# Only able to receive Local Channels-For a while, that is



## wsscott (Dec 27, 2007)

This is my first message, and hope I can get some help. I've got a VIP 211, with an external UHF antenna to pickup the Digital Local Channels. I also have a subscription to Satellite Local Channels. These channels that I'm talking about are OTA local digitals. I have a Timer set to turn on the 211 at 6:15 a.m. It also is programmed to go into standby at 5:00 a.m. if it has not been turned off at night. The problem that I am having is that in the morning it sometimes will only scroll through 4 of the local channels using the remote and not go any higher (unless I input the channel number) and then it recycles through them. Later in the day, say late afternoon, it works fine. I never had this problem until about a month ago. I've thought of everything, and was provided a new unit 2 weeks ago. Same problem. I don't know why but I feel it has something to do with the Timer. This is driving me crazy. If you reset the unit it works fine--until the next day. The Program Guide shows all channels available even when I'm having the problem. Any ideas?????


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

Did you leave the daily update at the default time of 3am?

If so, the unit will power itself off to do that update and all you really need to do is wake it up in the morning.

I have mine set to never go into standby, but it still will shut down at 3am daily and I have an auto tune timer set for 4am to wake it up.

Other than that one hour daily, my 211 is on 23/7, I gave it an hour to do its business before kicking it awake.

If the times are crossed up maybe that could cause problems.

Have you checked the guide when it has these problems, or run a check switch?


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## wsscott (Dec 27, 2007)

Jim5506 said:


> Did you leave the daily update at the default time of 3am?
> 
> If so, the unit will power itself off to do that update and all you really need to do is wake it up in the morning.
> 
> ...


Unfortunately I've done that. Doesn't make any difference. They gave me a new unit, and I have the same problem. Yesterday I checked system info, and it showed Sat 129 as red and x'd out, and it said I had lost signal 6 times during each of the last 3 days. The receiver was off all day yesterday, and still didn't work when I turned it on last night. THIS MORNING it is working. But it does this all the time. It won't be working this afternoon. I have the L435 firmware version. I think it started going bad when the firmware changed to L434 happened this past October.


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

What dish and switch combo do you have. It could be a problem there, since replacing the receiver did not help.


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## wsscott (Dec 27, 2007)

Mine is the Dish 1000. Where can I find out info on the switch combo? Where would it be located--the switch combo that is?


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

Menu 6, 1, 3 gives system info. Item H is devices will show switch and lnb's.

By combo, I meant dish and switch combination.


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## wsscott (Dec 27, 2007)

Item H says: DPP 1K.2; 1K.2(1); 1K.2(2); 1K.2(3)


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

Looks like you have a Dish 1000.2 and may have a bad switch (internal) or lnb.

My guess is the built in switch is faulty.

Call Dish.


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## wsscott (Dec 27, 2007)

If the switch is bad, why don't I have this problem on the other HD/DVR receiver or the SD receiver? Is the switch physically in the box where the dish is located? Thanks


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

In your case (with a 1000.2 dish) the switch is located with the LNBs on the arm of your dish. Sometimes one output of a switch will go crazy. Here is something that you can try:

Unplug ALL of your receivers at the same time. Completely cold. Then reconnect power to the receivers. Then run a check switch (via menu 6-1-1) on each receiver.

Unplugging all of the receivers will allow the switch to power down completely and reset. If you leave any receiver powered up the switch will not reset so make sure they are all down at the same time (not kill #1, reconnect, kill #2, reconnect but kill ALL at the same time).


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## wsscott (Dec 27, 2007)

Thanks, I'll give it a try. What does the switch do anyway? Thanks


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

The coax to your receiver can only carry so much signal. Satellite providers generally use the band from 950 to 2150 on the coax ... above broadcast TV so you can diplex UHF on the cable if you desire. Each satellite consumes 500 MHz per polarity.

Transmitting ALL the content from ONE satellite location down the coax can be done simply by stacking the signal. No switching required. But when you want to combine the source signals from multiple satellites you need a switch. The receiver tells the switch which input it wants, the switch complies, and you can watch channels from another satellite location without turning the dish.


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## wsscott (Dec 27, 2007)

My service people changed the switch, and that seems to have solved the problem. Thanks


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## wsscott (Dec 27, 2007)

Well I spoke too soon. This weekend it went back to doing its old thing. This morning it was still acting up so I went into the Channel Guide and scrolled forward for about 2 days and then it said the Guide was out of date and needed to be updated. So it started that, and when it finished, EVERYTHING WAS JUST FINE!!! This is driving me crazy. I have to assume that its a software problem with the receiver, since there's nothing left to replace. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Thanks.


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