# HELP!!! - can't get 2 sats on even #'d transponders



## Soran69 (Oct 8, 2005)

Hi, I'm having a problem with the Satellite 2 in. I have strong signals on the odd numbered transponders for both Sat 1 & Sat 2 in's. The even numbered transponders only read the Sat 1 signal. Needless to say this prohibits the use of recording/viewing more than one channel, not to mention the continued blue box showing "searching for signal on: Satellite 2".

Here's the situation:

I have a round dual LNB satellite dish, with two cables feeding directly into the back of the receiver (Directtv model R10), sat 1 in and sat 2 in respectively.

On the odd number transponders I have 90% signal strength on sat 1, on sat 2 I have 80%-88% signal strength. On the even numbered transponders I have 88% signal strength on sat 1, and 0% on sat 2.

I've reset the dvd a few times; done both manual and automatic setup of the satellite; did direct connection through phone line to update; I"ve even selected oval dish with dual LNB's; I've pretty much done everything I can think of. Been to directtv site and it sent me here...lol... 

Is there a way to lock the transponder on any one of the odd numbered transponder that gives me a strong signal on both sat ins?

Thanks for your assistance,


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

First thing is to swap the inputs to the TiVo and see if the problem switches to the Sat 1 input. If it does then you either have a problem with the cabling or the LNB. If it stays with Sat In 2 then it could be the receiver. 

BTW, you can't lock in a transponder. All of them are used to bring in the channels. The receiver selects which TP has the channel. It does this by sending either 13v or 18v to select the odd or even TPS. So in your case, the 18v signal is getting reduced so it doesn't select the even TPS. Check for corrosion.


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## Soran69 (Oct 8, 2005)

Thanks JimSpence for your quick response... I really appreciate the input. I'm currently watching something... so will wait to try the swap suggestion. Will advise how it turned out.... again, thank you for your assistance.....

Rob


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## mcaulfield (Nov 11, 2005)

I have a similar situation....I have had a several problems and I believe it is related to my receiver. I've had a Hughes for 7 years or so and had never had a problem until I bought a 2nd receiver (DirecTV w/Tivo) and changed from a single LNB to a dual LNB. What I currently get is occassionally it will come up with the same blue box saying searching for signal on sat. 1 or sat. 2 (I have not paid attention, but I believe I've seen it say both). If I go to test the signal strength and go back it disappears. It seems to do it after I to certain channels. I have my original Hughes receiver on one line from the LNB and the other to a multiswitch with 2 lines going from that to my Tivo. Now, when I get the blue box the Hughes receiver was fine; however, before I got the multiswitch I would get the searching for signal on BOTH receivers. It would be very intermittent -- in fact I had a lot of problems with it and then it went away for about 2 months then started again. I put the single LNB back on and it (only attached to the TiVo) and still had problems so I don't believe it's the LNB. One other strange thing -- when I first got my new receiver and dual LNB I could not get anything, until hours of messing with it and it came on simply by pulling on one of the cables. I know, you'll say it's probably corrrosion or connection issue, but I don't believe that's the case because if so I would have some issue with the Hughes and I have not when it is on its own cable -- either one.


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## Want1394 (Oct 4, 2001)

Whew! That is a difficult paragraph to read.

You don't have your equipment connected properly. Both outputs from the dual-LNB must go to the 2 inputs on the multiswitch. Outputs from the multiswitch then go to your receivers.


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## mcaulfield (Nov 11, 2005)

I read that somewhere, but what I read didn't make sense -- because I get all channels on the Hughes and actually have no problems. So, are you saying that the way I have it hooked up is the problem? I certainly hope so -- that would be a simple fix.....

thanks


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## morgantown (Mar 29, 2005)

mcaulfield said:


> I read that somewhere, but what I read didn't make sense -- because I get all channels on the Hughes and actually have no problems. So, are you saying that the way I have it hooked up is the problem? I certainly hope so -- that would be a simple fix.....
> 
> thanks


If I am reading you situation correctly this is your scenario:

Two lines off of the dish. One line to the standard reciever. The other line to a mulitswitch, then two lines from the m/s to the Dtivo. Is that correct?


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## mcaulfield (Nov 11, 2005)

Yes, that's correct.....


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## morgantown (Mar 29, 2005)

Ok then, the single line coming to the multiswitch is the problem. You need two lines to "feed" into the multiswitch. 

The reason for that is the receiver sends voltage "up" the line to the LNB to change the transponder from odd to even. Groups of channels are on both odd and even numbered transponders and when you Dtivo has channels on both tuners that are either even or odd everything will work fine. 

However, when tuner 1 wants a channel on an odd transponder and tuner 2 wants a channel on an even transponder that is when it thinks it has lost the satellite signal. If you run both lines off of the dish to the multiswitch and then three from there to the two boxes it will work. 

The multiswitch's function is to moderate the requests from the boxes and essentially reserves on line for even transponders and the other line (to the dish that is) for the odd ones. The "Sticky" at the top of the forum with the FAQ's goes into much greater detail than this overly simplified explanation.


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## mcaulfield (Nov 11, 2005)

Okay, I hooked it up that way (the correct way) on Friday and had no problems with it until last night (Sunday) and the signal kept getting lost on both satellite 1 and 2 on the Tivo receiver, and my second Hughes receiver. It was windy yesterday, but I really doubt that would cause it. This is so frustrating.....


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## morgantown (Mar 29, 2005)

What are the transponder strengths?


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## mcaulfield (Nov 11, 2005)

They would be at 85-93, then go to 0 for a second or 2, and then back to 85-93......one time I left it on the signal test and it was at 0 for a couple of minutes, then just to 90, then back to 0.


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## morgantown (Mar 29, 2005)

Could be moisture in the lines (rain with that wind?) or simply a corroded end piece. Check the connection esprecially the outdoor ones. The good noews is once you get it straight "most" people need to mess with the dish or lines rather infrequently.

Sounds like moisture if I had to guess.


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## mcaulfield (Nov 11, 2005)

Thanks for your replies......no, there was no rain -- only really strong winds. I'm not sure how there could be moisture, and the ends are all in pretty good shape (not corroded).


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## morgantown (Mar 29, 2005)

It could be worth the effort to have DTV come out and re-allign the dish (if even needed) and check everything out. Something oviously has gone amiss.

Just to check the obvious, you have no splitters, two lines from the satelitte to the multiswitch and three lines to your boxes from the multiswitch. If it were me I'd disconnect all of the lines and carefully reconnect them. Make sure no unneeded lines are connceted and see if that does the trick. Take a look at the FAQ on the top of the forum too. If no sucess, then call DTV and have them fix it...

Good luck.


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## mcaulfield (Nov 11, 2005)

The problem with them coming out is that it is so intermittent, I can guarantee it'll be fine when they are out and won't do anything. Just like it was fine for Saturday and Sunday (until late Sunday night) and I bet when I go home it will be fine then too. Oh well.....I will try the other stuff and just deal with it when it does it. Thanks for all of your help....


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## mcaulfield (Nov 11, 2005)

Okay, it's me again! Those problems pretty much went away after I reset both satellite receivers and I actually added a 3rd one a few months ago. No problems at all until last week. On a clear, windless day my signal kept getting lost just like when I had it hooked up the wrong way. At one point it completely lost the signal -- all signals. So, I turned off all receivers, reset the main one and got a signal back. I hooked them all back up and it is okay most of the time but occassionally (the last few minutes of a show it seems) the picture would break up. I currently have all 3 hooked back up and haven't had much of a problem for a day or 2. When there's something I really don't want to miss I turn all 3 receivers to the same channel so that none are trying to look on different transponders. Seems to work, but then again, it works regardless most of the time. Could I have a faulty multi-switch or LNB? If that's possible, which of the 2 is likely to be the case? I cannot take it, and it's a good thing for DirecTV that cable does not come to my abode.


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## morgantown (Mar 29, 2005)

My odds would be on the multiswitch. If it is a powered one (i.e., you have to plug it in to a wall outlet), try unplugging it for a few minutes and then plug it back in. 

You have to have at least five lines going from the multiswitch now (and with hesitation) I'll ask what all do you have (in terms of boxes/DTiVos and multiswitch) and how is it all hooked up?


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## mcaulfield (Nov 11, 2005)

It is not a powered multi-switch. I have the 2 lines coming into the multi-switch from my dual-LNB dish, and then 4 lines going out total: 2 to my DirecTV receiver w/TiVo, 1 to a non-TiVo Hughes receiver, and 1 to my 2nd DirecTV receiver w/TiVo.


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## morgantown (Mar 29, 2005)

I assume you signal strengths are still 90's across the board? If that is the case I try and not use the multiswitch (just two cables connected with barrel connecters) so you can have the two lines feed directly to your main system. If that does not give you problems then that pretty much makes it a multiswitch issue. If not then it should be either the other lines with a short/bad connection or even the LNB went bad (rare, but it happens).

Thoughts, anyone else? Jim Spence?


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## rifleman69 (Jan 6, 2005)

Don't rule out an LNB...I had one go out on a Dish approx 15 months after install. DirecTV technician didn't believe that it would have been dead so fast but it solved my signal problems. Also better mounted the dish so that it's more wind-resistant.


You can "sign up" for the Protection plan, call them the next day and schedule the install, then after the install drop the plan. Can save you $$$.


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

I would still revisit all connections, inside and outside. There may be some corrosion in one or more of them. Also, remove the multiswitch from the equation by using F/F barrel connectors to connect both outputs of the dish to the DirecTV DVR. See if this clears up the problem. If not, then it is probably the LNB. If it does clear up, then the multiswitch is in question.


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## mcaulfield (Nov 11, 2005)

Thank you for all of the suggestions.....I really don't understand it; I have not had any problems since my last post. The next time I have problems I will try to plug the lines from the LNB directly into my main Tivo receiver.


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