Confused Regarding Optus D1 and D2

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Tinshed

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Topic # 136551 1-Dec-2013 11:02

We watch Duna TV quite happily via a satellite dish. Recently my wife said that Duna TV was broadcasting a music saying that parameters were changing and viewers should make the appropriate adjustments. Not seeing the message myself I did some investigating. Based on the Duna TV web-site the reception parameters for Australia/New Zealand are as follows:

Australia and New Zealand:

Satellite: Optus D2
Position: 152°E
Frequency: 12734 MHz
Polarisation: vertical
Symbol rate: 22500 ks/s
FEC: 3/4
DVB-S, MPEG-2, MPEG Layer II

So I then go to menu settings of my satellite receiver (Strong) and do a auto-scan. Duna TV is found again, along with a myriad of Arab and religious channels. All good. However I notice that when I scan, it is scanning Optus D1. You can see a screen-cap here. That's weird. So I scan Optus D2. No channels are found at all. You can see the settings here. I confirmed that Duna is being received via D1 - see screencap here.

So why can I get Duna on Optus D1 when everything I read says it is broadcast on D2? Are my settings for D2 incorrect and hence the reason I can't tune any channels? Maybe my satellite dish is pointing the wrong way?

Any thoughts from those way more knowledgeable on this than I am?

Tinshed
Wellington, New Zealand

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Reply # 943648 1-Dec-2013 11:17

The name of the satellite on those screen shots is just a label, and doesn't actually mean the satellite you are receiving.

The important thing is configuring the LNB and DiSEqC settings correctly, and having a dish pointed in the correct direction.

If you are picking up any channels from D2, then you MUST have a dish pointed at it.

Your LNB settings do look unusual - universal LNBs are not common in NZ.

Can you describe the dish setup you have, and include photos of the LNBs and any satellite switches as well, and we can give you the correct settings for your box.

Tinshed

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Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 943651 1-Dec-2013 11:20

RunningMan: The name of the satellite on those screen shots is just a label, and doesn't actually mean the satellite you are receiving.

The important thing is configuring the LNB and DiSEqC settings correctly, and having a dish pointed in the correct direction.

If you are picking up any channels from D2, then you MUST have a dish pointed at it.

Your LNB settings do look unusual - universal LNBs are not common in NZ.

Can you describe the dish setup you have, and include photos of the LNBs and any satellite switches as well, and we can give you the correct settings for your box.

Thanks RunningMan I'll need to go up onto the roof and take some photos. Will post these later.

Tinshed
Wellington, New Zealand

RunningMan

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Reply # 943653 1-Dec-2013 11:23

Do receive any channels at all from Optus D1 (Freeview etc.), or do you just have a dish pointed at D2?

Tinshed

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Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 943656 1-Dec-2013 11:34

RunningMan: Do receive any channels at all from Optus D1 (Freeview etc.), or do you just have a dish pointed at D2?

No, I don't receive any Freeview channels via this satellite dish (I have an UHF aerial for that). Only Arab and religious channels, along with Duna TV.

As to where the satellite is pointing to, I don't now exactly as it was installed years ago. I am in Ngaio and it is pointing in the general direction of Mt Kaukau at about 300 degrees as best as I can tell.

Tinshed
Wellington, New Zealand

RunningMan

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Reply # 943659 1-Dec-2013 11:43

OK, given that, an educated guess at what the settings should be for Optus D2. If you don't have a dish for D1, you can probably delete any settings for that.

LNB power: On
LNB Type: Will probably be custom, or something similar - scroll through the available ones, and see if it will give you one which matches the LNB frequency below.
LNB Freq: 11,300
22kHz: Off
DiSEqC: Off.

Tinshed

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Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 943664 1-Dec-2013 12:03

RunningMan: OK, given that, an educated guess at what the settings should be for Optus D2. If you don't have a dish for D1, you can probably delete any settings for that.

LNB power: On
LNB Type: Will probably be custom, or something similar - scroll through the available ones, and see if it will give you one which matches the LNB frequency below.
LNB Freq: 11,300
22kHz: Off
DiSEqC: Off.

Thanks so much RunningMan for your help here. I entered those settings as close as I could - see here. I had to manually enter the LNB Freq as none of the LNB types I could scroll through gave me 11,300. Did an auto-scan and it found 13 TV channels (all religious I think) but not Duna TV.

Tinshed
Wellington, New Zealand

RunningMan

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Reply # 943666 1-Dec-2013 12:08

If it needs 2 LNB frequencies, try them both at 11,300

Tinshed

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Reply # 943691 1-Dec-2013 13:33

RunningMan: If it needs 2 LNB frequencies, try them both at 11,300

Did this and re-ran the auto-scan. Still not picking up Duna TV. However I discovered that every time I do an automatic scan my satellite receiver cumulatively adds the stations it finds, rather than replacing existing ones. So I now have over a 100 stations stored with many repeats! LOL. Anyway, I took a photo of the satellite dish which you can see here. Not sure it will of much help as everything appears covered up. I am a bit beyond climbing onto the roof and having a closer look (wife wouldn't let me anyway I suspect!). As you can see, we have actually have two dishes - one an old Sky TV which we don't use, being on Vodafone cable, and the one we use for Duna TV - which I suspect is the grey one of the two.

As I say RunningMan, really appreciate your help here. I know how hard it is to do 'remote' support like this. Perhaps I need to get someone professionally to take a look. As I said in my beginning post, we can get Duna TV, it is just I am not sure we getting an optimal picture and have everything set up correctly.

Tinshed
Wellington, New Zealand

RunningMan

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Reply # 943700 1-Dec-2013 14:43

Actually, that picture is very helpful.

The dark grey dish will be pointing at D2, and the lighter one pointing at D1 / C1.

The skew on the D2 LNB looks to be 90 degrees out, which explains why Duna are specifying vertical polarisation, but your receiver is picking it up on horizontal (H). You can climb up and rotate the LNB 90 degrees to get it correct, but realistically, it just means that you need to be aware that H & V are swapped around.

I suspect that it may have been done deliberately if a simple multiswitch had been installed previously so that both dishes could be used - won't bore you with the details, but can you have a look to see if the cable comes directly from the dish to your receiver, or of there is a switch that both dishes connect to first?

Also, if you can type out a quick list of the channels which show up when you do a scan, that would be helpful.

Ultimately, if you can receive Duna TV, and get a watchable picture, there's no need to muck around any further, however, if you are keen to get it set up 100%, keep going!

Tinshed

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Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 943729 1-Dec-2013 15:59

RunningMan: Actually, that picture is very helpful.

The dark grey dish will be pointing at D2, and the lighter one pointing at D1 / C1.

The skew on the D2 LNB looks to be 90 degrees out, which explains why Duna are specifying vertical polarisation, but your receiver is picking it up on horizontal (H). You can climb up and rotate the LNB 90 degrees to get it correct, but realistically, it just means that you need to be aware that H & V are swapped around.

I suspect that it may have been done deliberately if a simple multiswitch had been installed previously so that both dishes could be used - won't bore you with the details, but can you have a look to see if the cable comes directly from the dish to your receiver, or of there is a switch that both dishes connect to first?

Also, if you can type out a quick list of the channels which show up when you do a scan, that would be helpful.

Ultimately, if you can receive Duna TV, and get a watchable picture, there's no need to muck around any further, however, if you are keen to get it set up 100%, keep going!

As far as I can tell one of the three cables that originate from the two dishes (see screencap here) comes directly through the wall of the house and into the satellite receiver. There are other coax cables and a splitter among the rat's nest of cables behind the TV but these don't go into satellite receiver, but appear to go the DVD player/recorder. But gee, it would take me a week to untangle all those cables!

As to the stations I get when I auto-tune on D2 here is a screencap. Judging from this page (http://www.lyngsat.com/Optus-D2.html) these programs are on 12519 V tp 5L. But I have no idea what that means ;-)

Tinshed
Wellington, New Zealand

RunningMan

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Reply # 943734 1-Dec-2013 16:35

You're quite right - TBN* is on 12519 V

Two things stand out:

1) Your receiver is showing this as (H) not (V) - this is because the LNB is 90 degrees out

2) Your receiver is showing this as 12581 - a difference of 62MHz - This probably means the LNB on the dish is starting to fail, and it's L.O. frequency is drifting out.

If you add this extra 62MHz to the new transponder frequency for Duna (12734), you get 12,796, which is above the 12,750 cut off of most LNBs.

Basically, looks like your LNB needs to be replaced - new one may as well be set up with the correct skew when it's done. It's reasonably easy to DIY if you can get to the dish safely.

In the meantime, it looks as though Duna is still broadcasting on 12608 H, which will probably show up as 12,670 V on your box. That should keep you going in the short term if you can do a scan of that transponder.

EDIT: Just confirm you had entered 11,300 for both LNB frequencies, and turned 22kHz off?

Tinshed

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Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 943764 1-Dec-2013 18:06

RunningMan: You're quite right - TBN* is on 12519 V

Two things stand out:

1) Your receiver is showing this as (H) not (V) - this is because the LNB is 90 degrees out

2) Your receiver is showing this as 12581 - a difference of 62MHz - This probably means the LNB on the dish is starting to fail, and it's L.O. frequency is drifting out.

If you add this extra 62MHz to the new transponder frequency for Duna (12734), you get 12,796, which is above the 12,750 cut off of most LNBs.

Basically, looks like your LNB needs to be replaced - new one may as well be set up with the correct skew when it's done. It's reasonably easy to DIY if you can get to the dish safely.

In the meantime, it looks as though Duna is still broadcasting on 12608 H, which will probably show up as 12,670 V on your box. That should keep you going in the short term if you can do a scan of that transponder.

EDIT: Just confirm you had entered 11,300 for both LNB frequencies, and turned 22kHz off?

It wouldn't surprise me if there was an equipment failure somewhere along the way as the dish as been in place for about 10 years. If I do need someone professionally to have a look, any recommendations?

Tinshed
Wellington, New Zealand

RunningMan

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Reply # 943812 1-Dec-2013 19:47

These guys are as good as any for a replacement LNB.

www.freeviewshop.co.nz/

As for someone to go to you - roughly what area are you in?

Tinshed

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Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 943828 1-Dec-2013 20:41

RunningMan: These guys are as good as any for a replacement LNB.

www.freeviewshop.co.nz/

As for someone to go to you - roughly what area are you in?

Wellington, Ngaio.

Tinshed
Wellington, New Zealand

RunningMan

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Reply # 943831 1-Dec-2013 20:52

Can't help you there, no doubt someone else can make a recommendation though.

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