Recent ExpressVu signal problems

[Cdninva]

Hi,

I've read about some people with similar symptoms on this forum but I believe my problem may be different. I have two ExpressVu receivers (5800 & 3300) with an 18" dish in northern Virginia (DC area). I haven't had any real problems the last couple of years but as of about a week ago both receivers started acting up. My 3300 has a lot of pixilation and continually seems to drop the signal. My 5800 goes straight into "searching for satellite" mode and seems to hang on transponder 11, 5 of 5. It won't let me do anything else, including check for signal strength.

In the past I've gotten signal strengths anywhere between 65% and 80%. Now, using the 3300 to check signal strength, I get 100% on most of the Anik3 transponders (98% on a couple) and 80% (give or take 2 or 3) on the Anik1 transponders. I live in an area with a lot of trees so my signal strength generally goes up when the leaves come down. Is it possible that my signal strength is too strong? Do I need to get an attenuator or something?

I've tried swapping the LNB just in case it was bad but there was no difference. I've read that further south you can't get the Anik3 signal but I seem to have the opposite problem... how can I have a signal strentgh of 100% and have problems aquireing the satellite signal?

Any suggestions of what might be wrong or things I can try to either solve the problem or troubleshoot it would be greatly appreciated.

KDH

 

[Mr Tony]

Hi,

I've read about some people with similar symptoms on this forum but I believe my problem may be different. I have two ExpressVu receivers (5800 & 3300) with an 18" dish in northern Virginia (DC area). I haven't had any real problems the last couple of years but as of about a week ago both receivers started acting up. My 3300 has a lot of pixilation and continually seems to drop the signal. My 5800 goes straight into "searching for satellite" mode and seems to hang on transponder 11, 5 of 5. It won't let me do anything else, including check for signal strength.

In the past I've gotten signal strengths anywhere between 65% and 80%. Now, using the 3300 to check signal strength, I get 100% on most of the Anik3 transponders (98% on a couple) and 80% (give or take 2 or 3) on the Anik1 transponders. I live in an area with a lot of trees so my signal strength generally goes up when the leaves come down. Is it possible that my signal strength is too strong? Do I need to get an attenuator or something?

nope..not that..I used a 30" dish for a while...buried it at 100 on 23 of 32 transponders

I've tried swapping the LNB just in case it was bad but there was no difference. I've read that further south you can't get the Anik3 signal but I seem to have the opposite problem... how can I have a signal strentgh of 100% and have problems aquireing the satellite signal?

bad cable

Any suggestions of what might be wrong or things I can try to either solve the problem or troubleshoot it would be greatly appreciated.

KDH

see above....it sounds like bad cables. You said you switched LNB and that didnt do anything, so it sounds like maybe both cables are bad

btw is a 3300?? Ive heard of a 3100, but not a 3300

 

[Cdninva]

I guess it is a 3100 not a 3300. Im not at home so I was going by memory (which isn't always that good these days).

It doesn't seem likely that both cables would working fine and then go bad at the same time does it?

Would bad cable still give signal strengths of 100%?

Is there a easier/cheaper way to check the cables than running new ones?

Thanks,
KDH

 

[Mr Tony]

So if I understand it right, you have 100% signal and are still losing signal?

Is it on just one transponder or more?

Reason I ask is some are on N3 and have a much stronger signal if you can get it (5,7,9,11).

 

[Cdninva]

I can only check the signal strength on the 3100 but it seems to be dropping the signal on more than one transponder.

I get either 98% or 100% on all of the N3 transponders.

The 5800 consistently hangs while attempting to aquire a signal for transponder 11 and makes it as far as 5 of 5 (whatever that means) and gives me an option not currently available no matter what else I try, including checking the signal strength.

 

[Cdninva]

BTW, just so you have the full picture, I have RG6 cable that is buried from where the dish is in the yard to the exterior of the house (approx. 50') where I then cheated and tied into existing CATV cable that was there before I moved in.

 

[Mr Tony]

What LNB are you using? Is it a dual (or 2 duals if you have both setup), Legacy ro DishPro?

I have a feeling that cable by the house is RG59 and it doesnt work correctly. I had the same problem. Kept cutting out and there was a 10'; piece of RG59 that was screwing it up. Switcheed to RG6 and then it worked

 

[Cdninva]

I'm using a single RCA dual LNB.

Should I just replace the RG59 section or should I run two new cables, without connectors, from the dish to the receivers?

 

[Mr Tony]

I would replace the piece of RG59. Since its under 100' you can have a splice in there. I do. I would try that and see if it helps (especially on the 5800)

 

[Cdninva]

Actually, the run from the dish to where I connected to the RG59 is only about 50' but the RG59 runs along the side and back of the house before entering the basement and going to the receivers. The total length from dish to receivers is probably just over 100'.

 

[Mr Tony]

I would just temporarily run a line to see if that works

 

[boba]

Have you reset the receivers?

 

[Cdninva]

Have you reset the receivers?

Do you mean by unplugging them for at least 1/2 hour? I've tried that several times but no change.

 

[Cdninva]

I finally managed to find some time to do some more testing and it's starting to look like the problem is with the 5800 receiver which was also affecting the 3100. When I tried testing each receiver separately (without the other being connected), the 3100 worked fine (no more signal being dropped) but the 5800 still continued to reboot itself every few minutes and never completed aquiring a signal. I tested this using both the existing cables and a new shorter cable but the results were always the same.

Has anyone experienced a similar problem or heard of it before?

I'm still confused as to why my signal strengths are so high all of a sudden, and not just on N3 transponders. I have quite a few N1 transponders that are either 98% or 100%.

Also, is it possible to get a EV receiver repaired in the US or am I stuck having to get it back to B*ll Canada?

KDH

 

[Jaspear]

In your first post, you mentioned that the problems started "about a week ago". On or about December 9, Expressvu "upgraded" their 5100 and 5800 PVR's with new software, version E545.

While no one has reported a complete failure to acquire a signal, there are numerous bugs with this software upgrade, including zero length recording events and no signal on power up. Perhaps your problem is a result of this "upgrade". Have you tried doing a hard reboot? Push and hold the power button on the front of the 5800 for 10 seconds or so. Remove and replace the smart card. Then power back on at the front panel. If this doesn't get you past the acquiring signal screen, try the above again but pull the AC plug after you power off at the front panel. Wait a minute or two before plugging it back in.

Also, pushing the "sys info" button on the front of the unit should bring up a screen which will show you which software version you have.

Expressvu is apparently aware of the problems with E545, and claim a fix will available in mid January.

Good luck!

 

[Cdninva]

Jaspear,

Thanks for the information. It does seem likely that the new software was the root cause of my problems but still seems strange that the 5800 was adversely affecting the 3100.

I may have also added to the problem by trying to swap to the new card after it started acting up. I've now got the new card in the 5800 but I have no idea if it ever received the activation signal. Do you think I should put the old card back in?

Also, do you know of anything that would have caused my signal strenth in Virginia to have gone up so much in the past 5 or 6 months (I rarely check it if I not having any trouble)? I realize that N3 is new and probably explains that but it seems that my N1 transponders are higher than I ever remember them being.

KDH

 

[Cdninva]

Jaspear,

Thanks for the information. It does seem likely that the new software was the root cause of my problems but still seems strange that the 5800 was adversely affecting the 3100.

I may have also added to the problem by trying to swap to the new card after it started acting up. I've now got the new card in the 5800 but I have no idea if it ever received the activation signal. Do you think I should put the old card back in?

Also, do you know of anything that would have caused my signal strenth in Virginia to have gone up so much in the past 5 or 6 months (I rarely check it if I not having any trouble)? I realize that N3 is new and probably explains that but it seems that my N1 transponders are higher than I ever remember them being.

KDH

 

[Jaspear]

Have you (or your broker) called Expressvu's new card activation line yet? If not, I would try the old card. Either way, if all else fails, I don't think it would hurt anything (YMMV, of course). As for the signal level, I noticed the N3 increase when they realigned it for a more northerly footprint last summer.

 

[Cdninva]

I did call to activate both cards but I'm not sure if the signal they sent to the 5800 and new card ever made it. I'll try your suggestions though.

YMMV?

 

[Jaspear]

YMMV?

Your Mileage May Vary. Don't blame me if you try my suggestions and your receiver blows up!

Given that your 5800 is currently in Boat Anchor Mode, trying the old smart card certainly won't make it any worse!