Hopper OTA USB problems
- Thread starter lynnjohn13
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Every now and then when tuning to one I get a quick popup about signal loss, but then the video shows up.
I never see a popup like that. When I get the black screen I can still check the signal strength, which goes from 100% to 69% depending on the channel. Just no video or audio.
I figured out how to reproduce on demand.
The issue is if the signal drops to zero due to multi pathing too many times the software for OTA driver crashes requiring a reboot. It has to drop about 5 times. To reproduce unplug the ant cable for just 2 seconds then plug it back in ,repeat until crash. Reboot fixes every time. My strong signal stations do not cause this as there is no multi path issue.
The issue is if the signal drops to zero due to multi pathing too many times the software for OTA driver crashes requiring a reboot. It has to drop about 5 times. To reproduce unplug the ant cable for just 2 seconds then plug it back in ,repeat until crash. Reboot fixes every time. My strong signal stations do not cause this as there is no multi path issue.
I have two hoppers and two ota tuners. I was an early tester for the ota tuner since October and I did suffer some black screens during testing of the software ,but I haven't had any more since I eliminated the one timer I had previously created during testing. The tuner works fine for me ,except the lack of manual timers yet to be software downloaded. I think some of the problems in certain cases can be attributed to their setups and other factors that they and they alone are experiencing. I wouldn't recommend the tuner if I hadn't tested it and went through all the glitches and bugs . It works fine now.
Well I am now having my third black screen in 3 weeks that I'm aware of. No weather issues signal solid between 92 and 96. When I had the module for the 622 this never happened, heck I may be remembering wrong but I think I had module for my old 6000 and this never happened. I don't care how long it was beta tested, it is not ready for prime time. It's not some new wiz bang piece of technology it's a dam OTA tuner which have been around a long time. It should work 100% all the time. I know I can just reboot but right now I am recording something and that will be interrupted. This is more than a small inconvenience it needs to be fixed.
Four days ago I sent a timer on an ota channel for an nfl game on Sunday. Each day when I've checked it the timer has been deleted and I need to recreate it.
Today I watched an ota channel that was a solid 100%
4 hours no issues
Before that i watched an OTA channel that was 70% but at times would drop to zero every once in a while,
I had to reboot twice due to black screen durring the 2 hour movie. Later watched the signal bar to verify the drops to zero.
I am pretty sure this is a bug in the driver. This is a new OTA chipset
4 hours no issues
Before that i watched an OTA channel that was 70% but at times would drop to zero every once in a while,
I had to reboot twice due to black screen durring the 2 hour movie. Later watched the signal bar to verify the drops to zero.
I am pretty sure this is a bug in the driver. This is a new OTA chipset
Just had another black screen last night. Thought I had it fixed since I disconnected the EHD and Slingbox, but it did it again. I rescanned the locals and they came back. And yes, the OTA adapter is flat as can be. I hope Dish will address this soon.
Noticed while recording and watching an ota channel I can jump back to my previous channel, but then trying to jump back to ota it won't, instead it goes to the screen showing tuner usage and I have to scroll down to the ota tuner.
I'll add this is the same issue when using channel up/down, it won't go direct to the OTA channel when it is recording.
I'll add this is the same issue when using channel up/down, it won't go direct to the OTA channel when it is recording.
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I don't suffer from any of those symptoms anymore. I had those kind of problems when I was testing the ota tuner ,but not since I got S230. I can tune to an ota channel that is recording using my red button on the remote and joining that tuner. I can watch from the guide too. Like I said before I haven't had anymore black screens either,except when the weakest ota channel I have, dropped below the minimum signal strength of 65. In my area that is the sub channel Metv. It often will fluctuate between 65 -80. So if channels are fluctuating so much that they drop out , that would cause a black screen.
Well I still have the problems and I have 230.
Shouldn't the software be able to handle signal drops without crashing?
Sometimes you might want to watch a lower power station, on any other system the station may pixelate and go out but not crash the system. Seems crazy to have to reboot or rescan every time.
If it happened as mentioned during beta testing why wasn't it fixed. Like I said earlier it is not new technology it should work all the time.
Shouldn't the software be able to handle signal drops without crashing?
Sometimes you might want to watch a lower power station, on any other system the station may pixelate and go out but not crash the system. Seems crazy to have to reboot or rescan every time.
If it happened as mentioned during beta testing why wasn't it fixed. Like I said earlier it is not new technology it should work all the time.
Multi-path rejection is something that all DISH receivers with ota suffer from ,regardless if it is built in tuner , ota module or usb ota tuner. This is something that can't be software repaired. The only answer I have seen is to eliminate the multi-path rejection variables to prevent it from happening. Sometimes you have to eliminate the weak ota station from the mix entirely, unless you can aim your antenna to compensate and lock in a better signal. I only tested the tuner for about 2 months before they released it to the public. It was much worse when we first got the tuner. I suffered black screens, automatic reboots, garbled audio, messed up video,etc. I reported each and every bug I suffered and the dish software team worked with me to eliminate the possible problems on my end and they worked on the software to fix it on their end. I would have to say that the tuner is pretty good now. I don't know why you are suffering all the black screens and other people ,including me are not .
I do know that I have suggested many things to narrow down what may be causing the black screens. Something I found out is that if you make ANY changes to your ota application,you know deleting one or re-scanning the channels, ALL of your timers have to be recreated from scratch and your old ones deleted,because they won't work again. I have already suggested keeping your ota tuner flat like the directions say. Rebooting your receiver by unplugging it for 5 minutes and replugging it in is something I have done after new software is downloaded to clear up any problems that may come with the new software. Also something I have found I have to do periodically, and this is not necessarily connected to ota , but if not done , will cause all kinds of problems in the playback of your shows, the actual reception of your sat programming etc,is to run a check switch again. I had problems with live tv not playing correctly, garbled audio,messed up speed up video , black screens on ota and loss of signal on one of my tuners, and a check switch run fixed my problems. I have had to do this twice so far in the two months I was a tester. The DISH software team suggested that I do this and it did correct my issues. Now, I am not saying this will fix your ota , but it wouldn't hurt to re-run your check switch ,just to make sure that variable is eliminated. The only other thing I could suggest is have DISH send a tech out to look at your node , setup etc., to make sure that isn't a problem. After that I am all out of ideas .
I do know that I have suggested many things to narrow down what may be causing the black screens. Something I found out is that if you make ANY changes to your ota application,you know deleting one or re-scanning the channels, ALL of your timers have to be recreated from scratch and your old ones deleted,because they won't work again. I have already suggested keeping your ota tuner flat like the directions say. Rebooting your receiver by unplugging it for 5 minutes and replugging it in is something I have done after new software is downloaded to clear up any problems that may come with the new software. Also something I have found I have to do periodically, and this is not necessarily connected to ota , but if not done , will cause all kinds of problems in the playback of your shows, the actual reception of your sat programming etc,is to run a check switch again. I had problems with live tv not playing correctly, garbled audio,messed up speed up video , black screens on ota and loss of signal on one of my tuners, and a check switch run fixed my problems. I have had to do this twice so far in the two months I was a tester. The DISH software team suggested that I do this and it did correct my issues. Now, I am not saying this will fix your ota , but it wouldn't hurt to re-run your check switch ,just to make sure that variable is eliminated. The only other thing I could suggest is have DISH send a tech out to look at your node , setup etc., to make sure that isn't a problem. After that I am all out of ideas .
Thanks Mike.
I'm probably rant more than I should. It has happend for times now. I'll do the extra things you mentioned.
At present the antenna is roof mounted the towers are all the same direction 32 miles away.
I purposely did not get a big antenna to not overload the signal.
I live outside of Charleston, Sc so there are no hills, mountains or tall buildings in the way. The trees are normal as everyone else has. Don't know what's is causing the multipath.
Tuner lying flat, straight shot with RG6Q cable, no other splits or connections. Except for first black screen several weeks ago no rain or heavy wind to move tree leaves.
I'm probably rant more than I should. It has happend for times now. I'll do the extra things you mentioned.
At present the antenna is roof mounted the towers are all the same direction 32 miles away.
I purposely did not get a big antenna to not overload the signal.
I live outside of Charleston, Sc so there are no hills, mountains or tall buildings in the way. The trees are normal as everyone else has. Don't know what's is causing the multipath.
Tuner lying flat, straight shot with RG6Q cable, no other splits or connections. Except for first black screen several weeks ago no rain or heavy wind to move tree leaves.
If the issue is multi-path rejection, they need to find a better way to handle it. I have never had an OTA tuner box (dish or otherwise) go to a black screen and cease functioning because of this or any other reason. Clearly they have a few things to work out yet.
Had the black screen this morning after resetting my modem/router. It had been working before that. Had it again when I got home from work not related to the modem as far as I can tell. First black screens since I got the 230 update a week ago.
