Ex-Voomer Question on HD PQ

[lmtorres]

Hi Everyone,

I'm one of the Voom folks that recently came over to Dish. I had the install last week (got the 942) and still had the OTA from Voom (Channel Master, I believe). I actually find the SD quality better than what I had on Voom, but not the HD quality. If I go to HBOHD, SHOHD or other satellite channels the quality is better than SD, but not as clear as what I had with Voom. I'd actually have to say that the quality falls between the two (HD and SD).

I checked my settings and the installer had left me set to 480i so I changed it to 1080i which gave a little improvement. BTW, I'm have a rear projection (non-widescreen) Toshiba that is well calibrated and coverged.

The real surprise is my OTA reception. Although I have 100% strength on most of my channels (NBC, CBS, ABC) and they are all HD in my area (Miami-Ft. Lauderdale) they too are not quite as clear as I remember. In addition, I can see a sort of "haze" over the picture (pixelation???). When Voom had this hooked up they did use a diplexer and still I had great reception. Dish left that on (rather than run a direct line for satellite and OTA) and added another going into the back of the 942. Could this be the reason for the lower clarity? I'm not against calling the installer back if they did something to contribute to this as I can't see any reason for an OTA to provide less definition than before.

I'm not a real techie when it comes to this stuff, but would like to get some input from many of you more experienced folks as to what I might try to get my HD back to what it should be.

Thanks,
Lou

 

[lmtorres]

BTW, sorry for my poor description of my OTA reception. I didn't really mean a haze over the picture, but rather that the picture seems like looking at a computer screen with the wrong Phase setting (I think it is definitely pixelation).

Thanks,
Lou

 

[Sean Mota]

On the back of the 942 you should have two satellite cables connected because it is a dual tuner. Can you take a picture of the back of the receiver to see how it is connected? I had the 942 connected today and the picture is as good as it was on VOOM DBS.

 

[lmtorres]

Here's the picture (I hope)

Sean,

Thanks for the help, I hope this pic comes through. I didn't realize until I turned the receiver around that there are TWO splitters in the back (one cable coming in from both dish and OTA and the first splitter going to OTA hookup and then another splitter that outputs to Sat 1 and Sat 2). So the dish and OTA have a diplexer and then there are two splitters behind the receiver. I appreciate any help you can give as I miss the Voom quality.

Thanks,
Lou

 

[lmtorres]

Sean,

I can see the picture didn't come through. Perhaps I can email it to you.

Lou

 

[Sean Mota]

Yes, email it and I will post it for you.

 

[Sean Mota]

I just posted your picture on your post... Here it is again and I am not very familiar with this setup but I will not do it this way. It really look like a mess. Anyone else can advise him?

 

[Sean Mota]

Can anybody look at this picture with the details above and explain if this setup is correct? It looks very messy to me.

 

[MikeD-C05]

It looks like mine. I am using a dishpro plus twin lnb and a dishpro dual lnb to 61.5 satellite. I have a ota diplexor hooked up from the satellite cable run into my house and then from the diplexor I have one side run to the TV out to the antenna port on the 942 and from the SAT output of the diplexor , I have a cable run to the DISHPRO PLUS Seperator, which splits the sat cable to 2 tuners of the 942. This is how you do it if you want to use a diplexor to receive ota signals and satellite to.

 

[lmtorres]

Is there a better way?

I see that there is no other way to hook up without a separate OTA line (which I wish I had forced him to install). What I'm wondering is if this combining/splitting at three points is accounting for the lower quality PQ of my HD picture? If it is I'm willing to call Dish and have then send the installer out to run the extra line.

Thanks,
Lou

 

[justalunker]

What a nightmare! I would call E* and request separate RG-6 for Sat1, Sat2 and OTA...ya know, like professional installation! Also, the 942s 8-VSB tuner is simply one of the worst in the industry IMO.

 

[Sean Mota]

I have to agree with justalurker I would recommend separate lines.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Sean: That last post wasn't from JL, but a newbie with a similar name.

I doubt JL would post something like that.

That being said, there's nothing wrong with diplexing - when it's done right.

I suspect a problem at the OTHER end - like the diplexer being upstream of the switch, or a DC-blocking one being useed, thereby not giving power to the OTA preamp he probably has.

 

[rc811002]

Just a basic question. Are you looking at the -1 OTA channels. If you have E* locals, they would be, for example, 5-0 in the banner. Digital/OTA will display as 5-1 in the banner. The E* locals have lower quality (480i) than the OTA digital locals, perhaps "hazy" or comparable to the SD sat channels. Your installer should have explained the channel numbering difference.

 

[lmtorres]

The channels I'm referring to as "local" are off the OTA they are the ones with the -01 designation. The installer was pretty good in explaining that to me upfront.

Simple Simon, you mention perhaps that the OTA diplexor could be blocking the DC power to the OTA. Would I still be receiving many of these stations with a signal strength of 100% if power is not being supplied to the OTA? If that is a problem other than running the separate line what would you suggest to rectify this?

Thanks,
Lou

 

[dougmcbride]

Remember the signals you are getting are digital, not analog. PQ is not affected by signal strength (unless you want to count loss of picture to be extremely poor PQ). If there is enough insertion loss using a diplexer to cause marginal stations to pixelate or drop, then a separate line would help. Sounds like you are getting good antenna strength so I doubt there is a problem. The hookup you show in your picture is indeed the way a 942 is hooked up using a diplexer for OTA.

Other causes of PQ problems when changing equipment are calibration realted on the display end, especially if you changed inputs. Might be a good thing to double check.

Doug

 

[Patrick_O_Shane]

I also have recently switched from Voom to Dish Network. I have the 811. The Voom HD channels are terrible quality. I was so disappointed. The 5.1 surround is better than on Voom, but the picture quality took a severe nose dive. It's a shame such a good thing had to be ruined.

 

[DarrellP]

I also have recently switched from Voom to Dish Network. I have the 811. The Voom HD channels are terrible quality. I was so disappointed. The 5.1 surround is better than on Voom, but the picture quality took a severe nose dive. It's a shame such a good thing had to be ruined.

Is your 811 new? Check your settings and make sure it is not set to 480p. Something is wrong with your system. There is NO difference in sound quality on my system, though I do agree SOME channels are just a TAD softer, but no way in Hell is it a trainwreck, far from it.

 

[James Long]

I have to agree with justalurker I would recommend separate lines.

Sean, you are being confused by an avitar thief. I didn't write the comments you are agreeing with ... I didn't even read this thread until now (trying to see what the thief was posting with the avitar I created).

BTW: While odd looking, that wiring is "correct" assuming there is a DP+44 at the other end of the cable into the room (and a diplexer after the switch on the feed to the room to add the OTA).

I only have one line running from my distribution point to the receiver locations, diplexing in the OTA - and it doesn't interfere with my ATSC tuner or tvs getting a good quality signal.

JL
The original Justalurker

 

[riffjim4069]

I ran separate RG-6 in preparation for the dual-tuner VOOM HD DVR...but that never happened so I used them with my 942 along with a DP34 switch (2 dishes, 3 sats, 3 receivers) - works perfectly! The 942 has worked for me without a problem the past 3 days and, IMO, the 942 PQ is superior to the 811s that were also installed. Prior to installation I noticed that a Separator was included with the 942 receiver. Personally, I avoid Separators and Diplexors as I would the Black Plague...but that's just my preference/opinion.

Also, as Darrell and other have already pointed out...this was only my installers 5th HD install and he had never seen a 942 prior to our appointment. He was impressed with the PQ and said it looked just as good as his DirecTV...of course, that was prior to my going into the Installation Menu and discovering that the 942 and both 811s were outputting 480p. Ugh! Anyway, the PQ looks equal-to-slightly better on the 811s than it was on VOOM (comparable), but the PQ on the 942 rocks...although it's not that better on some of the VOOM channels.

My only complaints about the 942 (so far) is it has only a single 8-VSB tuner, and the Caller ID doesn't work.