HR21-700 freezes

[buggs1a]

My HR21 has twice frozen and I wonder why the firmware is so bad? It might be hardware, but I doubt it. An example is today I turned on my tv and it was on CNN HD. I could not do anything with the DVR. No buttons on the remote nor the DVR itself worked. I was still getting good pic and sound though from CNNHD. Hitting power didn't even shut off the DVR. Menu would not bring up the menu etc. TV picture and sound were normal. I had to hit the red reset button in the front right of the DVR. Things work again.

Now also yesterday CNNHD the pic and sound went weird several times. Sound would be all jerky for a few seconds while the picture went all messed up for a few seconds. This went on a few times over 30 minutes or so. Even rewind or fast forward did not help. So I wonder if the feed was that way or the DVR did it.

Sound from fresh prince of bel air the first night i had it, Wednesday was messed up with a little high pitched sound when you heard them talk with using the letter s or similar type sounds. However it happened on other words too sometimes. I did not change the channel to see if it was on others except a commercial on a diff channel to me did not seem to do it. However i only had it on that channel/commercial less then 10 seconds. Then I put it back to fresh prince on nick1. I think this was the nick HD channel. So I don't know what this issue is from. So far since I have not heard the problem.

The problems really are the 1 or 2 times it froze and then the CNNHD audio/video issues for the few minutes here and there thursday night. i was watching anderson 360 at 9pm something.

Mine is recording bagger vance on tnthd and it is frozen. i was able to watch it for a couple seconds. then tried hitting guide etc and nothing happens. then my tv shut off cus of no signal. **** DTV.

[MIAMI1683]

Well what software version are you on? That's a big thing! Are you on x0193 if so thats the nr. so you'll have to wait for the newer software. If you check the CE forum you will find newer test software. I have been using an hr21 for months now, and my lockups have stopped completely.

[buggs1a]

It's on the newest NR then. x0193.
However, is this probably a software problem and new hardware will not solve it? That is my opinion, but I would like yours as well please.
Also what would using the CE do? Would that fix this? How would one get it if possible?

[buggs1a]

Any help guys? Just asking for info about the is it firmware problem or hardware and would a new unit fix these problems? I am asking because I don't want to even accept the delivery from DTV if it's not needed since I've already got shows on mine.

Thanks guys.

[MIAMI1683]

Well x0193 had it's share of freezing problems, but from my experience it was during trick play. If you check the CE forum you can read all the posts about the test software and see if it is having the same problems. I know mine is not having any freezing right now and hasn't in a while. The test software has fixed my issues. Go on over to the ce forum and get all the info. Before you switch out recievers, cause its probably not the hardware.

D-

[prestoru]

My HR20 on the previous NR was doing the same thing. It would stop responding to the remote and controls on the box while watching live TV and recordings around every 4 hours. I forced a new download, tried the CE software and finally did a reformat. The reformat worked the best, but it would still freeze every 3 days, so I replaced the box through D*.

[jims]

I had a problem earlier but it appeared to be associated with overheating and hasn't presented itself after I put a cooling pad under my unit.

[buggs1a]

Hmm, now I don't know what to do other then read the CE forum, but then I'm not sure how to get the CE software anyway. I do think that switching my box won't make any difference, but then I don't really know.

[scottman]

I've been doing CE's for a few weeks now. Just got my HR21 in mid December. The newer software made some tremendous gains, esp with lockups. If your read thru the list of fixes in the CE forum, you will see those developers have been quite busy. The latest fix seems to be the most stable so far! Most of the issues have been software related.

[jjohns]

There's not as much smoke coming from it as there used to be.

[buggs1a]

Will the software be the problem for me or only the hardware or both? I'm still not sure if I should replace it or not if it's software as I've got a lot of stuff on it already.

[ukcats]

Will the software be the problem for me or only the hardware or both? I'm still not sure if I should replace it or not if it's software as I've got a lot of stuff on it already.

I'm on the newest NR then. x0193. No problems yet. One question: How do I get to the CE forum?

[buggs1a]

I just got the new one. So now I'm still not sure if I should even connect it or not. Hmm, what should I do?

[buggs1a]

bump

[joed32]

I just got the new one. So now I'm still not sure if I should even connect it or not. Hmm, what should I do?

What do you mean? Did you get a new DVR? You are afraid to connect it? What is the question?

[buggs1a]

If you read my entire thread here you'll see what I'm trying to decide. However I'm not going to connect the replacement since these issues are software and mine has not frozen for the last few days.

[buggs1a]

Well mine just froze again while watching the Repub Debate on cnn. Audio and video were and still are fine. but remote buttons don't work nor do any of the buttons on the front of the DVR. So I'm going to connect the replacement unit and just see what happens.

[SeeD]

Hi there....

I feel your pain.....


I got my replacement HR21-700 yesterday and have been lucky so far......no issues! Imagine that....I feel lucky that my DirecTV receiver works for 3 hours! :eek2:

Hopefully when I come home from work today, it will still be working.

[dwlevy]

All three of my HR20s (2x -100s, 1x -700) stop responding and require a RBR every few days. I have had six different HR20s over the last 10 months since upgrading and they all do that. I've given up replacing them for that issue. Now I only replace them when they stop booting up successfully at all. It's also why I still have my HR10-250 activated for all my OTA recordings/season passes.

[buggs1a]

I've not had one freeze yet in the week I've used the Feb 1 CE for the HR21-700. However the guide is so slow you think it froze. That's just pathetic.