Quote:
Originally Posted by Boatdoctor
Datron DBS-3000-350
Another question about my 2002 Dynasty. Purchased it about 3 months ago. It came with a Sony Directv receiver. I had to purchase a new receiver due to the Sony not having the 12 digit number on the box anywhere. The only difference I see is the new one does not have a data port (looks similar to the phone connection) like the Sony. The dish points in the correct direction and appears to work correctly as far as pointing goes. When I turn on the tv it is in the setup mode, I pick the 18" round dish option. It then tries to verify the settings but always comes back with "no signal".
I did some googleing and saw something about that dish needing the data port to work. I would guess all the Monaco's of that era would have the same dish and hopefully someone here can shed some light. Directv's answer was to just buy a new dish. Not really in the budget right now.
Thank you
Brian
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Brian,
I went through the same scenario you are now experiencing.
The Datron does indeed need the low speed data port connected to the satellite receiver if it is to automatically find the desired satellite. I found two ways around this, apart from replacing the entire system.
First way was to replace the original Sony with a receiver or DVR that DirecTV would be happy with. I just took one from the house and hooked it up. As you probably have found there is a coax connecter on the back of the Datron and that should be cabled directly to the new receiver's "Satellite 1" coax connector.
Turn on the new receiver or DVR and it should go through some boot up sequence. They're a little different depending on the model of box. Where you want to be is having the box "looking for satellite" or an equivalent status.
Then, making sure the Datron thumb-wheels were set to the correct latitude, power on and set the Datron "Mode" switch to "View". The "Status" light should start blinking. The antenna should rise and start to make small azimuth and elevation movements in its search for a satellite. When it finds a satellite and locks on the "Status" light should stay on and no longer blink. If it's the correct satellite the receiver should give the TV some indication that it's getting a signal. If so you're good to go.
The receiver should start loading the program guide data and be available for use. Even if it's not activated by DirecTV there will be information on the TV screen like "call DirecTV to activate - Message 721" or some such. You can at this point go through the rest of the receiver set up if necessary. You can also turn the power off on the Datron. It has done its job in pointing the antenna and the signal is merely passed through the Datron to the receiver and power is not required to do that.
If the "Status" light goes on solid but the receiver does not get an intelligible signal you'll have to tell the Datron to move on to the next satellite. To do this momentarily rock the "Mode" switch from "View" to "Stow" for about a second and back to "View". The Datron will now direct the antenna to start its search again for the next satellite. As above, when the "Status" light goes on solid it has found a satellite and fed the satellite's signal to the receiver.
The process above works but can be very tedious. These days there are several satellites and it can take quite a while find and try multiple birds. Without the feedback via the low speed data port from the Sony receiver, the Datron does not know the difference between satellites whether they be DirecTV or some other service.
I tried the above arrangement for a time but it did not contribute to peace and harmony in the coach at the end of a day's travel. So we went to Plan B.
Fortunately I had not discarded the Sony receiver. So I put the equipment configuration back to original and verified that the Datron and Sony gear did indeed work together and could/would find the correct DirecTV satellite. They did. As mentioned above, you do not need an activated account/box to just receive the signal. You cannot view any subscriber content but they are continuously broadcasting ads and previews which will play on your TV if the receiver can get the satellite's signal.
Then I added a DirecTV-TiVo DVR to the mix using an "A-B Switch" purchased at Radio Shack. Now the coax that went from the Datron to the Sony box was connected to the common side of the "A-B Switch". A new coax went from the "A" side of the "A-B Switch" to the Sony box and another coax went from the "B" side of the "A-B Switch" to the "new" DVR "Satellite 1" input. The coax that originally went from the Sony box to the "Sat In" connector on the back of the distribution switch was moved to "Aux In" and the new DVR's "RF Out" coax was connected to "Sat In" on the distribution switch.
So now the process is "A-B Switch" to "A", "Primary TV" on distribution switch to "Aux", power on Datron, and "Mode" switch to "View". Datron finds correct satellite. "A-B Switch" to "B" and "Primary TV" on distribution switch to "Sat" and you are in business. Turn off the Datron and all TV's connected to the distribution switch should have access to the signal coming from your replacement DirecTV receiver or DVR.
There can be complications with newer equipment. We were on the road last spring when our old TiVo DVR bit the dust. Being near Los Angeles it was not hard to obtain a new DVR. Got the DVR to the coach and found that the new TiVo DVR did not have a coax output. Fortunately, we had just replaced the front TV with a new one and it had an HDMI input. So I just cabled directly from the new DVR to the front TV. The back TV did not work on satellite but that was not a big deal. We have an older TiVo DVR at home that is now used in the coach when traveling and it can be connected via the distribution switch to either or both TV's.
There's only one satellite feed so you can only record one live broadcast at a time while watching a previously recorded program. It's not HiDef but we don't care. As long as the programs can be prerecorded and watched at a convenient time we're happy.
HTH
Linear Mode
