DIRECTV Analog Headend System Troubleshooting Guide

DIRECTV Analog Headend Systems are still very commonly used by businesses and commercial properties across the continental United States, and Sonu Satellite continues to both service and install them nationwide. This DIRECTV for Business Analog Headend System troubleshooting guide will help you take a few basic steps to correct simple issues with “Channel Loss”. Channel loss on a DIRECTV Analog Headend System can often be traced back to a singular DIRECTV modulator or receiver. The following steps will enable you to identify which DIRECTV modulator or receiver is causing your issue, and possibly correct the problem by restarting the equipment. The team at Sonu Satellite hopes this information can save your business unnecessary service calls, and reduce down time for simple channel viewing problems.

Before beginning the following steps, please try resetting both the modulator and receiver within your DIRECTV Analog Headend System rack. This can be accomplished by disconnecting both pieces of equipment for at least 10 seconds. Please note that if your DIRECTV Analog Headend System is using mini-modulators (see images below), please do not disconnect the power cable (3rd port from the left between the red port in the center and metal port on the far right). All other cables should be swapped when troubleshooting.

If resetting your analog headend equipment does not resolve the problem , please move on to the following steps:

STEP 1:

First, start with the modulator(s) for the channel(s) in question. If you are working with a full size modulator, disconnect all wiring from the back of the modulator and swap it with the modulator of a working channel. (Example: If channel 6 is down and channel 7 is working, disconnect the wiring from both modulators and connect the wires from channel 6 to channel 7, and channel 7 wires to the channel 6 modulator). If the content from the receiver assigned to channel 6 displays on channel 7, and channel 7 does not display when connected to channel 6 you have a bad modulator. If the content from the channel 6 receiver still does not display you may have a bad receiver.

STEP 2:

Before continuing to troubleshoot, reconnect the modulators to their original wiring.

STEP 3:

Take the AV (the red, white and yellow) cables from the back of a receiver for the channel having an issue and plug it into a different one. (Example: Disconnect the AV cables from channels 6 and 7. Connect the cables from channel 6 to the receiver for channel 7, and the cables from channel 7 to the channel 6 receiver). If the issue moves to the other channel then you have a bad receiver.

STEP 4:

If the issues stay with each specific receiver and modulatortl then you have issues deeper in your system and it may be best for a tech to come out.