Mercury II Issue?

[iafirebuff]

I seem to have an issue with my new Mercury II - when I am scanning 97W - IA5 when I turn to a channel on tp 12152, it locks the receiver up and shuts it off. It only appears to be this tp - anyone ever have this problem? TIA!

 

[qwert1515]

I remember hearing about that issue somewhere on SatelliteGuys, I think you need to do a firmware update to fix a few issues.

 

[iafirebuff]

Thanks! I thought I remember that too. Now to figure that out - will do that another day...still scanning the skies

 

[brentb636]

It's not a problem with either of my Merc II's, running the latest firmware, v 1.53 .

 

[iafirebuff]

Mine has 1.05 on it.

 

[kraftwerk76]

Same problem here

--I have the same problem here, on TP 12152. I was wondering, though, since my receiver is still under warranty (I think), would I be voiding my warranty by adding the newest Fortec Star Merc. II firmware? Seems like the FortecStar website said to have a Fortec Star trained technician perform the firmware upgrade. Does that mean sending back the unit to Fortec Star, or Sadoun.com (which is where I purchased the receiver)? Thanks for any help.

Edit: My current firmware is 1.06

 

[Gray1]

You can just delete TP 2152. Thats what I did and it is working fine now. But my receiver is only about a month old. Firmware is also 1.06. I was thinking about calling SatelliteAV and asking them if they would upgrade the software if I sent it back in.

allen

 

[Sadoun]

Deleting that TP (12152) will take care of that issue. A couple of weeks ago, there were some data stream changes on that TP that caused this.

To delete the TP:

• Go to Menu
• Antenna Setup
• Click on RED button on RC
• Delete TP

Also, upgrading the F/W to the latest 1.53 will take care of that. If you upgrade, then you don't need to delete the TP anymore. Uprading is easy. Just follow the instructions on Download section of Fortec website.

Upgrading from a factory f/w to a more recent updated factory firmware will not impact your warranty. Only loading 3rd party software will violate the warranty and render it void.

 

[iafirebuff]

THANKS Sadoun! I will update the firmware.

Now, I need to work on getting a 6' Cband dish from you I been bidding away!

 

[Anole]

null-modem cable

For the firmware update, don't forget to use a null-modem or crossover cable.
My Mercury II may have come with one, but I used a cable I'd made for another receiver.


The Visionsat takes a straight-through cable, if you don't use the thumb-drive.

One thing worth doing, is put a sticky label on the bottom of each receiver, with a reminder of which type cable it uses, and the default factory password.
I think 0000 is correct for both (but someone will post if I'm mistaken).

Speaking of labels, I also put a colored dot next to the coax connector that goes to the LNB.
It's so much easier when changing receivers or wiring, to not have to drag out a flashlight.

 

[iafirebuff]

Thanks for the tips! I mark my cables (coax) in my crawl space with colored zip ties - red = FTA Blue = OTA, etc. I also have each room assigned a color - for example - I am under my house, and I need to find the run at the splitter that goes to my daughter's room - I look for the cable that has a yellow zip tie and a green zip tie which would = daughters room (yellow) and Cable TV (green) It helps when you need to swap cables, etc. Then at the connection behind the tv - each cable is mark with the same color code - I trim off the excess zip tie and there is a nice color band around the cable and I know what it is

As for a null modem cable - I have one for my Lifetime Classic NA so will see if that will work

 

[brentb636]

The Classic NA cable will work just fine ! I use colored electrical tape to mark my cable runs uniquely. It sure makes chasing down cables a lot easier.

Brent

 

[iafirebuff]

Thanks! I will do the firmware this afternoon

 

[netdvn]

For the firmware update, don't forget to use a null-modem or crossover cable.
My Mercury II may have come with one, but I used a cable I'd made for another receiver.

Oh boys! Now I have to make a 9-pin serial cable and find an old computer with a serial port.

 

[brentb636]

Oh boys! Now I have to make a 9-pin serial cable and find an old computer with a serial port.

Finding that computer may be the hard part !

 

[hiker]

Try the Keyspan or Belkin USB-Serial adapter. If you have spare PCI slot get a RS232 serial card.

 

[iafirebuff]

I have a usb adapter that I use - works real well

 

[Anole]

Some comments about making your own Null Modem cable.
It's in a Satpros thread, but that is the very cable I used to reprogram my Mercury II.

As for serial ports, I have some old laptops around just for this job.
P1-100, P1-233, P3-500, they all are old enough to have real serial ports and they all work fine.
Sometimes it pays to have an antique... if not to be one.

 

[Mr Tony]

thread in question
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/119505-mercury-ii-locks.html?highlight=12152

 

[netdvn]

Try the Keyspan or Belkin USB-Serial adapter. If you have spare PCI slot get a RS232 serial card.

Got an old computer w/ serial port and a DB9 to DB9 cable (will run a quick pinout check if it is a null-modem cable). Now I'm searching for a female-female adaptor. I don't know what was Fortec engineer thinking when he designed a male DB9 port on that box - I guess they would make a few more bucks on cable.

I saw a PS2-USB adaptor before but have not seem a USB-DB9 or DB25 adaptor. I will stop by Best Buy to pick one if they carry it.

For the f/w update. I assume to Uploader is installed on the PC to help the PC communicating to the receiver via a null-modem cable.