DirecTV Off-Air Support

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Jw2016

SatelliteGuys Guru
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Jun 3, 2016
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Upper Midwest
I know this has been beaten to death, but why can't Direct offer another AM-21 type device. I have one for my HR-24 but nothing for the other ones since they were discontinued or available at inflated prices. We had several round of storms in the Twin Cities this afternoon and of course all the channels went out, even the locals on the spot beams. My signal levels are great on 99&103 with the conus tp's in the upper 90's and locals spot beam at 100 and 101 is good too so the dish is peaked. I believe the 54's have a built in tuner but if I try to upgrade, it will lock me into another 2 year contract which I do not want to do. Today was the longest outage this year, almost 45 minutes. My TV's have an outdoor antenna connected them so at least I could watch the locals for weather info. My DVR is set to record Jeopardy everyday on the local NBC station, but nope not today. That receiver gets only satellite signals. I don't want a HR 54 and the Genie setup. I am contempt on what I have and it works for our needs.

Am I just whining or should DirecTV step up. Doesn't DISH have a USB OTA tuner module for some if their receivers?.
 
The HR54 does not have built in OTA tuners in it, still needs an AM21 to receive OTA broadcasts. As for anything new I haven't heard of any rumors saying something new is coming and IMHO I doubt you'll see one.
 
rad said:
The HR54 does not have built in OTA tuners in it, still needs an AM21 to receive OTA broadcasts. As for anything new I haven't heard of any rumors saying something new is coming and IMHO I doubt you'll see one.
Click to expand...

Your right about, I forgot it does need an AM21 but it can scan in the off-air channels rather than ones from DirecTv database only. I believe that is the deal. Should have picked up a couple of more. The one I have was purchased from a famous member/former member of this site.
 
Oh where to go with this. DirecTV can offer OTA and can scan, they just choose not to.

The hardware can scan, the software was programmed to briefly before they changed it back to database only. My theory is they don't want channels in the guide that don't have guide data, which can result in tech support calls DirecTV is very sensitive to controlling how many tech support calls they get for things that don't make money, and OTA doesn't make money.

As to the hardware, they retired support for the AM21 late last year or early this year. You cannot even order one at this point. It was not a profitable item for DirecTV, maybe a break-even at best.
The device itself is pushing 5 years old and makes sense to be end of life. They haven't updated it for the new power supplies, by choice.

Lastly, DirecTV is up to 97% of the markets with primary local channels carrier (re: not sub channels). They are very happy with that and feel it meets the large majority of their subscribers needs.


Personally, I'd like them to think differently on all 3, allow scanning, refresh the hardware, and support sub channels. DirecTV has shown no interest in all 3, and I can understand their motives as well.
 
I'm willing to bet that eventually that all support on devices for the AM21 will cease to operate sometime.
 
I remember reading an article a few years ago that D* wanted to do away with paying for locals and start installing antennas for everyone. I guess that went away when AT&T bought them?
 
TheRatPatrol said:
I remember reading an article a few years ago that D* wanted to do away with paying for locals and start installing antennas for everyone. I guess that went away when AT&T bought them?
Click to expand...
Hardly ....
That went away a LONG time ago.
About the time they decided that they were gonna be able to offer Locals.
 
edisonprime said:
I'm willing to bet that eventually that all support on devices for the AM21 will cease to operate sometime.
Click to expand...

I hope not. Some of the sub channels are really good and it would nice to DVR them since DirecTV won't provide them over the satellite. I can understand that it's more bandwidth which is not available. I could get a Tivo for OTA but it's another box to deal with. At least I can get a couple of the sub channels (Buzzr, Hero's & Icons, and Justice Network) would like to get Decades, but there is no 4.2 in the AM21 database. I did the dual market setup choosing New York along with my DMA Mpls/St.Paul and that gave me a couple of those channels. Would love Decades but can watch it OTA which is fine. Will OTA sub channels be carried by the satcasters, probably not. Bandwidth is precious and is needed for more HD and 4K as content as it becomes available. I guess if it's that important, can probably work something out with my USB ATSC tuner stick (I have the HVR-950 from Hauppauge) and record it on my PC.
 
Jw2016 said:
I hope not. Some of the sub channels are really good and it would nice to DVR them since DirecTV won't provide them over the satellite. I can understand that it's more bandwidth which is not available. I could get a Tivo for OTA but it's another box to deal with. At least I can get a couple of the sub channels (Buzzr, Hero's & Icons, and Justice Network) would like to get Decades, but there is no 4.2 in the AM21 database. I did the dual market setup choosing New York along with my DMA Mpls/St.Paul and that gave me a couple of those channels. Would love Decades but can watch it OTA which is fine. Will OTA sub channels be carried by the satcasters, probably not. Bandwidth is precious and is needed for more HD and 4K as content as it becomes available. I guess if it's that important, can probably work something out with my USB ATSC tuner stick (I have the HVR-950 from Hauppauge) and record it on my PC.
Click to expand...
I'm in the Twin Cities market, and by running a bunch of secondary zip codes on the AM21 you can receive almost all of the subchannels in MPLS/STP. I get 2.4, 4.2,5.2,5.3,5.4,5.7,9.2,9.3,9.4,11.2,11.3,23.2,23.3,23.4,41.2,41.3,41.4,43.1,43.2,43.3,43.4. There are some more, I'd have to check. Now some of these channels will have the wrong guide information, but you will get the channel. I will provide you with procedure to do this, it will take a little time to study up on it and I will post back. Do you receive channels 16,17,25,33, and 43 in the Twin Cities? These are low-power stations that can be received with the AM21 with the right secondary zips and useful to get guide information in your DVR. For instance, I receive 4.2 Decades (with the wrong guide). Since I receive all of the low power stations, I use 25.2 to get the Decades guide in my DVR. Now I don't ever watch 25.2 Son Life TV, but Sacramento,s 13.2 RF25 carries Decades and by running Sacramento as a secondary zip my Decades guide is on 25.2.
 
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This will sound like I'm from another planet, but it works. It will take about 45 minutes to an hour of time to accomplish. First, you do a double reboot of your DVR to clear the AM21. Then you have to run the initial setup on the AM21, 6 different TIMES. Each time takes 5-7 minutes to run through. OK here goes, the first time run Wash DC (20001) as your primary zip and Grand Rapids MI (49503) as secondary. Then the 2nd time run Baltimore MD (21201) as primary and Hartford CT (06101) as secondary. 3rd time Minneapolis (55401) and Little Rock AR (72201). 4th time Weslaco TX (78520) and Atlanta GA (30301). 5th time Sacramento CA (94203) and Springfield MA (01103). 6th time run Wash Dc (20001) and Grand Rapids MI (49503). Make sure you have you DVR channel list on ALL CHANNELS, this will then show all the channels you have attained by running the zip codes. Then you will have to create a favorites list, keeping the channels you want and omitting the channels you don't. You will have a lot of duplicate channels and unwanted channels, but that what the favorites list of channels if for. This works for me in the MPLS/STP market to give me almost all of the subchannels and guides, albeit some are on the wrong channel. Good luck, if you are adventurious enough to try this.
 
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I don't even bother adding channels from other markets to my AM21 anymore. Takes too much time and there's no guarantee they will come in, so I just have my local locals on my AM21. I use my TiVo Roamio (hopefully eventually a TiVo Bolt) for my out-of-market OTA.
 
coconut10 said:
This will sound like I'm from another planet, but it works. It will take about 45 minutes to an hour of time to accomplish. First, you do a double reboot of your DVR to clear the AM21. Then you have to run the initial setup on the AM21, 6 different TIMES. Each time takes 5-7 minutes to run through. OK here goes, the first time run Wash DC (20001) as your primary zip and Grand Rapids MI (49503) as secondary. Then the 2nd time run Baltimore MD (21201) as primary and Hartford CT (06101) as secondary. 3rd time Minneapolis (55401) and Little Rock AR (72201). 4th time Weslaco TX (78520) and Atlanta GA (30301). 5th time Sacramento CA (94203) and Springfield MA (01103). 6th time run Wash Dc (20001) and Grand Rapids MI (49503). Make sure you have you DVR channel list on ALL CHANNELS, this will then show all the channels you have attained by running the zip codes. Then you will have to create a favorites list, keeping the channels you want and omitting the channels you don't. You will have a lot of duplicate channels and unwanted channels, but that what the favorites list of channels if for. This works for me in the MPLS/STP market to give me almost all of the subchannels and guides, albeit some are on the wrong channel. Good luck, if you are adventurious enough to try this.
Click to expand...
So after you run the Initial set up and the Secondary then you go back in and run again with different zip codes ...
I always thought that when you ran the new one, it erased the previous info ... apparently not.
 
Jimbo said:
So after you run the Initial set up and the Secondary then you go back in and run again with different zip codes ...
I always thought that when you ran the new one, it erased the previous info ... apparently not.
Click to expand...

Oh no, you can put as many in there as you want! If done in the correct order, you can usually fill in many missing subchannels, sometimes even with correct guide data if you can find a match in the database in another DMA. In the event of a long power disruption, it "forgets" all of them except for the last two you put in.
 
I have found by having a lot of history working with an AM21. Is, that 10 different zip codes is the limit. If you run an 11th different zip code it wipes out the very first one you run. With the expansion of subchannels all over. It takes more and more zips to get all the desirable channels in any certain DMA. The order you run them and making sure the last 2 zip code's run, are the 2 zips stored in the DVR (when your DVR reboots) are important. It is really sorry that D* hasn't simplified the method of getting OTA subchannels into their DVR without so much hassle and confusion. I know PlayStation Vue and a OTA Tivo is a really attractive way to cut the cord and give me all the channels I view, for less money per month. Sunday Ticket is the only reason for me to keep D*.
 
Even the AM21 & all 4 of my HR20s give me some but not all of my subs.

The D* OTA as is gets me: The CW, MyNetwork, MeTV, PBS Create (which I watch a lot), Bounce & some I don't watch (PBS Gov't, Local tourist info & Daystar).

I have a used Tivo series 3 w/lifetime that gets me ALL my subs. Grit TV, NBC, CBS & local weather radar from nearby DMA as well as all the others.
 
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