Toshiba DST3000 -- can't get it to work

[Ha!Ha!]

Just bought a used DST3000 off of eBay. It fires up fine. It shows all the menus. All the menu options work. I hooked it up to my new Sony HDTV with the proper connectors to the proper place. First of all, when watching a terrestrial HDTV signal, it won't show in HDTV, only NTSC. Second, the picture (either terrestrial or satellite) is crummy. I've compared it with my other receivers and the Sony's built in tuner, changed stuff around to be sure, checked the signal strength, and the Toshiba just puts out a crummy picture and no HDTV at all. Is it me or the Toshiba? Thanks.

[maharg18]

This is probably a dumb question, but have you switched it from SD to HD? It will only pass HD through the component connectors obviously, which are only active when the HD output is selected. If all that is set right and you can rule out the cables and the TV's input, then I'd say you got the shaft in that purchase! :(

[Ha!Ha!]

"This is probably a dumb question, but have you switched it from SD to HD?"
maharg18 -- how do you do that? Resolution says 1080. When I push the button, the screen goes black. Push it again, it comes on, at NTSC resolution.
I didn't get a manual with the thing. Thanks.

[maharg18]

One push of the button will switch it over to 480i and will output through the composite/svideo connectors...Another push will switch it over to component output ,which if your source material is being broadcast in HD, will output HD, otherwise it will upconvert whatever the source is to 1080i.

[Ha!Ha!]

Thanks, maharg18. I'll give it a try when I can find a HDTV broadcast. I still don't know why the NTSC picture is so crummy. I have a regular OAT antenna. I split the input; one to the TVs NTSC tuner; the other to the Toshiba. When I switch between the TV and the Toshiba (both tuned to the same OTA program}, the Toshiba lacks brightness and resolution. Same as switching between the Toashiba and a satellite source both on the same program.

[maharg18]

That is strange...It makes me think you've got something going on inside that thing..The picture outta mine looks badass!! :D

[duffus]

Check all the settings (contrast, brightness, etc), when these are off the picture is horrible. Good luck.

[Ha!Ha!]

I got the HD to work. Was I ever stupid. I didn't know the Toshiba had to go through and memorize all the available sources. A manual would help. The HD looks okay resolution-wise, but I can't tell for sure. It needs considerably more brightness and contrast before it looks okay. I'm suspicious since the NTSC it puts out is still darker and poorer in resolution than the same NTSC from another source into the same settings on the Sony TV. I guess I'll just take it to a shop and have it checked out. Thanks for your help. ONE MORE QUESTION. The remote on the Toshiba cross-talks with my Hughes E6 receiver. Both the menus in the Hughes and the Toshiba show a "receiver 1" setting, but I can't change either one to a "receiver 2" setting. That option isn't offered in the menus. Anybody know how to do that? Thanks.

[dgi]

haha, I too, just got my toshiba dst3000 from ebay, and hooked it to my sony HD TV. Just today put up my 3 lnb 18x20 dish and tried tuning in dtvs hd signals. I can only get the hbo station. Channel 199 and showtimes do not come in. I checked all signals and all three birds are at 89 strength. Does anybody know whats going on with this? btw, my rec. is a refurb, but has the manual, I can copy it and send it to you, if you want.

dgi

[golfman68]

Sounds like you only have the 101 bird, what are your signal strengths for transponders 8, 10, 12, also 22 thru 32. Is your Toshiba set to oval dish 3 lnb's.

[dgi]

golfman, no its set for 3 lnb oval dish, I get 90's for all three satellites, thats what is weird. I checked the transponders and they are all picking up 90's for their respective sats. Thanks

dgi

[golfman68]

Signal strength of 90's on all three birds, those are the highest I have heard of, So back to the problem of only getting HBOHD 509 the 1 HD station on the 101 bird, and not 199 HDNET which is on the 119, or SHOWTIMEHD 543 which is on the 110 bird. What is on channel 376 the guide will say nasa, is it nasa stuff or a movie. What type of testing are you doing, 3m, act.

[Ha!Ha!]

dgi -- thanks for the offer. I got one coming already. I will be getting my 3LNB dish soon, so I'll post back here to let you know what happens.

[dgi]

golfman, I will check tonight when I get home about nasa channel, I'm using p52s revised 3m.

dgi

[dgi]

golfman, 376 shows as nasa, but is a movie. 199 still does not come in, do you know what transponder 199 should use?

dgi

[mattman5000]

About the manual... you can get PDF manuals for most IRDs from dave.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/learn/Manuals.jsp

[golfman68]

Originally posted by dgi
golfman, 376 shows as nasa, but is a movie. 199 still does not come in, do you know what transponder 199 should use?

dgi


Nasa is on the 119 bird along with 199 HDnet, transponders 22-32, you are picking up cinemax 512 on 376 which is on the 101 bird meaning you are not picking up the only 2 channels, nasa, HDnet on the 119 bird. Plus no 543 on 110. So I still think you do not have all 3 birds lined up, I have a Tivo using a round dual lnb dish that is pointed at 101 and it tells me I have all 3 sats which I do not.
Are you using a multiswitch?

[dgi]

yea, and its kind of jerry rigged, last night I did not pick up the 119 at all, today, I pick up 119 and 110 at 90+ on all different transponders. I'll keep checking, thxs

dgi

[golfman68]

Are you using a multiswitch?

[dgi]

yea, this is really confusing, I set up the disk in the dark and it was cold, but I get 90+s on all three types. So today, I took everything down and redid you it. I had the tilt wrong so I redid it. I set up the toshiba next to dish and set all elevation, tilt and azimuth according to my zip code. When I setup the system, I had to slightly adjust the dish, but I got satellites in high 90s again. I let the tosiba sit for 20 minutes and checked and I had all the hd signals. 198, 199, came in, 543 came in, then after another 20 minutes or so, they disappeared again. 509 still there, but 198, 199, 543, all gone, they show up on the guide, but the channel is black. All sateelites still showed 90+. I unplugged toshiba and let it sit and plugged it back in, and after 15 minutes, 198 is there, 509 is there, 199 and 543 both says unavailable.

As for your last question, yes, the sateliite I use is a new 18x20 triple lnb with a builtin 4 ird multiswitch. At first I had two lines ran to my old multiswitch and ran out to my ird from there, but now I ran a seperate line for the toshiba right from the dish.

I'll wait and see if they disappear again or not. btw, now 376 shows me the nasa channel.

thx for our help
dgi

[golfman68]

Getting closer, also you can not use your the multiswitch to veiw more than the 101 bird, so thats good you bypassed it for the HD. Sounds like sat 119 and 110 are coming in and out still. Lets cover the basics again. Level sturdy mast, it can not move at all, check with a level again, good cable and connectors rg59 will work but rg6 is better, twist on connectors will work crimp on's are better.
Still think you may be getting false signal readings, are you getting readings where 1 or more of the sats go to zero on the signal meter, like if you rotated to the west to far and lost the 101 and still had readings for 119 or 110, or to far to the east so you get the 101 bird readings but 0 signal readings for 119,110.

[dgi]

ok, your right! It was the old multiswitch. I do think it was strange that I was getting very good signals on the meter, sometimes 100's which should have raised a flag anyway, but I redid the mast, made sure it was level, used the tilt, elevation, and azimuth settings for my zip code and fine adjusted it and all channels came in. When I moved down to my regular TV, same thing, no 198, 199, took off the multiswitch, and all channels came in. Thanks for your help golfman, I probably would have sent something back as broken with out your help.

HD signal is unbelieveable. Hoep they add more channels soon!!!

dgi

[golfman68]

AWESOME? now are you with in range of your local over the air channels, if so get an antenna. As far as your multiswitch you will need a Eagle Aspen or Spaun that passes the 22kz tone and will allow all sats on all TV's. HD and TIVO rule.

[dgi]

yep, got my terk tv-55 hooked up and watching ota HD on alomost all stations, thx

dgi