Problem with 222 at customers home

[backsplash]

Had this happen to me yesterday. A 222 we installed at a customers house, every morning when the customer turns on her TV, the 222 goes to "searching for satellite signal", then goes to "downloading guide" like a reboot or a loss of power. During the service call yesterday, at 4 PM, she had not touched the TV since the morning, when it did the same thing, it had been turned off since 8 AM, I walk into the house and watch her turn on her TV, only the yellow light is on, on the 222, and it goes to "searching for satellite signal" and then downloads the guide, like a reboot or a loss of power. She has not lost power, clock on same circuit is not flashing, like a loss of power. And on top of this it is the second 222 we put in, one of my techs replaced it a week earlier, and it is doing the same thing. Checked the inactivity standby and disabled it, thinking that when it goes into inactivity, it loses signal and goes to reboot when turned back on.
Anyone else seen this problem or have a answer for what it might be? Costs me money every time I go out there and swap it out, would like to know what the deal is.

 

[dnero]

The clock may have a 9volt battery in it even if the power goes out it will retain time. If you have a volt meter I would check to be sure there is good voltage at the electrical outlet could be a bad outlet that might be enough to power the clock but the TV and 222 might cause a voltage drop. Or even a bad circuit breaker. At the simplest make sure there is not a light switch that controls the outlet that she might shut off night. I had a circuit in my house that the top part of the outlet was controlled by a switch but the bottom was on all the time.

 

[SaltiDawg]

... I had a circuit in my house that the top part of the outlet was controlled by a switch but the bottom was on all the time.

I would ask if the 222 is plugged into a wall receptacle or into an auxiliary outlet on the TV?

 

[rocket69]

they have power issues at the house bust off the ground or put on an adapter and you should be good to go.

 

[backsplash]

Thanks for the responses. The 222 is plugged into the wall, I will check the voltage, and I did ask about the light switch, none on the outlet. I will try the 2 prong adapter, see if that helps. thanks again

 

[TG2]

how is the TV connected to the Receiver? HDMI? And what brand of TV ... its just as likely the power on of the TV, if connected with HDMI is causing some handshake issue, and might cause the receiver to reset ... one way to trouble shoot would be to use a different type of connection, component or composite or coax ... for a day or two.. see if problem continues.. if not.. then the real solution would be to look for an update to the TV & Rceiver's HDMI protocals (ie. Firmware)

 

[mx023]

This sounds like an issue with the software on the receiver. if the 2 receivers had the same software that could cause something like that. My 311 used to do that, every time I cut it on it acquired signal and i'd have to wait 5 mins for it to do so. One day it stopped. I figured DISH updated the software and it got the update. Every once in a while when I press guide it does make me DL the program guide info tho.

 

[rocket69]

back your a good man. I have seen tones of techs come and go and could care lees about customers if you stay on the path your going you will master all problems that come your way.

 

[backsplash]

Talked to the customer on Monday, she is trying the 2 prong adapter into a different wall plug. One thing I did notice when at the customers house was that it is plugged in with a HDMI cable, and it was very touchy at the TV, when I moved the cord it lost picture at the TV, I mentioned it to her that the port on her TV was weak or lose, she has had the TV only for 2 months, maybe a warranty issue, Sansui LCD if I remember correctly. I should try to replace the HDMI cable, didn't think it could cause the 222 to reboot.

 

[TG2]

I should try to replace the HDMI cable, didn't think it could cause the 222 to reboot.

Its not a matter of changing the cable ... though a bad cable, or weak port could be additional issues ... but that HDMI in and of itself, is an issue some times.

in the days of old, analog ... the signal was there or it wasn't ... perhaps the signal could have been weak, but you'd come to understand that if you saw signal fading ... colors coming and going, snow .. etc..

In HDMI ... you're not talking about a digital conversion of an analog signal .. youre talking a purely digital signal. And one for that matter that has "handshaking" going on to establish a communications channel between HDMI devices for HDCP (content protection).

... HDCP ...
222 -> TV .. "TV are you HDCP aware, can I trust you? Send me your Ident Key"
TV -> 222 .. "yes I am HDCP compliant, I am the end point and the only way out from me is the visual cortex of someone's eye, here is my key"

that "handshake" has to happen, it has to be valid, or you'll get unexpected results. During the handshake you're also esablishing communication speeds, HDMI specifications, etc.. and this doesn't just happen at turn on .. it happens periodically throughout the time the devices are on and communicating. (why? because you might capture and fake the stream at the beginning, and the content nazis want to make sure they catch you if you do)

There's two places the updates for HDMI/HDCP could come from ... one is the TV maker, the other is the video device maker.. where this one would come from, if confirmed would be your guess being as good as mine ... I lookd for Sansui updates, couldn't find much, and as for Dish, well Echostar's products don't get redressed in a timely nor open manner.

Any time there is HDMI in the mix... and the funkiness of products... I wonder if the problem is hdmi/hdcp.

 

[backsplash]

Note taken..

 

[Nyth]

Electrical issues with the residential wiring are not common but can be a bugger to figure out. Crossed hot and neutral with the ground hot is one I have seen at least four times. A three light outlet tester will show this as normal. But if you are correctly grounded, it will cause the breaker to trip as soon as you plug in the receiver or connect the coax. I had one last month that I traced to a bad surge suppressor power strip. It was allowing about 50 volts to the ground. I had gotten a mild shock when I was disconnecting the cable from the CORRECTLY GROUNDED ground block. Floating neutrals are also a problem. They only carry a few volts but that can be enough to throw everything out of whack.

A DMM is an essential tool for troubleshooting these problems.

I also want to stress the importance of correctly grounding the system. I cannot count the number of times this has saved me.

 

[dwarren2]

I had an hdmi cable go bad between my 211 and ny tv. It was like electrical interference causing a static like noise and the picture to jump and be split in the middle with the top on the bottom. I thought the TV was going bad. But I decided to first change the cable. Problem went away. So I'd try a different hdmi cable as a test.

 

[backsplash]

Just a update, today I put a 322 back in the house. Tried changing power plug, removed the ground, changed HDMI cable, went to component cable, nothing seemed to make a difference. Every morning or after idle for more than 4 hours it would go to "searching for satellite signal". Customer happy with 322 and no HD, just wished I could have figured it out. 50 mile round trip, 4 service calls, didn't charge the customer a cent (maybe I should have, but it was not their fault) lost my $$$ on the deal, but customer happy.

 

[Dishman1978]

Just a update, today I put a 322 back in the house. Tried changing power plug, removed the ground, changed HDMI cable, went to component cable, nothing seemed to make a difference. Every morning or after idle for more than 4 hours it would go to "searching for satellite signal". Customer happy with 322 and no HD, just wished I could have figured it out. 50 mile round trip, 4 service calls, didn't charge the customer a cent (maybe I should have, but it was not their fault) lost my $$$ on the deal, but customer happy.

You my friend are a customer service hero. Using your own incone to help a customer. Charlie should congradulae you himself. To bad he doesnt read this stuff.

 

[rocket69]

your a good man backsplash . your a true tech still wonder what the beef was with that 222 i know since the start those and the 612 have issues with software and modulators.