Can't get mpeg 4 on a new HD receiver

[user of fta]

I just bought a Pansat 9500 so that I can receive the mpeg 1, 2 & 4 stations that are now available. The specs listed for this box states that it "supports mpeg 4". I guess that I do not know what supports is suppose to mean. It will not receive the mpeg 4 channels.

Doing a blind scan it will locate the mpeg 4 4080 frequency on SES 2. It will also show a good signal strength of all of the channels on that frequency. It will not list the call letters and it will not receive those channels.

Can someone tell me what I need to do? Is there an option to add to this box that will give me the mpeg 4 capability?

 

[FaT Air]

You failed to mention what receiver do you have?

 

[user of fta]

The complete model number is Pansat 9500 HDX

I had a different HD receiver hooked to the same equipment to see what I could get with it. I got all of the mpeg 4 channels that I am trying to get with the Pansat.

 

[Lak7]

Regarding SES2 TP 4080, when it scans in the channels, how does it list them?

 

[Mr Tony]

It will also show a good signal strength of all of the channels on that frequency. It will not list the call letters and it will not receive those channels.

good strength or good quality? strength means nothing honestly. Its quality you need. Since it did not list the actual callsign you dont have enough signal quality to bring in the channels. Sometimes the receiver will pick up enough signal quality to acknowledge that there is a signal there. But can't find all the SID info (the channels). I've seen that on my Pansats and also on the Manhattan

What kind of quality does it show on that transponder?

 

[user of fta]

CH1 CH2 CH3 CH4 and so on for every channel listed up to about CH15 if I recall correctly. I take these to be the same mpeg 4 channels since the pid info matches them to what I get with my other receiver. My other receiver lists them by the stations call letters and the direct feeds by their names that may or may not indicate what they are. I am getting a signal strength in excess of 80 and a quality at about 70 or more. It seems to read a little higher than with the SatHawk PVR800.

The only stations that I can view with the 9500 is the mpeg 2 and the DVB-S stations. LPB is a weaker signal and some others on this satellite are apparently to weak for my 6' dish. With the other box I also get some of the mpeg 4 stations on TP 3800.

I am using a DMX741 C/Ku LNBF. It's brand name is CKU if I recall correctly from Sadoun.

 

[user of fta]

The first thing that I am trying to find out is if this Pansat 9500 HDX is it supposed to receive and show the MPEG 4 stations? As I mentioned to start with; on its discription and on the list of features it states that it "supports MPEG 4". Other Pansat HD receivers lists them as being "full Compliant of MPEG 4" as well as MPEG 2 and others.

If the box is suppose to bring in the MPEG 4 and it is defective I can send it back. I picked this particular box because of a recommendation that I read on another thread that stated that it would pick up all of the HD.

 

[Lak7]

Can you try the eScapes Channel on Galaxy 16 @ 99 west?
3783 H 4849

 

[user of fta]

I do not have the dish motor wired in yet.

 

[greg harris]

Your receiver seems to be working OK and what you are seeing is normal.
A good signal is needed on these transponders in order for them to work.
Your 6ft. dish is small for a reliable signal on these transponders and the C/KU lnb you are using does not work well for a lot of people using a 6ft. or smaller dish.
Attached are a couple of pictures that show what you get with the 9500HDX when you scan with a weak signal and what you get when you scan with a good strong signal.
The channels are numbered with a weak signal, but the channels have the call signs when the signal is stronger. Notice that there is not a picture when the quality is around 70 on this transponder. GregH

 

[user of fta]

It looks like greg harris is probably right on this. The thumb nails that he is showing are just what it looks like.

All of these channels come in so well with my SatHawk PVR800. In reading on these forums I was under the impression that Pansat is suppose to be one of the best available. This Pansat will not pull in the stations as well as the least expensive SatHawk HD box. Not that I get all of them on the satellite but I do get about 38 of them on 4080 and 3800. I also get many of the same ones on the Ku side of it with the duel LNBF.

I will probably put in a additional larger dish next summer. To get more stations than what I now get with the Sathawk on that satellite would only be repetition of the same programming in most cases. Most of you are probably like I am on this. I want to get it all even if I do not want to watch it. Then there is always that chance that I might find something really good that I do not know about or expect to find.

I want to thank everyone for all of the good information.

 

[stanleyjohn]

see what pansat has to say about it!Both my solomend and azbox have no proplem with getting the mpeg4.Others here using the new manhattan also have no problem with them.I would think that the new pansat should do at least as well so maybe its a firmware issue or its defective.Note!! Check out hypermegasat! some there have the new receiver and have tested it with good results on Mpeg4!see if any of them have used it with a 6 footer.

 

[greg harris]

All of these channels come in so well with my SatHawk PVR800. In reading on these forums I was under the impression that Pansat is suppose to be one of the best available. This Pansat will not pull in the stations as well as the least expensive SatHawk HD box. Not that I get all of them on the satellite but I do get about 38 of them on 4080 and 3800. I also get many of the same ones on the Ku side of it with the duel LNBF.

You can probably get the same channels using the Pansat as you get with the Sathawk. The Pansat needs a tad bit more of a 70Q signal in order to watch these channels. Your 6ft. dish is considered marginal by many for these channels. Slight changes in the weather or the atmosphere could mean the difference of you getting these channels or not.

The PVR800 is barely getting these channels too. It is scanning about half of what is available on these two transponders. You either get these channels clearly or you do not get them. There is no in-between.

Try moving the dish. A fraction of an inch will make a difference. Same with the LNB. Moving the LNB a fraction of an inch will make a difference. Move only one thing at a time and see what effect it has. Mark everything before moving Anything so you can put it back where you had it originally if needed.

Firmware updates should not matter. The last firmware for the 9500HDX is #339 and it is available for downloading at Panarex. You may want to try this firmware if it is not in your receiver already.

Change receivers. Put the PVR800 in place of the Pansat and verify that the PVR800 is still receiving these channels. You may be surprised at what you find when you do this.

There are not any ku transponders that have these channels on the SES2 satellite at 87 West. I do not understand how you are getting these c band channels on the ku transponders. It sounds like you have something set wrong. GregH

 

[user of fta]

The rest of the story

I had contacted Pansat about this receiver at about the same time that GOsatellite (who I bought if from), referred me to them. We exchanged a few email messages about the problem. They decided, in their words, that it "seems your Pansat receiver has some tuning problems". They asked me to send it to them for warranty repairs and I did just that.

A few weeks went by and I heard nothing from them. Since we had covered about everything before I sent it in there should be no reason for them to contact me. Then after about three weeks UPS delivered it one day. I hooked it up in place of my SatHawk again. I was fearful that it would not do any better than it had in the first place. To my surprise it not only pulls in the signal very well it now seems to far exceed the SatHawk. In my opinion the SatHawk does just fine in any weather conditions.

Off of the 6 foot C-Band dish I normally have a signal strength and quality of 80/70 from 87 W with the SatHawk. With the Pansat I am now getting a steady 80/85 with all other equipment and conditions remaining the same. The previous problem before I sent it in was that the signal was very week and it would not lock onto most channels because of this weak signal.


I realize that different brands or even different models of receivers do not necessarily have the same signal strength scale. Considering the Pansat’s reception both before and after warranty repairs I am very pleased with the end results. I am also very pleased with the customer service departments of both Gosatellite and the Pansat people in California.

As far as what they actually did to repair it I do not know. Their notes on the repair sheet were just that, notes. They did not make any sense other than they had checked a box on the sheet labeled “power surge or lightening damage”. I know that there were no power surges or lightening damage during the brief time that I had it hooked up.

 

[Corrado]

Several years ago a purchased my first mpeg4-HD receiver. I made the mistake of getting the Pansat 9200HD. I gave up on it and purchased a gently used Diamond that I use daily.

The Pansat ran extremely hot, locked up often, was not PVR capable (without an internal circuit board modification as being an early model), my TV remote interferes with it, cannot decode DVB-S2 without an expensive add in board and cost too much. It would also duplicate TPs and channels found during a smart scan if connected through a switch which I never had another receiver do. It will also delete manually entered PID channels such as the CW Nets on 91W and default whatever the last scanned one as Cha-A, unless using the channel editor program to set them up.

I have a Pansat 2700A as does my Dad that work great. But I would never buy another high end Pansat product because of my past experience. When the day finally comes I will get the new Geosatpro. Until then, my Diamond is still the best I have ever used.