directv

Hi, I was wondering if I can get some help out here. I have had directv for about 75 days now. I've noticed when there is slight rain and thunder I lose reception. This has happened 3 times during the time I've had directv. Should this be happening and is there something that can be done about it? I appreciate any help.

 

We have Dish Network...which works the same as Direct TV.

Yes, during thunderstorms you will lose reception. You will lose it for as long as the storm interferes. Once a storm moves on enough to remove the heavy clouds and lightning out of direct line with your disk, you'll get reception back.

Here in Kansas where the storms tend to move fast, we lose reception for 10 or 15 minutes with most storms but we've lost it for as long as a couple of hours when one storm follows another.

You'll also have poor reception for about 10 minutes a day for a week or so every spring and fall. That's when the sun is in a direct line with the satellite and your dish...around the solstices. Both Dishnetwork and DirectTV will insist that doesn't happen but don't be surprised if it does.

 

I also have Direct TV and have the same problem during heavy rain storms.

I can try to explain why: Remember when they installed the Sattelite Dish, and the Technician looked for a place away from trees, ect. where he received the strongest signal on his strength meter? Trees reduce the level of the signal the dish is able to receive. Well it turns out Rain Drops (Lots of 'em) act the same way, as a block to the received signal. Simply put it all has to do with the Wavelength of the Raindrops, further explanation is pretty technical, so I think I'll leave it at that.

 

don't bother calling for service on Direct TV either. I called on Monday July 16th for no signal in my living room, and my service call is on July 29th. I do have signal in my bedroom, which uses the same dish though.
Do you think your cable company would give you a service call nearly two weeks away?

 

So far, every time we've lost the signal due to unknown events (no storms, it just quits), unplugging the receiver for a few minutes then plugging it back in has fixed it. It'd be easier if they'd put a reset button on it but "power cycling" works just as well, I suppose.

We use to lose the signal temporarily with our old C band receiver, too. That's when one of the services we subscribed to would send something out in the data stream that disabled the bootleg chips. Maybe Dish Network does the same thing and once every couple of months, it shuts everybody down for a few minutes.

 

Bursley,
Direct TV Has a reset button. It's located on the right side, behind the door, drop the door down and press the red reset button.
What happens next is that the receiver then looks for a strong signal and after a few minutes it gives you the signal strength and soon all is restored.
If the signal loss ocurs on a regular basis, chances are your receiver is bad or the dish has drifted off the path.

Miz,
That's too bad about "Dish Network" not having a reset button, but your procedure is the same as a reset.

HTH

 

irdreed, I actually walked through some troubleshooting steps with DirectTV on the phone, and nothing worked. Actually the strange thing is that if I unplug everything for about 5 minutes (including satellite cables), then plug everything back in, I get a strong signal, and channels come in, but then it completely dies within 5 minutes with no signal at all.
Also I noticed that there is some voltage on the casing of the coax. I got a small charge from it while trying to connect the cable to the satellite box. I verified that my dish was grounded, so I'm not sure what's going on there, but I think I may have a bad receiver (I hope), or a bad multiplexer.
What's interesting about my situation, my Tivo DirectTV receiver in the other room works fine on both tuners, so I know its not the dish.

 

A different issue regarding DirecTV, if I may. I've used it for a few years and about 3 months ago switched to their HD signal, using the H20 receiver. Whenever I change channels, there's a 7-second delay before the new channel appears. Annoying! I just returned from a 2-week road trip, and while visiting a friend in Corvallis, OR, noticed that his delay (same provider, same model receiver) was only 3 seconds, compared to my 7. Those of you using DirecTV, do you also have a delay? How long? Do other providers also have similar delays? How long? The question probably applies only to users with HD receivers. I don't recall there being a delay when I was still using my old, standard TV receiver.

I haven't phoned DirecTV's tech support about the delay yet. I'm still trying to get a code from them that will allow me to use their remote control to mute or change the volume on my new Toshiba LCD TV. None of the 15 codes they've given me to try so far have worked.

 

There is a way of setting how long the program info ribbon up at the top of the screen remains after changing channels, but I hadn't noticed a way to set the time lag for how long it takes for the new channel picture to appear. I'm surprised there is such a setting. Why would anyone want that?

 

Neither of us has the DirecTV DVR. We both have the standard model H20 HDTV receiver. I have a Panasonic DVD player/recorder, and he has a DVD player, but neither is a part of the usual TV watching.

I checked the menu and set-up settings and couldn't find any way to adjust the time lag. Just the one for how long the program info banner remains on top after changing channels. Anyone else have the H20 HDTV receiver? Time lag when changing channels?

 

BOBBO, This is a shot in the dark, but after revewing the specs on the HD Receiver and multiple capabilities it has, I'm wondering if the receiver's decoder is trying to figure out just what it is that it's supposed to do.

I know it sounds crazy but the technology that's packed into that Gizmo seems to have more bells and whistles than before. They call it "Cutting edge Equipment" in their Promos.

Then again you may have a defective unit that's not up their standards.