Utter newbie question

[SonnyDeLyte]

Hi all,

I searched and didn't find anything quite relating to my question, but please forgive me if this is a repost.

I have 3 receivers, 2 basic (SIR-S300W), and one DirecTivo. One of the basic tuners is supposed to be for the guest room upstairs, but we never even connected it (since we got installation back in March '04).

So now I want to move that box downstairs so that I can hook up another TV next to my main one to keep an eye on a different game with the Sunday Ticket.

I tried to hook up a new RG6 cable to the multiswitch to go directly into the living room, in place of the original cable that goes to the upstairs guest room - but am not getting any signal at all... just static (running s-video from tuner to tv).

Do I need to have the box/card reactivated, since we really haven't used it? Or is it a cabling issue that I'm not getting right?

Hope this makes sense... thanks for any advice/help!!!
Sonny

 

[slacker9876]

If you have the receiver activated and enough cable runs to that room, yes you can add a TV to watch 2 games at once.

 

[SonnyDeLyte]

Thanks Slacker, but we had orignally activated all three boxes during the initial install... would I have to get it 're-activated' since we've never really used one of them since then?

I did physically try to hook up the other tv (with the activated, but rarely used box), but am not getting any signal at all, just static.

thanks,
Sonny

 

[charper1]

Even if the box was "de-activated" you would still be able to see all the preview channels if it was getting a signal. You can also check D* online with your account to verify that box's serial number and see if it is still activated; which doesn't sound like your problem; sounds like bad a connection. Placing the "suspect" receiver into another known working outlet and NOT getting any on-screen messages, or working A/V might lead to being a bad box; which would be TOTALLY weird for an unconnected and unused box to go out.

 

[SonnyDeLyte]

Gotcha... I was working toward swapping the boxes to test since I wasn't even getting any preview channels, but thought I'd ask first in case there was anything I was missing (cabling, activation, etc.). I'll switch them out when I get home and see what happens.

thanks!

 

[SonnyDeLyte]

Ok, went home and swapped the boxes - worked ok. Then swapped the cables, just to be sure - worked ok. But when I went back to the setup I need to work (extra tv and seldom used box), still static. So just for the heck of it, I hooked up my VCR in between the sat. box and the TV - and voila! Talk about weird... anyways, thanks to those that responded!

 

[wobbie]

You just might want to be sure that you have the television on the same channel that the reciever is set on, especially if your running a coax from reciever to television. Sounds crazy, but alot of times the biggest mistake made by people or installers.

 

[Rancid1]

Just curious... Are you running s-video in to vcr, and out of vcr to the tv? When you swapped cables you tried another s-video cable or some other type? I'd have suggested (If you hadn't already solved the problem) trying another I/O method since you ruled out just about everything but a bad port/outlet/jack/connection (take your pick hehe).

Ya I realize that this likely won't get a reply. But i'm just a curious geek okay!?