Scientific-Atlanta D9234 Receiver Setup

With the dropping of the 4:2:0 digital feeds by UPN and Paramount, the following examples will no longer work. The WB Cable example is fine (step 18). But, the examples for UPN/Paramount can be used for other channels.

The D9234 is a true NTSC DVB receiver, in that it has a video output that is NTSC spec. I've discovered that the PanSat 200A has black level at 0 IRE (it should be 7.5 IRE) and shifts the video down 6 lines and horizontally expands the video a little bit. I've compared the digital video from both Paramount and WB feeds (when there were both analog and digital feeds during the conversion) and they are an exact match for start line and horizontal width.

While the D9234 will descramble, the receiver has to be enabled by the uplink company. If Paramount/UPN does turn on scrambling, the odds of having them enable these boxes will be like winning the PowerBall lottery... slim-to-none. So, for all intents and purposes, these receivers, in the hands of consumers, are FTA only.

OK, with that diatribe out of the way, setting up the receiver for receiving digital signals is a breeze. Let the instructions begin:

1. Obviously, the first thing you need to do is get it connected to your LNB. You should have done that already, using a power splitter and jumper cables. If you are also attaching it to your Ku-band LNB, then an A-B RF switch will also be needed.
2. Turn on the unit. More than like you will have a screen that looks something like this. Because we are going to set up the main Paramount/UPN channel as favorite channel number 1, press FAVORITE-0-1-SELECT. While you'll still see the same no signal screen, the unit has been set to help with setting up a favorite channel.
3. Press the MENU button, so that you'll see this.
4. At this point in time we have to make sure that the unit is in PowerVu mode. Press INFO-INFO-4-0 to get this. This little tidbit of information is not in the manual and will keep you from possibly getting some feeds.
5. Notice that it should be displaying Tune Mode PowerVu. If it does not, use the UP-ARROW key to highlite the mode entry. Press the SELECT button to cycle through the possible list, stopping on Tune Mode PowerVu. Then use the DOWN-ARROW key to highlite Exit. Press SELECT to exit. You will then be asked to save your changes, press 1 and then SELECT. You will be returned to the main menu. If there were any PID values listed, as there is in the example menu, ignore them, as the fields are ignored in PowerVu mode.
6. Now tune your analog receiver for T5, any odd channel. If you are using a Drake/Zenith receiver and you have the A/V outputs of the SA receiver connected to the A/V inputs of the Drake/Zenith, set the Drake/Zenith to channel 1 and change the source to external. A little secret... with the Drake/Zenith receivers, the audio level of the external inputs is also controlled by the receiver's audio control settings. That is why T5/1 is used as the selected channel for the Paramount/UPN feed, as the levels will already be set for what you want. You'll still have to adjust the SA's audio level, but it will be at a more manageable level. If you tune a channel that has not been set, the audio level will be at 1 and even if you set the SA for max audio, the audio level will be low and for the WB feeds, it will be unlistenable.
7. Press the UP-ARROW key to highlite Receiver Status. Then press SELECT so that you'll see this. It is possible that the receiver will have locked onto the Paramount/UPN feed. If so, this page will indicated a locked signal state. We will continue as if it hadn't, in order to show you how to enter values so that you can get a signal lock.
8. Press the UP-ARROW key to highlite Receiver Setup. Then press SELECT so that you'll see this. Ignore the values on the left side, as they will probably not be the same as what you are seeing. Do notice that the Preset is set to 01. BTW, the date shown on your receiver may be ":0" instead of "00" as it is the only Y2K bug that SA had with the receiver :-)
9. Press the LEFT-ARROW key to highlite Symbol Rate. Then press SELECT to clear the value listed. Enter 1-3-3-0-0-0-SELECT to enter the new symbol rate.
10. If the FEC Rate is not set to 7/8, press the UP-ARROW key to highlite FEC Rate. Then press SELECT as many times as necessary to cycle through the FEC rate, until 7/8 is rate shown. In my case, the rate was already set to 7/8.
11. If the L.O. Freq #1 is not set to 5.150, press the UP-ARROW key to highlite L.O. Freq #1. Then press SELECT to clear the value listed. Enter 5-1-5-0-SELECT to enter the new frequency. The L.O. Freq #2 should be set to N/A.
12. Press the UP-ARROW key to highlite Frequency. Then press SELECT to clear the value listed. Enter 3-9-9-1-2-5-SELECT to enter the new frequency. If everything has gone to plan, you will now have a signal lock. Notice that the signal quality is not very high. It is as if Globecast is expecting the stations to have 20', or larger, dishes.
13. To see if you really have something, press 1-SELECT-1-SELECT-SELECT-SELECT. More than likely you will be on channel 1 and it has nothing there. Use the UP-ARROW or CH up button to change to channel 11. Now you'll have something. Depending on what time you do this, you'll have VTV4 on channel 12. But, we aren't done yet, as we want to store this information as favorite channel #1.
14. Press MENU-UP ARROW-SELECT-UP ARROW-SELECT-UP ARROW-UP ARROW-SELECT. You should now be in the Network Presets menu. Everything should be as we had previously set it.
15. [Step removed as the other GlobeCast carrrier from New York is no longer used.]
16. [Step removed as the other GlobeCast carrrier from New York is no longer used.]
17. Now we can program a favorite channel, two in this case (favorite 2 is no longer being programmed is this setup guide), for the WB feeds that are over on G7. The difference here is that the WB digital feed will not autolock like the PowerVu channels. The video and audio PIDs have to be entered in the to receiver. While the receiver will keep the PIDs that you enter and it can keep the satellite information as part of a favorite channel, or preset, it will not store the fact that the signal is a fixed PID or PowerVu feed. So, to get ready to store the WB digital feed into preset #3, enter FAVORITE-0-3-SELECT. Because nothing will be found at this preset, the receiver will probably auto scan to the first channel of the New York Globecast feed. That is just fine.
18. Retune the analog receiver to G7 channel 1. If you are using a receiver like that mentioned in step 6, I suggest setting up G7 channel 1 like T5 channel 1. Give a name like WB DIG and set the audio level to match what you have for T5/01. Actually, you might want to set it at 10, since the WB digital audio levels are lower than the Globecast audio levels.
19. Press MENU-INFO-INFO-4-0 to get to the Fixed PIDs menu.
20. Press UP ARROW-SELECT-SELECT to select Tune Mode Fixed PIDs.
21. Press UP ARROW-SELECT-1-UP ARROW-SELECT to save the changes and change to Channel 1. You might have values in the various locations. They will be changed to what is needed for the WB fixed PIDs.
22. Press LEFT ARROW-SELECT-1-0-1-SELECT to enter the Video PID.
23. Press DOWN ARROW-SELECT-1-0-2-SELECT to enter the Audio PID.
24. Press DOWN ARROW-DOWN ARROW-DOWN ARROW-DOWN ARROW-SELECT-1-0-1-SELECT to enter the PCR PID. The screen should now look like this.
25. Now we have to set the two remaining WB digital channels into channels two and three. Move the cursor over to Channel 1 and press SELECT. Enter 1 to save the changes for channel 1. The channel number will blank out, just press UP ARROW-SELECT to change to channel 2. Enter 201, 202 and 201 for the same three PIDs. All other PIDs should be 0. The screen should now look like this.
26. Do the same for Channel 3, using 301, 302 and 301 for the PIDs. After entering the PCR PID, cursor over to Exit and press SELECT. Enter 1 to save the changes.
27. Now select Receiver Status, User Setup and Network Presets. It should be displaying Preset Number 3.
28. Enter the following values:
    Symbol Rate: 26.7000
    FEC: 3/4
    Frequency: 3.71975
    The screen should now look like this.
29. Exit the menus, saving your changes, until you get back to normal video viewing. You now have the three channels of the WB digital feed.

That is it. Now you know how to set up PowerVu channels, fixed PID channels and network presets (favorite channels, presets). Keep these simple things in mind when setting values into this receiver: Do not change values in a favorite channel that you want to keep, as the information will be replaced as soon as you do a save, even if you were not in the Network Presets menu. This means you can easily set up a new preset in one of two places and it also means that you can easily replace a current favorite. If you are just radomly looking at feeds, using favorite channel 00. There are 24 presets available, 00 -> 23. If you use 00 for play mode, you only have 23 in which to store stuff. I suggest that you go to preset 00 when switching from PowerVu mode to Fixed PID mode and vice-versa.

If you have to add more fixed PIDs for other channels, keep in mind that the receiver will store the three that have already been entered. I believe it will hold 512 fixed PID channels. So, if you enter more fixed PIDs, start with the next channel from where you entered last. In this example, the next available channel is 4. Keep good notes as to what you have programmed where.

This receiver has the ability to be manipulated via a serial port. Do not connect a serial cable from your PeeCee directly to the serial port on the receiver. The wiring is non-standard. While no harm is done, it doesn't work either. See page 4 of the manual for a diagram on the expansion port signals. You will be connecting pin 2 to 12 and pin 3 to 13 (25-pin computer end to 25-pin BSR end). Appendix C of the manual discusses the serial remote commands. Note that the connection must be 8N1 (8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit) or 7S1 (7 bits, space parity, 1 stop bit). The default baud rate is 9600. What the serial port can't do is change the mode from PowerVu to Fixed PID and vice-versa. That has to be done via the remote. There are no hidden commands in the remote serial control set.

If you have any questions about the receiver, let me know and I'll do my best to help you out. If you'd like to purchase one of these receivers, let me know and I'll put you in touch with the only dealer allowed to sell the units to U.S. customers.

Unlocking the Receiver

Upgrading the Firmware

• Move dish to Telstar 5, horizontal polarization
• Go to the Receiver Setup screen by pressing the Menu button, then Receiver Status, then Receiver Setup.
• Tune to the following parameters (C-band):
  Frequency Mode: L-band #1
  Frequency: 1090.00
  LO Freq #1: 5.150
  LO Freq #2: N/A
  Crossover: N/A
  Polarization: H (means nothing if your analog receiver controls polarity :-)
  FEC Rate: 3/4
  Symbol Rate: 28.0000
  Network ID: 9
• Then, back out of all the menus to the normal video screen.
• Now put receiver in standby by pressing the On/Standby button on the front panel.

(This is actually the AFN (Armed Forces Network) signal. Now of course you won't have access to the AFN channels, but the firmware upgrade for this receiver is continually on their data stream at the above location.)

If the unit needs an update, a text screen will come up and display the download progress (can take 5 to 10 minutes). When it's done, the receiver will automatically reboot. -and that's it. :)

For more info, visit the AFRTS web page. Other satellites located around the world are listed.