ANY help would be appreciated!

[MrTed46]

This afternoon....I'll try taking the little TV and it's box outside to the splitter and direct connect.

 

As far as this "metal box" outside you guys keep talking about....I don't have one of those. The cable snakes from the dish....through my garden....up onto my house and into the splitter. So there isn't a lot that could be wrong here. It's either the dish position or the splitter. Right?

 

 

The "metal box" I am talking about is the splitter. If you get one of those F connectors it will save you alot of time and headache. Just connect one wire from one side of the splitter to a wire on the other side of the splitter. Then go to your receiver (the correct one) and see if you get signal.

[SteelBunz]

Your switch box has 4 on one side and 3 on the other and you have a total of 3 receivers? Is this correct?

yes.....correct. It is a Zinwell...SAM 3402 3X4 Multi line

 

And I checked the pole.....it's plumb. (vertically straight)

[SteelBunz]

OK guys....gotta do this in an hour.

 

Dish directly to one reciever box to check the dish. If the dish is putting out signals that are good.....it's the splitter.

 

Got it.

 

THANKS......I'll let you know how it goes!

[SteelBunz]

OK...one more question before I just go up to Best Buy and mill around.

 

There are TWO cables coming from the dish antennae. On the Splitter....one is labeled 16V and the other is 13V. I tried using each one seperately directly into a box with TV setup. Is this right? Or do I need a 2X1 type of splitter to marry these cables THEN try to direct connect? Either way...I'm going up to Radio Shack or Best Buy.....LOL. Seems to me these two cables work in tandem.....just trying one at a time isn't going to give me my answer. JMO....am I wrong?

 

BTW....I didn't get any signals doing one at a time. I'm thinking a component of my dish is fried.

 

I'm also still thinking, for a small price, I can still just get a new splitter and try it.

If I still need a new dish...I've also upgraded the splitter....not a bad thing.

Edited August 5, 2008 by SteelBunz

[MrTed46]

OK...one more question before I just go up to Best Buy and mill around.

 

There are TWO cables coming from the dish antennae. On the Splitter....one is labeled 16V and the other is 13V. I tried using each one seperately directly into a box with TV setup. Is this right? Or do I need a 2X1 type of splitter to marry these cables THEN try to direct connect? Either way...I'm going up to Radio Shack or Best Buy.....LOL. Seems to me these two cables work in tandem.....just trying one at a time isn't going to give me my answer. JMO....am I wrong?

 

BTW....I didn't get any signals doing one at a time. I'm thinking a component of my dish is fried.

 

I'm also still thinking, for a small price, I can still just get a new splitter and try it.

If I still need a new dish...I've also upgraded the splitter....not a bad thing.

 

The two lines on the dish have nothing to do with volts...not sure why yours say V on them. They are picking up 2 satellites with 1 dish, that is what the two lines are for. Each one individually will give u a signal as each satellite has its own set of programming or channels.

 

If you are not getting any type of signal, I am going to assume that your satellite needs to be re-aligned. I would have the test signal screen on while you move it around and see if you can pickup the signal yourself (not so easy to do trust me on this).

 

Please do not try to use a regulat splitter on these lines...they will NOT work. You need a specific splitter for satellites.

 

It is possible your LNB is friend (the piece that points towards the dish and sits at the end of the arm). I have never seen these break before... Again, all signs point to tweaking your satellite for signal.

Edited August 5, 2008 by MrTed46

[Footballjoe]

Will a DISH splitter box work on a Direct TV system?

[MrTed46]

Will a DISH splitter box work on a Direct TV system?

 

 

Dish and directv use multiswitchers not splitters (thats why a regular one cant be used). In the past SOME were compatible with each other I am not sure now with the newer models. I am going to assume not but if you have one laying around you can try...doesnt take too long.

[twiley]

Don't get me started on DTV, I was a loyal customer for a long time and since my new HD receiver went out after 90 days I was completely responsible for replacing it and paying for it out of pocket. Sure, I could have gotten the equipment warranty but that's just like getting an extended warranty on anything - a big scam and a money maker most of the time for DTV. Eventually they "settled" on giving me a refurbished unit for free but they had to rework my packages and then I had to re-up for a 2 year contract - well that didn't fly so I disconnected my service. I hear so many people talk about how DTV gave them all this free stuff but they had to sign up for <insert package or some other BS here>. As a longtime one time customer that was paying over $200 a month to DTV trust me when I tell you it all evens out eventually and you end up paying them more.

 

Sorry to hijack, rant over.

[ABearWithFurniture]

On another side note, I was a long time customer with DirecTV and up until I moved last year, was very satisfied with them. When I moved to Texas, the day the tech came to set up the system in my new house I was away traveling with business...when I got back the T.V. kinda worked but I couldn't get any new updates and my NFL package didn't work. I checked to make sure the phone line was plugged into the back of the receiver and it was, so I gave their customer support a call. The lady on the line put me through the runaround and we still couldn't get it to connect through the phone line...so she says they'll send out a tech to look at in, but it will take 2 weeks...granted this was a few days before the NFL season started and I wasn't gonna have the package until the tech came out...so I told her no problem but could she give me a discount for the 2 weeks I was going to miss, and she said "no, they didn't give discounts on the NFL package"...and I told her they did...eventually she won out, no discount, so I told her to discontinue my NFL package for that year...and she said okay. So they cut it off...come to find out a few days later I kept messing with the T.V. and started wondering if the tech had put a filter on my wall jack?...looked back there and no filter...f'n idiot. So I went out and bought a filter and wahlah, the receiver connected and started updating...so I called them up and told them their phone support sucked for not mentioning the filter when they walked me through everything, and that I figured it out for them.

 

So over this past year my DirecTV bill seems to go up about $5 every few months, so I called them up again a few months ago and asked why they were increasing my rate...new channels, support, blah, blah, blah...so finally I broke down and called Dish which offered me a bundled package with my current AT&T, which made it about $30 a month cheaper than DirecTV...so I cut off the DirecTV and got the Dish...that was one month ago...now half my channels don't work, and the ones that do cut off in the middle of the movie/program...the tech will be out in 2 weeks.

[SteelBunz]

The two lines on the dish have nothing to do with volts...not sure why yours say V on them. They are picking up 2 satellites with 1 dish, that is what the two lines are for. Each one individually will give u a signal as each satellite has its own set of programming or channels.

 

If you are not getting any type of signal, I am going to assume that your satellite needs to be re-aligned. I would have the test signal screen on while you move it around and see if you can pickup the signal yourself (not so easy to do trust me on this).

 

Please do not try to use a regulat splitter on these lines...they will NOT work. You need a specific splitter for satellites.

 

It is possible your LNB is friend (the piece that points towards the dish and sits at the end of the arm). I have never seen these break before... Again, all signs point to tweaking your satellite for signal.

 

Thanks for your input, Ted. I understand about the "regular splitters" and the multiline (multiswitchers) for DirecTV. I was actually going to try to get the exact same one if possible. If not in town....then order online. I didn't quite understand the 16V and 13V labeling either....both have "SAT A" which I assume is Satellite signal A @ 101 degrees.

 

My dish is round and has a single head. I will say this....when on the screen for testing the signal strengths, I cannot now change from checking the 101 to either the 110 or the 119. I could before. I'm not sure if this is because 101 is registering 32 zeroes....or if this is a clue that one of those cable connections in the head is loose or bad. Having said that....I'd think that it could still read the 101 satellite if that cable was still fine.

 

I don't know....I have a few things to try. Aside from anything else being fried or not...my brain is for the day.....LOL.

 

And I hear ya Twiley! After I got off the phone last night with them I thought....screw being a loyal customer. I'll just switch to something else....LOL.

I still might. I have a very basic system...no HD.....no DVR......it just shouldn't be this much of a PITA to troubleshoot. I think JUST for being a customer of X number of years....you should get one free service call a year or something. They make their money on the programming and length of contracts, etc. The equipment is negligable in the quantity they buy in. They've made that back tenfold with me. Now come fix the damn thing.

[SteelBunz]

...so I cut off the DirecTV and got the Dish...that was one month ago...now half my channels don't work, and the ones that do cut off in the middle of the movie/program...the tech will be out in 2 weeks.

So...they all suck and there's really no such thing as Customer Service anymore.

 

No wonder some other country will eventually buy up America and shove us out the door. They'll lure us with true customer service, telling us we are important to them....then wham!

[JoJoTheWebToedBoy]

Had something similar happen to me a few months ago. I lost all my HD channels. In the end it was a dish adjustment.

[Trots]

There is a fence around that garden....so a pretty BIG squirrel would have had to throw himself at the thing......LOL.

Or a frog...sometimes, they get as large as a dog...

[Atlanta Cracker]

Thanks for your input, Ted. I understand about the "regular splitters" and the multiline (multiswitchers) for DirecTV. I was actually going to try to get the exact same one if possible. If not in town....then order online. I didn't quite understand the 16V and 13V labeling either....both have "SAT A" which I assume is Satellite signal A @ 101 degrees.

 

My dish is round and has a single head. I will say this....when on the screen for testing the signal strengths, I cannot now change from checking the 101 to either the 110 or the 119. I could before. I'm not sure if this is because 101 is registering 32 zeroes....or if this is a clue that one of those cable connections in the head is loose or bad. Having said that....I'd think that it could still read the 101 satellite if that cable was still fine.

 

I don't know....I have a few things to try. Aside from anything else being fried or not...my brain is for the day.....LOL.

 

And I hear ya Twiley! After I got off the phone last night with them I thought....screw being a loyal customer. I'll just switch to something else....LOL.

I still might. I have a very basic system...no HD.....no DVR......it just shouldn't be this much of a PITA to troubleshoot. I think JUST for being a customer of X number of years....you should get one free service call a year or something. They make their money on the programming and length of contracts, etc. The equipment is negligable in the quantity they buy in. They've made that back tenfold with me. Now come fix the damn thing.

 

 

Sounds like you just need to adjust your dish. Here's how you can do it.

 

Take a small TV and box out to the dish and a cable wire to go from the dish to the box.

Unbolt the piece that points back at the dish and disconnect one of the two cable wires.

Connect the cable wire you brought with you and rebolt the piece back on the end of the dish running the wire out the back.

Connect the wire to the box and go to the signal strength screen.

Assuming your angle is correct just loosen the bolts that will allow you to swing the dish left to right.

Very slowly sweep it left and right watching the signal meter.

If you get no signal that way then adjust the angle up or down a tad and try again.

Repeat until you find a signal.

 

If your dish is close enough to the splitter for you to see/hear the tv signal meter then you can just hook it up there and avoid disassembly on the dish.

[MrTed46]

Sounds like you just need to adjust your dish. Here's how you can do it.

 

Take a small TV and box out to the dish and a cable wire to go from the dish to the box.

Unbolt the piece that points back at the dish and disconnect one of the two cable wires.

Connect the cable wire you brought with you and rebolt the piece back on the end of the dish running the wire out the back.

Connect the wire to the box and go to the signal strength screen.

Assuming your angle is correct just loosen the bolts that will allow you to swing the dish left to right.

Very slowly sweep it left and right watching the signal meter.

If you get no signal that way then adjust the angle up or down a tad and try again.

Repeat until you find a signal.

 

If your dish is close enough to the splitter for you to see/hear the tv signal meter then you can just hook it up there and avoid disassembly on the dish.

 

Or your LNB is fried (the piece on the arm of the dish).

 

Sounds like your switch will work once everything is set

[SteelBunz]

Sounds like you just need to adjust your dish. Here's how you can do it.

 

Take a small TV and box out to the dish and a cable wire to go from the dish to the box.

Unbolt the piece that points back at the dish and disconnect one of the two cable wires.

Connect the cable wire you brought with you and rebolt the piece back on the end of the dish running the wire out the back.

Connect the wire to the box and go to the signal strength screen.

Assuming your angle is correct just loosen the bolts that will allow you to swing the dish left to right.

Very slowly sweep it left and right watching the signal meter.

If you get no signal that way then adjust the angle up or down a tad and try again.

Repeat until you find a signal.

 

If your dish is close enough to the splitter for you to see/hear the tv signal meter then you can just hook it up there and avoid disassembly on the dish.

Thanks AC.

We did some of that yesterday. Then I got bombarded with phone calls and got a little frustrated, so I packed it in to work on it today. You know with MrBunz working nights, he has limited time most afternoons to help me with something like this. He's got tonight off, so we can really tackle it this afternoon.

I know I can do this......LOL. If I only had a checklist......hmmmm.

 

Or your LNB is fried (the piece on the arm of the dish).

 

Sounds like your switch will work once everything is set

I already looked up a replacement piece, in case that's the problem.

There are only really 4 possibilities:

1. The dish isn't aligned correctly.

2. The multiswitch is bad.

3. The cables from the dish to the multiswitch are damaged.

or 4. The LNB is fried and needs replaced.

 

But all connections look tight and no cables look damaged or cut. So I'll work on it all today.

 

Thank you guys....I'll let you know how it goes.

[MrTed46]

I already looked up a replacement piece, in case that's the problem.

There are only really 4 possibilities:

1. The dish isn't aligned correctly.

2. The multiswitch is bad.

3. The cables from the dish to the multiswitch are damaged.

or 4. The LNB is fried and needs replaced.

 

If you can't get a signal with a direct connect to the satellite, I wouldnt go buy a switch as it seems something else is wrong.

 

The cables could be damaged but highly unlikely..especially since you can test the other cable on the LNB. Also, I have seen LNBs damaged before, but I have never seen both sides damaged (but it can happen).

 

If I had to guess, this sounds like a dish aligning problem.

 

Goodluck!

[Atlanta Cracker]

I know I can do this......LOL. If I only had a checklist......hmmmm.

 

 

I already looked up a replacement piece, in case that's the problem.

There are only really 4 possibilities:

1. The dish isn't aligned correctly.

2. The multiswitch is bad.

3. The cables from the dish to the multiswitch are damaged.

or 4. The LNB is fried and needs replaced.

 

But all connections look tight and no cables look damaged or cut. So I'll work on it all today.

 

Thank you guys....I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Looks like you already made your own checklist. The subliminal mind control is continuing to evolve!!

 

If all else fails you can probably fix it by spending the next few days installing a new bathtub.

[SteelBunz]

Looks like you already made your own checklist. The subliminal mind control is continuing to evolve!!

 

If all else fails you can probably fix it by spending the next few days installing a new bathtub.

I thought maybe a little mud would work.....or solder.

 

I can only lounge in the bathtub holding onto rabbit ears until Feb 2009.......right?

[SteelBunz]

Thank you everyone!! It WAS a dish adjustment. But based on the grand scheme of things and how far out those satellites are.....I don't think it was all that minor. About 10 degrees to the south and about 3 degrees pitched down. I can only surmise that the dish had been slowly working itself out of alignment on the pole over the course of 4 years. Or....the pole succumbed to ground movement at the same rate.

 

I wasn't loose....by any means.

 

But.....it's working and the signal is ALOT better than it has been for a long while.

 

Thanks again!!

[jackshi17]

The horizontal/vertical alignment of the LNB also effects the signal strength.