DirecTV removes OTA scanning from Genies? WTF!

[hancox]

Amazing. The latest genie software removes scanning, and implements D*'s inferior "solution"

Ridiculous - Anyone who uses this should be livid!

 

[Jimbo]

Amazing. The latest genie software removes scanning, and implements D*'s inferior "solution"

Ridiculous - Anyone who uses this should be livid!

This is OLD info ...

Fwiw, chances are it will be back ...

 

[ejb1980]

My Genie is still showing scanned "Regular schedule" channels but when I downloaded the CE software a few weeks ago, I lost it. (I hope it's okay to say that here).

 

[Mr Tony]

hmmm...good thing I dont do a rescan then.....I'll lose 4 or 5 channels then

 

[twizt3dsist3r]

Yea this happened with the CEs a few weeks ago. I have a 34 thats still on 6xx at my house, but I installed a 44 today and the forced dl pulled 704 i think it was. So im guessing the 44s have a new national release. As stated, this feature will probably come back. I just recently obtained one of the old DTV OTA antennas from when they didnt offer locals in my market (yea i know ancient) and salvaged it. I wanna hook it up since I have a few locals (even in my zip) that directv doesnt rebroadcast. Just need to figure out how to get me an am21n on the cheap or for nothing lol.

 

[jcrandall]

Fwiw, chances are it will be back ...

What makes you think that? If it was a temp thing I would have expected they would fix it before rolling out a national release.

To me is seems they believe customers won't accept (or understand) channels without guide data, so they just don't let them be available.

 

[Jimbo]

What makes you think that? If it was a temp thing I would have expected they would fix it before rolling out a national release.

To me is seems they believe customers won't accept (or understand) channels without guide data, so they just don't let them be available.

That WAS a BIG selling feature for MOST of us when looking to upgrade, being able to SCAN OTA channels.

Can't believe they won't be bringing it back.

They can continue to work on it and send it out in the next NR.

 

[ejb1980]

OTA scanning is pretty much the reason I put up with the slow, buggy, laggy Genie system. If that goes, I will reconsider going back to an HR24/H25 combo and get another AM21 for the other TV.

 

[Rey]

That WAS a BIG selling feature for MOST of us when looking to upgrade, being able to SCAN OTA channels.

Can't believe they won't be bringing it back.

They can continue to work on it and send it out in the next NR.

but what exactly needs to be worked on? it always worked fine with my hr34. i agree with the OP....

 

[ts7]

That WAS a BIG selling feature for MOST of us when looking to upgrade, being able to SCAN OTA channels.

Can't believe they won't be bringing it back.

They can continue to work on it and send it out in the next NR.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the ability to scan OTA channels is completely irrelevant for the very large majority of DirecTV customers. If it is gone from the NR and there is not a significant number of customers jumping ship over it, I wouldn't bet on it coming back. Sadly it would seem that both DirecTV and Dish are becoming less interested in OTA as time goes on, through I hope I'm proven wrong.

 

[Jimbo]

but what exactly needs to be worked on? it always worked fine with my hr34. i agree with the OP....

I agreed with the OP original post, not his edited one though.

They have pulled software and re implemented it before.

As to what needs to be worked on, I don't know, however, the software that is written to run the OTA portion may also be tied to other things as well.

 

[inazsully]

I was planning on jumping to "D" this Fall. This is a deal breaker.

 

[Jimbo]

I was planning on jumping to "D" this Fall. This is a deal breaker.

Why, are you jumping sooner now ?


It will be back .... patience.

 

[Tampa8]

Sadly it would seem that both DirecTV and Dish are becoming less interested in OTA as time goes on, through I hope I'm proven wrong.

On what are you basing DISH is becoming less interested in OTA? Quite the opposite. Both versions of the HOPPER have it with a newly developed Dongle for them, VIP receivers have it built in or for some you can add the module and all can scan all channels available. If they used PSIP it would be better, but DISH never has so that's not losing interest. If any company is going to do what it can to make sure people can have OTA it will be DISH, as a backup to the affiliates opting to pull their service over money demands.
Pure speculation, but I'm just waiting for DISH to use or buy out Aereo offering the separate antennas for their customers.

 

[ts7]

On what are you basing DISH is becoming less interested in OTA? Quite the opposite. Both versions of the HOPPER have it with a newly developed Dongle for them, VIP receivers have it built in or for some you can add the module and all can scan all channels available. If they used PSIP it would be better, but DISH never has so that's not losing interest. If any company is going to do what it can to make sure people can have OTA it will be DISH, as a backup to the affiliates opting to pull their service over money demands.
Pure speculation, but I'm just waiting for DISH to use or buy out Aereo offering the separate antennas for their customers.

Point taken. I have not used the Hopper system and was basing it on the devolution of the receivers going from built-in tuners with tuning anything in the OTA spectrum (I may be mistaken, but I seem to recall they also worked with NTSC & QAM) to tuners that only worked with ATSC to the OTA tuners being removed from the VIP tuners and sold as optional modules. I do agree, though, that Aereo would be good fit for Dish once the legal issues are resolved.

 

[Jimbo]

I think D* would be the ones no interested in OTA if anybody.
They removed thier OTA tuners from thier recvrs awhile back (saving money it was said ... probably cost them a penny a board) anyways, I believe it was to promote thier Locals. Shortly after the removal of the OTA boards, Locals became part of the package, where available.

It wasn't till later when people complained enough that they had someone design the AM21 OTA tuner that worked with the existing D* recvrs.
I really doubt that they had any plans at all to have the AM21, till people spoke up.

 

[hancox]

I agreed with the OP original post, not his edited one though.

They have pulled software and re implemented it before.

As to what needs to be worked on, I don't know, however, the software that is written to run the OTA portion may also be tied to other things as well.

Erm I only edited out a typo. Really.

 

[Rey]

Why, are you jumping sooner now ?


It will be back .... patience.

how are you so sure about that jim? they didn't have the scan feature before the HR34 so I see no reason why they would bring it back if they don't want to. i don't remember if the hr20-700 scanned.

 

[Ronnie-]

how are you so sure about that jim? they didn't have the scan feature before the HR34 so I see no reason why they would bring it back if they don't want to. i don't remember if the hr20-700 scanned.

It doesnt. The H-20 did best I remember, but the HRs did not. I was not aware that the 34-44 did (until now). I have my 44 in the living room, and no OTA cable running to that location.

 

[Jimbo]

Why would they bring a feature everyones been talking about since they went away and then decide to do away with it ?