Shaw Direct signal setup issues

[chatapuggy1]

I got my HDPVR630 a couple of weeks back, last night I put up the 75E dish which I also got. I went into the installation settings and as I tweaked the dish, I got no tone change or bar change on the signal page. Funny thing is though, I found the system settings page where it lists the technical data in the box. There I saw tuner 1 had about 69 and Tuner 2 had 65 signal strength. I tweaked some more but cout not seem to get any better.

Funny thing is, I hooked the same dish up to my CNX nano2 box and it pulled down the Anik 107.3 channels so I know I am almost there.

My question is this, could it be the skew? I saw on one website that it was -15 degrees and another told me 82 degrees, is -15 even possible? I started at 82 degrees and tweeked from there but I am not sure what -15 is all about, does that mean I have to take it to the left past 0 and then some?

And also, if the system settings showed me in the 60s for signal, why would the bar page not show up at all and give me some signal?

Any ideas, I want to try one more time, before I give up and sell this box, I swore I teaked the dish good last night every which way and nothing.

BTW the way, I am in the Los Angeles area....

 

[Jables]

On the "bar page", if it's what I think you're talking about, you can put in a provider ID and it'll let you know if you're really aimed - for Shaw it's 4128 - it'll turn green and you'll be picking up 107.

Also, you can see signal strengths on channels you are not yet subscribed to - so tune to channel 299 (this is off 107), and then change the channel to 750 (this is off 111) - now you can check signals on both. It should show the channel numbers next to the tuner number on that status page.

In any case, standard easy method is aim the dish right at 111 - it's set up to be pointed at that bird, and pick up 107 offset. So go to dishpointer, get the az/elev for 111, then start at 82 on skew and tweak until you have good readings on both birds.

 

[chatapuggy1]

Thanks, the 'bar page" is correct, its what I am talking about, one time I typed 4128 in there and it turned green and no bar signal, but ever since then I can type it in there and its doesnt turn green anymore, it stays red. I turned to 299, 701, 750 and just blank channels, nothing. So what your saying is, aim first, type in 4128 and if and when it turns green you are almost there.....

 

[joshuals]

First of all, here are the settings for Los Angeles, confirmed from 2 reliable sources.
Az: 167.4 (True) 154.6 (Magnetic)
El: 49.7
Skew: 80

Secondly, when you see a skew such as the -15 you mention, it means the dish should be turned counterclockwise 15 degrees, as viewed from behind the dish. Some dishes measure the skew based on horizontal being at zero degrees; the Shaw dish, on the other hand, is graduated so that the horizontal is 90 degrees instead of zero degrees.

Thirdly, Los Angeles is a big area. You might want to go to Dishpointer.com and refine the above settings a little. Start by entering "Los Angeles" and selecting "Anik F2/Wildblue-1" from the dropdown. Then move the icon on the map/photo to your location. I just entered "Los Angeles" and the skew shows as -10.4. To convert this skew value to a Shaw dish setting you add the number algebraically to 90......that is: 90 + (-10.4) = 79.6. The 79.6 agrees closely with a second website that I checked for your skew in LA which shows a value of 80.

Fourthly, I'm not sure why you got no value on the bar in the setup screen, but whatever the case, if you type in 4128 and it stays red, you are not pointed at a Shaw satellite, or you have something blocking the line of sight, or you have a bad connection between the receiver and the dish.

Don't give up yet. I'm betting it's just something simple. As Jables pointed out, use Dishpointer to get a good graphic of the direction you should be pointed. Make sure your elevation and skew settings are set correctly and be sure the dish mast is plumb and you have nothing blocking the line of sight. Tune to 299 and move the dish in small increments, giving the meter time to react. Even if you are totally mispointed, the meter should show a signal of level of about 20. (If it shows a flat zero, then you have a bad connection between the receiver and dish.) As you tweak the dish, and when the meter begins to rise, then type in 4128. If it turns green, then you're on the right satellite; continue to tweak until you get the maximum signal. Don't worry about the signal on any other channel untill you get 299 maximized. Once you get 299 maximized, then you can fine-tune both satellites using the Ecb/No, which we can explain to you when you get to that step.

 

[chatapuggy1]

I appreciate the help, I didnt realize the -15 skew was an uncomputed value, I was gonna go home today and tweak the dish to the left past zero!!! But I saw another website that listed it as 82 for my area, thats where I went from. When I put the dish on the roof, I put the mast first, leveled and plum, and I already had the dish ready to go for the elevation and skew, maybe I should have started fresh?

I am not sure either why I dont get a signal bar. I turn the box on, I immediate get the "Acquiring signal or signal lost" box, when I put in ch 299 I dont se anything except that same box. I will check cables again.

This box has 2 tuners, I take it all four cables are the same so as long as I have 2 connected I am good.

Weird though, that system setting page where I get all the technical data, actually shows signal strengths (69) and they move where I tweak the dish, but the user friendly signal bar page has nothing at all.

 

[Jables]

Yes, all four cables are good for service. You just need two.

As an aside, even before you activate there are a couple of channels you can see - Knowledge (Channel 9) and BC Legislature Channel (Channel 290) - in addition to having the status box turn green, if you're able to get picture up and running on those channels, you're 99% of the way there. It's just a matter of fine tuning after that - and those channels can be handy if you're outside; turn the volume up and you can hear the audio come in when you are adjusting the dish. Call it a poor man's signal meter.

 

[chatapuggy1]

OK, after tweaking up down, left right and skewing another 3 hours in the rain, I got nothing. I am convinced its the box. I used my FTA receiver at one point to make sure the lnbs were working, and they do because when I quit, the dish is now connected to AMC-1 103. joshuals had mentioned that I should be getting even a low 20 signal strength on the bar meter, I got nothing the whole time, its like the systems installation page is blank and wont read anything, just a tone that keeps beeping slowly.

My cables are direct from the dish maybe 20 ft at most, tight and only maybe 5 years old at best, but look in quality condition.

So now this stinks, for Christmas my box is looking at the Spaceway 103 AMC-1 bird, all I get is Pentagon Channel over FTA. I couldn't even seem to pick up the DN signal anymore to leave there where I started from in the first place.

Does anybody know of a reset feature maybe, I tried pressing the power button on the 630 and it reboots, I unplugged and replugged. Something is wrong I know it, because as stated before, under the systems setting menu (where you can see the firmware) I can also watch the signal and I had at one point Tuner 1 = 70 and Tuner 2 =68 at best, but couldn't seem to get anymore out of it. But when hooked up to my FTA box, I did a channel scan and all the SD channels came down, they were just scrambled of course.

I scoured the forums and cant seem to find anything on the setup subject, its like I am the only one with this issue....

 

[Jables]

To do a factory reset:

Set the receiver to channel 299.
Option 6-4-9-8-8-6.
Reset the receiver.
Wait 2mn, make sure the receiver is on Ch. 299 and is receiving a signal.

You will have to call Shaw Direct for a rehit (or go online). But you can check and see if the free channels are showing beforehand.

 

[chatapuggy1]

Appreciate it much, didn't even know I could do this type of reset. I will try tomorrow, but unfortunately, I have to wait 2 weeks until my little cousin comes back as he is the one who goes up on my roof (ceramic tiles). But as stated before, even with my dish in the wrong spot (103W), Maybe with the reset I will at least show something on the bar like 20 signal strength?

I shouldn't have to get another hit I don't think, as I have never even been activated yet, I just got this stuff and cant get past the signal issue to even get activated.

I will try to be patient, but if this doesn't work, I may post this brand new unit in the classified section to get rid of it and try to recoup the loss a little bit! I will just be stuck with the 75E dish and I don't think I can get DN again with it because of the LNBs....

 

[Jables]

Yeah, pointed at "nothing" with good LNBs you should get around 35 signal strength on that box, iirc. I wasn't sure if you had it activated by a relative in Canada or anything before you got it.

And yes, your SD dish is no good for Dish Network - but I'm sure there are a few snowbirds wondering where they can buy a 75e dish in SoCal - if you decide to throw in the towel, I'm sure you can find a home for dish and receiver. Check over at digitalhome.ca's Shaw section for sure.

 

[stogie5150]

I have a DSR-505 and I could NOT aim it properly until it was "hit". I had no channels anywhere, just a black screen, until the hit. I also used a FTA box to get the sats, got the hit, and then took the 505 out to the dishes and aimed them properly. I am using two CM 84E dishes, a custom setup, because there was no way I was paying 101.00 just for shipping the dish....but my cobbled together system works well so far.

 

[chatapuggy1]

I am confused, what does "hit" mean? I don't think I have even made it that far. Broker tells me to get the dish setup, get a signal going and then call so they can do the activation, I thought without a signal that you a receiving, no activation can take place or the Hit? I got the bigger dish too, so I paid the premium for the shipping! DN and Direct are super easy, this thing is difficult to get going!

On another note, though, thanks to you guys, I figured out the factory reset option, and in that secret screen there are signal settings, and yes I played around with them, I have nothing to lose at this point. Funny thing is I noticed in there under the 22khz tone, it was off for both, and I read somewhere that one of the birds is on, so I changed it, and when I went back to the installation menu, I still got no signal bar, but I typed in "4128" and this time it turned green. Weird.

 

[stogie5150]

Hit just means a reauthorization from Shaw. Needs to happen when you install, or reset the box, as you have. If you have green signal bar and good signal on both sats, you should be good to go.