749 error on new HD locals

[jimirb]

I have an H20-100 and H20-600, AU-9 slimline, 6 x 8 multiswitch, and receive locals SD at 72.5 with round 19” dish. Also receive New York networks in HD via DNS waiver on 80 thru 88 because I travel 6 months a year in RV.

At the moment, we are at home. Today, our locals went HD. The guide now has 2 entries for each local channel. I still get a SD signal on one, but on the HD channel I only get audio, a black screen, and a 749 multiswitch problem error message. I’m not sure if I’m just not supposed to get the HD locals because of the DNS or if there is an actual problem. It seems to me that I would get a “channel not purchased” (or similar) message rather than the 749 if that was the reason.

I reset, did a repeat satellite setup with and without the 72.5 installed, but nothing helped. Not sure if this is just a first-day local HD issue or if I have a problem, or if I’m just not supposed to get the HD locals because of the DNS.

I kinda hate to call D* for fear I might somehow put my hard fought DNS at risk. Any thoughts will be appreciated.

[litzdog911]

Is this happening on both HD Receivers?

[jimirb]

Is this happening on both HD Receivers?

Yes.

[curt8403]

Yes.


you gots yerself a bad multiswitch or it is wired wrong

[jimirb]

you gots yerself a bad multiswitch or it is wired wrong

But, it's worked fine for a year and just happened to fail the morning our locals went HD??

[Beefcake]

you gots yerself a bad multiswitch or it is wired wrong

I agree. There must be a problem w/ the multi-switch or even possibly a problem with the LNBs built in multi-switch.

[curt8403]

But, it's worked fine for a year and just happened to fail the morning our locals went HD??
seems to be an error related to the 99S signal. what does espn hd say or is it ok

[jimirb]

seems to be an error related to the 99S signal. what does espn hd say or is it ok

ESPN HD and ALL other channels except my new local HDs are fine.

[nestor87]

I'm having the same problem, also in South Dakota. But it DOES NOT affect my HR20 - ONLY my H20. Since this morning when HD locals came online, I get the multiswitch error on the H20 only. New HD locals come in fine on the HR20. This tells me it can't possibly be a multiswitch problem. Any ideas?

[curt8403]

I'm having the same problem, also in South Dakota. But it DOES NOT affect my HR20 - ONLY my H20. Since this morning when HD locals came online, I get the multiswitch error on the H20 only. New HD locals come in fine on the HR20. This tells me it can't possibly be a multiswitch problem. Any ideas?

are you running on a swm? or a swmline? the H20 was not swm compatable as released, and maybe a software upgrade might help.

[nestor87]

How do I tell the difference?

[nestor87]

Is that a type of dish, or do you mean Single Wire Multiswitch? If you mean single wire multiswitch, then no.

[curt8403]

How do I tell the difference?

do you have one line on your HD DVR or 2 1 line indicates swm or swmline. 2 is normal switch. also try running guided setup on the h20 (Repeat satellite setup)

[nestor87]

2 lines to the DVR - three lines total coming from the multiswitch on the roof to my two receivers. Also, I already tried re-running guided setup on the H20. No luck.

[curt8403]

2 lines to the DVR - three lines total coming from the multiswitch on the roof to my two receivers. Also, I already tried re-running guided setup on the H20. No luck.

ok try this (will not hurt to try) RBR and press 02468 on the remote when the welcome screen comes up.

[nestor87]

Still no go.

[jimirb]

Nestor, misery loves company, I guess. I actually feel better to know someone else is having the same problem. Stay in touch when you get it resolved and I'll do the same. Have u called D* or are u going to?

[nestor87]

I don't know if I'll call or not. I almost never use the non-DVR (for obvious reasons) and I was probably going to get a second DVR to replace the H20 anyway. Frankly, I'm way more irritated the Fox wasn't included in the HD Local rollout.

[nestor87]

Still not working. What's the deal with this?

[jimirb]

Mine's still not working either. Today I'm going to take the multiswitch out of the system and see what happens. There should be no need for it now, but I can't imagine that there wouldn't be many others complaining if it is actually necessary to rewire all South Dakota systems with H20 receivers.

[jimirb]

I've found someone else in the area on one of the D* forums who is having the same problem. His DVR is receiving the HD channels fine but his H20-100 is not. He called D* and they were no help. I'm thinking all of us having the problem should call D* to try to make sure they understand that the problem seems to be related to the H20.

[jimirb]

Today, I disconnected everything from the multiswitch and connected the dish directly to the rcvrs. The only thing that changed was that I lost the SD locals. The HD locals still displayed the exact same message.

As I posted here earlier today, I've found posts from at least 2 others in the area with the same problem. Both have DVRs that work fine with the new HD locals and both have H20-100 that are doing exactly the same thing I'm experiencing. One called D*. They were NO help.

To me, it's looking like an H20 issue. I'm going to bite the bullet tomorrow and call D* just so they will have records of multiple customers with the same issue.

[RobertE]

You may want to try a "reset everything" on that H20. It will wipe any favorites lists and autotunes you have set, but will restore the box to a "new" state. From there, you'll have to go back through and run the sat setup. It may work, it may not, but worth a shot.

[Mertzen]

Try fresh wire. I had bad wire cause the 749 a few times.

[nestor87]

There's no way it could be the wire. It happened to all of us at the exact moment the HD locals went live here. Also, I swapped the location of my DVR and my H20 - symptoms didn't change: HR20 is fine, H20 gets multiswitch error on new HD locals.

[kevinm34232]

Had a similar problem on a Ka/Ku upgrade with an existing H20. It was getting 771 on certain HD locals, finally after crawling thru the attic looking for anything inline, I unplugged it for 30 seconds, plugged it in and forced the download, and voila, they came in. I also re did satellite setup.

[jimirb]

Several more users are popping up on the D* tech forum with the same problem. I decided this morning to email D* rather than trying to deal with their phone reps. Did my best to explain that I've met "dozens" of users on various forums who all have H20 receivers and all experienced the exact same problem at the same time when Sioux Falls locals went HD. Asked that the email be forwarded to tech people who would understand the issue.

I will post whatever response I get.

[nestor87]

Thanks. Are all the people you've talked to in the Sioux Falls area?

[texasbrit]

Thanks. Are all the people you've talked to in the Sioux Falls area?

All the posts I have seen are only from Sioux Falls. And only with the H20. the DVRs work fine. It is not a dish or multiswitch problem as such, it seems to be something to do with the signals themselves.

[jimirb]

Nestor, yes all the posts I've found are from Sioux Falls. I'm encouraging eveyone with the issue to call or email D* so they will understand that there is actually a universal problem and we can become the squeeky wheel. In response to my email, they sent me what I think is a special number 1-800-531-5000. The rep did not have a CLUE, but he did listen and did honor my request no to lead me thru all the "fixes" I had already done.....just document the call and escalate it to the proper tech department.

I encourage you and all the others with the peoblem to call.

[RobertE]

1-800-531-5000 is the main line to DirecTv for pretty much everyone.

[jimirb]

Sioux Falls HD locals are NOW WORKING.

Thanks to everyone who called and emailed D*.

KTTW (Fox), however, isn't broadcasting in HD. The general manager is Ed Hoffman. His email address is edh@kttw.com if you care to rattle his cage.