Installation question, south of the border

[emilioalvarez]

I'm in the process of installing a 530 PVR receiver in Mexico City.
I have two antennae: a 6' offset and an old Sky dish. I've aimed the smaller (Sky) dish to F1 and get a signal of 74. I'm positive I'm aimed right, since I can see the free channels (351 Access, 354 Knowledge, for instance). I pointed the 6' dish to F2 and get a signal of 95; I'm not 100% certain of my aiming, since there are no free channels to preview. The only satellites close to it are C band, therefore I'm pretty sure I got it right. I installed a DMS International 22KHz switch, with F1 on A (0HZ) and F2 on B (22KHz). Now I only get the "Acquiring satellite signal" box. I went into Options-> System Setup-> System Settings-> Installation Settings-> Tune Satellite Signal and I get nothing.
That is:
EMM Provider ID: 0
Satellite Name: --
Signal Level Number: 0

What did I do wrong?

All help is appreciated, thanks in advance

 

[DJdish]

I'm in the process of installing a 530 PVR receiver in Mexico City.
I have two antennae: a 6' offset and an old Sky dish. I've aimed the smaller (Sky) dish to F1 and get a signa of 74l. I'm positive I'm aimed right, since I can see the free channels (351 Access, 354 Knowledge, for instance). I pointed the 6' dish to F2 and get a signal of 95; I'm not 100% certain of my aiming, since there are no free channels to preview. The only satellites close to it are C band, therefore I'm pretty sure I got it right. I installed a DMS International 22KHz switch, with F1 on A (0HZ) and F2 on B (22KHz). Now I only get the "Acquiring satellite signal" box. I went into Options-> System Setup-> System Settings-> Installation Settings-> Tune Satellite Signal and I get nothing.
That is:
EMM Provider ID: 0
Satellite Name: --
Signal Level Number: 0

What did I do wrong?

All help is appreciated, thanks in advance

Ok, given your location and dish sizes with your signal strengths it sounds about right that you have locked on the right birds, and yes Anik F2 does not have any channels you may watch until you activate your box.
So you have locked the signals you say and then when you include the switch, you cannot even watch the clear channels from Anik F1 ?
you know the provider code is 4128 right ?

What I´d do is activate the box, then hook direct the dish pointed at Anik F2 to confirm the signal (you may watch a channel from that bird once activated like 715.) And then include the switch in your set up to see if that works.

 

[emilioalvarez]

I'll try that tomorrow, too late to activate it now.
I didn't know the provider code, I do now.
Thanks for your help.

 

[DJdish]

I'll try that tomorrow, too late to activate it now.
I didn't know the provider code, I do now.
Thanks for your help.

Let me know how it goes, I don´t want to jump to conclusions but I have this hunch there might be an issue with the switch you mention (I am thinking you have the 0/22 950-2400 mhz)

 

[emilioalvarez]

Will do, thanks

 

[emilioalvarez]

I finally got picture, i connected the small dish directly to the receiver, on antenna input 1. Took a while but i got 72 signal and am able to see the free channels. I then reconnected the switch but it won't recognize the other dish. I'll get on the roof in the morning and try connecting the 6' dish (F2) directly and see what happens. I will also try to activate it, as I need to tweak the antennae on my girlfriend's house and activate them together.
I'll keep you posted

 

[emilioalvarez]

Oops, forgot. Is there a way to reset the receiver? That might do the trick.
Thanks

 

[DJdish]

Oops, forgot. Is there a way to reset the receiver? That might do the trick.
Thanks

For a reboot, unplug the receiver for a minute or so and then plug it back in.

If you still have problems after that and once activated, you´ll need to see if you are able to watch channels from Anik F2 (your large dish), when you hook that dish directly to the receiver (try first removing the switch from the setup). You should have no problem, then include the switch in the equation, and see if it works fine when you change channels especially from one sat to the other.

 

[joshuals]

and yes Anik F2 does not have any channels you may watch until you activate your box

Yes....I believe this is correct.

When you're using a 2-dish setup and an unauthorized receiver, the sequence of events is as follows:

1. Get a signal and maximize it using the F1R dish and the signal meter on channel 299. Note that if your receiver is not activated, you will not see a picture on 299, only the signal meter.

2. Call for authorization

3. Get a signal and maximize it using the F2 dish, and using an F2 channel that is included in all programming packages, such as 350 (classic lineup), 700, or 711. At this point you should also see a picture on these channels.

The Satellite Provider Number is "4128" and you may see a screen that refers to the satellite as "A4". These numbers are the same for both satellites.

 

[emilioalvarez]

Made a big mistake. I just plugged my big dish directly to the receiver and found out both dishes are aimed at F1 (I can see the same channels as before). I'll tweak the large one and see what happens.
I see where the satellite says A4, but the provider ID is 0.

I'll report back in a while.

 

[DJdish]

Made a big mistake. I just plugged my big dish directly to the receiver and found out both dishes are aimed at F1 (I can see the same channels as before). I'll tweak the large one and see what happens.
I see where the satellite says A4, but the provider ID is 0.

I'll report back in a while.

When you see the following

EMM Provider ID: 0
Satellite Name: --
Signal Level Number: 0

On the provider ID box enter the 4128

 

[joshuals]

but the provider ID is 0.

This is normal to see a "0". The fact that you have a "A4" is a good sign. If you have an authorized receiver and are seeing a picture on a subscribed channel, entering the "4128" is really moot. It's really only a way to verify that you are pointed at a Shaw satellite when your receiver is not yet activated.

Here's how it works:

Navigate your cursor to the Satellite Provider box and begin to enter the digits "4128" Depending on your receiver model, it may respond slowly to the entering of the numbers. As you begin to enter the numbers, a portion of the screen background may turn red.....once you have entered all four digits of the "4128", the red should turn to green, indicating you are pointed at a Shaw satellite (not somebody else's satellite). If the red remains red, you are not correctly pointed at a Shaw satellite or you have incorrectly keyed in the "4128".

 

[DJdish]

Hi Joshuals, I understand our friend was to activate his box today during the day, hopefully he´ll report back with good results.

 

[emilioalvarez]

Bad news guys. It hasn't stopped raining all day. I was unable to go up on the roof to aim my girlfriend's dishes. I'd like to activate both at the same time. Hopefully, tomorrow we'll have better weather. A bit of good news, though: I didn't lose picture with the small dish all day. We're used to not being able to watch satellite TV even with the slightest drizzle; therefore, it's been a HUGE improvement on that front.
I hope to bring you better news tomorrow.
Have a nice weekend.

 

[DJdish]

Bad news guys. It hasn't stopped raining all day. I was unable to go up on the roof to aim my girlfriend's dishes. I'd like to activate both at the same time. Hopefully, tomorrow we'll have better weather. A bit of good news, though: I didn't lose picture with the small dish all day. We're used to not being able to watch satellite TV even with the slightest drizzle; therefore, it's been a HUGE improvement on that front.
I hope to bring you better news tomorrow.
Have a nice weekend.

Yep, I know and at least apparently the hurricane won´t affect this area.
Glad for the improvement you are experiencing now :up

 

[emilioalvarez]

I finally got my system authorized! It's up and running now, good signal strength, too.
What is the procedure now to aim my second dish to F2?
Do I tune to a channel on F2 and tweak the antenna?if so, which channel?
As I understand it, I should point the dish lower and to the right (from behind the dish) of the other. I'm guessing not too much since the satellites are only 4 degrees apart. -Am I correct in this?
Thanks for all your help

 

[DJdish]

That´s some good news !!

Yep, now you can tune to channel 715, and kinda follow the same procedure, make sure to connect the LNB from the dish you will use for Anik F2 directly to the receiver, i.e. don´t include the switch at this point,

The signal for this sat is even stronger than the one on Anik F1, and using your dish it should be easier to lock on, and yep you´ll find it slightly to the right of the position you´ve locked your first dish

 

[DJdish]

ah and for the second dish you´ll have to aim it just a little bit lower, for example my numbers are for elevation:
Anik F1 65.4 degrees and for the second bird 63.5 so as you´ll see the difference is small

 

[emilioalvarez]

Thanks, going up on the roof to tune the other dish. While it's not raining.
I'll report back when I do.

 

[DJdish]

Hopefully you´ll do it in a snap, and in time to watch some of the series premieres tonight