Can't Connect To Telephone Line

[Rick Sass]

I have two HR10-250's that have not been able to dial out since June 15th. I have had both units for a number of years using the same telephone line. When I try to do a test call, I get a message that the telephone line is in use. The telephone is a second line used only for faxes and satellite. I tested the telephone line with a regular telephone and I get a dial tone and I'm able to dial out. I then tried my primary telephone line used for voice calls and used that line for my satellite boxes and I was able to dial out and connect. I also tired a power down on both boxes and no success. Anyone have any ideas?

[JimSpence]

Your problem is probably with your FAX machine. Disconnect it to see if the HR10s can dial out. Also, change the phone options to ignore a dial tone.

[Rick Sass]

Jim -

I appreciate your response, but as I indicated in my op, if I connect line #1 (land line) the two sat boxes will connect with the fax machine connected. I've had the fax machine connected for as long as I've had the two TiVo's with no problems until 6/15.

[JimSpence]

Did you try the ignore dial tone option?

That FAX line must have some noise on it that the TiVo doesn't like. Why not just use your other line?

BTW, the HR10s don't have to be connected.

[litzdog911]

As Jim points out, it's not the end of the world if your DVRs don't "phone home". You simply won't be able to order PPV movies with your remote (order via DirecTV's web site instead). You'll still get Guide data since it's delivered via the satellite data stream.

[Rick Sass]

I understand that it's not the end of the world - I wanted to know why my setup isn't working. It has worked just fine for 3+ years. Disabling/not using a feature isn't a fix in my opinion.

[JimSpence]

Since the units work with your primary phone line, then the problem is with the FAX line. Either use the primary line or nothing.

[bpratt]

I had a power glitch a few months back and both my HR10-250s reported the phone line was in use. Once I unplugged my Fax machine and a PC that had an internal modem, the HR10-250 were able to connect. When I plugged the Fax machine and PC back in, everything continued to work.

[ShiningBengal]

I had a power glitch a few months back and both my HR10-250s reported the phone line was in use. Once I unplugged my Fax machine and a PC that had an internal modem, the HR10-250 were able to connect. When I plugged the Fax machine and PC back in, everything continued to work.

The problem here, with a nearly 100% certainty, is noise on the telephone line. The internal modems that come with set top boxes are very cheap, and very intolerant of noise on the line. More expensive modems, such as th US Robotics external modems, work fine with noisy lines, even though they may have to drop down to a fairly low baud rate (automatically) to get a handshake to work.

The OP stated that one of his lines works with his HR10. What more proof do you need to conclude that the problem is not with the HR10 but with the phone line?

[Bugkillah]

Troubleshoot the problem. I would say, eliminate everything (including, but not limited to, dsl filters, telephone surge protectors, connectors, etc.). Then add back one thing at a time, trying to make a call each time. The line all by itself may be bad (or shorted or scratchy). As you add back items, you will see when the problem arrises.

I had the same problem a year ago. In order to narrow down the problem component, I went and bought a 100' of telephone line and ran it directly from the hr 10-250 to the gray telephone box on the side of the house (to make sure it wasn't the tivo). I added items one at a time until I found out it was the telephone line surge protector built into the ac surge protector. Of course I had dsl filters, connectors, wall boxes, etc. It could have been squirrels chewing on wires, etc. I would have never thought the surge protector went bad.

[Rick Sass]

I had a power glitch a few months back and both my HR10-250s reported the phone line was in use. Once I unplugged my Fax machine and a PC that had an internal modem, the HR10-250 were able to connect. When I plugged the Fax machine and PC back in, everything continued to work.

Well I did as you suggested and I'm able to connect.

[JimSpence]

That's great. What device was causing the problem? :)

[cramer]

Turn off the "phone available" detection. It's wrong most of the time. (it's an undocumented, diagnostic feature of the modem. Translation: you're not supposed to use it.) Simply going off hook and listening for dialtone works 99% of the time and usually won't hurt anything else using the line. (Faxs don't use error correction, so they won't even notice.)

[funky message waiting stuttered dialtone can make it unhappy.]