Diseq setup does not detect anything on Vu+ Solo

[magmo]

Hi

I have the the following setup for 4 satellite position using a Spaun SAR 411 Diseq Switch together with a VU+ Solo...

Konfiguration: Simple
Mode: Diseq A/B/C/D
Port A: Thor (0.8W)
Port B: Astra 2F (28.2E)
Port C: Astra 1 (19.2E)
Port D: Hotbird (13.0E)
Volt & 22Khz: Yes
Diseq, changed satellite: No

The receiver does not detect any channels at all. I have verified that I do get signal and channels when connected to the switch its just not working on the VU+ Solo. Can anyone help me out?

 

[AlexWilMac]

What image are you using? If you have an open image, like our OBH, you can let it to automatically find the correct Diseqc settings: just choose "automatic" instead of the satellite.
But if you have a vuplus-based image (like our BH or VTi) you won't have this chance.
So, the question is: are you sure of the satellites you set for each port?

If your switch is near the receiver, you have also another chance: instead of using the cable in the OUT port of the switch, you may try one by one the 4 cables without using the switch, to be sure which satellite comes from each cable.
But if the switch is near the dish, this try becomes impossible. Instead, you may disconnect 3 cables and try the only one connected.

All of this because I'm almost sure that you must've got wrong the satellites for each port.
Otherwise, it means you may have an hardware problem.

And finally, is the image a fresh install? You shoul also download a surely good satellites.xml to put in /etc/tuxbox/

 

[magmo]

I'm using a Black Hole image (2.1.0.1). I am sure that I have selected the correct port for each position. I have verified this by a sat meter where the receiver is and also out where the switch is located. By the way, where can I download the satellite.xml file from?

Thanks

 

[AlexWilMac]

There are many files: you would find yourself just searching the Internet.
Anyway, my favourite is:

http://satellites-xml.org/

But, above all, your image is very old. Your box might suffer a more recent image in flash. The advice is, if you know how to set OMB (OpenMultiBoot) up, to install a light image as OBH in flash and, in case, BH in OMB.
Or, otherwise, only OBH in flash.

 

[magmo]

Hi

I'm new to this receiver and just need some clarification. There is a option to update the receivers image through installation - software update, and then there are the option to update Black Hole through Handle apps - Black hole system update. Do I update both these options and in which order (if it matters)?

 

[AlexWilMac]

You can't "update" online to current version, because this would not be a simple update but an upgrade, instead.
The only way to have newer images, is to flash your receiver.
This means starting from scratch, loosing all your current channels (the so called settings), plugins installed and other customizations you've done so far to your image.
The simplest thing you can save are channels and bouquets, by a computer software or the web interface (and its bouquet editor).

My advice is to be careful, if you are not experienced, and try to get as many infos as possible about the way enigma2 images work before going on.
But the top advice, in my opinion, is to learn how to do a FullBackup of your current situation using a USB pendrive (stick): this will allow you to "flash" back and restore your VU+ as it is now, in case of troubles.
Anyway, FullBackup is the most important function in any case, in my opinion, because troubles may always happen: these linux-based receivers are powerful but complex; they are more like a computer than a passive, closed traditional receiver.
The more more you know about them, the more you get. Internet (starting from this very forum, where you can find a lot of guides and hints) is a huge source of information.

 

[magmo]

Ok, I guess I'm stuck then.... I have earlier tried to update the firmware of the receiver using a usb stick with image found on code.vuplus.com.

But when I insert the usb stick the receiver does not boot, if I remove the stick it boot up as normal.

I now also tried to update black hole using this guide..
vuplus4k com/tutorial-how-to-make-online-update-on-blackhole/

But that did not make the diseq setup work. I also downloaded the latest satellite.xml as you suggested and uploaded it to the receiver nut that does not work. So far I have only been able to make it work when connecting the cable directly to the LNB (Thor 0.8). And since it work there it should at least get channels from that position when using the diseq setup mentioned above, right?

 

[AlexWilMac]

Do you have the chance of trying another switch, even cheap or borrowed? Spaun are very good but... maybe it is the error.
There is also the chance the problem are cables.
If you had the chance of directly connect one cable to the tuner (and even if you did not answer my question in post #2) I guess you have the switch near the VU+: if so, what about other satellites?
Maybe the box has nothing to do with your problem but in IT, when you have troubles, you need to change the problem's variable: in this case, for instance, switch and cables.
You can't probably change the cables, but you may test them one by one: connect them, as I already suggested, to the VU+, choose the Tuner Configuration as
Simple, One satellite
and change accordingly the sat.
For instance, connect only the 28,2E and change the tuner configuration. Obviously, if you left a 4 satellite configuration, the won't never work.

 

[magmo]

I know that the switch is working because I have connected my SatMeter S20 to the cable and checked the 4 ports/positions and I do get signal and can watch channels on the Satmeter S20. And I have now also checked all positions by connecting the cable directly to each LNB, and then it works as expected. The only thing as I see it is if I have configured the Diseq setup wrong in the receiver or it has a hardware error in the receiver. I don't see the cables as the error since I was able to receive channels using the Satmeter S20 when connected to the switch.

 

[magmo]

Another thing that I noticed was that If I connected Astra 2 (28.2) directly to the receiver and made a automatic channel search it did find almost 600 channels. But when I pressed the channel list it was empty. And if I downloaded the channel list using Dreambox Edit there where no channels in the list. I had to do a manual search on the receiver in order to see the channels on the receiver and in the Dreambox Edit. Maybe I did things the wrong way or could this be a clue to whats wrong?

 

[AlexWilMac]

It depends on what you mean by channel list. Linux-based receivers don't act like traditional ones, where you have only one list with all your channels numbered. You need to put them into bouquets. Otherwise, at the moment (but I'm not sure in such very, very old image it was the same like now) when you enter the channel list, you may press one of the coloured keys (Green or Red is now) to show your services or ALL your scanned channels.
If you don't know how bouquets work, you may read this little article:

https://www.vuplus-community.net/board/threads/bouquets-in-enigma2-images.40483/

What you report is good news, though: after you'll be able to watch 28,2 channels with a single LNB configuration, maybe you would try with only two ports from the switch. And so on.

 

[magmo]

I mean that when I pressed the + sign on the remote I can select red button to display either all channels or blue button to see favorites. When I choose red button (all channels) I didn't see any channels at all. I had to search manually in order for the channels to show. When I had done it manually I could receive the channels list and could create my own bouquet. I will try with a new switch (Spaun SAR 212 WSG), allthough I still feel that there is something that I have configured wrong rather than its something wrong with the switch or the receiver is faulty....

 

[AlexWilMac]

1) I'd leave DCC or other software at the moment, either not to introduce other variables to the problem or, above all, because what matters is to check if everyone of your LNBs work or not and if the switch work or not.
2) Be careful with the SAR 212 WSG because it's a totally different kind of switch and it can be tricky o configure.
3) It comes something to my mind: your 4 satellites come from 4 different LNBs or you have some dual feed LNBs. I say so because SAR 212 WSG is needed when you want to manage the dual feed LNBs.

If you've got dual feed, you should have told us because this is not just a secondary detail!

If you have 4 distict LNBs, I'd stay on the one-by-one cable try, as the first stage, to know if each one of them work.

 

[magmo]

I use the following LNB in my setup....

Octagon Octo LNB Optima
Octagon Quad LNB Optima

They have 4 and 8 outputs they are connected to another Spaun 411 Diseq and receiver.

I have tried Thor and Astra (directly connected) to the LNB with the Vu+ receiver and that works, its just when I use the diseq setup its not detecting any channels at all.

 

[AlexWilMac]

OK.
By the way, I mistaken the SAR 212 WSG for another model (more sophisticated). Instead I was wrong: SAR 212 WSG is a normal switch, only it has just two ports.
So, maybe is really the 411 switch the problem. But we now know you have another, identical switch... If you have access to the other one, I'd just swap the two and see what happens in the other receiver and in this one.

 

[magmo]

I have now connected the VU+ receiver to my second existing setup which is a NanoXX receiver connected to the same type of Spaun switch and the same satellites on the same positions as the non working VU+ setup. When doing that it still does not find any channels when doing automatic channel search. So this narrows it down to either a faulty receiver diseq configuration by me or a hardware error in the VU+ receiver I think...

At least that is what I make of it...

 

[magmo]

Can you confirm that my diseq setup mentioned in my post is accurate?


Configuration: Simple
Mode: Diseq A/B/C/D
Port A: Thor (0.8W)
Port B: Astra 2F (28.2E)
Port C: Astra 1 (19.2E)
Port D: Hotbird (13.0E)
Volt & 22Khz: Yes
Diseq, changed satellite: No

 

[magmo]

Maybe I should do a factory reset?

 

[magmo]

Another thing thats weird is that I do get a signal in the receiver using the satfinder option?

 

[AlexWilMac]

Can you confirm that my diseq setup mentioned in my post is accurate?

What should we confirm? As of its name, there is nothing more to configure than the number of LNBs in the "Simple" configuration mode.
If the ports are right for each satellite, the configuration is right.

And, sorry, but in your post #16 is not clear what try you did ("...connected the VU+ receiver to my second existing setup which is a NanoXX receiver...". It doesn't make any sense, this way.
You should either move the surely working 411 to the VU+ or connect the VU+ to the surely working 411.
If this is what you meant, and you are sure about the "mapping" of your LNBs, it means that the problem is, almost surely, your VU+.
But, as I already said, if you would be able to reflash your box from scratch, it would be better.
Each time we have a doubt about a possible HW issue, as it's difficult to test the HW, it's easier to reflash the software.
If a new, fresh installation, has got the same problem, one may be almost 100% sure that the problem is in the HW.

Did you ever install one of those plugin to automatically have settings (i.e. channels) updated? They may be cause of issues.
I know you scanned manually, but this settings' plugins often do modification to system files.
Again, you'd need to reflash the box. (see post#6).