Receiver constantly needs reauthorized

[Captain TV]

A friend of mine has three Directv SD receivers hooked up to a three lnb dish. With two of the receivers there is no problem at all with reception. The third receiver needs to be reauthorized before each use. This receiver is only used sparingly. None of the receivers are hooked to a phone line. The wire to this receiver has been replaced. He has never "moved' or tampered with any of the components. Any ideas, Directv just reauthorizes the receiver when he calls.

 

[thetech2009]

A friend of mine has three Directv SD receivers hooked up to a three lnb dish. With two of the receivers there is no problem at all with reception. The third receiver needs to be reauthorized before each use. This receiver is only used sparingly. None of the receivers are hooked to a phone line. The wire to this receiver has been replaced. He has never "moved' or tampered with any of the components. Any ideas, Directv just reauthorizes the receiver when he calls.

first thing is what is the time frame between uses, after a long period of time with no use a reciever will loose authorization

 

[Jimbo]

A friend of mine has three Directv SD receivers hooked up to a three lnb dish. With two of the receivers there is no problem at all with reception. The third receiver needs to be reauthorized before each use. This receiver is only used sparingly. None of the receivers are hooked to a phone line. The wire to this receiver has been replaced. He has never "moved' or tampered with any of the components. Any ideas, Directv just reauthorizes the receiver when he calls.

first thing is what is the time frame between uses, after a long period of time with no use a reciever will loose authorization

Isn't this ONLY if the recvr has no Sat feed to it ?

OP, You know you can easily re authorize the recvr online instead of calling in each time .... I know that doesn't solve your issue though.

https://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/mydi...ation.jsp?_requestid=443003&_requestid=833458

 

[MikeinBaja]

He/she may be cutting the power to the box when it is shut down. Had a case of a seldom used box that lost the auth all the time - turned out they were shutting off via a power strip. No power and/or not sat sig for X'# days box will loose it's auth.

Might be a box mgt issue.

 

[scarebear]

like it was said before, first thing that comes to mind is it's without power for a few days and it "loses" authorization as security

 

[MikeinBaja]

like it was said before, first thing that comes to mind is it's without power for a few days and it "loses" authorization as security

OK, maybe it was obvious to you (as it was to me) but it had not been suggested at all in the thread - and it' a solid "look for".

Chased my share of sat system ghosts - just giving advise that is tech sound.

 

[Captain TV]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll check with him tomorrow at work regarding the length of time, power status and connection. I'll update when I get some answers. Thanks!

 

[Captain TV]

Here's an update. The receiver is plugged in continuously and the cable to the satelite is never unhooked. He spoke to Directv last evening trying to resolve the problem. They just reauthorized his programming. He is probably going to upgrade to HD and swap out that receiver or go back to Comcast.

 

[DirectDishNet]

Here's an update. The receiver is plugged in continuously and the cable to the satelite is never unhooked. He spoke to Directv last evening trying to resolve the problem. They just reauthorized his programming. He is probably going to upgrade to HD and swap out that receiver or go back to Comcast.

Comcast? I don't know if that is such a good idea.....
Anyway, You know I had a customer that had this very same problem. I had to look at your state location because I thought you were my customer. Anyway, The same thing was happening. They said it needs re authorizing every time they turned the box on. They said they turn it on only on the weekends when the grand children are over. It's not used during the week.
I asked them many times if they unplug it and they say no every time. It is on a power strip behind the entertainment center. As a test I switched the receiver with another they had in another room. The same thing is happening to the switched receiver. The next week I replace the LNB and switch and it still did it. Then I replaced the cable to that room, Still did it........So I again asked if they turn off the power? They said no......... So I had them walk through the steps of what they do when they close up the room when the week end is over........
They shut off the receiver and tv, Then they turn off the lights and close the door.....

BINGO!... The light on the power strip went off....... Turns out the light switch on the wall was the culprit... The light switch turned everything on that wall off...So the receiver did not get any power for a week....

we moved the surge protector to another outlet and I have not heard from that customer for over 6 months now....

Good luck, I hope this has helped you or anyone else having this same issue.

 

[Jimbo]

Comcast? I don't know if that is such a good idea.....
Anyway, You know I had a customer that had this very same problem. I had to look at your state location because I thought you were my customer. Anyway, The same thing was happening. They said it needs re authorizing every time they turned the box on. They said they turn it on only on the weekends when the grand children are over. It's not used during the week.
I asked them many times if they unplug it and they say no every time. It is on a power strip behind the entertainment center. As a test I switched the receiver with another they had in another room. The same thing is happening to the switched receiver. The next week I replace the LNB and switch and it still did it. Then I replaced the cable to that room, Still did it........So I again asked if they turn off the power? They said no......... So I had them walk through the steps of what they do when they close up the room when the week end is over........
They shut off the receiver and tv, Then they turn off the lights and close the door.....

BINGO!... The light on the power strip went off....... Turns out the light switch on the wall was the culprit... The light switch turned everything on that wall off...So the receiver did not get any power for a week....

we moved the surge protector to another outlet and I have not heard from that customer for over 6 months now....

Good luck, I hope this has helped you or anyone else having this same issue.

Good call, I was thinking that as well as I was reading your post.

Many times the light switch next to the door controls an outlet for a light as you come in the door.

 

[Captain TV]

I checked with my friend yesterday and the electrical outlet is not controlled by the light switch. He had to call Directv again on Wednesday regarding the problem. Partly in disgust, he upgraded this receiver to an HD receiver. They are coming on Saturday to do the install. Problem solved I guess.

 

[Jimbo]

I checked with my friend yesterday and the electrical outlet is not controlled by the light switch. He had to call Directv again on Wednesday regarding the problem. Partly in disgust, he upgraded this receiver to an HD receiver. They are coming on Saturday to do the install. Problem solved I guess.

Problem Solved ?

What turned out to be the thing that solved it for sure...
Check back after D* has been there and let us know for sure ....

 

[DirectDishNet]

Yea, I curious as well

 

[Captain TV]

Just got an update from my friend this morning. Directv arrived on October 10th to upgrade my friends receiver. The installer replaced the 3 lnb dish with the 5lnb HD dish and swapped out a regular receiver for a non DVR, HD receiver. Down to the basement room to activate the receiver and sure enough, no signal. The installer then replaced all of the connections. No signal again. The installer asks my friend about the cable and he has run new RG6 from the antenna to the basement room during the remodel of his basement kingdom. They test the wire in the wall by running a new wire from the dish to the tv downstairs. No signal. The installer then goes up to the roof and replaces the lnb and hooks up the existing cabling. Finally, a break, it works fine. It has not had to be reauthorized since the installation. I guess the first lnb and the initial new lnb were on the fritz. Kudos to the installer in zip code 26726.

 

[Jimbo]

Great to see they found a solution :up

 

[sddtvtech]

yah i had an upgrade where i couldnt locate the 101 and could get signal on 119. changed the LNB and done.. got the 101 back. its not rare to find a LNB 3 go bad already.