DSR 922 and vertical channels

[Desertnight]

In order to watch the vertical channels scanned in on my SV360 Elite, I have to leave my DSR922 "ON" to have any signal or picture.

I have no problem with the Horizontals. The 922 can be off.

I just hate having to burn the extra electricity by leaving the 922 "ON".

Do any of ya'll have the same problem? What were you able to do about it?

Or what may be causing the problem? Or is there a problem?

 

[Mr Tony]

Some receivers default the LNB to the horizontal side. From your signature you have an older LNB that the 922 must control skew. My mind is kinda foggy but when I had a LNB like that hooked up to the analog receiver it would default to H polarity when off.

I noticed on the voltage controlled LNB's (LNBF) its defaulted to Horizontal. I hooked up an analog receiver to an output once and only got H side. To get V I had to slave it.

I dont think there is a problem. I think its just the way those receivers were made to control the LNB polarity.

 

[tvropro]

I just hate having to burn the extra electricity by leaving the 922 "ON".

The 922 is on no matter what. All your doing is changing the display to the clock. From what I heard from people using a KILLOWATT meter it draws exactly the same on or off.

 

[Inno]

The 922 is on no matter what. All your doing is changing the display to the clock. From what I heard from people using a KILLOWATT meter it draws exactly the same on or off.

I can confirm this, I have been doing my own "energy audit" around my home and I can confirm that 1. it will consume the same amount of power when off than it does when it's on and 2. a whole shelf full of electronics (9 pieces in my home theater) do not draw much power at any time, even when fully cranked with a good movie on.
I have my notebook at home with current draws for the equipment but I am at work. If you would like I can post further info.......

I have similar problems with my DSR905, if I do not have the 905 slaved off of my Pansat to control the polarity of the LNBF, it will cut in and out on the V channels. I think maybe the combination of a long cable run and one coupler (inside) is to blame. I haven't got around to fixing it up yet but I can make it work the way it is.

 

[Corrado]

I think the 4DTV power consumption is much less than the cost of replacing the equipment when the onboard battery dies.

I checked the battery in an old GI box I had in the closet one time. It hadn't been used in years. When it was later plugged in for awhile after testing it was a bit higher. Although, I've never seen it officially documented, I think it helps keep the battery life up.

 

[tvropro]

I think the 4DTV power consumption is much less than the cost of replacing the equipment when the onboard battery dies.

I checked the battery in an old GI box I had in the closet one time. It hadn't been used in years. When it was later plugged in for awhile after testing it was a bit higher. Although, I've never seen it officially documented, I think it helps keep the battery life up.

From what I know the 4dtv's master seed key/data ram eprom (XC42006-006 I believe) while plugged in runs off the power supply. When unplugged it reverts to the lithium battery. Leaving it plugged in is a good thing.

 

[ParaclipseCKu]

TVROPRO,

That's good to know. I still have my backup receiver (920) plugged and have been thinking about getting its battery changed soon. Just have to hope we don't have a prolonged power outage in the meantime!

 

[Desertnight]

Thanks Iceberg and Inno addressing the question about the vertical channels not coming in. But are there any other reasons that could cause the 922 having to be on for the vertical channels?

So...maybe the lnb is not strong enough to pull in a continuous signal for the 922?

The electrical consumption responses were all very informative, also.

I have been also told that the 922 is on even though it is turned off.

Thanks.

 

[Inno]

So if I am understanding you correctly in order to watch any vertical channel on the Sonicview the 922 must be on and tuned to a vertical channel. Is this correct?

I downloaded the manual for the Sonicview and noticed that it does not have connections to control a polarity servo (which is what you likely have if you are using a Chaparral feedhorn right?) so the 922 would have to control the servo in order for the Sonicview to see the vertical transponders. In other words, the Sonicview does not have control over the polarity of your feedhorn. One way around this would be an LNBF which is simply voltage controlled through the coax, the Sonicview would be able to do that.

If I am incorrect about you having a polarity servo (little blue box with 3 wires red, black, white). If that is not what you have let me know what you do have.

 

[Desertnight]

Yes, to both questions, Inno.

I have to have the 922 "on" and tuned to a vertical channel for the vertical channel reception. I also have the little blue servo box with the three wires.

Yeah, the SV360 does not have the connections to control the polarity. That is why the 922 is used. I forgot to mention that I am also using a high frequency splitter with the power pass to the 922, IIRC, without having to go to the living room and look.

Also, what is weird now is I re-blind scanned a couple of the satellites for vertical channels (with the 922 on, of course) and found that if the SV360 blind scanned (let's say for instance that odd numbers are vertical) channel 3 on the 922, a few vertical channels scanned in. I saved those channels. Now, I blind scanned channel 5 on the 922---some of the same channels show up again plus one or two more NEW channels on the SV360. I save those for the heck of it. Then I blind scanned channel 11, some of the same channels show up again, some of the previous saved channels do not and then one or two more NEW channels show up. I save the channels again.

I chose the channels I want to save and eliminate the duplicates. If I view those channels from all the different vertical channels I scanned, I do not have to be particular which vertical channel I chose on the 922 to see the channels saved on the SV360.

I always thought that the SV360 blind scan was really good. It's just weird how this situation is working. I don't understand the why behind it or what is going on. But....

 

[Inno]

I find that I have some strange problems with my setup because I have multiple satellites connected to multiple receivers with only a single coax from the "dish farm" into the house.
I think I need to upgrade my cabling..........gonna get me a backhoe and bury some serious wiring!!

I guess bottom line is, as long as you can make it work and get what you want with it, then it's all good.