Hello. I've been through other threads and I couldn't find one for this exact problem. Hoping someone can help me.
Background info: DirecTV, oval dish has room for 3 LNBs, but there are only 2 in place (middle isn't populated). Each LNB has two outputs. Coax connected to all 4 LNB outputs. Grounding block several feet away and ground wire connected to dish, but ground wires past grounding block are not hooked up and have probably been that way for 10 years. Only 2 of the LNB outputs are in use (one from each LNB). Previous owner of the house had more receivers, hence more cables than needed now. The 2 coax cables in use go into a multiswitch. Multiswitch is a 3x4, with the inputs being for 13 volts, 18 volts and antenna, but antenna is not used and has a cap on it. 3 of the 4 outputs are in use, with the 4th having a cap on it. One output goes to a single tuner receiver, the other two go to a DVR receiver with 2 tuners.
Symptoms: Started getting error 711 on screen. Went into transponder screen and saw that most of the odd transponders were 0 (for satellite 101). A few of the higher numbered, odd transponders showed non-zero values. Same problem on other receiver. Went up on roof and looked at dish and grounding block and made sure all connections were tight (they already were) as well as connections at the multiswitch. Came back inside and problem went away. Not great values for the odds, but they were mostly non-zero. Thought maybe tree branch blocking the view could be a problem, so took out the branch. Some values went up between 1 and 3 points, although there were storms in the area that could have skewed the test.
Next day, went to transponder screen to see if it was the same as the night before and it was back to almost all the odds being 0. Went up on the roof and identified which of the 4 cables were connected to multiswitch (which is at ground level) and swapped unused satellite A cable with used satellite A cable, unused satellite B cable with used satellite B cable (both at the grounding block and at the dish, where unions are used to connect the several feet of coax to the short coax from the LNBs). Noticed that original satellite A cable, where connected to grounding block was rotted out inside and coax pin came out. This knocked out the even transponders until the cable was swapped. Thought that might be the problem, but same issue in receivers -- almost all odd transponders 0.
Next morning, went back on roof and swapped transponders. Same issue -- almost all odd transponders 0.
Started wondering about multiswitch. Swapped cables on the 13 volt and 18 volt inputs to multiswitch and now odd transponders have signals and almost all even transponders are 0.
In the satellite set-up, both receivers have been set to use slimline 5 even though from what I can tell, that's not what I have. Before swapping inputs on the multiswitch, when I tried to select 3 LNB dish, the "verifying configuration" grid screen showed red Xes for both odds and evens for both A and B satellites instead of just the odds. I had to set it back to slimline 5. After swapping cables on the multiswitch, with the setting still at slimline 5, the verifying configuration screen gives an error, "A satellite signal could not be detected. Please check your installation and re-test." Same thing happens when I select 3 LNB dish. Canceling out of satellite setup, after the cable swap, brings me to the guide download screen, but it never gets past 0%. Rebooting the receiver (power cable unplugged and plugged back in) brings me to "Searching for satellite signal." Before the cable swap, I could still get guide data and reboot the receiver.
Would this indicate a bad multiswitch? Bad cable/connectors? Or two flaky LNBs that happen to exhibit the same symptoms?
Thanks for any help you can provide.
David
Background info: DirecTV, oval dish has room for 3 LNBs, but there are only 2 in place (middle isn't populated). Each LNB has two outputs. Coax connected to all 4 LNB outputs. Grounding block several feet away and ground wire connected to dish, but ground wires past grounding block are not hooked up and have probably been that way for 10 years. Only 2 of the LNB outputs are in use (one from each LNB). Previous owner of the house had more receivers, hence more cables than needed now. The 2 coax cables in use go into a multiswitch. Multiswitch is a 3x4, with the inputs being for 13 volts, 18 volts and antenna, but antenna is not used and has a cap on it. 3 of the 4 outputs are in use, with the 4th having a cap on it. One output goes to a single tuner receiver, the other two go to a DVR receiver with 2 tuners.
Symptoms: Started getting error 711 on screen. Went into transponder screen and saw that most of the odd transponders were 0 (for satellite 101). A few of the higher numbered, odd transponders showed non-zero values. Same problem on other receiver. Went up on roof and looked at dish and grounding block and made sure all connections were tight (they already were) as well as connections at the multiswitch. Came back inside and problem went away. Not great values for the odds, but they were mostly non-zero. Thought maybe tree branch blocking the view could be a problem, so took out the branch. Some values went up between 1 and 3 points, although there were storms in the area that could have skewed the test.
Next day, went to transponder screen to see if it was the same as the night before and it was back to almost all the odds being 0. Went up on the roof and identified which of the 4 cables were connected to multiswitch (which is at ground level) and swapped unused satellite A cable with used satellite A cable, unused satellite B cable with used satellite B cable (both at the grounding block and at the dish, where unions are used to connect the several feet of coax to the short coax from the LNBs). Noticed that original satellite A cable, where connected to grounding block was rotted out inside and coax pin came out. This knocked out the even transponders until the cable was swapped. Thought that might be the problem, but same issue in receivers -- almost all odd transponders 0.
Next morning, went back on roof and swapped transponders. Same issue -- almost all odd transponders 0.
Started wondering about multiswitch. Swapped cables on the 13 volt and 18 volt inputs to multiswitch and now odd transponders have signals and almost all even transponders are 0.
In the satellite set-up, both receivers have been set to use slimline 5 even though from what I can tell, that's not what I have. Before swapping inputs on the multiswitch, when I tried to select 3 LNB dish, the "verifying configuration" grid screen showed red Xes for both odds and evens for both A and B satellites instead of just the odds. I had to set it back to slimline 5. After swapping cables on the multiswitch, with the setting still at slimline 5, the verifying configuration screen gives an error, "A satellite signal could not be detected. Please check your installation and re-test." Same thing happens when I select 3 LNB dish. Canceling out of satellite setup, after the cable swap, brings me to the guide download screen, but it never gets past 0%. Rebooting the receiver (power cable unplugged and plugged back in) brings me to "Searching for satellite signal." Before the cable swap, I could still get guide data and reboot the receiver.
Would this indicate a bad multiswitch? Bad cable/connectors? Or two flaky LNBs that happen to exhibit the same symptoms?
Thanks for any help you can provide.
David
