Help Required Dr HD D15 signal issue

[statalite]

Hi,

I hope I have posted in the correct section.

I aquired a Dr HD from fellow forum member Scopus recently, he showed me a working reciever in the short time I was there and all was well. When I got home I used the reciever for a few hours, enjoyed how it functioned did a few scans and after I had finished I put it in standby, upon reboot the box said no signal.

An odd acourance, as it reported great signal on first use. If I go into the menus it beeps for a found signal on any satellite despite be having it on a fixed dish, the spectrum analyser shows a signal, but when I go to do a scan, the box does not show any decibel reading anymore. Doing a blind scan brings up channels from one transponder only. Very odd.

After checking all of my connections several times, I was happy 100% that it wasn't the connections. This lead me to believe that it might be a tuner failiure, but the software shows me a normal reading on the spectrum analyser.

Tried reflashing the firmware but no change, several releases even going back to the latest original firmware. Nothing even after a "database reset" in the menu. In my testing I was experiening random accourances such as when I removed the nds sky card from the box, upon reboot the signal came back.

I then decided to play around with the time setting, as I was doing this I noticed it was making to box get the signal back in the menu, but my findings were bit random.

What I have discovered and from what I suspect the problem might be, I have noticed that every time I switch the box off at the mains it always go back to no signal after a bootup. So the question is do these boxes have an internal battery like a PC motherboard?

The box has been operational. After several flashes of firmware and messing around with time setting, I did a "database reset" and it came to life again. But I can't turn it off and which is essencial for me so I can move it or swap an input. I have discovered that if it is turned off for a longer time than say a few minutes then it looses the signal completly upon reboot.

I think I have a poorly box, I cannot work out if its hardware/software or both.

 

[Archive-8]

First thing is to check the "dish settings" in the menu


This is mine, check the lnb power is on, lnb type is set correctly to match your setup. Then change the DiSEqC settings.

You could also try loading another channel list.

 

[statalite]

First thing is to check the "dish settings" in the menu

View attachment 84559
This is mine, check the lnb power is on, lnb type is set correctly to match your setup. Then change the DiSEqC settings.

You could also try loading another channel list.

I always use the default settings as there match my setup.

LNB power: On
LNB type: Universal
22khz: Auto
DiSEqC settings all off, due to using a fixed dish at 28.2e and 19.2e using a single feed off each.

I always do a blind scan or automatic scan to get the channels. It's not losing the channels they are selectable, but nothing is showing as it reports no signal despite a perfectly good signal back up by readings from spectrum analyser.

 

[timo_w2s]

Could it be the LNBs are playing up with the receiver? Do you have the problem with both LNBs and are they different or the same?

I've had similar problems with old LNBs on my Technomate but that was going through a DiSEqC switch which I think was causing the issue but I fixed it by replacing the LNBs and then later on with a different DiSEqC switch.

Edit: I did a temporary fix before I changed the LNBs and switch by creating a dummy channel on a dummy satellite with the LNB power set to off. If I got the "no signal" error I would switch to the dummy channel (which killed the LNB power) and then back to the problematic channel and it restored the signal.

 

[Archive-8]

I have had a sticky Diseqc switch, disconect the lnbs and box from the switch give it ten minutes and try again.

Or it could be the lnbs.

 

[scopus]

I have been through this with statalite, He seems to have tried most things, I can only think that the LNB(s) are causing the issue. Strange

 

[Archive-8]

I have been through this with statalite, He seems to have tried most things, I can only think that the LNB(s) are causing the issue. Strange

Does he get a message on the front of the box saying lnbf? As he might have a short some where on the line.

 

[scopus]

Does he get a message on the front of the box saying lnbf? As he might have a short some where on the line.

Don't know Chris, he said his other boxes were OK with his LNB's I was also thinking of DECT/Router interference perhaps?

 

[Analoguesat]

Ive had sticky lnb's in the past - they worked fine with all the receivers except one, and when you changed channel they wouldnt "release" the signal. Changing the lnb made the problem disappear - swap them back in and it came back.

So dont discount odd lnb possibilities - they certainly exist!

 

[statalite]

Thanks for the replies guys so far I have been reading about the possible causes:

"Sticky LNB"
I have two "Sky" dishes on the property. One with a single lnb. The other with 28.2 and 19.2. All three lnbs work with all the other boxes I have.
I'm doing my testing on the dish with a single universal lnb, approx 10 years old as its a single feed one.
The second dish has quad lnb from sky approx 6 years old and a technomate lnb approx 1 year old and im having the same issues with both.

"DiSEqC switches/settings"
As i dont have a DiSEqC switch but a direct feed this shouldn't be a problem.

"lnbf on the display"
No I have not seen this.

"DECT/router"
Our house personally has never had any DECT phones. would be a co incidence if the neighbours got any.

Router- I have installed a wifi analyser on my phone and cannot see anything odd, there are lots of routers near my location (7/8), but I would have thought it would have interfered previously.



Findings from today
This morning after I work up I turned on the TV and box at the mains at 6:30am (less wifi routers on maybe) box gave no signal, left on for 30 seconds, put in standby, turned of at mains.

This evening when I got in around 9:00pm I turned on the TV and box at the mains, to my surprise the last channel I was on (BBC r5live) started, I changed over to ITV HD for the Rugby, all was ok for approx 20 minutes, the signal then broke up and reported no signal, for about 10 minutes this was the case, after the signal came back for litterally a second with picture breakup three times - a few minutes apart, another 10 minutes went by and now the signal is back like normal.When the picture is on, the box reports at least 15.6db on ITV HD. Thoroughly confused.

 

[Captain Jack]

Almost sounds like a power supply fault. Fluctuating voltages can cause all sorts of havoc. Maybe replace all the capacitors first and see how it behaves?

 

[scopus]

Almost sounds like a power supply fault. Fluctuating voltages can cause all sorts of havoc. Maybe replace all the capacitors first and see how it behaves?

Can't see it being that CJ, the receiver is only just over 12 months old and hardly had any use. It was fine before he took it home, had it all working OK here.But you can't discount anything!

 

[zorbua]

Guess when it's something like this (too many intermittent possibilities) the best thing to do is get another same Receiver and see how it behave under your own setup conditions.

 

[statalite]

Do the readings on the spectrum analyser look "normal"?
Using Zone1 Sky dish at 28.2e

View attachment 84634

 

[Analoguesat]

How about things getting in the way of the lnb - foliage from an overhanging tree, birds sitting on the arm of the dish.....

 

[scopus]

Some look very much weaker than others to me, dish alignment a bit out?

 

[statalite]

How about things getting in the way of the lnb - foliage from an overhanging tree, birds sitting on the arm of the dish.....

Cannot be overhanging trees because this dish is on a chimney. When it goes off next time I will have a look out for birds, but I have never received any breakups ever using my BSkyB box.

 

[statalite]

Some look very much weaker than others to me, dish alignment a bit out?

Some are weaker, the box reports around 12db for these. The stronger tps around 17db. Would these values be usual for a zone1?

 

[scopus]

12dB should be OK, theaey are green on the spectrum which is lock.

 

[statalite]

Been using the box for the last few days with no picture breakup, I'm guessing the previous breakup could have been down to birds on the arm and a coincidence.

I havnt turned the unit off over the weekend for testing, so its kept its ability to give a signal/picture. Will be fun and games when I turn it on after a state of inactivity, which is what gave me to problems at the start of the thread.