# ASK DBSTALK: Can't get any of the HD Pack channels



## allenwoodruff (Feb 3, 2004)

Here's my problem, I can't get any of the HD pack channels to work on my 921. I get a message saying satellite signal lost - Sat 110 transponder 17 and some channels it says transponder 19. I have talked with Dish tech support several times and they cannot seem to pinpoint my problem. They even sent me another 921. l hooked it up last night and still have the same problem. When I go into the point dish screen and look at the signal strength, tuner 1 has no signal on 110 - transponder 17, tuner 2 has good signal. However, tuner 1 does receive good singal from sat 119. I have tried switching the inputs on tuner 1 to tuner 2, still same signal strength. All other channels work fine. I get all of the Birmingham, AL digital channels fine, just can't get the HD pack channels. 

I will admit that I am not an expert at satellite installation. Several weeks ago I changed out the LNB from a legacy to the Dish Pro Twin and added the DP34 for an additional feed for the 921. I tested both feeds on my 501 and both worked fine. The 501 is still working fine now that I have moved it to another TV. It gets good signal strength. I have my dish pole mounted. I have had Dish for over 2 years and have never had signal strength problems. 

Could I have moved the dish out of alingment? Anyone have any suggestions? Let me know if I need to provide more information. 

System info:
Dish Pro Twin LNB
DP 34 switch
921 using two feeds
501 using one feed

Software version for 921 L145
Boot 120G - (I think, I am at work so I am going off memory)

Thanks for your help. This site is great. I have been a reader for several months, just have never posted until now.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Allen, 

I doubt your problem is related to the 921.

First question: Do you have signal strength for ANY transponders on the 110 satellite? If not, either you knocked your dish out of alignment when you installed your dishpro twin, you have a bad dishpro twin, or you have a bad dp34 switch.

If you do have signal strength on other 110 transponders, what does a checkswitch tell you on the 921? 

Really dumb question - I'm assuming that you have subscribed to the HD Pak channels?


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## Slordak (Dec 17, 2003)

You may have a cabling problem, i.e. questionnable satellite feed cable. The same length of cable may have worked previously, but certain types of signals may now be experiencing signal degradation.

Remember that DishPro signals are "bandstacked", so a cable with a bit of a problem may have worked for a legacy LNBs, but may not work as well with DishPro equipment. Also bear in mind that the HD signals are encoded differently, i.e. 8PSK, so the encoding itself may present different problems of a different nature (because the signal is different). Make sure the cable being used is good quality RG-6 cable!


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## allenwoodruff (Feb 3, 2004)

Mark,

Thanks for the reply. I have run several check switchs and they all come back ok, saying 119 and 110 ok. I have subscribed to the HD Pack. On my first 921 I could received HDNet and HDNet Movies for a short time and then it would go out. I never could receive ESPN HD or HBO HD. If I rebooted HDNet & HDNet Movies would come back for a short time then go out again. On the new 921 I can see the HD channels on the guide but can not receive the channels because of the error noted in my previous post. 

Funny thing is that I received good signal strength on tuner 2 on 110 but no signal on tuner 1 on 110. I have changed the cabling on the tuner inputs and still have the same problem, so I don't think it is a cabling problem. 

How can I tell if I have a bad LNB or DP34 switch?


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

If you're getting good signal from 110 on one tuner, and no signal from the other tuner, then that would point to 1 of 3 things. Either the tuner is bad in the 921, the port if the DP34 switch that is connected to the zero signal tuner is bad, or the cable connecting the DP34 to the 921 is bad. 

Determining bad LNB or switch is usually a trial and error process of elimination.


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