DVB-S Tuner not working?

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PANiCnz

990 posts

Ultimate Geek

#87274 24-Jul-2011 12:43

I picked up a Technotrend S-1401 about 6 months back with the intention of adding PVR functionality to my HTPC but have only got around to trying it out recently.

Added the card to a spare Windows XP machine, installed the drivers and then installed Mediaportal all without a hitch. Now when I go to scan for Freeview I get the following error message that concerns me:

I wouldn't be so concerned but for the red text saying "No signal", if I were getting signal I'd put it down to a simple PEBKAC error and keep on trying. Now I'm fairly certain there is a signal coming from the satalite as its used to receive Sky TV without issue.

Is there a chance my tuner is faulty? or is there another explanation?

I'm fairly new to MP, (been using XBMC for ever) is there something simple I'm doing wrong?

Cheers

RunningMan

8965 posts

Uber Geek

#497328 24-Jul-2011 13:07

I'm not familiar with MP, but it looks like you are looking for a signal based on 156E (C1/D3) transponders. Try changing the satellite to 160E (D1), and search the transponder frequencies for that satellite, as that is the one used by Freeview and Sky, so most likely where your dish is pointing.

Again, don't know much about MP, but you may need to manually set the LNB settings, rather than just select Ku Universal.

PANiCnz

990 posts

Ultimate Geek

#497331 24-Jul-2011 13:11

Tried D1 without luck also, getting the exact same error.

I did notice when attaching the cable to the card that it didnt take many turns to tighten completely, is there a chance that perhaps the cable isn't making good enough contact? Is this a common problem? Are the connectors used by Sky perhap known to be crap?

RunningMan

8965 posts

Uber Geek

#497337 24-Jul-2011 13:26

There is often only a couple of turns on those F plugs.

Is there a way of manually setting the LNB settings in MP?

mcraenz

1140 posts

Uber Geek

#497413 24-Jul-2011 20:29

What sort on LNB do you have? You might need to tick the use advanced tuning and enter your LNB

Try
Low:10750, high:10750, sw:0
Or
Low:11300, high11300, sw:0

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PANiCnz

990 posts

Ultimate Geek

#499963 31-Jul-2011 10:30

mcraenz: What sort on LNB do you have? You might need to tick the use advanced tuning and enter your LNB

Try
Low:10750, high:10750, sw:0
Or
Low:11300, high11300, sw:0

Thanks for the help, but this was unsuccessful also. Is there any tools out there I can use to see if the tuner is even receiving a signal from the satellite?

RunningMan

8965 posts

Uber Geek

#499981 31-Jul-2011 12:21

Do you have another sat receiver to plug in so you can test tne LNB/dish?

GF74

85 posts

Master Geek

#500168 1-Aug-2011 08:56

I had to set mine up with the following settings to get it to go.
LOF1: 10750
LOF2: 11300
Switch: 20000

I also created a custom satellite file (called it '160.°E Freeview.xml') just to target the right FTA transponders on Optus D1 (speeds up scanning):

<code>
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ArrayOfTransponder xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">

<Transponder>
    <CarrierFrequency>12483000</CarrierFrequency>
    <Polarisation>LinearH</Polarisation>
    <SymbolRate>22500</SymbolRate>
    <Modulation>ModNotSet</Modulation>
    <InnerFecRate>Rate3_4</InnerFecRate>
    <Pilot>NotSet</Pilot>
    <Rolloff>NotSet</Rolloff>
</Transponder>
<Transponder>
    <CarrierFrequency>12456000</CarrierFrequency>
    <Polarisation>LinearH</Polarisation>
    <SymbolRate>22500</SymbolRate>
    <Modulation>ModNotSet</Modulation>
    <InnerFecRate>Rate3_4</InnerFecRate>
    <Pilot>NotSet</Pilot>
    <Rolloff>NotSet</Rolloff>
</Transponder>
</ArrayOfTransponder>
</code>

Then add this line to satellites.xml (in

<code>
<satellite name="160.0°E FreeviewNZ" url="http://fastsatfinder.com/bin/mp/1600.ini"/>
</code>

These files are located in 'c:\programdata\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server\TuningParameters\dvbs' on Win7/Server2008. Probably somewhere in 'c:\documents and settings' on WinXP.

Hope this helps.

Grant

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

PANiCnz

990 posts

Ultimate Geek

#571634 21-Jan-2012 14:53

Its been a while but this problem is still on going, have now tried a S480 and am having the same problem.

Nearly certain it's something to do with the satalite or cable but have no idea what. All software with both cards report no signal quality or signal strength no matter what I try.

Is there any situation where a Sky box will receive signal but when the same cable is plug directly into a PC tuner no signal is received?

Since the Sky box is working I assume the satalite is correctly aligned etc.

mm1352000

1149 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#571677 21-Jan-2012 16:54

Hi mate

The directions given so far have been pretty much bang on target.

If you have a TeVii S480, make sure you plugged in the floppy power connector.

You do want to be scanning Optus D1. Let the scan run right the way through, as it may initially tell you about frequencies with no signal that are only available in Australia.

For MediaPortal, please use the following settings (assuming a standard Sky dish):

- tick the first row
- select "none"
- select anything
- select 160.0E Optus D1
- tick "use advanced tuning options"
- tick "override default LNB frequencies"

Then try each of the following combinations in the Low, High and Switch fields (in order from top to bottom):
10750
10750
12750

11300
11300
12750

You can do a "single transponder" scan to save yourself time:

Frequency = 12456000
Symbol Rate = 22500
Polarisation = Horizontal
Modulation = Not Set
Inner FEC Rate = 3/4
Pilot = Not Set
Roll-Off = Not Set

If that still doesn't work, please click "open log directory" in the top left corner, zip up all the files you find there, upload the zip file to rapidshare or similar and I'll be happy to take a look and see if there is anything further that can be suggested.

mm

PANiCnz

990 posts

Ultimate Geek

#571697 21-Jan-2012 17:31

mm1352000: Hi mate

The directions given so far have been pretty much bang on target.

If you have a TeVii S480, make sure you plugged in the floppy power connector.

You do want to be scanning Optus D1. Let the scan run right the way through, as it may initially tell you about frequencies with no signal that are only available in Australia.

For MediaPortal, please use the following settings (assuming a standard Sky dish):

- tick the first row
- select "none"
- select anything
- select 160.0E Optus D1
- tick "use advanced tuning options"
- tick "override default LNB frequencies"

Then try each of the following combinations in the Low, High and Switch fields (in order from top to bottom):
10750
10750
12750

11300
11300
12750

You can do a "single transponder" scan to save yourself time:

Frequency = 12456000
Symbol Rate = 22500
Polarisation = Horizontal
Modulation = Not Set
Inner FEC Rate = 3/4
Pilot = Not Set
Roll-Off = Not Set

If that still doesn't work, please click "open log directory" in the top left corner, zip up all the files you find there, upload the zip file to rapidshare or similar and I'll be happy to take a look and see if there is anything further that can be suggested.

mm

Power connector is connected, tried those settings and no success. Have uploaded logs to rapidshare:

https://rapidshare.com/files/1728867079/log.rar

If you could have a look that would be appreciated.

mm1352000

1149 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#571732 21-Jan-2012 20:05

Hi again

I don't see anything that stands out in those logs - just a whole lot of "no signal".

Next question would be: how have you connected the tuner (cabling wise)? Have you installed some kind of splitter to allow you to connect both the Sky decoder and the PC, or have you unplugged the Sky decoder while testing?

Also, do you have one of the Sky LNBs (the grey coloured thing on the dish that the cable is connected to) with an oval (instead of circular) "face" with two necks?

mm

PANiCnz

990 posts

Ultimate Geek

#571762 21-Jan-2012 21:54

Cable is the same cable that goes straight into the Sky box, no splitter.

I think its wide of the wider/oval dual LNB's, definately not one of the smaller round ones.

mm1352000

1149 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#571778 21-Jan-2012 22:51

Right, okay.

If you have the twin/dual head LNB then the LNB frequencies should be [10750, 10750, and 12750 (or 0)] as far as I'm aware.

What happens if you try scanning an Optus C1 transponder (?) - maybe the LNB is getting stuck in the wrong mode.

Frequency: 12407000
Symbol rate: 30000
Polarisation: vertical
Modulation: not set
Inner FEC rate: 2/3
Pilot: not set
Roll-off: not set

There have been quite a few threads on this forum about those LNBs failing in various ways. This may seem nonsensical given that the Sky decoder works, but maybe your one is on the way out too. Would be worth trying to scan a vertical transponder on D1.

Frequency: 12637000
Symbol rate: 5100
Polarisation: vertical
Modulation: not set
Inner FEC rate: 3/4
Pilot: not set
Roll-off: not set

That is a feed transponder but I think it is still available (somebody correct me if I'm wrong). As such, it may be lower power which implies more stringent dish/LNB alignment requirements.

If neither of those transponders work then I would be starting to get to the end of my suggestions. It is not unheard of for one STB/tuner to work while others don't. Tuners do have different sensitivities so if the dish alignment or cabling isn't crash-hot or the LNB is on its way out then maybe getting a professional to check stuff is a good idea.

*** I take it you're aware that tuners supply power to the dish so it is a very good idea to turn devices off before switching cables around to avoid short-circuiting the power supplies. I hope the problem is nothing as serious as that however there isn't too much more that I could think of. I also speak from personal [bad] experience on that topic - it is easy to make a mistake without realising it.

PANiCnz

990 posts

Ultimate Geek

#572007 22-Jan-2012 17:54

Boom got it!

Borrow a Freeview STB this afternoon to confirm the satalite and cable were ok, which they were.

Then decided to install the card in another PC that was low profile so needed to change the bracket and noticed the inputs where the cable connects were rubbing against the bracket possibly causing a short. Removed bracket carefully positioned card and am now tuning Freeview.

Missing the TVNZ channels but at least I know it works.

Thanks for all your help!