**Xtraview Setup Help**

Zarathustra

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2003
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Location
South Africa.
Okay, so I installed the twin LNB. I have brilliant picture & sound quality. 100% on the Primary Decoder & 92% on the Secondary Decoder.

Now, I'm struggling with the heartbeat.

Multichoice has done the Smartcard Setup & Pairing from their side.

The heartbeat cable is connect to [RF In] on both sides, but no actual heartbeat being picked up. I've checked the connections & they are good. While setting up with Multichoice, I had all channels available before the Pin Code was transmitted after that nothing.

On the Primary Decoder, the Xtraview settings are:

RF In
Respond
Relay
Ignore
Ignore

On the Secondard Decoder, the Xtraview setting are:

RF In
Relay
Respond
Ignore
Ignore

Any help would be appreciated...
 
Okay, so I installed the twin LNB. I have brilliant picture & sound quality. 100% on the Primary Decoder & 92% on the Secondary Decoder.

Now, I'm struggling with the heartbeat.

Multichoice has done the Smartcard Setup & Pairing from their side.

The heartbeat cable is connect to [RF In] on both sides, but no actual heartbeat being picked up. I've checked the connections & they are good. While setting up with Multichoice, I had all channels available before the Pin Code was transmitted after that nothing.

On the Primary Decoder, the Xtraview settings are:

RF In
Respond
Relay
Ignore
Ignore

On the Secondard Decoder, the Xtraview setting are:

RF In
Relay
Respond
Ignore
Ignore

Any help would be appreciated...

are both decoders in the same room?
 
Everything is working 100% now. I had a an E16 error on the Secondary Decoder after the Multichoice configuration was done. Restarting the devices didn't help. There was also no heartbeat. I eventually phoned them again and they cleared the E16 error and everything has been working 100% since then & there is a permanent heartbeat signal too.

Just to answer the questions posed by people trying to help me.

- No, the decoders are in two different houses - Total distance is about 20m apart.
- [RF In] on both is how Multichoice told me to have them setup and it is how it is configured now & working.

Logically, it seems the setup is on either [RF In] or [RF Out] for the physical cable & where the one responds, the other must relay & vice versa.

By the way, did the entire installation myself. Bought everything @ Game, ran the cabling from LNB Port #1 to one decoder to one TV & VCR in one of the houses and from LNB Port #2 to one decoder to two TV's & one VCR in the other house. 1x Twin LNB, 40m of 75Ohm cable, one 1-2 Way Splitter, a handful of F-Type connectors, some roof gymnastics (both on top & inside), 5 calls to Multichoice & 11 hours later everything works brilliantly. Can hardly walk today, but apparently it was all worth it.

Oh & screw you [Approved Multichoice Installer Guy] who never arrived to do the installation in the first place!?!
 
Yeah, I use RF in on my Primary and RF out on my secondary for the heartbeat. My RF out from the Primary (HD-PVR) goes to my other lounge, Kitchen and bedrooms. That way I get to see all my decoder channels throughout the house. My decoders are in the same room. That heatbeat is very sensitive to heat, and will not transmit properly if the two decoders are on top of each other.
 
Following the last firmware upgrade, any combination of ports can be used for a heartbeat. RF In to RF In or RF Out to RF Out or RF In to RF Out.

It's only where a SD PVR is part of the combination, only RF Out can be selected on the menu, however after XV activation the cable can be moved to the RF In and will still receive the heartbeat.

The main factors to consider prior to choosing the ports is:
1) If there are more than 2 viewing environments, the cable run between the "open" RF Out port to be used for connection of the 3rd, 4th, etc. television/s.
2) If you would like to see both decoders on a 3rd, 4th, etc. television/s, RF In tot RF Out is the only option.
3) If you would like to route terrestrial SABC channels through the system, the antenna cable must go into the RF In of one of the decoders (again preferably the one closets to the existing antenna point.

Although all the combinations are available, we still prefer the RF In to RF Out combination on 99% of our installations, due to the constraints mentioned above.

HP
 
I'm in the process of uploading drawings of XtraView combinations, to assist the "do-it-yourself" enthusiasts. Once completed, I'll post the site address on this post.
 
Good day Good people,

I have been struggling getting heartbeat to work on my Xtra View setup.

Equipment in use:
1 x Smart LNB (3 unicable + 1 universal ports)
1 x Explora Model 2A (latest software) runs as a primary decoder
2 x Single View HD Decoder, Model 4u and Model 5u both Secondary.
1 x Diplexer/Mixer/Demixer
Cables etc.

Current Installation:
- 3 cables run from Smart LNB to each Decoder, all from Unicable Connection, nothing from Univ.
- Decoders all set to different frequencies in order to avoid interference.
- Diplexer connected to the Model 5u decoder to give it two connections. SAT (DC) from LNB, IN/OUT connected to LNB IN on on Decoder and Terrestrial feeding back to RF IN on Primary Decoder. The latter supposed to be heartbeat.
- Model 4u: LNB IN from SMARTLNB, and RF out to RF out on Primary Decoder, the latter being heart beat.

All 3 decoders in 3 different rooms but only one plays all channels, Primary and two Single View "waiting for comms from primary"

Please assist, the installer guy reckons I'm too remote and I feel that I'm closer to the solution.
 
PS: All decoders run on latest software making in immaterial whether it is RF IN to In or Out to Out I'm told. Some Miltichoice technical consultants just tell me to bring in the Accredited Dude, who is nowhere close to where I live.
 
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