VU+ Solo SE V2 Dual Tuner Problem

[Archive7]

I decided today to open the box. I am sure that this will not invalidate the warranty because the tuner module is pluggable so what if I decided to change it during the warranty period to a different type?
The inside of the box is quite neat and I unplugged the module which is the blue type as per the warning in the box. Nothing visibly damaged on the module or the main PCB.
Put everything back and as expected the problem is still there.

Perhaps I should give some details about my set up.
I have 1.6m dish on the top of the roof of the building pointing to Hotbird 13E, installed by a professional. Not easy to climb there but I did that 20 years ago.
The LNB is quarto. Four cables come down to my apartment total distance about 20-25m.
Inside the apartment there is a Zenwell multiswitch that takes all the four cables and on the other side there are four outputs with cables that can go to a maximum of four receivers.
One output is connected to the Sony TV built-in generic tuner and works great, except it has a lousy user interface.
A second cable goes to tuner B of the VU+ Solo Se V2 which has this problem.
The remaining two outputs are spares that I use for testing other receivers and they all show a good signal for the missing TP's.

Is it possible that the quarto LNB is the culprit? It is about 20 years old or perhaps the Zenwell multiswitch inside the apartment?
The missing transponders are shown in the channels list but they don't bring in the channels. Is this normal?
Perhaps it is not a coincidence that the TP's frequencies are on the high end, 12,188V, 12,265V, 12,284H !!!
Do I need to add voltage to the LNB because of the cables length? I didn't see an option to do that with the VU+
I am not going to buy a dual tuner at this stage as it costs nearly half the price of a brand new receiver.
Amazon have always been very understanding and unless I am certain that the problem is with the receiver, I am not going to contact them with regards to sending it back for servicing or refund, if I am eligible.
Thank you all for your help.

 

[Mickha]

Sounds like a similar problem to what I'm facing, with my V-Box II, experiencing problems scanning in, and viewing, the higher frequencies, yet when I bypass the V-Box II everything works.
It could be a compatibility issue, with the Zenwell, the LNB, or both, if you can connect Tuner B directly to the dish, either by moving the receiver, or extending the cable, using a joiner, you can test if it then works, without the Zenwell.

 

[Archive7]

Sounds like a similar problem to what I'm facing, with my V-Box II, experiencing problems scanning in, and viewing, the higher frequencies, yet when I bypass the V-Box II everything works.
It could be a compatibility issue, with the Zenwell, the LNB, or both, if you can connect Tuner B directly to the dish, either by moving the receiver, or extending the cable, using a joiner, you can test if it then works, without the Zenwell.

As mentioned before, I have no access to the dish, and professional help is very costly over here.
I was planning to replace the quarto with a Unicable LNB if I buy an FBC receiver and then I will have an entirely different setup. But this is going to wait for a while and my satellite installer is not familiar with Unicable.
I can borrow a similar receiver with single tuner from a relative and check at my home if it gets all the missing TP's.
I did the setup for them few months ago and as far as I remember there were no problems with the tuner (not sure to be honest about the missing TP's in my receiver as I probably didn't notice that then).
I can also unplug the single tuner module and plug it in mine just to make sure the main board is ok
And of course I can take my receiver and connect it to their system, just to make sure that tuner B works in a different setup.
This should rule out the possibility that the tuner module is faulty.

 

[Mickha]

Where is the Zenwell located?
Can't you disconnect the cable there, and add a joiner, and extra cable, so that the cable then runs directly to your receiver?

 

[Archive7]

Where is the Zenwell located?
Can't you disconnect the cable there, and add a joiner, and extra cable, so that the cable then runs directly to your receiver?

The Zenwell is behind the TV. A bit awkward to reach it but doable.
I am not sure how this suggestion works, as I am not familiar with what a joiner is supposed to do.

 

[Mickha]

It just joins 2 pieces of co-ax cable, so that you can extend the reach.

 

[Archive7]

It just joins 2 pieces of co-ax cable, so that you can extend the reach.
View attachment 105908

Still not sure how this can help.

 

[Lazarus]

Generally known as a Barrel F Connector (or Extender).

 

[ja5on]

Do I need to add voltage to the LNB because of the cables length? I didn't see an option to do that with the VU+

I was hoping you would reply is the satfinder showed the signal, tbh i doubt it but worth trying.
As for the add voltage option you have to use the advance setting in the tuner config, plus you can config the switch too, cant help to try it but i havent seen it make any difference for me tho.

yeah use the cable from the tv that you know works or even bypass the switch, nothing to lose tbh.

 

[Mickha]

Still not sure how this can help.

I assumed you might need to add some co-ax cable, to reach from your Zenwell, to your receiver, I didn't realize that you had the unit behind your television, close to your receiver.
If the cable is already long enough just connect the cable straight from the dish, to the tuner, bypassing the zenwell, then please post back with the results of the scan.

 

[Archive7]

If the cable is already long enough just connect the cable straight from the dish, to the tuner, bypassing the zenwell, then please post back with the results of the scan.

Good idea. Will try that if nothing else helps.

 

[Archive7]

I have some updates on this issue.
I took the receiver to a relative who also has a Solo SE V2 receiver with single tuner. Disconnected the LNB Cable from his receiver and connected it to my receiver Tuner B
I got good signal on all the problematic transponders, and I concluded that my tuner module is OK and doesn't need replacement or to send the whole receiver back to Amazon for servicing, as they would not find anything wrong with it.
Next step was to check the Quattro LNB by connecting each band cable directly to the receiver.
This was not an easy task, as it meant clearing out all the devices on the table and then push the TV about a meter in order to have access to the Zinwell multiswitch installed on the wall behind the TV.
I decided to pull the multiswitch as far as possible and let it rest on the table for easy access to all the cables in the future.
Then pushed the TV back to it's place, and checked all the band cables one by one using a joiner, as suggested by Mickha.
I could see all the channels available on each band, but all the missing transponders showed nearly zero signal.
My conclusion is that the Zinwell multiswitch is working perfectly, as I am able to get a high signal connecting several receivers, except the VU+
I could ask my dish installer to check the whole system, change the Quattro LNB to a new one as it is about 20 years old, or wait until I order and receive a unicable LNB within a month, and do the whole thing only once.

 

[Mickha]

Sounds like a compatibilty issue, between the VU+ and the LNB.
Do you know the make, model, and age of the LNB that did work, at your relatives?

 

[Archive7]

Sounds like a compatibilty issue, between the VU+ and the LNB.
Do you know the make, model, and age of the LNB that did work, at your relatives?

It is a cheap dual output LNB that my dish installer used with the setup at my relative.
I consulted with him just now and decided to order the Inverto Unicable LNB + other parts and then I would call him.
Will take about a month.