DirecTV HDTV - Page 431

I had that (and other) issues with the RF remote for my 22-100. I recently swapped it with a 20-100 and it works great (had to add an external drive for more storage though!).

The 20-100 has the RF antenna externally on the back and the 22-100 is internal and I think that made all the difference in performance for me.

Well, I'm joining the DirecTV family, after 4 years of U-verse. I was one of the first people in my area to get U-verse. Over the years I've had it, cost just keeps creeping up more and more. Paying $85/month now for the U200. Bleh. Got a mailer that would effectively make DirecTV $50 less than what I'm paying now for the first year; $20 less the 2nd year. After that, I can worry about it again. Heck maybe streaming options will be so good by then, I can cut cable altogether. Polled some people in my area on the whole weather issue. Seems pretty good; goes out 2-5 times a year for just a few minutes or less. Hopefully that's something I can live with. What I CAN live with is the far superior PQ over U-verse. I'm particularly looking forward to that.

Hope I get a good installer that really knows what he is doing. Heard that makes all the difference when it comes to what makes the signal go out.

New Directv download this morning. It's 0x5cf. I'm looking fwd to seeing what kind of new issues I'll have.

Hopefully it's a fix for the previous download that mucked everything up.

^^^ That would be nice.

0x5cf took almost 4 weeks to get and it's still honks-up my HR22. It doesn't look promising.

You certainly save for a couple of years, but DirecTV's prices increase like everyone else's. My Choice Xtra package was $57.99 four years ago. Today Choice Xtra is $68.99. And they actually just changed their packages a couple months ago. The current Choice Xtra package is missing several channels that I already get with my grandfathered package. Still, much better than Charter in this city.

Well, it was. So I call. I go through the usual rigamorall and I need a new receiver since it won't stop resetting itself, duh. Told him I wanted a newer box and not another HR23. I said new customers were getting HR34s for $99, which he of course knew nothing about. He said they have no control over which models goes out, it's just an order for an HD DVR. Told him that was absurd because of the new customer deal, to no avail. Said I could even end up with a refurb! What a steamy pile of bs . This will be the second HR23 I've replaced in 8 mo. How can they try to lay that on us when a new customer can specifically get a HR34 when they sign up? There's no New Customer Warehouse where only new customer orders go so they obviously have the power to give you what you ask for. But, for whatever reason, they decide not to. Instead, they make existing customers (who've been forking over money to them for ten years now in my case) go elsewhere and pay a premium for directv's own equipment which they could offer themselves at a lower price. So now I have to wait, for what will probably be a new old box, until tues for it to come in. Aggravating
Update: Over the weekend it would stop working, reset itself a few times and finally start working again.

The HR34 is NOT an HD DVR, and therefore it cannot be swapped with a faulty HD DVR.

You could have opted to purchase (lease) an HR34

I did. Said they have no way to get me a specific model. So you have to have another box besides the 34 if you want to record shows?

This is encouraging. I'll check mine this evening.

They cannot give you a specific model of HD DVR, that's correct.

But, as I said, the HR34 is not considered an HD DVR. Yes, it records shows (it has 5 tuners), but it's a different animal. It's considered a Home Media Center. When you order the Home Media Center (HR34) you WILL get that specific model, because it's the only one they have. But they will not swap it for an HD DVR (or any other piece of equipment). And yes, new customers get a discount - we were all new once. The HR34 is going for about $400 IIRC.

Which receiver are you using?

I've read elsewhere the the latest download wasn't intended to fix the HDMI handshake problem. That issue is solved with beta version 0x5d0 and those changes haven't been released yet. It's said the fix will likely be released with the next national download.

Sorry...I spoke too soon its back to 720p at start-up.

I have the H21/200

NBA Finals wide shots look ****** here in KC. TNT's picture way better.

I'm planning on recording ESPN's overnight replay in hopes that it's better than the affiliate molestation.

so Im thinking about going directv and wondering what the "fees" are like.
their quoted package price on the web site is like $85/month,
how much more will it really be?

thanks

Package = whatever
+
Premiums (HBO,Sho...) = whatever
HD Extras Pack (extra channels) = $5
HD = $10 (unless you are new subscriber)
DVR = $8
Whole Home = $3
Reciever = $6 per
Protection Plan = $6

In looking at the receivers they have it looks like they cant be controlled by an IR remote.
is this true?

? The default for all of the remotes is IR. I have a Harmony 880 that has worked with 3 different models of the DVR including the new HR34. However, I actually like the remote that comes with D* receivers and use them in RF mode (I even bought a back lit model). I've programmed my TV, Receiver and BD player to run from the D* remote.

they only list the RF remote input on the box descriptions, no IR remote input. so I was quite concerned.

thanks

You are certainly correct. But in two years when it is full price, I'll likely take a look at just doing online streaming options. I have a feeling that technology will be much better than it is now. The market is still trying to figure it all out right now.

As a new user as of yesterday, I think that all the add ons at the bottom of your list are now combined into one $20 "advanced receiver fee". They'll knock $10 off for doing auto pay.

The protection plan was separate but I opted out of it as soon as it was tacked on.

Question for you guys. Uverse had Fox Sports Southwest games in 5.1 but on DirecTV the games are just in stereo. I DO have Dolby Digital turned on. Not sure why this is? Could one provider pass along surround but another not? I thought it was up to the channel itself.

It could have been that Uverse was converting the sound to 5.1 themselves, because as I think about it, the announcers would come through the L and R front speakers, not just the center. Add to that, some commercials do show to be Dolby Digital, just not the game broadcast, so DirecTV must be passing it through and the game is just not broadcast in surround, right? Which means Uverse was just faking it and DirecTV is choosing not to convert it.... I'd be okay with that, I just don't want to be missing it if I could be getting it.

Here is a somewhat unique situation, but I am curious if anyone has any input.

A friend of mine is located in Southern California for some time on a construction job, but brought his Northern California DirecTV DVR down with him.

When connected to a DirecTV dish with multiswitch that was in use as the residence he has rented, he was able to receive the satellite San Francisco Bay Area local channels in SD, but when he selected them in HD, the screen went black with no 3 number code or other message on screen. We added an AM-21 and an outdoor Winegrad antenna so that he could also receive the OTA local Los Angeles channels in HD.

He has enjoyed being able to watch his "hometown" broadcasts, even though there were only in SD.

During the rainy season, there was quite a bit of channel defragmentation, rendering them unwatchable during storms. But they would always come back when the storms ended.

Starting about 2 weeks ago, all of the SF local SD channels went out with a message that no signal was being received on Satellite 2. Checking other receivers on the same multiswitch at the residence confirms that all other local Los Angeles channels by satellite are being received, whether in SD or HD. There appears to be no problems from the rooftop dish on the other (Los Angeles based) receivers.

Switching the two input cables (both with BNC converters) did not change anything and trying to record one of these to force a second local SF channel only resulted in the same message but referencing Satellite 1.

Any ideas on how to get these San Francisco SD channels back?
Edited by MichaelLAX - 6/14/12 at 10:29pm

Yea, move it BACK (closer) to home; most likely his location where he moved to, is on the VERY edge of the SF SD spotbeams - & TOTALLY out of range for the HD ones.
The fact of what you said about the SF locals going out in the rain, backs this up. (rainy weather should not make him loose the SD (Ku) signals so easily)

Matter of fact, if you look at the SD spotbeam coverage area here, I'm surprised he EVER got them:

http://satmaps.satelliteguys.us/home/directv-9s-101w-cb20-san-francisco


And the HD spotbeam coverage is even LESS outside it's "legal" market:

http://satmaps.satelliteguys.us/home/directv-12-103w-a2bd


Satellite spot beams can, & do move around within a "box" of coverage area. but still properly cover the areas they are supposed to - which obviously LA is NOT.
The coverage areas between the SD & HD beams are NOT necessarily the same; matter of fact for myself, the Chicago HD spotbeams actually get down to my area BETTER than the SD spotbeams.
Edited by dishrich - 6/14/12 at 11:18pm

He needs to call DirecTV and tell them that he is living in LA and give them his new service address. Then they will switch him over to LA local channels and he should receive them without any issues. Then when he moves back to San Diego he just calls back and tells them he has moved back and they will switch the locals back.

It was actually San Fran locals the OP was wanting (his previous address) & it sounded like he STILL wanted them down in LA, to be able to keep up on local news "back home". THAT'S why they put up the antenna in LA, so that he could have the best of both worlds. (I do the same thing, so I understand... )
Unfortunately, if you're too far out from the particular spotbeam, nothing you CAN do about that...
Edited by dishrich - 6/15/12 at 2:50pm

I'm surprised he got anything at all from San Fran in LA.

Many of the people in San Francisco can't get reception from SF locals...

Both maps look the same to me: We are within the Orange line, but farther than the Yellow line. I cannot figure out what the difference between these color lines are with regard to reception of SD channels.

The reception in Los Angeles was clear and consistent, with the exception of the storms I mentioned.

One map says 101W and the other says 103W; for SD channels from San Francisco, which is it? Maybe I'll have my "installer" come out and sharpen up the aim to the specific satellite required, once I know which one it is.

UPDATE: OIC -- 101W is SD and 103W is HD; thanks!
Edited by MichaelLAX - 6/18/12 at 12:27pm

Yeah: you missed the point and SD means Standard Definition but thanks for the input...


"...too far out..." - but it wasn't for months. Maybe a "tune-up" of the aim to 101W is in order.