Dish 522 Reception Problem - Sat 119

[Manu Narayan]

Hey everyone. I've been using dishnetwork for about 3 years, 9 months at this one location, no problems to date...until a few weeks ago.

I noticed that some channels would come in 'garbled' and some DVR events were getting dropped, saying something about signal loss. I am not home that often and do not rabidly watch TV, so it wasn't a huge concern. I assumed it was a temporary network glitch. However, its been persistent, and today, being a day off, I decided to investigate further. I did a reset on my box. No luck.

I called up Dishnetwork. they had me do a reset on the box. They had me check the cables, and then go into the menu > system setup > point dish. (they checked my software version also) I guess My sat 119 is only getting 44 signal, which she said was low.

She then had me do a check switch, the results as follows:
Sat Input 1:
Port 1 Sat 119 (red ex)
Port 2 Sat 110 (ok)

sat Input 2
Port 1 Sat 119 (red ex)
Port 2 Sat 110 (ok)

Device says twin all across.
Satus says reception error
Switch is DP Twin

if I go to details, I get:
Sat Input 1
LNB status: Direct Connect to a DP-Twin.
DP Twin -0 119 odd 110 even, odd

sat Input 2
LNB status: Direct Connect to a DP-Twin
DP-Twin-0 119, Odd 110 Even, Odd

I also went up to the roof of my apartment, I saw no new foiliage. Its sunny california, so the weather is not an issue, there was no apparent damage to the dish. The dish is mounted pretty well, no wobble or shakes in it, so I don't think it is an issue of it moving...

Looking under details under System Indo, I see that I have numerous lost signal error messages...

Dishnetwork said they can send someone out for 99 dollars. To me that is ridiculous. I've not change anything. I've not tried to alter anything. There is no user caused damage. The equipment is their own, as I am leasing it, and they want me to pay for a service call?

Ultimately, I may need to do that, but I would rather try to fix it myself or I may pay a contract termination fee and move to adelphia cable. I hate adelphia also, but they are running great promos on digital cable right now, and it is partly a matter of principle.

If you guys have any ideas, that would be great...

PS...I am technology savvy, I work in IT, but I do not know much about the sat. world, so, please explain abbreviations and such...

 

[motoshane]

Experiencing the same

I have been experiencing the same for the last week. Tuner 1 consistently experiences drops. Switch test shows trouble with one side. I have a contract for local service, and they have checked all cabling, and replaced the diplexers and satellite splitter. I have reset the tuner many times. I have a single dish, and a 322 as a second tuner. It has no troubles. I have even swapped the satellite coax inputs into the receive diplexers between the 2 receivers, and still the same problem. Every time I reset the tuner, it starts dropping the signal on tuner 1 within 10-15 min every time after startup. I suspect a software push is causing the trouble, especially now that I have found someone experiencing the same trouble as me. The only thing I have left is for the service/installing company to replace the receiver (which they have no trouble doing, but I don't want to lose some recordings), but I'm also afraid that the new tuner will also have the same problem, if it has the same software version.

Good luck, and I plan on posting a fix action on this when I get it resolved.

 

[yooper.mi]

Try taking all connection apart from dish to receiver and check center wire for corrosion also check connectors, make sure you can't twist them on the wire or pull them off. 95% of the trouble is in those connections.

 

[boba]

For $5.99 you can buy a DHPP service contract that will reduce you service call to $29.99 after the problem is cured drop the DHPP. Should be cheaper than a $99 service call.

 

[Manu Narayan]

Thanks for all the words everyone.

My Dishnetwork rep did mention the 5.99 + 29.99 option, which was nice of her, but that just seems so sketchy to me. It is like they are locking me in to paying regular maint.

What is the DHPP?

I verified no real kinks in the cables and the connections...those seem fine.

 

[motoshane]

I have a contract for local service rep who installed the system. he came out yesterday and check all connections, redid connections and even replaced some coax. I just spoke with a neighbor today who is having the same exact trouble. This may be only a few 522's that are having the trouble, but I feel that there are likely a lot more people out there having the same trouble. There is nothing wrong with the dish/switch/coax/splitters/diplexers. All have been thoroughly checked and/or replaced. My only option now is tomorrow to have the local rep replace the receiver.

 

[Manu Narayan]

Motoshane-

Thanks for the update. I am going to call my local service rep, see what he can do for me. Do keep me posted. It came up so randomly, I too thought it was a software issue.

Will let you know if I find anything else...

 

[motoshane]

I called e*/dish, told them all my symptoms and everything I and my local service rep has tried to do to isolate the problem. I was adamant that it was a software issue. The tech support rep went to his manager, came back and said they recognize there is software issue with the latest version L239. He says they are working on it now, and that the 522 has the problem but not the 625. I asked if I could trade mine for the 625. He said they will not trade them for now, but to call back in a month, they plan on doing it then if they can't work out the software bug with the 522. They also can't roll back the software version of the 522. So they are going to let us deal with no signal on the 522 for a month before they will consider doing something about it. I'm going to let my local service rep know, and see if he'll give me a 625. If not, e*/dish will not be happy with me.

 

[Manu Narayan]

Thanks for the heads up, going to talk to a local retailer today, will let you know what I find.

 

[motoshane]

Called E* again, they will be doing a software push on Thurs. Good luck

 

[Manu Narayan]

Called E* again, they will be doing a software push on Thurs. Good luck

Thanks, I am going to call my rep again, make sure there's nothing on their end they can do, otherwise, here's to a thursday update...

 

[Manu Narayan]

Thanks, I am going to call my rep again, make sure there's nothing on their end they can do, otherwise, here's to a thursday update...

Well I called DishNetwork again, they still say it is a hardware issue, still want to charge me for a technician, I mentioned someone had said online a potential software fix, and they said nothing of the sort.

They then were transfering me to a next tier support and hung up...

What is an LMBF? that is what he thinks is 'broken.'

 

[SimpleSimon]

Welcome to CSR roulette.

Even the "advanced" techs know less than the average high-count poster around here.

I've seen this problem myself, and also lean to it being a software issue.

First thing to try is to swap the 2 satellite feed cables at the back of the receiver.

If the problem moves to the other tuner, then you have a hardware problem "outside" of the receiver. If the problem stays on the original tuner, then the problem is in the receiver - leaving the software vs. hardware question open.

 

[Manu Narayan]

Thanks for the advice, will give that a run, see what happens.

Though, I believe I am having an identical problem on both tuners, looking at the errors I posted...

I am leaning towards waiting until Thursday for what motoshane quoted as a possible fix, and if not, just biting the bullet, and spending the 40 bucks to have a tech come out.

 

[cmoen3306]

Got the L239 update on the 522. Now we have No signal on Tuner2. Swapped the Sat cables on the back of the receiver. Still get No Signal on Tuner2. Spoke to Dish CSR. They believe it is bad Cable. They want to send out a tech. Plus they cannot get anyone here in North Eastern Wisconsin until July 5th. Nice. At least Cable gets someone here the day you call. Apparently there isnt enough techs in the area here. I don't think its a cable issue. I believe the Tunner 2 receiver died or the Software update killed it.

Now Im going to wait until Thurs update to L250 to see if this fixes it. I guess I will now turn off the Auto Upgrade function.

 

[Manu Narayan]

Yeah, here's to waiting thursday or spending 40 dollars for them to fix it.

Yay.

 

[Manu Narayan]

I didn't get an update

 

[Manu Narayan]

Getting a service. Probably a repair I could do, but they are crediting me for 2 weeks, which is the cost.

 

[rowemance]

Well it is one of 2 things Your LNBF ibad or TREES your wire should be fine since you have a TWIN your using the same wire. The age of your install it could be your Dish Pro Twin LNBF they had a defective model # CCS9601 that they have recalled in 2003 that were installed in 2002 and 2003. I just had to replace one a month ago for a customer it just went bad after all this time. I have had to replace about 20 of these since 2003. if you can get to your dish its on the silver plate. Good Luck

 

[Manu Narayan]

Looks like it was positioning, when the tech came out. He said it was either the LNB or positioning, tried to just futz with position, and that shot signal from 40 to 93.

It was/is mounted, no crazy weather, not sure how it moved...

Thanks for all the help guys.