Another Directv setup question

[Lvnlife1973]

So, I have this outdoor Directv satellite dish that I was successful at connecting from outside using the cable output. Had to undo the connection when I upgraded the MH (2014 Georgetown 328T) TV antenna to a Jack Antenna.

I had found a thread here previously that I followed but darn if I can find it again.

Anyhow, this is what I've done:

1. Attached satellite dish to cable input on the "outside" of MH (mine is where the electrical stuff is, I guess people call it the garage?)
2. Took cable wire on back of A/B switch and connected it to the back of SD settop Directv box where it says Satellite In)
3. Cable wire from Out to TV goes into the back of the A/B switch box that says Cable.
4. Switch on A/B box is set to Cable.

TV is on and set to channel 4 and Channel Input is Cable. I have the dish box on and you see the Directv screen on the TV and then it's off to trying to find the satellites.

I've been unsuccessful at finding the satellites but there are quite a few trees, even though the branches are bare. I can't even get a single blip to come up, it just says 0%. I have an app finder and I have the dish pointed in the right direction, set the azimuth and elevation based on zip code etc.

I'm here because I want to make sure my connections are right and it's just that I'm in a lousy area to find a good satellite view. It's super frustrating since it's worked before elsewhere where I had trees. Just hoping I have it hooked up right this time.

Thanks for the help.

[iceblaze580]

Have you been able to watch tv with the same set up you have now. If you have never used this set up before I would try going from the dish straight to the back of the box that way you could see if you have signal or not once you have signal then I would put the rest of the stuff back in to play

[00buck]

One possibility is that DirecTV no longer recognizes your receiver. If you have TV in the house, test the receiver there. Or call DirecTV to verify your connection or reconnect it. I've had this problem several times. A DirecTV Rep told me that a receiver that hasn't been used in 30 days won't be recognized. Good Luck.

[kbrown1075]

1st thing to check is with your satellite receiver hooked up, plugged in, and on, take a voltmeter, set it to DC. Disconnect the coax at the DirecTv antenna. Place one lead on the center conductor of the coax and the other lead on the threaded part of the coax connector. You should have a reading of approx 13VDC or 18VDC (depends on which transponder or channel). If you do not have either of those voltages, cabling is not correct.

The round discs on the antenna are called LNBs (Low Noise Blockers) and are active devices (circuit boards requiring power). The satellite receiver (known as an IRD) provide this voltage. Most standard coax splitters do not allow this DC voltage to pass through them. An A/B switch may not allow DC voltage to pass either. Common cable TV does not want that voyage on the cable. Your on board TV antenna most likely has an amplifier in line. Depending on the type of TV (off air) antenna, there may be 12VDC voltage between the switch and the active TV antenna (amplifier is a circuit in the antenna on the roof).

Bottom line, make sure you have 13VDC or 18VDC at the directv antenna. With the direcTv cables disconnected, there shouldn't be any voltage on any cable.

In my last TT, it took me a little while to figure what the factory had done. I have been a marine electronics tech and a communications tech for many years. I have installed many, many, satellite systems on yachts and RVs.

Most of the coax connectors from the factory were of the screw on type and were loose.

[jwedell]

The sat cable must go from the LMB directly to the sat in on the back of the set top box. It cannot go through any switches or splitters. I would check that first.

[Lvnlife1973]

Originally Posted by jwedell

The sat cable must go from the LMB directly to the sat in on the back of the set top box. It cannot go through any switches or splitters. I would check that first.

I did connect the cable directly to the back of the set top box and still not a thing. Have a new LBN ordered just haven't had time to change it out yet. Called Directv and they have all boxes on. Hopefully it's the LBN.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Forest River Forums mobile app

[GVJeeper]

I just set up the DirecTV portable Anser a month ago and I connected it to the "Satellite" input on the outside of my Rockwood, not to "cable." I had DirecTV install my original setup when I used a stationary dish so I didn't have to change anything on the inside - other than run the receiver setup again. If the "Satellite" connection on the outside doesn't work, let me know and I'll check out the internal wiring that the DirecTV installer did.

[Freds342]

Signal meters will work even when the receiver is not subbed. I have a SD and an HD unsubbed receiver that I use to check Low Noise Block Converters.