XtraView Setup for DSTV Xplora2 and HD PVR 2P

Wild Cape said:
When you say get the 'decoder working first', I presume this to be the primary 2A ? This decoder is still working fine and having now swapped the NLB ports this morning.
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Yeah the 2A needs to work 110%. All channels, epg, recording & pvr.
 
Ok great, will give this all a go as soon as I have access to the second decoder room, as have electricians there at the moment ...
 
Geoff.D said:
So now switch OFF this decoder and get the 2P up and running first, receiving at least ch 100.
The switch on the Primary 2A and it to send HB to the secondary. Then see what error messages are left.
IF the E 19 - either wait up to 48 hours for it to clear by itself or get MC to re-authorise services on that decoder.
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Ok had a chance to carry on with things and with no load shedding . As suggested I switched off the primary and tuned the P2 on. . The P2 rebooted and scanned up to 100% and indicated it has loaded 300 odd channels, radio stations and other things. Then it automatically switched to Ch 100 with a good picture and sound. When I try and select another channel I get the same E 32- 37 notification. I then turned the Primary 2A on a few minutes later and there is no difference, it gives the same notification and the decoder remains on a Ch 100, refusing to budge to another channel when selected.

I will leave the P2 running overnight and see if the notification clears, otherwise I will drop the decoder off for a check up. Has been a frustrating time. Many thanks for all your input again.
 
Quick up date.. I realised with connecting the system up again this evening I had accidentally had both decoders linked on RF Out, so changed the primary back to RF In. I went through the same turning on process with only the P2 on first. With both decoders running I can now select different channels on the secondary and I get the correct channel banner on the screen and the programme name and times etc, but still no picture. However, I do now get an E 19 - 4 notification which is a first, I think.

Other questions, with this set up under the 'remote control' menu settings, I have selected RF In on the primary 2A and RF Out on the P2. On the Primary the TV link/ Aux power is set to Off, is this correct ? Tuner Status 1 shows 84% Signal strength and 100% Signal quality. Tuner status 2 and Tuner 3 have similar values whatever that means ?

Both decoders appear to be sending regular red HB signals every thirty seconds or so, but Lord knows if they are connecting to each other.. ?
 
Okay.
1. TVLink power should be ON IF you have tvlink eyes installed anywhere.
2. This is the process you have to either have patience with or get MC to send a re authorisation signal.
The errors clear one by one. First E37, then others and finallybyou get to E19.
It has nothing to do with the choice of RF ports. The best combination is RF Out to RF In for your install.
Note only the primary sends HB. The secondary receives HB.
Easy to check. Go to the XV screen, on both decoders. The primary will show when last a HB was sent, and the secondary will show when a HB is received. There is also a test button provided for you to test on the primary where you can send a pulse and see if is received on the secondary.
Strongly suggest you stop fiddling with the cabling.
A decoder that has been off for more then a month always takes its time to recover and the fault sequence is mostly the same,
E 37, 32, 16, 19.
MC sends random changes to the authentication system every so often but definitely 4 times a day, just after midnight, 06:00, midday, 18:00.
If any of these are missed the decoder takes longer than usual to recover after being off.
Patience is required when dealing with MC decoders.
 
Many thanks Geoff for all your info again ! When we originally had a dual decoder set up with an older PVR and then the P2 was our Primary, both decoders were located next to each other, so we then had to rely on a Red TV link eye at the second TV. Now the decoders are different and not in the same location hence all the setting up.
It was not a case of 'fiddling with the cable', more a necessity as the dual TV installation was moved yesterday into a newly renovated rooms with clients from abroad arriving this evening, hence the panic. I was testing the set up in another room the passed few days to make sure the transition would be quick and easy, little did I know. ... lol

The sat and RF cables to the secondary decoder were both damaged on the roof by the builders hence having to almost start from scratch with new cabling.

Thanks for the HB info, this I feel is where the problem is as both decoders are sending the HB and neither one of them is showing a receiver notification ?

I will call DSTV this morning and ask them to check or reactivate the service for the third time and see if this helps the E19 message. Thanks again for all your ongoing assistance here.
 
If both are set as primary there is a problem. Ask for an XV Specialist when you phone MC. And then specify that the Explora 2A must be primary and the 2P secondary.
 
Will do so thanks, impossible to find a number at DSTV where you can actually speak to anybody I have found..?

If I go the xtraview status on the primary decoder menu it gives the correct card numbers for the primary (this decoder) and the secondary card number is also correct. It also tells me the last HB was sent moments ago..

Method ia HNA -HNA ?
 
Eventually spoke to DSTV, they confirmed the decoders are linked and I went through the rebooting stages with them until the line went dead. Ch 100 plays fine as usual, when I then go to TV guide and then select a channel I now get this warning - E143 -4 ''Waiting for communication with Primary Decoder..''

Quick question ... hw long can those coaxial cables run to relay the RF signal... mine runs for 30M ?

Is there anything from the various test done so far that indicates the RF cable is working, presumably Ch100 is confirming the sat cable is working...? As the HB is sending on both decoders rather than being received by the secondary does this not indicate there could be an issue with the RF cable or plug connections ?
 
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My only conclusion with knowing nothing about this , is that RF linking cable is also damaged and before the new length of coaxial was added. Purely for testing purposes can I set up the dual view decoder next to the primary with a short new RF lead and see if at least the HB works ? I would not be able to connect the secondary decoder to the dish, as this cable from the dish is now laid to the place where the xtraview will be needed ? The primary will still be connected to the dish, not that this will give me picture on the secondary, but hoping it will at least tell me if the HB is working ?
 
Did this short RF lead test without the dish connected to the secondary decoder and immediately got the green HB bar received for the first time, so there is evidently an issue with the RF lead in the cavity wall, perhaps rat bitten !
What mislead me was that when I shorted/closed the one end of the RF lead I got a reading with the multi meter showing the plugs and leads were working, so I thought ...

The only other option is that a 40m max run of coaxial cable is too long for an HB signal...? Any thoughts please ?

How far for DSTV extraview ?

Hi All- I need to run a heartbeat cable for extraview to my granny flat for my mom to have DSTV extraview. It already has a dish up and so I will only need the heartbeat. I measured yesterday and I will need approx. 95 m of coax by the time I have routed it through the ceiling and round the pool...
www.4x4community.co.za
 
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I have received this info from HD Cabling Technical which explains the issue :)

Hi WCr, yes Multichoice introduced this limitation a few years ago by sending a weaker signal since they wanted to limit the distribution of one subcription within smaller complexes. We could get it working previously on around 50m without amplification but currently limited to 30 Meter. You could try to insert a Powered SLX Splitter as below to boost the signal via added power (Add it after a few meters run into the heartbeat cable. Also if the coax cable quality is not good you might struggle more as well. Best is to install proper coax..
 
WoW You are limping from one issue to the next!

Yes it is so that MC did restrict the HB power. That is why , not since the SD PVR, has there service been worth squat!.
It would have been helpful if you provided all these little details earlier.
The E143-4 error says the HD PVR 2P is now set up properly BUT that the final XV settings failed, hence why the secondary is not ready to receive HB. Now with the added cabling issue, you will not be able to tell if the setup is wrong or if the cable is a problem.
You have a few options.
Take both decoders to MC offices and get them to verify all setups are correct and working. At least that will once and for all sort out setup issues.
Then take the decoders home and install them again and see if the HB is getting through or not.
IF not add the SLX splitter as suggested. It does provide some signal amplification and may just sort out the HB.

OR,
you can try and install a diplexer behind the HD PVR 2P and get the HB via the SLNB cabling instead.

Either way (SLX which my work or Diplexer which may work) you will be better off if you at least know the decoders are set up properly.
 
Many thanks for your ongoing help Geoff. The good news is we are finally sorted. I bought 36m of RG6U coaxial and tested it first before going into the conduit on the roof. The HB and picture worked fine immediately ! So as not to loose any power with any joins it was evidently best to replace the entire run of cable. Was a trial and error process in the end. Thanks again for all your input !
 
I tried doing the xtraview thing myself and almost got it right but kept losing signal. I eventually gave up and contacted external service provider like Satellite King DSTV Installers to assist me in setting up the xtraview. Also with the newer decoders it can be even more difficult unless you are a very technical person.
 
Geoff.D said:
AS a matter of interest, how did you join and extend the HB cable? The old one?
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Geoff, I'm putting in a completely new cable from primary decoder to sec decoder, being less than a hundred bucks for the R36m this was non negotiable and I was keen to have no joins to prevent any drop out or loss of power given what i understand is border line distance for a HB cable, you would know better than I . We have channeling in most rooms and bar one section of the roof which will now go into conduit so the new cable installation should be pretty straight forward. Although the distance is +/- 33m, I tested the full 36m+ roll and it was 100s, thankfully.

satelliteking said:
I tried doing the xtraview thing myself and almost got it right but kept losing signal. I eventually gave up and contacted external service provider like Satellite King DSTV Installers to assist me in setting up the xtraview. Also with the newer decoders it can be even more difficult unless you are a very technical person.
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I hear you ``Satellitking'. However getting in DSTV referred installers is a lottery I have found. In the passed I have been shocked by the poor quality of workmanship, if you can even call it that, they have scant regard for doing a neat job and respecting your roof and the waterproofing. I've had folk arriving here with almost zero tools, not even a hacksaw and they were using a pair of pliers to cut conduit, until I leant them mine. Bashing big nails into the waterproofing of parapets was another irritation. Only when I did this minor installation myself, mainly to protect my roof, did I discover the shoddy work that has done before, such as the one outside join on the coaxial where no barrel connector was used just electric tape. Holes drilled through a wall were completely skew, tools and other technician detritus were left in the gutters or blocked downpipes . I wont bore you with further detail :)
 
Glad you got it right eventually wild cape. Sorry I was not around for the final stretch.

I struggled plenty with my xv setup the first time. If you are willing and interested to learn all kinds of technical bs, a self install is worth your time. I liked it, but if I counted my hours lost it would have been a lot cheaper to just get a guy out and supervise the workmanship.
 
Yes you are correct about eliminating joints. Even ones done with barrel connectors are less than optimal.
The problem is MC has gradually but surely reduced the "fat" in their decoder s to a point where the install has to be near perfect for the decoders to work.
The last PVR that was quality was designed and built by UEC, was the SD PVR. It had a superb RF remodulator stage, incredibly good front end tuners, high powered HB generation and very sensitive remote control receivers. XV installations worked over 100 m which meant "normal" installations could be really poor and the decoders would still work.
Now, the decoder designs have been deliberately downgraded and the general manufacturing quality is now marginal at best.
This puts pressure on the installations having to be excellent all the time.
Don't even start me off on so called accredited installers. There are very few around that deserve their ratings.
 
Thanks for all the help guys, our dual view system all seems to be running smoothly after a week's trial !
 
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