Cable & Satellite TV → [DIRECTV] Severe pixilization on local channels

I just hooked up my THR 22 last month and moved the Genie client to the kitchen. The genie client is connected by low grade comcast wiring but the rest is hooked up via directv grade wiring. I checked my signal strength and I'm getting low/zero readings on a few transponders but the sat readings on the 101 are OK. The setup is a SWM 8 via a 5 LNB Slimline dish. The SWM is in the LNB.

We just recently had some bad weather (wind advisory level, but not high wind warning). Does this suggest a wiring issue or an issue with dish alignment. A few national channels are pixelating as well. The music channels are acting up on the TiVo as well.

I do have some DirecTV grade wire in the basement, I've just been too lazy to run a new wire for the Genie client. The cabling for the client is CATV grade copper cladded steel, the rest is solid DirecTV grade copper. Could this mess up the whole setup.

Should I run a new line to the Genie Client before setting up a truck roll or will this effort be futile.

There is no difference from Comcast grade wiring and DirecTV grade wiring. it all depends on when it was ran.. any cable used recently is fine for Sat. or cable. Are you getting different signal levels on the Client or the Tivo? What is the main genie getting? Copper clad steel is fine.. Solid copper is what is recommended between the Dish and the Power Supply

The Genie was the one that was pixelating. The TiVo was having issues with the music channels breaking up as well.

I replaced the low grade wiring with DirecTV grade wiring (solid copper). The Genie seems to be better but the TiVo still has the music channels breaking up. Some of the satellites are only pulling in 60 percent signal on some transponders (I think on the 99). The low grade wires were two wires butted together (one from Home Depot and one from a Comcast SIK). Both had fittings that I installed. Maybe ingress was an issue.

If you are getting 60's on 99C then you are mis aligned. 99S is spotbeams so only certain ones that point at your area will be high.. But if 99C, 103CA and CB are lower than 90/80's you are mis aligned

I went down to the splitter with a multimeter and took voltage readings from the lines (since I've had issue in the past with TVs using cable lines as a ground, known as electrical back feeds or ground loops) and I'm getting 48 Volts on the Genie line, 0 volts on the TiVo line (since that is hooked up to a DECA) and 18 Volts on the C31 line. All are measured to ground.

Wouldn't be faster to simply call DIRECTV and schedule a tech to fix this? You can spend a lot of time screwing around and never fix the issue when a DIRECTV tech can be in and out and have the issue fixed and be done with it...

That's my $0.25 worth of advice...

I don't know about DirecTV's techs but the Comcast techs never seem to be able to find the issue with my internet.

I tend to look at every nook and cranny. Sometimes finding problems with cable or satellite can be a game of cat and mouse.

I am very knowledgeable on cable/satellite wiring but do have questions from time to time. I just ran a new line from the kitchen to the splitter. I self installed a TiVo and obtained the necessary DECA converter.

The only time I'd need a tech is for servicing the dish itself as that is on a second story roof and I don't have a ladder that goes that high nor do I want to cough up $400 for a signal meter.

IIRC correctly this is a new install for you? DirecTV gives you 60 (or 90 days) free repair service just to make sure all is well, Call them, they really can fix it. Don't judge all lowvoltage techs by the experience you may have had with comcast.

He Self Installed so the free repair doesnt apply. I think he is over thinking something here..

Am I missing something totally obvious here? What is the average signal strength on conus transponders across all of the satellites and what are the signal strengthd of the transponders on the spots that your locals are on? And what are the signal strengths when the pixilation occurs? Not sure about Ka band, but with Ku band you generally will not see visual defects (macroblocking, pixilation, audio drop outs) until the signal strength falls below 32%.