Help with R10

I'm trying to isolate a problem with my Directv R10. The video and
audio break up for a second or two randomly. It can happen 2 or 3
times an hour, or once an hour. I have a second directivo unit in
another room, a Philips, which is rock solid. I've switched the
units, and the problem follows the R10, so that pretty much isolates
the problem to the box.

I bought a replacement hard drive from Weaknees, installed it, and the
problem is still there, so it's not the hard drive. Is there anything
else I should investigate before I get rid of the R10? Any
suggestions are appreciated.

On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 13:42:15 -0800, Jason Ref wrote:
I'm trying to isolate a problem with my Directv R10. The video and
audio break up for a second or two randomly. It can happen 2 or 3
times an hour, or once an hour. I have a second directivo unit in
another room, a Philips, which is rock solid. I've switched the
units, and the problem follows the R10, so that pretty much isolates
the problem to the box.

I bought a replacement hard drive from Weaknees, installed it, and the
problem is still there, so it's not the hard drive. Is there anything
else I should investigate before I get rid of the R10? Any
suggestions are appreciated.

Replace the coax. Make sure you're using Satellite (2Ghz) rated cable
and fittings. While random chunks of mystery coax will probably work
most of the time, it mightn't occasionally. The nature of satellite
digital broadcast is such that the pixilation and shearing, and audio
dropout that you're seeing is how marginal signal manifests, like analog
TV manifests poor signal quality with ghosting, snow, and diagonal
lines.

--
Mares eat oats, and does eat oats, and little lambs eat ivy,
A kid will eat ivy too, wouldn't you?

"Peter H. Coffin" wrote:
On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 13:42:15 -0800, Jason Ref wrote:
I'm trying to isolate a problem with my Directv R10. The video and
audio break up for a second or two randomly. It can happen 2 or 3
times an hour, or once an hour. I have a second directivo unit in
another room, a Philips, which is rock solid. I've switched the
units, and the problem follows the R10, so that pretty much
isolates
the problem to the box.

I bought a replacement hard drive from Weaknees, installed it, and
the
problem is still there, so it's not the hard drive. Is there
anything
else I should investigate before I get rid of the R10? Any
suggestions are appreciated.

Replace the coax.


Why the coax?

Let me expand a little. I have two directivos, the R10 and a Philips.
The R10 was recently acquired to replace a HDVR2, which died. The
HDVR2 in one room, and the Philips in another room, never had any
problems, then the HDVR2 died. The problem arose when the R10 was
brought in to replace the HDVR2. If I move the Philips between rooms,
it works perfectly in either room. When I move the R10 between rooms,
it acts up in either room. So, if it's bad coax, why is there no
problem with Philips (or the HDVR2), regardless of the room?


Make sure you're using Satellite (2Ghz) rated cable
and fittings. While random chunks of mystery coax will probably work
most of the time, it mightn't occasionally. The nature of satellite
digital broadcast is such that the pixilation and shearing, and
audio
dropout that you're seeing is how marginal signal manifests, like
analog
TV manifests poor signal quality with ghosting, snow, and diagonal
lines.

--
Mares eat oats, and does eat oats, and little lambs eat ivy,
A kid will eat ivy too, wouldn't you?

On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 21:56:17 -0800, "Jason Ref" wrote:

snip
Why the coax?

Let me expand a little. I have two directivos, the R10 and a Philips.
The R10 was recently acquired to replace a HDVR2, which died. The
HDVR2 in one room, and the Philips in another room, never had any
problems, then the HDVR2 died. The problem arose when the R10 was
brought in to replace the HDVR2. If I move the Philips between rooms,
it works perfectly in either room. When I move the R10 between rooms,
it acts up in either room. So, if it's bad coax, why is there no
problem with Philips (or the HDVR2), regardless of the room?

snip

Hmmm, HDVR2's seem to last forever. Perhaps it can be resurrected? If
not, they seem to be available for next to nothing (I tried to sell
one and couldn't give it away until my daughter needed a second one).

--
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/

"Charlie Hoffpauir" wrote:
On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 21:56:17 -0800, "Jason Ref"
wrote:

snip
Why the coax?

Let me expand a little. I have two directivos, the R10 and a
Philips.
The R10 was recently acquired to replace a HDVR2, which died. The
HDVR2 in one room, and the Philips in another room, never had any
problems, then the HDVR2 died. The problem arose when the R10 was
brought in to replace the HDVR2. If I move the Philips between
rooms,
it works perfectly in either room. When I move the R10 between
rooms,
it acts up in either room. So, if it's bad coax, why is there no
problem with Philips (or the HDVR2), regardless of the room?

snip

Hmmm, HDVR2's seem to last forever. Perhaps it can be resurrected?
If
not, they seem to be available for next to nothing (I tried to sell
one and couldn't give it away until my daughter needed a second
one).

Yeah, I hear ya. It seems the R10 is defective. I'll probably just
pick up another directivo somewhere. I'd like to keep my current SD
directivo setup running until the HD directivo is introduced.

On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 21:56:17 -0800, Jason Ref wrote:
"Peter H. Coffin" wrote:
On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 13:42:15 -0800, Jason Ref wrote:
I'm trying to isolate a problem with my Directv R10. The video and
audio break up for a second or two randomly. It can happen 2 or 3
times an hour, or once an hour. I have a second directivo unit in
another room, a Philips, which is rock solid. I've switched the
units, and the problem follows the R10, so that pretty much
isolates
the problem to the box.

I bought a replacement hard drive from Weaknees, installed it, and
the
problem is still there, so it's not the hard drive. Is there
anything
else I should investigate before I get rid of the R10? Any
suggestions are appreciated.

Replace the coax.


Why the coax?

Let me expand a little. I have two directivos, the R10 and a Philips.
The R10 was recently acquired to replace a HDVR2, which died. The
HDVR2 in one room, and the Philips in another room, never had any
problems, then the HDVR2 died. The problem arose when the R10 was
brought in to replace the HDVR2. If I move the Philips between rooms,
it works perfectly in either room. When I move the R10 between rooms,
it acts up in either room. So, if it's bad coax, why is there no
problem with Philips (or the HDVR2), regardless of the room?

Ah, see, the recommendation to replace the coax is made *without* this
rather essential bit of diagnostic information. If you hide stuff from
us, intentionally or not, you get bad advice.

--
4. Shooting is not too good for my enemies.
--Peter Anspach's list of things to do as an Evil Overlord

"Peter H. Coffin" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 21:56:17 -0800, Jason Ref wrote:
"Peter H. Coffin" wrote:
On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 13:42:15 -0800, Jason Ref wrote:
I'm trying to isolate a problem with my Directv R10. The video and
audio break up for a second or two randomly. It can happen 2 or 3
times an hour, or once an hour. I have a second directivo unit in
another room, a Philips, which is rock solid. I've switched the
units, and the problem follows the R10, so that pretty much
isolates
the problem to the box.

I bought a replacement hard drive from Weaknees, installed it, and
the
problem is still there, so it's not the hard drive. Is there
anything
else I should investigate before I get rid of the R10? Any
suggestions are appreciated.

Replace the coax.


Why the coax?

Let me expand a little. I have two directivos, the R10 and a Philips.
The R10 was recently acquired to replace a HDVR2, which died. The
HDVR2 in one room, and the Philips in another room, never had any
problems, then the HDVR2 died. The problem arose when the R10 was
brought in to replace the HDVR2. If I move the Philips between rooms,
it works perfectly in either room. When I move the R10 between rooms,
it acts up in either room. So, if it's bad coax, why is there no
problem with Philips (or the HDVR2), regardless of the room?

Ah, see, the recommendation to replace the coax is made *without* this
rather essential bit of diagnostic information. If you hide stuff from
us, intentionally or not, you get bad advice.

--
4. Shooting is not too good for my enemies.
--Peter Anspach's list of things to do as an Evil Overlord

The information was there, just overlooked. Last sentence, first paragraph.

Replace the box.

--


Don Thompson

Stolen from Dan: "Just thinking, besides, I watched 2 dogs mating once,
and that makes me an expert. "

There is nothing more frightening than active ignorance.
~Goethe

It is a worthy thing to fight for one's freedom;
it is another sight finer to fight for another man's.
~Mark Twain

"Peter H. Coffin" wrote:
On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 21:56:17 -0800, Jason Ref wrote:
"Peter H. Coffin" wrote:
On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 13:42:15 -0800, Jason Ref wrote:
I'm trying to isolate a problem with my Directv R10. The video
and
audio break up for a second or two randomly. It can happen 2 or
3
times an hour, or once an hour. I have a second directivo unit
in
another room, a Philips, which is rock solid. I've switched the
units, and the problem follows the R10, so that pretty much
isolates
the problem to the box.

I bought a replacement hard drive from Weaknees, installed it,
and
the
problem is still there, so it's not the hard drive. Is there
anything
else I should investigate before I get rid of the R10? Any
suggestions are appreciated.

Replace the coax.


Why the coax?

Let me expand a little. I have two directivos, the R10 and a
Philips.
The R10 was recently acquired to replace a HDVR2, which died. The
HDVR2 in one room, and the Philips in another room, never had any
problems, then the HDVR2 died. The problem arose when the R10 was
brought in to replace the HDVR2. If I move the Philips between
rooms,
it works perfectly in either room. When I move the R10 between
rooms,
it acts up in either room. So, if it's bad coax, why is there no
problem with Philips (or the HDVR2), regardless of the room?

Ah, see, the recommendation to replace the coax is made *without*
this
rather essential bit of diagnostic information. If you hide stuff
from
us, intentionally or not, you get bad advice.

Hide?? From the original post:
"I have a second directivo unit in another room, a Philips, which is rock
solid. I've switched the units, and the problem follows the R10, so that
pretty much isolates the problem to the box."

Replace the coax

He swapped the boxes and the problem followed the box. What makes you think
it has anything to do with the coax?

Ah, see, the recommendation to replace the coax is made *without* this
rather essential bit of diagnostic information. If you hide stuff from
us, intentionally or not, you get bad advice.

What was hidden? He posted enough info to get a decent answer. Replacing
the coax wasn't a decent answer. Don't blame the OP because YOU got it
wrong.

It's entirely possible the power supply or motherboard is defective. I had
one with a dodgy power supply. I cannibalized a power supply out of another
unit. These days it's cheaper to pick up a whole other unit from fleabay
rather than parts. Of course then you don't know if the replacment is about
to die too.

-Bill

"Bill Kearney" wrote:
Replace the coax

He swapped the boxes and the problem followed the box. What makes
you think it has anything to do with the coax?

Ah, see, the recommendation to replace the coax is made *without*
this
rather essential bit of diagnostic information. If you hide stuff
from
us, intentionally or not, you get bad advice.

What was hidden? He posted enough info to get a decent answer.
Replacing the coax wasn't a decent answer. Don't blame the OP
because YOU got it wrong.

It's entirely possible the power supply or motherboard is defective.
I had one with a dodgy power supply. I cannibalized a power supply
out of another unit. These days it's cheaper to pick up a whole
other unit from fleabay rather than parts. Of course then you don't
know if the replacment is about to die too.

A few new units are around for $49. I'm going that route.
http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Order/Rece...-Receivers.htm