HDTV Forum

I have never seen the term

From your description, "video break up" would apply to the hockey games, except that the audio drop outs usually far out number the video problems. No real freezing this weekend or last, so my best guess is they started out the season (on NBC) trying to correct last year's problems, ended up making them far worse, and then reverted back to what they originaly did. Either that, or they tried doing something on the cheap and got caught.

I get a lot of the green (when the problems occur) you describe when watching Boston Legal via D*.

The problem is quite severe sometimes -- but in all cases the picture freezes. There are times when I get vertical stripes/blocks of green and red that extend from top to bottom of the screen; other times squares of green or some other color (large squares, not individual pixels). This only occurs on HD channels, however. I am going to install a signal amplifier and see if that corrects the problem or at least improves it (on order).

Tom- If the ratio of video to audio breakups is atypical then it is not a reception error. Your only option is to find another channel to watch. They should be ashamed of themselves. You didn

I purchased, received and installed a Monster Cable Satellite In-line Amplifier and experienced an immediate and significant DECLINE in signal strength. When performing a reset on satellite receiver to see if I could improve the signal, I got the 'blue screen of death' and absolutely no signal from the dish - I had to remove the amplifier to regain any signal. Once removed, I regained signal and picture, and the signal increased significantly.

I connected the amp at splitter (connection for multiple receivers in home) on outside wall in protected area (approximately 30

The

The DirecTV receiver is HD model # 20; http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/customer/ ... Id=1100066#. The amplifier model is: Monstercable: product description is available at: http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=678. The splitter is located at the rear of the house -- multiple wires come from sat dish, into splitter/connector, then the cable for the splitter to the TV runs out of the splitter.

The inline amp looks to me to be the right type. I have never heard of a receiver model # 20. There is an H20 and an HR20. Both of those are normally sold with the AT9 dish, which has 5 LNBs and has a multi-switch built in. Both of those receivers will work with an older 3-LNB dish that has an outboard multi-switch, but then you would not get the Ka band satellites. (If you live in NYC or LA then you would have no need for Ka band at this time. But DirecTV has announced 10 new HD channels soon and 100 more by New Years, and has not said what satellites they will go on.)

There is a rule that two UHF amplifiers must not be too close together. If the multi-switch has its own amplifier then you might need to put 20 feet of cable between the multi-switch and the new inline amplifier.

How long is the cable from the multi-switch to the receiver? What is the correct receiver model number? Where do you live? If you can get any identifying numbers off the dish or the multi-switch it would be a big help. The receiver probably has a menu item that tells whether the dish has 3 LNBs or 5 LNBs. -Ken

Very simple to check: Menu. Settings, Sat & Antenna, Signal Strength, Signal meters: Go to SAT B (119), trsp 28, should be 76% or better. Same for SAT A, Trsp 28. I get 98 - 100% on these trsp's on EVERY dish I install.
HD locals are different, mine are on SAT 99, Trsp 4,6, & 8. Yours may be on 103. Check ALL transponders! call DirecTV and ask for level 2 tech support. Give them your measurements. They will schedule someone to come out and re-point the dish if necessary. Unfortuneatly, many of the HD channels are on 119, which is the lowest in the sky. Trees may grow up into the line-of sight on this sat. Move the dish or cut some branches, if necesssary.
Channel assignments here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_DirecTV_channels

The signal strength was cut in half in some instances after installing the in-line amp. The reason I know that is because I checked the signal strength before and after installation on all transponders and channels. Some are 100 without amplifier, but others are 0. Most are in the 70-80 range.

I contacted the retailer who supplied the amp and they are sending me a replacement. After telling them what occurred, they think it is a faulty amp. We