H20 problems--please help!

[bluesman40220]

I need some help with my H20 receiver. The problem is that my H20 receiver is not picking up my SD locals. My HR20 DVR is picking up the locals just fine.

The H20 is receiving every channel, but not the locals. I have checked my RG-6 lines. I have checked my cable runs from the receiver to the 5 lnb satellite. Everything looks good--everything is tight. No moisture noted.

Called D* on Saturday and they tried resetting the box and sending the signal again (three times)--no joy. After an hour with D*'s lower eschelon people I finally get to a supervisor who said the problem is on their end and it is software related. The plan was to escalate the problem and I would receive a return call the next day. Well, you know how that turned out!:mad:

So, this morning the wife is mad at me because (this is her receiver by the way) she cannot watch her morning shows while getting ready for work. I call D* back and spend another hour getting shuffled around five different times and being disconnected twice in route to RIO 3. Finally, this RIO 3 person said that it is a problem at my end (notice the problem has changed after the same troubleshooting). She has set up an appointment for this Sunday (1 week later BTW) for someone to come out to look into it.

Does anyone have any ideas about what could be wrong? Unless the receiver is bad, I just don't see the problem. The lnb shouldn't be bad because I'm getting my locals with my HR20. Your help is appreciated.

[say-what]

I've had my locals (SD and OTA) go out on the H20 several times while watching them. I've always been able to correct this by simply removing and reinserting the access card and if that fails, a RBR.

[bluesman40220]

I've had my locals (SD and OTA) go out on the H20 several times while watching them. I've always been able to correct this by simply removing and reinserting the access card and if that fails, a RBR.

Tried both those ideas (more than once) and had no success. I just tried again and it is still FUBAR.

[RobertE]

How long have you had the H20?

Is it a -100 or -600?

What software version? If its a -100 you need to have the current version (100C) for your HD locals. Force a download to get it.

Do you have an external multiswitch or just the internal 4x4?

You may want to re-run the guided setup and select either the 4x4 or 6x8 multiswitch depending on what you have. If it does not work the first time select the *wrong* one, let it finish and run again selecting the correct one.

Good luck.

[Jeremy W]

My H20 recently lost the HD locals. The rep wanted to send someone out, and I told them not to waste my time and just send me a new receiver. Got the new receiver, and of course the HD locals are working just fine.

The moral of the story is: the H20 is generally unreliable, and you just need to have DirecTV send you a new one. I'm on my third one!

[bluesman40220]

How long have you had the H20?

Is it a -100 or -600?

What software version? If its a -100 you need to have the current version (100C) for your HD locals. Force a download to get it.

Do you have an external multiswitch or just the internal 4x4?

You may want to re-run the guided setup and select either the 4x4 or 6x8 multiswitch depending on what you have. If it does not work the first time select the *wrong* one, let it finish and run again selecting the correct one.

Good luck.

RobertE, D* should be paying you. I changed the multi-switch selection as you suggested and everything is in order now. Thank you very much! :)

Two hours spent wasted on the phone, numerous dropped calls and a refill of my blood pressure medicne is what I got (and expected) from those SOB's the past few days!:mad: Why is it that knowledgeable D* subscibers always seem to know more than most of the D* fools?

Please don't get me wrong, I love what D* does for me (when it works). I have been with D* for almost ten years now, but things like this happen more and more often lately. I knew that I was getting bad customer service. I told them it wasn't the satellite dish or the cables.:nono2:

[RobertE]

RobertE, D* should be paying you. I changed the multi-switch selection as you suggested and everything is in order now. Thank you very much! :)


Your welcome. :) D* does pay me. Indirectly and not enough, but they do pay me.

[Jeremy W]

Wow, that may have fixed my H20 problem too. Oh well, all I lost was a few minutes of my time.

[bluesman40220]

Well, after all that I got crappy treatment again through customer service and I have decided to write a letter to D*. It is a bit long and will probably fall on deaf ears, but here is my letter in rough form if you care to read:

February 12, 2007

Office of the President
DirecTV Inc.
P.O. Box 6550
Greenwood Village, CO 80155-6550

Dear Sir or Madam:

Have you ever had such a bad customer service problem that you took the time and effort to contact a company and told them of a problem and yet they did not listen to your advice? Would it surprise you if I said that I have contacted DirecTV several times regarding poor service, but the same problems keep occurring? Well, that is my situation that I am writing to you about today. I am starting to believe that someone up there doesn’t love me—DirecTV.

On February 10, 2007 I needed some help with my H20 receiver. The first problem was that my H20 receiver was not picking up my standard definition locals. My HR20 DVR was picking up the locals just fine so this led me to believe that it was probably a receiver issue.

I have been a DirecTV subscriber for almost ten years (under different accounts). In that time I have unfortunately learned due to poor customer service to become somewhat self-sufficient when it comes to my DirecTV service. I try to troubleshoot any problems myself before I phone your customer call centers. So when I started having this trouble with my H20 receiver I checked my RG-6 cable runs from the receiver to the 5 lnb satellite. Everything looked good--everything was tight and there was no moisture in the fittings. I knew that the problem was going to be either in the software, receiver or the lnb assembly.

I called DirecTV on Saturday and they tried resetting the box and sending the signal again (three times) to no avail. After an hour with DirecTV’s lower tier representatives I finally got to speak with a supervisor who said the problem was on their end and that it was software related and she couldn’t resolve the problem that day. Her plan was to escalate the problem and I would receive a return call the next day. I never received that return call—second problem.

So, two days later my wife is mad at me because (this is her receiver by the way) she cannot watch her morning shows while getting ready for work. I call DirecTV back and spend another hour getting shuffled around five different times and being disconnected twice—third problem, in route to RIO 3. Finally, this RIO 3 representative said that the problem is at my end (the diagnosis of the problem had changed after the same troubleshooting methods—fourth problem). She set up an appointment for Sunday 02/18/07 (one week later—fifth problem) for someone to come out to look into it.

I was starting to lose faith that these problems would ever get solved. So, I visited a website called DBSTalk.com and there I received some good advice. I went through the satellite setup screen again and I changed the multi-switch selection as they suggested and everything is in order now. Let me be clear on this point: Numerous DirecTV customer service representatives and supervisors could not diagnose the problem correctly, yet I could find an answer on a web forum—sixth and largest problem.

Two hours spent wasted on the phone, numerous dropped calls and a refill of my blood pressure medicine is what I got (and expected) from DirecTV the past few days! Why is it that knowledgeable DirecTV subscribers always seem to know more than most of the DirecTV representatives?

Please don't misunderstand me, I love what DirecTV does for me (when it works), but things like this happen more and more often lately. I knew that I was getting bad customer service. I told them it wasn't the satellite dish or the cables and I also told them that I did not need a service call. Yet that was what they told me I had to do and pay for in order to restore my service.

About three hours ago, I started my last misadventure with DirecTV customer service again. I called and stated that I needed to cancel the service call for Sunday and wanted to speak with a supervisor about the problems that I was experiencing with customer service. In short, before I finally finished my last conversation with a gentleman named Scott, I had been disconnected four times (again in route to RIO 3 to cancel the service call) and left on hold for almost 2 ½ hours. It seems that there is a real problem with phone transfers to RIO 3 representatives. Calls seem to fall into a black hole as soon as the transfer begins—seventh problem.

As a long-time DirecTV subscriber who pays for premium sports and movie packages, the high definition package with DVR mirroring fees and who also pays on-time every month without fail—I find the customer service at DirecTV to be woefully lacking. I sincerely hope that you will take the time to address the issues that I brought to you today. I cannot imagine a more dedicated DirecTV subscriber than I have been to you. That is changing. I used to recommend DirecTV to my friends and family because I got value for my money and good customer service. Now, I am counting down the months until my two-year commitment is over and FIOS is an option in my family’s household. If you would like you may contact me at the number below. I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Respectfully yours,

[Jeremy W]

Good luck with the letter.

[breadman]

You know you are going to get hung up on when the tech says you will probably hear silence for a few minutes and I will get back to you as soon as possible. I had this happen when I tried to have my h20 replaced because of ota issues.Ater about fifteen minutes of silence I was disconnected.The tech had said he would swap my receiver but after calling back after being hung up on the second
tech would not swap it. They said since it was an ota problem they couldn't swap it out.He said they were working on an update and it was coming soon(the same thing they have been telling other customers for 6 months):confused: