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Recently picked up another MercII second hand and it was working great. Was. Now, I can not even get enough juice from it to power the signal meter out at the dish. The investigation begins:
The coax from the house to the dish area is good. Hooked up the DSR-922 to that same coax and locked onto G16/X4.
The coax from the dish area to the dish itself is not the problem. Tried two separate coax chunks between there which I know are good.
Hooked the signal meter up out at the dish area (I should have mentioned this is about 175 feet away from the receiver) and can't get the meter to even power up.
However, I hooked up the signal meter to the receiver with about 18" of coax, and it acted fine.
The Fortec's signal and quality meters both sit there at 5%....steadily, not like before where it would at least jump around a bit even at no signal.
I opened it up and didn't see anything obvious (no black burn marks, pieces missing, etc.).
Any tips?
The coax from the house to the dish area is good. Hooked up the DSR-922 to that same coax and locked onto G16/X4.
The coax from the dish area to the dish itself is not the problem. Tried two separate coax chunks between there which I know are good.
Hooked the signal meter up out at the dish area (I should have mentioned this is about 175 feet away from the receiver) and can't get the meter to even power up.
However, I hooked up the signal meter to the receiver with about 18" of coax, and it acted fine.
The Fortec's signal and quality meters both sit there at 5%....steadily, not like before where it would at least jump around a bit even at no signal.
I opened it up and didn't see anything obvious (no black burn marks, pieces missing, etc.).
Any tips?
13 Replies
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2624 views
Well, just hooking the meter to the receiver doesn't tell the whole story.
If you can hook the volt meter to the coax, both at the receiver and at the LNB WHILE the LNB is connected, then you have even more to go on.
Possible problems include bad connectors anywhere along the path
Bad coax
LNB pulling too much power
flakey voltage regulator in the receiver
etc.
So for instance, if the coax has a lot of voltage drop (either due to physical damage or bad connectors), you might find 13/18 volts at the receiver end, but a lot less at the LNB
But the test must be done with the LNB loading down the voltage on the cable.
Given enough data, we can point a finger at the failing component.
And besides, I thought you were a big Traxis-supporter.
What are you doing without one?
Can you borrow a receiver to duplicate the tests with?
If you can hook the volt meter to the coax, both at the receiver and at the LNB WHILE the LNB is connected, then you have even more to go on.
Possible problems include bad connectors anywhere along the path
Bad coax
LNB pulling too much power
flakey voltage regulator in the receiver
etc.
So for instance, if the coax has a lot of voltage drop (either due to physical damage or bad connectors), you might find 13/18 volts at the receiver end, but a lot less at the LNB
But the test must be done with the LNB loading down the voltage on the cable.
Given enough data, we can point a finger at the failing component.
And besides, I thought you were a big Traxis-supporter.
What are you doing without one?
Can you borrow a receiver to duplicate the tests with?
You are correct, and you beat me to the solution. I removed an inline surge protector and BAM, we're back up and running full throttle. I don't know why the 4DTV was still able to work properly using the same coax and going through the same surge protector, but it all works good now. I haven't checked yet, but probably getting better quality numbers on the 4DTV.
And besides, I thought you were a big Traxis-supporter.
What are you doing without one?
I really like the receivers and usually recommend them, especially the 3500/4550. And at only $69.99, how can anyone go wrong with a 3500? But I was having my own little personal boycott against them until they fixed the AC3 pass-thru thing on Ku. To my knowledge it is still not fixed, but since I recently acquired a QualiTV1080IR this problem has become irrelevent. If I really need AC-3 on Ku, I'll just switch over to the QualiTV since it decodes as well as passes it through.
Thanks for all of your help. Sorry you didn't end up with a brain damaged MercII to play with after all. Maybe there will be others.
congrats !
I knew if you beat on it enough, you'd find the solution.
Yea, I held back my recommendation for the $70 Traxis, too, based on the guy wanting PBS.
Damned shame they won't fix the Ku AC3.
Luckily, I just ordered a (new) Mercury II for $70
It was too good a deal, so I figured I'd better leap while the lilly pad was near.
I knew if you beat on it enough, you'd find the solution.
Yea, I held back my recommendation for the $70 Traxis, too, based on the guy wanting PBS.
Damned shame they won't fix the Ku AC3.
Luckily, I just ordered a (new) Mercury II for $70
It was too good a deal, so I figured I'd better leap while the lilly pad was near.
Booredatwork.com
Time for another AWESOME video from BoredAtWork!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DuF-q5UeHI
Direct YouTube Link - iPhone Duo vs Z Fold8 vs Xiaomi1 8 Fold: Real-World Test
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Booredatwork on Facebook
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DuF-q5UeHI
Direct YouTube Link - iPhone Duo vs Z Fold8 vs Xiaomi1 8 Fold: Real-World Test
Booredatwork.com Website
Booredatwork on Facebook
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I've always been super interested in things space related so this is a pretty cool event coming up. Nov 18, 2026 early in the morning, Voyager 1 will reach the distance of one full light day from Earth. Took almost 50 yrs. I was 13 when it launched.
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gjHK3clOwIw?feature=share
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gjHK3clOwIw?feature=share
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87 views
Thanks for that info. I will mark it on my calendar!
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I'm surprised Walmart hasn't banned this guy from all of their stores. He has been on their CASE the past few months.
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/f3zr37ekgKM?feature=share
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/f3zr37ekgKM?feature=share
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537 views
Unless the specific product or its packaging is known at the time of weighing, estimating the tare weight for a PoS system is a tall order.
I'm pretty sure that produce bags can't get any thinner.
You certainly don't want to put unbagged produce on a belt, scale, or in a clerk's hands (gloved or not).
I would think that all the packaging would already be accounted for ... they weigh the container, subtract that from the scale, then add the product , so its weighing the Product onlyUnless the specific product or its packaging is known at the time of weighing, estimating the tare weight for a PoS system is a tall order.
I'm pretty sure that produce bags can't get any thinner.
You certainly don't want to put unbagged produce on a belt, scale, or in a clerk's hands (gloved or not).
Looks like DTV made a deal. I'm now getting it on ch 650. The tv promise slate is gone.
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18 views
Lifetime Supporter
I know HipKat said that they were working on conversions but we got the official news yesterday right from Dish that starting next month all DMA's will be on the western arc, and all customers will be assigned to that. That's gonna mean a lot of customers around here aren't gonna get Dish unless there are exceptions. Too many mountains and trees.
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3916 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Now that I'm retired, obviously I have different health care insurance. I take 2 prescriptions. With my old insurance I didn't have to pay for either of them, now I do. It's not a huge amount but it led me to dig a little into the cost of prescription medications. I have been using Walgreens for the longest time. But what I found was that Walgreens price is 4.8 times more for one of my prescriptions and the other is 2.3 percent more compared to the lowest price pharmacy. If you pay for prescription medications you might want to have a look at trumprx and see if you can get a lower price.
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194 views
Actually I take just 2 prescriptions, Atorvastatin and Lisinopril. They cost me $6 each for 100 pills. Next year that will be nothing.That's ok. I probably take enough for the two of us.
God knows what Bobby takes. Maybe so much they count as a meal?
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Comcast is the first to report, with a massive 274,000 loss in video subscribers.
In the 3Q of 2016, Comcast had 21.42 million video subscribers and was the #1 provider, now at 10.39 million and is the #3 Provider, YTTV is #2 ( who also surpassed DirecTV-8 Million and Dish-under 5 Million), Charter/Spectrum is #1.
cordcuttersnews.com
In the 3Q of 2016, Comcast had 21.42 million video subscribers and was the #1 provider, now at 10.39 million and is the #3 Provider, YTTV is #2 ( who also surpassed DirecTV-8 Million and Dish-under 5 Million), Charter/Spectrum is #1.
Comcast Just Lost 274,000 TV Customers & 144,000 Internet Customers In Just Three Months | Cord Cutters News
Comcast Corporation reported its third-quarter 2026 results on October 22, showing continued erosion in its domestic residential broadband internet and video customer bases as competitive pressures intensified across the connectivity market. The company recorded a net loss of 144,000 domestic...
cordcuttersnews.com
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165 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
The following is from Reddit. -
View: https://www.reddit.com/r/DirectvStream/s/orzHBkmqQW
There appears to be a new DIRECTV Gemini OTT box, the C81KW-650.
The FCC listing is partially available, and a Geekbench entry confirms it uses an Amlogic S905X5, a solid SoC for a set-top box.
I also see 4GB of RAM, and the manufacturer is SEI Robotics.
DIRECTV C81KW OTT Box - Android TV Guide
Ok found a picture of the Box too on Reddit:
View: https://www.reddit.com/r/DirectvStream/comments/1twlex0/comment/opzeqi1/
View: https://www.reddit.com/r/DirectvStream/s/orzHBkmqQW
There appears to be a new DIRECTV Gemini OTT box, the C81KW-650.
The FCC listing is partially available, and a Geekbench entry confirms it uses an Amlogic S905X5, a solid SoC for a set-top box.
I also see 4GB of RAM, and the manufacturer is SEI Robotics.
DIRECTV C81KW OTT Box - Android TV Guide
Ok found a picture of the Box too on Reddit:
View: https://www.reddit.com/r/DirectvStream/comments/1twlex0/comment/opzeqi1/
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963 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
68590 Replies
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2676977 views
Supporting Founder
Lifetime Supporter
This thread is a place to discuss the 4K events that appear on channel 540. We are getting, at this point, one college football game a week. Let's hope there is more coming.
1936 Replies
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299675 views
Even though it didn't work out for the Hoosiers, this event recorded and I was able to watch it in full 4K HDR.
Timer is set to Record the Series. Thanks, Bobby!
