[WebHobbit]

So I got a new DirecTV install. I've got an HR34 in the living room and two H25-100s in bedrooms. It's connected via DECA/Cinema Connect kit. I keep having this rather infuriating problem where one or both of the H25s randomly will be unable to play content from the HR34. Generally when it does this I can hit "try again" 2-12 times and it will finally work. I really NEED this equipment to start working reliably as I was the dude that insisted on this change (from 9 years of TiVo) and my Wife and daughter are not at all impressed with the HR34 (with the SD blue UI) as compared to the HDUI on our "old" TiVo Premiere XL.

:eek2:

Anyway so far I have found that the following WILL make it work again but this is a stupid thing to have to keep doing continuously:

1) RBR -at H25
2) Menu reboot -H25
3) power plug pull -H25
4) power plug pull/reconnect -at Cinema Kit module
5) REAUTHORIZE -from DirecTV account webpage.

Any one of those will restore the ability to play stuff on the HR34 from an H25.

So far I have ran the system and network tests both from the menu and from the front panel....and everything looks normal and fine. Both H25s have the beautiful new HD GUI now and the problem was present before and after the update. I REALLY thought I'd fixed this problem earlier today when I went through and configured STATIC IPs for all three boxes. It was very snappy and reliable for a while but a few minutes ago I tried to play something and got the error again! I hit RETRY 5 times and then it started working fine.

I haven't called DTV yet. I was saving that as a last resort. Any ideas? Help me out guys -I'm not the most popular guy in the house at this point.

 

[Davenlr]

It is more than likely the HR34 causing those errors on the H25's. The HR34 is rather new in its software development. What version of software does the HR34 have on it?

 

[WebHobbit]

Ox4C9

 

[Davenlr]

Well, that is the most current version. Since it is passing all the tests, I really do not know what to suggest but to call DirecTv to check the system, or wait until the next software release.

 

[Davenlr]

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=200715

Check the above thread and see if he can help. He is the forums resident expert on Whole Home issues.

 

[five337]

Ive been fighting the same issue since I got my HR34. I found rebooting the SWM-16 usually works for a little bit without rebooting the receivers.

10 times hitting "Try Again" to view programing on other DVRs.. Yup. Me too. MRV also refuses to work from from HR21 to HR21 even with the HR34 off.

My H23/21s also do the "Try Again" from HR21s and H34.

I know the receivers are all talking to each other because all the saved recordings from the HR34 + HR21 + HR21 + HR22 show up on each other and the H21s + H23s.

VOD downloads work fine.

This all started when I got the HR34.

See my thread here: http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=2929977#post2929977

 

[The Merg]

There have been quite a few reports of the Try Again issue when trying to play recorded content from the HR34 on another receiver. I would expect this to be fixed sooner rather than later. Also, I would expect that the HD GUI for the HR34 will be along soon as well. I would assume that DirecTV would like all their receivers to be on the same GUI.

- Merg

 

[kpfleming]

I too am having this problem; it usually only takes one 'Try Again' on our system though.

Just a note for the OP: in your system, the 'Cinema Connection Kit' (DECA/Ethernet bridge) is not involved in your Whole Home connectivity. It's purpose is to provide Internet access for your HR34 and HR25s. In my case, I've disconnected it and connected the HR34 to my Ethernet work instead, which has worked just fine (but hasn't affected the 'Try Again' problem).

 

[WebHobbit]

OK, I"m confused then - if the ethernet connection (which is at the Cinema module) has nothing to do with this then why does setting a static IP? The IP is given out by my router....my router is only involved because of the ethernet connection.

 

[veryoldschool]

OK, I"m confused then - if the ethernet connection (which is at the Cinema module) has nothing to do with this then why does setting a static IP? The IP is given out by my router....my router is only involved because of the ethernet connection.

"Static" IPs have been used on MRV setups when the router doesn't handle the DHCP lease times well.
"I doubt" this will make a difference, but you could remove the router connection, losing internet access, reboot each receiver [and reset network defaults if you've selected manual IP settings], so they change their IPs to their internal 169.xxx on all the receivers.
In this configuration, the receivers are handling all the traffic routing and requests.

 

[Diana C]

What release is the H25s running? During the CE process for the HD GUI I had a lot of these sorts of errors when my H25s were running the HD GUI but the DVR I was trying to access was running the 4XX series (SD GUI) software.

Once I had everything on the same (5XX series) release, these errors went away.

 

[WebHobbit]

Well the only DVR in this setup is the HR34 - which doesn't have a release of the HDGUI yet.

 

[WebHobbit]

"Static" IPs have been used on MRV setups when the router doesn't handle the DHCP lease times well.
"I doubt" this will make a difference, but you could remove the router connection, losing internet access, reboot each receiver [and reset network defaults if you've selected manual IP settings], so they change their IPs to their internal 169.xxx on all the receivers.
In this configuration, the receivers are handling all the traffic routing and requests.

I'm still new to the current DTV stuff (I was with them back in the 80's I think it was when it was all known as RCA DSS, but not since until now) - so I have to ask - does the DTV system use the Internet for ANYTHING beyond VOD/PPV? Does the guide info - program info (actor credits, plots, etc.) all come from the satellite or does some of that come from the Internet? If VOD/PPV is the ONLY thing the Internet connection does then I'm thinking I will just remove the Cinema kit from the equation because we really don't have any interest in VOD/PPV or YouTube for that matter. I have a dedicated HTPC hooked to our main set for that stuff.

 

[veryoldschool]

I'm still new to the current DTV stuff (I was with them back in the 80's I think it was when it was all known as RCA DSS, but not since until now) - so I have to ask - does the DTV system use the Internet for ANYTHING beyond VOD/PPV? Does the guide info - program info (actor credits, plots, etc.) all come from the satellite or does some of that come from the Internet? If VOD/PPV is the ONLY thing the Internet connection does then I'm thinking I will just remove the Cinema kit from the equation because we really don't have any interest in VOD/PPV or YouTube for that matter. I have a dedicated HTPC hooked to our main set for that stuff.

DirecTV is "stand alone" and gets everything through the SAT feed.
VOD is through the internet, along with TVApps, and some things like online ordering, control of your recording, etc.
"If I" were having issues with my only DVR, I'd pull the plug on the internet, go through the resetting of the network, and then see if the damn thing would work. :lol:

 

[The Merg]

I'm still new to the current DTV stuff (I was with them back in the 80's I think it was when it was all known as RCA DSS, but not since until now) - so I have to ask - does the DTV system use the Internet for ANYTHING beyond VOD/PPV? Does the guide info - program info (actor credits, plots, etc.) all come from the satellite or does some of that come from the Internet? If VOD/PPV is the ONLY thing the Internet connection does then I'm thinking I will just remove the Cinema kit from the equation because we really don't have any interest in VOD/PPV or YouTube for that matter. I have a dedicated HTPC hooked to our main set for that stuff.

Those are the main things that the connection to the router is used for. It also allows you to order PPV via your remote without having a phone line connected. The CCK would also allow you to use DirecTV2PC for playing back recordings on your PC and you could also take advantage of the iPad app, which allows streaming of LiveTV plus control of your DVRs.

- Merg

 

[veryoldschool]

Those are the main things that the connection to the router is used for. It also allows you to order PPV via your remote without having a phone line connected. The CCK would also allow you to use DirecTV2PC for playing back recordings on your PC and you could also take advantage of the iPad app, which allows streaming of LiveTV plus control of your DVRs.

- Merg

Which is all "great and grand", once the darn thing works. :lol:

 

[WebHobbit]

OK...I just removed the Cinema kit and the associated splitter. Used "restore default" under the Network settings. I did the DVR first...then went to the H25 in the basement. Changed it to default. I immediately tried the Playlist from that H25...was able to play a program right away with no error (but it did work like this sometimes before so...). I then came in here to my bedroom and reset default on the H25 in here. Tried to play something and BOOM:

"We are having trouble accessing this program do you wanna try again?"

:nono2:

I hit try again twice and it started playing.

Even though the Cinema kit removal may not have helped I'm gonna leave it OFF...we didn't use those services anyway and it did eliminate another possible variable. And I know one thing from my side biz (PC repair/upgrades) eliminating variables is a major part of trouble-shooting. BTW none of the equipment seemed to need a reboot/restart for these changes.

 

[veryoldschool]

OK...

Even though the Cinema kit removal may not have helped I'm gonna leave it OFF...we didn't use those services anyway and it did eliminate another possible variable. And I know one thing from my side biz (PC repair/upgrades) eliminating variables is a major part of trouble-shooting. BTW none of the equipment seemed to need a reboot/restart for these changes.

you've "simply" reduced things down to where "it's all on" DirecTV to resolve this. "Hopefully" there will be an updated coming "soon".

 

[Diana C]

Well the only DVR in this setup is the HR34 - which doesn't have a release of the HDGUI yet.

That is my point...if your H25's have gotten the HD GUI you have the same situation I had during the testing of the HD GUI. I had loaded the CE release onto our H25s and one DVR, but wasn't confident enough to load it on the "main" DVR. I had the exact symptom you describe when trying to play back recordings from a receiver with the "old" software on a receiver with the "new" software.

IOW, this may just be a compatibility bug and will go away once the HR34's get updated to the HD GUI.

 

[WebHobbit]

That sounds great and I'd love to hold onto the promise of the HDGUI fixing all this.....but we also had the problem BEFORE the HDGUI update.