Can low signal strength really slow down DVR functions and OTA channel change?

[J_Smooth]

Quick question. My Hopper 3 has been very slow lately in changing channels or skipping forward/back. It takes about 3 seconds to complete any action, with a black screen in between. I called in to customer service today, and the agent was convinced it was because I had a very low signal on 72 (38). So they're sending a tech next week to fix that. But I'm getting slow response in changing from one OTA channel to another, as well as on recorded DVR programs. This would seem to have nothing to do with signal strength. Thoughts by the pros out there?

 

[thomasjk]

Pull the plug and after 30 sec. plug it in and let it reboot. Corrects a lot of issues.

 

[J_Smooth]

Pull the plug and after 30 sec. plug it in and let it reboot. Corrects a lot of issues.

Did that, no improvement.

 

[thomasjk]

Did that, no improvement.

You may have a bad Hopper. The tech visit should be able to sort that out.

 

[J_Smooth]

That's what it seems like. I'm sure they can also improve the signal strength- the dish hasn't been touched in about six years, so it may be out of alignment.

 

[Tampa8]

Quick question. My Hopper 3 has been very slow lately in changing channels or skipping forward/back. It takes about 3 seconds to complete any action, with a black screen in between. I called in to customer service today, and the agent was convinced it was because I had a very low signal on 72 (38). So they're sending a tech next week to fix that. But I'm getting slow response in changing from one OTA channel to another, as well as on recorded DVR programs. This would seem to have nothing to do with signal strength. Thoughts by the pros out there?

Not impossible. At least for changing channels it could make the receiver take longer to lock onto the signal or change satellites.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Not impossible. At least for changing channels it could make the receiver take longer to lock onto the signal or change satellites.

Sounds like you could have either a failing LNB or the dish has been knocked out of alignment or both. But when he comes, the tech should check all of this and correct it if that is the problem.

 

[J_Smooth]

Just to close the loop on this one. Tech came out, some corrosion on the LNB, which he replaced. Took signal strength to 53 from 39. Hopper 3 is fine, no issues. Slow response time on the channel change/skip forward/back function is solely related to the Hopper Plus addition. Just need a software update to fix that.