Failed recordings via timer in standby

[shaft]

Hi again chaps.

I am getting regular failed Timer recordings when my 9200 is in standby. It never seems to fail when the box is on. I do still occasionaly get a tuner failed error, which I have not yet resolved, I guess it could be related.

It doesn't seem to matter what build I use, as it has had fails with all VIX images that I have tried. I don't remember it happening on my old demised 9000 :(

shaft.

[Rob van der Does]

As I read your post it's about ViX, so I moved the thread to here.

'Tune failed' is a message you should never see, and will certainly lead to failed recordings. So that's the very first thing you should fix.
All feeds are OK?
Your settingslist is fine and up-to-date?

[shaft]

Hi Rob

Thanks for the reply.

All of the channels have a decent AGC, but I can get 'tuner failed' on any channel. Apart from the failed recordings, I can get the problem regularly after exiting the Filelist after playing a recording. The channels always come back if I flick to another channel and then go back to the channel that had the problem. I have checked my cable connections etc and all seem in good condition.

Excuse my ignorance but by settingslist do you mean Bouquets?

Thanks
shaft

[Rob van der Does]

As I said: never mind the AGC; that has no value (you could be measuring your neighbour's microwave! Its SNR that counts.

[shaft]

:) Thanks Rob

My SNR's are between 80-90%, so I don't think that can be the problem.

From reading other thread advice, I've updated my satellites.xml file and rescanned all of my channels (although i only use 28.2, so i'm not sure that I needed to do this).

Anything else you can advise Rob?

PS. What exactly do you mean by settingslist?

[Rob van der Does]

A settinglist is a list with bouquets and services (such as you can download from the forum and from the feeds).

Only thing is: I would check all connections and check in the satfinder if all your satellites are fine in all quadrants (Hor/Vert-High/Low, as an LNB can also be partial defect).

[shaft]

Thanks Rob.

[shaft]

Hi Rob (or anyone else!)

I have checked my polarisation in Sat Finder:

Tuner A and Tuner B:

Polarisation: horizontal 75% 12.4dB, vertical 0% 0dB, circular left 75% 12.4dB, circular right 0% 0dB

I'm sure this means something to you! But I am lost as to what to do now :confused:

Can you nudge me in the right direction as usual please Rob :thumbsup: (or anyone).

Thanks
shaft.

[Rob van der Does]

Not sure what you've done.
Best look for a number of transponders: at least one in each 'quadrant' (use Lyngsat or so). Then see what the read out in satfinder is for each of them, both on tuner A and tuner B.

[shaft]

Thanks Rob
I'll take a look tonight. Do you think I have a dodgy LNB or the dish needs a slight tweak?

[Rob van der Does]

I'll take a look tonight. Do you think I have a dodgy LNB or the dish needs a slight tweak?
Can't say yet: let's see your results first.

[shaft]

Apologies Rob (and I know I'm a pain in the a***)

... but I really don't know what/how I'm supposed to do. I have searched on the internet and cannot find anything relevant. I know you don't want to spoon feed people, and I appreciate that, (and I'm more than willing to do some background reading as I like learning this stuff) but I really am stuck. :confused:

[Rob van der Does]

In Satfinder you can first choose the tuner and next a transponder. Try to find out if the tuner locks on various transponders, both Vertical/Horzontal and on a high and a low frequency.

[shaft]

Thanks Rob.

I've tried a few and they all lock ok in Satfinder. I will try them all tomorrow. More importantly, the one channel that very often fails to record from a timed recording from standby, never fails when I go to that channel from another whilst in normal viewing.

Although very often after exiting Satfinder I have a Tuner Failed message even though I have just literally had a lock on the settings within Satfinder. Is this normal??

I have stripped and rewired all four connections (dish end and stb end) and slightly tweaked the dish with my sat meter. I have also updated my satellite.xml file and rescanned.

The problem still is intermittent and happens when recording from standby or exiting Filelist.

If I can get a lock within Satfinder for all of the 28.2E transponders, does that rule out dish alignment?

Once again your help is much appreciated Rob.

shaft.

PS I've just noticed that you have an ET9200, have you ever seen the Tuner Failed message?

[Rob van der Does]

I've tried a few and they all lock ok in Satfinder. I will try them all tomorrow. More importantly, the one channel that very often fails to record from a timed recording from standby, never fails when I go to that channel from another whilst in normal viewing.

Although very often after exiting Satfinder I have a Tuner Failed message even though I have just literally had a lock on the settings within Satfinder. Is this normal??

I have stripped and rewired all four connections (dish end and stb end) and slightly tweaked the dish with my sat meter. I have also updated my satellite.xml file and rescanned.

The problem still is intermittent and happens when recording from standby or exiting Filelist.

If I can get a lock within Satfinder for all of the 28.2E transponders, does that rule out dish alignment?

Once again your help is much appreciated Rob.

shaft.

PS I've just noticed that you have an ET9200, have you ever seen the Tuner Failed message?
'Tune failed' should never occur. The situation is as follows:

As long as a tuner isn't locked, it will retry endless (all, including DiSEqC being resend) without showing any message.
As soon as the tuner is locked the retry-process will stop. When the lock is lost (i.e. no more data coming from the tuner) the retry-process will not restart, but a 'fune failed' message pops up.
What does this mean for the every day practise?
First of all, it will be clear from the above that something is miss in your system, otherwise a tuner will stay locked once it is.
So we have to find out the cause of a ceasing signal. As I presume you checked all connertors/coax (no water/oxidation?) and dish-allignment, we should look for other causes.
One possible cause is a tuner getting a (short) lock on a wrong satellite (during the turning of a motorized dish).
An other possibility is one or more DiSEqC-switch(es) to be faulty. That can also be a reason for a (temporary) lock on a wrong transponder. Or the switches need more time to switch (you could try using the satellite equipment control plugin to make the delays a bit longer). Or change the switches.
You can also experiment by deactivating one tuner and see how you go from there: see if the problem persists, switch this feed to the other tuner etc. etc.. Or simply buy new switches.
Also a worn motor can cause the same: the direction of the dish may vary when coming from the west as to coming from the east. On passing the transponder a lock is obtained, and then the motor turns a bit further.

You see: plenty of hobby work to be done.
Good luck :thumbsup:

[shaft]

Hi again Rob.

Thanks for your reply,

Well I think we (you! :p) are gradually eliminating things that it could be! All transponders (28.2E) worked in Satfinder.

I have restripped the cable and replaced all four connectors. I also have a fixed dish (28.2 E) so we can rule out anything motor related. I think that means I don't have a diseqc switch. I have a quad LNB, of which I am using 2 connections, which go directly to the inputs on the box.

I have installed the Satellite equipment setup plugin as you suggested and changed the "Delay before Sequence repeat" setting from 0070 to 0150.
That is the only setting I changed. I was hoping this would make a difference but after turning the box on from about 3 hours standby, I had a black screen again but no Tuner Failed message :confused:

I flicked to another channel (picture fine) and back again and as usual the picture came back as normal.

My Tuner settings A and B are both:

Configuration mode simple
Mode Single
Satellite Eutelsat 28A, Astra 1N,2A,2B,2F (28.2E)
Send DiSEqc no

[Rob van der Does]

Ok, one more question: you say satfinder to be OK. Was that for both tuners?


Apparently you're not using any switch. But still switching is taking place: in the LNB's (switches between Hor/Vert - Hi/Low-frequency).
If you're sure all cables and connectors are fine, I would suspect (one or more) LNB's.

To rule that out, I would temporarily disconnect one lead from the box, and disable that tuner in the tuner config. So now you have a one-tuner box. Please see now if the issue returns, or that all is fine.
If the issue returns: switch the leads and repeat the test.
If the box is fine: switch the leads and repeat the test.

[shaft]

Rob you've been an absolute star.

Yes, both tuners although I did notice that the signal strength at the top end transponders were much lower than the bottom end and middle. Could this be down to dish alignment or just a weak transponder? Anyway, I will try your advice and let you know.

Thanks Rob.

[Rob van der Does]

Signal strength is hardly of importance; SNR (signal quality) is the important factor.

[shaft]

I knew that Rob :o just got my terminology wrong :)

I've tried your suggestions with the tuners and cable swapping all seems ok. I have also bit the bullet and bought and fitted a new quad lnb as it was only £7.
I'll monitor it all for a while and let you know the outcome.

Cheers Rob.

[shaft]

Ok Rob

I'm going to tempt fate here, but since fitting the new lnb 4 days ago, I've had no tuner failures or failed recordings from standby!:D

So again, a big big thanks for all of your patience and advice!

shaft.

[Rob van der Does]

Good to here the problem is solved.