What Satellite issues do you see most often?

I am working to help write a troubleshooting giude for the Church Satellite Systems to be posted in the Wiki for the use of STS's, FM groups and anyone else who interfaces, and uses the satellite equipment. And so the question what issues to you most commonly run into?

StevePoulsen wrote:I am working to help right a troubleshooting giude for the Church Satelite Systems to be posted inthe Wiki for the use of STS's, FM groups and anyone else who interfaces, adn uses the satelite equipment. And so the question what issuss to you most commonly run into?

Forgot to reboot before calling the satellite help desk.
Sound but no picture.
Someone removed the troubleshooting instructions from the cabinet.
Internet access is not available at the satellite cabinet.

Telephone not available at the satellite cabinet.
Sun outages.
Time shifting the programs.

A reboot solves most of our problems. Aside from that, the only thing I've seen are the usual temporary signal losses, and an occasional satellite receiver misconfiguration that Salt Lake has to fix on their end.

However, if you're writing a guide, there are a lot of things that an operator can do to be better prepared beforehand, such as:

Know how to reboot, and make sure you can get into the cabinet quickly during a broadcast if needed.

Make sure you have quick way to look at the output of the receiver so you can verify if the problem is the receiver, or a problem with the building distribution system. I think most racks have a direct composite out available from the satellite. But I know that a lot of operators don't really understand that this is different than watching the modulated signal on a TV. In our building, I have a monitor wired directly to the monitor out on the receiver before it goes to any other equipment.

Make sure you have the SLC support number, and your receiver S/N & property number easily available. This info seems to have disappeared from some of the buildings I've worked on, and caused a little stress when it's needed.

Finally, since most signal loss problems are beyond our control (airplanes, solar flares, or whatever it is that knocks our signal), there's no reason to panic. If experiencing a signal loss, I usually wait a minute or so, and it will usually come back on its own, or sometimes with a reboot. There's really not much that an operator can realistically do on the receiving end, but it saves the operator a lot of stress if they know that...

Good luck with the guide.

Steve - thanks to you and others in your group for their hard work

Need a method to change meetinghouse audio (language)
Satellite interface to the meetinghouse audio equipment
Support not having a diagram, chart or image of a unit's installed equipment (vendor and model)

Training and Documentation:
Training for how a local unit can verify their environment
Provide a check list or diagram template (e.g.,Wiki document) that could be modified for training and documentation of each location
Stake Technology Specialist could be provided access to the web site that has a location information that the local FM group could help keep current (like the FHC Center Profile Database that provides center information and desktop inventories and a section for status)

Other issues:
Access to the cabinet, it appears someone changes cables and never returns them correctly
Telephone not working at the satellite cabinet
No troubleshooting instructions at the cabinet
No Internet access near the satellite cabinet

This past conference, one of the receivers for our Hmong broadcast did not output the audio. Fortunately we had someone with a laptop that was able to stream the audio from LDS.org.

My dad (who is called as the AV person in my building) tried to open the back of the box to see if someone accidentally plugged the cords in wrong. But we we were unable to open the back up. Its fixed now, but how to do we do it in the future if its needed?

allen.blodgett wrote:This past conference, one of the receivers for our Hmong broadcast did not output the audio. Fortunately we had someone with a laptop that was able to stream the audio from LDS.org.

My dad (who is called as the AV person in my building) tried to open the back of the box to see if someone accidentally plugged the cords in wrong. But we we were unable to open the back up. Its fixed now, but how to do we do it in the future if its needed?

Generally speaking the FM (Facilities Maintenance) group controls access to the these cabinets for the very same reason that you've mentioned - people changing cables and adjusting controls. You might wish to check with your Stake AV person or Stake Technology Specialist to see if they have access.

If not, my best suggestion would be to arrive at the building a few days prior to a broadcast and test everything out. This is good advice to anyone. Problems can them be rectified by the responsible party in time.

The stake technology specialist (STS) is the primary contact for technology services and electronic devices in all Church meetinghouses in the stake, including satellite systems (see Stake Technology Specialist Roles and Responsibilities and the Church Handbook of Instructions: Book 1 [2006], 141-42, 150-51). In this regard it is his responsibility to test the satellite system before each broadcast that is going to be viewed, unless another individual has been called specifically for that task. Even then, it is the STS who is the primary point of contact for the stake when dealing with organizations outside the stake. Unless local arrangements have been made, the STS must communicate issues to the FM group through the high council representative for physical facilities.

As techgy stated the satellite cabinet generally is not accessed for maintenance (accessing the connections at the rear of the equipment or adjusting settings) by anyone other than the FM technicians. Again, local arrangements with the FM group may permit others access, but for limited purposes.

jdlessley wrote:The stake technology specialist (STS) is the primary contact for technology services and electronic devices in all Church meetinghouses in the stake, including satellite systems (see Stake Technology Specialist Roles and Responsibilities and the Church Handbook of Instructions: Book 1 [2006], 141-42, 150-51). In this regard it is his responsibility to test the satellite system before each broadcast that is going to be viewed, unless another individual has been called specifically for that task. Even then, it is the STS who is the primary point of contact for the stake when dealing with organizations outside the stake. Unless local arrangements have been made, the STS must communicate issues to the FM group through the high council representative for physical facilities.

While I agree completely, I am not sure how that relates to the question at hand. The point of the forth comming WIKI article will be to help the STS, FM group, it's mechanic, and anyone else who may (under the direction of local leadership) access the equipment; to trouble shoot those problems that they may encounter during or while setting up for local broadcast.

The most common problem that I have is hardware failure in either a satellite system component or the building audio system. At least one component has failed each year for the last three years.

StevePoulsen wrote:I am working to help write a troubleshooting giude for the Church Satellite Systems to be posted in the Wiki for the use of STS's, FM groups and anyone else who interfaces, and uses the satellite equipment. And so the question what issues to you most commonly run into?

I failed to mention that a few weeks ealier our reciever was replaced with a digital one. That would mean that it was accidentally left unplugged or what ever by someone from the FM Group or maybe a contractor...

Does anyone else have digital recievers now?

allen.blodgett wrote:Does anyone else have digital recievers now?

We just got a Wegener Unity 552 when one of our older receivers failed. I think these are the standard replacements now.

allen.blodgett wrote:Does anyone else have digital recievers now?

They've all been digital for quite some time now. Our main one is a cream colored with just has two buttons on it. The newer one we just had installed is gray with a LCD display and a set of buttons arranged in a circle.

StevePoulsen wrote:While I agree completely, I am not sure how that relates to the question at hand. The point of the forth comming WIKI article will be to help the STS, FM group, it's mechanic, and anyone else who may (under the direction of local leadership) access the equipment; to trouble shoot those problems that they may encounter during or while setting up for local broadcast.

This relates because there are FM managers that will not permit anyone other than their technicians to make adjustments or changes to the equipment. Aside from rebooting, calling the toll free number, or contacting the FM group, there was little else permitted.

If the troubleshooting guide is going to be issued as a policy or have the effect of policy then there should be no problem. I point this out to make sure there is not going to be conflict with the troubleshooting guide and standing policies.

allen.blodgett wrote:
Does anyone else have digital recievers now?

All of the Recivers used in the church satellite system are digital. from the original DVR396, to the most current Unity 552.

[quote="jdlessley"]This relates because there are FM managers that will not permit anyone other than their technicians to make adjustments or changes to the equipment. Aside from rebooting, calling the toll free number, or contacting the FM group, there was little else permitted.[/quote]

jdlessley wrote:
If the troubleshooting guide is going to be issued as a policy or have the effect of policy then there should be no problem. I point this out to make sure there is not going to be conflict with the troubleshooting guide and standing policies.

I can not speak to policy. However PFD (the church Physical Facilities Department) is going through a re-organization, part of which, has increased the size of the areas that each FM group oversees, and reduces the workforce that have available to them. as Such, I would imagine that if an FM group can find an STS or other member which they feel they can trust, they would gladly let them help troubleshoot and maintain the satellite systems.
All the same, I expect it should be good information for all.

StevePoulsen wrote:All of the Recivers used in the church satellite system are digital. from the original DVR396, to the most current Unity 552.

Of course the receivers are processing digital data, but I assumed that the question was about a digital display, which the older receivers did not have, but the newer ones do.

Alan_Brown wrote:Of course the receivers are processing digital data, but I assumed that the question was about a digital display, which the older receivers did not have, but the newer ones do.

If that is the Question, then only the Untiy 552 has HDMI outputs, it is alos the only reciver which will output Component Video (not to be confused with Composite/Raw Video)

StevePoulsen wrote:If that is the Question, then only the Untiy 552 has HDMI outputs, it is alos the only reciver which will output Component Video (not to be confused with Composite/Raw Video)

While the older DVR model has a S-Video output. Unfortunately, I've found that it seems to have a slight flicker so I've had to abandon it's use.

Just for helpful information -

Two inches of ice on the disk, covered with four inches of snow, will kill the First Presidency Christmas broadcast.

Thirty minutes with a push broom will bring it back.

Eddy
OP2 Ward Clerk