Urgent help needed! dstv signal problems!!

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Leesen

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Hi ALL

I am new to this forum and this is my 1st post. :cool:

This is my issue:

I currently have a HD PVR 2P and standard decoder for xtra view. This installation was done about 6 months ago and has been working normally until recently.

My signal strength and quality has been dropping alot lately, and has made dstv unwatchable. But the problem is, it happens at odd times and it is hard to troubleshoot. On a normal day, my TV1 ( with the HD pvr) has signal strength at 98, signal quality at 100 ( occasionally drops to 80/90 on certain channels) and TV2 ( standard view) has signal strength ( fluctuates between 76/80) and signal quality of 100%.

On certain occasions, both these signals drop to 0% then goes back up then drops to 0% again, which cause the pictures to delay and drag with blocks, which makes watching TV unbearable.

I have called the dstv installation guys who did my initial installation, and they stated that my LNB and MultiSwitch is faulty, so I made them put it in new 1's. This worked fine when they were there, and then once they left the problem started again the day after. I called them back a few times, and to my luck the signal was stable when they were there.


I have a small-ish tree (not very thick leaves) that was suggested that could be blocking the signal, so I trimmed a few branches on saturday. But then on saturday, there was heavy winds but the signal was fine for the whole day, until at night when the dropping of signal started again.

Ok, so far I have eliminated this factors that could be the cause:
- LNB ( new 1 fitted)
- Multi Switch ( new 1 fitted)
- Tree blocking signal ( if this was the case, why would the signal quality be at 100% occasionally)
- Winds that could sway the tree ( It was very windy on saturday, but the signal was fine)
- I read something about over-heating decoders, but both seem quite cool when I touched them after over 48hours of being on.

I am now clueless of what the next step is, I dont want to call another installer until I can figure out what exactly the issue is.

I have noticed that my signal quality on TV1 very rarely locks onto a %, but most of the time when it does work the signal quality varies between 80,90,100, but the signal strength stays at 98, when it does work.

On TV2, when it does work, the signal quality is locked on 100%, and signal strength varies between 76-80%...is there any reason for this difference between TV1 and TV2? and why signal strength locks on TV1 and not on TV2?

I have tried to unscrew and screw back my cables, and occasionally this causes the TV2 remote link to go dead ( any co-incidence for this happening??), and then when I play around with the cables again, the remote link comes back on.

Any suggestions/ideas will be much appreciated :confused:

Thanks

Leesen
 
Do you get intermittant loss of heartbeat signal?

Did you change the cables between the multiswitch and the decoders when you put in a new multiswitch?

If you have not changed the cables, then my bet is the cables. These cables normally come with the multiswitch and are pre made cables usually 1.5m long. These cables over time become faulty due to the terminations becoming intermittant (shied not touching male metal head). You will find it is only one of the cables causing the problem.

Try and buy some cable and change them, not expensive and even if it doesn't work, at least you have spare cable.

I had a similar problem and put new cables in between multiswitch and decoders and the problem didn't come back.
 
Hi Poolmania

Im not sure what this means : "Do you get intermittant loss of heartbeat signal?" ?

Cool, I will try to change the cables, because they were not changed with the new switch.

Any idea where I can get these? Are there special 1's made just for Multiswitch to decoder?

Tnx


poolmania said:
Do you get intermittant loss of heartbeat signal?

Did you change the cables between the multiswitch and the decoders when you put in a new multiswitch?

If you have not changed the cables, then my bet is the cables. These cables normally come with the multiswitch and are pre made cables usually 1.5m long. These cables over time become faulty due to the terminations becoming intermittant (shied not touching male metal head). You will find it is only one of the cables causing the problem.

Try and buy some cable and change them, not expensive and even if it doesn't work, at least you have spare cable.

I had a similar problem and put new cables in between multiswitch and decoders and the problem didn't come back.
Click to expand...
 
What I would do is bypass the Multi-Switch using a JOINER directly to the HD PVR, if the problem persists it is the cables, as the chances of both decoders having the same problem is slim, cant be LNB as you stated you installed a new one neither can it be the Multi-Switch because you bypassed it with the joiner.
 
Leesen said:
Hi Poolmania

Im not sure what this means : "Do you get intermittant loss of heartbeat signal?" ?

Cool, I will try to change the cables, because they were not changed with the new switch.

Any idea where I can get these? Are there special 1's made just for Multiswitch to decoder?

Tnx
Click to expand...

Heartbeat signal is the signal sent from the Primary Decoder (HD decoder) to the secondary decoder (Standard Decoder) either through the rf out ports or the rf in ports depending on your connection. I was just curious to see if you had issues where you lose heartbeat from time to time. I don't think it is related anyway so ignore it.

You can get these cables at most places, Makro, Game, Builders. They are not special, ordinary coaxial cable that has already been pre-made up with f-type connectors. They usually come in 1.5m lengths as far as i remember.

I always find buying cable and f-type connectors separately and making the cable myself works best and if you don't know how, then google it or youtube it on how to do it.
 
great..thanks for your assistance..will give it a try and feedback

poolmania said:
Heartbeat signal is the signal sent from the Primary Decoder (HD decoder) to the secondary decoder (Standard Decoder) either through the rf out ports or the rf in ports depending on your connection. I was just curious to see if you had issues where you lose heartbeat from time to time. I don't think it is related anyway so ignore it.

You can get these cables at most places, Makro, Game, Builders. They are not special, ordinary coaxial cable that has already been pre-made up with f-type connectors. They usually come in 1.5m lengths as far as i remember.

I always find buying cable and f-type connectors separately and making the cable myself works best and if you don't know how, then google it or youtube it on how to do it.
Click to expand...
 
It didn't work :cry:


poolmania said:
Heartbeat signal is the signal sent from the Primary Decoder (HD decoder) to the secondary decoder (Standard Decoder) either through the rf out ports or the rf in ports depending on your connection. I was just curious to see if you had issues where you lose heartbeat from time to time. I don't think it is related anyway so ignore it.

You can get these cables at most places, Makro, Game, Builders. They are not special, ordinary coaxial cable that has already been pre-made up with f-type connectors. They usually come in 1.5m lengths as far as i remember.

I always find buying cable and f-type connectors separately and making the cable myself works best and if you don't know how, then google it or youtube it on how to do it.
Click to expand...
 
Leesen said:
It didn't work :cry:
Click to expand...

Well, thats a pity. I could ask you to check a few other things but since I am not an expert, I would suggest you post your problem on the DSTV forum under the HD PVR or Installation Section. There are some guys on there that can probably help you with this problem.
 
Hi

Sorted, I had to call the guys..it seems like my signal was being blocked by a few other trees..they changed the position of the dish..seem fine now.

Just another question..any reason for the signal quality of vertical chanels being better than horizontal channels?

Also 101 and 215 are both horizontal channles..but 101 show 100% and 215 shows 90%? Any reason for this?

Tnx

poolmania said:
Well, thats a pity. I could ask you to check a few other things but since I am not an expert, I would suggest you post your problem on the DSTV forum under the HD PVR or Installation Section. There are some guys on there that can probably help you with this problem.
Click to expand...
 
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