Motorized to multi LNB problem

[linslademan]

Can someone please help with following issue if possible.
I finally got round to fitting a 4 satellite multi lnb arm on my Gibertini 85cm dish that I've had for years.
Set up 28, 19 and 13 east with very strong signals but couldn't strong enough signal on Thor.
Ok, I thought I'll try 23 east, got very good signal on that too(see attached image), connected cables to 4 way switch, tightened all up , I already had Diseqc 1 for those 4 birds set up on menu of my Technonate5402 on and that's when my woes began!

I keep gettting LNBF message on display and have to reboot receiver as it freezes up completely. I disconnected cables from 4 way switch I connected each lnb seperately to receiver and they all work fine, so thought 4 way switch was problem. I have a spare two way switch, set up 28 and 13 east on it and that worked fine. tried 19 and 23 on same 2 way switch and got dreaded LNBF error display again.
After much messing about, I have finally got 28, 19 and 13 working on 4 way switch without 23 east lnb connected, its the old Inverto on image compare to new Technomate for the other 3 birds.
Is Inverto lnb the problem? it works fine when connected direct to receiver on its own?
Are LNB'S too close to each other and causing interference?
Any advice would be much welcomed!

 

[Zorch]

Hi linslademan,

Could it be that you have got a stray strand of the outer wire of the satellite cable touching the inner core wire of the cable... but just on the cable that goes to that particular LNB in your set-up... that can give the LNBF fault warning you mention... it only has to be one strand touching and then there's problems for the whole set-up...

I hope this helps...

Best Wishes,
Zorch

 

[linslademan]

Hi Zorch, thanks for reply. i think you could be right!
Will check cabling tomorrow an feedback!

 

[jimihendrix]

Just one strand will cause the short circuit protection to come into operation, if you are connecting the down lead one at a time to each LNB and that works then you can rule out the down lead and the LNB's. So the problem will be in the short leads connecting the LNB's to the DiseqC switch.
Check these leads one at a time until you find the one that causes the fault.

 

[linslademan]

well, the plot thickens.
Checked all cabling for loose strands,connected all 4 lnbs to diseqc switch,turned on receiver, no LNBF error display,thought great I got this sussed but how wrong I was!
23 east signal was strong but signal on other 3 birds is all over the place. I spent over 2 hours swapping cables from LNBS to different ports on diseqc switch bit no matter what configuration, signal drops when all FOUR lnbs are connected. Signal is fine when any THREE lnbs are connected and they all work also when connected individually.
Which do you think is the problem? disecqc switch, old inverto lnb or any other?

 

[wiz569]

Well if when it works with 3 lnb's and one is the old inverto one,then I would say faulty switch

 

[linslademan]

Hi Wiz569, thanks for feedback.
I have ordered a new switch, will post results when its fitted, probably weekend now.

 

[linslademan]

Hi everyone, first the good news.
Fitted new diseqc switch and now all FOUR satellites working great!
Bad news is that when I change satellites using remote some channels are not locking first time and show low signal. I keep having to flick forward and back to pick up strong signal again.
It doesn't make sense as I have 95% quality on 28, 19 ,13 and 90% on most of Astra 23.
Do I need to factory reset repatch or what?
I am using patch 117P by the way.

 

[linslademan]

Spent hours last night trying to solve signal issue but not getting anywhere.
I factory reset and reloaded 117p patch but still same problem. I even tried new 124p patch but still getting intermittent low signal when switching between satellites using remote control.
I am pretty sure now it is not disecqc or lnb related because I disconnected 23 e lnb from disecq switch this morning and still having the same problem.
It's really strange, it seems the only way of getting signal back is the to go into menu - satellite set up- flick left/right through satellite list and back to particular satellite disecqc switch port is on and low and behold signal strength is back up again!
Do you think I have bug in software or is receiver at fault? I am running out of permutations to try and fix problem.
Never had issue with motorized set up which I have run with 5402HD since new.

 

[jimihendrix]

I have seen lots of posts saying when patching first load the TM original software and our good friend Zorch does it that way. I never do but if I had the problem you have then I think I would try his way.
I think the steps are

Save your channel list
Factory reset
Load latest TM (original) software and install it
Factory reset
Install the latest patch
Factory reset
Then reinstall your channels list
I could be wrong about doing it this way as I never have had to, no doubt Zorch will advise if I've left out a step or two.

 

[linslademan]

Hi Jimi, thanks for advice but did all that last night.
I think I will do the following this evening:
Full factory reset using standby button on receiver
Rescan four satellites
Set up disecq switch on menu
Test signal
Hopefully this will tell me if I have corrupt patch or problem with machine!
Can't understand why going from motorized to disecq switch would create problems. All I did was turn motor settings to off and set up 4 way switch in menu,I have not messed with patch 117p .Its been installed for six months without any signal issues apart from very slight delay locking on some transponders which I know everone else has experienced with other patches.

 

[Zorch]

Hi jimihendrix & linslademan,

...no doubt Zorch will advise if I've left out a step or two.

That's almost how I do it jimi mate... but linslademan might also want to use the Addon_2 file... in which case...

Save your channel list (cndf file)
Save your TMSoftcam (key file)
Factory reset
Load latest TM Original Software (O/S v1.17 if using Phantompatch 117)
Factory reset
Load latest Phantompatch (Phantompatch 117 if using O/S v1.17)
Factory reset
Load file Addon_2 (if applicable)
Factory reset
Reload your channel list (cndf file)
Reload your TMSoftcam (key file)
Go into System Settings menu and configure personal preferences
Exit all menus and adjust default Volume control
Change satellite back to original position before the update

Best Wishes,
Zorch

 

[Zorch]

Hi again linslademan,

If you are now only using transponders from 4 satellites via multi-LNB array/DiSEqC ...another thing you could try is to open your cndf file in NDFEditor/Clarke-tech editor... and delete all other satellite positions/transponders in the file... and make sure that all the empty satellite positions do not have any residual DiSEqC settings left in them...

Best Wishes,
Zorch

 

[linslademan]

Hi jimihendrix & linslademan,



That's almost how I do it jimi mate... but linslademan might also want to use the Addon_2 file... in which case...

Save your channel list (cndf file)
Save your TMSoftcam (key file)
Factory reset
Load latest TM Original Software (O/S v1.17 if using Phantompatch 117)
Factory reset
Load latest Phantompatch (Phantompatch 117 if using O/S v1.17)
Factory reset
Load file Addon_2 (if applicable)
Factory reset
Reload your channel list (cndf file)
Reload your TMSoftcam (key file)
Go into System Settings menu and configure personal preferences
Exit all menus and adjust default Volume control
Change satellite back to original position before the update

Best Wishes,
Zorch

Hi Zorch,

According to Technomate website, latest O/S is v.1.23 from July 2012 which is patch I loaded last night when I factory reset.
Could this be why I have signal problem?
Download center has v.117 and v.121 patches as o/s so a bit confused!
Is it best to load v.117?

 

[Zorch]

Hi again linslademan,

It looks like there are 2 versions of TM O/S v1.17 in the Download Centre...

Download center

Download center


Phantompatch 117p

Download center

Best Wishes,
Zorch

 

[Zorch]

Hi again linslademan,

According to Technomate website, latest O/S is v.1.23 from July 2012 which is patch I loaded last night when I factory reset.

All the software on the Technomate Official website is Technomate Original Software (O/S)

Download center has v.117 and v.121 patches as o/s so a bit confused!

It seems that you are confusing TM O/S with 3rd party patches... Technomate Original Software (O/S) files always use a dot (.) in the file version to identify that they are the O/S (i.e. 1.17) whereas the Phantompatch (3rd party software) does not have the dot (.) in the file version (i.e. 117) and the Phantompatch file also has a (p) after the file version (i.e. 117p) the (p) identifies it as a patch...

Is it best to load v.117?

Ultimately... what we are trying to say... is to load the TM O/S file 1.17 first... and then to overwrite the TM O/S 1.17 with the corresponding Phantompatch which is 117p

Best Wishes,
Zorch

 

[linslademan]

OK, Zorch got you!
Thanks for taking time for explaining it all to me, will post back later!

 

[linslademan]

Still no good I'afraid.
Did a full factory reset using front display which cleared memory completely,blind scanned four transponders indivdually, reset settings on disecq 1.0 in menu.
No patching involved at all, I flicked between four strong FTA channels within these satellites and still getting intermittent loss of signal and as I posted earlier, only way to regain signal is to go back into menu - satellite set up- move along satellites left or right, comeback out of menu and then channel clears again with strong signal.
It's flippin well doing it on BBC channels and I'm getting 98% quality on them, so I know I'm well aligned.
I have tried two seperate 4 way diseqc switches, so that's not problem.
I am going to change old Inverto lnb tomorrow weather permitting with a new Technomate to compliment other 3 but I am 99.9% sure that's not going to make a difference.
Surely there must be a problem within the receiver itself?

 

[Zorch]

Hi again linslademan,

Can you upload your current cndf file onto this thread so that I/some of the other forum members can load your cndf file onto their TM-5402 to see if they experience the same signal loss problem...?

I can also edit your cndf file for you if you want... so that it will just contain the 4 specific satellites that you have in use...? If you want me to do this for you... I will then re-post the edited cndf file back on this thread for you to try... it will also give me/other forum members the chance to have a look at your settings on the 4 satellites in use...

If you want me to edit your cndf file for you... I won't change any of your current DiSEqC settings on those 4 active satellite positions... but I will delete all of the other satellite positions in your cndf file plus any residual DiSEqC settings that may still reside within the empty satellite positions... this just might solve your signal loss problem... it's worth a try...

Best Wishes,
Zorch

 

[linslademan]

Hi Zorch, that it is a wonderful gesture.
I have sent you a pm as I can't seem to upload cdnf file for some reason. Story of my life!