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Problem receiving HDNET after install (1 Viewer)

Eric S M

Agent
Joined
Jan 2, 2002
Messages
27
Hi All,

I just had my DirecTV dish installed and I cannot receive HDNET on 199. After a long conversation with tech support, they said that it sounds like the multi-switch is not switching to the 119W satellite. I get the on-screen programming guide banner that tells me the channel is HDNET and the program that's on, but the picture is black and no sound.

Has anyone had a problem like this? How did you solve it?

The dish setup:

Oval 2 LNB (Sony dish into RCA DTC-100)

Radio Shack Model 15-2181 VHF/UHF Antenna

Diplexed dish and Antenna for single cable into home

Before receiver, (un)diplexer to antenna and sat inputs (the sat is connected to the correct side of the diplexer to allow the DC signal to pass)

Wondering, could the diplexer be messing up things?

All the other stations (101W) are coming in fine.

Thanks for your help,

Eric
 

Rick N

Auditioning
Joined
Jan 24, 2001
Messages
13
Here are some Ideas..

Is the DTC set up for dual antenna

Check your signal strength on the 119 sat

Remove the diplexer just to see if its causing a problem, do it on both ends.

Try the NASA channel 376, that is on the 119 sat as well.
 

Eric S M

Agent
Joined
Jan 2, 2002
Messages
27
The NASA channel 376 tells me to contact customer service for ordering information. Doesn't this channel just come with the Total Choice package (which I have)? Is this a clue?

However, HDN doesn't tell me that. It just shows a black screen.

The signal strength meter for the 119 sat is near 80. The tech support person at DirecTV said he thought the multi-switch was not switching to that LNB. He based this on my not being able to HBOD (509) or get chan 400 in spanish (but I'm not subscribed to either of those). If the multi-switch is not switching, then the signal meter in the DTC-100 would not be able to measure the strength on 119 sat, and it clearly is measuring a strong signal.

-Eric
 

Robert_J

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2000
Messages
8,350
Location
Mississippi
Real Name
Robert
Wondering, could the diplexer be messing up things?
That's the first place you should look. Remove it and re-connect the cables with a barrel connector.

You don't mention it, but are you having problems with your other channels?

-Robert
 

Eric S M

Agent
Joined
Jan 2, 2002
Messages
27
Robert,

My other channels (those on sat 101) are coming through just fine.

On 400, when sat 119 is not present, it defaults to an 'english' feed from 101? Seems that is the way it works.

Interesting also that the additional info about the program (I get it by pressing info twice on the DTC-100), does not come through on the HDN, HBOH, 400, and NASA channels. So, I'm more convinced that the reciever isn't getting those signals. But, the signal meter shows 119 has a strong signal. The DirecTV people said that the meter could mirror readings from 101 on 119 even without a correct signal being received from 119.

I'm having the installers come back to work on it. I don't have a ladder that reaches that high and the work should still be under warranty.

I'll post the remedy when I get this solved.

Thanks,

Eric
 

Sean_R

Auditioning
Joined
Dec 17, 2001
Messages
6
If you change to channel 199 in 480i mode a black screen and no video is the norm. If your receiver is in 1080i mode you will get the video and sound.
 

Scott Gilbert

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jan 27, 1999
Messages
57
with my Mitz HDTV reciever I can watch channel 199 in both 480i and 1080i I just have to switch between s-video and component video
 

Eric S M

Agent
Joined
Jan 2, 2002
Messages
27
Hi All,

I thought I'd post an update on this topic.

The dish installer came today to fix it. The first thing we tried is removing the diplexer that combines the OTA antenna with the output of the multi-switch from the dish to bring one cable into the house (another diplexer in the house splits that back into the two signals again for connection to the receiver).

I couldn't believe it, but removing those diplexers worked! Somehow, they were preventing the sat reciever from switching the multi-switch on the satellite dish to the 119 satellite.

All the other information above from DirecTV support about channel 400 being in english unless you're receiving the 119 sat signal and the mirroring of the signal strengths in the meter is all true.

So, moral of the story: Be careful when diplexing OTA signals with the dish signals on the oval dishes when you want to receive signals from both the 101 and 119 sats.

I now have glorious HDNET!

Thanks,

Eric
 

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