Mercury II & Transponder 12152 on G25

Sadoun · #1 (**permalink**) 12-27-2007, 02:05 PM

Some of you reported that their Mercury II receiver started acting weired (Slow channel changing, slow response to remote commands, etc ) when they changed to a certain channel on G25.

What you have described seems to have started happening last week due a signal change from the satellite.

It looks like transponder 12152 on G25 is the culprit.

Try the following steps, and see if it can help:

1- Do a factory reset on your receiver
2- Do a Blind Scan
3- Before browsing channels, delete transponder 12152

To delete Transponder:

Go to Antenna Setup

Select Transponder

Click on Red Button on remote

Delete Transponder 12152

Upgrading the Mercury II Factory Frimware:
Another solution for your receiver would be to upgrade the Firmware to the latest factory f/w. Go to the download section at www.FortecStar.com and follow the instructions for updating your firmware. Software for your receiver may be downloaded to your computer, and then transferred to your receiver using the RS-232 port. For downloading and instructions, click on the link... (Instructions for Downloading).

You will need the following software:
Uploader - v.0.98 ( March 16, 2006) Click Here to Download
The Uploader is needed for transferring the firmware from your PC to your receiver. (Female-to-female 9-pin NULL modem cable needed.)

Firmware - v.1.53 ( July 16, 2007) Click Here to Download -
Corrects problem saving changes made to a satellite's orbital position.
Downloading software to your receiver voids the manufacturer warranty.
Perform a Factory Reset (restore defaults) before and after downloading software to your receiver. This ensures that the new software performs correctly.
Note:You can do a Channel Backup from the Factory Reset menu before changing the receiver's software. This will prevent you from losing any channel data.

(Optional) Channel Editor v.1.0 ( May 16, 2006) Click Here to Download
Channel Editor is used for editing channel data.

(Female-to-female 9-pin NULL modem cable needed.)

rainman · #2 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007, 07:04 AM

You are right on with the transponder problem Saddoun check last night and it froze the Mercury up. but I did not have to do a factory reset as it finaly moved off of this transponder.I then deleted the transponder and all was normal again.

wejones · #3 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007, 03:32 PM

I'm curious what firmware versions those who are having problems with this transponder are using?
I've been having unrelated problems with my Mercury, but while experimenting, I just tuned in this transponder to see if it does anything to my Mercury, and it doesn't. My Mercury works fine with this transponder. I scanned in all the FTA channels and played them all, and had no slow-downs.
I'm using ver 1.33, which I upgraded to immediately after getting the receiver. At the time, I had a reason, some reported bug I think, but I can't remember what it was. There is a newer version now on the Fortec site, however I *THINK* that is the version that a couple people have put on their receivers, and had problems, so I haven't put that one on my receiver.
As I said, I'm having problems with my Mercury right now, but I don't think they are related to the firmware version or this transponder.
Anyway, if anyone upgrades to the new version and has problems, perhaps this ver 1.33 might be another option.

rainman · #4 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wejones

I'm curious what firmware versions those who are having problems with this transponder are using?
I've been having unrelated problems with my Mercury, but while experimenting, I just tuned in this transponder to see if it does anything to my Mercury, and it doesn't. My Mercury works fine with this transponder. I scanned in all the FTA channels and played them all, and had no slow-downs.
I'm using ver 1.33, which I upgraded to immediately after getting the receiver. At the time, I had a reason, some reported bug I think, but I can't remember what it was. There is a newer version now on the Fortec site, however I *THINK* that is the version that a couple people have put on their receivers, and had problems, so I haven't put that one on my receiver.
As I said, I'm having problems with my Mercury right now, but I don't think they are related to the firmware version or this transponder.
Anyway, if anyone upgrades to the new version and has problems, perhaps this ver 1.33 might be another option.

mine is running 1.00 firmware and 1.06 software Bill.

matt_in_abq · #5 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007, 08:00 PM

For what it's worth, Sadoun's solution described above has worked for me. A bit of clarification on what I went through....

After performing the blind scan, transponder 12152H was not listed on my screen. The last transponder in the list was 12122H. Since Lyngsat reports both a 12152H and a 12122H, I figured that the folks at PanAmSat had discovered that the 12152H was bad and took it offline. Turns out that that wasn't the case. The last channels scanned in were actually the ones listed for 12152H, but reported on screen to me as sitting on 12122H. I thought that this may be some sort of extreme-freak case of freq drift, but after further inspection, I noticed that several of the channels listed did not align with their designated transponders as listed on Lyngsat (hmmm).

At any rate, since I didn't delete 12152H before browsing the channels (didn't think I needed to), the same slow behavior was manifesting itself as I surfed. At that point, I went ahead and deleted both 12152H and 12122H from the list (as described above by Sadoun). I figured that that would automagically erase the saved channels that were on that transponder from my channel list, but it didn't. I then proceeded to manually delete them from the channel list, and this did indeed finally solve the problem.

Just thought I'd drop a note for anyone who may encounter the same behavior.

pictureon · #6 (**permalink**) 12-29-2007, 11:29 PM

Update the software to version 1.54 July 2007 release and you should be OK. If the problem is with a transponder, then why is it only showing with MercuryII?

rainman · #7 (**permalink**) 12-29-2007, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pictureon

Update the software to version 1.54 July 2007 release and you should be OK. If the problem is with a transponder, then why is it only showing with MercuryII?

good question. just haven't heard the answer yet.

Sadoun · #8 (**permalink**) 12-30-2007, 12:35 AM

I heard a few other brands had the issue as well, but not confirmed.

Fortec confirmed the firmware update takes care of this.

wejones · #9 (**permalink**) 12-30-2007, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pictureon

Update the software to version 1.54 July 2007 release and you should be OK. If the problem is with a transponder, then why is it only showing with MercuryII?

I've had version 1.53 downloaded to my computer for quite a while now, but I haven't put it in the receiver, because I *THOUGHT* that this was the version that Bill190 said had a bunch of BUGS, so I've been sticking with my version 1.33. However I just did a search of the forum, and found the thread where Bill190 discussed the problems, ie
http://www.sadoun.net/forums/fortec-...hlight=mercury
and it turns out that it wasn't this version, but instead it was version 1.51 that had the problems. Since Bill190 had been corresponding with Fortec, I thought that he would report back if they corrected the problems, but he must not be reading the forum anymore.
However I see that you're not referring to version 1.53, but instead you mention version 1.54 ???????

So I just went to the Fortec site to see if perhaps there was another version that was released after the 1.53 version, also in July. However the Fortec site still only has the 1.53 version there, unless I'm going to a different Fortec site. So..... did you mean 1.53, or is there a different site???

Anyway, I guess I'll give version 1.53 a try. Perhaps it will cure the other problems I've been having as well. Although if there is a 1.54 version somewhere, I'd rather try that, but I can't find it.

Thanks.

rainman · #10 (**permalink**) 12-30-2007, 10:00 AM

the 1.53 is the only one that I could find also Bill may have been a mis print.

pictureon · #11 (**permalink**) 12-30-2007, 10:02 PM

Sorry. It's 1.53

Powrline · #12 (**permalink**) 01-01-2008, 12:26 PM

After not being able to receive new frequencies on my Merc II when I did a blind scan, I decided to just trash all of my saved data and start over....

I performed a factory reset and rescanned in all of the satellites that I enjoy receiving programming from, (Galaxy 10, Hisp@30, Galaxy 25, AMC 3, etc.).

It was a timely process that took a half of a day (walking away and coming back) but it solved all of my weirdness problems, until...

I scanned in Galaxy 25. Like it was reported above, the offending Freq is 12152/H !

I deleted Frequency 12152/H and haven't had a bit of a problem in over 12 hours. (I deleted it last evening).

If I do a factory reset again and re-scan in all of my favorite satellites, next time I will write down all of the ones that I want to re-save. That may make it a little easier to put everything back where it was.

I am having a problem retrieving a certain channel on Gal 11 that I had entered in manually, but I am going to keep trying on that one, because I may not have entered it in correctly (4 or 5 times).

In summary, Factory Reset, GOOD! Re-Scan everything to restore to original condition! The Mercury II responds to the remote and does what it is supposed to do now.

Thanks!!

Bill

Pete.Yo · #13 (**permalink**) 03-19-2008, 05:49 PM

This is off topic but I'm new to this, I wanted to post a question not a reply.
I've had a BUD for the past 25 years and still using it with a 4DTV. 3 years ago I purchased a Pansat and slaved it of my 4DTV but was not impressed with the quantity of free channels and the awkwardness of moving my big 3 meter dish.
I'm in the process of installing a motorized 1 meter dish and trying it again with a Mercury II.
In my surfing of the net I've come across sites talking about quick fixes for the price of a membership. Is this legit?
It reminds me of the days when people got their VCII boards chipped to pirate scrambled C band channels 15 year ago.
I would like more variety, any thoughts out there?

rainman · #14 (**permalink**) 03-19-2008, 07:17 PM

Please take time to read the rules before posting again we do not allow hack talk on this forum and to answer your question no it is not legit or legal.

vze59zgb · #15 (**permalink**) 03-20-2008, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rainman

good question. just haven't heard the answer yet.

i have 4 receivers the merc 2 is the only one that has this problem .

fortec star 2 pansats they worke fine the merc realy went nuts on me.

shut the power down in the receiver removed the input lead powered it back up deleted all the channels i did not want.reinstalled the input with power off powered it back up no problem. vze59zgb