All Buttons and Menus Frozen

[NoodleMaps]

I'm a brand new DirecTV subscriber. Everyone has told be "You're going to love it!!" Well, 1 day in and I want to throw it out the window. Hopefully one of you kind folks can help me out. Tech Support is no help and they can't have anyone out here for 2 weeks (lovely).

I have the HR22. I will be navigating the guide, menus, changing channels, basically anything that has to do with interacting with the receiver itself. Then all input to the receiver goes dead. Not the Video signal, that is still coming through, but I can't change channels, pause, exit out of a menu or guide that I'm in. No buttons work. None of the remote buttons, none of the buttons of the unit itself. I have to do a reset and 5 minutes later I can continue to watch programming and change channels. It will last for about and hour or two and it will happen again. They told me to do a format of the drive, but the buttons they had me press would not go into a format only a "Scanning disk..." screen. (Down and Rec at the same time when it says only a few more seconds) So they are sending out a tech 2 weeks from today. I decided to let the Scan Disk run through, who knows? So far my DirectTV Experience has been horrid. I didn't even write about the poor installation. Just wanted to get to the root of the issue.

Any help to get this thing functioning would be greatly appreciated.

Jeff

[CCarncross]

Are you a constant button pusher? The D* receivers are not super speedy, and if you are constantly pushing buttons, changing channels etc, they dont' always respond well. And don't hesitate to bring up your install, some of your problems could be related to the install, if it was done incorrectly/poorly.

[jdspencer]

Possible IR interference?

[BattleZone]

Are you a constant button pusher? The D* receivers are not super speedy, and if you are constantly pushing buttons, changing channels etc, they dont' always respond well.

Agreed. Sometimes folks who aren't used to having a DVR, and have learned to "channel surf" to find shows that they are interested in, can fill the button/input buffer and confuse the DVR for a minute. DVRs are complicated and are just not designed for "channel surfers." I know of one customer who ended up going back to an HD receiver because he preferred to surf.

For most people, you learn to "guide surf" and setup recordings, and when you actually *watch* TV, you watch the recordings almost exclusively. The DVR is designed more for this type of viewing, and it works great! I probably watch less than 5 hours of live TV a year...

Still, it's possible that the OP's DVR is just broken and needs to be replaced. We don't yet have enough information to know.

[tcusta00]

Do you have a networking cable (ethernet) attached to the DVR? If so, try disconnecting that to see if it alleviates the issue.

[David MacLeod]

Possible IR interference?

since it works after reboot for some time I would expect this is not the issue, iirc (and I easily could be wrong) most IR interference issues were not affected by reboot.

[NoodleMaps]

Thanks for the replies. While I am a button smasher, I'm no beginner to the DVR. I had a ReplayTV back in the day (which this reminds me of, I believe it's the same software, could be wrong) and haven't been without a DVR since. I do have the NIC hooked up, so I will disconnect and see if that resolves it, if it occurs again. I let the disc scan finish last night and the unit powered off after watching some programing and this morning, it actually turned back on. I'm at work now and the unit is turned off again. Will see if it resumes when I return home. I hope so.

As for the installation. They just plopped the cabled down in the middle of the living room and told us to get throw rugs to cover them up. When I asked if they could tac the cable around the doorway and along the edge, we were told, we don't do that sir, we just get you a signal. I thought that was very unprofessional experience. One of the first commercials we saw while watching it was for the 5 star moving with DirecTV. I pointed to the cable laying on the floor and said to the Girlfriend "Yup, 5 star alright".

Anyway. I'm hoping the disk scan did the trick. I will let you all know if it does in case anyone else has this issues later on down the road.

[RACJ2]

I have the HR22. I will be navigating the guide, menus, changing channels, basically anything that has to do with interacting with the receiver itself. Then all input to the receiver goes dead. Not the Video signal, that is still coming through, but I can't change channels, pause, exit out of a menu or guide that I'm in. No buttons work. None of the remote buttons, none of the buttons of the unit itself. I have to do a reset and 5 minutes later I can continue to watch programming and change channels. It will last for about and hour or two and it will happen again.If you continue to have a problem and your HR22 is connected to an LCD or plasma, the TV might be interfering with the IR signal. For example, when I finish watching a recording and the "Delete Message" appears, sometimes the remote will not work. As you know, when this message appears the picture freezes, so the brightness remains constant. Until I manually turn off the TV or HR22, I can't get the remote to do anything. It may be hard to believe, but this actually happens to me. And I've proved it to be true by following the process below.

Next time it happens, first try to use the power button on your remote to turn off your HR22. If it won't turn off, walk up to your TV and turn it off with the power button on the TV. Now that you TV is off, try turning off your HR22 by pressing the power button on your remote. If the HR 22 turns off, you just proved that the TV was interfering with the IR signal.

To correct it, try adjusting the back-light or brightness of the TV. What was really strange with my LCD is that lowering the level of the back-light actually causes this. At a certain level, my remote is rendered inoperable. When I increase the back-light, the remote immediately starts working.

[NoodleMaps]

If you continue to have a problem and your HR22 is connected to an LCD or plasma, the TV might be interfering with the IR signal. For example, when I finish watching a recording and the "Delete Message" appears, sometimes the remote will not work. As you know, when this message appears the picture freezes, so the brightness remains constant. Until I manually turn off the TV or HR22, I can't get the remote to do anything. It may be hard to believe, but this actually happens to me. And I've proved it to be true by following the process below.

Next time it happens, first try to use the power button on your remote to turn off your HR22. If it won't turn off, walk up to your TV and turn it off with the power button on the TV. Now that you TV is off, try turning off your HR22 by pressing the power button on your remote. If the HR 22 turns off, you just proved that the TV was interfering with the IR signal.

To correct it, try adjusting the back-light or brightness of the TV. What was really strange with my LCD is that lowering the level of the back-light actually causes this. At a certain level, my remote is rendered inoperable. When I increase the back-light, the remote immediately starts working.

I will give that a shot if it does it again. But would it render the buttons of the receiver itself useless as well?

[RACJ2]

I will give that a shot if it does it again. But would it render the buttons of the receiver itself useless as well?You should be able to use the buttons on the receiver if this happens. Although, my receiver will sometimes freeze up if I press too many buttons on the remote when its not responding. Then I have to do a reset.

In case anyone wants to try and see if they can duplicate this, my TV is a Samsung 1080P LCD. In setups, I have is set to standard. If I lower the back-light to level 2 and then exit the menu, the D* remote will not operate my HR22. My Samsung TV remote still works and the D* remote will work to control the TV, but not the HR22.

[The Merg]

Thanks for the replies. While I am a button smasher, I'm no beginner to the DVR. I had a ReplayTV back in the day (which this reminds me of, I believe it's the same software, could be wrong) and haven't been without a DVR since. I do have the NIC hooked up, so I will disconnect and see if that resolves it, if it occurs again. I let the disc scan finish last night and the unit powered off after watching some programing and this morning, it actually turned back on. I'm at work now and the unit is turned off again. Will see if it resumes when I return home. I hope so.

As for the installation. They just plopped the cabled down in the middle of the living room and told us to get throw rugs to cover them up. When I asked if they could tac the cable around the doorway and along the edge, we were told, we don't do that sir, we just get you a signal. I thought that was very unprofessional experience. One of the first commercials we saw while watching it was for the 5 star moving with DirecTV. I pointed to the cable laying on the floor and said to the Girlfriend "Yup, 5 star alright".

Anyway. I'm hoping the disk scan did the trick. I will let you all know if it does in case anyone else has this issues later on down the road.

If you just recently had the install done, I would call up DirecTV and let them know about the install issue. What you had was very sloppy work. Part of the install is to have the cables routed to your receiver in a safe and neat manner and just leaving them across the middle of the floor definitely does not meet that level of quality. And while having the free installation does not always entail getting the install exactly the way you want (they might run the cable outside the house and through a wall as opposed to fishing the cables through interior walls), what you got is and should be unacceptable.

- Merg

[Rich]

You should be able to use the buttons on the receiver if this happens. Although, my receiver will sometimes freeze up if I press too many buttons on the remote when its not responding. Then I have to do a reset. For reference, my TV is a Samsung 1080P LCD.

That's the kind of thing that shouldn't happen. D* knew that the HRs were gonna be used with either an LCD or a plasma TV and they should have shielded the HRs somehow.

I've actually measured the field around one of my 42" Panny plasmas and it is over 36". I did this because I got a new 23 and it won't work properly in the RF mode. Had to buy a "remote extender" and that won't work if it is within 36" of the TV, nor will the remote if it is within the field.

The TV makers and D* should have known about this "little" glitch and taken steps to make sure it didn't happen. Not a really big deal, once you understand how huge the fields around the TVs are, but unless you are aware of the problem, it must seem insurmountable.

Rich

[Rich]

If you just recently had the install done, I would call up DirecTV and let them know about the install issue. What you had was very sloppy work. Part of the install is to have the cables routed to your receiver in a safe and neat manner and just leaving them across the middle of the floor definitely does not meet that level of quality. And while having the free installation does not always entail getting the install exactly the way you want (they might run the cable outside the house and through a wall as opposed to fishing the cables through interior walls), what you got is and should be unacceptable.

- Merg

True, but not surprising. Just what you can expect from poorly trained installers.

Rich

[NoodleMaps]

I should have taken pictures, wish I had. Spent yesterday running the cable the way it should of been laid in the first place. Granted there were limitations because we are in an apartment, but to just lay it across the floor? Wow, that's lazy. It's all better now thanks to me and the fact that I'm not lazy. They called yesterday to see how the install went, I let them know.

[tcusta00]

As for the installation. They just plopped the cabled down in the middle of the living room and told us to get throw rugs to cover them up. When I asked if they could tac the cable around the doorway and along the edge, we were told, we don't do that sir, we just get you a signal. I thought that was very unprofessional experience. One of the first commercials we saw while watching it was for the 5 star moving with DirecTV. I pointed to the cable laying on the floor and said to the Girlfriend "Yup, 5 star alright".


:eek2: Wow, that's not cool. While they don't pull cables through walls as part of the install I believe they are supposed to tack them down at the very least. We'll let some installers chime in on this one.

I'd be appalled, too.

[MartyS]

:eek2: Wow, that's not cool. While they don't pull cables through walls as part of the install I believe they are supposed to tack them down at the very least. We'll let some installers chime in on this one.

I'd be appalled, too.
THinking about my installs, unless I had them fished through the wall, the didn't "tack" down the cable. They ran the cable along the baseboard, and I had to put it under the carpet. But, they never ever left the cable in the middle of the room.

The only exception was when either I paid for fishing the wire (which I have done) or when they came directly through the exterior wall to the area behind the TV. In that install they did put a wall plate on the wall for me and installed cables from the wall plate to the TV.

[tcusta00]

THinking about my installs, unless I had them fished through the wall, the didn't "tack" down the cable. They ran the cable along the baseboard, and I had to put it under the carpet. But, they never ever left the cable in the middle of the room.

The only exception was when either I paid for fishing the wire (which I have done) or when they came directly through the exterior wall to the area behind the TV. In that install they did put a wall plate on the wall for me and installed cables from the wall plate to the TV.

My install was through an unfinished basement so they had to tack the cables to the joists otherwise they would have hung down to the floor, obviously. I added a receiver later, though, and they tacked the cable down to the baseboards.

I guess it depends on who you get. I'm curious what the policy is though.

[NoodleMaps]

My guy (as I stated in the previous post) said, was just required to get me a signal.

Also went home during lunch. Box is still functioning. Knock on wood, but maybe the scan disk did the trick.

[TBoneit]

I hope you also put it in writing the unsafe condition they left your home in. Loose wire in the middle of the floor? There is a recipe for disaster. I could just see my Mother coming for a visit, catching her foot on the wire and taking a dive to the floor while pulling the DVR and maybe the TV set over too. And Kids running around, Ha!

If I were you I'd be trying to get that installer fired. The job is more than just getting a signal. With that quality of workmanship and total lack of pride in what he was doing I expect a lot of rain fade and possibly a loose dish and/or if a roof mount water leaks on houses. How could you go home at night and not be worried that you will be sued when someone breaks a leg or whatever after tripping on those loose wires you left behind?

1 day in, good grief!

I guess I was lucky when I had DirecTV and Dishnetwork installed the first time I used a local installer. I never had problems, he ran the wires down into the Semi-basement etc.
Eventually the dishes were changed for both services when a 18" single location didn't cut it. Yes I had both for years. Mainly for the channels the other guy didn't have with both services. E* more premiums for example.

When they come for the service call have them check the dish installation including signal strength.

[BattleZone]

To start with, I'd say it's likely the cabling issue was simply a lazy installer. But I've done a few installs in apartments where no holes were allowed, and the layout required a cable path that left the cable running across a doorway or even across the floor. I've had apartment managers tell me, or note on their permission slips, that I wasn't allowed to drill or tack cable to the wall. I've also had customers who refused to let me tack cable up over a doorway, where the only other option was running it across the floor.

Apartments aren't like houses, where you have a lot of freedom on running the cable, and customers often have their TV/furniture arranged in such a way that there aren't any good options, and you're stuck picking from a couple of lousy ones. It happens.

Again, that doesn't appear to be what happened in this case, but I can tell you that "the rules" vary depending on location.

[NoodleMaps]

I hope you also put it in writing the unsafe condition they left your home in. Loose wire in the middle of the floor? There is a recipe for disaster. I could just see my Mother coming for a visit, catching her foot on the wire and taking a dive to the floor while pulling the DVR and maybe the TV set over too. And Kids running around, Ha!

If I were you I'd be trying to get that installer fired. The job is more than just getting a signal. With that quality of workmanship and total lack of pride in what he was doing I expect a lot of rain fade and possibly a loose dish and/or if a roof mount water leaks on houses. How could you go home at night and not be worried that you will be sued when someone breaks a leg or whatever after tripping on those loose wires you left behind?

1 day in, good grief!


Really regretting the not taking pictures. Was just frustrated and wanted to get things looking good. It was right there in my mind too. Should have. Knew I would regret it too.

[NoodleMaps]

Knocking on wood didn't work. All buttons frozen when I returned home from work.

[MonyMony]

If you cannot get the reformat to work, take a look at http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=67443 and see if the GUI option works for you. You can also try, if you are up for it, putting an eSATA drive on the unit. That would bypass the internal drive which might be your problem.

As for in the install story, that is crazy. I would contact Customer Retention and tell them the install was unacceptable. For them to install in such an inferior manor and to leave you a DVR that will not work is unacceptable. I don't understand why they just don't send you a replacement unit instead of making a new customer wait two weeks to enjoy the service. With that kind of service you might as well call Comcrap and go to them.

[bdcottle]

I had a similar problem with my first HR. it ran for about 4 hours after the installer left then froze. If I rbr then it would get stuck on step one of two downloading from sat. if I unplugged it for half an hour it would run for about 3 hours then freeze again. Checking the temp showed a temp rise to 150 deg. before lockup. Holding down the info button will get you to the screen with the temp.

[NoodleMaps]

I just tried doing the full reset from the GUI. This, like the thread states is a quick format. Trying with an external drive now and going to see how that goes. I really wish I could just lay back on the couch and enjoy watching television. Instead I'm looking at the graphical treatment that was done on the D* logo. Nice work.

I did check the temp. It is running at 127 degrees. Is this too hot? Seems a bit high? What do I know?

Thanks everyone's input.

[tcusta00]

I just tried doing the full reset from the GUI. This, like the thread states is a quick format. Trying with an external drive now and going to see how that goes. I really wish I could just lay back on the couch and enjoy watching television. Instead I'm looking at the graphical treatment that was done on the D* logo. Nice work.

I did check the temp. It is running at 127 degrees. Is this too hot? Seems a bit high? What do I know?

Thanks everyone's input.

127 is the upper end of acceptable.

How did the external drive work?

[NoodleMaps]

I think I've got to get a new external, knew this to begin with. It's why I didn't hook it up from the get go. It's an older myBook. New problem happened with the image freezing completely. I blame that on the drive. Going to order a new external today. Was planning on doing it anyway, so it's not like I'm putting myself out.

Here is something new I have noticed. I turn the box off at night, when I get up, it's on. Why would it do that? Should that be a new post or should I just stop posting and wait the 2 weeks for the tech to show up?

[tcusta00]

I think I've got to get a new external, knew this to begin with. It's why I didn't hook it up from the get go. It's an older myBook. New problem happened with the image freezing completely. I blame that on the drive. Going to order a new external today. Was planning on doing it anyway, so it's not like I'm putting myself out.

Here is something new I have noticed. I turn the box off at night, when I get up, it's on. Why would it do that? Should that be a new post or should I just stop posting and wait the 2 weeks for the tech to show up?

When you turn the receiver "off" at night you're not really turning it off, it's just going into standby. A number of things can possibly wake it up, including a recording set during the "sleep" time, an overnight software update (which is very possible right now since there is a new release reportedly being pushed out) and possibly even a sleepwalking spouse. :lol:

There are a few eSata drives that are specifically recommended by DirecTV. If you're getting one just for that I'd recommend going that route. Here's the thread: http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=160800

So you have a tech set to come out for this in two weeks?

[MrAP]

When you turn the receiver "off" at night you're not really turning it off, it's just going into standby. A number of things can possibly wake it up, including a recording set during the "sleep" time

Mine records without coming out of standby; the red record light is on while it is recording, but no other lights are on, and there is no output on the TV. (I have an HR23).

[NoodleMaps]

I wanted to add an update to this issue. ALL DAY (Well, besides the time I was as work) The Receiver/DVR worked. No freezing, full control, no issues what so ever. Why? The external drive didn't work (though I have ordered a 1tb, how much time is that going to give me?) I was able to record a program and watch another. I download some programing from OnDemand. I also watched some podcast via my PC through my MediaServer.

The only thing I can think of, and I'm not saying the issue is over yet, is that the Reset I did via the GUI did something that "fix" the issue. I am still running 0x312 of the software, so an update didn't resolve it. If anything, it was the reset. I will give it 2 more days of operation before I call and cancel the service call unless anyone thinks that I should still have them come. as a side note. The temp is also reading 113 F, that's more than a 10 degree difference than it was a day ago.

Thanks again for all of your input during my insane transition to DTV.

[MonyMony]

I have ordered a 1tb, how much time is that going to give me

Check out http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=142735&highlight=dvr+record+space as there is a nice chart that shows the capacities of different drive sizes.

[tcusta00]

I wanted to add an update to this issue. ALL DAY (Well, besides the time I was as work) The Receiver/DVR worked. No freezing, full control, no issues what so ever. Why? The external drive didn't work (though I have ordered a 1tb, how much time is that going to give me?) I was able to record a program and watch another. I download some programing from OnDemand. I also watched some podcast via my PC through my MediaServer.

The only thing I can think of, and I'm not saying the issue is over yet, is that the Reset I did via the GUI did something that "fix" the issue. I am still running 0x312 of the software, so an update didn't resolve it. If anything, it was the reset. I will give it 2 more days of operation before I call and cancel the service call unless anyone thinks that I should still have them come. as a side note. The temp is also reading 113 F, that's more than a 10 degree difference than it was a day ago.

Thanks again for all of your input during my insane transition to DTV.

If it were me and the service call is free (which is should be since you're in the first 90 days) I'd keep the appointment. Tell the tech your problems and just have him check things out... BBCs, multiswitches, LNBs, etc... can't hurt. Well, most likely it can't hurt. :)