Super High Dollar DSR-922

[linuxman]

I was at one of my clients this morning and had gone to the break room to have a smoke. There was a St. Louis paper laying on the table in front of me, and I had an urge to look at the classified section. I rarely ever open a newspaper, and when I had that urge, I knew there was something there for me to find. (think Obiwan Knobe, or Yoda from Star Wars)

I went to the classified, and started looking through the sections for satellite and related items. Nothing. I looked at the section called bargain basement, and lo and behold that is where the ad was.

7.5 foot dish and 4DTV digital satellite receiver. $100, OBO, and the phone number.

So when I finished up, I headed back towards home and called the number, and got an answering machine. I proceeded to run some errands, and my cell rang and it was the owner. He gave me directions and the address. I drove to the house, and he took me to the basement and showed me the receiver.

A DSR-922 that is supposedly only 5 or 6 years old with new VCII board, and used until about 6 months ago when they switched over to cable for phone, internet and TV. Their original 4DTV receiver was hit by lightning.

We then went out to look at the dish. It was a 7.5 foot Perfect 10 dish, just like one I already have with 18" actuator on it. He said there was a Co-Rotor on it, and the receiver was hooked to C and Ku bands.

I don't really need the dish, but wanted to hear what the story was. Went back into the house, and turned on the receiver, but couldn't get picture on either TV. He said that when they put the cable in, they got new TVs, and the cable guy probably didn't hook the satellite back up to the TVs. He promised everything worked fine when they quit using it.

So I asked about the ad and the $100.00 OBO (or best offer). He said that was the price if he had to take the dish down.

He said he would take $25.00 for everything including 100' of ribbon cable that is encased across the lawn in PVC pipe if I took it down and cut off the pole.

I didn't ask anything further. I just pulled out the cash and bought it all. I brought the receiver, remote, manual, and a 300 page book Home Satellite TV Installation and Troubleshooting Manual, Revised 3rd Edition 1995 by Frank Baylin, Brent Gale and Ron Long. I looked at it briefly, and it has a lot of information that looks to be still relevant.

I told him I would be back for the dish, and ribbon cable within in a week or so.

I just hooked up the receiver to my extra TV in the showroom, and the ID is intact, and I have no doubt when I hook it to the dish, it will work fine. It is in ZK mode right now.

So I have a couple of questions, if you guys don't mind.

1. What can this one do that my 920 won't?

2. If I give one of these receivers to my family setup in the living room, is there a way to change the frequency on the remotes so they won't interfere with each other? I have already experienced a problem when I was using the remote in the showroom for testing.

If I can make the two play nicely together, I plan for the family to have their own 4DTV setup separate from mine, which means definitely a 4th C-Band dish on the roof.

I got dishes running out the wazoo now. I need more C-Band style roof mounts.

Fred

 

[turbosat]

Jackpot Linuxman! Congratulations, the book was prob worth the 25bucks, ifyou didnt have a copy of it already, some good info there for setup and tweaking.
There's prob somebody who can tell you what the 922 will do that the 920 wont, there are some channels that it will pick up that your 920 cant see, I think.
Are there any other buildings next door to you that might be for sale?! More roof-area.
Good luck with your new box.
charles

 

[linuxman]

Thanks Charles!

I didn't have the book, but it looks very interesting.

No buildings for sale next door. May be time to do some squeezing together, and better utilize the space I have. I was thinking about re-doing my existing roof mounts a little bit to allow for better adjustment of the poles in case of any kind of shift because of freezing etc. That will be a fall project.

there are some channels that it will pick up that your 920 cant see, I think.

I thought I had remembered reading that somewhere, but am still interested in what other differences there are.

Fred

 

[gabshere]

man you re took the top spot lol
you are the best hunter. I'm sure the 922 is better than the 920 , i sold the 922 cause it was drawing a good price on ebay, i still have the 920 although i'm just about certain i will get rid of it too. i'm finding too much on the dvb to devote more time to the 4dtv. great find

........

 

[tdti1]

I like the 922 better than the 920, the 922 has 5.1 and can get a few more channels.

I would change the battery if I was you, they seem to last 7-10 years.

 

[linuxman]

Thanks George!

I was thinking of you and who was luckiest. I still think you ans Swampman rank right up there.

Hey tdti1,

The battery issue had already run through my mind when I brought it home. I will probably pick up new batteries for it and the VCII board and have my neighbor put them in for me.

I also thought you might be able to tell me about the remote frequencies and whether they could be changed or not so the two would play nicely in the same environment?

Thanks,

Fred

 

[tdti1]

Thanks George!
I also thought you might be able to tell me about the remote frequencies and whether they could be changed or not so the two would play nicely in the same environment?

Thanks,

Fred

Ya you can have up to 3 or I think 4 4dtv's in the same house with different remote freq, off my head I do not recall how to do it but it should be in the manual or some place online, hope someone sees this and will post the info.

 

[Mr Tony]

2. If I give one of these receivers to my family setup in the living room, is there a way to change the frequency on the remotes so they won't interfere with each other? I have already experienced a problem when I was using the remote in the showroom for testing.

There should be an option to change the remote address. I know my StarChoice box, Voom box & 905 are all in the same room and they don't clash
(SC remote is options 6-3-1...905 box I'll have to check when I get home. Voom box can't change remote address)

The 922 has more symbol rate options than the normal 19510 & 29270. I know there are some channels (I want to say the PT24 channels) that only the 922 & 905 can pick up.

found how to change the remote..downaload here
http://www.4dtvforum.com/doc/922Manual.pdf

or check the FTA manual section right above the C-Band area
page 50 of the manual shows it

 

[linuxman]

Thanks Iceberg and tdti1!!

Found it at the link above, and should have looked through the manual I got with it, but you know how good everyone is at looking things up around here. HeHe

The 922 has more symbol rate options than the normal 19510 & 29270. I know there are some channels (I want to say the PT24 channels) that only the 922 & 905 can pick up.

That will be cool.

Just got off the phone with my wife, and she is thrilled. She likes the EPG the 4DTV has. I have my current one hooked up so they can watch what's on in the living room. We have just started having minor differences as to who was going to watch what on the 4DTV.

Now problem is solved.

Thanks for both of your help!!

Fred

 

[jself1982]

The 922 will pick up the 3 east feed of Showtime on C3-125, 126, 127 and 2 west feeds of Showtime on G0-125, 126, 127 -- these channels can't be picked up by a 920 because of the symbol rate.

 

[linuxman]

Thanks jself1982!

The 922 will pick up the 3 east feed of Showtime on C3-125, 126, 127 and 2 west feeds of Showtime on G0-125, 126, 127 -- these channels can't be picked up by a 920 because of the symbol rate.

This is going to be interesting!

I think I read somewhere, don't recall now, where you can access the information concerning what channel you are on, and the technical information about it without having to go into the options menu like the 920.

That will be nice too especially for me. The family doesn't care as long as it works.

Fred

 

[voomvoom]

The EPG works differently too. With the 922 you can press the "Future" button (the "Next" button on the 920) and Navigate left or right to see what's on without going into the "Guide". Or you can Navigate up or down to see what is on other channels, while still watching whatever you're watching.
On the 920, if you hit the "Next" button, it only shows the next show, and only on the channel you're watching, no further. The 922, using the "Future" button will show you everything in the memory.

Al

 

[linuxman]

Hey thanks Al!

The EPG works differently too. With the 922 you can press the "Future" button (the "Next" button on the 920) and Navigate left or right to see what's on without going into the "Guide". Or you can Navigate up or down to see what is on other channels, while still watching whatever you're watching.

On the 920, if you hit the "Next" button, it only shows the next show, and only on the channel you're watching, no further. The 922, using the "Future" button will show you everything in the memory.

That's really cool too!

I won't tell my wife that part. If I do, she will want it.

Fred

 

[tvropro]

The 922 has an improved one piece motherboard and better tuner design. She also does more symbol rates (no megapipe though)

 

[linuxman]

Thanks tvropro.

That's good information.

I am going to hook it up in place of my 920 this morning.

Fred

 

[linuxman]

Got the 922 hooked up, decided to do a master reset, and now have all the C-Band satellites programmed in.

I also have X4 and most of the Ku satellites East of GB programmed in.

I don't know what the difference is, maybe the 922 has a better tuner, but my digital SQ on several satellites is much higher than with the 920.

I think I will keep the 7.5 foot Perfect 10 dish that it is running on. It is doing a great job with this receiver.

Now all I have to do is find or build another NPRM for a dish for the 920 and the family setup.

Linuxman is really happy today!!! Again!!!

Edit: I almost forgot. I subscribed to the CNN/Foxnews Alacarte that I also have on the 920. The price went from $5.83 for 90 days to $8.99 for the same 90 days.

Fred

 

[tvropro]

I don't know what the difference is, maybe the 922 has a better tuner, but my digital SQ on several satellites is much higher than with the 920.


Edit: I almost forgot. I subscribed to the CNN/Foxnews Alacarte that I also have on the 920. The price went from $5.83 for 90 days to $8.99 for the same 90 days.

Fred

The 922 reads higher on signal quality than the 920. It start's to macroblock at 35 vs 15 on the 920.

Here's some info on the new motherboard:

Motorola 4DTV - Improved Motherboard Specifications

Here's about the new tuner:

http://www.motorola.com/content.jsp?globalObjectId=5069-8119

Yes sad to say NPS has made some big jumps in programing prices as of July 1st. I spoke with them the other day and found that out. Im just subing to a few channels now. I did an early renewal and still got the old price. Guess it's going to be more FTA and less sub's from now on for me.

 

[linuxman]

The 922 reads higher on signal quality than the 920. It start's to macroblock at 35 vs 15 on the 920.

Good to know.

I'll have to keep an eye on it.

Guess it's going to be more FTA and less sub's from now on for me.

I would have to agree, but I will keep the news sub as long as it is around.

Fred

 

[tvropro]

I edited my post and added some good links from Motorola about the tuner and motherboard on the 922. Don't know if you caught that.

 

[linuxman]

Just now looked over the posts again.

I will take a look at the links.

Edit: Yes I can see where they have made the improvements. There is a definite contrast between the two tuners and motherboards.

Thanks again,

Fred