ASC1

[lme]

I'm on the 3rd unit and still can have it to position the actuator in the right spot.
Is anybody using this unit in conjunction with a box, other then Amiko A3 ?

 

[Martyn]

I'm using it with the MicroHD and DVR3500. They control the unit fine and it drives the dish fine.

It does tend to get a little out of place sometimes and I need to shift satellites a few clicks in one way.

Seems it's a common complaint and I guess due to noise on the connection from the actuator to the unit. The old analog unit I used to move the dish didn't have this problem. I suspect the ASC1 is more susceptible or the analog receiver I used before was especially good at rejecting noise.

 

[Titanium]

Hello Ime,

Yes, we have 14 current model satellite receivers that the ASC1 is regularly tested with. As the ASC1 is controlled by an industry standard DISEqC 1.2, if the receiver manufacture coded the commands correctly into the STB, it will control any DISEqC 1.2 device. As we are very aware, manufacturers do not always code their STBs correctly!

We are in the final beta testing of a new firmware file with several owners that will be likely released next week. I invite any of the testers to comment on their testing results with the 20150827v1 firmware. The new firmware handles the STB DiSEqC signals differently to provide increased compatibility.

We have found that some STBs issue DiSEqC commands multiple times during a motor move. Depending on how the developer coded the commands to be part of a group of commands or unique individual commands, this issuance of multiple and often different DiSEqC commands may cause controllers to land in the incorrect position. It is further complicated in situations where the STB issues a "GoTo" command for every satellite as the user scrolls through a list of satellites or channels. This often reverses the motor's direction of travel during a move and is quite hard on the dish frame and hardware and could cause missed switch cycles.

I received an email from Ime shortly before he posted this thread and he indicated that the motor movement was spot on using the ASC1, but when he used a STB to control the ASC1, it was landing short of the preprogrammed position. I have emailed this beta firmware file over to Ime and very confident that this will address the DiSEqC 1.2 control interface issues with his STB.

 

[lme]

I'm using it with the MicroHD and DVR3500. They control the unit fine and it drives the dish fine.

It does tend to get a little out of place sometimes and I need to shift satellites a few clicks in one way.

Seems it's a common complaint and I guess due to noise on the connection from the actuator to the unit. The old analog unit I used to move the dish didn't have this problem. I suspect the ASC1 is more susceptible or the analog receiver I used before was especially good at rejecting noise.

That it's I was suspected. The unit itself lands the dish spot on, but in conjunction with a stb (minime, s9, technomate, amiko alien1, v8combo), lands the dish anywhere, not always in the same spot (right or wrong). I did tested 3 actuators (18",24", 36") on the bench not connected to any dish, but to the mentioned stb and a monitor. Asc works perfect by itself without any capacitors or other electronics attached to it, so the so called motor noise is always there if is any.

 

[Titanium]

Martyn,
I agree, it should not be necessary to resync the dish position unless there is a mechanical problem or the dish is blown out of position. Does your STB issue multiple DiSEqC commands if no satellite signal is received during the motor move process or automatically as you scroll through a channel list?

We have found that some STBs do not require the user to press OK to instruct the dish to move to the new position, but instead automatically (and most importantly to note) instantly issue a "GoTo" command. These STBs are problematic with many DISEqC devices. Many members may have wondered why there DiSEqC motor doesn't move smoothly from satellite A to satellite B without stopping and jerky movement along the way? This is an example of what happens when the DISEqC commands are not properly coded in he STB. Quite often this problem has been placed on the DiSEqC motor, but in reality, it is the STB that is causing this to happen.

I do like the convenience of the list automatic "GoTo" control, but prefer to program the STB to wait a few seconds after the selection is made before issuing the move command. This way the user may continue to scroll through a channel list and land on the selected channel before the motor starts moving.

 

[Titanium]

That it's I was suspected. The unit itself lands the dish spot on, but in conjunction with a stb (minime, s9, technomate, amiko alien1, v8combo), lands the dish anywhere, not always in the same spot (right or wrong). I did tested 3 actuators (18",24", 36") on the bench not connected to any dish, but to the mentioned stb and a monitor. Asc works perfect by itself without any capacitors or other electronics attached to it, so the so called motor noise is always there if is any.

Throughout my 35+ years of C-band installation and service I and hundreds of other technicians have battled motor noise, poor shielding and grounding/bonding issues. These have historically been and continue to be the main cause of motor positioning errors.

Let me clarify for the members, that the first two units did not work on your system. I have repeatedly asked (and you have not replied) if the dish is grounded and if it is bonded to structure ground. Something caused the first two ASC1s to fail and we have discussed that the damage that I observed in the returned ASC1s was likely caused by a voltage potential coming in from the dish. Is there voltage higher than .6vac on any of the wires (all disconnected from the ASC1) coming in from the dish when measured to ground inside of your install location?

If this new firmware that I emailed to you corrects the DiSEqC command issues between the STB and the ASC1, we still need to get the grounding question answered to prevent another damaged ASC1.

 

[lme]

Try to load the "new" file: "BIN file CPU does not corresponding with the device'c CPU" message !!!!

 

[Titanium]

Many of us have loaded this file without issue. Opening in update mode using loader version 1.8?

If the loading problem continues, lets take this to email or phone as it is not related to this thread.

 

[lme]

Try it to load 2 times with version 1.8: same message !

 

[Cham]

I use the ASC1 on an azbox ultra and an A3, both work fine here.

 

[Lone Gunman]

RE: "Go To" commands. Now that's a topic I've got a b%#ch about. These Micro HDs I have give me a fit when I'm trying to fine tune a channel as if you wait more than a few seconds between "bumps" one way or another it takes off back to the position were on, or sometimes just heads off on it's own somewhere else?? I like to tweak mine on a channel by bumping the dish until I get the "no signal" message, then bump back until I get a picture, record that number on the motor controller then run past it in the other direction and come back to get a number. Once I have position numbers from both ends I take half of the difference to set that particular satellite location. That Micro HD gives me a fit as it's continually trying to run back to the sat location. I actually burnt up a VBox X doing that a few years ago as it fried a relay in it.

Another thing I don't like is when you look at the satellite menu it doesn't offer you an option to look at the actual channels on that satellite before you run to it??? I don't know about you guys but I can't remember the exact location of all the stuff I watch, hence the desire to be able to SEE what's on a particular satellite BEFORE I go to it.

OK, that's enough thread hijacking. I'm done for now.

 

[lme]

I use the ASC1 on an azbox ultra and an A3, both work fine here.

It seems that asc was mostly design and tested with A3 unit.
It's kind of harsh to blame all other brands for not working with asc !

 

[KE4EST]

The ASC1 was developed and came out well before the A3 came along.

 

[. Raine]

It seems that asc was mostly design and tested with A3 unit.
It's kind of harsh to blame all other brands for not working with asc !

No, the ASC1 actually came out quite some time before the A3. The ASC1 can be a touchy beast with grounding and all though, mine has gotten me frustrated on a few occasions. If you have a multimeter, do the checks that Brian asked for, it may be like he explained.

 

[KE4EST]

I will add, that I have installed the beta firmware on two units without issue. So far they are working great, with this version.

 

[Titanium]

It seems that asc was mostly design and tested with A3 unit.

No, as I have explained in previous emails to you, the ASC1 has absolutely no connection with the A3. The Amiko A3 was developed and released over a year after the ASC1 was brought to market. I had the opportunity to test a sample of the A3 about a month before it's release and the DiSEqC protocol was very well implemented, but I requested to FridgeFTA to add more motor positions and the ability to manually assigned DiSEqC motor positions. That is that extent of my testing with the A3. What is with your strange fascination with the A3 operating with the ASC1?

It's kind of harsh to blame all other brands for not working with asc !

Ime, I am simply explaining that if a STB implements 22KHz and DiSEqc commands in a unique way that doesn't follow the standard protocol, it often creates challenges with ANY DiSEqC device. I am not blaming any STB, just explaining that unique control signal implementation causes problems with DiSEqC motors, controllers and switches. These problems occur with other devices and unfortunately those devices are also often unfairly blamed for problems caused by the STB coding.

Has any Satellite Guys member every had the problem with a DiSEqC motor starting and stopping as it moved across the arc from satellite A to satellite B? Or the Signal quality dropping and not locking while a dish was bumped East/West? These are a few of the examples of what can happen when control commands are issued out of sequence or with unique signaling methods.

 

[. Raine]

Has any Satellite Guys member every had the problem with a DiSEqC motor starting and stopping as it moved across the arc from satellite A to satellite B? Or the Signal quality dropping and not locking while a dish was bumped East/West? These are a few of the examples of what can happen when control commands are issued out of sequence or with unique signaling methods.

Yes, most certainly, I have. A certain receiver that I own that doesn't play right with DISEqC comes right to my mind but I won't speak it's dread name here, don't want this thread to become a freak show for that POS. I wasn't the only one to have problems of that nature with that receiver either.

That above mentioned receiver stands in stark contrast to my MicroHD and other receivers, it's used for a few fixed dishes and nothing motorized because of it's less than stellar implementation of DISEqC commands.

 

[lme]

Good news !
I was able to test the asc with the new file with 2 boxes on the bench, and I can report is spot on.
Next step will be to connect the unit to the actuator on the dish and go from there.
So far a good job !

 

[KE4EST]

Good to hear Ime!
Might I suggest that you do the voltage potential test as Brian suggested, before hooking it up to the dish.

 

[lme]

Good to hear Ime!
Might I suggest that you do the voltage potential test as Brian suggested, before hooking it up to the dish.

Did that already. Looks good.