Wrong Satellite

[msticker]

Does anyone know why one would sometimes get the wrong satellite in "Point Dish"? For example it is supposed to be looking for 110 but on the signal strength it says something like "Echostar 119 wrong satellite" with a red signal strength indicator. It does the same if looking for 129. But it doesn't do this all the time. I have a single Dish 1000 and a DVR 622.

For the past month or so the satellite reception has been bad. Constant "Check Switch" messages. Many times I can't get my local channels because it can't find the 110 satellite and/or I can't get HD programming because it can't find the 129 satellite. Most of the time this affects TV1 but sometimes also TV2 and sometimes both TV1 and TV2. My wife is ready to go back to cable.

Had a guy out a week ago to "fix" the problem. Unfortunately I couldn't be there but my daughter was. My daughter told me that the guy said they had been having many problems since the new software. She said he changed out something on the dish itself and then said if that didn't fix the problem, we would probably have to change out the receiver. That same evening we were experiencing the same problems. I called Dish and they told me they would send me a new receiver. I opted to upgrade to a 722 since I was changing out receivers but haven't seen it yet.

 

[rcdallas]

My first guess was to change the LNBF, but sounds like it been changed. Maybe bad cabling/connection somewhere ??

 

[msticker]

I was wondering if it could be that the dish is not aimed correctly.

Some months ago I was having the same symptoms, so I set up a service call. Two guys showed up and decided the dish was out of alignment. Here is what they did to solve the problem. They went to "Point Dish" on the TV. Then one of the guys stayed inside and watched the signal strength while the other went out to the dish and pushed on it with a board to move it. When the signal strength went up, the inside guy shouted to the outside guy, "That's it, set it there".

I was not impressed with the rudimentary methods but, surprisingly, it went a few months before I had the problem again.

When I set up this most recent service call, I very clearly and specifically stated that I did not want that same company to come out this time and I told the tech the reason. He told me they would send an "internal technician" because I was having reoccuring problems which I took to mean a real Dish employee and perhaps one with a bit more savvy. Guess what company actually showed up.

 

[rcdallas]

Do this, hit Menu 6-1-1, that'll put you in point dish, goto check switch, run the test

Tell us what you see.

If you have 3 green ok's on the right and left, that good.

THEN (if all ok)

Then go back to point dish, list signal strength on

119, transponder 11
110, transponder 11
129, transponder 31

 

[msticker]

I'm not home right now so I can't check those specific transponders. However, I can tell you that I have done the Check Switch test eleventy-dozen times and most of the time it gives a green for all three satellites. But when you go back to point dish screen, it often will give the wrong satellite message I described earlier (but again, I haven't checked the specific transponders you suggested) and when you try to watch television, you still get "Searching for satellite" or "Check Switch" messages.

 

[rcdallas]

I bet you have a bad connection in the system with what you just told me. Replacing your 622 with the 722 will work short term then you'll be back to square one.

My guess is the last guy, even the last couple of techs didn't examine the system from the dish to the reciever, instead just replaced parts aka swaptronics.

When they come back out, or even you, find all the connections in the system and have it looked at/replaced.

 

[RandallA]

Sounds like the receiver is "confused" or you have some cable or lnbs issues. Clear the switch matrix by disconnecting the satellite feed and running check switch. Reboot the receiver. Connect back the satellite feed and run check switch.

If that doesn't help with this issue, you either have a problem with your lnb, cable, connectors or even the DP separator if you're using one.

 

[msticker]

"Sounds like the receiver is "confused" or you have some cable or lnbs issues. Clear the switch matrix by disconnecting the satellite feed and running check switch. Reboot the receiver. Connect back the satellite feed and run check switch.

If that doesn't help with this issue, you either have a problem with your lnb, cable, connectors or even the DP separator if you're using one."


So, do you suggest I remove the two "Satellite in" connections on the back of the box itself then run "Check Switch", or do I disconnect somewhere upstream? If I disconnect at the box itself, then "Check Switch" is checking switches that are within the box, correct?

 

[RandallA]

"Sounds like the receiver is "confused" or you have some cable or lnbs issues. Clear the switch matrix by disconnecting the satellite feed and running check switch. Reboot the receiver. Connect back the satellite feed and run check switch.

If that doesn't help with this issue, you either have a problem with your lnb, cable, connectors or even the DP separator if you're using one."


So, do you suggest I remove the two "Satellite in" connections on the back of the box itself then run "Check Switch", or do I disconnect somewhere upstream? If I disconnect at the box itself, then "Check Switch" is checking switches that are within the box, correct?

You can disconnect the satellite feeds at the receiver, whatever is easier for you.

 

[boba]

What the disconnected switch test does is discover there are no switches so that when reconnected and switch tested it correctly identifies the switches that are present.

 

[msticker]

OK. I did as RandallA suggested and the first check switch tests said that a problem with switches had been detected and ports 2 and 3 were X'd out on Satellite input 1; everything else green. It did not all me to choose done. When I did the third check switch everything reported OK.

Then I went to the the Point Dish screen, I could get a signal strength on 119 but both 110 and 129 say "Wrong Satellite-Echostar 119". This is on Tuner Input 1. Tuner Input 2 seems to work properly.

 

[Dgenx321]

Sounds like you have a bad reciever.

 

[RandallA]

Sounds like you have a bad reciever.

Yep, or maybe a DP separator. Have the receiver replaced or just call Dish Network to send someone to check your setup. They will check the cable, connectors, separator and if they find something they'll replace it.

 

[msticker]

Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions. The tech that was out last week and the tech on the phone that same night (because I still had the same problems) both suggested it might be the receiver. So, I went ahead and asked for a 722. The guy on the phone asked me how I even knew about the 722. I told him from "Satellite Guys". He put the order in and I've been charged for the 722 but, so far, have not seen it. I've seen on some other threads that there are reports of backorders for that unit. Oh, well...