New 722 Can't Find OTA's

[Offroad]

New 722 Can't Find OTA's -- Fixed

Had an 811 to 722 Upgrade Today and now I have OTA issues.

On the 811: I got NBC, PBS, FOX and CBS local HD Digitals just fine. Signal strengths were NBC and PBS in the low 90's and FOX and CBS in the 80's. No dropouts on any of them.

On the 722: A scan will normally find only NBC with signal strength about 61 but seems solid enough. Occasionally a scan will find FOX but never PBS or CBS. FOX is unwatchable due to dropouts.

All cabling is the same as what the 811 had. I have a large UHF/VHF antenna in the attic. Its probably about 10 years old but in perfect shape. All cable thats hooked to it is good quality RG6, it is split out to multiple locations.

Whats going on with my OTA HD? I need to fix this quickly since being able to record OTA HD was my main reason to upgrade.

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Unrelated to the OTA problems, but how are these Dish signal levels?

The installer replaced my old DP-500 with a 1000.2 dish and after the latest software load here are my signal readings:

Satellite - Transponder - Strength
129 --- 30 --- 47
119 --- 11 --- 72
110 --- 11 --- 59

Are these numbers acceptable, good or great?

Other transponders show different readings, which should I be using on each satellite to get a reading?

Thanks for any and all advice especially on the OTA issue.

 

[garys]

Don't know about the 722, but when I replaced my 811 with the 622 a couple of the channels whould not scan and I had to enter them manually. Have you tried to enter manually?

It also looks like your Dish needs to be reaimed just a bit. Think the numbers should be higher.

 

[Offroad]

with the 622 a couple of the channels whould not scan and I had to enter them manually.

Yes I've tried, you can manually select the channel but since it doesn't lock a signal you can't store it.

I'm going to try a line amp this evening and I hope that helps.

The latest software load will show much lower signal strength (at least on the satellite signals)
than older versions. Not sure why they changed the scale.

 

[tsduke]

Your satellite signal looks fine for the new software and signal meter.

 

[Offroad]

To try and fix the OTA issue, I picked up an amp from BB today and will try it tonight, click here for specs on it.

Its called a "Digital Bidirectional RF Amplifier" and is supposed to give a 10db gain from 54-1000mhz. Does this sound like it will work ok to boost the digital OTA signals from my attic antenna to the 722 or is there another type I should get?

Should I place it just off the antenna or right before the 722?

Also, when the installer upgraded my DP-500 dish to the 1000.2 he did not bring in another RG6 cable, instead he used a splitter just before the 722 on the cable from the Dish to feed both inputs. He said this works fine and only reduces my Satellite signal about 8%. Is this correct or for best performance should another cable be run in from the 1000.2 for a direct run to each tuner on the 722?

Thanks.

 

[KAB]

To try and fix the OTA issue, I picked up an amp from BB today and will try it tonight, click here for specs on it.

Its called a "Digital Bidirectional RF Amplifier" and is supposed to give a 10db gain from 54-1000mhz. Does this sound like it will work ok to boost the digital OTA signals from my attic antenna to the 722 or is there another type I should get?

Should I place it just off the antenna or right before the 722?

Also, when the installer upgraded my DP-500 dish to the 1000.2 he did not bring in another RG6 cable, instead he used a splitter just before the 722 on the cable from the Dish to feed both inputs. He said this works fine and only reduces my Satellite signal about 8%. Is this correct or for best performance should another cable be run in from the 1000.2 for a direct run to each tuner on the 722?

Thanks.

It was not a splitter, rather a diplexer. No need to run a second line. That's got nothing to do with your OTA problem.

 

[David_Levin]

The OTA amp should go as close to the antenna as possible. An Amp mostly helps with line loss inside your house. It's can be a good thing with long cable runs or to compensate for the loss of a splitter(s).

The huge issue is generally signal to noise ratio (and multipath). If the signal is noisy coming in, the amp brings up the signal and the noise and there is no improvment.

On my 622 I had a slight improvment with an amp with the FM trap engaged. W/O the trap I actually lost a channel.

Sounds like you had a pretty strong signal with the 811. I'm don't see why you'd need an amp now. I'd look for something else like the coax connector on the cable by the 722. It's REALLY easy to bend the center conductor of the coax. Recheck it for proper seating.

Of course, your one of the first with the 722. Hopefully there are no other problems.

 

[boba]

put the amplifier as close to the antenna as possible a 10dB amp will off set the loss in a 4way splitter(7dB).

 

[Offroad]

It was not a splitter, rather a diplexer. No need to run a second line. That's got nothing to do with your OTA problem.

Yes, I know its separate from the OTA problems.

Just wondered whether or not running a second cable would be a good idea for maximum satellite signal strength. Sounds like the installer was giving me straight info when he installed it.

When I arranged the install they told me the installer would be running a second line into the house from the dish. I wouldn't have had to take down some access panels I have in the basement ceiling if they hadn't been wrong.

 

[Offroad]

Component or HDMI/DVI Cables?

OT to this thread, I removed the DVI cable my 811 used and I'm currently using the 722 with a high quality set of component cables borrowed from my DVD Player.

My monitor is a Sony 57" Rear Projection CRT that does 1080i and is about four years old. It has two Component inputs and one DVI input. If I remember correctly it upscales everything it receives to 1080i.

Is there any reason in terms of picture quality to use a Component cable over an HDMI to DVI version? I'll be using a 12-15ft cable assembly if that makes any difference.

Not sure about the 622/722 yet, but my 811 didn't display SD as well on the DVI cable as it did on Composite or S-Video so I may be using another cable for SD on the 722 also.

 

[boba]

Contrary to what has been posted the diplexer could be your problem, was it used with the 811? Can you bypass it's use to see if OTA signal improves?

 

[David_Levin]

I believe you guys are talking about a separator (on the sat line).

I don't believe OffRoad has a diplexer (mixes & separates sat and ota) involved.

 

[Offroad]

I believe you guys are talking about a separator (on the sat line).

I don't believe OffRoad has a diplexer (mixes & separates sat and ota) involved.

Thats correct, there is a separate RG6 coax coming from the attic antenna it is split to a couple of other locations but is otherwise dedicated to VHF/UHF analog and digital OTA reception.

There is a single RG6 coax coming from the 1000.2 dish, its a solid run except for the ground block just before it enters the house. Just before it hooks up to the 722 there is a diplexer/separator (or whatever its called) that provides a connection to both HD Satellite tuners in the 722.

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OTA Issue Solved

During preparation for the 722 install, I had changed out one RG6 cable since it was a bit short from my surge protector to the receiver. While rechecking all connectors with a magnifying glass I found a bit of shield shorting out one connector. After replacing that connector, the 722 found all my locals and has signal strengths of 97-100% on all of them. This is with no amp and my normal splitters installed.