FTA Receiver acting up...

[ratio]

Hey Guys,

My SonicView Elite is acting up and now I cannot see any channels.

Here's what I did...
I plugged an optical wire to my new receiver to get AC3 sound... worked.
Did the same for the comp wires to see the upscaling quality... worked but then I noticed that when I changed channels eg from 3ABN to create tv, create was blank - no signal. When I moved back to 3ABN, it too was now blank. So I turned the receiver off (switch at back), waited a couple minutes and turn it back on and 3ABN was fine. I was even able to watch create tv. But then it happened again! Went outside and checked and it seems the dish would not move. Moved the wires back to the tv and tried again and the stations worked. Tried it again and the last thing I saw on create tv was half a picture for a second and then all black and no signal. Now I cannot get any picture on any channel.

HELP! Anyone knows whats happening? I've had this setup going for almost 2 years now and no problems until now. It seems like the satellite wont even move when I change channels! Its pretty cold here in Ontario but still... I never took out the satellite cable, just plugged and unplugged the comp and optical wires and each time making sure the receiver was off.

Thanks!

 

[Lak7]

Check other Sats
Check Dish Alignment and that bolts are tight
Remove any Switches, and bypass any Motor
Check connections for corrosion
Try a new cable direct from Receiver to LNB

 

[ratio]

Thanks Lak7

But his is really weird. Switched it off from the back last night and went to bed. Got up this morning turned it on and its working fine... so far. It moved to my furthest east sat (hispasat) and then I changed channels to ABC and it moved ok. Changed channels to 3ABN then to BIO/Pentagon/NASA and all the way over to create tv and thats fine too. Went back to 3ABN with no problems. Then tried going to create again and the picture flashed and then nothing and now all channels are off again.

So anyone know whats going on....

 

[Lak7]

Create TV on 125 west?
Possible low signal due to weather?
If other Sats are fine, prob just poor signal
Try locking the HD TPs and see how they are.

 

[ratio]

What I dont understand is why it works and then it doesnt. Is something going faulty? or do I need a factory reset?

Yes Create TV on 125 west. The quality is good but since this acting up episode the picture just flashes and then its off and displays "no signal." When that happens, all the other satellite show "no signal."

 

[Lak7]

I would say....
Bad Connection
Bad Cable
Bad Switch
Bad LNB

 

[ratio]

Hmm... but if they were bad, wouldnt it just not work at all? Every time I get the "no signal" on all the sats, I just turn the receiver off, wait and turn it back on and everything works perfectly for a couple of minutes and then it doesnt work again.

 

[Lak7]

Have another receiver to try?

 

[jaray]

It does sound like a faulty connection somewhere. Especially when things work, and then don't work like that. Maybe check the coax at the back of the receiver if it got somehow disturbed when you were moving it around to change that audio/video cable. Remove the coax and check the centre terminal...make sure it still intact and everything looks good.

 

[ratio]

OK I'll check the cables again although when I looked at it last night, they were still on firmly. I dont have another receiver to try.

Last time I turned it back on, the picture came up and then froze. While the frozen picture was still there, it said "no signal." I know you can damage your receiver if you unplug the sat cables without fully turning off. But can you damage anything by unplugging optical or comp cables with the power on/off?

 

[ratio]

Just wanted to add that its been on "Smile of a Child" Gal 19 for over an hour now and working fine. Afraid to move it to another sat because that seems to start the problem...

 

[Lak7]

It's just a process of elimination
Bypass the motor, then replace...
Cable
LNB
Receiver

 

[T4Runner]

Highly likely it is the switch and a connection issue. Snow/Water/moisture can cause these problems at any connection point. If you have no picture and you do a hard reboot (on/off switch on back of receiver) which results in a picture on the channel, then you have a weak connection somewhere.

 

[ratio]

Well, went home and tightened things up and its better now. I think the problem was two-fold however. I realized that sometimes when I change the channel to Create tv, the motor seems to max out and then returns to the center. This is why create tv would show for a second and then disappear.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[powergybe]

i had the same problem and have motor replaced in a year

 

[turbosat]

Doubt you can hurt it by unplugging the optical audio cable, I do that sometimes on mine. I don't see where you named what motor you are using, which one is it? How big is the dish-maybe the motor is going bad, or the position sensor in it.
I would try the reset routine on it. At least, power off rec, unplug if cable, re-connect and turn receiver back on.