Ota signals causing hopper3 to stutter

[whoopy]

I use a dual ota for locals
My antenna is a higher end 60 mile coverage, my furthest station antenna is 20 miles in st louis
I only use 3 stations nbc fox CBS
Others have been removed to narrow down problem
Hopper3 and 1 joey 2

Sometimes the signals go from 100% to 70 error # 739 and the hopper becomes sluggish when watching recorded shows and sometimes sound flickers. It effects All my DVR recordings not just my ota shows.
And joey is unwatchable


To fix the problem ...I go to my ota channels because for some reason it needs to be 'triggered' and the loss of signal screen #739 goes up for a brief second with signal @ 70 then goes to 100 in under a second and the issue is fixed ...for a bit
A hard reset works as well..but then I will lose content on recording materials
I've made the antenna all over the room and when I test, all three are always @ 100 %signals.

Not sure what to try next
This is the second hopper3 that has had this issue

Thx in advance

 

[sam_gordon]

I wonder if you're overloading the ota receiver. You can add attenuation (something like this: Amazon product ASIN B074K9LLLW)

 

[TheKrell]

I've made the antenna all over the room and when I test, all three are always @ 100 %signals.

Could you clarify what you mean by that? Your 60mi antenna isn't indoors, is it?

 

[Jim5506]

Bouncing signal is sometimes a symptom of multi-path.

 

[whoopy]

Could you clarify what you mean by that? Your 60mi antenna isn't indoors, is it?

Yes in doors

 

[Jim5506]

Indoor use typically reduces signal by 50% and is prone to multi-path.

 

[TheKrell]

Indoor use typically reduces signal by 50% and is prone to multi-path.

I have had issues like this with indoor antennas simply by walking around! I guess people make good reflectors.

 

[whoopy]

Here is video of the slow fwd speeds on none ota recording and how I fix issue

 

[pattykay]

I have had issues like this with indoor antennas simply by walking around! I guess people make good reflectors.

I have even seen this with my outdoor antenna, when I am moving around in the room below the antenna. Actually, it was a case where the signal would keep breaking up while I was sitting down, but as soon as I stood up and took a couple of steps, the signal came in perfectly. This would have been great, except I wanted to sit while watching TV.

 

[pattykay]

Indoor use typically reduces signal by 50% and is prone to multi-path.

So I guess the attenuator in post number 2 would not help, then. Or would it still be necessary, in order to help fix the multi-path issue?

 

[menelfloss]

I experience the same issues with a new antenna in my attic. Most of the signal strength is 100% but one channel bounces down to 75 and upwards. There is no problem when I use the tuner in my tv which makes me wonder how much of this signal strength issue has to do with the USB Dish antenna accessory...

 

[Allegen27]

I think we have the exact same issues as you on our Hopper Duo. So we will be watching a satellite channel and it will skip or pixelate have the sound drop in and out. The only way to fix the issue is to select an OTA channel. Once we change the channel to OTA (using OTA adapter) and then flip back to whatever we were watching off the Dish it will work flawlessly as if nothing was ever wrong.

 

[garyreno]

Have the same problem. Rebooting fixes the problem for a day or two. For what its worth Dish CSR thinks its the last software update. Thay said they have had a thousand complaints since the update.

 

[Jim5506]

I think we have the exact same issues as you on our Hopper Duo. So we will be watching a satellite channel and it will skip or pixelate have the sound drop in and out. The only way to fix the issue is to select an OTA channel. Once we change the channel to OTA (using OTA adapter) and then flip back to whatever we were watching off the Dish it will work flawlessly as if nothing was ever wrong.

This is an entirely seperate issue - software bug on Hopper that scrambled MOCA to Joey when OTA module is present.

Whoppy's issue is an outdoor antenna being used indoors where there are multiple opportunities for signals to bounce and be attenuated by things and persons in the house.

Being 20 miles from the towers using an indoor antenna also can allow two or more outside signal paths to arrive at the antenna slightly out of phase, dropping the signal momentarily and causing the picture to break up, freeze and jerk.

 

[pattykay]

This is an entirely seperate issue - software bug on Hopper that scrambled MOCA to Joey when OTA module is present.

Interestingly, Allegen27's post said that this is happening on the Hopper Duo. If this is happening on the Hopper itself, then this sounds like something different from the Joey pixilation issue that has been discussed in several other threads here. In all of those cases that I remember, the Hopper is fine.

 

[TomT127]

I have a similar problem with my OTA recordings. When I watch an OTA show live, I get a perfect signal but when I record something to watch later, many of the recordings are very choppy and unwatchable. Never a problem with satellite recorded programs. So I'm not sure if its an antenna problem or a DVR problem. This just started about 2 or 3 months ago. I've had the OTA for well over a year.

 

[pattykay]

I have a similar problem with my OTA recordings. When I watch an OTA show live, I get a perfect signal but when I record something to watch later, many of the recordings are very choppy and unwatchable. Never a problem with satellite recorded programs. So I'm not sure if its an antenna problem or a DVR problem. This just started about 2 or 3 months ago. I've had the OTA for well over a year.

I am assuming that you are using a dual-tuner adapter. If so, then it is possible that one of the tuners in your adapter went bad. By default, recordings are done on Tuner 2, and Tuner 1 is used for Live TV. If you try recording two OTA shows at the same time, the timer with higher priority will go to Tuner 2. So, you could try recording two OTA shows at the same time, and see if only the one with the higher priority in the Timers list has the problem, or if both recordings end up being unwatchable.

 

[TomT127]

I am assuming that you are using a dual-tuner adapter. If so, then it is possible that one of the tuners in your adapter went bad. By default, recordings are done on Tuner 2, and Tuner 1 is used for Live TV. If you try recording two OTA shows at the same time, the timer with higher priority will go to Tuner 2. So, you could try recording two OTA shows at the same time, and see if only the one with the higher priority in the Timers list has the problem, or if both recordings end up being unwatchable.

What you said makes perfect sense. I will try to record 2 different shows. I could actually probably record one OTA show and watch another OTA show at the same time and it would also do the same thing right? And would Dish give me a new adapter?

 

[pattykay]

What you said makes perfect sense. I will try to record 2 different shows. I could actually probably record one OTA show and watch another OTA show at the same time and it would also do the same thing right? ...

That was my guess, as a possible explanation for why Live TV would be fine, even while the OTA recording was getting messed up. I suppose if the reverse happened, with Live TV getting messed up while the recording is fine, then that would also answer the question about one of the two tuners going bad.

... And would Dish give me a new adapter?

If you sign up for their Protection Plan, maybe. I am not sure if the Protection Plan covers that or not. I think they may offer a higher tier of the Protection Plan that covers all of the electronic devices connected to your Dish system, though. If you don't want to commit to the Protection Plan, then you could try calling the Loyalty Department at 1-888-496-1260 to see if there is anything they can do for you.

 

[TomT127]

That was my guess, as a possible explanation for why Live TV would be fine, even while the OTA recording was getting messed up. I suppose if the reverse happened, with Live TV getting messed up while the recording is fine, then that would also answer the question about one of the two tuners going bad.


If you sign up for their Protection Plan, maybe. I am not sure if the Protection Plan covers that or not. I think they may offer a higher tier of the Protection Plan that covers all of the electronic devices connected to your Dish system, though. If you don't want to commit to the Protection Plan, then you could try calling the Loyalty Department at 1-888-496-1260 to see if there is anything they can do for you.

LOL. For that amount of money I might as well just pay the $10 a month for local channels over satellite.