[kevinturcotte]

My H20 does NOT like my SWM, and refuses to see see the satellites. How can I get my H20 to work with my SWM?

 

[MIAMI1683]

My H20 does NOT like my SWM, and refuses to see see the satellites. How can I get my H20 to work with my SWM?

What kind of SWM do you have? If its the SWM8 I would move the H20 to a legacy port. There have been many reports of the H20 "not liking" the SWM. I had one replaced becaus of it. The H21 is much more stable now.

What software version is the H20 on? That could make a difference too.

 

[kevinturcotte]

It's the SWMLine. I'll have to check on software version.
If it is the software, how can I update it with only an SWM LNB?

 

[houskamp]

What other recievers do you have? You might try disconnecting the others and try to just get the H20 up 1st..

 

[BattleZone]

It's the SWMLine. I'll have to check on software version.
If it is the software, how can I update it with only an SWM LNB?

If the H20 doesn't have fairly recent software, it won't recognize the SWM. The only solution is to get it connected to a legacy system so it can get the updated software. Once updated, it should understand the SWM and work correctly.

If you need to manually update the software on any recent "DirecTV"-branded receiver, reboot the receiver (red button reset, or unplug), and when the first "Welcome to DirecTV" screen comes up during boot-up, press "02468" on the remote. The receiver will go to the download screen and automatically update itself.

 

[texasbrit]

What kind of SWM do you have? If its the SWM8 I would move the H20 to a legacy port. There have been many reports of the H20 "not liking" the SWM. I had one replaced becaus of it. The H21 is much more stable now.

What software version is the H20 on? That could make a difference too.

You can't run the H20 on an SWM8 legacy port because it won't receive any of the new HD signals.

 

[R8ders2K]

First and foremost, what is the firmware revision of your H20?

It's my understanding that as you have the latest National Release, 0x407E for H20-600 or 0x407A for H20-100, they should be compatible with the SWM's.

FWIW, I have one HR20-700, one H20-100, and two H20-600's connected to my SWM8 (firmware 1.0.8), and everyone is happy.

 

[BattleZone]

You can't run the H20 on an SWM8 legacy port because it won't receive any of the new HD signals.

Correct, however moving the H20 to a legacy port would enable it to get the latest software update, which should then enable it to recognize the SWM.

 

[bobnielsen]

There are no legacy ports on the SWMline!

 

[n-spring]

Did you remove the BBC?

 

[bwaldron]

There are no legacy ports on the SWMline!

Correct. If the H20 needs a software upgrade, the old LNB will need to be put back in long enough to do the download.

 

[Stanley Kritzik]

Correct. If the H20 needs a software upgrade, the old LNB will need to be put back in long enough to do the download.

I had a similar experience with an H20 I bought from Solid Signal, but I had/have an SWM-8. The H20 couldn't see the SWM-8, so I just switched the cable to a legacy port on the SWM-8, the software on the H20 was upgraded, and then I switched back. Somehow or other, there ought to be a service to do this five-minute function for a customer, and then return the H20 to the customer. Particularly, if SWMLINE dishes are going to phase out SWM-8s, something sensible ought to be done, so the end user doesn't have to go nuts.

 

[BattleZone]

This is one of the reasons why DirecTV's official policy is that SWM's are only for NEW (not existing) customers. New customers will get SWM-enabled equipment to go along with their SWM dish, so this won't be a problem.

Folks who find ways around this policy also have to take responsibility for any issues that occur as a result. In this case, it means finding a way to get the H20 connected to a legacy system in order to get the software update. All it needs is a connection to 101, so anyone with a basic round dish on up to a standard Ka/Ku will work.

 

[hfgarris]

I am trying to move my 3 H20s to the SWM distribution so I can replace the Zinwell with a second SWM-8. Two of the receivers seem to work fine, but one refuses to see the antenna. It does work on the "legacy output" but without some HD channels and without locals.

It is an H20-600 with software 0x407E ... but it doesn't show any SWM firmware version! The 2 that are working have SWM firmware 1.0.8 in the test status listing. Is there any way to get the non-SWM receiver working on SWM?

Thanks for any suggestions
Howard

 

[veryoldschool]

I am trying to move my 3 H20s to the SWM distribution so I can replace the Zinwell with a second SWM-8. Two of the receivers seem to work fine, but one refuses to see the antenna. It does work on the "legacy output" but without some HD channels and without locals.

It is an H20-600 with software 0x407E ... but it doesn't show any SWM firmware version! The 2 that are working have SWM firmware 1.0.8 in the test status listing. Is there any way to get the non-SWM receiver working on SWM?

Thanks for any suggestions
Howard

You could try to change the cable length, or where/how many splitters, to change the power level, but as has been known for some time "they can be funny" about SWM. Some work fine and some simply don't. Upgrading to a H21 can be "the only way" sometimes

 

[hfgarris]

You could try to change the cable length, or where/how many splitters, to change the power level, but as has been known for some time "they can be funny" about SWM. Some work fine and some simply don't. Upgrading to a H21 can be "the only way" sometimes

Is there some reason my H20-600 doesn't list SWM firmware present? Should ALL H20s have SWM firmware from manufacture, or is that something that should be part of a download update? It appears that I have the latest 0x407E update, but I have been unable to get the 0-2-4-6-8 reset to work on this receiver to try for a forced update.

Thanks,
Howard

 

[MIAMI1683]

Is there some reason my H20-600 doesn't list SWM firmware present? Should ALL H20s have SWM firmware from manufacture, or is that something that should be part of a download update? It appears that I have the latest 0x407E update, but I have been unable to get the 0-2-4-6-8 reset to work on this receiver to try for a forced update.

Thanks,
Howard

The H20 has to be on x2041 or better I believe. If he has an SWM8...not a LNB I would "move it to a legacy port and force a download (02468). Then move it "back with no BBC's. After that I would put it "after" the PI in his setup. Since the PI has to be indoors anyways. Now I tested the SWMLine, and my H20 was never stable. I had to use the PP to get an H21 which works perfectly, If he has an SWMLine as has been said before...he will need to put the old LNB back up to upgrade his firmware, or use a friends house to do it.

 

[MIAMI1683]

You could try to change the cable length, or where/how many splitters, to change the power level, but as has been known for some time "they can be funny" about SWM. Some work fine and some simply don't. Upgrading to a H21 can be "the only way" sometimes

 

[hfgarris]

The H20 has to be on x2041 or better I believe. If he has an SWM8...not a LNB I would "move it to a legacy port and force a download (02468). Then move it "back with no BBC's. After that I would put it "after" the PI in his setup. Since the PI has to be indoors anyways. Now I tested the SWMLine, and my H20 was never stable. I had to use the PP to get an H21 which works perfectly, If he has an SWMLine as has been said before...he will need to put the old LNB back up to upgrade his firmware, or use a friends house to do it.

Thanks for the information. I haven't been successful with the forced download (02468) with this receiver. I RB, wait for the first blue screen, then enter 0-2-4-6-8 and nothing unusual happens. It continues on to the second blue screen, then the "finding satellite" page, followed by the guide download. I don't know what I am doing wrong there!

The receiver does work fine on the SWM-8 legacy port, but with diminished capability. It also has worked fine for months when I had the Zinwell multiswitch distribution. I needed to replace the Zinwell with a second SWM-8 and would rather not replace all the 2 way splitters feeding them with 3 (4) way to keep the Zinwell paralleled with the 2 SWM-8s just to run this receiver.

This H20-600 is actually "customer owned" so I don't know if D* will replace it free, or want me to buy into a leased unit.

Thanks,
Howard

 

[RobertE]

Thanks for the information. I haven't been successful with the forced download (02468) with this receiver. I RB, wait for the first blue screen, then enter 0-2-4-6-8 and nothing unusual happens. It continues on to the second blue screen, then the "finding satellite" page, followed by the guide download. I don't know what I am doing wrong there!

The receiver does work fine on the SWM-8 legacy port, but with diminished capability. It also has worked fine for months when I had the Zinwell multiswitch distribution. I needed to replace the Zinwell with a second SWM-8 and would rather not replace all the 2 way splitters feeding them with 3 (4) way to keep the Zinwell paralleled with the 2 SWM-8s just to run this receiver.

This H20-600 is actually "customer owned" so I don't know if D* will replace it free, or want me to buy into a leased unit.

Thanks,
Howard

If that -600 does not have an ECO 2.0 sticker on the bottom of it, they should replace it without issue.