Intermittent 771 error

[StephN]

We got 2 non-HD receivers (no DVRs either) installed about 2 months at our house and we've been having a lot of problems with the receiver in our bedroom. It would randomly give us the 771 searching for satellite error on certain channels. I googled the error and found this site which first suggested switching the receivers to make sure that wasn't the problem. We switched them and we continued to receive the error randomly. It wasn't that big of a deal at the time because it would come and go and we really don't use the TV in the bedroom that much anyway.

We went for a month without having any problems and all of a sudden the error is back and our receiver has been out since late Saturday/early Sunday. At first we were getting the 771 error on all of our channels, including locals, so my husband went through and re-did the system setup which has fixed this problem in the past. After the setup was finished, when he tried to view a local channel, we got a message that said that channel wasn't available and the 771 error would only flash on the screen for a second and it would disappear. We tried a few more channels and got the same message each time. He tried to access the guide and we are getting a message that says something like "You have no favorites saved" and there are no channels listed in the guide.

We went to the satellite strength page (where it makes all those beeping noises) and it was at 96%. Also on the page where it lists out the transponder numbers (I think that's what it's called) the 1st, 3rd, etc. columns all have numbers that are from the high 80s to high 90s. The 2nd, 4th, etc. columns all contain 0.

Does anyone have any idea how to fix this? We've avoided calling someone out because we don't want them to charge us for something that we might be able to fix ourselves. Sorry if I wasn't specific enough in the post, I'm not the most technical person so I'm not sure what all of the terms are that might be most helpful to you all. I know that we have 2 dishes on our house and that one is HD capable. They are located in 2 different spots on the roof.

Also (not sure if this makes a difference), the two rooms that we have receivers in back up to each other. So the receivers are placed right next to each other, just on the opposite side of the wall. Could this be a wiring problem?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Davedirectv]

Possible problems:

1. Splitter on the line, need to take it out.

2. Bad multiswitch, try another port and see if that helps

3. Bad line, could be shorting out the box

4. Said you switched the boxes, so the box isn't likely the problem

Try those things and see what happens, if you can run a new line to the groundblock/multiswitch and see if you get your even transponders to come in.

Even if you have to just run the line on the floor through the house, and out the window/door or something like that, just to see if it's the line.

 

[mdwatt]

If you have 2 standard boxes, then the lines should go directly to the dish with no multiswitch being required. So that takes that out of the equation. If the installer used the existing cabling and you had cable tv before, it is possible that there's a splitter in the line between the receiver and the dish. This would cause it to not pass certain frequencies/voltages. It may be under the house, in the wall, or in the attic, depending on your home's wire setup. It's possible that it's a cable problem, but cable issues aren't usually intermittent. If there is a bad splice or whatever it will typically work up until a certain point and then quit all-together until it's fixed. I would recommend calling for service and have an experienced technician check your cabling. It could also be an LNB issue. One port on the LNB might be failing. But again, that's an issue your technician can diagnose and solve for you.

 

[Davedirectv]

If you have 2 standard boxes, then the lines should go directly to the dish with no multiswitch being required. So that takes that out of the equation. If the installer used the existing cabling and you had cable tv before, it is possible that there's a splitter in the line between the receiver and the dish. This would cause it to not pass certain frequencies/voltages. It may be under the house, in the wall, or in the attic, depending on your home's wire setup. It's possible that it's a cable problem, but cable issues aren't usually intermittent. If there is a bad splice or whatever it will typically work up until a certain point and then quit all-together until it's fixed. I would recommend calling for service and have an experienced technician check your cabling. It could also be an LNB issue. One port on the LNB might be failing. But again, that's an issue your technician can diagnose and solve for you.

If you read what he says, he said he has TWO dishes on his house and one is kaku.

So, saying that he doesn't have a multiswitch isn't always going to be true.

I'm betting on the splitter in the attic/wall. But thats just me.

 

[binil]

Not to split hairs with you Dave.. Im not sure what multi switch you would use to combine the kaku with another O.D.U. besides international .. Ive tried it .. doesnt work.. but if you have a way please send me a P.M. Im always up for new techniques.

I will agree that it sounds like a splitter in the drop.. and that you should try to run a cable from the ground block to the box thru a window if its fesible.

Probably isnt the L.N.B. they usually dont give you odds and evens like that they usually just start dropping transponders randomly.

Call DirecTV and generate a service call.

 

[Davedirectv]

Look, I'm not here to debate anything.

Bottom line, this guy has a crap install, two dishes, half his transponders on a receiver.

I wouldn't be surprised to find out anything with this system. How his lines are ran, how it ain't grounded, switches, blocks, splitters, rg-59, barrels, etc.

So, telling me that an installer left a splitter in his system is believable , but that he doesn't have a switch isn't? Ok, fine, you win that one.

All, I'm saying is this system is needing some repair and when I diagnose things I tend to think "out of the box". Especially on a install like this one. You don't need two dishes so who knows what the other dish is? did he say? does he really know? Not enough info.

so Stop assuming you know more then me, when you don't.

Because an 18" and kaku on the roof doesn't make any sense to me. But this isn't a normal install from the sounds of it.


He said he wanted to try and fix it himself, so I was trying to narrow things down and help him out.

More info is needed on what the OP has tried, what his setup is, and what he wants to do.

 

[jtk557]

if you have a wall plate . take it off and look for a screw on or crimp-on fitting. seen it cause this problem a hundred times. if it was a splitter it would have done it from the get go

 

[Jimbo]

Look, I'm not here to debate anything.

Bottom line, this guy has a crap install, two dishes, half his transponders on a receiver.

I wouldn't be surprised to find out anything with this system. How his lines are ran, how it ain't grounded, switches, blocks, splitters, rg-59, barrels, etc.

So, telling me that an installer left a splitter in his system is believable , but that he doesn't have a switch isn't? Ok, fine, you win that one.

All, I'm saying is this system is needing some repair and when I diagnose things I tend to think "out of the box". Especially on a install like this one. You don't need two dishes so who knows what the other dish is? did he say? does he really know? Not enough info.

so Stop assuming you know more then me, when you don't.

Because an 18" and kaku on the roof doesn't make any sense to me. But this isn't a normal install from the sounds of it.


He said he wanted to try and fix it himself, so I was trying to narrow things down and help him out.

More info is needed on what the OP has tried, what his setup is, and what he wants to do.

I notice that the OP hasn't responded since the first day, so this is probably a NON issue, but, the 18" dish could be being used for his locals if they are on the 72.5 sat. He didn't say anything about his locals so we don't know for sure, just a thought.