Vu duo motor issues

[jfrusc1]

Given we're under lockdown, for marital harmony I thought I'd fix my wifes Sat setup. She's from the continent and a long time ago I setup my languishing motorised dish so she could watch TV from her home provider (official card, Cryptoworks CAM).

I originally got a cheap Fortec Star, but that struggled when HD channels appeared. So I then got a VU+ Duo which worked well for a while but then suffered the red light error. I ordered the Caps, but being lazy just installed the Fortec again. That eventually failed, so the system has sat unused for a few months. Until the lockdown forced me to fix the VU+ for marital harmony.

Before the Fortec failed it was on 23.5E and working. I fired up the VU+ without the Sat connected to make sure it was set to a channel on the same SAT. Then switched it off and connected the Satellite. I was greeted with no signal. Switching to another satellite and then back again it seemed to get into a weird state (I didnt check if the dish moved). It would say moving from Astra 28.2 to Astra 28.2 no matter which Sat I pointed it to.

Now being a bit of an idiot I decided to update the firmware (was running open PLI 2). At this point I realised I'd been duped Box got stuck on "starting" and on further reading it appears I've been sold a clone (I did wonder why there was a white wire run from an IC, but I thought perhaps it was a refurb, turns out its worse). I've managed to get it running again using Open PLI 4.0 Ferrari v2 FW. But now back to the problem with no signal and dish not moving.

I have it setup as follows:

Input 1
Simple
Positioner
Long & Lat entered correctly

Input 2
Not configured (only one LNB attached).

I've attached some pictures of the motor. Been so long I dont know make or model, but thought the pictures may help identify it. I can see one Green light flashing. But dish isn't moving, even if I try move it manually under positioning menu options.

It's pretty high up in order to avoid some trees. Given the current lockdown I'm reluctant to go up that high. Would be pretty embarrassing to end up in hospital and have to explain I was trying to fix a satellite dish. I figure the hospitals have enough on their hands right now.

Right now I'm thinking couple of issues:

1) Incorrect config.
2) Motor is stuck. Perhaps theres a reset pin?
3) Motor has failed, possibly thats what took out the Fortec. Although the fact the light is on is making me hope its ok.
4) Vu+ isn't delivering enough power (perhaps another cap is on its way out). Although the fact the motor is lit up is making me hope not.


Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for reading through my waffle

 

[jfrusc1]

Oops forgot to attach pictures of the motor

 

[jfrusc1]

Thank you to the mods for quick approval of the thread

 

[Lazarus]

Thank you to the mods for quick approval of the thread

The answers might not be so quick!

 

[jfrusc1]

The answers might not be so quick!

My fault for leaving it until a lockdown to get around to fixing this :/

 

[TJExcalibur]

If its a TM motor try the East/West movement button on the motor. Next to the lnb input on the motor. 1 press for movement one way, 2 presses for the other way. if it works its most likely the receiver.

 

[Mickha]

Try going into the menu, look for a setup option, Tuners & Scanning, then something like signal finder, and see if you have any signal readings.

If possible try posting some pictures, of the menu. An easy way to do this is connect to your receiver, using Openwebif, by just typing your receivers IP address into a browser. I assume that your receiver is connected to your router.
From openwebif you can control your receiver, and grab some screen shots, by using your keyboards PrtScn button, and pasting it into a paint program.

 

[jfrusc1]

Looks like it is a Technomate. Dug out my SLR and got a close up using the 300mm lens.

It's still a couple of meters out of reach on my 2.5m ladder. There's a slope on that side which makes it a bit tricky and with the dish being ~6m up I’m reluctant to go up the longer ladder. Just in case I fall off , dont want to explain I was fixing my dish when I end up in A&E.high

Will try to find a long stick.

 

[jfrusc1]

I'll grab some screenshots.

 

[TJExcalibur]

Looking at the connections I think you will have to climb the ladder.

 

[jfrusc1]

Here's a couple of screenshots.

I dont see any option to enter setup on openwebif.

If I select menu on the openwebif control, I just get a window with "loading" and a spinning circle (I'm in Mac OS).

 

[jfrusc1]

Looking at the connections I think you will have to climb the ladder.

You're probably right.

But before I do that I think i'll just pickup another box. I'm not too comfortable having a clone sitting on my network, so will have to lock it down. And looking at the PSU I suspect i'll probably run into trouble with Caps again :/

Also the motor setup is only there from when I used to watch footy. I've long since given up on that and sub to both Sky & BT Sport. So I may aswell bypass the motor whilst I'm at it and leave the dish pointing to Skylink for her.

I have a stack of HDD removed from Sky HD boxes over the years. So hoping I can find a cheap bare bones dual tuner box with a half decent EPG. Primarily just need PVR functions. Would be good to have ability to pull recording off and remote view, but neither are essential. Particularly as I have a HDMI matrix distributing to TV's around the house.

I'm just persevering with this because we're in lockdown. She's back at work in 2 weeks so has time on her hands right now when the kids stop screaming Although knowing my luck I'll get it working and they'll call her back in, she's already getting the emails to say leave may be cancelled if they need her :/

 

[jfrusc1]

Think I may have spotted a possible issue.

Popped it back open and double checked all the caps. C16 & C17 on the main power board (between heat sinks) looked like they were domed, so removed them. Unfortunately they are 470uf 16v which I dont have (closest new ones I have is 220uf 16v.).

Have checked the Fortec and closest I can find is 1000uf 16v. Contemplating sticking them in to test. Then order the correct ones. Since its on the power board, usually it wouldn't be an issue. Hoping its just a case of the manufacturer using cheapest caps possible.

 

[Terryl]

A 1000 uf cap can be used in place of a 470 uf in a power supply smoothing circuit, as long as the working voltages are the same, or higher on the replacement cap.

 

[jfrusc1]

A 1000 uf cap can be used in place of a 470 uf in a power supply smoothing circuit, as long as the working voltages are the same, or higher on the replacement cap.

Thanks for confirming.

Voltage is same. Worst case it goes pop and forces me to buy something better

 

[Terryl]

And on the motors LED's take a look at night to see if it's flashing green/orange, if so then there maybe an internal problem in the motor, I think (if my memory is still working right) that the green LED should remain on, and flash on and off when the motor is moving.

 

[Terryl]

And if your thinking about by-passing the motor using an "F" barrel connector, make sure the connector is rated to 2.5 GHz or you may have some higher then normal signal loss on the top end transponders.

Some "F" barrels are only rated to about 1 GHz, these are used for CATV or TV signals, the correct "F" barrel connector for a satellite system should have a blue center insulator.

 

[jfrusc1]

Some fleeting progress.

Plugged it all back in and went to sat finder and selected 23.5 E and it moved. Still no signal though. Tried going to 28.2 E and nothing, no movement at all.

Tried searching East/West and again nothing.

Suggests to me its the box :/

 

[jfrusc1]

And if your thinking about by-passing the motor using an "F" barrel connector, make sure the connector is rated to 2.5 GHz or you may have some higher then normal signal loss on the top end transponders.

Some "F" barrels are only rated to about 1 GHz, these are used for CATV or TV signals, the correct "F" barrel connector for a satellite system should have a blue center insulator.

Thanks. Although I think a new box

Wasted my weekend and back to where I started. I fear if I get it working it will only crap out on me again in the near future.

Unless anyone has any other suggestions to try.

 

[Mickha]

The VU+ Duo is an old receiver, you can pick up some very good replacements, like the Octagon series, and many others, for a lot cheaper than you bought the VU+ Duo, and it will have a lot more features.