6900 HD Combo Super - channel tuning bug?

[leecovuk]

Hello,

I thought I would ask other users here of the TM 6900 HD Combo Super, if you like me are experiencing a specific bug. (amongst various other little bugs)
I have tried the latest official or patched firmware.

I imagine you would need to be set up like me, for any comparison to be meaningful :

2 dishes, both static, not motorised;
external DiSEqC switch for 4 LNBs;
single coaxial cable run to the receiver.

The bug I am enquiring about here, is sometimes I find the receiver fails to tune to a channel and shows a message like 'no video/audio' on the screen. This might happen when I move from a channel on one satellite to one on another; for example when moving between Astra 19.2 East and Hotbird 13.0 East. The polarisations may be a factor too but I am not sure.
I mainly seem to notice it when in the 'delete channels' mode and wanting to preview channels there.

I know these channels are active, because I can successfully view them, usually by trying one or more other channels in the list before trying the first one again.

I also have a similar and maybe related issue, both in 'preview' and normal viewing, where changing to a Hotbird channel shows the on screen message 'no or bad signal' for a second or two, before then successfully tuning to that channel.

I can attempt to debug these issues more conclusively if required; I don't know whether they are due to my DiSEqC switch failing, possibly caused by the receiver.
Can any of you using the same model confirm whether or not you have these issues? If so, under which specific circumstances?

Many thanks,
Lee

 

[leecovuk]

Hello,

I thought I would ask other users here of the TM 6900 HD Combo Super, if you like me are experiencing a specific bug. (amongst various other little bugs)
I have tried the latest official or patched firmware.

I imagine you would need to be set up like me, for any comparison to be meaningful :

2 dishes, both static, not motorised;
external DiSEqC switch for 4 LNBs;
single coaxial cable run to the receiver.

The bug I am enquiring about here, is sometimes I find the receiver fails to tune to a channel and shows a message like 'no video/audio' on the screen. This might happen when I move from a channel on one satellite to one on another; for example when moving between Astra 19.2 East and Hotbird 13.0 East. The polarisations may be a factor too but I am not sure.
I mainly seem to notice it when in the 'delete channels' mode and wanting to preview channels there.

I know these channels are active, because I can successfully view them, usually by trying one or more other channels in the list before trying the first one again.

I also have a similar and maybe related issue, both in 'preview' and normal viewing, where changing to a Hotbird channel shows the on screen message 'no or bad signal' for a second or two, before then successfully tuning to that channel.

I can attempt to debug these issues more conclusively if required; I don't know whether they are due to my DiSEqC switch failing, possibly caused by the receiver.
Can any of you using the same model confirm whether or not you have these issues? If so, under which specific circumstances?

Many thanks,
Lee

 

[BombedOne]

1. That may be DISEQC problem (most likely).
2. Receivers of that family (DR HD F16, Clarketech hd5000C+, 6900 combo super) do have such bug in firmware, that sometimes "no audio/video" is displayed on screen. It been fixed in latest, new core firmwares for clarketech and drhd.

 

[BombedOne]

1. That may be DISEQC problem (most likely).
2. Receivers of that family (DR HD F16, Clarketech hd5000C+, 6900 combo super) do have such bug in firmware, that sometimes "no audio/video" is displayed on screen. It been fixed in latest, new core firmwares for clarketech and drhd.

 

[leecovuk]

Thanks for your reply, BombedOne.

1. That may be DISEQC problem (most likely).

How could I pinpoint this? Try a different brand and model of receiver and compare with the TM?

2. Receivers of that family (DR HD F16, Clarketech hd5000C+, 6900 combo super) do have such bug in firmware, that sometimes "no audio/video" is displayed on screen. It been fixed in latest, new core firmwares for clarketech and drhd.

ok; apparently then this hasn't yet been released for my TM model.
I don't know what the 'drhd' are but I'm loosely aware of Clarke Tech receivers in that they are mainly or wholly the same internally as Technomates.

 

[leecovuk]

Thanks for your reply, BombedOne.

1. That may be DISEQC problem (most likely).

How could I pinpoint this? Try a different brand and model of receiver and compare with the TM?

2. Receivers of that family (DR HD F16, Clarketech hd5000C+, 6900 combo super) do have such bug in firmware, that sometimes "no audio/video" is displayed on screen. It been fixed in latest, new core firmwares for clarketech and drhd.

ok; apparently then this hasn't yet been released for my TM model.
I don't know what the 'drhd' are but I'm loosely aware of Clarke Tech receivers in that they are mainly or wholly the same internally as Technomates.

 

[BombedOne]

Receiver change may not help, since some diseq switches work fine with certain model of receiver, while they are unstable with another model. But if your current setup was once working and now does not - trying another receiver may help for diagnosing diseqc problem.

Regarding DR HD F.16 it has same hardware as technomate/clarketech/diamond, but it is designed primarily for Russian market, and software being written locally. No wander that first updates/goodies generally are developed for it, and later ported to other models. Even linux is available for it.

Since hardware is same, you can re-flash your receiver to it. Currently I know how to convert clarketech to drhd and vice versa, but never had any experience with technomate.

 

[BombedOne]

Receiver change may not help, since some diseq switches work fine with certain model of receiver, while they are unstable with another model. But if your current setup was once working and now does not - trying another receiver may help for diagnosing diseqc problem.

Regarding DR HD F.16 it has same hardware as technomate/clarketech/diamond, but it is designed primarily for Russian market, and software being written locally. No wander that first updates/goodies generally are developed for it, and later ported to other models. Even linux is available for it.

Since hardware is same, you can re-flash your receiver to it. Currently I know how to convert clarketech to drhd and vice versa, but never had any experience with technomate.

 

[leecovuk]

ok, thanks again.
It sounds like I need to keep waiting until a further official or patched firmware release becomes available for my unit.

I do have a Vantage receiver which I haven't used for a long time; I'll dig it out, update it, and see how it handles channel switching. As I recall, it was fine, but if it too shows similar switching problems, I suppose it indeed would suggest my local setup may be failing.
I'll post back if my comparisons reach any meaningful conclusion.

 

[leecovuk]

ok, thanks again.
It sounds like I need to keep waiting until a further official or patched firmware release becomes available for my unit.

I do have a Vantage receiver which I haven't used for a long time; I'll dig it out, update it, and see how it handles channel switching. As I recall, it was fine, but if it too shows similar switching problems, I suppose it indeed would suggest my local setup may be failing.
I'll post back if my comparisons reach any meaningful conclusion.

 

[leecovuk]

Hello again BombedOne if you're still here, and also anybody else;

I finally put my standard definition Vantage receiver in place, upgraded it to the latest official software, scanned for channels etc.
No problems at all are evident when switching around between channels on any of my 4 satellites in any order.
Also, if the signal levels reported by the Vantage are to be believed/compared with those reported by my TM, they are all significantly stronger.

I suppose this simple testing would suggest my setup is fine, and my TM is deficient. So much hey for buying a supposedly 'better' receiver about a year ago (my TM), when my previous receiver the SD Vantage actually performs the basics better.

 

[leecovuk]

Hello again BombedOne if you're still here, and also anybody else;

I finally put my standard definition Vantage receiver in place, upgraded it to the latest official software, scanned for channels etc.
No problems at all are evident when switching around between channels on any of my 4 satellites in any order.
Also, if the signal levels reported by the Vantage are to be believed/compared with those reported by my TM, they are all significantly stronger.

I suppose this simple testing would suggest my setup is fine, and my TM is deficient. So much hey for buying a supposedly 'better' receiver about a year ago (my TM), when my previous receiver the SD Vantage actually performs the basics better.

 

[timo_w2s]

Also, if the signal levels reported by the Vantage are to be believed/compared with those reported by my TM, they are all significantly stronger.

I'm afraid you can't compare them just on the numbers alone. Even the same make and model of box might have some differences in reporting signal levels.

One box might show it has a current signal quality of 60% but it might also start breaking up if it drops to 45% whereas the other box might show only 55% but not break up until it gets down to 35%.

Edited to add: The real test is comparing both boxes on the same cable and LNB output one at a time when one of the boxes is starting to break up on one weak channel and then swapping it over with the other box and comparing the same channel and seeing if it is better or worse.

 

[timo_w2s]

Also, if the signal levels reported by the Vantage are to be believed/compared with those reported by my TM, they are all significantly stronger.

I'm afraid you can't compare them just on the numbers alone. Even the same make and model of box might have some differences in reporting signal levels.

One box might show it has a current signal quality of 60% but it might also start breaking up if it drops to 45% whereas the other box might show only 55% but not break up until it gets down to 35%.

Edited to add: The real test is comparing both boxes on the same cable and LNB output one at a time when one of the boxes is starting to break up on one weak channel and then swapping it over with the other box and comparing the same channel and seeing if it is better or worse.