# HD only 771 - bad BBand converter?



## slharder (Feb 23, 2008)

Problem: intermittent "771" on HD channels only

My setup: HR-21-200, BBands, Zinwell Multiswitch, Slimline 5LNB

Diagnostic setup: I view signal strength meters for 99c and 103c -- these will show a failure of either Tuner#1 or Tuner#2 when problem is occurring. I will see 90's for all active transponders on good tuner.

Problem can be 'corrected' by RBR, or powering down HR-21 or disconnecting coax at HR-21. Problem will then reoccur spontaneously, sometimes when a channel change is commanded, usually within 10 minutes or so of a RBR or whatever.

I have checked all connections at dish, multiswitch, BBand and HR-21 coax.

OK - here's my synopsis of my 5 pages of troubleshooting notes.
---
HD Channels are 771.
Tuner #2 displays zeros as signal strength on 103c. Tuner #1 has 90s.
Switch coax between connectors on back of HR-21.
Don't have to do a RBR, problem fixes itself with the coax move.
Initially both tuners are OK and HD are viewable.
Then Tuner #1 displays zeros. Problem moved between tuners.

Switch coax beyond BBand conv.
Initially both tuners are OK and HD viewable.
Then Tuner #1 displays zeros. Problem did not move.
(Bad BBand converter? Label BBand Conv on Tuner #1 with red tape)

Switch coax beyond BBand conv again - coax beyond is now back to initial setup.
And again, initially both tuners are OK.
Then Tuner #1 displays zeros. (BBand with red tape is on Tuner #`1) Problem did not move.

Switch coax at HR-21.
And again, initially both tuners are OK.
Then Tuner #2 displays zeros. (BBand with red tape is now on Tuner #2). Problem did move.

Switch coax beyond BBand.
And again, initially both tuners are OK.
Then Tuner #2 displays zeros. (BBand with red tape is now on Tuner#2). Problem did not move.

Switch coax at HR-21.
And again, initially both tuners are OK.
Then Tuner #1 displays zeros. (BBand with red tape is now on Tuner #1).

While watching signal strength meters I disconnect coax from output of BBand with red tape - connected to Tuner #1.
While coax is disconnected the signal strength jumps up to 75 on Tuner #1 -- Tuner #2 is 95.
Then I reconnect coax to output of red BBand. Signal jumps up to 95 on Tuner #1.

--
My diagnosis - I've got a bad red taped BBand converter. 

I plan to call my local DirecTV installer who I know personally and try to borrow a 'good' BBand to swap in.

--

Does all that make sense to any of you who know more about DirectTV HD than I do?


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## markrubi (Oct 12, 2006)

Same problem here also... This is on both of my HR20-700. I have not done any trouble shooting. So add me to the list..

My two DVR's are a year apart. I have older BBC's on one and the newer BBC's on the 2nd.


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## tweekme (Sep 24, 2007)

Question for both of you...:

Are you running with an active or passive multiswitch?

Thanks, Scott K.


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## mikeny (Aug 21, 2006)

I have this problem on my HR20-700 for Tuner 1. 99C and 103C display all zeroes and tuner 2 is good. For that matter tuner 1 is good except those SATS. I was coughing it up to the 0x254 but maybe it is the BBC. 

I am curious as to how the unit will respond to tonights CE.


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## mikeny (Aug 21, 2006)

Changing the BBC did the trick!

I read in some other thread that one failing BBC didn't seem as warm as the working one so I pulled my cool one and put in another. 

I had tried menu resets, RBRs, the CE and powering off/on to no avail.


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## markrubi (Oct 12, 2006)

tweekme said:


> Question for both of you...:
> 
> Are you running with an active or passive multiswitch?
> 
> Thanks, Scott K.


Both DVR's on latest National release.

No multi swtich here. 4 lines in from dish direct to each DVR. 2 lines each.

This seems to be only happening on the channels which have been reassigned. Ch. 552 , 206 , 209 , 259 all have searching for signal for me. Just checked each one. I doubt this is BBC related for me. What are the odds of a BBC going bad the sameday on two boxes in the same home? I have also switched the BBC's around still tuner 2 not working on channels listed. RBR'd did nothing to fix either.

99(c) Tuner 1 signals
1-8 all 0's
9-16 10, 13, 23, 20, 25, 26

Tuner 2 signals

1-8 all 0's
9-16 15, 0, 25, 19, 27, 24

I have a 99(s) and a 103(s) listed?? What are these??

Test channels 482-483 searching for signal. I have tested this with both BBC's only hooking one up at a time to tuner 1 then tuner 2. Same results on both BBC's.


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## sticketfan (Apr 25, 2007)

last night my newest of my 2 hr10-100 lost all hd channels and the picture says searching for sat. in signal sat 2 with the 771. i have tried rebooting and even changing the bbc. nothing...


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## markrubi (Oct 12, 2006)

Is this a known issue at Directv?


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## andunn27 (Sep 24, 2007)

mikeny said:


> Changing the BBC did the trick!
> 
> I read in some other thread that one failing BBC didn't seem as warm as the working one so I pulled my cool one and put in another.
> 
> I had tried menu resets, RBRs, the CE and powering off/on to no avail.


This is exactly what happened to me. I had a bad BBC. It was running extremely hot. I unscrewed both BBC and hooked the cable directly onto the receiver and everything except the HD channels worked. I then hooked the BBC's back up and it was searching for signal.

What really made me mad was I called Directv and they would not send any new BBC's to me. So I had to wait 12 days for a tech to come out and replace them for me!


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

It's almost guaranteed that your dish is out of alignment. For all of the available transponders on 99(c) you should be in the 80s or higher. If your in the 10s and 20s then your MPEG4 access will be severely limited. You need to get the dish realigned.



markrubi said:


> Both DVR's on latest National release.
> 
> No multi swtich here. 4 lines in from dish direct to each DVR. 2 lines each.
> 
> ...


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## mikeny (Aug 21, 2006)

andunn27 said:


> This is exactly what happened to me. I had a bad BBC. It was running extremely hot. I unscrewed both BBC and hooked the cable directly onto the receiver and everything except the HD channels worked. I then hooked the BBC's back up and it was searching for signal.
> 
> What really made me mad was I called Directv and they would not send any new BBC's to me. So I had to wait 12 days for a tech to come out and replace them for me!


I just read about your ordeal. It's surprising that they didn't send them as other posters suggested they would. You should have called back and asked again or for a supervisor. I was lucky I had a couple around from getting a replacement unit months ago. At least you got a helpful alignment out of it.


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## markrubi (Oct 12, 2006)

Doug Brott said:


> It's almost guaranteed that your dish is out of alignment. For all of the available transponders on 99(c) you should be in the 80s or higher. If your in the 10s and 20s then your MPEG4 access will be severely limited. You need to get the dish realigned.


I was afraid of this. I wonder if I will be charged. My service has been just fine until they moved the channels 99c.


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## stroh (Oct 18, 2004)

I have the 771 error on 75, 76, and 78 with a HR20-100.

I had this same problem with a previous HR20. The tech came out and tested every thing from the dish to the receivier and then determined that the receiver was bad. He replaced the receiver with a HR21 and I haven't had a problem since. 

My HR10 died and I received a refurb HR20 (Still had programs and setup information from the other customer) and it is displaying the exact same problems. The tech came out today and swapped out the BBC and everything was working, strong signals and all the channels coming in. He left and probably wasn't at the end of the street when it went back to the 771 error again. 

Case management says he'll be back within the hour, we'll see...


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## markrubi (Oct 12, 2006)

UPDATE: Called D* and no charge for my realignment.


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## Metalface12 (Oct 31, 2007)

stroh said:


> I have the 771 error on 75, 76, and 78 with a HR20-100.
> 
> I had this same problem with a previous HR20. The tech came out and tested every thing from the dish to the receivier and then determined that the receiver was bad. He replaced the receiver with a HR21 and I haven't had a problem since.
> 
> ...


I am waiting for a call from them as well. Same issue. 6 times in 11 months. That means 6 calls but it never stops happening.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

mikeny said:


> Changing the BBC did the trick!
> 
> I read in some other thread that one failing BBC didn't seem as warm as the working one so I pulled my cool one and put in another.
> 
> I had tried menu resets, RBRs, the CE and powering off/on to no avail.


I've read about bad BBCs and never had one. And I have a bin full of brand new ones. I just checked mine and they are a little warmer than I would have expected. Good to know.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

slharder said:


> Problem: intermittent "771" on HD channels only


I hate to tell you this after all that thought and work, but I had exactly those symptoms with a 21-700. Got a replacement. Same model, same problems. But both units worked perfectly when I got them. The first 21 went completely berserk and would do nothing but display 771s. 0s on the signals. Right after the first NR that came along. The replacement was fine until the next NR came along. Same thing happened.

Refused a replacement and got a new dish and new cabling thru the Protection Plan. Unfortunately 230 downloaded as a new NR when we turned the 21 back on after the work and two realignments of the dish were done. I have had no problems to speak of since that day and am still not sure if the work we did or the new NRs cleared up the problems. I gotta lean towards the work.

Rich


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## stroh (Oct 18, 2004)

UPDATE: The tech returned in about 90 minutes. He was a little ticked off that he had to come back until I gave him a little piece of my mind. I showed him that the error was consistent regardless of swapping BBC's or switching the coax back and forth. Since the problem stayed on Tuner in 2 regardless it must be internal to the POS HR20. He went on the roof, replaced the LNB, replaced the grounding block, reaimed the dish, and checked every connection between the dish and the receiver and eventually agreed. He had me call case management at DTV to get a second work order to swap the receiver (he had already closed the first). He then went out to his truck and came back with a brand new HR21-100 which fixed the problem. (I haven't seen it since)


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## dskbas (May 27, 2006)

I had the exact same problem here also..What we found was a different ground potential on the zinwell and the breaker panel..ran a ground from the zinwell to breaker panel and haven't had a issue since


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## slharder (Feb 23, 2008)

To close out my problem, a new BBC fixed the issue.


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## K4SMX (May 19, 2007)

stroh said:


> UPDATE: The tech returned in about 90 minutes. He was a little ticked off that he had to come back until I gave him a little piece of my mind. I showed him that the error was consistent regardless of swapping BBC's or switching the coax back and forth. Since the problem stayed on Tuner in 2 regardless it must be internal to the POS HR20. He went on the roof, replaced the LNB, replaced the grounding block, reaimed the dish, and checked every connection between the dish and the receiver and eventually agreed. He had me call case management at DTV to get a second work order to swap the receiver (he had already closed the first). He then went out to his truck and came back with a brand new HR21-100 which fixed the problem. (I haven't seen it since)


Please see this thread and particularly post #19 as it relates to your satellite 110 tuner 2 problem recently corrected by a different receiver.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

dskbas said:


> I had the exact same problem here also..What we found was a different ground potential on the zinwell and the breaker panel..ran a ground from the zinwell to breaker panel and haven't had a issue since


Why didn't you have the installer put a grounding block on? You actually allowed an installer to go into your electrical panel?

Rich


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