HR20-100S w/ MDU and new HD service

[jtshaw]

So I've had my HR20-100S since around last August. It worked fine but as per typical with MDU systems, I only had the HD channels available on the old 3LNB satellite setup.

Yesterday they came and "upgraded" my system so that I can use the Ka band sats and get all the new HD channels. The problem is my HR20-100S resets occasionally (ok, more then just occasionally, 75% of the time) when you change the channel to one offered over the Ka band sats. In fact, sometimes the box resets if you just run setup when it goes looking for the new sats... but sometimes it works just fine.

My provider claims that the HR20-100S isn't compatible with MPEG4 and the new MDU system and that it only supports MPEG3. This is, of course, a sign they have absolutely no clue what they are talking about, as the HR20-100S is certainly capable of using MPEG4 and Ka band sats (and 25% of the time, works...)... not to mention I'm 99% positive there was never an MPEG3 standard...

Anyway, does anyone have any suggestions or should I attempt to get my hands on an HR21 which is the model they claim is compatible with there system?

[1948GG]

Yesterday they came and "upgraded" my system so that I can use the Ka band sats and get all the new HD channels. The problem is my HR20-100S resets occasionally (ok, more then just occasionally, 75% of the time) when you change the channel to one offered over the Ka band sats. In fact, sometimes the box resets if you just run setup when it goes looking for the new sats... but sometimes it works just fine.

My provider claims that the HR20-100S isn't compatible with MPEG4 and the new MDU system and that it only supports MPEG3. This is, of course, a sign they have absolutely no clue what they are talking about, as the HR20-100S is certainly capable of using MPEG4 and Ka band sats (and 25% of the time, works...)... not to mention I'm 99% positive there was never an MPEG3 standard...

Anyway, does anyone have any suggestions or should I attempt to get my hands on an HR21 which is the model they claim is compatible with there system?

Forget that line; the HR21's don't have OTA, and are far back in the line for new s/w updates. Which is the first thing to check, which s/w release is in your HR20-100? The newest one has the updates for utilizing the SWM box, which is what it appears was 'added' in the h/w update from your MDU company. But you don't say, and the level of people you talked to gives pause that they are on the public roadways.

Do you have a single coaxial line into the HR? Or are you still using a dual/triple coaxial setup? Do you still have the BBC's on the inputs, or were you told to remove them?

Only the company would know if they switched over to the SWM's system, usually designated as the MFH-2. But then again, the systems I designed here in the northwest, that we are still waiting for the vaunted SWM's, do everything that it does except integrate multiple feeds plus OTA on a single coaxial. But you need to talk to someone there, 'in the know', as to how to properly hook up your HR20-100 after the 'upgrade'.

[Earl Bonovich]

Forget that line; the HR21's don't have OTA, and are far back in the line for new s/w updates.


Really?

Last I checked the HR21's are getting the upgrades just as the HR20's.
Just because it doesn't have it's DOD enabled, or Remote Booking (which is a DirecTV.com thing).... right now it can do everything that an HR20 can (Sans OTA)

Also don't forget about that OTA line for too long, as the AM21 will allow ATSC on the HR21


Which is the first thing to check, which s/w release is in your HR20-100? The newest one has the updates for utilizing the SWM box, which is what it appears was 'added' in the h/w update from your MDU company. But you don't say, and the level of people you talked to gives pause that they are on the public roadways.


Any version of software on the HR20/HR21 has support for SWM.


Do you have a single coaxial line into the HR? Or are you still using a dual/triple coaxial setup? Do you still have the BBC's on the inputs, or were you told to remove them?

Only the company would know if they switched over to the SWM's system, usually designated as the MFH-2. But then again, the systems I designed here in the northwest, that we are still waiting for the vaunted SWM's, do everything that it does except integrate multiple feeds plus OTA on a single coaxial. But you need to talk to someone there, 'in the know', as to how to properly hook up your HR20-100 after the 'upgrade'.

If the MDU has been updated to MFH-2 (and only MFH-2).
Then all you will need to do is connect the line to input #1 on the HR20 (or HR21)... and power cycle the unit.

That is it.

If the MDU has been updated to MFH-3... then you definetly will need to talk to your building management as that requires something different.

[jtshaw]

Forget that line; the HR21's don't have OTA, and are far back in the line for new s/w updates. Which is the first thing to check, which s/w release is in your HR20-100? The newest one has the updates for utilizing the SWM box, which is what it appears was 'added' in the h/w update from your MDU company. But you don't say, and the level of people you talked to gives pause that they are on the public roadways.

Do you have a single coaxial line into the HR? Or are you still using a dual/triple coaxial setup? Do you still have the BBC's on the inputs, or were you told to remove them?

Only the company would know if they switched over to the SWM's system, usually designated as the MFH-2. But then again, the systems I designed here in the northwest, that we are still waiting for the vaunted SWM's, do everything that it does except integrate multiple feeds plus OTA on a single coaxial. But you need to talk to someone there, 'in the know', as to how to properly hook up your HR20-100 after the 'upgrade'.

Fair enough. I'm running what appears to me to be the newest software (0x1be) but I did force a download this morning just to verify (and it did install 0x1be again). As part of the upgrade they took the destacker out of the picture and I now have just 1 line from the wall to my DVR. They have a 2-way splitter on the line and the outputs of that are plugged into the SAT1 and OTA inputs. So I am getting both tuners on one coax line, plus the OTA signal.

Unfortunately I can't get into the equipment closet with the "new switch" (there term, not mine) in it so I have no idea what equipment they actually have. I'm going to attempt to get somebody on the phone that might know.

[Earl Bonovich]

Fair enough. I'm running what appears to me to be the newest software (0x1be) but I did force a download this morning just to verify (and it did install 0x1be again). As part of the upgrade they took the destacker out of the picture and I now have just 1 line from the wall to my DVR. They have a 2-way splitter on the line and the outputs of that are plugged into the SAT1 and OTA inputs. So I am getting both tuners on one coax line, plus the OTA signal.

Unfortunately I can't get into the equipment closet with the "new switch" (there term, not mine) in it so I have no idea what equipment they actually have. I'm going to attempt to get somebody on the phone that might know.

They are "switches": Single Wire Multiswitch....

Check that splitter, it should be a diplexor not a splitter.

[jtshaw]

The splitter is a Skywalker SKY23302D 2-Way splitter (5-2300Mhz). I'm tried removing this from the picture and going through setup and powering the box on and off again to see if that has anything to do with my issues... sadly some channels still intermittently cause the box to die.

I spoke with the technicians for the MDU provider and it seems to me like the only way I'm going to convince them something else is the issue is if I get an HR21 and prove or disprove the theory that it doesn't crash. However, DirecTV won't replace my box without the MDU provider contacting them and the guy that does that hasn't returned my phone call.

This is all very frustrating.

[jtshaw]

Anyway... apparently I got escalated high enough now... my MDU provider is going to bring me an HR21 tomorrow to at least verify if the box in fact makes any difference in the setup.

I'll let you guys know for education sake if it fixes it, and what system they are using...

[jtshaw]

So they were right about one thing... the HR21-700 they provided does not exhibit the issues the HR20-100S did. Unfortunately it also doesn't have equivalent software to the 0x1ae my HR20-100S just upgraded itself too... yet. And as already stated, it doesn't do OTA either.. not that big a deal so long as I live in Atlanta where they pretty much have everything over dish anyway.

And just for information sake.. the guy that came by didn't know what kind of system it was...