R10 loss of sat signals - repair?

[Coppertop808]

I've been reading and searching with no luck on this. We had an awful lightning storm about a month ago that zapped our R10. After purchasing an R15 locally and using it for a month I am ready to see if I can fix the R10!!!!! Grrrr!! I miss my TIVO!!!!

I had it plugged into a UPS and had the UPS turned off when I heard the storm approaching. However there was a VERY close strike :eek: and I believe a small surge came in through the dish.

The receiver works fine except that it no longer will get a signal on either tuner, none of sats or transponders. I checked the voltages at the Sat 1 & 2 connectors and both show no voltage at all. I cannot see any signs of damage on the PCB or any components chared.

So, on to the questions... :confused:

1 - Does anyone know of a way to fix an R10 that has lost all signals?

2 - Does anyone know how I could get a schematic of the reciever to possibly trace out where it may have failed? (I know this is a long shot)

I had fixed an RCA DirecTV receiver several years ago that lost the even transponders after a lighting strike by removing a diode that had been fried so this is why I'm hoping someone may have some info on fixing an R10 in a similar way. I could probably take it to a repair shop but it may end up costing more that what I could get an R10 for off ebay.


You can skip the rest of this because this is just ranting to make myself feel better..... :mad: Why can't the stupid jack-bunny programmers at DirecTV take a REAL TIVO unit and make theirs EXACTLY like it!!! How friggin hard is that??? I deal with programming automated machinery for a living and I'm hear to tell you that it is pretty darn easy to copy something that already exists! Of course you have to avoid patent infringements and legal issues, but good god, you can get close anyway! The R15 just plain is a bitch to use :down: !! Can I rip the brains out of my bad R10 and jam it into the R15???? My wife rolls her eyes when I start ranting at home when I try to do something simple that the R10 did that the R15 just makes so hard! The R15 does have 1 or 2 nicer features but sorrily lacks in EVERYTHING else!! AHHHHH!!!!!!!! :mad:

ok.... thanks....

[Want1394]

When you say the R10 is fine except it no longer gets a signal, I persume you mean it boots just fine, and you can play back any recorded material without problem. So, going into the menu's for testing signal strength, you get no signal on either tuner A or B, right?

So, either both tuners are blown, and I would go the eBay (or one of the vendors mentioned in this forum) route. However you don't mention what else is working just fine. If the R10 is your only DirecTV receiver, then I'd put my bet that the R10 is just fine and you've got a blown LNB at the dish. That's quite easy to get fixed. Hope that's the case for you.

[Coppertop808]

The R15 is in place where the R10 was, same dish and cabling setup. So I know there are no problems with the dish, LNB's, switch, etc... I had done some cable swapping and using another ancient receiver out of the closet to test the dish/LNB's before going to buy (well.. lease) the R15.

Yes, can play back recordings, navigate through menu's, signal strength test shows all sat/transponder signals 0%.

[Steve1212]

My Directv signal is lost on sat 1 but still there on sat 2. My directv connection is serviced by MDU (www.mduc.com) I hope its thier box that connects the satellite, and not my R10.

[Steve1212]

Well i tried both cables into sat 2 and they both got a signal. Looks like sat 1 on my box is broke. How long is Weakness' warranty? I bought mine in December.

[Coppertop808]

Ok, looks like I probably will not be able to easily repair the R10. I've been thinking about getting a second receiver anyway. So, a few more questions since the world of Tivo and DirecTV leasing the receivers is still new to me...

1 - What if I were to the mainboard out of another R10 and put it into mine or take the hard drive out of mine and put it into another R10. Basically, use another R10 for parts that might have a dead hard drive that I may be able to get cheaply and combine the two to make a working receiver. I don't see why that wouldn't work. The only issue I could see is that the receiver has an ID correct? I would have to make sure I used the receiver ID of the mainboard that I used (assuming the ID is built into the mainboard BIOS)

2 - If you were to buy another Series 2 Tivo unit (one that is hackable with all the newest tweaks), which one would you look for? (thinking about getting one of ebay, etc..)

3 - Since I have a leased R15 now, would adding a second receiver that was 'owned' cause me to be charged for using a non-leased receiver? An additional $4.99 I believe.

4 - You only pay $5.99 for the DVR fee whether you have one or multiple DVRs.. right?

Thanks! :)

[rminsk]

1 - What if I were to the mainboard out of another R10 and put it into mine or take the hard drive out of mine and put it into another R10. Basically, use another R10 for parts that might have a dead hard drive that I may be able to get cheaply and combine the two to make a working receiver. I don't see why that wouldn't work. The only issue I could see is that the receiver has an ID correct? I would have to make sure I used the receiver ID of the mainboard that I used (assuming the ID is built into the mainboard BIOS)If you are trying to save the programming from the old R10 it will not work. The data is encoded on the disk to the receiver ID. Other than that I do not see a reason why you could not mix and match parts.

2 - If you were to buy another Series 2 Tivo unit (one that is hackable with all the newest tweaks), which one would you look for? (thinking about getting one of ebay, etc..)If you want to hack any series 2 besides the R10. Besides the R10 they are all the same. Most of them made in the same factory with different faceplates. http://archive2.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=166720

3 - Since I have a leased R15 now, would adding a second receiver that was 'owned' cause me to be charged for using a non-leased receiver? An additional $4.99 I believe.The mirroring fee ($4.99) is charged for every receiver after your first receiver.

4 - You only pay $5.99 for the DVR fee whether you have one or multiple DVRs.. right?Correct

[Coppertop808]

If you are trying to save the programming from the old R10 it will not work. The data is encoded on the disk to the receiver ID. Other than that I do not see a reason why you could not mix and match parts.

Reason - Being a cheap-skate. Figured I could get a non-working R10 for much cheaper and create a working unit from the two. Don't really care about the programming saved on the existing drive. So it should work, but will loose any recorded data, correct?

If you want to hack any series 2 besides the R10. Besides the R10 they are all the same. Most of them made in the same factory with different faceplates.

Ok, makes sense. I will probably look at this route first since I would really like to be able to copy recorded shows to my PC and have all the other tweaks. :D

Thanks!

[Cherokee6]

I know this post is a little late in response to Coppertop, but I did find a solution to my problem which sounds the same as his.
Situation........ At my Daughter's home, the R10 is plugged into the same electric circuit in which 2 overhead ceiling fans were wired into. Landlord decided to exchange them for another pair. During the conversion, the circuit breaker had been tripped and reset numerous times, causing havoc for the R10. After all is done, telephone call from daughter indicating that the R10 is searching for signal on Sat 1 & 2. The R10 in the bedroom was still OK so I know the sat ant to the multi-sw was OK. I decided to take the repair job on, being a retired radio tech. Of course no schematic to be found. Next best thing is to compare voltages to my good R10. I found no 13.5 vdc on the sat 1 & 2 inputs. All the power supply voltages from the pwr supply board to the main board checked OK. I located 2 nice size diodes on the main board in the vicinity of the sat 1 & 2 inputs. My R10 showed about 13.5VDC on the banded ends, 0.5vdc on the bad R10. Voila, these diodes are shorted. Next step remove the board, so as to desolder 1 end of both diodes from the board. Success! After re-installing board the voltages to sat 1 & 2 came back and happy days. According to the part # info, 1.5ke24A made by Littlefuse, these are transient voltage suppression diodes (DP308 & DP408 printed on board) and they are doing their job in protecting against these transient voltages spikes which sometimes occur. I am putting a handful on order from an online parts supplier today so I can put the protection back in the R10 and have a few on hand for future use. I love the R10 :).

[rescuefire]

I am putting a handful on order from an online parts supplier today so I can put the protection back in the R10 and have a few on hand for future use. I love the R10 :).

Wow can you come to my house and fix my R10? I am not receiving on Sat2, test after test shows that its not the cable coming in its the tuner which from what I understand is on the motherboard. I'm savvy when it comes to electronics BUT no where near as savvy as you are as far as soldering and I sure don't have the equipment to do the testing you've done. I'm sure that its the tuner.

I'd like to find another motherboard and put it in which I'm only guessing will solve my tuner problem.

I can't find anywhere to buy a R10 motherboard either. Still looking for help please.

[glen4cindy]

Wow can you come to my house and fix my R10? I am not receiving on Sat2, test after test shows that its not the cable coming in its the tuner which from what I understand is on the motherboard. I'm savvy when it comes to electronics BUT no where near as savvy as you are as far as soldering and I sure don't have the equipment to do the testing you've done. I'm sure that its the tuner.

I'd like to find another motherboard and put it in which I'm only guessing will solve my tuner problem.

I can't find anywhere to buy a R10 motherboard either. Still looking for help please.

These people can do board level repairs on your unit and restore it to working order.

http://www.ccscorporation.net/

Good luck.