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diitto said:

One other thing to add and ask about regarding my HR34 Genie that died today (hard drive died). When we moved where we live now 3 years ago, we brought two HR20's and one HR22 from our old house. We had the Directv guy install the HR22 in one of our bedrooms. Then we had them install a Genie (HR34-700) in our living room and a C31-700 in another room. Directv told me they would send recovery kits for the two HR20's but they never did so. I chose not to do their job for them so those two are still stored in boxes in my attic.

If I brought one of those down, would Directv allow me to reactivate one of those older HR20's??? Would they even work on the current Sat network??? Not as a Genie of course but as a stand alone HD-DVR??? I don't know how they handle the fact that the access card has been used before, by ME, some 3+ years ago. Would they let me activate that again??? To tide us over while we figure out the best way to get an HR54 to replace our dead HR34???

thanks

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Jimbo said:

Thats a question for them ....
Techincally they determined at the time that they didn't want it back .... you kept it, they prefer you toss it ... they tell people all the time if they are not refurbishing them to keep them...
I don't know what they would say if you called in and wanted to reactivate your old HR20, however, you COULD do that, as it is SWM compatible.

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diitto said:

Thanks for the response. I know that SWM is Single Wire Multiswitch (at least, I think??) but it's been a while since I think I knew what that meant. Can you refresh my memory about what SWM means and relate that to the HR20's that you say are "SWM compatible"??? I will also go look it up on Google but if you have a moment, update me if you would. thanks...

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diitto said:

OK, sorry for bothering you jimbo as I found a good, concise answer on SolidSignal. As follows...

"What Qualifies as a SWM System?

A SWM (Single Wire Multiswitch) System consists of either a satellite dish with SWM Technology built in, or a multiswitch with SWM Technology.

SWM Dishes are identified by having a single output, and are the only dish to require a power supply. Examples of SWM Dish are the SL3-SWM and SL5-SWM

A SWM Switch takes all four outputs from a satellite dish, and produces a single output, which can be divided up with splitters. The benefit of this system is only having to run one line to a DVR, which normally requires two lines. It also allows for a distribution with splitters, similar to how cable TV is setup.

Another benefit of SWM comes with the addition of a DECA Adapter, that feeds internet into one of the outputs from a SWM Systems. This enables every receiver to have a network connection through a single coax.

With the combination of a SWM technology and DECA, you get a DIRECTV Connected Home which features MRV or Multi-Room Viewing. This enables a house with a HD-DVR to be controlled by other HD Receivers in the building. "

I know my system has the DECA boxes for adding internet and I am pretty sure the line going to our stand alone HR22 is a single wire even though we can record and watch something else at the same time. So the HR22 and you're saying, I think, that the HR20's are also SWM compatible, right???

thanks...

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Jimbo said:

Yes, I believe the HR20s started the SWM technology, however, it was called something else and the back of your HR20 will have something on Sat port 1 (FRC or something like that)

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slice1900 said:

FTM stood for frequency translation module. Which is what SWM does but maybe they liked the latter name which it was easy to pronounce since they could add the lowercase 'i' and call it SWiM.

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Jimbo said:

That's it ...
It was stamped on the unit but I don' think I ever used it as such, I don' recall it ever going any farther, next thing you knew, SWM was all the talk.

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diitto said:

By the way, I WAS able to reactivate my HR20's and after some interesting issues getting the HR20 to stop telling me it couldn't find a good signal on Sat Input 2 (yes, because there was NO CABLE hooked up to the Sat Input 2, the entire idea behind SWM, right???) I did finally get one of my HR20's up and running where the Genie had been before. No internet as the HR34 must have pulled it right off the Sat cable whereas the HR22 we still have up and running in another room had a DECA box hooked up which splits the signal back out into a Sat cable and an Ethernet cable??? If I am saying that right. But otherwise, we currently have TV up and running again on one of these HR20's and DTV did confirm that, yes, it is SWM compatible. I still have the second of two HR20's that I might or might not connect in place of my C31 Mini in another room that currently has no mothership to talk with. DTV happily activated both and deactivated my HR34 Genie and this one C31 Mini. They told me if I do decide to get a replacement for the Genie, that they would reactivate it just long enough for me and a support person to ensure that it's dead a second time. Then they would send me a replacement. Complicated but oh well.

Anyway, yes, HR20's are SWM compatible. thanks for all the help. Do see higher up where I've posted a related followup question about how I might proceed regarding replacing the Genie or maybe going with standalone, newer HD-DVR's, like HR24's??? See that just posted and beginning with the word "Followup"... thanks

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