DIRT: help with bad LNB drift

[David_R]

I'm hoping that someone from DIRT could help me out with a problem, while saving everyone the trouble of a service call.

Problem description:
My ViP 722 is saying 61.5 has LNB drift on 61.5 (e -13). A few days ago it instead showed LNB drift on 72.7, I think it was (o +14), but I'm only positive about the 14 part, and I've only seen that once so far.

Symptoms:
I've had a lot of signal loss and breakup issues recently, both on channels from 72.7 and 61.5, and they've been getting progressively more common in the last few weeks.
A few months ago I started having issues recording from OTA, but I could watch OTA live fine as long as I wasn't recording anything concurrently. I wouldn't think that's caused by LNB drift, but I thought I'd throw it out there.
Also, I've recently started having instances where the 722 is very unresponsive, taking seconds to catch up to remote commands. Again, not sure if this is related to the LNB drift, but it seems to have started around the same time I started noticing the signal issues.

Hardware:
ViP 722 (note: not 722K). Dish 500 with DPP twin picking up just 72.7 (used to be for 110/119, tech just swung it around for EA), and a Dish 500 with a DPP-single. The DPP-single's output is hooked into the DPP-twin's input as normal. Both outputs from the DPP-twin go straight to the 722, no switches, diplexers, or separaters.

Request:
My understanding is that for LNB drift, the first course of action is to replace the LNB. Replacing LNBs and repeaking is soething I'm perfectly capable of doing, and I'd much prefer to do it myself. Waiting around for a tech to come is a giant inconvenience for me, and I'm sure a large cost for Dish. Would it be possible for the LNBs to just be shipped to me? I'd be happy to ship the old ones back.

Note, since I once saw it report 72.7 as having bad drift as well, that the DPP-twin needs to be replaced as well as the DPP-single. I'm guessing that the 722 only reports whichever reads worse at the time? Further clarification on that is welcome.

Any suggestions on ways to verify it is indeed the LNBs that're the problem (rather than something else) would also be appreciated. Of course if there's any other info I can provide, just let me know.

Thanks,
-- Dave

 

[hudgreen]

the ideal EA setup would be a 100.4 dish

 

[ZachS@DISH]

Would it be possible for the LNBs to just be shipped to me? I'd be happy to ship the old ones back.

We no longer are able to ship replacement LNB's. As hudgreen said, the best setup would be a 1k.4 dish and LNB.

 

[isaacmorseMI]

The tech visit should be free though... Since in Dish's system you would show as a mixed arc setup.

 

[David_R]

The tech visit should be free though... Since in Dish's system you would show as a mixed arc setup.

Technically it's not a mixed arc setup anymore, but it is still two dishes, and I don't get 77. In any event, it's not the cost that's the issue for me, it's more the time invested in me waiting around for a tech to arrive, followed by watching them do their work. All the techs I've dealt with have been nice professional folks, but it's still rather inconvenient to rearrange my schedule to be available whenever the appointment is scheduled for.

We no longer are able to ship replacement LNB's. As hudgreen said, the best setup would be a 1k.4 dish and LNB.

Thanks for the info. Seems odd that Dish would rather replace a whole dish+LNB vs just LNBs, unless they no longer approved of the split-dish setup. Considering a Dish tech did that repoint (instead of installing a 1000.4) just a year ago, that'd be a quick change of heart.
Anyways, in that case, would it be possible to just a 1000.4 shipped straight to me? When I moved many years ago, I re-installed my system myself, and so I have no problem swapping out the dishes as well. It'll just take a bit longer.

BTW, I recall seeing something about a smaller dish with just 72.7 and 61.5 on it for markets like mine that don't need 77. Is that not available yet? Smaller dish would be less of a windsail, and considering the wind gusts we've had this year, that might be a good thing.


Thanks,
-- Dave

 

[dwarren2]

Dish is real good on scheduling. Techs work 7 days a week. So you can schedule a Sat or Sun visit. Do it in advance and scheduled for early morning and they will be there on time.

 

[gtal98]

.... but it's still rather inconvenient to rearrange my schedule to be available whenever the appointment is scheduled for.

I don't understand this sentiment. Schedule the appointment for when it is convenient for you. Techs work 7 days a week, even holidays. Just be aware that they can arrive at any time in the 4 or 5 hour AM/PM window you are given.

 

[rexlan]

eBay ... buy the LNB's no problem. But as others say, put up the new equipment and scheduling really is a non-issue if you do it right and will likely take a lot less time than having Dish do it.

 

[David_R]

I didn't really intend for this thread to go off into why I prefer to do things myself rather than have a tech come out. I'll be happy to explain in a separate thread, or once my issue is resolved, but I don't want to derail this thread.

Speaking of which, my hope is that someone from DIRT can chime in again and clarify what my options are. I understand Dish would default to sending a tech out to swap me for a 1000.4, but I'd like to explore what other choices I have.

Also, I'm wondering if the real (or additional?) problem might be my 722 going south. The frequency of breakups on recorded or delayed programming is very high at this point (every few minutes). Interestingly I don't get them often when I'm watching live. I do sometimes get complete signal loss live, however. A receiver reboot tends to fix that for awhile. Could severe LNB drift be inciting such behavior? Or should I be hurriedly getting an EHD to backup all my recorded programming before it completely dies?
Or perhaps I should be double checking all the connections? Any thoughts as to whether that's a possible cause?

BTW, I did get 72(e -14) again yesterday, so that wasn't just a fluke.

Thanks,
-- Dave

 

[bnewt]

I was getting the lnb drift message, but it turned out to be the receiver

 

[hudgreen]

I have seen where a bad wire or connector has fooled the receiver into detecting lnb drift.
My first move would be to try a new lnb and then go from there

 

[Mike88]

Long story short -
I'm on the EA and have always had all 3 sats show Green when checking the system info in Menu>6>1>3.

I don't always check this info because I have no need to. About 2 weeks ago I looked & 61.5 had a Red "X". The next day it was Green, or at least that's what I recall. I dismissed the Red "X" as a possible rain issue somewhere, but not by me.

The 722k DVR was swapped for a new one for a different problem. But System Info kept showing a Yellow 61.5.

Dish came out & checked & now 61.5 was Red. The tech swapped the LNB & slightly adjusted the Dish. Again got a Yellow 61.5. He ran a Check Switch & pulled the plug a couple times. We checked many times but always get either a Yellow or Red for 61.5. The 77 and 72 are always Green.

The tech said everything is good & it may take a while for 61.5 to reset to Green. He called his manager & no one has an explanation why I cannot get a Green indicator for 61.5. The DVR is new, the LNB is new, and the coax was all replaced less than a year ago. Again I always used to get all Green on all 3 sats.

I don't have a problem receiving any channels, at least the ones I tried. Looking at a chart it appears my local major networks are on a 61.5 spotbeam and they come in just fine. However when I look at Menu>6>1>1 and the transponder signal strength, it does a while (30-40 seconds) for some of these to show a SS at which time the "Transponder" heading changes to "Spotbeam". Maybe that's normal in order to get a Spotbeam SS reading. I don't know. But my locals tune in immediately.

Any suggestions? Anything is possible but what are the odds that the new LNB is defective?
Or could some spotbeams for adjacent markets be getting picked up as weak signals & giving me the Yellow/Red signal loss reading?