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The official "ask veryoldschool" thread

136K views 823 replies 136 participants last post by  jpray72 
#1 ·
Folks,

As many of you know we have a great asset in "veryoldschool", or VOS for short. He's forgotten more about RF and connectivity than many of us will ever learn.

I'd like to start by thanking him for his immense service to this forum, and I'd like to start an official thread for the many questions you all have for him about connected home, whole home viewing, or anything DIRECTV related.

Please keep to topic and if you have a question, please read on to see if it's been answered.

Thanks!
 
#628 ·
Need confirmation of a bad SWM16...

Original config: 4 lines from dish to SWM16. Two DVRS, and two receivers (6 tuners) all on a SWS4 plugged into port 1 on SWM16: Worked

Upgrade config 1: Genie and DVR on port 1, two receivers on port 2 using SWS4: Worked for two days until today, when temp got to 85. Started getting 771 error, and communicating with dish error on all locations. Signals going from all 99's to Not Aquired and back.

REconfig 2: Put everything back the way it was originally, and plugged line to GENIE into port 2. All receivers and DVR worked ok, Genie would not aquire signal.

REconfig 3 for test: Put ALL tuners (9) on port 1. All worked except Genie. Channel changes on other boxes took upwards of 30 seconds.

Final solution: Put all boxes on port 1, through SWS4, but disabled a tuner on DVR (for a total of 8 tuners now). Genie booted up, and configured fine. Channels changes back to normal.

My conclusion is a bad port 2 on the SWM16. Would you confirm?
 
#629 ·
Davenlr said:
Need confirmation of a bad SWM16...

Original config: 4 lines from dish to SWM16. Two DVRS, and two receivers (6 tuners) all on a SWS4 plugged into port 1 on SWM16: Worked

Upgrade config 1: Genie and DVR on port 1, two receivers on port 2 using SWS4: Worked for two days until today, when temp got to 85. Started getting 771 error, and communicating with dish error on all locations. Signals going from all 99's to Not Aquired and back.

REconfig 2: Put everything back the way it was originally, and plugged line to GENIE into port 2. All receivers and DVR worked ok, Genie would not aquire signal.

REconfig 3 for test: Put ALL tuners (9) on port 1. All worked except Genie. Channel changes on other boxes took upwards of 30 seconds.

Final solution: Put all boxes on port 1, through SWS4, but disabled a tuner on DVR (for a total of 8 tuners now). Genie booted up, and configured fine. Channels changes back to normal.

My conclusion is a bad port 2 on the SWM16. Would you confirm?
Not to kick a dead horse, but what happens moving everything [that is working] to SWM #2?
Keep the PI on the port for power, but load all the tuners over on #2 using the same cabling.
 
#630 ·
Havent tried that, since there is no power available at the SWM location, and its coming in on port 1. Guess I could run an extension cord out there and plug the PI directly into it. Problem is, to get Amazon prime shipping, I need to order in the next 17 hours, and wont be able to get back over there until tomorrow.

Mom was getting pissed not being able to watch tv, so didnt want to experiment to much today.
 
#631 ·
Davenlr said:
Havent tried that, since there is no power available at the SWM location, and its coming in on port 1. Guess I could run an extension cord out there and plug the PI directly into it. Problem is, to get Amazon prime shipping, I need to order in the next 17 hours, and wont be able to get back over there until tomorrow.

Mom was getting pissed not being able to watch tv, so didnt want to experiment to much today.
I've seen some strange things lately, so it may not be a bad second section. :shrug:
 
#632 ·
The odd thing is the have one line running to two rooms with a splitter in the first room, and the cable going through the wall to the second room (these are the two receivers).
The Kitchen has its own line (with power inserter), and the living room has two lines (one antenna, one D*) with Genie.

Disconnecting one cable at a time, the second bedroom receiver went off on two different cables. That made no sense at all. Reason I suspect the multiswitch is that no matter what receiver I connect to port two, it screws up the ones on port 1 as well as port 2.

Guess Im just going to have to guess, and order another SWM16. If it turns out its not that, then Ill just resell it, and run all new cables.

For what its worth, the internet connection worked fine from port 2 to port 1, and vice versa.

I would have thought with everything running fine, plugging the genie to port 2 would work. The ONLY way the Genie will work, is if I disable a tuner on the DVR for 8 total. Its like its bridged between port 1 and 2, and double counting tuners.

Its been working fine, but today, it got up to 82, and the SWM16 was quite warm (its mounted to the ceiling of a covered patio outside, in the shade).
 
#633 ·
Davenlr said:
The odd thing is the have one line running to two rooms with a splitter in the first room, and the cable going through the wall to the second room (these are the two receivers).
The Kitchen has its own line (with power inserter), and the living room has two lines (one antenna, one D*) with Genie.

Disconnecting one cable at a time, the second bedroom receiver went off on two different cables. That made no sense at all. Reason I suspect the multiswitch is that no matter what receiver I connect to port two, it screws up the ones on port 1 as well as port 2.

Guess Im just going to have to guess, and order another SWM16. If it turns out its not that, then Ill just resell it, and run all new cables.

For what its worth, the internet connection worked fine from port 2 to port 1, and vice versa.

I would have thought with everything running fine, plugging the genie to port 2 would work. The ONLY way the Genie will work, is if I disable a tuner on the DVR for 8 total. Its like its bridged between port 1 and 2, and double counting tuners.

Its been working fine, but today, it got up to 82, and the SWM16 was quite warm (its mounted to the ceiling of a covered patio outside, in the shade).
You're describing exactly some of the strange things that have come up lately, and "messing with" the connector on the PI seemed to have "resolved" the Genie on SWM #2. :confused:
 
#634 ·
veryoldschool said:
You're describing exactly some of the strange things that have come up lately, and "messing with" the connector on the PI seemed to have "resolved" the Genie on SWM #2. :confused:
The power inserter in the house, or the port on the SWM16? Im not currently using the power port on the SWM16. They also had two non-directv splitters on the receivers, so I ordered two SWS-2's for that. Once I swap and flop on Saturday, Ill let you know what it turned out to be. I know its not the box, it was working perfectly at my house.
 
#635 ·
Davenlr said:
The power inserter in the house, or the port on the SWM16? Im not currently using the power port on the SWM16. They also had two non-directv splitters on the receivers, so I ordered two SWS-2's for that. Once I swap and flop on Saturday, Ill let you know what it turned out to be. I know its not the box, it was working perfectly at my house.
I didn't get to get my hands on the other problem, "but" it seemed like there was a voltage problem running through the splitter to the SWiM-16, which caused the second part of the SWiM to have problems, much like what you posted. "Maybe" when the SWiM gets starved it can't power the second stage as well. Nothing was ever done to the second stage, and everything around the PI was, as it all started with disconnecting the PI and reconnecting it in the same place. The last step was [again] tightening the connector/coax on the PI and got the Genie on the second stage to work.
 
#636 ·
OK. Then that would not be the problem, as I plugged the kitchen DVR with the power inserter directly into port 1 by itself, and the other boxes into port 2 through the splitter, and still had problems (even with the kitchen receiver on the port 1 by itself) as soon as all the boxes on port 2 were powered up.

Before installing the new SWM16, I am going to move the power inserter to the dedicated input port on the SWM16, and see if I still have issues when I enable the second tuner on that DVR which I will plug into port 2 by itself.
 
#637 ·
Davenlr said:
OK. Then that would not be the problem, as I plugged the kitchen DVR with the power inserter directly into port 1 by itself, and the other boxes into port 2 through the splitter, and still had problems (even with the kitchen receiver on the port 1 by itself) as soon as all the boxes on port 2 were powered up.

Before installing the new SWM16, I am going to move the power inserter to the dedicated input port on the SWM16, and see if I still have issues when I enable the second tuner on that DVR which I will plug into port 2 by itself.
"Chicken or egg": is it the -16 or the PI?
 
#644 ·
I have a question VOS, I currently have 4 receivers HR44-700,HR24-200,H24-200 and D12-700 all connected on SWM 16 Multiswitch with Slimline 5 Dish, but what I'm not so sure about is the green label splitter they used which is a 8-way that's mounted at the back of the house next to the SWM 16, is it better to use a 4-way instead or is the 8-way fine?, Another poster said that is better to use the lower 4-way splitter If you need any more info I will gladly provide, although as from what I see it is currently using 5 ports including one on the side with 3 terminator caps so I don't see a benefit into using a 4-way with not enough connection.
 
#645 ·
acostapimps said:
I have a question VOS, I currently have 4 receivers HR44-700,HR24-200,H24-200 and D12-700 all connected on SWM 16 Multiswitch with Slimline 5 Dish, but what I'm not so sure about is the green label splitter they used which is a 8-way that's mounted at the back of the house next to the SWM 16, is it better to use a 4-way instead or is the 8-way fine?, Another poster said that is better to use the lower 4-way splitter If you need any more info I will gladly provide, although as from what I see it is currently using 5 ports including one on the side with 3 terminator caps so I don't see a benefit into using a 4-way with not enough connection.
Splitter + coax loss have to be looked at together.
If you have long coax runs, an 8-way can be a problem.
If it's working now [not too much loss], there most likely will be no benefit to changing to a 4-way.
 
#646 ·
Had a brief power outage during a storm Wednesday. Our HR21-100 & HR24-500 (both running 0x6d8) rebooted afterwards, as expected. However, after completing reboot, neither set would display any HD channel from the satellite (HD thru the AM-21 is normal). Two calls to D* resulted in 2nd CSR deciding it was an alignment issue (though my ss didn't indicate that) and a scheduled service call (next Tuesday!).
Lowest signal strength on 99c/101 is one 88 & one 85, rest are 91 - 100; on 103c (c&b) all are 95s (didn't check spots - no locals), so don't think alignment is the problem. Vanilla set-up; non-SWM (dual RG6 direct from LNB to each set - only break is ground block & wall plug.)
HR-21 attached to a Panasonic Plasma, HR-24 to a Visio LED. Both HRs set to Native - On, Original Format. 16:9, HR-21 res set only 720, HR-24 res set to 720, 1080i, 1080p. Both TVs set to "normal".
Any suggestions as to what to try while waiting with baited breath for Tech? Or (my guess) did my LNB partially die and I'm SOL?
 
#647 ·
Carl Newman said:
Had a brief power outage during a storm Wednesday. Our HR21-100 & HR24-500 (both running 0x6d8) rebooted afterwards, as expected. However, after completing reboot, neither set would display any HD channel from the satellite (HD thru the AM-21 is normal). Two calls to D* resulted in 2nd CSR deciding it was an alignment issue (though my ss didn't indicate that) and a scheduled service call (next Tuesday!).
Lowest signal strength on 99c/101 is one 88 & one 85, rest are 91 - 100; on 103c (c& B) all are 95s (didn't check spots - no locals), so don't think alignment is the problem. Vanilla set-up; non-SWM (dual RG6 direct from LNB to each set - only break is ground block & wall plug.)
HR-21 attached to a Panasonic Plasma, HR-24 to a Visio LED. Both HRs set to Native - On, Original Format. 16:9, HR-21 res set only 720, HR-24 res set to 720, 1080i, 1080p. Both TVs set to "normal".
Any suggestions as to what to try while waiting with baited breath for Tech? Or (my guess) did my LNB partially die and I'm SOL?
Since this was a "brief" power outage, I'd pull the power cord on one and give it some time before plugging it back in.
It might take 10 min or longer without power.
 
#649 ·
VOS, I have 7 DVR's,, a Zimwell 6x16, & a Slimline 5, all are hard wired to an Ethernet switch, I have Whole Home grandfathered from beta install. I have the Protection Plan.

My oldest DVR is an HR20. With the "New Every Two" DirecTV will replace the HR 20 with a Genie..

What will the installer need to do/install to get the Genie & 6 DVR's to work with Whole Home?

Sincerely, John
 
#650 ·
John Walls said:
VOS, I have 7 DVR's,, a Zimwell 6x16, & a Slimline 5, all are hard wired to an Ethernet switch, I have Whole Home grandfathered from beta install. I have the Protection Plan.

My oldest DVR is an HR20. With the "New Every Two" DirecTV will replace the HR 20 with a Genie..

What will the installer need to do/install to get the Genie & 6 DVR's to work with Whole Home?

Sincerely, John
If you're going to keep all and not shift a few to the mini Genie clients:
 
#651 ·
Referred over here by another user....

SO complained of issues with the H21-200 in her sewing room. Just had a look, initially came up with "no guide data for the past 48 hours". Ran diagnostics and got the error code 49-181 with the following text: "Primary Tuner Connection Problem. No SWM channels are available. The receiver is unable to register tuners for Live TV or Recordings because there are too many receivers connected to the coax network" plus the usual blurb about calling and quoting the above code. This box is presently working but channel change is very slow - she complained this morning that it wouldn't go away from Channel 2. Setup is a Slimline 5 with non-SWM LNB connected to an SWM-16 with an 8-way splitter on each output, 5 tuners on each splitter. Son mentioned some issues on his DVR (same splitter) and we've been seeing "freezing" on another DVR's recordings on that splitter tonight (box replaced about a month ago for a different issue). The H21-200 with the initial problem sees playlists from all three DVRs on the system. Swapped with another H21-200, got error code 49-826 with same text as the previous error. No sign of any issues on any tuner off the other splitter. Bad splitter?
 
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