we got SWM-8 installed in our building can i self install?

[eeandtee]

Hi all,

i have a directv account for a few years and recently moved to a new MDU. we did not have any directv hd in the building when i moved in so i got cable for the time being. i worked on getting our mdu installer to upgrade to mfh-2 and it worked! we got our equipment installed yesterday! now they want $80 for the installation / setup in my unit. i have an hr20-700 (says ftm on the back next to sat1). i tried just plugging it in to the coax but it cant find the sats... my service is active (i am getting billed).

any idea how to do a self install? get these working without shelling out the $80?

thanks

ef

[Earl Bonovich]

99% chance... since based on the deisn, they have to connect your unit to the SWM.

If you have it connected to SAT Input #1... and did a reboot...

That is pretty much the case.

[Sirshagg]

Hmmm, $80 for how many tuners??? Seems this might be how they are paying for the MDU install.

[mjbehren]

99% chance... since based on the deisn, they have to connect your unit to the SWM.

If you have it connected to SAT Input #1... and did a reboot...

That is pretty much the case.

+1, you must reboot in order for the HR20 to see anything after connecting to SWM.


Mb

[Earl Bonovich]

Let me clarrify the post.

Since most MDU's (especially smaller ones)... or going to install a partial MFH-2 system (aka... not setup every unit... scaling it to the right size for the demand).

It is possible that part of the activation fee... is to connect your unit to one of the SWM outputs. (at least that is how I would control it).

So it is possible that there is no way around the activation, you may be able to negotiate the fee though.

[AntAltMike]

"Will you please lower my fee?"

"No."

[eeandtee]

Do i need to do a red button reboot or complete system reboot?

i did a red button reboot already and nothing changed...

if i must lose my recordings then so be it but if there is another way i would rather not...

any ideas?

thanks for the input / sarcastic remarks :) (i like those too...)

ef

[Earl Bonovich]

"Will you please lower my fee?"

"No."

Will you please lower the activation fee to $40... If I am willing to do the "in-unit" work myself, I already have the unit connected... and know that I have to reboot it.


"Sure... we will take your $40, for the 30s of work it will take us to connect the wire, and not have to send a tech up to your unit and wait for you to be home"...

There is always a comprimisable point.

[Earl Bonovich]

Do i need to do a red button reboot or complete system reboot?

i did a red button reboot already and nothing changed...

if i must lose my recordings then so be it but if there is another way i would rather not...

any ideas?

thanks for the input / sarcastic remarks :) (i like those too...)

ef


Red Button is the same thing.

You don't need to do a RESET EVERYTHING (Aka lose all your recordings).

If you had an SWM meter.. you could test for a SWM signal on the line, but since that isn't an option (and you can't buy one, and it would probably be more then $80 anyway).

Call them and work something out.
You may not be able to avoid the fee.

[eeandtee]

what about the sat settings - are there any settings in the menus that i would need to enable?

would i need to be connected to phone line?

my firmware is from from august so is that possibly a problem?

can i update the software somehow if i need to?

thanks for your help...

ef

[DirecTv Chicago]

what about the sat settings - are there any settings in the menus that i would need to enable?

would i need to be connected to phone line?

my firmware is from from august so is that possibly a problem?

can i update the software somehow if i need to?

thanks for your help...

ef

Yes you can force a download of the software. An HR20 does not come pre-installed with the software needed for MFH2. They are receiving their upgrades periodically over the past 4-6 months. If you have not received this yet this could be a problem.

Also I highly doubt that they have you plugged into a SWM yet unless you paid for it. We will only allow our technicians to perform an installation on MFH2 because we need to know how many tuners are being put on the SWM. If some guy decides to install 4 DVR's on his own he could take down other tenants on that same SWM. So we have diagrams indicating exactly what type of receivers our on each SWM to count the tuners.

[Earl Bonovich]

what about the sat settings - are there any settings in the menus that i would need to enable?

would i need to be connected to phone line?

my firmware is from from august so is that possibly a problem?

can i update the software somehow if i need to?

thanks for your help...

ef

Nope... nothing to set...
It is all dertermined by the unit at boot up time.

No need for the phone line.

Firmware... since August 2006, has had SWM support in it.

You need to have a sat signal connected to download the firmware.

99.99% chance, your unit simply isn't physically connected to an SWM module.

Did you disconnect your B-Band converter? (the little black/grey box)

[eeandtee]

spoke to customer service for the mdu provider and the first person was saying ridiculous things about software and codes... spoke to supervisor and just like you said - it needs to be physically connected by the tech

so i guess i keep time warner for another few days, gosh i hate them...

thanks for the input and i am so looking forward to tues!

ef

[Earl Bonovich]

An HR20 does not come pre-installed with the software needed for MFH2.

That is incorrect... SWM has been compatible with the HR20 since the day it was released... and I can confirmed it worked as early as November of 2006 (as that is day I hooked up SWM to it for the first time)