Noob 942 owner w/ UHF remote questions...

[Thor263]

I've done a lot of searching but haven't been able to come up with the answer to this. I previously had a 522 receiver running in dual mode w/ two UHF remotes -- the receiver was in another room as it is more convenient to do the cabling there. I recently acquired a 942 and was hoping to do the same thing - use one UHF remote to control TV1 and the other TV2. TV2 works with it's UHF remote (as expected), but I can't figure out how to get TV1 to recognize the other UHF remote. When I try to change the TV1 remote on the Summary Screen (using the record button method), it ends up changing the TV2 remote. I thought I could scroll up to the remote I wanted to change, but that was a no go too.

What am I missing here? The 522 had a separate menu option for this, but this doesn't seem to exist on the 942. (At least I can't find it!)

Thanks for any help!

[TON]

Currently this is not an option on the 942 since in most cases the stb has to be near tv1 since its High Def. I know its something that has been requested but I don't think its a priority for dish right now.

[Thor263]

Ok, now I'm a little confused. Post #10 in the "942 - L227 Software Release Notes and Discussion" thread (bah - can't post URLs yet) seems to indicate the functionality was introduced in the 227 version. Is that no longer true? Or do you need a designated TV1 6.2 remote in order to do this? I'm trying to use one of the 522's TV2 6.0 remotes to do this.

[CABill]

The 6.2 IR/UHF Pro remote has a 4 position switch (changed by the key inserted) that allows TV1 IR, TV2 UHF, and TV1 IR/UHF. The 522's 6.0 IR/UHF Pro remote only has a two position switch that operates the 942 as TV1 IR and TV2 UHF. Even if you use a 6.2 remote to put TV1 into IR/UHF mode, you can't set the 6.0 remote to the same address and control TV1 via UHF - only IR. When set to UHF, the 6.0 will only control the 942's TV2. You would need a 6.2 remote to control TV1 via UHF. My 942 came with a 6.2 remote - did you acquire any remote with yours?

[Mike Johnson]

Welcome to DBSTalk, Thor!

In answer to your question it looks like you must have a version 6.2 UHF remote in order to use UHF remote control on TV1. A 6.0 remote isn't going to work. Here's what mark posted:

L227 also introduces UHF Pro Band A and Band B operation of TV1, but you will have to purchase a replacement version 6.2 TV1 remote in order to take advantage of it. The version 6.2 TV1 remote also operates on Band A and B, just like the TV2 remote does, but when you receive your TV1 version 6.2 remote, it will be configured to operate in IR mode only. To change your 6.2 TV1 remote to operate in UHF Pro mode, you need to remove the green tab on the bottom front of the remote, flip it over, and reinsert it back into the slot. This green tab is actually a key that when flipped over (so that you see a black #1 and the UHF Pro logo) activates the UHF Pro functionality.

This is a feature I've needed, as I don't always have line-of-site to make the TV1 IR remote work, but I haven't gone out a bought a new remote yet to try this out.

CABill posts some really good info on what's different with the remotes. My early 942 came with a 5.2 IR only remote for TV1 and a 6.2 IR/UHF Pro remote for TV2. Do the newer 942's come with UHF remotes for both?

[Thor263]

CABill posts some really good info on what's different with the remotes. My early 942 came with a 5.2 IR only remote for TV1 and a 6.2 IR/UHF Pro remote for TV2. Do the newer 942's come with UHF remotes for both?

The new 942 I just purchased has the same remotes. The other info about the 6.2 remotes make sense now. Ahh...guess I'll need to acquire another 6.2 remote. It's too bad that two 6.2 remotes aren't included instead.

Thanks for the help!

[CABill]

You can get by without ANOTHER 6.2 remote if you just use the 6.0 remote for TV2 UHF and use the 6.2 for TV1 (black key) in IR/UHF mode. I got the same 5.2 and 6.2 remotes but found it cheap to get spare 6.0 remotes on eBay. I don't use my 6.2 for TV1 though - its Aux control of a 508 in the master bedroom and TV2 of the 942 is more useful to me.

[Thor263]

Funny, I was just thinking about that possibility too, but hadn't tried it yet. Cool.

[Thor263]

Ok, slight problem, I can't get the 6.2 remote to work with TV1. I flipped the key (blue to black), but can't change the TV1 remote at the setup screen (using record button). In fact, it doesn't even change the TV2 remote address when set that way. The black side of the key only says "UHF" and doesn't denote TV1 or TV2.

Do a need a green/black key for TV1?

[CABill]

Sorry, my bad. Our black isn't what you need for TV1 UHF - it operates it in IR mode with the black (UHF) side up. The black slides the switch all the way to the right and the blue slides it all the way to the left. If you remove the key and slide the switch (toothpick or whatever) one position back from where the black key put it and hit record, it is IR/UHF. At that point, I put the black key on and it still operated TV1 (which continued to say IR/UHF) but if you actually hit Record with the black key inserted, TV1 goes back to IR only. The black key in Mark's quote says TV1 and ours doesn't. Ours just say UHF (and promptly operates TV1 in IR mode :( ) You'd have to just leave the key out, or located one that is black with a "1" on it. Not sure what they look like though. You can also file off the plastic on your existing black so it doesn't slide the switch all the way to the right. Or, see if a CSR wil send you the right key???

Edit:
I'd caution against using the 6.2 key in a 6.0 remote since it will break the tab that operates the switch. The "original" 6.2 key positions the switch to the outside of the central switch pair generated by the 6.0 key. With that warning, you can use the 6.0 blue "2" (without the black numbering) to operate TV1 UHF. Not handy since you'd have two remotes with the same "2" key and have to distinguish between them some other way, but it puts the switch in the right location. Anybody know of a source for the black "1" UHF Pro key that puts it in the same location?