# Direct TV signal loss



## Redwings10 (Oct 18, 2008)

Have had DTV HD model H20 for about a year now, and have had no problems up until maybe 2 weeks ago. Started having signal loss and signal strengths on every sateliite go down to 0. If I unplug coaxial from back of receiver and then plug back in signal returns for about 5 mins and then goes down again. All satellite signals good when working, except 103 a&b, cannot get them for some reason.
Any tips or solutions would be appreciated!


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## David MacLeod (Jan 29, 2008)

change bbc's.


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## Redwings10 (Oct 18, 2008)

it does it without bbc as well


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

Redwings10 said:


> Have had DTV HD model H20 for about a year now, and have had no problems up until maybe 2 weeks ago. Started having signal loss and signal strengths on every sateliite go down to 0. If I unplug coaxial from back of receiver and then plug back in signal returns for about 5 mins and then goes down again. All satellite signals good when working, except 103 a&b, cannot get them for some reason.
> Any tips or solutions would be appreciated!


Welcome to DBSTalk :welcome_s

You said you unplug the coax, is the one or two?

Is the signal loss on both tuners?

What other equipment do you have, receivers, switches, etc?

Mike


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## Redwings10 (Oct 18, 2008)

just one coax - sat in. Signal loss is on both - cannot even get non HD channels when it goes down, have to unplug coax and plug back in.  Only have the 1 H20 receiver, and its not hooked up to any switches, just straight from sat


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## mauijiminar (Oct 11, 2007)

Redwings10 said:


> it does it without bbc as well


What is a BBC?


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

Redwings10 said:


> just one coax - sat in. Signal loss is on both - cannot even get non HD channels when it goes down, have to unplug coax and plug back in. Only have the 1 H20 receiver, and its not hooked up to any switches, just straight from sat


You might try to unplug power to the receiver for about 10-15 minutes. Leave the coax connected.

When it starts back up post you signal strengths.

Satellite transponders (32 total at 101°)
1-8 # # # # # # # #
9-16 # # # # # # # #
17-24 # # # # # # # #
25-32 # # # # # # # #

Satellite transponders (3 total at 110°)
1-8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA #
9-16 NA # NA # NA NA NA NA

Satellite transponders (11 total at 119°)
17-24 NA NA NA NA NA # # #
25-32 # # # # # # # #

Satellite transponders (6 total at 99°(s))
1-8 # # # # # # NA NA
[Note: these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103°(s))
1-8 # # # # # # NA NA
9-16 NA NA NA NA NA NA # #
17-24 # # # # # # # #
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103°(c))
1-8 # # # # # # # #
9-16 # # # # # # NA NA
17-24 # NA NA NA NA # NA NA

Mike


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

mauijiminar said:


> What is a BBC?


B-Band Converter.

Here is a discussion with some good info.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=134498&highlight=bbc

Mike


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Sounds like you may be having a failure with your LNB assembly or the receiver's power supply. Of course there may be a connection that fails as it heats up...


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## timmmaaayyy2003 (Jan 27, 2008)

Could it be static buildup? I remember when I worked tech support for DTV that after thunderstorms this was a symptom. Check grounding connections.


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

harsh said:


> Read more carefully what receiver and circumstances the OP is talking about.


Yes you are correct. I missed H20 vice HR20.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

timmmaaayyy2003 said:


> Could it be static buildup?


Reattaching the cable should drain any static buildup (assuming that the cable isn't properly grounded allowing it to build up in the first place).


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## Redwings10 (Oct 18, 2008)

After unplugging for 15 mins, here are my signal strengths

101 - 32 total

1-8 95 87 88 97 89 94 87 93 
9-16 88 80 87 98 85 90 85 90
17-24 88 0 87 96 82 89 87 90
25-32 85 93 88 23 93 94 88 96

110 - 3 total

1-8 na na na na na na na 85
9-16 na 88 na 85 na na na na
17-24 na na na na na na na na
25-32 na na na na na na na na

119 - 11 total

1-8 na na na na na na na na
9-16 na na na na na na na na
17-24 na na na na na 94 70 95
25-32 78 94 98 95 87 95 93 97

99(a) - 14 total

1-8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9-16 0 0 0 0 0 0 na na
17-24 na na na na na na na na
25-32 na na na na na na na na
never had this one even when working properly

99(b) - 16 total

1-8 32 23 41 16 36 0 na na
9-16 na na na na na na 0 0
17-24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
25-32 na na na na na na na na
always been low as well

103(a) - SIGNAL FAILED

1-8 na na na na na na na na
9-16 na na na na na na na na
17-24 na na na na na na na na
25-32 na na na na na na na na

103(b) - 14 total

1-8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9-16 0 0 0 0 0 0 na na
17-24 na na na na na na na na 
25-32 na na na na na na na na


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## texasbrit (Aug 9, 2006)

That's a pretty good sign of a BBC failure. You are not seeing any signals from DirecTV10 or DirecTV11 (99a and 103b, and the high-numbered transponders on 99b and 103a - those are spotbeams so are often zero but I would expect you to see a couple of signals there).
If it is not a BBC then it is something else interrupting the b-band signals. Poor connector maybe, unless you have a diplexer or surge protector in the cable. It is unlikely to be an LNB problem because the 99 and 103 LNBs are separate, and also you are getting some signals on 99b.


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

Check your info screen. If you have an H20-600 model, call Directv and tell them your receiver is being recalled, and is failing. They will send you a new receiver. If you use the OTA tuner in it, make sure they know you need OTA in advance. Also tell them to send you a new BBC.


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

I have to agree with texasbrit. 

You should put in a call to DirecTV.

Mike


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## jwd45244 (Aug 18, 2006)

If this is an H20-600, (The poster did not say) it may be failing. He should contact DirecTV and see if this is one to be recalled.


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## Redwings10 (Oct 18, 2008)

I did my signal strengths with no BBC. I can watch non HD channels with no problems, but as soon as I put on a HD channel, within 5 mins I lose signal have no signals at all, and can't get any channels, with or without the BBC. Still think a receiver issue??


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## Richierich (Jan 10, 2008)

It sounds like a bad BBC which is a very common problem which is one reason Directv is going with Internal Broadband Tuner on its HR23!!!

The higher frequency channels are downconverted and then need to be upconverted or restored to their higher frequency which is what the BBC does. 

That is why you can't diplex OTA into the stream because it does not get downconverted and then gets upconverted by the BBC and exists on a higher frequency than it's original frequency so it can't be detected.


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## paulman182 (Aug 4, 2006)

richierich said:


> The higher frequency channels are downrezzed and then need to be uprezzed or restored to their higher frequency which is what the BBC does. That is why you can't diplex OTA into the stream because it does not get downrezzed and then gets uprezzed by the BBC and exists on a higher frequency than it's original frequency.


Sorry, but "downrezzed" is not a proper or appropriate term for this, especially since the term has a different, negative usage.

The Ka band is downconverted, or frequency converted, to a different band.

I'm sure you know, "downrezzing" is something else entirely, as the "rez" part is short for "resolution."


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## Richierich (Jan 10, 2008)

Well, since you are so grammatically correct why don't you explain it to him!!! I think he gets the picture!!!


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## paulman182 (Aug 4, 2006)

richierich said:


> Well, since you are so grammatically correct why don't you explain it to him!!! I think he gets the picture!!!


I thought you did a good job of explaining except for that one word, which has a big negative meaning for a lot of HD fans. I didn't want anyone taking it the wrong way.

I'm sorry if you think I was out of line, I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers.:nono2:


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## Richierich (Jan 10, 2008)

No harm taken just trying to help him out and solve his problem!!!


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## cody21 (Sep 26, 2007)

Redwings - we had the exact same problem, albeit we have 2 receivers, an HR20-700 (DVR) and an H20-100 (non DVR). We had our system professionally installed over a year ago and then out of the blue, we started getting the same symptoms that you are getting - on BOTH units at the same time (when it occurred). Intermittent 771 Searching for Signal .. blah blah ... We checked everything. All cable connections, etc. The fact that it was happening on BOTH units suggested to us that the problem was up at the slimline dish area. We climbed on the roof and "tapped" the LNBs lightly - and the sigbnal came back. So we disconnected them and retightened them (1 was loose). The signals were strong for like 5 hours and we suddenly started getting the 771 error again. Put a call into DTV and the sent a Tech. I explained to him everything we did and that we strongly suspected the LNB(s). he swapped out all 3 LNBs on the "arm" and problem has been resolved since (6 weeks now). For whatever reason, these new LNBs for the HD MPEG4's seem to be a lot more sensitive than the ones we had installed before. Good luck.


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