Video electronics question

[gator67]

We have an LG LSS 3200A satellite receiver for the front TV. Recently, intermittently, we lose some of our stations, e.g. some of the XM stations, some east and/or west coast feeds, and a few other channels. Sometimes resetting the receiver takes care of the problem, and sometimes it doesn't. We have an RCA receiver for the back TV and it has no problems. DirecTV suggested I remove the cable from the back of the receiver and reseat it. I hesitiate to do that because the back of the receiver is so inaccessible, and, it seems like all the stations should fail if the connection was bad.

I don't know if it's related or coincidental, but transponder 2 has a strong signal when it all works, and no signal when it has problems.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[Jim A]

Jerry,

The satellite receivers send a voltage signal over the coax to the LNB on the satellite dish. There are two voltage ranges. The different voltages switch something in the LNB to tune different channels. If the receiver can't find the correct channel, possibly that voltage signal is not getting through. Reseating the coax might work, but I doubt it. I was never that lucky. But it would be an easy check IF you could get to the back of your receiver.

Since your rear TV receiver is working fine, I would suggest that you switch the coax leads at the satellite dish. (It might be easier to get to than the back of the receiver if you like climbing on the roof!) If the problem switches from one to the other, something might be wrong with the LNB. If there is only one coax at the dish, that would likely be your problem.

If there is only one coax at the dish, you can't properly run two receivers with a simple splitter. But people try to do that anyway, and can sometimes get away with it most of the time. If whoever installed it split one coax to two leads, that can cause errors when one receiver sends one voltage and the other sends the second voltage. But I have seen Alpine Coaches wired that way. Does the problem only happen when the back receiver is turned on? Disconnect the coax to the rear TV and see if the problem with the front TV goes away.

I hope this gives you something to get started.