DirecTV H20 (non-DVR) Official Thread - Page 199

Just the answer I was expecting ... I know we are able of convincing ourselves as to what we see ... or think we see ...

I just bought a H20 off of craigslist to receive local HD and I have a new antenna that will pick up stations 65 miles away. Anyways my question is I have plugged my antenna into the H20 and I am not getting local stations showing up yet. I ran the search and found all the locals but still not pick. I am not going to sign up for DirectTv as I just want local OTA so any help here is appreciated.

Sorry, you have to activate the receiver for the tuner to work. This has been true since the H10 I believe.

how do I activate the receiver? Will I have to pay for service then?

The H series DirecTV receivers will not function as a stand-alone OTA tuner, you need to have a DirecTV subscription, and HD access.

That is not good as I just bouth this receiver just for this reason to use as a stand alone tuner for OTA.

The samsung 260 is almost as good and pretty reasonable.
The Hughes HTL-HD/LG-ls3100/Sony Sat 300 are all the same box and all contain 4th gen LG OTA tuners which don't require activation.

You may mean the Samsung SIR-TS360. I owned one and it was pretty good OTA. It needs a D* access card to function OTA as I recall but doesn't need to be activated with D*.

Dana

No, I meant the new Samsung 260 OTA/QAM tuner. It's the second best IMO going right now for long distance (second to the 5th gen LG in the H20-600).
See:http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=728392

This morning, my H20-100 was automatically updated to 0x404A firmware with the so-called white GUI. It now responds quicker and the native bug is fixed. The search function now acts correctly. Now, if they will just leave it alone.

I have a learning universal remote that controls everything except my DirectTV HD HR20-700. For some reason my remote won't correctly learn the DirectTV IR signal. Does the DirectTV remote us RF instead of IR? I got the universal to take the IR signal but it turns my display off and on instead of the DVR. ?? If I cover the DirectTV remote under a blanket it still controls the DVR so I assume it is also using RF. Anyone know how to get a universal control to work the Direct TV DVR remote? If you have a link here that would be great. I can't seem to get the search engine to work since the site went down. Hope I posted this in the right place.
Thanks--

The DirectTV HD remotes and HD boxes can be set to either RF or IR. Check the setup menu under "remote".

How do those updates roll out and when can I expect mine?

They usually rollout to all customers within 30 days, maybe as short as 2 weeks. The software will download automatically at night (usually 1:00am-3:00am).

Followed instructions. Remote no longer responds at all. If I can get it to send IR signals I can get my universal to learn them.

And ideas?

What if you turn your H20 "off" at night (no lights)? Is it really on "standby" and will it get the upgrade in that state?

It is really on standby. Only the lights and outputs are turned off.

Thanks.

JeffBowser-

To get locals in HD, you do NOT need the D* HD access, just a valid subscription.

I get all of my locals that have HD just fine, and I don't subscribe to the price-gouging HD Access Service with D*.

Then you are lucky. OTA HD access requires HD access subscription from DirecTV. It has always been this way, but with the most recent firmware, they have started enforcing it.

It is rumored there are ways around it, but I will not recommend ways to violate user agreements.

"Price-gouging" is a matter of perspective.

I paid about $600 for my Samsung TS-160 about 4 years ago, so I haven't been all that excited to upgrade my STB (since I only have 1 HD display).

Recently I started researching what's needed. I already have the 5lnb dish, since I moved. I was shocked that the H20 is nolonger available (according to BB online).

-So the only other option is the H21?
-If there is no OTA tuner in the H21, how do I get local HD channels? are they part of the HD package I'm already getting (with the TS-160), only I can't view them because they're on a different bird?
-will I get every channel that I'm currently receiving (ESPN, ESPN2, HBO, SHO, HDNet, HDNetM, Disc, Univ, TNT, CBSE, FOXE)?
-do I need to upgrade my HD package at all? what channels will I be missing if I don't upgrade HD package?

I really like the TS-160, not sure if the H21 is for me, and is the lack of OTA tuner a deal breaker?

Thanks!

You can go to the D* web site, enter your ZIP code and check availability of local HD channels on satellite. If you need OTA capability, the H20s are still available. Here for instance http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?prod=H20

Dana

That's pretty much the only thing D* is shipping. Local installers may have HR20's, but there's no guarantee.


Two ways:
1) If you're local market is up on D*, you can get them via satellite.
2) Wait a few weeks and the AM21 will be available. That is an OTA tuner box for the HR21 - it plugs into the USB port on the back.

They're MPEG4 - your receiver can't receive them. If your market is available on D* and you subscribe to your local package and the HD pack, you'll automatically get the HD channels.

Those and many more - however, the ones you listed will still be MPEG2 for the time being.

You only have to upgrade your HD package if you want the extra pack, which includes 5 channels, including HDNet Movies, MGMHD, UniversalHD, MHD and one other channel I can't remember at the moment. If you're receiving them now without paying for the extra pack, they'll go away when you upgrade. However, every other channel (except for the 5 "extra" channels) is included in the base HD fee you're already paying.

So, if you only pay the bas $10 HD fee, you'll lose HDnet Movies and Universal HD (that you receive now), but gain other networks like SciFi, USA, Food Network, Animal Planet, Cartoon Network and a bunch of others. To keep HDNet and Universal HD (and gain MGMHD, etc.), you'll need to pay an extra $5. So, you'll pay $15 total.


The HR21 is fine. The OTA add on tuner will be available within the next month or so. It will be $59.

Thank Net

I've no use for the HR21. I'm really trying to avoid the whole DVR thing, for the time being.

I checked my locals available, it's basically just the 4 majors, so I would be losing access to a few from my local OTA.

seems wierd that an old HD channel will drop with the new STB. so you get one of the HDNet channels, but not the other (without upgrading the package) I don't think I could live without HDNetM, so I'll have to upgrade.

I may have to do some looking around for a H20

thanks again!!!

thanks, I checked VE and they have it, so I might go that route

Well, this is pretty interesting concerning local channel HD.

I always ASSUMED (me bad) that since I was getting 5-1, 11-1, etc... on my H20 any HD content would appear on the local channels, but I guess this may not be the case. If you do actually have to pay for the HD Package that really sucks and is proof that D* is starting to gouge for things that were once free.

On my old Sammy TS360, you could get HD locals free, no extra HD Package was neccessary. Also, if you subscribed to HBO you would get the HBOHD channel at no charge.

Now you need to subscribe to the HD Pkg. (even if you subscribe to HBO) to get the HBOHD channel on the H20. This really sucks.

Now I see that on channel 5-1 (NBC) the station logo does not say "HD" even though on another TV in my house (1080i w/ a digital tuner) channel 5-1 will have "HD" next to the NBC logo. If this is what D* is doing they are starting to piss a lot of people off and FIOS (if you are lucky and get it) or cable may be the better value in the long run.

That's too bad because D* was about 1/2 the price of cable and was a far-better value not too long ago. Now they are starting to catch-up in price to cable.

So, mine updated at 3 am today. What did the update do?

See http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=118923

In my last post I was raving about my new HD21. Well...this morning I got up and nothing worked. I called D* who claimed they were working on a s/w upgrade, HDMI would no longer work and I would have install the 3 wire RCA system. Sure enough when I finally got a picture it said, "You'll love the latest upgrade - Fall 2007". I wonder if the next upgrade will reset it to Spring 2007?

Dana, you may want to completely read your referenced website.......just under the price block, it says: This unit is discontinued and has been replaced by the New H21 HD Receiver