SS2 and Dish-500 Pro - no signal

[phx]

I have a "Dish-500 Pro" pointed to 119W and 110W as it suppose to be. About two years ago I set it up with driver V.4.2.8 patched by Saar and DvbDream v1.3c on PC P4-2.4 Windows-XP. It worked fine and saw all channels on both satellites, but I quit my experiments and didn't touch satellite equipment for more than year.

Recently that I moved my SS2 card to new PC with P4-2.6 dual core Vista business SP1 and installed DvbDream v1.4.i with newest driver from TechniSat - v.4.4.3.0. When I scanned both satellites, DVBDream found signal only on one transponder 11,282MHz V on 119W and shows no signal on all other transponders of both satellites. LNB is set as "Ku Circular" and LOF 11,250,000 as it was before. I didn't set anything under "Raw Diseqc" settings, "22KHz" and "Uncommited" (Disabled) keeping those settings by default from DD.

With driver v.4.4.3.0 it saw only one transponder 11,282MHz V on 119W all the time and other transponders - no signal at all. Level about 90%. Quality 100%, so that's not a bad orientation of dish. I though maybe it's either bad SS2 card or LNB. Replaced both to brand new ones, but no help. Result was the same - just one transponder on 119W as described above.

Then I started experimenting with different versions of drivers and DvbDream software. I installed that old driver V.4.2.8 that worked before and tried DVBDream of different versions. When I go to "Scan" menu - it shows list of transponders with frequencies, but no descriptions of any transponder - everything is blank. When I start "Scan" - it shows singal level 50% on all transponders and quality - 100% regardless of transponder, but finds no channels at all. This seems very strange to me because I even tried same configuration as two years ago - driver V.4.2.8 and DVBDream v1.3c and it shows same symptoms - blank transponders descriptions and no channels. I even installed Windows-XP in different partition on the same PC and tried from there - same result as with Vista. Blank transponders, no signals and no channels.

Finally after all my experiments I don't see even that single transponder 11,282MHz V on 119W. All transponders including that now show no signal at all and if I click "Scan" it takes about 2-3 seconds to scan everyhing instead of usual 10-15 minutes and then it quits with "No channels found". Currenntly my system doesn't work at all.

BTW, when I reinstall drivers for SS2 the driver properties show correct version of driver, but windowx heading of DD always show "DVB Dream v1.4i - B2C2 Direct - on driver v4.2.9 (DVB-S)" . And this "v4.2.9" doesn't change if driver version changes in reality.

Please help. I'm totally fristrated. Do I need to put something under those parameters "Raw Diseqc", "22KHz" or "Uncommited"? What else can I do to make it working?

[SteveOtoo]

Transponders on 119 are from 12224 to 12516 Mhz. Transponder 11282 does not exist, that frequency is a linear freq. It sounds like you need to reaim your dish. If you are using DP lnb's then you need to set your lnb for NA Bandstacked DishPro Ku-Hi (DBS), LoF-1=11250000, LoF-2=14350000. If you are using a circular lnb then your settings are correct. You might want to invest in a cheap sat finder to verify the signal.

[phx]

Transponders on 119 are from 12224 to 12516 Mhz. Transponder 11282 does not exist, that frequency is a linear freq. It sounds like you need to reaim your dish. If you are using DP lnb's then you need to set your lnb for NA Bandstacked DishPro Ku-Hi (DBS), LoF-1=11250000, LoF-2=14350000. If you are using a circular lnb then your settings are correct. You might want to invest in a cheap sat finder to verify the signal.

I was a little wrong and put 11,282. In fact it's 12,282MHz and I saw channels actually belonging to 119W like KOLD, etc. That only transponder I saw was a correct transponder with correct frequency. It was just yesterday before all experiments with drivers and DD versions and I didn't move my dish after.

Now I can't see even that one transponder. Scan takes about 1 second instead of regular 15-20 minutes and shows all transponders with no signal. Before all those changes I tried scan even without LNB connected and it took long time though found nothing. But now it takes just 1 second. I believe this is wrong. Why it happened and how it can be fixed?

[SteveOtoo]

A little more information about what lnb your using would be helpful.I have a feeling your problem is in how you set things up in the diseq. section.

[phx]

A little more information about what lnb your using would be helpful.I have a feeling your problem is in how you set things up in the diseq. section.

It's orginal "Dish-500 Pro" with two LNB's in one monoblock and built-in Diseq. It has two outputs for two receivers, but those are equal. On one side it shows engraving 119W and on other side 110W. A year before it worked with those two satellites and DD v1.3c. Two days ago it worked with 119W and 12,282MHZ V tansponder only and now it doesn't work at all. I didn't move my dish and didn't have any wind or other elements could move it.

I'm wondering why scan takes 1-2 seconds instead of couple dozen minutes as before? I have two same LNB's now and two SS2 cards and I tried to swap them. Both are same, but none is working.

[SteveOtoo]

If this lnb has the" DP" logo on it in black letters then try the setup i mentioned in my earlier post...good luck.

[phx]

If this lnb has the" DP" logo on it in black letters then try the setup i mentioned in my earlier post...good luck.

I couldn't find any "DP" marks on it, but tried already what you suggested. No help. Still no signal on any trasponder and whole scan takes just 1 second. I borrowed a Dish Network receiver from my friend and my Dish is working fine seeing both satellites 119W and 110W. That's something wrong with SS2 or computer setup.

Can it be any problem with motherboard or power supply? My SS2 and LNB worked fine with my old PC, but never worked in full with this one. Though I don't have any other problems with this PC except of SS2 troubles.

[SteveOtoo]

If you have a meter you could check the output of your card using a short piece of coax with one end skinned back and making sure conductors are separated and not shorted. You should either get +14VDC or +18VDC between the inner and outer conductors. I would try putting the card in another slot or go back to DvbDream v1.3c as in your old setup first before checking voltage. DvbDream must be started up to turn the card on and only check voltages if your comfortable doing so.

[genpix]

It's orginal "Dish-500 Pro" with two LNB's in one monoblock and built-in Diseq.

and

I couldn't find any "DP" marks on it

are two mutually exclusive statements.
If your Twin LNB does not have DP letters on it, it is not a DishPro, and it does not have Diseqc switch inside.

Instead, it has a legacy switch inside which is incompatible with DVB Dream.
I repeat, it's not just "not supported" switch, it's "incompatible" switch.
It means, it would switch from one input to another when you least expect it.

Replace it with FTA friendly hardware.

[phx]

It's orginal "Dish-500 Pro" with two LNB's in one monoblock and built-in Diseq.

and

I couldn't find any "DP" marks on it

are two mutually exclusive statements.
If your Twin LNB does not have DP letters on it, it is not a DishPro, and it does not have Diseqc switch inside.

I just climbed the roof and looked at LNB with better attention. The original LNB shows label "Dish DP Pro digital LNBF". Just "DP" has a fancy font, so it was hard to read with quick view. The second LNB (replacement I recently bought) doesn't have such mark. It has big "Dish Network" logo embossed on plastic, marks "119W" and "110W" and sticker "Dish tm Digital LNBF". It doesn't have anything like "DP" on it.

With original "Dish Network" receiver both LNB's (original and replacement) work fine.

Putting SS2 in different slot or switching to DD 1.3.c doesn't help. Scanning takes 1-2 seconds total again and finds nothing.

This confuses me most of all with my system. I remember before my last experiments I tried to hook up a voltmeter instead of LNB to my SS2 and then started scan. It ran slowly and thoroughly checked each transponder. Full scan took about 20 minutes and didn't depend of wheteher LNB conndected or no. I saw voltage slowly fluctuated when it scanned "Vertical" transponders, but stayed steady about 14V when scanned "Horisontal". That's why I believed something is wrong with my SS2 and bought a new one.

Now full scan takes just 1 second regardless of whether LNB connected or disconnected.

[genpix]

Scanning takes 1-2 seconds total again and finds nothing.

It's usually happens when DVB Dream does not see the DVB-s card you selected.
what driver do you use, WDM or BDA?
what device interface (*.dev) you selected for this driver?

DP Twin is kinda heavy load for your DVB-s card (it may not be able to provide enough current).
You will need additional power source (most of the time, constantly working DP receiver connected to other port of Twin DP LNB is enough; but there are some exceptions).

[phx]

Scanning takes 1-2 seconds total again and finds nothing.

It's usually happens when DVB Dream does not see the DVB-s card you selected.
what driver do you use, WDM or BDA?
what device interface (*.dev) you selected for this driver?

I just downloaded full sofware package for SS2 from www.technisat.com and reinstalled it from scratch under my Vista SP1 Business. It requested a PC reboot, so I did and then SS2 Setup restarted automatically and installed Setup4PC. One more reboot was required. After that I have a driver version V4.4.3.0 BDA

I started my DD V1.4i started and scan took normal time though found only one transponder - still the same 12,282MHz V with 9 channels on it:

KGUN
KOLD
KVOA
KMSB
KWBA
KTTU
KUAT
KUVE
KHRR

So I came back to same situation I had 3 days ago before trying to change drivers. If I switch from 119W to 110W - I see same one transponder with same 9 channels. Apparently Diseq is not working. LNB - "Dish-500 DP Pro digital LNBF".

I tried "Device" settings in DD both:
B2C2 Direct - on driver v4.4.3 v1.1.0 and
B2C2 SDK v 1.0.4

Both settings work, but find just same one transponder 12,282 V.
"SDK" has CPU utilization 60-90% while "Direct" - 15-25% while watching channels.

In DD I selected:
"Mini Diseqc Switch".
LNB type: NA Bandstacked DishPro Ku-Hi (DBS)
LOF1 11,250,000
LOF2 14,350,000
Raw Diseqc: kept blank
22KHz: Controlled by LOF-SW
Uncommitted: Disabled

[phx]

Scanning takes 1-2 seconds total again and finds nothing.

It's usually happens when DVB Dream does not see the DVB-s card you selected.
what driver do you use, WDM or BDA?
what device interface (*.dev) you selected for this driver?

I just downloaded full sofware package for SS2 from www.technisat.com and reinstalled it from scratch under my Vista SP1 Business. It requested a PC reboot, so I did and then SS2 Setup restarted automatically and installed Setup4PC. One more reboot was required. After that I have a driver version V4.4.3.0 BDA

I started my DD V1.4i started and scan took normal time though found only one transponder - still the same 12,282MHz V with 9 channels on it:

KGUN
KOLD
KVOA
KMSB
KWBA
KTTU
KUAT
KUVE
KHRR

So I came back to same situation I had 3 days ago before trying to change drivers. If I switch from 119W to 110W - I see same one transponder with same 9 channels. Apparently Diseq is not working. LNB - "Dish-500 DP Pro digital LNBF".

I tried "Device" settings in DD both:
B2C2 Direct - on driver v4.4.3 v1.1.0 and
B2C2 SDK v 1.0.4

Both settings work, but find just same one transponder 12,282 V.
"SDK" has CPU utilization 60-90% while "Direct" - 15-25% while watching channels.

In DD I selected:
"Mini Diseqc Switch".
LNB type: NA Bandstacked DishPro Ku-Hi (DBS)
LOF1 11,250,000
LOF2 14,350,000
Raw Diseqc: kept blank
22KHz: Controlled by LOF-SW
Uncommitted: Disabled

[genpix]

I don't think B2C2 dev is able to control BDA driver.
You need to install WDM driver to be able to talk to B2C2.

Try BDA interface here:
http://www.dvbdream.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1181

Device interface you selected can not change any tuning parameters in BDA driver (parameters sent by DVB Dream are simply ignored).
Thus, you are scanning the same default TP (set by Technisat software) over and over again.

In DD I selected:
"Mini Diseqc Switch".
LNB type: NA Bandstacked DishPro Ku-Hi (DBS)
LOF1 11,250,000
LOF2 14,350,000
Raw Diseqc: kept blank
22KHz: Controlled by LOF-SW
Uncommitted: Disabled

Mini Diseqc Switch is completely different animal (no wonder you can not switch sats).
DP Twin has nothing to do with mini diseqc.
Use Diseqc 1.0 or 2.0
and 22kHz = Off.
Everything else is correct.

[phx]

I don't think B2C2 dev is able to control BDA driver.
You need to install WDM driver to be able to talk to B2C2.

Try BDA interface here:
http://www.dvbdream.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1181

Device interface you selected can not change any tuning parameters in BDA driver (parameters sent by DVB Dream are simply ignored).
Thus, you are scanning the same default TP (set by Technisat software) over and over again.

In DD I selected:
"Mini Diseqc Switch".
LNB type: NA Bandstacked DishPro Ku-Hi (DBS)
LOF1 11,250,000
LOF2 14,350,000
Raw Diseqc: kept blank
22KHz: Controlled by LOF-SW
Uncommitted: Disabled

Mini Diseqc Switch is completely different animal (no wonder you can not switch sats).
DP Twin has nothing to do with mini diseqc.
Use Diseqc 1.0 or 2.0
and 22kHz = Off.
Everything else is correct.

I changed Diseqc from "Mini Disqc" to "Diseqc 1.0-2.0" as you suggested. It looks like Diseqc started working. Thank you. Now I could scan both 119W and 110W. There is same one transponder 12,282 V on 119W with 9 channels and I found a transponder 12,501 H on 110W with 13 channels, but that's still one transponder on each satellite, though frequency and polarization is different.

I downloaded and installed BDA_ALL_107 from the link above, but when I select the device "BDA-S/-C/-T 1.0.7 ScanMan" in the list, I get an error:
"Cannot initialize DVB Hardware. Error Code 1"

Any ideas?

Can you give me a link, where I can dowload WDM drivers for SS2? I would like also to try them too.