# System Test Error/Dish Alignment



## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

Out of boredome tonite i ran a system test on my HR20-700. Got a Dish Alignment error message (to my surprise)..... says my dish may need a pointing adjustment that might be causing searching for satellite signal issue. Yet i'm not getting any searching for satellite issues and I checked all sats and they are all in the 90's (with just a few upper 80's here and there) on both tuners. Locals sat (99s)/transponder comes in around 98 on both tuners as well. Also totally clear skies tonite. Just wondering if this is a glitch in the software??

Here are my numbers

Sat 101 Tuner 1: 
1-8 95 97 95 0 95 98 91 97
9-16 89 97 91 100 91 98 93 99
17-24 95 0 96 100 95 100 96 100
25-32 95 100 95 100 92 100 93 98

Tuner 2:
1-8 92 95 91 0 94 97 92 97
9-16 87 96 91 99 90 97 92 97
17-24 95 0 97 99 95 99 96 99
25-32 95 100 94 100 92 94 93 98


Sat 110 Tuner 1
1-8 na na na na na na na 99
9-16 na 95 na 96 na na na na
17-24 na na na na na na na na
25-32 na na na na na na na na 

Tuner 2 same readings


119 Tuner 1
1-8 all n/a
9-15 all n/a
17-24 na na na na na 98 98 100
25-32 0 100 98 98 0 98 0 100

Tuner 2 Same readings


99c Tuner 1
1-8 94 96 92 95 92 95 92 95
9-16 94 95 95 95 96 96 na na
17-24 all na
25-32 all na

Tuner 2
1-8 90 95 88 95 93 95 93 95
9-16 93 95 95 96 95 95 na na
17-24 all n/a
25-32 all n/a

99s my spotbeam
Transponder for my locals is 15 both tuners register 98

103ca Tuner 1
1-8 all n/a
9-16 96 96 97 97 95 95 96 96
17-24 91 96 94 94 91 95 95 95
25-32 all n/a

Tuner 2 Basically same readings all in 90's

103cb Tuner 1
1-8 96 97 95 95 95 939 93 88
9-16 95 85 95 91 94 91 na na 
17-24 all n/a
25-32 all n/a

Tuner 2 Basically same reading give 1 or 2 points as Tuner 1


I'm getting a diagnostics code of 43-72-402


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

Those readings certainly look fine.


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## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

Just a glitch then?


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## samrs (May 30, 2004)

In this area a transponder under 89 will cause test failure.

You have several in that category. It isn't worth fixing unless your having issues or can do it yourself without breaking a sweat.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

litzdog911 said:


> Those readings certainly look fine.





gregftlaud said:


> Just a glitch then?





samrs said:


> In this area a transponder under 89 will cause test failure.
> 
> You have several in that category. It isn't worth fixing unless your having issues or can do it yourself without breaking a sweat.


While the numbers do look fine/good the dish alignment error seems to be triggered off a voltage level, so there might be an alignment, cabling problem that would cause excessive rainfade.
The percentage the receivers display is more the quality of the signals, but not the strengths [power] of the signals.
A tech with his meter should be able to measure "power" and check your levels.


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## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

Well when i run the system test i only get the dish alignment error like 50percent of the time. Just ran the test 6 times...only 3 times did i get a dish alignment issue. I live in ft lauderdale and it takes a HEAVY downpour for me to lose my signal.

In addition to running the test on my HR20-700 like i said this morning i also tried it on my HR20-100 3 times. No dish alignment errors and signal strengths right around those on my HR20-700


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

gregftlaud said:


> Well when i run the system test i only get the dish alignment error like 50percent of the time. Just ran the test 6 times...only 3 times did i get a dish alignment issue. I live in ft lauderdale and it takes a HEAVY downpour for me to lose my signal.


Your system may be fine, or be close to the trigger point. :shrug:


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## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

Well I never have picture problems or searching for sat messages. I guess if/when that starts happening that's the time to call DTV. I did a search last nite in this forum on this exact error message and i had found a thread with people discussing that the software version at the time was causing this to be a glitch (this was like back late 2010 early 2011). Any chance this is again a software issue (for some people)? B/c when i do a google search for "directv system test error dish alignment" i find a ton of results with people having the same issue i am having.......with perfectly good sat signal numbers and no issues with picture and not receiving search for sat messages.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

gregftlaud said:


> Any chance this is again a software issue (for some people)?


"Any chance"? sure, but I am running test software and the only times I've seen this, running a retest clears it up.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

veryoldschool said:


> While the numbers do look fine/good the dish alignment error seems to be triggered off a voltage level, so there might be an alignment, cabling problem that would cause excessive rainfade.
> *The percentage the receivers display is more the quality of the signals, but not the strengths [power] of the signals.*
> A tech with his meter should be able to measure "power" and check your levels.


To be exactly correct it is CNR values converted to relative number on a scale 0-100. There are wording from the 'horse mouth' eg taking from external drive files:

```
getTunerStatus DSS Legacy: CNR = 12.12 dB. Signal Strength = 94. NET=0. Freq=0. Xpdr=1. Signal status = 0x7
getTunerStatus DSS Legacy: CNR = 13.13 dB. Signal Strength = 95. NET=0. Freq=30. Xpdr=31. Signal status = 0x7
getTunerStatus DSS Legacy: CNR = 2.2 dB. Signal Strength = 10. NET=0. Freq=0. Xpdr=1. Signal status = 0x7
getTunerStatus DSS Legacy: CNR = 0.0 dB. Signal Strength = 0. NET=0. Freq=26. Xpdr=27. Signal status = 0x0
getTunerStatus A3: CNR = 11.11 dB. Signal Strength = 85. NET=3. Freq=23. Xpdr=24. Signal status = 0x7
getTunerStatus A3: CNR = 11.11 dB. Signal Strength = 87. NET=10. Freq=124. Xpdr=1. Signal status = 0x7
getTunerStatus A3: CNR = 15.15 dB. Signal Strength = 100. NET=11. Freq=184. Xpdr=17. Signal status = 0x7
getTunerStatus A3: CNR = 0.0 dB. Signal Strength = 0. NET=11. Freq=103. Xpdr=18. Signal status = 0x0
```
First four lines are for legacy Ku 101W, other four - for Ka sats.

[If you like to make a formula, I could give more values for that.]


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

P Smith said:


> To be exactly correct it is CNR values converted to relative number on a scale 0-100. There are wording from the 'horse mouth' eg taking from external drive files


Even better is using a meter that reads these values.


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## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

Well i really dont think it's a dish alignment issue b/c i've run 12 tests now in the last 2hrs on my other dvr (HR20-100) in my bedroom and it hasnt received the error code at all. 

Maybe it has something to do with the DVR b/c the DVR that i get the occasional test error on is my HR20-700.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

gregftlaud said:


> Well i really dont think it's a dish alignment issue b/c i've run 12 tests now in the last 2hrs on my other dvr (HR20-100) in my bedroom and it hasnt received the error code at all.
> 
> Maybe it has something to do with the DVR b/c the DVR that i get the occasional test error on is my HR20-700.


I have seen this error also come up when the coax connector from the wall is not securely connected to the back connector on the HD DVR. If you have DECA installed...those connectors should also be checked for their secure connection.

You could try to disconnect/reconnect the coax connector to see if that resolves the issue. I saw that happen here once last year. The secure connection of the coax connector took care of the issue ever since.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

veryoldschool said:


> Even better is using a meter that reads these values.


I don't see how ppl with millions of DRV/receivers could do that.

They just got the point of acknowledge - what they see on TV screen (the values in a range 0-100) are CNR values, eg a QUALITY of signal, not just a level.


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## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

Already did that checked indoor connections. Dont have DECA installed have hardwired whole home DVR via router. Even put on new B-band converters still get the occasional error. Restart didnt resolve it either. Oh well i guess i'll just live with it as long as everything seems to be working fine.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

P Smith said:


> I don't see how ppl with millions of DRV/receivers could do that.


The "advantage" of a good installer or really a "tech" service call.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

I would like to remind my point - the DVR is reporting the *CNR* value in relative points, no need the mentioned special meter.

Just create a formula for those "tech" ppl who want to know CNR values in dB while reading from TV screen the 0...100 numbers.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

P Smith said:


> I would like to remind my point - the DVR is reporting the *CNR* value in relative points, no need the mentioned special meter.
> 
> Just create a formula for those "tech" ppl who want to know CNR values in dB while reading from TV screen the 0...100 numbers.


Yes there is a "need" for a meter reading.
CNR is part of the signal and power is the other, which is where "head room" comes in.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

I would like to agree with the necessity of such meter if I would see real difference when you aiming DTV antenna with it. 
So far, CNR would be preferable as maxing power level would negatively affect CNR with adjusted satellites/signals.

The particular setup with DTV receiver and antenna [in such forums] would be definitely done better if you will pick best CNR for all transponders by a receiver not a power by professional [read expensive] meter.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

gregftlaud said:


> Already did that checked connections. Dont have DECA installed have hardwired whole home DVR via router. Even put on new B-band converters still get the occasional error. Restart didnt resolve it either. Oh well i guess i'll just live with it as long as everything seems to be working fine.


Thanks for checking...its a more common problem (loose coax) than many people realize.


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## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

Yah i know i have 50percent of my cabling on the outside back of my apartment. I live on the 2nd floor of an apartment complex. Slimline 5 dish is installed on the side of an overhang (since 2007) and I check it regularly esp on windy days and it doesnt budge. DTV installer back in 2007 that changed out my old 3lnb hd dish secured it very nicely. There is a ton of cabling/coupling on the outside though on the back wall of my apt before it comes into the holes he drilled into the side of my apartment bedroom. I think i will take a ladder out there monday and just check to see if the connections are secure. 

The last time i checked them though i'm pretty sure where the wires were coupled (not sure the technical term has like an in line coupler) the installer slipped over some kind of rubbery material over where they are coupled together i guess to keep out moisture. But since my wiring has been up there since 2004 couldnt hurt to give it a once over again. The wires i have going into my bedroom and living room have been in use since i moved into this apartment. They've gone from regular 18" SD dish......to the first HD 3lnb dish now on a slimline 5 dish. 

If all the wiring outside is ok then i'm thinking of maybe bringing the hr20-100 in my bedroom into the living room where the hr20-700 is and connecting it to these connections and see if i still get the dish alignment error. B/c if i dont i guess there could be a possibility my hr20-700 might be going bad?? (or perhaps the 700 tuners are just alot more sensitive than the 100's?? or different when it comes to receiving signals?). If HR20-100 doesnt get the error i will probably order a replacemnt HD DVR. 

I've had both my hr20-100 and hr20-700 since 2007 right after they came out. 

One more thing i wasnt having an issue with overheating but i just wanted to lower the temp on my hr20-700 so a couple of months ago i put a laptop cooler upside down on top of the 700 and it cooled it down by 20 degrees. But I was wondering also perhaps if air blowing into the vents of the DVR might cause tuner glitches.


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

Because I have to point the dish all the time I considered a meter. So far, I must give kudos to DTV for what appears to me to be a decent reading of the satellite signal. I have an android phone, bought a pointing application for it (tried a bunch of free ones that were not good enough) which computes 101 for me based on GPS coordinates it gets from the GPS satellites. Then with the phone as a compass and tilt meter it changes numbers as I swing the phone and tilt the phone and when I am within a set range it changes the numbers to green. I tried to use a digital compass I had for boating but any steel around, like the dish itself of my truck or whatever threw it off. The phone is spot on. When I get the green it also beeps. Now I just look at the landscape and pick an aiming point. The elevation is calculated and the slimline dish has a nice adjuster for that. Swing the dish to the landmark and it will have decent signal on the meter which displays from the DVR. I tilt the dish until I have decent signal on the side satellites and we are good to go. It is easier to set up the slimline than the 18 inch round we used to use for SD on the DTiVo. 

Still would like a meter for the times when I have to take the dish a long way from the RV because of trees or whatever. When I have that situation, we use little two way radios. I twist and turn and my lovely wife calls off numbers. It works. 

We had some really hard rain this morning and not a bit of trouble with signal dropping. Love that it is a single wire too. Dish to utility center plug in, power inserter and switch behind the utility panel, and separate single wires to the DVRs. All of that works great. 

I am going to wait on getting a meter until we have the first problem with my lovely wife reading numbers. If it is too hard because of having to switch to alternate readings, I will just get an OTM 800 which allows setup without even having the SWiM wire connected. For $250 it is probably a good investment.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

gregftlaud said:


> Yah i know i have 50percent of my cabling on the outside back of my apartment. I live on the 2nd floor of an apartment complex. Slimline 5 dish is installed on the side of an overhang (since 2007) and I check it regularly esp on windy days and it doesnt budge. DTV installer back in 2007 that changed out my old 3lnb hd dish secured it very nicely. There is a ton of cabling/coupling on the outside though on the back wall of my apt before it comes into the holes he drilled into the side of my apartment bedroom. I think i will take a ladder out there monday and just check to see if the connections are secure.
> 
> The last time i checked them though i'm pretty sure where the wires were coupled (not sure the technical term has like an in line coupler) the installer slipped over some kind of rubbery material over where they are coupled together i guess to keep out moisture. But since my wiring has been up there since 2004 couldnt hurt to give it a once over again. The wires i have going into my bedroom and living room have been in use since i moved into this apartment. They've gone from regular 18" SD dish......to the first HD 3lnb dish now on a slimline 5 dish.
> 
> ...


Should not - those tuners covered by internal cans also.

As to barrels, well if you not living in Arizona, it would get moisture in, no matter how it's secured. So, take your time - disconnect each barrel, check all F-connectors with magnifying glass for corrosion. Perhaps you will need to cut inch or two and redo those F-connectors.


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

Agreed with P Smith on those connections. Sometimes a rubber boot, if not hermetically sealed, is worse than just an open connection. Regardless of climate, F connectors exposed for 7 or 8 years can easily have corrosion or other breakdown that could cause problems especially with the very high frequencies of Satellite signals.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

And the process [corrosion] is going because of DC current (all LNBF feeding by 13/18/20+ VDC / 400-700 mA DC) and the 'contaminated' water with [always presenting] chemicals in it. Electrolysis.


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## willis3 (Feb 2, 2007)

I get the same error sometimes when running test. Never twice in a row.. very random.


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## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

That's the same thing that's happening to me. Hit and miss never twice in a row. This same error has been going on for years with me at random times and i've read tons of threads in past years on this forum as well as far as it also happening to alot of other people that also happen to have no obvious picture problems and great sat signal strengths. I had read i think back in 2010 in a post on here someone stating it was a software glitch so i just wondered if that glitch might just still be there. I've never gotten a searching for satellite signal on either tuner unless of course there is a heavy downpour. The dish alignment error message says something about getting searching for satellite signal message and that to call customer service for dish alignment to get rid of the messages. Yet, as i said i never get the searching for sat message.

Does anyone know when u run the test and it's testing the satellite strengths/signals does it look at all sat's and transponder or just a random one? B/c if it's just random and it happens to choose the locals spotbeam that could be causing the error message to come up...... b/c i've noticed when u want to check your local spotbeam signal strengths those numbers come up alot slower than they other sats.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Lets stop for a day and continue after you'll check barrels [and changing F-connectors if it need].


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## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

Havent checked outside connections yet got to borrow a friends ladder tomorrow to do that. But interesting thing i've ran the sytem test 8 times now today and am not getting the dish alignment error message. Hmmm.

In terms of checking the barrells tomorrow i'm going to do that and just make sure connections are secure but i have no idea and have never changed out f connectors if that needs to be done i'm going to have to call directv i'm not good at doing handy things like that. And i dont even have the tools or repacement f connectors. I have the protection plan if something is wrong in terms of having to do rewiring or replacing connectors i'm gonna have to let dtv do that.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

At least unscrew all the F-connectors and look inside all of them with a flashlight and magnifying glass.


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## RobertE (Jun 10, 2006)

If your clear weather levels are borderline, then any weather at all, even momentarially will trigger the error.


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## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

Well this is the funny thing yesterday it was clear skies all day and i was getting the error now today we have lots of clouds and i'm not getting the error!


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## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

n/m


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Now it is easy to glance - whole sat/all tpn's/ signal quality on one screen.


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## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

I wasnt talking about the view sat signal screen i was talking about when the system test runs what sat/transponder does it test......1 random sat/transponder or all of them?

Ok got myself up on my ladder went up to the 2nd floor to check connections. While i was up there i also used some rg6 coax cable clips to secure the 5 lines alot better so there would be absolutely no swinging at all. (4 sat lines ....1 ota antenna line). Everything felt secure although i was wrong not all of the ends of the f connectors that have the in line connector extendy thingies have those rubber things in the middle. While i was up there the dish didnt budge at all when i wiggled it. While outside of connectors looked a bit dingy the insides were perfectly fine. The only gross thing was the installer ran 4 sat coax lines from the lnb and then connected all 4 to the lines that come the rest of the way into the side of the apartment. The lines from the lnb are about 3-4 feet long i'd say then all have in line connectors that connect the rest of the cable. That cable coming from the LNB looked gross. It was like almost black probably from all the rain that pours over the overhang. I suppose if worse comes to worse if i start getting searching for satellite messages....and if re-wiring needed to be done an installer could just change out the 4 feet of coax coming from the lnb's that connect to the rest of the wiring. The rest of the wires are protected from the rain since there is an overhang and they are right against the wall. They were all basically still white just with a hint of dinginess form being outside. But looked fine. 

A question also i've asked a few times that i havent seen an answer to. Whenever u run that system test and it tests the dish's signal strength does it always check on particular sat and transponder......or different ones each time or does it have the time to actually get an overview of every single satellite and transponder during the test? B/c i remember under old software when u ran a test it would tell u each test it was running and i remember when it got to signal strenght the test would say "tuner 1 " then give a number ....then below that "tuner 2" then give a number and i remmber it would get those signal strengths fast under the old software so there is no way it could have been looking at each and every satellite and transponder.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Just post all pictures of signals for all sats ... If you'll stay on one screen, you'll see it's doing infinity cycle.


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## WestDC (Feb 9, 2008)

gregftlaud said:


> I wasnt talking about the view sat signal screen i was talking about when the system test runs what sat/transponder does it test......1 random sat/transponder or all of them?
> 
> Ok got myself up on my ladder went up to the 2nd floor to check connections. While i was up there i also used some rg6 coax cable clips to secure the 5 lines alot better so there would be absolutely no swinging at all. (4 sat lines ....1 ota antenna line). Everything felt secure although i was wrong not all of the ends of the f connectors that have the in line connector extendy thingies have those rubber things in the middle. While i was up there the dish didnt budge at all when i wiggled it. While outside of connectors looked a bit dingy the insides were perfectly fine. The only gross thing was the installer ran 4 sat coax lines from the lnb and then connected all 4 to the lines that come the rest of the way into the side of the apartment. The lines from the lnb are about 3-4 feet long i'd say then all have in line connectors that connect the rest of the cable. That cable coming from the LNB looked gross. It was like almost black probably from all the rain that pours over the overhang. I suppose if worse comes to worse if i start getting searching for satellite messages....and if re-wiring needed to be done an installer could just change out the 4 feet of coax coming from the lnb's that connect to the rest of the wiring. The rest of the wires are protected from the rain since there is an overhang and they are right against the wall. They were all basically still white just with a hint of dinginess form being outside. But looked fine.
> 
> A question also i've asked a few times that i havent seen an answer to. Whenever u run that system test and it tests the dish's signal strength does it always check on particular sat and transponder......or different ones each time or does it have the time to actually get an overview of every single satellite and transponder during the test? B/c i remember under old software when u ran a test it would tell u each test it was running and i remember when it got to signal strenght the test would say "tuner 1 " then give a number ....then below that "tuner 2" then give a number and i remmber it would get those signal strengths fast under the old software so there is no way it could have been looking at each and every satellite and transponder.


Should you take those apart you will find some of (or most of) the problem your having is from water damage to the fittings. Change them out and retest / or just call for Service visit.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

I told him - use flashlight and magnifying glass to inspecting F-connectors inside.


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## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

I did take them apart and use a flashlight magnifying glass and they looked fine. And PSmith i posted all my signal strengths in my first post. All numbers as u can see in my first post in the mid to upper 90's with the exception of a few upper 80's on like 3 transponders. 

No one has still answered my question about when u do the system test (not the view satellite signal strengths page)..........and it tests your satellite strengths if it chooses a sat and transponder at random or if the system test does a quick overview of every satellite and transponder strength.

I've been doing system tests all nite and i maybe get the dish alignment error once out of every 15 tests. I never have any picture pixelations...ever (unless there is a heavy downpour). I never have any searching for satellite messages (again unless it is raining VERY heavily). It takes ALOT of dark clouds and rain to lose my signal......I've even watched tv during thunderstorms. I would think if my signal powers were actually very low and there was actually a dish alignment problem the signal would go out with just a normal rain. It doesnt. And now i've confirmed every connection looks just fine. Dish is sturdy and doesnt move when shaked.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

gregftlaud said:


> No one has still answered my question about when u do the system test.........


I did in post #5, and isn't worth repeating


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## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

Sorry your post number 5 said nothing about running a system test. It only mentions that readings in the view sat strengths are just the quality of the signals not the power levels. .......... I remember the old software would show u each test as it was happening and when it got to satellite signal it would show tuner 1 then a percentage then tuner 2 and a percentage. 

And btw...u dont need to be so snippy. Wow

I'm not going to worry about it man u come in here to get help and most people are helpful but then u get that one person that talks down to u just b/c u arent some kind of tech guru. I'm done. Not gonna worry about this. It's not an issue. Only 1 out of every 15 tests comes up dish alignment issue so my conclusion it's a glitch. On my other receiver the stupid system test said i had my dish setup incorrect. I went into my dish guided setup and everything was chosen properly. Ran the test 10 more times on that other receiver and that incorrect dish setup didnt come up again. Another glitch. Our DVR's are just computers with software that can make mistakes and have glitches. That's what i'm chalking it up to b/c i've seen nothing picturewise while watching tv to that says something different.


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## RobertE (Jun 10, 2006)

If you run the test enough times on a perfectly aligned dish, you will get a certain % of failures. Just a fact of life.

If you are not experiencing any issues, I'd stop obsessing over it.


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