No HD channels?

[Sir_winealot]

Just hooked up my 2nd HR10-250...only got 1 cable coming into that room so I've used a couple diplexors to utilize my OTA antenna.

Well, I get all my local HD channels fine...as well, I'm receiving all the DTV channels - EXCEPT anything in HD.

For some reason I cannot get SHOHD, HBOHD, UHD, DHD, etc. The channels are listed in the guide but, when I switch to them I get a "channel not available" blue tag accross the bottom or "call X721."

Tech support at DTV is saying that it's something to do w/either my cabling or my MS (since my other HR10-250 is working perfectly), and would happily send out a technician for $70 (what? this thing is brand new today! Why should I hafta pay someone?).

I'm about to start crawling around in my 110 degree attic while trying a different output from my MS but thought I'd ask...anybody experience this before?

[JimSpence]

You need to wait until the new unit has finished indexing the guide data. You do subscribe to SHO and HBO, right? The new unit may need to have its access card reauthorized for those channels.
Tune to channels 490-494 to verify reception on each sat/polarity combination.
Have you checked your signal strengths for all TPs on all sats?

And if you only have one cable connected to the HR10, make sure it's on Sat In 1 and the unit is set to use only one tuner.

[Sir_winealot]

Thanks Jim...

Single cable connected to Sat 1, and I'm subscribed to both HBOH and SHOH...as well as the HD pkg which all play w/o problem on unit #1.

Nothing HD through D* will play on the new unit.

I have a weird MS setup....back in August a D* tech brought out 2 Zinwell 6x8 UNpowered switches and cascaded them (I had 5 TiVo's setup [1 HD] along w/a reg receiver). When we did guided setup on my original HR10/250, it said there was a problem....it couldn't see all sats. The tech said "ignore it, it's because of the Zins..." we did, and I receive all channels on that one.

Got the same message on this new unit...ignored it ("watch available channels") and "viola...." nothing HD from D*?

Spent 90 minutes on the phone w/them...they hit it several times, had me reboot twice, and rerun guided setup.

I tried a different port from the MS...same result.

Why would one unit be fine, while the other gets everything but these HD Sat channels?

*I guess the thing to do is switch the 2 HR10/250's...a pain in the arse. But the fact that the HD channels are not coming in tells me it's MS related?

[A J Ricaud]

*I guess the thing to do is switch the 2 HR10/250's...a pain in the arse. But the fact that the HD channels are not coming in tells me it's MS related?

I had the same problem with my 1st HD Tivo. A tech. came out and determined that it was a bad rcvr. The replacement worked fine.

[Sir_winealot]

I had the same problem with my 1st HD Tivo. A tech. came out and determined that it was a bad rcvr. The replacement worked fine.

Really? Was the problem exactly like mine...where you got every single channel w/the exception of DTV HD channels?

When you ran guided setup, did it say it wasn't seeing a portion of 119 (mine said it couldn't see the "right side?")?

I'm gonna hook the new receiver up to my other HDTV and see what happens. but this is the first I've read of this kind of problem....

[A J Ricaud]

Really? Was the problem exactly like mine...where you got every single channel w/the exception of DTV HD channels?

When you ran guided setup, did it say it wasn't seeing a portion of 119 (mine said it couldn't see the "right side?")?


Yup, no HD channels.
It's been so long ago I don't recall what I saw during guided setup. Sorry.

[Sir_winealot]

Well, I just swapped it out w/my other HR10/250, and it works fine...picks up all the DTV HD channels in that room.

Maybe because it's such a long run from the MS....or maybe one of the diplexors is messed up, I dunno. I'm gonna try it w/o the diplexors as that might be reducing the signal strength.

**I think the problem is the fact that I'm utilizing an unpowered MS along w/a very lengthy run (maybe 50-60 feet). There's about 10-15 feet of excess cable on that run...is this what would happen on a run that's too long? Do the HD channels require a stronger signal than regular channels?

[duanej]

50-60 feet is not a long run. 100+ is getting to be a long run.

[AbMagFab]

It still could be the long run + diplexors + unpowered MS.

I'd suggest trying:
1) Powered multiswitch
2) Those in-line amps (do they work? never tried one)
3) Cutting out the 10-15 feet of extra cable

Also, what kind of cable are you using?

[Sir_winealot]

It's RG6 cable. I measured and including the additional 15 feet, it's about 85 feet of cable from the MS.

I think you're right Ab...85 feet w/unpowered MS *and* diplexors is strong enough to get all channels EXCEPT the D* HD channels. I'm guessing because the HD channels require more bandwidth they just aren't making it to this unit.

Waaaa! :eek:

If I switch to a powered MS it's gonna cost me big $$ as I need 11 outputs....thus the 5x8 cascaded Zinwells (giving me 12 outputs).

As you mentioned...I guess the only solution is to try an in-line amp?

EDIT:

Redoing guided setup I get:

Satellites, SAT in 1
101 ok
119 ok
110 ok

Satellites, SAT in 2:
101 ok
119 Right side not detected
110 not detected

[AbMagFab]

It's RG6 cable. I measured and including the additional 15 feet, it's about 85 feet of cable from the MS.

I think you're right Ab...85 feet w/unpowered MS *and* diplexors is strong enough to get all channels EXCEPT the D* HD channels. I'm guessing because the HD channels require more bandwidth they just aren't making it to this unit.

Waaaa! :eek:

If I switch to a powered MS it's gonna cost me big $$ as I need 11 outputs....thus the 5x8 cascaded Zinwells (giving me 12 outputs).

As you mentioned...I guess the only solution is to try an in-line amp?

EDIT:

Redoing guided setup I get:

Satellites, SAT in 1
101 ok
119 ok
110 ok

Satellites, SAT in 2:
101 ok
119 Right side not detected
110 not detected


Try moving the HD Tivo very close to the multiswitch (short cables) and see what happens. Wheel in that old 13" TV.

In terms of switches, you can cascade a couple of the Turk 5x8's, which I think are like $50 each. Actually, you only need one of them, and cascade your current unpowered one below it. Not too expensive?

[Sir_winealot]

Try moving the HD Tivo very close to the multiswitch (short cables) and see what happens. Wheel in that old 13" TV.

I tried it...it works on the shorter run to our bedroom HD setup perfectly.

Come to think of it, I have a powered Terk 5x8 sitting in the attic ....used it before adding all these rcvrs and switching to the Zins.

When you say cascade the unpowered "below" it....the Terk should be the #1 MS with the 4 cables from the dish going into it, while the unpowered Zin would be #2 with 4 of the Terk's output wires going -> Zin inputs?

Thanks.

[AbMagFab]

I tried it...it works on the shorter run to our bedroom HD setup perfectly.

Come to think of it, I have a powered Terk 5x8 sitting in the attic ....used it before adding all these rcvrs and switching to the Zins.

When you say cascade the unpowered "below" it....the Terk should be the #1 MS with the 4 cables from the dish going into it, while the unpowered Zin would be #2 with 4 of the Terk's output wires going -> Zin inputs?

Thanks.

That should work. I don't have a Zin, so I can't say 100%, but I would put the powered first, and put the longest runs into the 4 available ports on the powered. No real rational other than I'd want the powered MS as close to the dish as possible, and feeding the inputs of the downlevel MS.