3618 satellite scanning/programming questions

[Mr Tony]

Well I finally hooked up my 3618 last night (albeigh temporarily). Setup was as such

Dish aimed at 123
Dish motorized to 101 (AMC4)
port 1 of switch was 123
port 2 of switch was AMC4

Here's what I treid...and failed on
Did a satellite scan for 123. It scanned 4 TP's and got nothing. Did a blind scan. I set it up to scan vert & horiz and it scanned 5 TP's (4 H, 1 V). If I scanned Vertical only, it picked up most of the jknown stuff on G10 (11799, 11719, 12114, etc). Howver, it didnt pick up 12106 V 2222 (KWTO). So I did a manual scan. It picked it up, but it labeled it "user entry" and said its scrambled?

When I scanned 101, I got the same things. I have to tell it to scan ONLY vertical or horizontal to make it work right. Amazingly enough, it did hit KUIL on the scan

I unhooked everything and put it back how I had everything set up (didnt have much time), but a couple questions. These are because I have a Pansat too

-When I do a smart/blind scan on the Pansat, all TP's it registers it loads into the satellite list (so IA6 may have 60 TP's registered in it). I noticed the Satwork doesnt do that. Is that true?

-Is it possible to manually add a whole bunch of frequencies in the satellite list so I can hit "satellite scan" and have it scan the frequencies I've added. Right now it looks like I'd have to do a smart scan every time I want to scan the satellite.

-When I did a manual add, all the channels show up as "user add" instead of the name of the channel. This happened on 11719. Seems weird it does that

-When you do a search, can you tell the unit to only log FTA channels, and not scrambled?

More to come later )

 

[Diamond Jim]

To enter more than one frequency at a time, go to blind search, arrow down to GENERAL, arrow right to ADVANCED. You may now enter the starting and ending frequency of your choice. It will scan every frequency in between what you have entered. I have also done general blind scans with no luck, then went to advanced, enter one frequency as the starting and ending and got what I wanted. Don't ask me why. This thing seems to have a lot of quirks that you have to figure out. As I told you before, it's trail and error.

I to get a lot of "user add scrambled," then a channel will pop on. When that happens it takes a few seconds then comes on.

Also I can use the number pad to enter a channel number and it will tell me "no signal," I then use the up and down arrows to switch to a channel above or below the one I want then go back and it pops on, beats me.

I have also figured out a way to change the ID bar to label it with the channel of your choice. Example: the Anchorage stations were labeled "program 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6," I now have them labeled with their call letters. We can go into that later.

On a blind scan it will scan horizontal and vertical at the same time. The only time you should have to set the polarity is when you do a manual scan.

That's the way mine works.

Hope that helps you.

 

[Mr Tony]

To enter more than one frequency at a time, go to blind search, arrow down to GENERAL, arrow right to ADVANCED. You may now enter the starting and ending frequency of your choice. It will scan every frequency in between what you have entered. I have also done general blind scans with no luck, then went to advanced, enter one frequency as the starting and ending and got what I wanted. Don't ask me why. This thing seems to have a lot of quirks that you have to figure out. As I told you before, it's trail and error.

I'll have to try that tonight

I to get a lot of "user add scrambled," then a channel will pop on. When that happens it takes a few seconds then comes on.

the problem I had is when I first did a scan when I got the unti, it showed the call sign (KWWF, WNYI, WNGS), now all they say is "user add"

I have also figured out a way to change the ID bar to label it with the channel of your choice. Example: the Anchorage stations were labeled "program 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6," I now have them labeled with their call letters. We can go into that later.

figured that out right away..I relabeled KWTO from "SNG" to KWTO

On a blind scan it will scan horizontal and vertical at the same time. The only time you should have to set the polarity is when you do a manual scan.

I'm going to check my line that comes directly from 123. Maybe I had a bad cable. When I hooked the line from the motorized (dual LNB) and moved the dish to 123, it scanned a lot better. All I had to add was KWTO

I'm going to try that software upgrade tonight and hopefully I don't blow it up

 

[Diamond Jim]

My KTWO says TWISTERS, I am going to change that. As for the G10 channels, they are IDed by their call letters.

I would like to try a software update, but I don't know that much about computers. I am kinda gunshy so I think I will just live with it.

 

[Mr Tony]

I downloaded the info and saved it to a disk. I'll try it tonight.

My KWTO usually shows up as Twisters, too (at least ont he Viacast & Pansat).

Maybe I had a bad cable hooked up last night

 

[Diamond Jim]

Let me know how this upgrade goes. My son will be home at Thanksgiving and he is pretty good with computers and I will see what he says. Is the software very expensive?

 

[TuxCoder]

The software is free. The only thing you may have to buy is a serial cable. Some receivers need straight through and some need a NULL modem cable (crossed TX & RX lines, and crossed control signals in the 7 wire version which is usually not needed).

 

[Mr Tony]

Jim
its on the DMSI site. It looks like a 2 part download. The actual thing to allow you copy the software from the computer to the receiver and the updated software. I'll PM you the info

 

[Diamond Jim]

Tony,

Another guy sent me a web site for a free download. It's at

WWW.COOLSTF.COM

He sent it to me when I ask him about having the Frequency and SR but no PIDs. This software is suppose to do all kind of good things for an MPEG2 receiver, including getting the PIDs. Check it out and tell me what you think.

 

[Mr Tony]

Jim
I downloaded the newest software and the machine works MUCH better now! Real easy to do..
-hook up cable from computer to unit
-get software all ready to go
-power off unit on back (the switch)
-hit start on the computer
-hold down channel up and turn switch back on. Computer will say "connected"
-let it download...when its done, switch off unit and unplug modem line.

Took less than 10 minutes total

You're all set!

Hooked it up to G10 and it scanned both V & H in about 5 minutes (use to take almost 10 minutes and didnt hit 1/2 the vertical)

Am going to hook it back up to the system tonight and play with it a little more (I was dumb and had both the fixed and motorized at G10...so I couldnt try IA6 or AMC4). Thats tonight

 

[Diamond Jim]

Tony,

What was the name of the software again and where did you get it? Did you down load it for free? Bear with me, as I told you I am computer ingnorant. My son told me it would be no problem. This a 3688 upgrade, right?

Also please check out this site: WWW.COOLSTF.COM and tell me what you think. A friend of mine turned me on to this. It's suppose to upgrade the MPEG2 receivers to do a lot more stuff, including giving you the PIDs when all you have are the FR and SR and quick scans.

Since I learned to label the ID bars, I have entered the satellite that the channel is on so I won't have to look them up. I aways thought that showing the satellite in the display with the channel was something they dropped the ball on.

Glad it worked out good.

 

[Mr Tony]

Tony,

What was the name of the software again and where did you get it? Did you down load it for free? Bear with me, as I told you I am computer ingnorant. My son told me it would be no problem. This a 3688 upgrade, right?

the site is www.dmsi.com There's a section for software. Very easy to download and operate. They have a "read me first" which helps out greatly

Also please check out this site: WWW.COOLSTF.COM and tell me what you think. A friend of mine turned me on to this. It's suppose to upgrade the MPEG2 receivers to do a lot more stuff, including giving you the PIDs when all you have are the FR and SR and quick scans.

Since I learned to label the ID bars, I have entered the satellite that the channel is on so I won't have to look them up. I aways thought that showing the satellite in the display with the channel was something they dropped the ball on.

Glad it worked out good.

I checked it out and was confised by it. Didnt know where to look

 

[Diamond Jim]

I glanced at it. All I was interested in was how obtain PIDs when you only have the FR and SR. I ask him and that is what he sent me. I'll check it out in more detail.

 

[Diamond Jim]

Tony,

I am sorry, but I have gone over that DMSI web site with a fine tooth comb and I could not find anything that has to do with satellite receiver software. Please advise.

 

[PSB]

Iceberg will be on later but I hope this keeps you busy Jim : )

http://www.dmsiusa.com/software.htm

 

[Diamond Jim]

Thank you Pete, that's more like it. I am gonna do it!

 

[Mr Tony]

Jim
Just follow the directions and you'll have the newest software on your unit in a jiffy

 

[Mr Tony]

Did some playing with it this weekend and the software upgrade made the unit MUCH better

-scanned T6 in about 7 minutes
-was able to type in a frequency/sr and have it show the right info. (I wanted 11799 V 26660 on G10 be the first batch of channels and when you do a sc an, 11719 mux would be the first stuff)
-got it to acknowledge the DiSEqC 2x1 switch riight
-got KUIL to come in every time I go to it (FINALLY!!!)

Much better receiver now

 

[Diamond Jim]

Iceberg,

Gonna do mine tomorrow. Hope I have as good as luck as you did. Did you get my PM?

 

[Mr Tony]

nope