[gelboy17]

Hello,
I have a dual tuner Samsung DVR/Tivo unit. about 6-9 months ago, we started losing signals on certain channels. The loss of signal is purely dependant upon the channel selected on the other tuner. The most problematic channels are USA, TBS, BRAVO, HBOs, Comedy Central, and WGN. For example, in order to watch a show on any one of the above channels, the tuner that is not being viewed, must be on CNN, or TNT, or SCIfi, etc.

Furthermore, 5 weeks ago, the same problematic channels are now sometimes coming in pixalated. I have checked all the wiring, the multiswitch, and all 30 odd transponders are looking good. I have also removed any and all S-video cabling that has caused others ome problems. The only thing left that I can figure is a bad tuner, but I am reticent to give up my Tivo for a new DVR. Plus, 2 years SHOULD not be the lifespan for any electronics. Especially not an established electronics brand.

Any thoughts? Any ideas would be useful...Thanks

 

[JimSpence]

Did you bypass the multiswitch to see what happens?
What dish do you have?
Because it happens depending on channel selection, my guess is the multiswitch is malfunctioning.

 

[gelboy17]

yes, I bypassed the multiswitch...no effect.

I have a single round dish.

 

[JimSpence]

Have you swapped the inputs? Since you have a multiswitch, can I assume you have another receiver? How is it acting?
Are the signal strengths good on both inputs? Anything looking weird? Do a signal test when a channel is having the problem to see if the value is jumping around. Another thing to try is to rerun guided setup and make the unit into a single tuner unit. Then see what happens.

 

[milo99]

i've been having a similar issue with my hdvr2. i thought it was a transponder issue, as once when i was testing the signal strength, some of the transponders weren't coming in that well. but did it again a few days ago and the signal strength was pretty much good except for 1 transponder that was just ok (i think in the 60s range).

never considered the multiswitch.. hmmm..

 

[gelboy17]

I really appreciate your help.

I did swap inputs - no effect

The multi switch is inline for future expansion. Currently it is unneccesary, though it has been removed to test the problem.

Have done numerous signal tests - All signal transponder values are good and almost identical for each input.

Ran through the guided setup - no effect

I have not converted the unit to a single tuner unit - My guess is that the unit should work fine as a single tuner unit, but I will convert it back and forth to see if this has an impact.

Thanks again

 

[JimSpence]

Good luck.

And milo99, there are spot beam TPs on the satellite. So some may be off a bit. For 101 they are 4, 12, 18, 20, 26 ans 28.

 

[suzyq]

You know, we've had issues with channel 290 & 291 - they will pixelate when no other channel is having problems. Sometimes it is on a few other, higher channels, but mostly on 290 & 291. I've tried switching tuners, but not checking the mutiswitch. How would I go about checking the multiswitch. Also, how do I check the signal strength on either tuner? I'm wondering if we just have a tree branch that got a little too big?

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Idahoguy]

I feel your pain. We get pixelated DVR recordings on UHD and HDNet about 33 percent of the time. It's annoying as hell. What's weird is that watching live TV, those channels don't pixelate when they're malfunctioning -- they just don't come in. It's just a black screen. I just keep flipping back and forth between the guide and the channel until it "takes."

I'm guessing it's the multi-switch. We've had this issue for a year -- even after DirecTV sent someone out to fix it. (They improved but did not fix it.)

I'm hoping that with an install of a 5LNB dish and HR20 in a few weeks, the problem will go away. If not, I'm going to stay on DirecTV until it does.

 

[JimSpence]

You know, we've had issues with channel 290 & 291 - they will pixelate when no other channel is having problems. Sometimes it is on a few other, higher channels, but mostly on 290 & 291. I've tried switching tuners, but not checking the mutiswitch. How would I go about checking the multiswitch. Also, how do I check the signal strength on either tuner? I'm wondering if we just have a tree branch that got a little too big?

Any help would be appreciated!

You check the multiswitch by removing it from the system. bypass it using F/F barrel connectors. When you check the signal strength, the screen shows both tuners/inputs.

 

[milo99]

Good luck.

And milo99, there are spot beam TPs on the satellite. So some may be off a bit. For 101 they are 4, 12, 18, 20, 26 ans 28.

what exactly does that mean? Because i have noticed that those exact transponders on occasion have had worse reception...

(does TP = transponder?)

 

[JimSpence]

A spot beam transponder is only beamed to specific areas in order to broadcast locals to that area. You will only receive channels from the spot beam that is servicing your locale. The other spot beams can still show a signal, but you don't receive any channels from those.

How are you determining that those TPs are giving you are problem?

 

[milo99]

A spot beam transponder is only beamed to specific areas in order to broadcast locals to that area. You will only receive channels from the spot beam that is servicing your locale. The other spot beams can still show a signal, but you don't receive any channels from those.

How are you determining that those TPs are giving you are problem?

well, checking the signal strength on the setup screen, i've noticed that those will often have lower strength than everything else.

For example, right now, transponder 20 is in the 50s while 18 is 100 and others are in the 90s. and of course, my local channels 4, 5 and 7 are having issues.

I did get a new m/s since i was having other issues w/ my old anyways, but that apparently wasn't the problem.

 

[JimSpence]

Specific to your question, TPs 18 and 20 are spot beams. Having 50s for 18 is normal if you are not under the beam. TP20 being at 100 tells me that is the spot beam servicing your area. I'll let someone else in the know determine what spot beam your locals are on.

 

[milo99]

Specific to your question, TPs 18 and 20 are spot beams. Having 50s for 18 is normal if you are not under the beam. TP20 being at 100 tells me that is the spot beam servicing your area. I'll let someone else in the know determine what spot beam your locals are on.

well that would make sense... but actually it's 18 that i get 100 for, while 20 i get in the 50s. I found this site with a table of transponders:
http://www.widemovies.com/dtvtransponders.html

according to this, 20 has DL4 and DL5- is that local channels 4 and 5?

eta: i get a 0 on tp 28 by the way... i'm guessing that's a spot beam i'm not supposed to get...

 

[milo99]

ok so i just realized something. when i'm watching a particular channel, if i go to the settings and test the signal strength, the transponder it starts on is the one which is carrying that specific channel. I noticed it was the case when i was flipping channels and while on NGC i went to settings and it started on TP6. tested it out and i'm pretty sure this is how it goes.

anyway, when on my locals, it goes to TP18, so since that one has such a strong signal, signal strength can't be the cause of the pixelation. has to be something else. if not the m/s, could it be the HD starting to die?