AM21 not digital compatable?

[iFIX Solutions]

I just got off the phone with a supervisor @ DTV. I was expressing my issue with the HR21 not having OTA. He told me that the AM21 was available now through retailers like BB and CC depending on what market you are in. He also told me you could not buy it directly from Direct. Most concerning to me though was that he told me it would not work after the Feb 09 digital changeover. Is this true? If so, Why would they even produce this product if it will only be usable for a few months?

TIA,
Matt

 

[darrencp22]

umm why wouldnt it be digital compatible.. That's what it does. Thats like saying my car doesnt work on gas. He prolly ment it wastn analog compatible.

 

[JAG72]

They were 100% incorrect in their statement. The AM21 is an ATSC tuner and that is what you will need in 2010.

 

[charper1]

I am thinking they just got confused and mis-quoted; likely something like after 2009 analog will no longer work and you will need something like THIS; users have to remember that CSR are not experts, techs or engineers they are simply reading scripts and in this case sounds like they may be trying to recite from memory.

 

[iFIX Solutions]

I assumed he was wrong but just wanted to check.

 

[iFIX Solutions]

I am thinking they just got confused and mis-quoted; likely something like after 2009 analog will no longer work and you will need something like THIS; users have to remember that CSR are not experts, techs or engineers they are simply reading scripts and in this case sounds like they may be trying to recite from memory.

This was not a first level CSR. This was a person I was transfered to after asking for a 2nd level tech. The first tech I had told me I had the tuner 1 and tuner 2 cables crossed on the back of my receiver. Guess I just got two real winners up there today.

Matt

 

[charper1]

I am surely not saying its any excuse trust me; BUT in today's world of CSR call centers; I may actually doubt you were transfered out to a real tech; I could be wrong; but at least now you know from here about the unit.

 

[rad]

I'm an AM21 early tested and I can promise you that it does work for tuning ATSC channels just fine. AFAIK, it's still not been released to the public yet, there are some places like SolidSignal or ValueElectronics taking preorders for it and they're hearing it will be available sometime in May of this year.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

Mine works quite well--ATSC (digital) only, not NTSC (analog) however. The tuner is better than the one built into my HR20.

 

[charper1]

I likely has the most updated chipset.

 

[uncrules]

Maybe it has the chipset from the H20-600. The tuner in my H20-600 is better than the one in my HR20-700.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

I had a H20-600 and it was very good. I recall that it had a LG chipset. The AM21 uses the ATI Theater 311 chipset. I believe that both are 5th generation chips.

 

[raoul5788]

I had a H20-600 and it was very good. I recall that it had a LG chipset. The AM21 uses the ATI Theater 311 chipset. I believe that both are 5th generation chips.

Yes, the H20-600 has the LG 5th generation chipset.

 

[Jimbo]

Q.
Will this unit allow you to scan for channels, or still use D* predetermined zip codes and channels ?

Jimbo

 

[RobertE]

Q.
Will this unit allow you to scan for channels, or still use D* predetermined zip codes and channels ?

Jimbo

It does not scan. It uses the same database as the HR20.

 

[iFIX Solutions]

Thanks for all the replies. I agree that being told you were transfered to a manager and actually being transfered to a manager are two different things. I'm just glad there are places like this that you can go to for the real answers.

 

[egnlsn]

It does not scan. It uses the same database as the HR20.

Will we be able to manually save a channel to memory if it is not in the HR20's database?

 

[darrencp22]

Nope

 

[Bob Nielsen]

It's available now on the Directv web site--select "My Programming & Equipment" followed by "Add Kits & Equipment". The price is $50, including shipping.

 

[smartys]

how can you use am21 tuner if your hr21 looses signal from sat in a storm,