Blind Scan And Limit set

Magic Static

SatelliteGuys Master
Original poster
Lifetime Supporter
Oct 12, 2010
7,498
4,853
Montana
Well the AZBox Blind Scan finally screwed up the GBox. I cannot clear the limits in the GBox. Using two receivers and the GBox I cannot clear the limits so the AZBox will move the dish. I can move the dish with the remote for the GBox but with DiSEqC 1.2 it always tells me it's limited. The Clear Limits command on the remote for the GBox doesn't work anymore. The GBox does not respond correctly. Both receivers send the clear limits command, and the GBox seems to respond correctly but the dish won't move. It always indicates limited. Kind of difficult to decide what I need to do here. Replace the GBox or drop kick the AZBox??
 
Well the AZBox Blind Scan finally screwed up the GBox. I cannot clear the limits in the GBox. Using two receivers and the GBox I cannot clear the limits so the AZBox will move the dish. I can move the dish with the remote for the GBox but with DiSEqC 1.2 it always tells me it's limited. The Clear Limits command on the remote for the GBox doesn't work anymore. The GBox does not respond correctly. Both receivers send the clear limits command, and the GBox seems to respond correctly but the dish won't move. It always indicates limited. Kind of difficult to decide what I need to do here. Replace the GBox or drop kick the AZBox??

Magic Static,

Have you tried this? In the AZBox, access the following menu tree:

SETTINGS MENU ? TV CHANNEL ? TUNER A DVB-S ? ANTENNA SETUP ? POSITIONER SETUP ? DiSEqC 1.2 ? COMMAND MODE ? DISABLING LIMITS and press OK.

I am not sure that this will help or if you have already attempted this, but it was my first notion since the other avenues aren't working for you.

RADAR
 
Yeah, I don't use the AZ limits either as I have the limit switches in my dish mover set up to stop both east and west travel. In fact, I use the east limit switch as a zero point for reprogramming my Vbox Xs, ie, I run the dish east until the limit switch stops it, zero the counter then start moving west to previously recorded numbers to reprogram satellite positions.

Also, setting the physical limits with the switches in the dish mover eliminates the possibility of damage from an over run.
 
Well the AJAK has hardware limit switches so I have no need for software limits. The AZBox does set the limits when blind scanning. Very annoying glitch. I have always been able to clear the limits just as Radar spelled out. But no go anymore. I'm thinking a FW upgrade has maybe fubared my clear limit command. I've used MyTheatre to clear the limits before but I'm not using DVB cards that it supports anymore so I can't use it right now. DVBDream really sucks at motor control.
I'll play some more with it and see if I can come up with a simple solution. Or I'm going to sh*t can the AZBox.
 
Well the AZBox Blind Scan finally screwed up the GBox. I cannot clear the limits in the GBox. Using two receivers and the GBox I cannot clear the limits so the AZBox will move the dish. I can move the dish with the remote for the GBox but with DiSEqC 1.2 it always tells me it's limited. The Clear Limits command on the remote for the GBox doesn't work anymore. The GBox does not respond correctly. Both receivers send the clear limits command, and the GBox seems to respond correctly but the dish won't move. It always indicates limited. Kind of difficult to decide what I need to do here. Replace the GBox or drop kick the AZBox??

Hi Magic Static :) Sorry to see you're having problems. I read your post and something doesn't sound right. Maybe I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around the problem. I also have a AZBOX/GBOX combo used in Diseq 1.2. In your OP you say you can move the dish with the GBOX remote but it won't move via Diseq 1.2 due to limits. But wouldn't the GBox fail to move the dish no matter what mode is used (standalone or Diseq) if a software limit is set?
Is it possible you went into the AZ's antenna setup menu and hit the "set xxxx limit" by accident then exited? I have seen my AZ continue to set limits if I don't set the antenna setup Diseq 1.2 field back to "goto position" before exiting. It kinda gets stuck in a loop setting a limit every time you change channels or enter a menu etc. Just an AZBOX behaving like an AZBOX. Try going back into the antenna setup then clear the limits then go back to "goto position" then hit enter (hittting the enter button is the key to getting the AZ out of the loop setting the limits) then exit. Does resetting the AZ or GBOX fix the issue?

kevin
 
Well MyTheatre and SkyWalker1 cleared the limits with one click. I wonder what the secret is here. I have to remember "When Blind Scanning with the AZBOX, turn OFF the positioner. This prevents unwanted limit setting :)
 
Hi Magic Static :) Sorry to see you're having problems. I read your post and something doesn't sound right. Maybe I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around the problem. I also have a AZBOX/GBOX combo used in Diseq 1.2. In your OP you say you can move the dish with the GBOX remote but it won't move via Diseq 1.2 due to limits. But wouldn't the GBox fail to move the dish no matter what mode is used (standalone or Diseq) if a software limit is set?
Is it possible you went into the AZ's antenna setup menu and hit the "set xxxx limit" by accident then exited? I have seen my AZ continue to set limits if I don't set the antenna setup Diseq 1.2 field back to "goto position" before exiting. It kinda gets stuck in a loop setting a limit every time you change channels or enter a menu etc. Just an AZBOX behaving like an AZBOX. Try going back into the antenna setup then clear the limits then go back to "goto position" then hit enter (hittting the enter button is the key to getting the AZ out of the loop setting the limits) then exit. Does resetting the AZ or GBOX fix the issue?

kevin
Resetting the AZ and GBox did nothing. Yes I did think of putting motor command back to the "Go TO" setting. That also was inefective. I don't know why, but my SkyWalker will undo those limits every time. I havn't been able to clear with the AZ since updating the firmware to fix YouTube.
 
But wouldn't the GBox fail to move the dish no matter what mode is used (standalone or Diseq) if a software limit is set?

kevin
That's a dang good question. Which leads me to believe there is a lot more going on with that limit setting glitch in the AZBox than meets the eye. The positioner acts goofy in some ways when the AZBox has inadvertantly set limits.
 
That's a dang good question. Which leads me to believe there is a lot more going on with that limit setting glitch in the AZBox than meets the eye. The positioner acts goofy in some ways when the AZBox has inadvertantly set limits.

DisEqC 1.2 Lockups:
Don't know if its too late to help Magic Static or others but that Limit Lockup in DisEqC 1.2 happens everytime I Blind Scan in a New Satellite and it is indeed very troubling. I don't know why AzBox has not adressed this fault, I formally entered this problem about it on the AzBox Site over a year and a half ago, - but nothing has been done so far. The way I clear it is to: In DisEqC 1.2 Hit Reset Limits, then Save Position, and then most Importantly Do a Reboot by holding the STB POWER Button untill the AzBox resets, and this will usually do it. Hope this helps.
 
Despite making sure I have not set software limits on the AZBox, I've found that the usual failure mode is for me after scanning appears when I try to move east. After just a few degrees, I will hit the AZBox-set limit and the dish stops moving because it has hit the software limit. I originally thought that every position had been corrupted and I would do a complete reset. But, a while ago, I tried just clearing the limits. That worked without deleting any of my positions. These days (at least for me), it's more of an annoyance than anything else. If I'm really on the ball, I will move to the spacecraft I want to scan or the new spacecraft I want to add and simply manually turn off the GBox while I do the scanning. If I remember to do this, the AZBox doesn't set software limits for some reason.

Finally, it's a good idea to write down your known positions. If you have to do a re-set, you will at least be able to come close reconstructing everything. I made up an MS Word table that I find useful to document my settings. When I get home tonight, I will upload it in the hope that others might find it useful.

Oh yeah -- don't forget to frequently BACK-UP, BACK-UP, BACK-UP!
 
Finally, it's a good idea to write down your known positions. If you have to do a re-set, you will at least be able to come close reconstructing everything. I made up an MS Word table that I find useful to document my settings. When I get home tonight, I will upload it in the hope that others might find it useful.

Oh yeah -- don't forget to frequently BACK-UP, BACK-UP, BACK-UP!

I'll note here that in order to do this you have to have a "KNOWN" reference point to start from to restore positions this way and FYI, mine has been dead on each time I've restored it. I use my EAST limit switch setting, which acts as a hard stop and I use that as "ZERO" or a starting point to restore positions from. For those that don't have MS Word or spread sheet software, you can do like I did and just make a satellite list using note pad or word pad and leave enough room at the beginning of each name to put the count and position number in.