Newbie needs satellite help? Please!

[bbaffert]

Hi,

Just bought a HD tv and a directv h21 box and a 3 lnb dish that is SlimLine DirecTV Dish KA/KU, it has the 5lnbs.

Ok, I have it set up and on the roof. I am getting satellites 101 (97%), 93 and 103. I am getting the locals minus abc fine in HD. I am getting the movie channels, espns, and most of the programming in HD.

I get no signals from satellites 110 and 119? After I got the 101 working fine I began working with the tilt and basically went completely thru the the tilt area and never picked up a signal on 119?

The big question is what could be wrong?

If you know, please help!

My thoughts, they may be totally off though, are that maybe I have the wrong lnb positioned at the 101? Is that even possible?

I do have the plumb set up perfect and I am happy with the picture but I think I am probably missing a few channels without the other two satellites.

Please Help! Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jdspencer]

When you fiddled with the tilt did the strengths for 99 and 103 change? Is the mast perfectly plumb? First the mast must be plumb. Then set the tilt and then the elevation. Use the azimuth to fine tune the signals.

Use the test channels 490-494 and 480 & 481 to test the dish setup.

 

[JosephB]

If you're getting 101, 103, and 99 then you don't have the wrong LNBs centered. 101 is Ku and the other two are KA, and the LNBs are different. Unless your locals come from one of those satellites or you are getting spanish programming then you are not missing any channels. Does your dish have one output or four? If it only has one then you're in good shape. If it has four and you cannot get 119, then you are going to have intermittent problems with guide data. Are there any trees or anything that would block line of sight nearby?

 

[bbaffert]

When you fiddled with the tilt did the strengths for 99 and 103 change? Is the mast perfectly plumb? First the mast must be plumb. Then set the tilt and then the elevation. Use the azimuth to fine tune the signals.

Use the test channels 490-494 and 480 & 481 to test the dish setup.

Test channels 490, 491 are fine, 492-494 are searching for signal.

The mast is perfectly plumb.

 

[bbaffert]

If you're getting 101, 103, and 99 then you don't have the wrong LNBs centered. 101 is Ku and the other two are KA, and the LNBs are different. Unless your locals come from one of those satellites or you are getting spanish programming then you are not missing any channels. Does your dish have one output or four? If it only has one then you're in good shape. If it has four and you cannot get 119, then you are going to have intermittent problems with guide data. Are there any trees or anything that would block line of sight nearby?

I do not think I am missing any channels and they look mighty fine but I am used to regular tv. I think maybe the hd's in the 70's are not working but it looks like the same channels are elsewhere.

The dish has 4 outputs and nothing blocking the line of sight.

I tried to adjust the tilt and could not get anything for 119 so I just gave up and came in to watch some of the fine hd I am getting.

If the 119 and 110 are not truly needed at this moment for watching maybe I should just be happy.

One more little question, I see channels like E! are not in HD, they look pretty terrible on this tv, it is a 1080 samung. Is that the way it is gonna be?

Thanks so much for the help. I just wanna make sure I got everything right because it sure did cost a bundle.

 

[JosephB]

I do not think I am missing any channels and they look mighty fine but I am used to regular tv. I think maybe the hd's in the 70's are not working but it looks like the same channels are elsewhere.

The dish has 4 outputs and nothing blocking the line of sight.

I tried to adjust the tilt and could not get anything for 119 so I just gave up and came in to watch some of the fine hd I am getting.

If the 119 and 110 are not truly needed at this moment for watching maybe I should just be happy.

One more little question, I see channels like E! are not in HD, they look pretty terrible on this tv, it is a 1080 samung. Is that the way it is gonna be?

Thanks so much for the help. I just wanna make sure I got everything right because it sure did cost a bundle.

you are not missing any channels at all from 119 and 110, however you will have problems with guide data. Do you have a DVR? Your receivers are going to run out of guide data in certain circumstances if they cannot get a signal from 119.

Be sure you have your resolutions and aspect ratios set, but yes, on a large screen TV the SD channels are going to look somewhat bad, especially when you watch something in HD and switch to the SD stuff. Of course that's all completely subjective.

 

[bbaffert]

Thanks, I do not have the DVR so I will just wait and see what happens. I am sure I will do some more tweaking in the near future but it is great to know I am getting the channels. Right now, just wanna relax and enjoy.

As for the aspect ratio and all that, I need to still set that up correctly so that may be part of the problem. I messed with it some but need to make sure it is right.

Great place here. Thanks!

 

[JosephB]

ok, if you don't have a DVR then the fix is simple: be sure you leave your receiver(s) on a non-HD channel when you're not watching it. Something that is from 101, like Headline News (CH 204).

 

[jdspencer]

Does the H21 have a setup option for the 3LNB dish for 99, 101 and 103? Is it does, then the 110 and 119 sats won't be needed and thus give no errors.

 

[JosephB]

Does the H21 have a setup option for the 3LNB dish for 99, 101 and 103? Is it does, then the 110 and 119 sats won't be needed and thus give no errors.

It won't work with the 5LNB with a built in switch, which it appears the OP has. It is going to automatically detect the setup, and the LNB is going to send guide data from 119 automatically if he's not tuned to 101.

 

[MikeinBaja]

I've installed quite a few Slimlines.

Your alignment is off and you will continue to have problems, especially if more programming gets switched between birds.

Reset the tilt to whatever the box shows as your starting point for your zip code. Use the AZ and EL only to nail the 110 bird (center bird in the arc). Lock down the AZ/EL. Use the tilt only to peak out on 119. Double check you are still strong on 110.

If you follow this trick for aligning the Slimline you will get all the birds, assuming no LOS issues.

 

[bbaffert]

Thanks for the continued help.

Seems like my solution for the time being is to put it on 101 at night.

On the next pretty day I can go out and follow the instructions to try and get all the birds working. I will not feel right with it the way it is anyways. I just wanted to make sure I had my head wrapped around this and I learned a lot from you guys.

I will report back after I do some tweaking.

 

[outerub]

I've installed quite a few Slimlines.

Your alignment is off and you will continue to have problems, especially if more programming gets switched between birds.

Reset the tilt to whatever the box shows as your starting point for your zip code. Use the AZ and EL only to nail the 110 bird (center bird in the arc). Lock down the AZ/EL. Use the tilt only to peak out on 119. Double check you are still strong on 110.

If you follow this trick for aligning the Slimline you will get all the birds, assuming no LOS issues.

I've followed your replies a few times Mike and it's clear that you know you stuff ... but I'm curious ... if peging the 110 first is the best way to go then why does the Slimline manual tell you to peg the 101 with tilt adjust to tweak the 119 ? ( I have the WNC model AZ/EL system. )

Thanks.

UB.

 

[raoul5788]

I've followed your replies a few times Mike and it's clear that you know you stuff ... but I'm curious ... if peging the 110 first is the best way to go then why does the Slimline manual tell you to peg the 101 with tilt adjust to tweak the 119 ? ( I have the WNC model AZ/EL system. )

Thanks.

UB.

I think he meant the 101, since that's where you point the Slimline, not at 110.