C-Band Tuning Tips

Tuning your Big Dish
From time to time, it may be necessary to adjust your receiver in order to restore your channels.  There are two main adjustments to make: dish position (moving your dish alignment east and west) and skew/polarity (ensuring that your receiver is able to correctly show a channel that is delivered in a horizontal or vertical signal).   

Note that some receivers and dish configurations may require additional set up or be placed in a programming mode to accomplish proper programming reception.  Whenever programming your receiver, it is recommended that you use your receiver’s owner’s manual. Your local dealer is also recommended.

When tuning in a 4dtv digital channel, start with analog odd and even numbered channels (from channels 1-24) that you subscribe to on that same satellite and tune them in as well as possible.
 
Starting with your Satellite Chart
It is extremely helpful to use a satellite chart when aiming your dish with your receiver. On the chart, learn the polarity differences between satellites for odd and even numbered channels.  On some satellites, even numbered channels have a horizontal polarity signal, while on other satellites, the even numbered channels have a vertical polarity signal. Satellite names are listed at the top of the chart, and as you read, the furthest satellite to the left is generally the eastern most satellite on your receiver’s configuration, and the furthest satellite to the right is generally the western most satellite. Note that the chart may show satellite names that are designated differently on your receiver.   

Note that this chart shows transponders, and therefore analog channel numbers. This chart will not show 4dtv digital channel numbers since multiple 4dtv digital channels are compressed in to single transponders.

Dish position adjustment
Using your remote control, locate the dish position buttons. Most appear as actual arrows pointing left and right, or even up and down. There might be E (east) or W (west) buttons.   Some receivers also have buttons that automatically tune the dish by searching for the strongest signal. These buttons may be named Autotune or Dish Tuning. 

By pressing the dish position buttons, you may find that your receiver will display a dish position on your screen. Starting on one channel that you know something should be on, will help you recognize what satellite your dish is pointing to. As you are moving the dish position between satellites, the channel that you start on will be the same channel that the receiver will be looking for on other satellites.  

On a Motorola 4dtv receiver, you can view the dish position, the skew, and the signal quality on the screen, while making the adjustments. To adjust the dish position on a Motorola 4dtv receiver, first press OPTIONS-6-4-4 on your remote control, then press ENTER on the highlighted satellite you are adjusting. This puts your receiver in a programming mode. Use your arrow keys  to select dish position and manually adjust the 4 digit dish position with your arrow keys until the desired picture appears in the background. Then store your settings by pressing Go Back, then ENTER, then Go Back 4 more times until your channel appears in full screen.    

Analog-only receivers work in similar ways. East and West buttons, or left and right or up and down arrows, adjust the dish position.

Skew, or Polarity adjustment
Some receivers’ remote controls have a polarity, or skew adjustment buttons, while other receivers have a programming mode with these adjustments as an option. Your owner’s manual will tell you how to locate the skew/polarity features of your receiver.

For a Motorola 4dtv receiver, the skew adjustment is found while in the programming mode.  Get to this mode by pressing Options-6-4-4-Enter. Using your arrow buttons, highlight the areas that show H or V numbers.  This is the manual skew adjustment area. You will find that for one channel, only the H setting or only the V setting is possible to adjust. That is because the channel is either a vertical channel or a horizontal channel.  Also, you may choose the auto-peak skew adjustment, which should automatically determine whether the channel is a horizontal or vertical channel. 

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No Programming Guide

Perform the following troubleshooting steps if you are not receiving the programming guide.

1. Move to satellite G-1, channel 3. Check the DC light.

2. If the DC light isn't lit, you are not receiving a digital signal.

3. If you aren't getting a digital signal, change to channel 5 (Channel Arts) and check picture quality. Adjust skew and dish alignment for best possible picture. If you cannot adjust skew, check operation of servo motor. Replace if necessary.

4. Once the DC light is lit on G1, channel 3, call your programming provider and ask for a "hit for programming guide."

5. If the programming guide doesn't come through, unplug the receiver for at least 20 seconds. 

6. Plug the receiver back in. When unit powers on, press the Guide button on the remote control.

7. After the Guide appears, press the Info button on the remote control to initiate guide download.

8. Call your programming provider for a "programming guide re-hit."

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Multiple Pictures/Split Screen

Perform the following troubleshooting steps if the receiver displays multiple pictures or a split screen on digital channels.

1. Move your satellite dish to G-1, channel 3. Ensure the DC light on the front panel is lit.

2. Perform "Authorization Reset" by pressing Options 6 7 7 8 0 on the remote control.

3. Allow the receiver to download undisturbed for 30 minutes. Check Picture status.

4. If normal picture has not returned, perform "Master Reset". See instructions on this website.

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Receiver is Locked Up

A number of things could cause your receiver to lock up.

1.   If it is in the middle of programming and suddenly won't respond to the remote, try the buttons on the front panel of the receiver. It is possible the remote was inadvertently set to 'tv/vcr' mode.
 

2.   Another good general purpose cure-all is to unplug the power cord from the wall, count to 10, then plug it back in. This resets the micro-processor in the receiver as well as the VC module.
 

3.   If the receiver won't respond to the remote at all, be sure the code in the receiver is the same code that is in the remote. It is suggested that the default code of AO in the receiver be used so when batteries are changed in the remote, the remote will not need to be reprogrammed for the satellite receiver.

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Digital Breakup or Tiling on Digital Channels

When digital break-up or tiling appears on a digital channel with the 4DTV, your signal is not strong enough. Adjust the dish east or west or adjust 'skew' to maximize the quality of the signal. The higher the signal quality, the less chance of tiling. Generally you will need a quality of at least 30 to lock the picture in. If neither one corrects the problem, then the LNB may need replacement.

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4DTV Unit Will Not Take Hits or Accepts Hits Slowly

If a 4DTV unit will not take a hit or is taking slow hits, perform the following steps.

1. Move receiver to satellite G-1, channel 3.

2. Perform "Authorization Reset" by pressing Options 6 7 7 8 0 on the remote control. (You won't see any change on the screen.)

3. Call your programmer and ask for a re-hit. Check your trip counter by pressing Options 6 5. You should see it increase gradually.

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Receiver Processor Stuck During Warm-Up

If a receiver fails to boot-up or seems to get stuck during start-up, use the following procedures.

1. Turn off and unplug your receiver.

2. Wait a minimum of 20 seconds then plug it back in. Turn on the receiver.

3. If your receiver still does not boot-up or start, repeat steps 1 and 2 up to six times.

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Receiver Displays Wrong Time

If a receiver displays the wrong time, follow the procedures below.

1. Check that the DC light is lit on front panel of the 920 or 922. If you have a 905, check that the satellite icon is green.

2. Call your programming provider and have them correct the time.

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No Analog Menu Display for DSR 905 Sidecar

If you cannot see the Analog menu after connecting the Sidecar, check the following.

1. Check the three-in-one AV cable that runs from the "TV Out" output (be sure it's not the "VCR Out" output) on the analog receiver to the "Aux In" input on the Sidecar.

2. Check A/D function by pressing the A/D button on the remote control. If not properly connected as above, this function will not work.

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Receiver Does Not Receive Automatic Updates

If the receiver does not move the dish at night and automatically receive future updates, check the following.

1. Be sure the receiver is set to perform automatic downloads at night. Press Options 6 4 1 on the remote control.

2. Highlight Yes, and press enter.

3. Be sure to turn off the receiver at night.

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Cannot Get Half Screen with Guid

If the receiver cannot display a half screen with the guide, it may have received a Canadian download mistakenly. Perform the following:

DSR920

1.    Press Options 6 0 5 on remote control.

2.    2. If line 3 has 000074-000074-000074, the receiver has received a Canadian download.

3.    Contact ATS non warranty repair, to get information on fixing this. 1-828-465-9968

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