DIRECTV satellite TV is extremely reliable. But all of us, at one time, wonder if it’s working perfectly. (Or, it’s just a slow Sunday and there’s nothing you want to watch.) DIRECTV has a lot of tools that will let you see if your system is working right. On most DIRECTV systems, pressing and holding INFO on a DIRECTV-branded remote will run a system test. You can also check your satellite setup and signal levels. Here are a pair of videos showing you how to do that:
But that might not help you right away. Remember to run signal strength tests, you need to disrupt satellite TV watching for everyone. Luckily there are two tools you can use to figure out if things are working right.
When customers call us with system issues, we have them check channel 331, MTV to see if it’s working. Here’s why we picked that channel:
So, we ask customers to try channel 331. Our boat customers often need to hide HD channels or show all channels because boat satellite systems can only see the 101 satellite. This lets us see if the HD feed is coming in, or just the SD feed.
If you get channel 331 in SD and HD, chances are your satellite system is working right. But, there’s another set of tools you can use if you don’t want to disrupt everyone’s viewing.
DIRECTV has a set of channels whose only purpose is to tell you if the satellite signals are being received. Here’s a capture from the DIRECTV guide showing you the full list.
Channels 9501 to 9514 can be used to test your satellite signal. If you’re not seeing these channels in your guide, press the ZERO button on your remote and change your favorites list to “all channels.” (You can change it back later, not a problem.) If you have an older receiver, you might need to press the YELLOW button instead.
When you tune to one of these channels, you should expect to see something like this:
That’s really all there is. If you get a 771 signal loss error or an image that looks like this…
You’re not getting signals from that satellite. It’s perfectly normal for this to happen.
First of all, there’s a test channel for the 95 satellite. Don’t even bother with this one, there’s no programming on it.
If you have a boat, RV, or other single-satellite system, it’s normal to see only the 101 satellite.
If you have a typical DIRECTV system that’s been installed in the last 5 years, it’s normal to see only the 99, 101, and 103 satellites. The 119 satellite is on its way out.
As always, rebooting is the first step. Here’s a quick article to show you how. Checking for loose and disconnected cables is always a good move. However, if you think that something else is going on, make note of any error codes you see on screen and check this article to see what they mean. If you still need help, call the experts at Solid Signal! We’re here for you during East Coast business hours at 888-233-7563. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below and we’ll get right back to you!
The post What channels should you use for testing your DIRECTV system? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
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But that might not help you right away. Remember to run signal strength tests, you need to disrupt satellite TV watching for everyone. Luckily there are two tools you can use to figure out if things are working right.
The simplest tool: channel 331 MTV
When customers call us with system issues, we have them check channel 331, MTV to see if it’s working. Here’s why we picked that channel:
- It’s available nationwide. So if the customer is seeing signal issues on some channels, this will let us know if it’s a nationwide problem or just something with their local channels.
- It’s available in standard definition on one satellite, and high definition on another. Testing a popular channel like HGTV won’t always help because HGTV is one of the few channels whose HD feed is (usually) on the 101 satellite.
- It’s generally pretty harmless. If you test using a news channel and the person near you doesn’t care for that news channel, it can be distracting.
So, we ask customers to try channel 331. Our boat customers often need to hide HD channels or show all channels because boat satellite systems can only see the 101 satellite. This lets us see if the HD feed is coming in, or just the SD feed.
If you get channel 331 in SD and HD, chances are your satellite system is working right. But, there’s another set of tools you can use if you don’t want to disrupt everyone’s viewing.
DIRECTV’s built-in test channels
DIRECTV has a set of channels whose only purpose is to tell you if the satellite signals are being received. Here’s a capture from the DIRECTV guide showing you the full list.
Channels 9501 to 9514 can be used to test your satellite signal. If you’re not seeing these channels in your guide, press the ZERO button on your remote and change your favorites list to “all channels.” (You can change it back later, not a problem.) If you have an older receiver, you might need to press the YELLOW button instead.
When you tune to one of these channels, you should expect to see something like this:
That’s really all there is. If you get a 771 signal loss error or an image that looks like this…
You’re not getting signals from that satellite. It’s perfectly normal for this to happen.
What satellites should you see, and what ones should you not worry about?
First of all, there’s a test channel for the 95 satellite. Don’t even bother with this one, there’s no programming on it.
If you have a boat, RV, or other single-satellite system, it’s normal to see only the 101 satellite.
If you have a typical DIRECTV system that’s been installed in the last 5 years, it’s normal to see only the 99, 101, and 103 satellites. The 119 satellite is on its way out.
What should you do if a satellite you’re expecting to see doesn’t work right?
As always, rebooting is the first step. Here’s a quick article to show you how. Checking for loose and disconnected cables is always a good move. However, if you think that something else is going on, make note of any error codes you see on screen and check this article to see what they mean. If you still need help, call the experts at Solid Signal! We’re here for you during East Coast business hours at 888-233-7563. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below and we’ll get right back to you!
The post What channels should you use for testing your DIRECTV system? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
