My DVR worked for about 1hr after install

[jbc28]

I had a HD DVR HR23-700 installed yesterday as a part of a new installation. A swm lnb was used, and I only have the one receiver. About an hour after install and activation the receiver froze while trying to display the on screen guide. I reset it, and it was fine for about another hour or so. I was watching a movie and the receiver was totally unresponsive to any button inputs on the remote or front panel. After another reset it froze on a black screen. Another reset was done, and I watched it for another hour or so. This morning it was frozen again on one channel. I tried another reset, but the receiver hangs at step 1 of "checking satellite settings". I tried unplugging the receiver and the swm power supply, but this did not help.

Any thoughts as to what may have happened? The tech is scheduled to come back in the morning to check it out.

Thanks for any help.

[rudeney]

It could be a bad connection somewhere, but it's more likely just a defective receiver.

[houskamp]

is it overheating?

[jbc28]

I don't think it is overheating. I saw a temp of 111F before it quit for good.

[Greg Alsobrook]

Unplug the unit for about 10 minutes. If you have an ethernet cable connected to it, take it undone. Then plug the power back in. As soon as the blue lights come on, press 02468 on the remote. This will force another software download. Something may have been corrupt.

[Greg Alsobrook]

And by the way... :welcome_s to DBSTalk!!

[jbc28]

Unplug the unit for about 10 minutes. If you have an ethernet cable connected to it, take it undone. Then plug the power back in. As soon as the blue lights come on, press 02468 on the remote. This will force another software download. Something may have been corrupt.

I found that procedure using Google. I tried it, but it did not work. The receiver seems totally unresponsive to button input.



Thanks for the responses and warm welcome. This is a great forum.

[johnp37]

It could be a bad connection somewhere, but it's more likely just a defective receiver.

I am trying to be constructive here, I really am, but has it gotten the point when a supposed new receiver in a new installation no less and fails within an hour of installation and this new subscriber has to have the installer come back. Doesn't inspire high confidence does it? We are now almost 2.5 years since the first HRxx boxes were inflicted on us and the problems continue. How many of us have had to take time off from work or other obligations to be home when a install is scheduled whether as a new subscriber or because your box has failed and you have to be home again(as I have too many times) because Directv mandates that a installer has to install your questionable refurb. I apoligize for the rant but I have been a loyal,uncomplaining subscriber since 1996 and am fed up.

[DogLover]

I am trying to be constructive here, I really am, but has it gotten the point when a supposed new receiver in a new installation no less and fails within an hour of installation and this new subscriber has to have the installer come back. Doesn't inspire high confidence does it? We are now almost 2.5 years since the first HRxx boxes were inflicted on us and the problems continue. How many of us have had to take time off from work or other obligations to be home when a install is scheduled whether as a new subscriber or because your box has failed and you have to be home again(as I have too many times) because Directv mandates that a installer has to install your questionable refurb. I apoligize for the rant but I have been a loyal,uncomplaining subscriber since 1996 and am fed up.

Any piece of consumer electronic or computer equipment can be bad out of the box. Stuff happens.

Now, I am not saying that they are not continued problems with these units. I am also not saying that this isn't a royal pain for the OP. But a random receiver that is bad out of the box should not change anyone's opinion of the receiver.

[hasan]

Any piece of consumer electronic or computer equipment can be bad out of the box. Stuff happens.

Now, I am not saying that they are not continued problems with these units. I am also not saying that this isn't a royal pain for the OP. But a random receiver that is bad out of the box should not change anyone's opinion of the receiver.

Not to mention the tens of thousands of units that did not fail out of the box, or shortly thereafter. It's never fun to get stuck with a bad box, but over-generalizing from a few units to the many is ...well...poor statistical analysis.

I could use the same poor sampling procedure (with 4 units, none bad out of the box, none with unresolvable problems) to say ....this person clearly doesn't know what they are doing, because in over two years, I haven't had this problem with my 4 units.

Let's drop the generalizations and try to solve this individual problem. Pronouncements to the contrary are unsupportable, and don't help him at all.

[johnp37]

Any piece of consumer electronic or computer equipment can be bad out of the box. Stuff happens.

Now, I am not saying that they are not continued problems with these units. I am also not saying that this isn't a royal pain for the OP. But a random receiver that is bad out of the box should not change anyone's opinion of the receiver. Stuff happens? Really? Random? Rare? Infrequent? These are not terms I would use regarding HRxx boxes. I upgrade my electronic components every so often and never had a defect, period. I have never had to throw out dvd players(when upgrading to Blue Ray), my older analog TVs,etc. All given away or donated, still in perfect working order even after 10+ years use. Bottom line: the continuing problems with HRxx boxes-UNACCEPTABLE!

[dmurphy]

Stuff happens? Really? Random? Rare? Infrequent? These are not terms I would use regarding HRxx boxes. I upgrade my electronic components every so often and never had a defect, period. I have never had to throw out dvd players(when upgrading to Blue Ray), my older analog TVs,etc. All given away or donated, still in perfect working order even after 10+ years use. Bottom line: the continuing problems with HRxx boxes-UNACCEPTABLE!

Stuff does happen.

I've had DVD players go south on me. I've had car radios go bad. I even had a defective Power Mac out of the box once! (outside looked fine, but inside it looked like the machine had been dropped 20 feet.)

So yeah, stuff happens. Nothing's perfect. Not even the more-tested-than-anything-on-the-planet, super-hyper-complex space shuttle. Doesn't mean it's bad or systemically defective - just that issues happen.

edit: FWIW - all of my HRxx boxes work fine. My HR10-250 had major issues. Can I then draw the conclusion that HRxx's are all perfect and that TiVo's are unacceptable? Hardly!

[Stuart Sweet]

If I may ask, let's turn the complain meter down a notch and get back to helping the original poster. To you, jbc28, may I ask is it very cold where you are, or was there a temperature swing in the last day? A loose connection might have gotten a shade too loose.

[LameLefty]

Stuff happens? Really? Random? Rare? Infrequent? These are not terms I would use regarding HRxx boxes. I upgrade my electronic components every so often and never had a defect, period. I have never had to throw out dvd players(when upgrading to Blue Ray), my older analog TVs,etc. All given away or donated, still in perfect working order even after 10+ years use. Bottom line: the continuing problems with HRxx boxes-UNACCEPTABLE!

Yes they do. I've had two DVD players fail over the last 10 years. I've had a tuner get flaky on an old 1997-era RCA Directv receiver after about 3 years. I had an iBook G3 that failed within an hour of receiving it back in 2003 (it was fixed under warranty and still works today). I had a DVD drive fail in another laptop last year. I also had a Phillips DSR6000 first-generation DirecTiVo fail about a month out of warranty . . . so yeah, stuff happens.

However, I've also had 3 HR2x boxes plus an R22 (same design, SD-only) all work fine out of the box and still work fine. The only IKD problem I ever had was Thanksgiving weekend 2006 after the inaugural NFL Network HD broadcast . . . that recording glitched my box and everything else recorded after it until I rebooted. Otherwise, no problems.

Don't generalize from anecdotes. :rolleyes:

[veryoldschool]

jbc28, may I ask is it very cold where you are, or was there a temperature swing in the last day?
"Think I know where you're going", but in Alabama? :confused:

[jbc28]

If I may ask, let's turn the complain meter down a notch and get back to helping the original poster. To you, jbc28, may I ask is it very cold where you are, or was there a temperature swing in the last day? A loose connection might have gotten a shade too loose.


I did read the thread about the swm lnb not liking cold temps, but temps here have been anywhere from 50-70 F. We did have some light rain followed by some torrential downpours, but the problems started before any heavy rain.

I talked to tech support this morning. They wanted my to do various resets including the 0,2,4,6,8 download, but I have already tried all of these. The receiver is totally unresponsive to any inputs.

[hasan]

Yes they do. I've had two DVD players fail over the last 10 years. I've had a tuner get flaky on an old 1997-era RCA Directv receiver after about 3 years. I had an iBook G3 that failed within an hour of receiving it back in 2003 (it was fixed under warranty and still works today). I had a DVD drive fail in another laptop last year. I also had a Phillips DSR6000 first-generation DirecTiVo fail about a month out of warranty . . . so yeah, stuff happens.

However, I've also had 3 HR2x boxes plus an R22 (same design, SD-only) all work fine out of the box and still work fine. The only IKD problem I ever had was Thanksgiving weekend 2006 after the inaugural NFL Network HD broadcast . . . that recording glitched my box and everything else recorded after it until I rebooted. Otherwise, no problems.

Don't generalize from anecdotes. :rolleyes:

2 DVD drives, one keyboard, one hard drive...all in one laptop (and a name-brand, not some knock-off). Two other laptops from the same manufacturer have been fine over a five year period.

The list of failed components/units in my consumer electronics museum is long and distinguished....ironically, the D* boxes have been among my most reliable CE devices. Only my HDTVs have been better.

The OP has a service call scheduled, let's see what plays out. Replacing the box will tell us a lot....or at least one very important piece of information. It is quite clear from the thousands of posts here that the problem, whatever it is, can be solved...it just takes some time to work through it. In the end, there is no reason to expect that a fully functional and properly operating HR box/system will result.

Yesterday my wife's tower wouldn't boot. After six hours of trouble-shooting, and going down several blind alleys, I discovered that the CMOS battery backup failed, and the UPS failed to keep the CMOS going because a cat urinated down the UPS outlets, thus shutting it down. When CMOS went default, the drive couldn't be recognized, and several other CMOS adjustments had to be made for a boot to take place. Problem solved.

The point: the computer is every bit is good as it always had been. (Fast, reliable, trouble free.) Instead of regarding the machine as a POS (over generalizing), I got busy chasing down the problem. Once I discovered what was going on and why, I corrected the issue, and went on my merry way, not thinking any less of the computer as a result of finding and fixing a problem.

The OP's problem can be resolved, and he has every reason to expect long term good performance from the HR box. Many thousands of us have.

[Greg Alsobrook]

All normal troubleshooting practices can be thrown out the window when cat urine is involved. :lol:

[bdcottle]

I had this problem with my first HR. About an hour after the installer left my HR froze and rebooted and got stuck on step 1 of "checking satellite settings". I think this is the point that it starts loading from the hard drive. If I unplugged it for about a half hour, it would run for about 3 hours before freezing and rebooting again. I think a hard drive failure is what caused mine to fail. However the temp in mine would rise to 150 before this would happen.

[Crypter]

I am trying to be constructive here, I really am, but has it gotten the point when a supposed new receiver in a new installation no less and fails within an hour of installation and this new subscriber has to have the installer come back. Doesn't inspire high confidence does it? We are now almost 2.5 years since the first HRxx boxes were inflicted on us and the problems continue. How many of us have had to take time off from work or other obligations to be home when a install is scheduled whether as a new subscriber or because your box has failed and you have to be home again(as I have too many times) because Directv mandates that a installer has to install your questionable refurb. I apoligize for the rant but I have been a loyal,uncomplaining subscriber since 1996 and am fed up.

I do not understand this. I have had to replace about 4 HD-DVR's since I started using the HR2x line in it's inception (I have 4 HR2x's total). Anytime I have had to have a receiver replaced with a refurb unit I have had one sent to me FREE of charge via FEDEX 2nd DAY delivery and I have simply swapped out my unit for the refurb and used the same box with the supplied return label to send back the defective unit. I have NEVER been told I need a tech to come out and install a replacement unit.

[johnp37]

I do not understand this. I have had to replace about 4 HD-DVR's since I started using the HR2x line in it's inception (I have 4 HR2x's total). Anytime I have had to have a receiver replaced with a refurb unit I have had one sent to me FREE of charge via FEDEX 2nd DAY delivery and I have simply swapped out my unit for the refurb and used the same box with the supplied return label to send back the defective unit. I have NEVER been told I need a tech to come out and install a replacement unit.

Can anyone explain this to me? Anytime, everytime I have to have a receiver replaced the CSR at the protection plan number tels me a tech has to come and install it. What is going on here? I have been doing my own cabling, troubleshooting my system from the dish to the receiver or vice versa, tweaking my own dish,etc. Why does somebody have to bring me the receiver and hook it up and activate it? I can understand it if a subscriber is totally clueless but why don't I have the option of having a receiver sent to me like Crypter(the above post)? Please, anyone?

[Uncle Lar]

I had this exact same thing happen to me. I unplugged everything for 10 minutes. Still didn't work. I plugged stuff back in. Called tech support. They couldn't figure it out. Said to check wiring outside. Since it was -5 degrees out, and nighttime, I said I would wait until morning. I left the SWM power box unplugged overnight. Next morning, plugged it back in, and everything worked.

[jbc28]

I had this exact same thing happen to me. I unplugged everything for 10 minutes. Still didn't work. I plugged stuff back in. Called tech support. They couldn't figure it out. Said to check wiring outside. Since it was -5 degrees out, and nighttime, I said I would wait until morning. I left the SWM power box unplugged overnight. Next morning, plugged it back in, and everything worked.


No problems since? I may try this since it looks like the tech may be a no show for today.

[rudeney]

You probably don't need to try overnight - just unplug the power from the SWM power inserter and the DVR for 30 minutes and see if that helps. BTW, where in Alabama? I'm in the Riverchase area of Birmingham and would be glad to help as much as I can. PM me if needed.

[Canis Lupus]

I would be having the installer double-check those lines. If it's getting stuck at 1 of 2, it could be an old diplexer or splitter in the line, or some other issue that's causing the voltage to spike or drop. The Power Inserter (PI) for the SWM needs to be passing perfect voltage to the receivers. Sometimes if it can't pass all ranges of the voltages required, things like hanging at Step 1 of 2 can happen.

Lemme ask - at Step 1 of 2, do you see the words "Step 1 of 2" and then a progress bar that never moves? If so, I'd be checking voltage.

I also recommend a UPS for both the PI and the receivers

[Uncle Lar]

I have not had any problems since. BTW, when I called tech support, and they had me try stuff, one of the things the tech told me was that my dish type should be set to 5-swm, not 3-swm for my zone. Changing that didn't fix anything. When my system started working the next morning, it had been reset back to 3-swm. Whatever this means. I have a "slimline" dish with a single SWM lnb on it.

[jbc28]

I would be having the installer double-check those lines. If it's getting stuck at 1 of 2, it could be an old diplexer or splitter in the line, or some other issue that's causing the voltage to spike or drop. The Power Inserter (PI) for the SWM needs to be passing perfect voltage to the receivers. Sometimes if it can't pass all ranges of the voltages required, things like hanging at Step 1 of 2 can happen.

Lemme ask - at Step 1 of 2, do you see the words "Step 1 of 2" and then a progress bar that never moves? If so, I'd be checking voltage.

I also recommend a UPS for both the PI and the receivers

I helped the installer run the cable. I have the single lnb on the dish. Then about 25' of new rg6 run inside the house, it then runs another 20' or so under the house and goes outside to the grounding area. Outside the two new rg6 cables runs through a grounding block (grounded to the main ground of the electrical service) then approx. 1 ft to the "swm block". It then runs back under the house to another grounding block (which is ungrounded) that serves to connect to my existing older rg6. 1 of those runs approx. 15' and goes up through the wall to 1/2 of a double coax wall plate. It is then connected to the swm and then to the receiver. The other unused rg6 runs to the next room and up through the floor. One thing the Directv supervisor said that this cable needed an end and cap installed on it to prevent ingress, but the tech forgot to put on end on it. It is just freshly cut. Could this older rg6 cause a problem? They replaced all of it except that short run.

When it hangs at step 1 of 2 no progress bar ever appears.


Rudeney,

I am up in Rainbow City...about one hour NE of you on I 59. Thanks for the offer. Hopefully, this will be resolved tomorrow, but I have a feeling that I may have to wait on a new receiver.


Thanks again for everyone's input. It is much appreciated.

[PicaKing]

I discovered that the CMOS battery backup failed, and the UPS failed to keep the CMOS going because a cat urinated down the UPS outlets, thus shutting it down.

Wouldn't that make the UPS just a U.P???????:lol:

[rudeney]

I helped the installer run the cable. I have the single lnb on the dish. Then about 25' of new rg6 run inside the house, it then runs another 20' or so under the house and goes outside to the grounding area. Outside the two new rg6 cables runs through a grounding block (grounded to the main ground of the electrical service) then approx. 1 ft to the "swm block". It then runs back under the house to another grounding block (which is ungrounded) that serves to connect to my existing older rg6. 1 of those runs approx. 15' and goes up through the wall to 1/2 of a double coax wall plate. It is then connected to the swm and then to the receiver. The other unused rg6 runs to the next room and up through the floor. One thing the Directv supervisor said that this cable needed an end and cap installed on it to prevent ingress, but the tech forgot to put on end on it. It is just freshly cut. Could this older rg6 cause a problem? They replaced all of it except that short run.

The "cap" he referred to is probably a terminating resistor, and it is needed *if* it is actually connected to a splitter on your cable. if it's just an unused cable that isn't connected to a splitter, then it's not an issue. If the cable coming form the dish goes to a splitter (not a grounding block, but a splitter than turns one coax input into multiple outputs), then any unused outputs need terminators. It sounds like you orly have one receiver, the DVR. Is that right? If so, then there is no need for any splitters in your system at all. A split cable with unused output not being terminated can cause problems.[/quote]

Rudeney,

I am up in Rainbow City...about one hour NE of you on I 59. Thanks for the offer. Hopefully, this will be resolved tomorrow, but I have a feeling that I may have to wait on a new receiver.

Yes, I know where that is. I was hoping you were closer so I could just swing by after work!

[jbc28]

The "cap" he referred to is probably a terminating resistor, and it is needed *if* it is actually connected to a splitter on your cable. if it's just an unused cable that isn't connected to a splitter, then it's not an issue. If the cable coming form the dish goes to a splitter (not a grounding block, but a splitter than turns one coax input into multiple outputs), then any unused outputs need terminators. It sounds like you orly have one receiver, the DVR. Is that right? If so, then there is no need for any splitters in your system at all. A split cable with unused output not being terminated can cause problems.
[/QUOTE]

Just went and double checked everything.

Double rg6 from lnb to grounding block on outside of house, 1 rg6 terminates at the first ground block. The other rg6 goes to the swm "splitter" (it has 1 input and 4 outputs). I have 2 new rg6 cables exiting the swm and running inside to another ground block. Here they join up with the existing rg6 in my house. 1 goes up the wall to the swm power inserter and then to the dbr. The other rg6 from the swm splitter runs up through the floor in my other living room and does not have a connector of any type on it.

I may try to take the cap off of the unused rg6 from the lnb, disconnect the unused rg6 from the swm and cap it off. How does that sound?

Edit: I do just have one dvr receiver. They said I need the swm to enable the dual tuners to work with just 1 coax input.

[rudeney]

OK, the splitter is not needed at all. Hopefully the tech will show and fix it all, but if not, my advice would be to isolate the system to one single cable run - grounding blocks and "barrel connector" are fine but NO splitters. With only one receiver, you don't need a splitter. Having it there with unterminated ports could be an issue.

[jbc28]

Here is a pic of a similar type of splitter that is splitting the one coax from the dish into the two running into the house. One of the outputs did not have a end cap. I isolated it and tried it again but no affect.

http://pimages.solidsignal.com/SWS-4_ZOOM.jpg

[dklippi]

Similar thing happened to me today. Brand new HR23-700 "professionally" installed. It worked OK, but I didn't get any Guide information. So I restarted the thing and it hung at "Acquiring guide data...". I tried the 02468 trick to no avail. I don't have SWM. Just a single cable that worked fine previously on the H20-600.

I called CSR who had me unplug the cable from the wall and see if that helped. Of course, it did not. He couldn't help me further than that because their computers were down so I'll have to call back again tomorrow. They wouldn't even level with me on that! They claimed the computers were being upgraded. BS. Upgrades would be done after business hours. Sigh...

My official diagnosis: Faulty receiver.

On another note, the installer refused to hook me up with SWM. He was about to run a cable along the side of my house and drill through the exterior. I asked him about SWM and he said he would get fired if he even acknowledged the existense of SWM. I called CSR who told me they couldn't give me SWM because they'd have to rewire my entire house (!). Geez... I guess I'll have to do it myself. At least I know it'll be done correctly.

First the disappointing news about HDPC-20 and now this. And what's with the On-Demand that makes you wait 30 minutes for download???? That didn't even work for me today! I had no guide information. All I could watch was the demo about how wonderful it is. DirecTV really needs to get their act together and fast!

I'm running out of reasons to stay with DirecTV.

[johnp37]

Similar thing happened to me today. Brand new HR23-700 "professionally" installed. It worked OK, but I didn't get any Guide information. So I restarted the thing and it hung at "Acquiring guide data...". I tried the 02468 trick to no avail. I don't have SWM. Just a single cable that worked fine previously on the H20-600.

I called CSR who had me unplug the cable from the wall and see if that helped. Of course, it did not. He couldn't help me further than that because their computers were down so I'll have to call back again tomorrow. They wouldn't even level with me on that! They claimed the computers were being upgraded. BS. Upgrades would be done after business hours. Sigh...

My official diagnosis: Faulty receiver.

On another note, the installer refused to hook me up with SWM. He was about to run a cable along the side of my house and drill through the exterior. I asked him about SWM and he said he would get fired if he even acknowledged the existense of SWM. I called CSR who told me they couldn't give me SWM because they'd have to rewire my entire house (!). Geez... I guess I'll have to do it myself. At least I know it'll be done correctly.

First the disappointing news about HDPC-20 and now this. And what's with the On-Demand that makes you wait 30 minutes for download???? That didn't even work for me today! I had no guide information. All I could watch was the demo about how wonderful it is. DirecTV really needs to get their act together and fast!

I'm running out of reasons to stay with DirecTV.

I feel your pain. If I can make a suggestion, direct your specific issues to our illustrious moderators, Mr. Sweet, Mr. Brott, or Mr. Robertson. These gentlemen always seem to be the voice of calm and reason regardless of what your issues are. Good luck.

[jbc28]

The tech just left. Looks like I need a new receiver (which they didn't send with him), so it will at least tomorrow before they bring one. 4 days of having service has resulted in approximately two hours of viewing. I hope my experience with Directv improves or I will tell them to come pick up their equipment.

[veryoldschool]

The tech just left. Looks like I need a new receiver (which they didn't send with him), so it will at least tomorrow before they bring one. 4 days of having service has resulted in approximately two hours of viewing. I hope my experience with Directv improves or I will tell them to come pick up their equipment.
Sorry to hear about your troubles, but once you do get your system working, you "should be" happy. My "stuff" has been good for a couple of years now.

[say-what]

The tech just left. Looks like I need a new receiver (which they didn't send with him), so it will at least tomorrow before they bring one. 4 days of having service has resulted in approximately two hours of viewing. I hope my experience with Directv improves or I will tell them to come pick up their equipment.There is nothing more frustrating than getting a new toy and finding out the one you got is defective out of the box. I've had it happen with all sorts of electronics and it's an aggravating process to go through to say the least. I had an issue with my 1st HD TV that took 3 service calls so they could jump through the proper hoops to get authorization to replace the LCD panel, but once done, the set works perfectly.

Once they get you up and running with a working receiver, your experience will improve.

[jbc28]

There is nothing more frustrating than getting a new toy and finding out the one you got is defective out of the box. I've had it happen with all sorts of electronics and it's an aggravating process to go through to say the least. I had an issue with my 1st HD TV that took 3 service calls so they could jump through the proper hoops to get authorization to replace the LCD panel, but once done, the set works perfectly.

Once they get you up and running with a working receiver, your experience will improve.

I must be snake bit. My 52" Sammy LCD was bad out of the box (replaced). My 32" Vizio plasma went out within 4 hrs (returned and bought a LCD), and now my dvr is down.:nono2:

[rudeney]

Good grief! I think I might move! :lol:

[dklippi]

Similar thing happened to me today. Brand new HR23-700 "professionally" installed. It worked OK, but I didn't get any Guide information. So I restarted the thing and it hung at "Acquiring guide data...". I tried the 02468 trick to no avail. I don't have SWM. Just a single cable that worked fine previously on the H20-600.

I called CSR who had me unplug the cable from the wall and see if that helped. Of course, it did not. He couldn't help me further than that because their computers were down so I'll have to call back again tomorrow. They wouldn't even level with me on that! They claimed the computers were being upgraded. BS. Upgrades would be done after business hours. Sigh...

My official diagnosis: Faulty receiver.

On another note, the installer refused to hook me up with SWM. He was about to run a cable along the side of my house and drill through the exterior. I asked him about SWM and he said he would get fired if he even acknowledged the existense of SWM. I called CSR who told me they couldn't give me SWM because they'd have to rewire my entire house (!). Geez... I guess I'll have to do it myself. At least I know it'll be done correctly.

First the disappointing news about HDPC-20 and now this. And what's with the On-Demand that makes you wait 30 minutes for download???? That didn't even work for me today! I had no guide information. All I could watch was the demo about how wonderful it is. DirecTV really needs to get their act together and fast!

I'm running out of reasons to stay with DirecTV.

UPDATE: Tech is at my house this very moment. He said the previous tech didn't know what he was doing and then proceeded to install a B-Band Converter on my HR23-700. Geez.... How long will it take him to figure this out I wonder? :(

[remccain]

I can't believe that no one suggested doing a full format on the receiver.

Full Format Instructions:

Press the red reset button under the front right access panel.
As it starts to reboot, on the front panel press & hold the down arrow & the record button at the same time.
When the Record Light changes to red, let go, grab your car keys and go get some shopping done. It'll take an hour or so.

[dklippi]

UPDATE: Tech is at my house this very moment. He said the previous tech didn't know what he was doing and then proceeded to install a B-Band Converter on my HR23-700. Geez.... How long will it take him to figure this out I wonder? :(

UPDATE 2: I asked installer twice if he was SURE that this receiver needed a B-Band Converter and he assured me that it did. He made some readjustments and did resolve the Guide problem, which was nice. Then he gave me a new dish (sweet!) and ruled everything else out, but would not even try removing the BBC. He didn't have a replacement DVR with him onhand so said he'd have to come back tomorrow. After he left I removed the BBC and now I have a fully functional system! Only problem is he hosed my other receiver. The saga continues...

[jbc28]

The tech brought out a new HR23 on Friday. I was gone snow skiing, but I had someone meet him here. I have been watching it for a while today, and everything seems good. One weird thing is that I did not have my local channels with the old receiver, but I do with this one. I have no idea how that happened.

[jbc28]

Do these receivers occasionally lock up as apart of the "normal" operation? My new receiver was unresponsive to the remote today, but a menu button press on the receiver brought it back to life.

[veryoldschool]

Don't have an HR23, but do have HR20s & an HR21 and no mine don't lockup "normally". Have I had one [or more] lockup? sure, but it's been very rare [in the past two years].

[LameLefty]

Don't have an HR23, but do have HR20s & an HR21 and no mine don't lockup "normally". Have I had one [or more] lockup? sure, but it's been very rare [in the past two years].

Ditto. I haven't had any kind of lockup for over a year and a half, maybe two years.

[hasan]

Can anyone explain this to me? Anytime, everytime I have to have a receiver replaced the CSR at the protection plan number tels me a tech has to come and install it.

Did you call a specific number (different from the general D* number) for your protection plan? (please post).

I wonder if a remote is covered by the protection plan. I have one that has gone south, but I didn't know there was a "unique" number for the plan. If there is, please let me know and I'll give it a try. Otherwise, I'll eventually play phone tree and see what they say.

[jbc28]

Just got back home to find that my receiver had turned itself off and would not respond to any commands from the remote. Looks like this one is bad too. I am about to call Direc and ask for the protection plan to be added at no charge. At this point I have absolutely zero confidence in their hardware.

Edit..also during the 2nd receiver install somehow my local channels were added to my package without my authorization at a cost of $6 a month. I have no idea why.

[veryoldschool]

Sounds like it may have updated the software.
Pull the power cord for 10-15 min and then plug it back in.

[dklippi]

UPDATE 2: I asked installer twice if he was SURE that this receiver needed a B-Band Converter and he assured me that it did. He made some readjustments and did resolve the Guide problem, which was nice. Then he gave me a new dish (sweet!) and ruled everything else out, but would not even try removing the BBC. He didn't have a replacement DVR with him onhand so said he'd have to come back tomorrow. After he left I removed the BBC and now I have a fully functional system! Only problem is he hosed my other receiver. The saga continues...

All my stuff's working. I don't have any lock ups. Still don't have SWM, but I'll try installing that myself.

[jbc28]

I hope you guys are not tired of seeing this thread back at the top;)

Direc shipped my 3rd dvr out, and it just arrived. It is a HR22 to replace my 2nd HR23. Should I be concerned about possibly going "backwards"? I have a critical eye, but I don't want to be paranoid about it. Also, I read in another thread the the bbc's are not needed when using a swm....is that correct?

[rudeney]

I hope you guys are not tired of seeing this thread back at the top;)

Uh, get tired of talking about DirecTV? Nah, don't worry about that!


Direc shipped my 3rd dvr out, and it just arrived. It is a HR22 to replace my 2nd HR23. Should I be concerned about possibly going "backwards"? I have a critical eye, but I don't want to be paranoid about it.

The HR22 is pretty much the same as the HR23. The only real difference is that the HR23 has wide-band tuners that do not need BBC's - ever - even on NON-SWM systems.

Also, I read in another thread the the bbc's are not needed when using a swm....is that correct?

Correct - the HR22 (or any SWM-compatible receiver for that matter ) will NOT need BBC when connected to the SWM.