Vastly Different Signal Strength - Same Tuner

[posdish]

I am seeing vastly different signal strengths between the two inputs on a
322 receiver. For instance, for the same satellite and transponder, input 2
may have a signal strength of 90 or greater, while input 1 barely keeps a lock
with a signal strength hovering around 50. The video from input 2 is crystal clear while input 1 on the same channel is very pixelated and jerky.

Could this be the symptom of a bad DP plus separator or could something else be going on? Note that I have already replaced the coax jumpers coming
from the DP plus separator to no avail.

Thanks.

 

[dfergie]

Have you traded seperators?

 

[Liquidforce88]

Try switching the inputs. If the #1 side is still low it's a receiver problem, if it moves then the seperator is bad.

 

[dfergie]

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=111766 check this thread also...

 

[posdish]

dfergie, yes I should have done a bit more troubleshooting before posting ... so I have done so now ...

I traded the DPP separator on the suspect 322 installation with the one running to my 625. I am still seeing issues with the 322 and the 625 is not seeing problems (somewhat different signal levels -- but not a huge difference like the 322).

I went further by removing the separator from the 322 and just used the line from the LNB directly on Input 1 and Input 2 -- and still saw the disparity between the two inputs.

Another odd thing here is that everything involving PHYSICAL input #1 on the back of the receiver shows up as tuner #2 in the diagnostics and vice versa. When the input from the LNB is plugged into PHYSICAL input #1, I get a signal on Tuner 2 on signal strength screen, no signal on Tuner 1, a switch pass on Tuner 2 switch test and a switch fail on Tuner 1. Then, when I plug into PHYSICAL input #2, everything is on tuner #1 in the software.

 

[posdish]

To follow up -- another symptom I am noticing is that the output from the 322 where the blockiness / loss of signal is experienced changes. For the same channel, I'll have a crystal clear image in ROOM #1 while ROOM #2 is choppy / blocky / not there. A while later (30 min or so), roles are reversed and ROOM #2 is clear while ROOM #1's signal is blocky or nonexistent.

 

[dfergie]

When you unhooked the inputs did you do a switch check with them unhooked to clear the matrix?..

 

[Van]

It looks pretty much that the 322 tuner 1 portion is dying, all the trouble shooting he's done consistantly shows that the problem is with tuner 1 and that it now looks like it is leaking over into the tuner 2 side. Clearing the switch matrix though a final step to rule out a bad matrix is not required at this point and what he has left to do is contact dish tech support to get an rma and replacement receiver.

 

[posdish]

Van, thanks for the input. I had cleared the matrix, btw. E* is sending a tech out on Tuesday to take a look. You're right -- the troubleshooting I had done so far did seem to point to the 322 receiver being bad. However, things look like they are getting worse -- I am now starting to experience similar behavior on my 625 (same sat/transponder with good signal on one input and bad or no signal on the other).
The 625 didn't show these signs earlier in the day (on either separator) but has started to do so now. The 322 issues continue, too.

Strangely, the signal levels are the same on both inputs for some sat/transponder pairs and extremely different for others on both the 322 & 625. Even and Odd transponders on 119 look good on both inputs (talking about the 625 now!). Upper even and odd transponders on 110 aren't that far off -- but some of the lower transponders on 110 are like night and day. One input shows transponder 11 as 88 while the other shows it at 39.

Since my last post on this, the 322 has started to display some switch errors -- though the switch tests always pass.

Thoughts anyone on if this could actually be my DPP twin going bad? Has anyone experienced before what I have described?

 

[Van]

Explain to the tech everything that youve done, also tell him that the issue is now starting to show up on the other receiver in the same fashion, with this starting to show on your 625 it now seems that it could be a failing lnbf. If it is happening on the tuner one side on the 625 then I wonder wich tuner in the receiver defaults as primary on the operating system and hardware. Only other thing I can consider is possibly a faulty or corrupted ground source that may have current running through it.