Satelites Direct TV question

You might try posting your question on this site. http://www.avsforum.com/ they are very helpful and should be able to answer your question.

I am assuming you have went into the menu and set up "the type of dish" you have.There are three satellites the dish recieves signal from.
First rule out any problem with the other 2 recievers.
Unhook the hdtv recvr and connect each of the other two recvrs one at a time to the sat coax cable.As you know, you will need to use a regular video patch cable. don`t worry about the audio. See if you get all the channels on each . IF you do its not the recvrs. Check this out first, before going further.Report back with your findings.

Sorry I did not prof read! [Receiver]

That's a great suggestion by Jea48. Like hunting down a problem with your audio system or trouble shooting a computer, go through a process of elimination.

By hooking each of the two receivers that are having reception problems in place of the HDTV unit that is working fine you'll be able to see if you just have a bad connection or if the problem lies with a malfunctioning or improperly set up receiver.

Good luck!

Are you using a splitter for the feed from the dish? If so, that is your problem. You need to use a multiplexer. 1/2 of the channels go on one polarity, the other 1/2 on the other.

I will proffer a guess that you've split the cable without using a multiswitch. The DirecTV coax is not merely one way--there is some oddity about the selection of odd/even transponders. Are you just using a simple coax T-connection? If so, that is your problem. Go to RatShack and get something called a multiswitch...

If he was using a splitter I don`t think he would get any cannels on the one receiver,he said he was getting half of the channels.Wouldn`t it also say, searching for sat.

Your boxes need to mirror each other, in order to do
this, you need a splitter for your PHONE jack,
that will allow your subscription to MIRROR each other.
Try that.

My two different generation Sony boxes are set up the way Isellstuff suggests, with a splitter at the phone jack, and everything is fine. Two different GUIs and one has Tivo while the other doesn't, but the exact same programming.

I wanted to avoid the multiplexer thing so I just used both LNBs at the satellite dish for hookup. I'm using the 6 year old dual LNB round dish because I just couldn't the new oval dish with the 4 LNBs to see all the satellites. Someone I know uses the multiplexers for multi-room feeds and it works great.

No no no no no!

Not a multiplexer--that layers one signal on top of the other. You need a *multiswitch* because you need to be able to access both the odd and even channels, which requires signalling to go both ways--you need a *SWITCH*. This is why you get only half the channels (I suspect either odd or even, depending upon how the other boxes were set). Look here for a quick tutorial:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=55509

LOL- I knew it multi-something, but you are completely correct Edesilva.

Oooopps!!! Thanks for the quick correction Edesilva!!

Jayctoy, did you try what I asked?

Thanks to all you, I was told the problem is the
wiring, it seems , the cable guy did not put
quality wire.They recommend RG6.Jea48 I tried
what you told me,no problem with boxes.I called
technician,No call No show.I wiil update.

Jayctoy, If I might make a suggestion. Call DirecTV, I believe they will have some one come to you home and install a new oval dish with a 4 port LMB for, I believe, $50.00. You will be required to agree to a new one year contract. Then run new RG6 coax, one from each port of the 4 port LMB, to each receiver. In fact I would ask Directv If their sub contractor, who will install the new dish, can install the new cable and what would be the additional charge.

Regards Jim

Old CATV wiring used to be RG48, I think, and RG6 is lower loss. Still, might be worth looking to see if you have a splitter or multiswitch. If you don't have a multiswitch, then the best cable in the world isn't going to fix your problem.

I think standard for most cable/coax applications is RG59, whereas everything I've been seeing for satellite has been RG6. I never realized using RG59 could drop half the channels, it seems odd to me. But definitely give that a try, as to rule out any possibilities.

I'm having the exact same problem. I do run RG6 throughout the house, and have a quality SPAWN multi-switch. I've had an installer our to repair this once, and have to have them come back. The issue is the that even a small tear in the shielding can degrade the signal. In my case, that tear may be exposed to the elements which creates moisture in the cable. Some channels can get by with lower signal, but others will drop out and not be able to lock. If you find amother problem, please post your findings. Thanks!!

Last summer I received new access cards from DirecTV. I had got the sonys I was using at that time in 1997. Up to that point every thing had been just fine. This was my first card change. No big deal, just follow the easy step by step directions. About a couple of months later I started having problems. No HBO, A banner would come up on my screen saying call this phone number to purchase this programing. I called Directv, which is a pain in the butt, and as I was explainning the problem to them they turned it back on. They didn`t really give me an explanation why it happened.
At that point I really didn`t care. A week or so later It happened again. I called them again. By the third time, with even other problems I called them again. By this time I was pissed. Takes for ever to get through on the phone!
This time I asked to talk to a tech. I wanted to find out what was going on. The tech explained to me they were upgrading their system and they were aware of the problems trying to keep the old satellite units like mine working.
Short answer he recommended that I upgrade. So I did. I think it cost me $150.00 for two new receivers and a new oval dish with a 4 port LMB.I did have to agree to a new one year contract for that price. My old dish was the round dish with the dual LMB. It wasn`t capable of receiving the
digital signal from the three satellites. "Sat A" 101* transponders #1 to 32, "Sat C" 110* with converted transponders #8 #10 #12, and "Sat B" 119* with transponders #22 to #32.

Unless you have this newer dish and LMB I don`t think you will ever get it to work right. Not to mention receive all the cannels available that you are already paying for.

Jjott, it is digital, nice thing, you have a picture or you don`t. Nothing like cable. No snow.

A week ago, I have an appointment for the repair, the
guy did not show up.So I will find onother one.

Update, The problem is the connections outside, they went
bad,they replace everything,the box that wont show
anything, the box is defective, was send back to
Directv,It cost me $100, $70 labor, and $30 dollars
for the upgrade.Plus one coke soda.Not bad.THANK YOU
ALL.