Viewsat Motor problems no more?

[SatinKzo]

Some of you may remember I said I was going to try the viewsat I got cheap (http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=94066) with a motorized setup to see how it worked due to many people reporting that the newer ultra's and the 7000 pvr models were just fine with motor control.

Well, I have had it up and running now with a Stab motor with an 80cm dish (my little testing setup I got due to Sadouns $1 auctions a bit ago) for about 10 days now and I can happily and surprisingly report that the motor control is apparently pretty solid. I have had to do no adjustments since I got the setup going. Swinging from 58 to 129 and all stops in between, never has it lost it's place. I have tried turning power off and on a few times. I tried chaning direction mid movement (go from 123 to 87 and before it got to 87, I said go to 129 or back to 123) and no issues.

I put my invacom qph-031 on the test setup and repeated all tests with a 22khz in the loop and also tried it with a diseqc switch. Set performed admirably.

Either I got a lucky with this viewsat or they corrected the issues. System is still hooked up, but I don't use the new setup much, I'm still partial to my pansat 3500 and the ultra remote is just a monster to deal with, I feel like it's meant for 2 hands they way the buttons are setup.

Btw, I did all this with the 1.22 bin that is coming on new models and not yet posted on the viewsat site. I did manage to get a copy of it and uploaded it here a bit ago
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=94379&highlight=Viewsat+ultra+122

Anyways, I'm pretty happy with the performance, but as always YMMV. Now I wish my coolsat 7000 would arrive, if it performs like others have stated who got them just recently then it MIGHT replace my Pansat 3500. I'll let you all know how the CS7K performs after I get some time with it.

 

[Mr Tony]

so do you think its the software that fixed it?

 

[stone phillips420]

lets hope soo

would the 1.22 software be valid for all viewsat irds?
in my case vs 2000 xtreme

 

[Mr Tony]

in my case vs 2000 xtreme

in most cases no. Each receiver seems to have different software

edit: checking the viewsat site there is different software for
-platinun & lite
-xtreme
-ultra
-their new PVR unit

so 4 different software...and you can damage the box if you load the wrong stuff in

 

[jsattv]

Some of you may remember I said I was going to try the viewsat I got cheap (http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=94066) with a motorized setup to see how it worked due to many people reporting that the newer ultra's and the 7000 pvr models were just fine with motor control.

Well, I have had it up and running now with a Stab motor with an 80cm dish (my little testing setup I got due to Sadouns $1 auctions a bit ago) for about 10 days now and I can happily and surprisingly report that the motor control is apparently pretty solid. I have had to do no adjustments since I got the setup going. Swinging from 58 to 129 and all stops in between, never has it lost it's place. I have tried turning power off and on a few times. I tried chaning direction mid movement (go from 123 to 87 and before it got to 87, I said go to 129 or back to 123) and no issues.

I put my invacom qph-031 on the test setup and repeated all tests with a 22khz in the loop and also tried it with a diseqc switch. Set performed admirably.

Either I got a lucky with this viewsat or they corrected the issues. System is still hooked up, but I don't use the new setup much, I'm still partial to my pansat 3500 and the ultra remote is just a monster to deal with, I feel like it's meant for 2 hands they way the buttons are setup.

Btw, I did all this with the 1.22 bin that is coming on new models and not yet posted on the viewsat site. I did manage to get a copy of it and uploaded it here a bit ago
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=94379&highlight=Viewsat+ultra+122

Anyways, I'm pretty happy with the performance, but as always YMMV. Now I wish my coolsat 7000 would arrive, if it performs like others have stated who got them just recently then it MIGHT replace my Pansat 3500. I'll let you all know how the CS7K performs after I get some time with it.

What about new Satellites Designations?
SatinKzo, does the new software include the new naming of the Satellites from Feb 2007. I had contacted ViewSat USA on their toll free line on Friday, and they said a new software upgrade on their ViewSat USA Website, (that is for my ViewSat Extreme 2000), would soon be available for the new listings of Satellites.

 

[SatinKzo]

To answer Iceberg,
I have no idea if it's the software or not. I have 119 version of the firmware, but have not tried it. That version is on the website last I looked as the latest official release from viewsat USA. I don't have enough experience with the viewsats to be able to make a reasonable assumption.

SP420, like iceberg said, each ird has its own software line. So I would not try the 122 bin on anything but a ultra

Jsattv, I can't say as I had already added sats before I loaded the 122 software. Factory resets don't seem to actually do anthing but delete channels and antenna settings. As for all the new Galaxy sats, no, those were not there under Galaxy names, most were still IA-x. 122 firmware I believe was actually out before the buyout eventhough viewsatusa has not acknowledged it.

 

[WEC4104]

I too, have recently been installing a new Ultra and have found that the motor controls have been working well. I am using an SG2100 and the Diseqc switch that came with the receiver. I did not change the bin file.

The only quirky thing I noticed, and you tell me if I'm nuts, had to do with using the Sat Finder and the motor controls together. I was fine tuning the aim on the dish (76cm Winegard) and had the SF95 sat finder box wired in line. I could see the TV and receiver through a window, and had the remote in my hand. As I checked various satellites, I used the remote to nudge the dish East or West, while I watched the Q level and listened to the Sat Finder tone. What was weird, was that I discovered that sometimes when the Sat Finder was emitting the tone, the remote could not be used to shift the dish East/West. I'd hit the remote button several times but the motor wouldn't move. As soon as I turned the dB knob on the sat finder to get rid of the tone, the motor controls were again useable. I saw this happen several times.

Of course, once I was done I took the Sat Finder out of the system, so everything works fine now.

 

[lumpkin666]

WEC4104 - just curious, but where in the lineup did you have the sat meter installed? Was installed between the receiver and the motor, or between the motor and the LNBF? I normally install between the motor and the LNBF for two reasons:
1) Attempt to avoid the meter stealing power from the motor (which is what I initially suspect is happening here)
2) Avoid having to remove cables from the motor (since I've personally had problems, and read of others that had problems with the connectors unscrewing or breaking off the motor itself). By connecting the meter between the LNBF and the motor, I get the most accurate picture of actual signal strength before introducting other switches/etc, AND I can remove the cable from the LNBF and put my meter inline there (thusly avoiding the potential for busting the connectors on my motor).

 

[Anole]

unstable meter - still better than no meter

I have several of those meters and close clones.
I've found so many creative ways to use them.
Even have a special rig with two meters and power splitters for peaking two DBS birds in real time.

One thing I've noticed, is when you turn the knob up too far, the meter circuit seems to oscillate.
This is especially easy to do if you are not aimed at a bird.
(my fault for turning it up too high when I can't get an indication)

So as unfriendly as this seems, try to keep the knob turned to the less-sensitive direction while hunting/finding birds.
When I find the one I want, I try to set the knob for a reading of about 6, and if moving the dish raises the reading past 8, then adjust the meter back down to around 6, again.

With some practice, you should be able to tell by the unstable sound, that the meter is oscillating and not getting a satellite.
(comes with experience)
If in doubt, turn it down, even so far as to have your peak signal as low as 3, if that works better for you.

Of the three (?) I have, at least one if more oscillation-prone than the others.
I've meant to open it up and see if better bypassing or some other trick would help.
But, I use them infrequently, and usually just put up with the problem and get past it.

So, my point is, it's quite possible that some function of the meter oscillating, generates noise that interferes with the 22khz tone/diseqc commands on the coax.
(and the motor wouldn't get the move command)
That would support the claims of WEC4104, so we don't need to send him to the funny-farm.

 

[WEC4104]

The sat meter was installed between the receiver and the motor, aprox 3 feet from the motor. It was installed there for about two weeks as I diddled with things and fine tuned the dish arc. Yesterday, I removed the meter and replaced it with a grounding block, which gives me the two female connectors like the meter. (still need to install the ground wire)