DTV H20-600 PROB W/NFL PKG?

[MikeinBaja]

Have an H20-600 and bought the NFL package this season. Can't get it. Tech support says there is an "engineering problem" with this model receiver. Have great sig strength on all birds and everything else works.

Any of you hear about this or are they blowing smoke?

Pretty expensive package for no access!

Thx,
Mike

 

[charper1]

I saw a handful of post over at the DirecTV forum regarding "missing NFL St/SF, but I know at least 5 people with H20-600's that DID have NFL ST/SF. Reads more like a user setup issues than a system-wide "malfunction" of H20-600's

Anyway, I assume they immediately offered to send you another unit overnight? Why exactly can't this model get NFL? Can it get all the other HD channels? Sounds fishy and we need more details. please.

 

[MikeinBaja]

Set up is pretty standard, Slimline 5LNB dish installed just south of San Diego, home-run on RG6 from the LNB right to the H20 - HDMI to an LCD flat screen. Signal from all birds are in the 90's (both the box meter and on my birdog). All channels (network and local, and HD) all come in great - no problems at all. Absolutely not a cloud in the sky here (but I don't have rain fade issues when it does rain either).

Did a "button" reset twice - no change.

Did a card reinsert - no change.

Cut the power to the H-20 for over a minute to cold reset - no change.

DTV tech support say problem is on their end feeding to H20-600's only and that it has been "referred to engineering". Never heard of a problem like that before and the posters on the DTV forum didn't supply very many details.

I DO get the NFL programming on my bedroom receiver (non-HD, probably 8 or 9 years old, also running from the slimline) - but geeze - sports is one of the reasons I went HD & LCD for crying in a bucket!

I got the feeling that the DTV tech support person may have been blowing smoke up my skirt (OK, pants) today and was just looking to see if any of you guys could either verify the H20-600 issue, or wether I needed to crawl back into their very poor voice system and try again.

 

[charper1]

Wonder if you were talking to an actual tech or a 1st line CSR? You could call back and at the initial voice prompts when it asks about issue says "CANCEL"; to get to more knowledgeable 2nd or 3rd tier folks. Explain your issue. Don't mention what previous person told you; and go from there. Bottom line is to get the service you want; so take whatever credits they offer and a replacement DVR if offered (which it should be) if they can't get you resolved over the phone.

Still wonder from above:

Is the NFL ST/SF the ONLY HD you can't receive? What about the other MPEG4 HD channels? (forget about the SD stuff, its not the same, nor does it always come from the same sat)

 

[dfergie]

Check with tech support if you are having problems...

 

[MikeinBaja]

Thanks for the reply - all the other HD stuff is just great (ESPN, TDC, etc.) and I've never had any problems with them at all - just the stupid NFL ST (both the HD and non-HD feeds). Funny, I only get the 721 channel not purchased error on the HD receiver, but not on the old non-HD receiver in the bedroom (yea, they are on the same account).

Figure it has to be an access authorization/initialization issue on their part and I'm all out of ideas of stuff to do on my end.

Looks like more DTV tech support voice menu hell for me again in the morning (am learning that at DTV customer support IS an axymoron).

 

[dfergie]

I have a H20-600 on the next to last CE software, but rarely use it as I have a HR20 and a Dish 622 dvr and use those to time shift... so have not seen problems, but as with any receiver from either provider if you have problems contact tech...

 

[dfergie]

BTW... Welcome To SatelliteGuys.US

 

[rockaway1836]

I came across this, this morning. Not sure if it's at least part of the answer.
My H20-600 is being recalled - DBSTalk.Com

 

[dfergie]

There is a problem with some of the 600 models and Directv is contacting those with the affecte receivers...

 

[MikeinBaja]

Great, read the thread and of course, I don't have the ECO 2.0 sticker on my 600. Thanks much for the link and the info. Looks like what started out as a no NFL ST access issue will probably now be a receiver recall (and a tear apart of my entertainment center to do the replacement).

What a pain in the lower posterior region this whole mess is turning out to be.

Looking forward to another fun filled session with tech support in the morning.

Again, thanks for the info.

 

[rockaway1836]

I have 6 of them, none of them has the ECO 2.0 sticker on them. I am not exactly thrilled at the prospect of swapping them all out.

 

[MikeinBaja]

Should the H20-600 recall issue be a separate thread to alert users of the board to the sticker/no sticker issue?

Will leave that to you regular posters.

Did not do the follow-up DTV tech support call today - at a DR appointment all day - and really don't feel up to waging the battle today. Leave it until tomorrow when I'm fresh and have MUCH more patience than I have now.

Mike

 

[MikeinBaja]

"Wonder if you were talking to an actual tech or a 1st line CSR? You could call back and at the initial voice prompts when it asks about issue says "CANCEL"; to get to more knowledgeable 2nd or 3rd tier folks. Explain your issue. Don't mention what previous person told you; and go from there. Bottom line is to get the service you want; so take whatever credits they offer and a replacement DVR if offered (which it should be) if they can't get you resolved over the phone."

Well, I called them on Tuesday - engineering is working on a "fix" call us back on Thursday. Called back on Thursday - they say all is now fixed (but I can't verify since their is no programming until Sunday). Sunday morning comes and I have NFL ST access - but not to the HD channels. Put in another call and I'm told that even though I have HD programming service, NFL in HD would be another $100 (on top of the $250+ I already paid) since I have to buy the SF package in order to get the games in HD.

Well, needless to say I was not a very happy camper and - very nicely - let the rep know that this is like my 5th call and I missed all of last week's games due to their technical problems.

Bottom line - they added the HD for the season at no extra charge and also processed an account credit ($5 a month for the next 6 months).

While I'm happy with the resolution, I guess I still don't understand why a package that costs in excess of $250 for the season doesn't come with HD when you pay for the HD service on the rest of your programming.

This whole issue has caused me to start researching FTA.......

 

[charper1]

You mean all this time you never were subscribed to the package? OUCH! Glad you figured it out I guess but what a lot of runaround we all did.

 

[Jimbo]

"Wonder if you were talking to an actual tech or a 1st line CSR? You could call back and at the initial voice prompts when it asks about issue says "CANCEL"; to get to more knowledgeable 2nd or 3rd tier folks. Explain your issue. Don't mention what previous person told you; and go from there. Bottom line is to get the service you want; so take whatever credits they offer and a replacement DVR if offered (which it should be) if they can't get you resolved over the phone."

Well, I called them on Tuesday - engineering is working on a "fix" call us back on Thursday. Called back on Thursday - they say all is now fixed (but I can't verify since their is no programming until Sunday). Sunday morning comes and I have NFL ST access - but not to the HD channels. Put in another call and I'm told that even though I have HD programming service, NFL in HD would be another $100 (on top of the $250+ I already paid) since I have to buy the SF package in order to get the games in HD.

Well, needless to say I was not a very happy camper and - very nicely - let the rep know that this is like my 5th call and I missed all of last week's games due to their technical problems.

Bottom line - they added the HD for the season at no extra charge and also processed an account credit ($5 a month for the next 6 months).

While I'm happy with the resolution, I guess I still don't understand why a package that costs in excess of $250 for the season doesn't come with HD when you pay for the HD service on the rest of your programming.

This whole issue has caused me to start researching FTA.......

HD for the ST has been $ 100 for many years now, it has nothing to do with the regular HD package, look at the ST and the SF (HD portion) as a PPV you've ordered.

Jimbo