General Instruments 550i Setup

[Billkuna]

I have a GI 550i with 10ft dish. It has been out of service for about 5 yrs. I want to activate the system again. Here is my problem. The receiver was disconected and I don't have a manual. I am able to moved the dish east to west but I can not set the east/west limits. The menu reads dish position=5000, east=5000, and west=5000. When I move the dish the numbers don,t change. I can tune in only one sat, I think it is C4. I got HSN and QVC on channels 9 + 10. Not sure on the rest of the rear panel wiring. When I try to set east limit, I enter #2 for east. I get 2 options which are hit enter to save new limits or cancel to save old limits. I have an extra actuator which I switched, but no change. Can someone please help.

 

[sergei]

I have a GI 550i with 10ft dish. It has been out of service for about 5 yrs. I want to activate the system again. Here is my problem. The receiver was disconected and I don't have a manual. I am able to moved the dish east to west but I can not set the east/west limits. The menu reads dish position=5000, east=5000, and west=5000. When I move the dish the numbers don,t change. I can tune in only one sat, I think it is C4. I got HSN and QVC on channels 9 + 10. Not sure on the rest of the rear panel wiring. When I try to set east limit, I enter #2 for east. I get 2 options which are hit enter to save new limits or cancel to save old limits. I have an extra actuator which I switched, but no change. Can someone please help.

Try this site it may help you .

General Instruments 450 I, 550 I, 650 I

 

[Billkuna]

Thanks for the quick response. Helpful. I can program the one satellite, but still can't set east/west limits.

 

[FaT Air]

Should be 2 small wires, and 2 large wires to the actuator. The 2 large ones go to motor connections, they must be ok as you can move the dish. Think the problem is the 2 small wires. One of them should connect to Ground or GND. (Don't know what they are labeled on that model) the other small wire should connect- sometimes called Pulse, or Sensor. If they are connected correctly, but don't change the number, when moving the dish. Try imitating pulses from reed switch in the actuator with a couple of wires to these terminals. Theres another set of connections, with one being pulse, sometimes shown as a square cornered upside down U, but that's to operate the servo on the feed. That set of connections will have +5v, Gnd, and Pulse. They cannot be interchanged. Any confusion could be cleared with a picture.

 

[sergei]

Thanks for the quick response. Helpful. I can program the one satellite, but still can't set east/west limits.

I rechecked today and I do have the manual in PDF form for the 450i, if it will help I can email it to you.
I'm not sure what the different between the 450i and 550i maybe, someone else maybe able to tell you.

 

[Beano_face]

450i and 550i are almost exactly the same... pretty sure the 550i just has more features/ outputs...

I still have a 450i in the storage room

 

[Billkuna]

Thanks for your help guys. I was able to get the manual for the 450i here on this site. Eevrything looks about the same. I will give it a try then my schedule permits. Again thanks

 

[sidekick3]

If the numbers aren't changing while fine tuning east/west, you arent getting a feedback pulse from the motor on the dish. Since you swapped the motor and sensor their probably OK. I would suspect a shorted or open sensor wires OR incorrect wire hookup. Try going East while in the limits menu ( West if your East of the Missisippi) while having someone watching the dish for movement. If the dish moves a bit then stops while still pushing the button, It's a sensor/wire problem and the DC wires and motor are OK. If no movement at all, the motor or large DC wires are bad, not connected properly or the receiver isn't putting out 36 Volts DC. I've seen shorted and open wires, bad or incorrectly wired motors and receivers that worked fine but didn't put out enough DC current for the motor. Try moving the dish again while watching it and let me know.

 

[Billkuna]

Thanks for your help. When I go into the limits menu, the dish only moves from the dish position. If I go to East limits, no movement. Same for West. The numbers don't change while moving in the dish position. Maybe I need new ribbon cable? I think all of my rear wiring is connected correctly.

 

[FaT Air]

Does it move as long as you tell it to, or does it move just a slight bit, then quit on it's own? To check the ribbon cable - get a meter and twist all the small wires together on one end. At the other end check with a meter for continuity. (? Ohms) 17-Range Analog Multimeter - RadioShack.com
RadioShack® 15-Range Digital Multimeter - RadioShack.com
You can also check the reed switch by putting the meter to the connections, in the actuator, for the sensor and use a portable drill battery, or any 12 to 36 volt battery, to run the motor. (analog meter works best for thisp)

 

[Billkuna]

The only movement is when the menu is in the dish position. It moves a short distance,then I receive an error message. "Actuator error dish maybe be at it's physical limits check actuator wiring. The numbers are stuck on 5000 and will not change. That is for Dish Position, East, and West. I will pick-up a multimeter and give it a try. Thanks for the info.