Dish Network lost focus with my television set.

[KON]

The house I live in has Dish, and the set up is kind of complicated. We have two receiver boxes controlling 3 TV's in the house, and all 3 are independent of each other. I believe my television is connected to DVR2.

My desktop PC has a TV tuner, and a friend of mine in Canada requested I DVR a show for him and digitally send him a copy. I DVR'd the show and decided to plug the Dish Network coaxial into a splitter, plug that into the TV and then set my computer to channel 60 (the proper station for the signal) assuming whatever I had on the TV on channel 60 would transpose to the computer and I could record his show and send him a DVD.

Apparently the cable didn't like being unplugged because when I plugged it into the splitter it lost its signal, which I figured was no big deal and that I'd simply be unable to send my friend his show. At least I tried. When I plugged the coaxial cable back into my television the snowscreen didn't go away, and every channel is the same static. (I made sure the TV was off when plugging and unplugging cables.)

I can do nothing with the Dish Network remote control except turn my TV on and off, change the TV's channels, or change the A/V input source. The Dish Network remote is basically useless in this scenario because it only covers the same functions as the original remote that came with my television.

I personally don't really care that the signal is dead because I don't watch much TV as it is, but it IS a little aggravating, especially whenever I have company over and they can't watch TV. Is there an easy way to fix this or did I basically ruin something important? I'd like to see if there's an easy fix before I get on the phone with Dish Support.

 

[KAB]

I'd say bad connector or cable. Troubleshoot around that. Also make sure you did not plug it back into the UHF coax.

 

[KON]

That can't possibly be the issue because the coax in question is the same one that was previously plugged into the TV not 5 minutes before I tried to plug the splitter in. It's also the coax coming out of the wall so there's absolutely no way I can try a different cable even if I wanted to.

 

[KAB]

All bad connectors and cables in the world worked five minutes before they went bad. Again, do whatever you have to do to troubleshoot before calling Dish and probably waste yours and their time. Being 90% sure there is nothing wrong with you reciever...something else happened. Try another splitter AND ESPECIALLY the cable from receiver to splitter. Righty-Tighty.

 

[SaltiDawg]

That can't possibly be the issue because the coax in question is the same one that was previously plugged into the TV not 5 minutes before I tried to plug the splitter in. ...

As suggested, of course the cable could be (and likely is) the issue. It is likely that you twisted or otherwise mechanically damaged something.

As far as trying another cable, how large is your TV? Can you carry the TV to the location of the receiver? How far away from the TV is the receiver? Next room? Can you borrow an piece of coax that is long enough?

If neither of those approaches will work, take a piece of coax and run it from your TV 2 Out of the receiver and connect it to the antenna port of TC1 and determine if the TV 2 Coax Our is working.

It never fails to amaze me when people ask for help and then tell the p[oster trying to help that his/her suggestion "can't possibly be the issue.

 

[KON]

Working with media is my job, I am never intentionally rough with any equipment whether it's a set of expensive fiber optics or something as insignificant as a 50 cent coaxial cable - there is the possibility that something is awry in the cable, yes, but I am doubtful of that. I didn't rip it from the back of the television or anything.

I wasn't purposefully trying to be rude to the poster, but from a technical standpoint I gave things a glancing over and they are sound -- and that's about the extent of what I know how to troubleshoot. I'm under the impression that perhaps there's some kind of Menu function that needs to be run or changed to refocus the television because I know NOTHING about how the Dish setup works menu-wise.

The TV itself is about 32" and is heavy. Very heavy, and on the second floor (the TV1 box is on the first floor). Technically it's only about 10-15 feet away from the receiver but there's a good amount of literal "walking feet" between it and the receiver unfortunately. Save for punching more holes in the wall or floor there's no convenient way for me to test it with a direct-to-box connection.

Prior to me fooling with the splitter it was a direct connection from the coax coming out of the wall, and that's what it is now. There's no splitters plugged into anything or any other obstructions between the coax and the television.

edit: I've gone and inspected the cable since this posting because it's really the last possible thing that I can think of and it looks like when Dish set up our service they replaced my former coax cable with a new one, or did something to the existing one because this one isn't mine or the one I used when we had cable TV. The connector isn't the same, there's a small gold crimp ring around it (mine had a crimp ring too but after it was crimped on I wrapped the end in electrical tape to ensure it would stay -- mine also had a "blockier" screw-in terminal) and upon further inspection it's loose. And it came off without much fooling around. Wonderful.

edit2: I mean, the entire end of it came apart once I fooled with the dud crimp, screw-in connector and all.

 

[KAB]

Working with media is my job, I am never intentionally rough with any equipment whether it's a set of expensive fiber optics or something as insignificant as a 50 cent coaxial cable - there is the possibility that something is awry in the cable, yes, but I am doubtful of that. I didn't rip it from the back of the television or anything.

I wasn't purposefully trying to be rude to the poster, but from a technical standpoint I gave things a glancing over and they are sound -- and that's about the extent of what I know how to troubleshoot. I'm under the impression that perhaps there's some kind of Menu function that needs to be run or changed to refocus the television because I know NOTHING about how the Dish setup works menu-wise.

The TV itself is about 32" and is heavy. Very heavy, and on the second floor (the TV1 box is on the first floor). Technically it's only about 10-15 feet away from the receiver but there's a good amount of literal "walking feet" between it and the receiver unfortunately. Save for punching more holes in the wall or floor there's no convenient way for me to test it with a direct-to-box connection.

Prior to me fooling with the splitter it was a direct connection from the coax coming out of the wall, and that's what it is now. There's no splitters plugged into anything or any other obstructions between the coax and the television.

edit: I've gone and inspected the cable since this posting because it's really the last possible thing that I can think of and it looks like when Dish set up our service they replaced my former coax cable with a new one, or did something to the existing one because this one isn't mine or the one I used when we had cable TV. The connector isn't the same, there's a small gold crimp ring around it (mine had a crimp ring too but after it was crimped on I wrapped the end in electrical tape to ensure it would stay) and upon further inspection it's loose. And it came off without much fooling around. Wonderful.

There a lot I would like to say. But since you're new (albiet not gracefully), I won't.

 

[KON]

There a lot to comment about. But I won't. (Hint: First sentence)

Right, well, it looks like I inadvertently mentioned a magic trollword or something. I'll just go get my Neanderthal tool box of stuff and bang a couple of rocks together until it works.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

So it was a wire?
Last I checked Directv and Dish Network installers only use compression fittings.:up
So not sure I follow your electrical tape explanation.
Sounds home owner induced.

 

[JamesJ]

Closed per op request

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Original poster reports that the problem is fixed and requested I close this thread... so I am honoring his request.