DIsh Network Remote Control Issues..PLEASE HELP!

[jhopp]

Hello, I am new to this site and really in need of some help with my dish network remotes. I just upgraded to the VIP722 DVR box. Ever since Dish Network upgraded it the picture quality on the second TV was fuzzy and not all that great. So after numerous Dish Network techs, I decided to add a signal amplifier to see if that increased the picture quality. So after installing the signal amplifier the picture quality is 100% better and crystal clear but the second remote controll no longer works. It will control the TV channels and volume but nothing on the Satellite. As soon as I disconnect the cable from the signal amplifier the remote will work again. I have tried adding a attenuator in case of any UHF interference but that did not help. I also have moved the attenna to the second TV but still does not work when connected through the signal amplifier. I have also tried turning down the gain all the way on the signal amplifier with no luck. I really want to keep signal amplifier in place as the picture quality with it is so much better. Any help would greatly be appriciated. Thanks.

 

[Bob Haller]

How long is the coax run? To the second TV?

In normal cases you shouldnt need a amplifier.

If I were you I would get the installer to return to fix it.

 

[Bob Haller]

If you backfeeding the old cable system in your home be certasin the tech disconnected the cable entering your home from the street.

Sometimes its still powered and that can cause interference.

 

[jhopp]

It is a brand new home and I did all the coax runs myself. It is not long at all and I have no problems recieving HD over the air channels and they come in crystal clear. I have had 3 diffrent techs come out about the picture quality and evey one of them tells me that it is the second tv and it will only run in 720p so it may be a bit fuzzy. They tried blaming the TV but it is a brand new Samsung flat panel, so I told them impossible! If I could just get the remote to work with the amplifier all my problems would be solved.

 

[djsegura]

Try a different tv out channel I had the same issue with a fuzzy pic go into the setup and modulator setup and change the tv2 output channel I ended up trying a few before I found one that worked. But like was said before you should not have to use a amp and that is what is causing your remote problems.

 

[makman]

It is a brand new home and I did all the coax runs myself. It is not long at all and I have no problems recieving HD over the air channels and they come in crystal clear. I have had 3 diffrent techs come out about the picture quality and evey one of them tells me that it is the second tv and it will only run in 720p so it may be a bit fuzzy. They tried blaming the TV but it is a brand new Samsung flat panel, so I told them impossible! If I could just get the remote to work with the amplifier all my problems would be solved.

The second TV is SD, not HD.

Mitch

 

[daveg]

You shouldn’t have to use amplifier; if the cable run is less than 80ft. something else is wrong and the amplifier is just covering it up. The cable run may be the culprit. I have found that when multiple techs have looked at an issue it usually ends up being a line issue.

The tv2 run is an analog signal. An imperfection in the cable could cause a noticeable effect in picture quality. Off air HD signals are digital so an imperfection in the cable might not cause a noticeable effect in picture quality.

You could test this by running a new cable from the receiver down the hall to tv2. If you get a satisfactory picture you know the issue is something you bypassed (diplexer, cable splitter, fitting or cable). If it still looks bad it is a problem with the TV or receiver.

or

Did the tech use a cable splitter to combine the tv2 output with the remote antenna input behind the receiver? Sometimes a tech does this if they are having a problem with box receiving the tv2 remote commands. At the other end of the line (at TV2) there would be a second splitter with an antenna on one side and a cable running to the TV on the other. If this is the case the antenna might allow interference into the line and a booster might block the remote commands from returning to the box. Changing the output channel (as djsegura suggested) or the cable/off-air channel settings may clear this up.

 

[jhopp]

After many of you suggested it could be the cable run I tried two diffrent things last night. First I switched it downstairs from the bedroom TV to our kitchen TV so that gave me a new cable run and also a dffirent TV. The picture quality was about the same. I also did what (daveg) suggested in running a cable directly from the reciever to the bedroom and again the picture quality the same. The Dish Network tech did as (daveg) described and put a splitter on the back of the reciver in the antenna spot and also another splitter behind TV 2 with one going into the TV and the other having the attenna screwed onto it. I messed with changing the output channels some and it seems that may have helped a little but nothing compared to when I had the amplifier connected to it. So there is no way to get the remote to work with it connected to the signal amplifier?

 

[djsegura]

So another thing you can try since they used the splitter for the remote antenna is you could just remove the splitter and place the remote antenna back on the reciever instead of having it at the 2nd tv this way when using the amp it should not impact that. Also then you would just have the coax from the reciever to tv2. Depending on your house layout and distance from tv2 to the receiver you may not even need the splitter for the remote to work they do that when there is a problem with the range on the remote for tv2 so maybe they just did it without trying it first just to be safe. Good luck

 

[Lord_Vader]

Could you put the amplifier between the tv and the splitter? ( so the antenna is on the same segment as the receiver )

If not, you may need a bi-directional amplifier.

 

[daveg]

OK, if amplifier is going to stay in you need to get the remote antenna off the TV2 line. Have you tried removing the splitters and the antenna connections on the TV2 line and hooking the antenna directly to the receiver box?
If that fixes it great, if not you can do a couple of tests to see why the remote isn’t responding. Stand at the receiver and use the TV2 remote to power on and off the second tuner if the box is getting the signal the blue light on the receiver will turn on and off. If this works it the issue is probably a RF interference or distance issue.
If RF interference is the issue, you changing the channel that the remote operates on. To do this push the sys info button on the front of the receiver. The system info screen will come up on TV1. Press and hold the “sat” button on the TV2 remote till all the lights at the top of the remote come on. Enter the channel you want to change it too (1-12) and press the # button the sat light will flash 3 times, and then press the record button. If done correctly the “Rem Addr” number in box j will change to the channel you entered. If something else in the area was interfering with the remote, this might solve your problem.
Or
If distance is the issue, you can use that test line you had as an antenna extension. Hook one end of the line to the receiver antenna input and put the antenna on the other end; run the line down the hall and see if the remote works. If this works, see how far away the antenna can be from TV2 while still functioning properly. You may just need and extension to get the antenna out of an entertainment center or you may need to run a line closer to TV2 through the basement or attic or some other method.
Hope this helps.

 

[jhopp]

Ok, the reason the antenna is on the second TV is because there is some kind of interference that causes the TV2 remote not to work when it is connected to the receiver. I will try changing the channel the remote runs off of but last time I did this the remote would get the channel change but the box would stay on 8 and never pick up the change. I know the remote got the change as I did the test and counted the number of times the SAT light flashed. The receiver box is in an entertainment center and I have tried moving it out with no luck in getting the remote to work in the bedroom. I don't think it is distance as the bedroom is only maybe 500 feet away. With the antenna connected to the receiver I can turn the second tuner on and off standing in front of it and usually will work till I get about 20-30 feet away. Can it be something in my house causing the interference? My main TV is a Mitsubishi and I heard they can cause interference. The only other items that I have that I thought could be causing some kind of interference are baby monitor, security camera ( not wireless, hooked up through RG6 cable) and a Verizon MiFi router.

 

[Lord_Vader]

I don't think it is distance as the bedroom is only maybe 500 feet away.

500 feet? Are you in a mansion or something? lol

Are you using splitters and backfeeding the antenna to another room?

 

[daveg]

Something in or around your home is interfering with the signal. Is running a cable from the receiver to the TV2 location possible? By what you are describing that should resolve the issue. The coax will shield out the interference and with the antenna attached to the end it will be like the receiver is in the same room as the TV.

 

[daveg]

I will try changing the channel the remote runs off of but last time I did this the remote would get the channel change but the box would stay on 8 and never pick up the change. I know the remote got the change as I did the test and counted the number of times the SAT light flashed.

Did you press the record button after the lights flashed? This should be done at the reciever while the sys info screen is up and the antenna is connected directly to the box. Pressing the record button sends the changes to the box.

 

[jhopp]

I am going to go home and try changing the channel the remote is on again. See if I have any luck with that. I probably can run a cable from the receiver to the bedroom but want to use that as a last resort. I purchased an attenuator and added it to the back of the receiver with the antenna with no luck. That was a long shot but thought it would block out any interference.

 

[jhopp]

So I went home last night and tried to change the channel the remote runs on and did not have any luck. Once again the remote got the change but the receiver never picked up the new channel. So just for kicks I tried doing it with the 1st remote and the remote and the receiver picked up the new channel. So not sure what is going on.