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Shaw Direct Satellite Installation Discussions - See Post 1

538K views 1K replies 193 participants last post by  -Jim- 
#1 ·
Hi i just moved to a new town..hay river,NT and just bought a starchoice dsr319 receiver, there already was a starchoice dish at my apartment in a highrise, i am having problems getting any signals, when i connect the cable from the dish to the receiver my is signal 6-7%...i've been trying all day and the best i got was 12%..i have the elevation right and even move it but still can't get anything better than 12...could there be something wrong with my lnbf?

Here is the method for switching your receiver to accept the Dual Quad or the Triple xKu LNB. This is temporary and goes away if your receiver reboots, etc.

Shaw Direct In Areas South of Canada (Mexico, US, etc)...



Link to Shaw Direct for Alignment video, etc. See link below:

 
#584 ·
Hello, newly registered today.

Just got back from Jasper Nat'l Park, Whistlers Campground. Had a frustrating time and so I wanted to get feedback (although I think I know the problem).

I've got the 60E dish, the triple XKU lnb, and using a 600 series receiver, which had been connected to my home dish, and verified to be working.
I referenced Shaw Direct Satellite locations before travelling, and pre-set the dish to 28.7 degrees, and 82 degrees skew.
I am aware of the importance of correctly mounting the mast, to level, which I did.

The Shaw Direct site calls for 151 degrees compass.

I am pretty sure that trees, were my problem, as I was sure my mast was level, and compass was correct. I had momentary signal 'blips', but could never get anything more than that.

Are trees the issue, or is there something else you would recommend? I'm definitely going to be camping in the future, probably in Jasper again, so I have to figure this out.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


Jim
 
#586 ·
demonical: my expericence with the 60e dish is that the elevation markers on the mast are off by between 5 and 10 degrees, meaning you should have tried the elevation at 35. also, I don't adjust the skew until the very end. but with all that being said, if you don't have a clear line of sight to the satellites, you won't receive anything.

off topic: I was in Jasper and Banff for a week in August and loved it. everyone needs to go there at least once.
 
#587 ·
^ FWIW, I just setup the same dish-LNB setup, on my house, about a month ago. The recommended settings for skew, elevation and compass were very close to what I actually used.
At the campsite in Jasper, I had a very poor setup, for mounting the dish; I really couldn't move the dish to get a clear line-of-sight through the trees (which there were huge spruce/pines).
I'm going to try one of those tripod deals, that will allow me to move the dish, to get a view to the sky.

Next time....
P.S. The wife and I cannot get enough of Jasper! We've been there like 6 times this year, so far. More trips to come!
 
#588 ·
When I get to go fishing with him we always have Sat TV.

Hi Demonical,

Welcome to the Board.

I have a buddy who's got deep pockets, so when he was buying his new Boat (a 42 foot Cabo Sportsfisher some years ago), I talked him into getting Sat TV for it. He lives on the water near Deep Cove in North Vancouver and goes all over the Coast. When he would go Fishing and anchor for the night in some very narrow steep treed inlets, bays, etc., he'd have an issue getting the Birds. Being a newbie he didn't understand they are mostly in the south eastern sky from coastal BC.

So to make it easy I bought an iPhone App (it's available for Android too) called DishPointer. It's so easy to see if there is an obstruction and with the Boat, I just get him to back up until we are clear.

Check it out here on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AFtcgYRcu4

I got the Pro version so when I get to go fishing with him we always have Sat TV.
 
#590 ·
G1 signal

Last night we had some flurries here in Calgary and I was losing signal on my 630.
I could still watch some channels,but I think most of the G1Sat were out.
Today I was checking signal strength for all channels and noted that for
Ch. 299, Ch. 58, Ch. 70, and Ch.701 advance,
I'm get 97 to 98 with Ecb 9 db,but only 80 to 85 for channels 501 to 530 advance.
I checked the Skew and switch around the connections on the xLNB plus did a soft reset.
No signal strength improvement on channels 501 to 530,any way to improve signal strength for the G1 Sat?
I also notice a 630 quirk that if I'm PVR ing say channel 509 Knowledge Network
It will show a signal strength improvement (from 80 to 90)depending on what channel I have it on while watching live TV.
Many thanks
 
#592 ·
Heya folks, some neighbors of mine had an issue with an older dsr 305 ird, they sent out people to change the dish ( was a one meter with single lnb ) to a 75 e with x-ku lnb. Did not solve it. Shaw said it was a ird problem, they sent a 600 for replacement. they called and got it activated and it is only seeing a few channels namely 305 , 252 is city Kitchener a few like TMN in hd.
I went to their's to check it, and it says 97 percent signal. I'm starting to think it may be a v code problem. I looked at the map and it said 576 4320, wonder if the receiver is matched to the lnb or is it an alignment issue?
They are kinda fed up with shaw, told them I'd ask a question before I play. cheers
 
#595 · (Edited)
Reception question

Now that the leaves have dropped ican again receive signals from F2 but not all the channels. The signals that are polarized left horizontal are received but those that are vertically polarized are below signal capture criteria. Any suggestions as to how to rectify the problem?

I will not cut down a tree just to watch tv. I receive excellent signal strength from the G1/F1 even when the trees are in full bloom. Probably from a small gap for the 107 degrees birds.

Cheers
Commish
 
#599 ·
Need basic installation help

Hi everyone, its a pleasure of being part of this great fórum, i hope to give some help to others as much as i can.

This time i need your help guys.....This is my Story.... I recently bought a complete Brand new Shaw Direct system at EBay, Essential HD Receiver 600 (never activated) + 60 cms elliptical dish with XKU lnb.

i want to install it in San Diego, but to be honest, i get lost in some of installation procedure. i have plenty satellite dish installation knowledge ( Dish Network, FTA, DTV), but this time, this system hits me up!! Lol

I start installing it like i usually install other system, set the mast properly, run a short pieces of coax from dish-birdog signal finder-to receiver to find the satellite and adjust the dish to máximum signal strenght. Then, here is where i get lost practically.

my questions are:

1.- What is the first thing i must do at the system status? i know how to get into the system, and get the signal strenght bar, and that's all. in that screen, there's a lot of info that practically don't know what it means.

2.- how do i know what channel should i tune first? i've been Reading some posts of you telling to others that need to be on channel 299 to adjust the dish, but others says it need to be on channel 252. (i'm totally confused with this)

3.- How do i know what satellite i'm picking? F1? F2??

4.- At the first try, i said to myself: this system is not gonna hit me.. and baaam!!! i didn't got a positive results...

i only get a yellow color signal bar, i've been Reading i need to get a Green bar color, wich means everything is goin' on right at that point, but i don't understand why i get yellow bar reading only.

I hope to be a kind of clear with my installation issues.

I really appreciate your value help and support to this Project.

Best Regards!!!
 
#600 ·
In San Diego you may only get a yellow bar with a 60cm dish. What is the actual reading with the bar?? Some transponders are weaker than others so it will depend on channel selected. No need for a meter. The signal indication is pretty well immediate with the newer receivers/pvr. I won't be packing a meter in my travels.
 
#605 ·
I spent a couple of months in the area with green and yellow. That signal is good. I had 2 months of 99.99999 percent successful HD recording and viewing with a 630. One day of light mist. :)
I got tired of squeezing in a 75 dish with the travel in the rv.
 
#606 ·
80 is a very good number in your location on 252. I have similar stats in Yuma with a big dish and only have a problem during heavy rains, maybe once a month, like gzink.

Many other channels are well into the green zone once set-up is finished, so don't obsess on 252. I prefer to fine-tune for the channels I actually watch.
 
#607 ·
Troubled times.

Ok, im having a terrible time trying to get my dish back up and running.
Back in the spring i was having signal strength issues, i thought it was because of a tree, so i moved the dish on top of my shed. it seemed to have worked for a little while until one day i went out to adjust the dish, because of loss of signal strength. this time i lost all signal across pretty much all channels. Now i have manage to get 98%, but only on channel 700 ( in the manual i have it says to tune in signal strength on this channel).

singal strength on most channels is 0, a few jump up and down but never above 56%. Same with the EcbNo anywhere between -10 an +5( except 700, its at +10.5)

Im using a starchoice satellite finder, and according to it im getting a strong singal.

Ive tried refreshing the receiver multiple times but doesnt seem to do anything

anyboy got any suggestions??

oh i have a 60e dish and a motarol HDSR600 receiver
 
#608 ·
Alignment issue with dish at cabin

Have a new 75e with quad LNB xku, getting 2 different signal stregths, one of 11 and one of 39, not sure which channels but wondering if cable/connection is ok or if it's an alignment issue. Using with an older HD receiver with a updated 4128 EMM provider ID. Had it working previously but only got F1R channels and no F2, so thought some trees were in the way and moved it and now can't receive any signal. Using the Norsat satellite finder app and line of site appears fine. Any suggestions/pointers would be appreciated.
 
#611 ·
It sounds like you have a triple quad LNB. Your receiver has probably reset back to duo LNB mode. Did Shaw reset your receiver for triple LNB when you refreshed?

Or you just aligned the dish with the wrong LNB pointing at the wrong satellite.
 
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