Winegard DirecTV satellite
June 26, 2010 3:55 PM Subscribe
What are the correct settings on a DirecTV HD23 receiver in order to get it to work with a Winegard MV3500A "Movin' View" mobile antenna?
We bought a motor home with the MV3500A dish on the roof, but no receiver. DirecTV is our provider at home. I called their customer service and told them about the RV dish, and was assured that it would work with the HD23 receiver.
I've installed the receiver and cannot get the receiver to see the signal from the dish. The manual (found online at the Winegard site) says to set the "dish type" on the receiver setup screen to "two LNB oval", which isn't an option on this receiver.
When I turn the power on to the dish, I can hear the motor moving the dish until it finds the satellite and locks in, so I am pretty sure that part is working correctly.
Help?
We bought a motor home with the MV3500A dish on the roof, but no receiver. DirecTV is our provider at home. I called their customer service and told them about the RV dish, and was assured that it would work with the HD23 receiver.
I've installed the receiver and cannot get the receiver to see the signal from the dish. The manual (found online at the Winegard site) says to set the "dish type" on the receiver setup screen to "two LNB oval", which isn't an option on this receiver.
When I turn the power on to the dish, I can hear the motor moving the dish until it finds the satellite and locks in, so I am pretty sure that part is working correctly.
Help?
Response by poster: Thanks, kidbritish. Tried that, still no go.
I am now wondering which of the dish pointing settings to use. I tried it with zip code and then with latitude/longitude, and they seemed to differ by quite a bit as far as elevation and azimuth are concerned.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 6:05 PM on June 26, 2010
I am now wondering which of the dish pointing settings to use. I tried it with zip code and then with latitude/longitude, and they seemed to differ by quite a bit as far as elevation and azimuth are concerned.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 6:05 PM on June 26, 2010
Dumb question: Do you have the BBC module (looks like a grey rectangular box that sits in-line between the dish and the receiver) connected? I believe this has to be disconnected when you're on a 101-only dish.
Other than that, I'd pop over to Craigslist and see if anyone has a basic SD receiver (since you won't be getting HD off of that MV3500A anyway) for use in your RV.
posted by fireoyster at 9:39 PM on June 26, 2010
Other than that, I'd pop over to Craigslist and see if anyone has a basic SD receiver (since you won't be getting HD off of that MV3500A anyway) for use in your RV.
posted by fireoyster at 9:39 PM on June 26, 2010
Response by poster: fireoyster, there is one inside the dome. I will disconnect it today and see if that works. I do have a spare SD receiver at home, so when we get back I'll switch that out too.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 7:35 AM on June 27, 2010
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 7:35 AM on June 27, 2010
Best answer: hi, my hubby does directv and he says:
The mv3500a isn't for hd so the satellite dish setting on the receiver can be 18" round dish. The broadband converter(s) are not relevant (on or off) since they only affect the hd signals.
What I would do is go to the signal meter on the receiver and then run the pointing routine on the dish while you watch the meter. If you get nothing at all (pure zeros) it is going to be either a bad connection somewhere in the satellite line(most likely) or possibly a bad LNB (thingy on the dish).
If you see numbers but the dish won't peak itself, there may be too much slack in the gears. I've seen this a couple of times on older units. As a band-aid to get tv if this is the case, you can run the point routine with your finger on the off button and try to shut it off just as you see the max number. You should get something adequate in a couple of tries. There may be an adjustment inside to fix it, but that's beyond my expertise.
If you're just getting flat zeros... check that the cable is plugged into the right port and that any connections you can access are snug. Maybe reset the receiver. Try another receiver if you have one. At this point, if you still get zeros, you're going to need a tech with a good meter to chase it down... Good luck!
posted by hollyanderbody at 9:55 AM on June 27, 2010
The mv3500a isn't for hd so the satellite dish setting on the receiver can be 18" round dish. The broadband converter(s) are not relevant (on or off) since they only affect the hd signals.
What I would do is go to the signal meter on the receiver and then run the pointing routine on the dish while you watch the meter. If you get nothing at all (pure zeros) it is going to be either a bad connection somewhere in the satellite line(most likely) or possibly a bad LNB (thingy on the dish).
If you see numbers but the dish won't peak itself, there may be too much slack in the gears. I've seen this a couple of times on older units. As a band-aid to get tv if this is the case, you can run the point routine with your finger on the off button and try to shut it off just as you see the max number. You should get something adequate in a couple of tries. There may be an adjustment inside to fix it, but that's beyond my expertise.
If you're just getting flat zeros... check that the cable is plugged into the right port and that any connections you can access are snug. Maybe reset the receiver. Try another receiver if you have one. At this point, if you still get zeros, you're going to need a tech with a good meter to chase it down... Good luck!
posted by hollyanderbody at 9:55 AM on June 27, 2010
Response by poster: hollyanderbody, please give your husband my thanks. I tried everything he suggested (even ran a completely new coax cable off directly off the dish to the receiver) and still get nothing but zeros. At this point I am going to assume the LNB is bad, and since there's nothing I can do about that up here in Yellowstone I am going to leave it alone until we get home.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 12:52 PM on June 27, 2010
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 12:52 PM on June 27, 2010
Response by poster: Tried one more setting change - put the "switch type" to "multiswitch" instead of "SWM" and it worked with the 18" round dish type.
Thanks, everyone who answered.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 1:34 PM on June 27, 2010
Thanks, everyone who answered.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 1:34 PM on June 27, 2010
Response by poster: Also, for anyone who may read this in the future, the signal is stronger using latitude and longitude for dish pointing instead of zip code - at least out here in the middle of nowhere.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 3:47 PM on June 27, 2010
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 3:47 PM on June 27, 2010
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NOTE: I'm an employee of DIRECTV, but this post only represents my personal opinion, and not an official statement.
posted by kidbritish at 5:33 PM on June 26, 2010