[terpfan1980]

This is a SOAK type question...

I woke up this a.m. and turned on my TV to find that unfortunately my HR10-250 box is apparently searching for signal on Antenna-in (or whatever the over-the-air antenna is called).

I checked both tuners, nada.

I restarted the HR10-250 (Menu / Settings / Restart, etc.), no change.

I swapped cables from my TV (which is still receiving OTA just fine on either cable), nada.

So... I'm suspecting that the port on the back/inside the HR10-250 that feeds over-the-air is bad. I understand from prior readings that there's a splitter inside the HR10-250 that takes that OTA signal, splits it to the two ATSC tuners in the system. Since neither tuner is getting signal (confirmed by over-the-air antenna signal str test), I'm guessing the splitter inside the box is bad.

I got the receiver back in August. We're now well past 90 days, so I don't think the unit is covered by warranty now. I didn't / don't pay for any service plan from DirecTV.

Am I best to try to trouble shoot this myself, or should I be contacting DirecTV to get a replacement box? Will they offer one given that I'm outside that 90 day time frame?


I know there are some negatives about a new box:

Season passes all would need to be reset...

Recorded content would all be lost or have to be watched before I could give up the old box.


What costs am I likely to incur to get a replacement if one is offered?


How tough would it be to troubleshoot this myself? (or if I could get a friend that is good with electronics to check solder joints and such for me?)

 

[ebonovic]

Warranty on the HR10-250 is 1 Year, not 90days....

Is it not getting a signal for ANY OTA channel?

did you check your Antenna to make sure it was okay? (even though you can get the analog station on your TV, maybe the antenna shifted just enough that it is having problems getting the digital ones)

Did you plug anything new into the house in the last day (new computer, microwave ect)... As electrical interferance can play a part (Re: If my son's computer in the living room is plugged in... not necessarily on... I can't recieve VHF3.. Unplug it... boom, 75% signal strength)

 

[terpfan1980]

Thanks for the follow up Earl.

Yes, I can confirm I'm getting signals for OTA on my TV. Meaning I get signals from the same antenna just fine for digital channels (4-1 or 5-1 as an example). I also am getting signal on my MCE box, so the antenna is fine. Also visually inspected antenna and cable, so there's no problem with the cable/antenna.

Nothing new plugged in, no changes made over night, so apparently the splitter inside the HR10-250 would be the problem (from my troubleshooting).

If warranty is one year though, then I really would rather not open the box. I can live with setting up SPs (Season Passes) again, and live with a mass TV viewing over the weekend to consume the recorded programs I have on the box if DirecTV sends out a replacement.

I didn't try unplugging and plugging back in the system, and will try that as my last step before trying to call up DirecTV tonite when I get home from work.

Thankfully I can use the MCE box to catch most of the programs that I want to catch in the interim...

 

[terpfan1980]

Well, apparently there were power problems last nite... I should have thought of that this a.m., considering my always on MCE box had obviously rebooted (it autologon's to AIM and MSN messenger, so I saw the "today" screens for those this a.m.). I guess whatever caused the problem there screwed up the HR10-250 also.

I pulled power on the HR10-250 when I came home from work, waited a minute or so, and plugged it back in. After that, things were back to normal. Phew!

Glad to have dodged a bullet, as so far this unit has treated me well and I really didn't want to give it up.