". I just pressed the red button on the front panel. Got both channels back and Menu 6-1-3 was again all good with Status listed as "Good".

A tech to come out here is $15, if I have the DHPP right?
 
I just checked. Nothing is blocking the dish.

Anyways, yesterday I also did Menu 6-1-3 and 110, 119, and 129 were all green but it said 129 had an "LNB drift". I saw -2 on Value 7. I searched on the forum and it said that Dish won't replace the LNB unless it's -5 and/or signal loss.

So, after losing Starz in Black, I did what it said on the screen. Unplugged the 722K for at least 10 seconds and replugged it in. Is that what they call on this site a "hard reset"? Because I read about it and wasn't sure exactly what it was. Anyways, I got Starz in Black back. Picture and sound were fine. And Menu 6-1-3 brought it to all green again on the 110, 119, and 129 with no problem messages about the LNB this time. Status was listed as "good".

Then today I checked the signal readings and got around 69 to 70 on 110 and 119, but 14 on 129. Menu 6-1-3 once again brought me "LNB drift", -2. This time I lost both Starz in Black and Starz Cinema to a signal loss. So I did a "soft reset". I just pressed the red button on the front panel. Got both channels back and Menu 6-1-3 was again all good with Status listed as "Good".

A tech to come out here is $15, if I have the DHPP right?

Correct with the Protection Plan it would be $15 dollars. PM me your account information if you'd like me to set it up.
 
Tecmo SB Guy: "This time I lost both Starz in Black and Starz Cinema to a signal loss."

Both are SD channels so they do not come from 129.
Select one, then go to Menu+6+1+1. The displayed satellite and transponder will be for that channel.
Read that signal strength to judge it.

More likely you have a bad OTA channel selected. Pick a good one on each OTA tuner.
Why OTA? It is trying to tell you even though you are not interested now. That's why. Drat it.

-Ken
 
I got the blue screen that said signal loss when I played a part of it today. Although the picture and sound were fine and just that "signal loss" screen came up several times.

If you got a blue screen that said "Signal Loss", that had nothing to do with Signal level.. That sounds more like a lost connection from your TV to your Satellite Box.. The satellite box never puts out a blue screen.. Nor does it ever just say Signal loss.. Bad HDMI connection will cause this.. Or a Bad receiver.
 
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