H20 and tuning HD simulcasts [Archive]

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rbmcgee

09-26-07, 11:10 AM

As many people who have an H20 box have discovered, it will not allow you to directly tune to the HD channel. Regardless of how you setup your favs/channel list, the H20 will tune to the standard definition of the channel.

I just got off the phone with D* (made it up 3 levels of the food chain). It is apparent to me that D* really has no intention of fixing this issue. They have no plans, no patches, no information and none of them were even aware of the problem until my call (way to stay informed D*). I have experience with D* and the H20 and it is apparently the orphaned stepchild who rarely, if ever, gets a fix.

At this point my attitude is ... if direct tuning is important to you, and, HD versions of the SD channels are important to you, and, you have an H20 box, you are SOL.

Demanding a box swap (HR20 for H20) is my next call.

Stuart Sweet

09-26-07, 11:16 AM

I will have to check on this but I think HR20 is the same. No matter what is in your favorites list it will tune to the HD first. The workaround is to pull up the guide first then direct tune.

Ideally we talked about having it be a user interface switch, so that when you are tuning you can always favor HDs or always favor SDs. That didn't happen.

GenoV

09-26-07, 11:16 AM

rbmcgee

09-26-07, 11:24 AM

I also have an HR20 and it performs properly (tunes to HD simulcast first).

What is "CE"?

schlar01

09-26-07, 11:24 AM

I have two H20s and haven't been home to check it out yet..........but I'd be pissed if that were the case. It would take about 3 seconds of testing to catch this.

bacardi151

09-26-07, 11:26 AM

I have two H20s and haven't been home to check it out yet..........but I'd be pissed if that were the case. It would take about 3 seconds of testing to catch this.

have an hr20 - no problem

2 other h20's - both default to sd channel. Have to manually switch to hd channel by pressing up on channel button.

schlar01

09-26-07, 11:37 AM

I would hope that there is an update coming for the H20. It seems rather stupid for your HD receiver to not be able to tune the HD channels in without going through extra hoops.

bonscott87

09-26-07, 11:46 AM

H20's haven't gotten the update for this yet. Check the CE program and you can help test it when it's available. H20 certainly has not been left to rot and has had several CE's over the past few months including activating the Interactive stuff.

mikeinthekeys

09-26-07, 12:15 PM

My HR20-700s work correctly, HD first. My H20-100 (running x2030) also tunes HD first, plus it has a way to eliminate SD duplicates from the guide(s).

rbmcgee

09-26-07, 12:17 PM

My HR20-700s work correctly, HD first. My H20-100 (running x2030) also tunes HD first, plus it has a way to eliminate SD duplicates from the guide(s).

How did you get x2030?

PoitNarf

09-26-07, 12:21 PM

How did you get x2030?

He got it by participating in a CE release for the H20.

Both the H20-600 and H20-100 running the latest CE release are capable of tuning to the HD channel first. This will be in the next national software release for both models.

If you would like to participate in the CE program, please read this thread FIRST:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=90847

Then, proceed to the rest of the CE forum for additional info:

http://www.dbstalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=118

paulman182

09-26-07, 01:05 PM

I'm glad I got the CE!

I had no issues to report myself, by the way. YMMV.

rbmcgee

09-26-07, 01:54 PM

WOW! I've been asleep at the switch wrt these CEs. Damn! Now that I know about them, I want one. Is it reasonable to assume a new CE for the H20-100 will come along in the next couple weeks?

Have they ever re-released a past update due to unusual circumstances like the new HD channels? Is there anywhere to go for begging and pleading?

apace

09-26-07, 01:56 PM

Any idea when the next national release will be?

ShaneHD

09-26-07, 01:59 PM

So will the new HD channels show up under the HDTV catergory in the guide menu?

Michael D'Angelo

09-26-07, 02:00 PM

So will the new HD channels show up under the HDTV catergory in the guide menu?

Yes. I have already used it.

ShaneHD

09-26-07, 02:05 PM

Yes. I have already used it.

Mike,

What about RSN's and FSNHD? Are these out yet?

Hansen

09-26-07, 02:06 PM

Don't know the answers to the questions about the timing of a NR on the SW but if you look at the issues thread for the recent H20 CEs you'll see there seem to be very few issues with the latest CE SW version. That would seem to be a good sign. Couple that with the new HD channels and the need for a fix for ordering the channels and I wouldn't be surprised if it was rolled out nationally soon. Again, I don't know when D* will do anything and this is merely my hypothecation.

Michael D'Angelo

09-26-07, 02:07 PM

Mike,

What about RSN's and FSNHD? Are these out yet?

Not sure. I don't have a RSN in HD in my market yet.

ams30gts

09-26-07, 02:13 PM

i have 2 x H20s and both work fine

RyzzWLC

09-26-07, 02:26 PM

My H20 is so slow when flipping channels and using the guide. Its only been like this for about a month or two. Is anyone else having this problem.

rbmcgee

09-26-07, 02:30 PM

My H20 started out very fast. After 2021 it slowed down considerably. My research indicated the interactive stuff slowed it down. I hate the interactive stuff. My D* boxes are for watching TV. Dear D*, Do what you do ... and do it very well.

apace

09-26-07, 02:56 PM

My H20 is so slow when flipping channels and using the guide. Its only been like this for about a month or two. Is anyone else having this problem.

Yeah, it started after the last software update.

PoitNarf

09-26-07, 03:08 PM

Is it reasonable to assume a new CE for the H20-100 will come along in the next couple weeks?

I'd be shocked if there wasn't a new CE or national release for either H20 model within the next 2 weeks. There are no guarantees though, so we'll just have to wait and see. This HD tuning issue is pretty big IMO since most people are running the national release on their H20s, so with that in mind I'd guess an updated version will be released shortly.

Have they ever re-released a past update due to unusual circumstances like the new HD channels?

It is extremely rare for them to re-release the same version of a CE. Normally CEs are newer versions that include all past improvements/features/bug fixes.

Is there anywhere to go for begging and pleading?

Beg/plead in the HD non-DVR forum or in the CE forum all you want, I don't really think it will speed up the process. I'm sure D* is well aware of this by now (I imagine they're getting more than their fair share of new HD related problem calls in their call centers).

Patience, it will be fixed soon I'm sure. :D

DarkAudit

09-26-07, 03:11 PM

I will have to check on this but I think HR20 is the same. No matter what is in your favorites list it will tune to the HD first. The workaround is to pull up the guide first then direct tune.

Not so. My HR20 goes to the HD channel first. The H20 goes to the SD channel first.

Using the guide to tune isn't always a viable solution. My TiVo connected to the H20 doesn't know that there are 2 channel 278s available. Even if I can't watch in HD, at least I can get the feed. The picture still looks better than straight SD.

Binary

09-26-07, 03:26 PM

My H20-100 (running x2030) also tunes HD first, plus it has a way to eliminate SD duplicates from the guide(s).

Does the x2021 firmware give the ability to eliminate duplicates? Or it was included in a revision after it?

PoitNarf

09-26-07, 03:32 PM

Does the x2021 firmware give the ability to eliminate duplicates? Or it was included in a revision after it?

It has only existed in the latest CE releases for both the H20-100 and H20-600. The next national release should include it as well.