Switch Problems! I lost my TV!

[netsfan]

I just completely lost my signal.

It tells me there is a switch error, and when I run the switch test it gives me a different result everytime. It also keeps going through "Acquiring Satellite Signal" and goes from step 0 to 1 to 0 to 1 to 0 to 1.. etc. I called them up and they will send someone out but I was wondering if anyone could diagnose this for me in a way I could fix myself before then.

This sucks. I've only had it 2 days and I already lost it!!! And I just cancelled cable too so now I have no TV at all. I guess I should be happy that at least the problem occured early instead of after 90 days when I'd have to pay to fix it.

 

[rowemance]

It could be alot of things. How is your weather Heavy Rain? Or it could be a defective switch/LNBF or Receiver. Do you have more than on Receiver?

 

[boba]

I just completely lost my signal.

It tells me there is a switch error, and when I run the switch test it gives me a different result everytime. It also keeps going through "Acquiring Satellite Signal" and goes from step 0 to 1 to 0 to 1 to 0 to 1.. etc. I called them up and they will send someone out but I was wondering if anyone could diagnose this for me in a way I could fix myself before then.

This sucks. I've only had it 2 days and I already lost it!!! And I just cancelled cable too so now I have no TV at all. I guess I should be happy that at least the problem occured early instead of after 90 days when I'd have to pay to fix it.

A little more information would be helpful. What was installed, is there an error message, did you have stormy weather or did the signal just fail?

 

[netsfan]

Sorry. The weather is perfectly clear. The signal just went out.

I don't know what LNBFs etc I have, but I do know he installed 2 dishes for American and International programming, for 2 dual tuner receivers (one DVR, one standard) on 4 TVs. Looking at the work order it says he installed one dual, one twin, and one 34, but I don't know if that is accurate. Does that help?

I keep resetting it and sometimes I am getting 1 TV working but the other TV says switch error, sometimes I get a very pixelated choppy picture before jumping back to Acquiring Satellite Signal, and sometimes (most of the time) nothing works.

 

[Poke]

Well once you get one working power down the receiver by means of unpluging it. Then plug it back in then see if it picks up the right information if not go in the menu check the settings their.

 

[JPointerWI]

Could also possibly be the switch locked up. Unplug both receivers. Then plug only 1 back in, rerun the switch check. If that works, plug the other receiver in and do the same. This problem is not common, but can sometimes occur, especially with dual tuner receivers.

 

[netsfan]

Could also possibly be the switch locked up. Unplug both receivers. Then plug only 1 back in, rerun the switch check. If that works, plug the other receiver in and do the same. This problem is not common, but can sometimes occur, especially with dual tuner receivers.

Thank you. That helped!!!

How funny that official tech support had no idea, but the experts here on the Internet are always ready to help! I've found that true in so many cases, not just with Dish!

Any idea why that happened? Should I get the switch replaced, since it's still free for me? I'd rather get it fixed right now while I don't have to pay for it!

 

[JPointerWI]

if it happens again in the next few days/weeks, get it replaced. I've seen this happen a few times, and it's almost always only a one time problem.

 

[Stargazer]

I would also think that most likely it is in the switch. Sometimes a simple hard reboot fixes the problem.

 

[netsfan]

Just my luck. I cancel my service appt and 5 minutes later I get the same problem again. And it seems worse this time. The unplug trick doesn't seem to be working! I will keep trying it over and over so I can at least have one tv working until they can come in again.

 

[grb]

You need to have them fix it. In my case I would lose 1 of the 3 satellites at a time -- different ones each time. Then they would all come back -- until the next day. I, too, made an appointment, canceled it and rescheduled again. Turned out to be a defective LNB, but it affected only the 811 receiver, not the DVR. This happened in the first week -- it has been fine for the last 6 weeks...

 

[netsfan]

How did you get someone to even look at the LNB or the switch?

I have already had two service calls within a week of installation, and they won't even consider the fact that it might be faulty equipment. And the problem seems to be getting worse. Before, when I'd unplug both receivers and plug them back in after a few minutes, it would start working. Yesterday, when I tried that a half dozen times, it didn't help. I finally left them unplugged for HOURS before I could get any TV signal at all!!!

A quick recap of the problem - in the middle of the day I will lose signal. It would say "Acquiring Satellite Signal" and go to step 0, 1, 0, 1, etc. I can't get ANY channels. Sometimes it says there is a problem with the switch. When I run "Check Switch" I get all different errors everytime, sometimes it would even start going to Step 38! It would also sometimes give me different Switches, ones I don't even have! And I'd get no signal on ANY TV in the house. If I do a reset using the power button, doesn't matter how many times I do it, it doesn't help. Following someone's advice here, I unplug both receivers, leave them off, plug them back one at a time, and then SOMETIMES it starts working again.

But when the service tech comes out to see, it is one of those times that it's working, so when they run Check Switch they don't see the error. Then they'll just go around, check to make sure the cables are properly connected, and that's it. Now, the guy told me it must be the receivers, because the dual-tuner receivers are new models and are known to have problems and we are the beta-testers so we will have these issues! Does that make any sense?? I even talked to him and said if that was the case, wouldn't just one receiver go out, and the other work? What could it mean that all TVs lose signal at the same time? He agreed but said that's all he can do.

This is making me seriously regret signing back up with Dish, and with a two-year contract at that. I've had it less than a week and have had this problem occur almost everyday! I was the first person in my community to get Dish 5 years ago, and have recommended it to tons of people, and now I'm getting these problems. Can someone please tell me what the problem could be, so at least I can explain it to them? And what I should do? I am frustrated, and turn to you experts for advice. Thanks.

 

[WhiteForMe]

You could always by-pass the switch with barrel conectors, just to get 110/119 up and see if will work without the dp34. (dont forget the sw check if you try this)

 

[netsfan]

Thanks for the tip, but honestly I don't know what a barrel connector is. I will be the first to admit that I am not really knowledgeable about satellite terminology or equipment, and I just try to learn what I can from the experts here. Plus the switch and dish need a ladder to get to, which I don't have, so I can't really mess with them.

Wow. Lo and behold, half hour after the guy leaves, I run into the same problem. This is the error I now get after running "Check Switch" - One of the satellite inputs or switches is not connected properly. Normal operation will be adversely affected. - Looks like I will be calling again!

 

[WhiteForMe]

Not being able to access the switch kind of sucks, maybe borrow a ladder from a neighbor. Barrel connectors would let you take the two feed cables (to one ird) off the dp34 and connect them to the two feeder cables coming from the D500. Would at least let you rule out the switch.

 

[Liquidforce88]

Check and make sure that the DP34 switch is installed properly. It has a spot that says this side up. If that is not pointing up the switches inside can lock up.

 

[boba]

How did you get someone to even look at the LNB or the switch?

I have already had two service calls within a week of installation, and they won't even consider the fact that it might be faulty equipment. And the problem seems to be getting worse. Before, when I'd unplug both receivers and plug them back in after a few minutes, it would start working. Yesterday, when I tried that a half dozen times, it didn't help. I finally left them unplugged for HOURS before I could get any TV signal at all!!!

A quick recap of the problem - in the middle of the day I will lose signal. It would say "Acquiring Satellite Signal" and go to step 0, 1, 0, 1, etc. I can't get ANY channels. Sometimes it says there is a problem with the switch. When I run "Check Switch" I get all different errors everytime, sometimes it would even start going to Step 38! It would also sometimes give me different Switches, ones I don't even have! And I'd get no signal on ANY TV in the house. If I do a reset using the power button, doesn't matter how many times I do it, it doesn't help. Following someone's advice here, I unplug both receivers, leave them off, plug them back one at a time, and then SOMETIMES it starts working again.

But when the service tech comes out to see, it is one of those times that it's working, so when they run Check Switch they don't see the error. Then they'll just go around, check to make sure the cables are properly connected, and that's it. Now, the guy told me it must be the receivers, because the dual-tuner receivers are new models and are known to have problems and we are the beta-testers so we will have these issues! Does that make any sense?? I even talked to him and said if that was the case, wouldn't just one receiver go out, and the other work? What could it mean that all TVs lose signal at the same time? He agreed but said that's all he can do.

This is making me seriously regret signing back up with Dish, and with a two-year contract at that. I've had it less than a week and have had this problem occur almost everyday! I was the first person in my community to get Dish 5 years ago, and have recommended it to tons of people, and now I'm getting these problems. Can someone please tell me what the problem could be, so at least I can explain it to them? And what I should do? I am frustrated, and turn to you experts for advice. Thanks.

Some BETA TESTERS, The 322 will be two years old in November. The 522 is the same age the 625 was introduced about 3 months ago but uses the same software as the 522. The odds are with you having a bad DP-34.

 

[mpeltz]

How did you get someone to even look at the LNB or the switch?

I have already had two service calls within a week of installation, and they won't even consider the fact that it might be faulty equipment. And the problem seems to be getting worse. Before, when I'd unplug both receivers and plug them back in after a few minutes, it would start working. Yesterday, when I tried that a half dozen times, it didn't help. I finally left them unplugged for HOURS before I could get any TV signal at all!!!

A quick recap of the problem - in the middle of the day I will lose signal. It would say "Acquiring Satellite Signal" and go to step 0, 1, 0, 1, etc. I can't get ANY channels. Sometimes it says there is a problem with the switch. When I run "Check Switch" I get all different errors everytime, sometimes it would even start going to Step 38! It would also sometimes give me different Switches, ones I don't even have! And I'd get no signal on ANY TV in the house. If I do a reset using the power button, doesn't matter how many times I do it, it doesn't help. Following someone's advice here, I unplug both receivers, leave them off, plug them back one at a time, and then SOMETIMES it starts working again.

But when the service tech comes out to see, it is one of those times that it's working, so when they run Check Switch they don't see the error. Then they'll just go around, check to make sure the cables are properly connected, and that's it. Now, the guy told me it must be the receivers, because the dual-tuner receivers are new models and are known to have problems and we are the beta-testers so we will have these issues! Does that make any sense?? I even talked to him and said if that was the case, wouldn't just one receiver go out, and the other work? What could it mean that all TVs lose signal at the same time? He agreed but said that's all he can do.

This is making me seriously regret signing back up with Dish, and with a two-year contract at that. I've had it less than a week and have had this problem occur almost everyday! I was the first person in my community to get Dish 5 years ago, and have recommended it to tons of people, and now I'm getting these problems. Can someone please tell me what the problem could be, so at least I can explain it to them? And what I should do? I am frustrated, and turn to you experts for advice. Thanks.

I’m running into the same problem with a DPPTwin setup and the 942 receiver. You can’t make the problem happen on demand. When it happens, it only ever happens during the late afternoon, when it’s hot and humid, and the sky is clear (no clouds). This never happens on overcast, rainy, cooler days, or at night.

My installer has theorized that maybe the switch is bad and potentially overheating during those conditions. He’s scheduled to replace the DDPTwin next week. I hope that fixes it.

Do you guys think that his theory is sound?

 

[dishpan22]

I had a similar problem

During the afternoon when the sun got on the south side of the house I would lose signal. Draped cold, wet dishrags over the LNBs and made sure they didn't obstruct the signal. Still had the problem. Cooled the DP34 with a window fan and everything was OK. Warmed it slightly with a hairdryer and it immediately failed. I've been running with a window fan on it until my new DP34 arrives.

 

[netsfan]

Thank you all.

Just thought I'd follow up with you so that if anyone in the future has this problem they can see what finally happened here for reference.

The guy ended up coming back since he was luckily still in the area, and since he now saw the problem with his own eyes he finally went out and replaced the switch. So I would suggest if anyone has this problem, do NOT try to unplug it to make it work, because they don't do anything unless they see the problem with their own eyes! It's been a few days now, and everything has been working smoothly.