[jgoodm]

Hi All,

I am keeping my HR21 in a closet that has metal doors that are interfering with the RF signal for the remote. If I leave the doors open the RF signal works throughout my entire house, if the doors are closed the range is about 1/2.

I would like to open up the box and run the antenna out the side of the box and then out of the closet so that the range will be better with the doors closed.

How do I find the internal RF antenna? And, assuming I find it, how do I replace or extend its length to have it be long enough to come out of the closet door?

Is this possible? Can anyone help? I am catching a lot of -you know what- for leaving the doors open all the time.

Thanks in advance.

J.

 

[Michael D'Angelo]

:welcome_s to DBSTalk!

I am not even sure if it is possible to do but if you open the receiver you will void your lease agreement with DIRECTV and could be charged the full amount ($499) for the unit.

 

[davring]

Hi All,

I am keeping my HR21 in a closet that has metal doors that are interfering with the RF signal for the remote. If I leave the doors open the RF signal works throughout my entire house, if the doors are closed the range is about 1/2.

I would like to open up the box and run the antenna out the side of the box and then out of the closet so that the range will be better with the doors closed.

How do I find the internal RF antenna? And, assuming I find it, how do I replace or extend its length to have it be long enough to come out of the closet door?

Is this possible? Can anyone help? I am catching a lot of -you know what- for leaving the doors open all the time.

Thanks in advance.

It may not appear as an antenna as such, might be a small coil on a circuit board. Might be next to impossible to extend, unless you want to get into some soldering

 

[jgoodm]

I am not concerned with violating the lease, I just want the thing to work.

I would not want to try soldering on the board as my skills at this are awful. Is there any other method I am missing?

 

[kevinturcotte]

I haven't touched an HR21, but I do have an open HR20 -700 right here. There isn't ANYTHING inside that even looks like, or indicates an antenna.

 

[davring]

I haven't touched an HR21, but I do have an open HR20 -700 right here. There isn't ANYTHING inside that even looks like, or indicates an antenna.

I am relatively sure it is a small coil, maybe wrapped or coated, might not be recognizable as an antenna at all. It is fairly high frequency RF, wouldn't be very big. Maybe the best choice for the OP would be an IR repeater system.

 

[jgoodm]

Maybe the best choice for the OP would be an IR repeater system.

I have one. Not very plasma friendly. I have been trying to get out of the IR system by going to these units...

 

[davring]

If this is a bi-fold closet door, replace them with wooden ones, they are not expensive.

 

[jgoodm]

If this is a bi-fold closet door, replace them with wooden ones, they are not expensive.

Custom built (previous owner) metal encased sliding mirrored doors.

 

[davring]

Custom built (previous owner) metal encased sliding mirrored doors.

IIRC one of the HR models had an external antenna connection, I know the R15 does. If that is true, obtain one of those models and put the antenna on a short Lenght of coax away from the mirrors. Again, I know some units had an external RF antenna and I thought one of the HR series was made that way. Hope you find a solution ti keep the WAF high.

 

[Michael D'Angelo]

IIRC one of the HR models had an external antenna connection, I know the R15 does. If that is true, obtain one of those models and put the antenna on a short Lenght of coax away from the mirrors. Again, I know some units had an external RF antenna and I thought one of the HR series was made that way. Hope you find a solution ti keep the WAF high.

HR20-100 does but the chances of finding one is going to be slim.

 

[Mertzen]

HR20s have a coax connector for the RF antenna. It is a long way around but hey ..

 

[davring]

HR20-100 does but the chances of finding one is going to be slim.

Thanks Mike.

 

[Michael D'Angelo]

HR20s have a coax connector for the RF antenna. It is a long way around but hey ..

-100 does but the -700 is internal like the HR21's.

 

[kevinturcotte]

HR20s have a coax connector for the RF antenna. It is a long way around but hey ..

Only the -100. -700 does not.

 

[NCMAT]

And the RF range on the HR20-100 is terrible. Sometimes won't work even in the same room 10 foot away.

 

[davring]

And the RF range on the HR20-100 is terrible. Sometimes won't work even in the same room 10 foot away.

Is the antenna installed? Many people didn't know it needed one, and not all the units came with one.

 

[Michael D'Angelo]

Dave, NCMAT is correct. I personally do not have one so I have not tested it myself but there has been a lot of complaints that it does not have very good range.

 

[davring]

Dave, NCMAT is correct. I personally do not have one so I have not tested it myself but there has been a lot of complaints that it does not have very good range.

Come to think of it my R15 was lousy too, set it back to RF. My sister-in-law has an H20(ext antenna) and the range is awesome.

 

[Grentz]

My uncle has a HR20-100 and while it does have the external coax antenna, the range is horrid even with the antenna attached. It is good if you attach your rabbit ears or larger OTA antenna to it though