HD Access

[Brewer4]

But ... that would mean that I still have to get my hands on an HR10-250 ... right? If I went with whatever Directv is offering at this point, I would have to upgrade the dish, wouldn't I?

Yes HR10-250.

If you contact Directv, they will want you on the R15 the SD DVR or the HR20 the HD DVR. Those will work with a 3 LNB dish and you can couple the OTA and D* signal. However, if you go with an HR20 HD DVR, they might require you to sign up with the HD package. However, if you contact retention group, you might get free HR20 and free HD package for 6 to 12 months. Now you can do a D* single wire called Single Wire Multi-Switch that allows 2 D* signals to come down on one wire. Here's the other catch. I dont think you can couple OTA with it though.

So the skinny is, your 1 wire is very limiting and its going to really reduce your options. Also not wanting to pay HD access fees and DVR fees also limits your options.

 

[OTAHDFORME]

Yes HR10-250. .....
So the skinny is, your 1 wire is very limiting and its going to really reduce your options. Also not wanting to pay HD access fees and DVR fees also limits your options.

At least I got far enough in my research to be prepared for a variety of variables before I make a decision. I don't mind paying the DVR fee ... just the HD Access for viewing OTA HD.

Thanks for the additional information ... it's time to move on with my life now while I mull over my options.

 

[Brewer4]

TV used to be so easy wasnt it? Now you need a degree and spend hours doing research and do a cost benefit analysis. Good luck and let us know if you have any other questions.

 

[Ramy]

TV used to be so easy wasnt it? Now you need a degree and spend hours doing research and do a cost benefit analysis. Good luck and let us know if you have any other questions.

Yeah tell me about it.

 

[OTAHDFORME]

I'm back.

While I was researching this issue and obtaining help from you guys, I was waiting for D* to come out and hook my system back up. I made the mistake of switching to Time Warner on Monday and deciding by the end of the day I wanted my D* back. You didn't hear about this earlier because it seemed irrelevant.

Now ... the D* installer can't get the OTA antenna signal at all. It worked fine Monday before the TW guy cut the cables.

He wasn't familiar with my Hughes HTL-HD receiver and was frustrated with the situation, thinking it was related to his lack of knowledge of the receiver. He replaced diplexers and he tried an external antenna attached directly to the receiver.

The OTA channel choices appear in the Guide, but attempting to access any of them result in a "No signal." My installer gave up and is having his tech manager come back tomorrow to try to resolve this.

Is there anything I might be able to do myself (or coerce my husband into doing) to get this thing going tonight? I reallly don't look forward to an evening of television viewing without HD access to my local channels.

I was exploring the menu options a few minutes ago and ran a system test that showed the following results:

D* Tuner - Pass
ATSC Tuner - Pass
NTSC Tuner - Fail

Does this mean that my hardware bit the dust? And ... if it did ... how did that possibly happen between minutes before TW entered the picture to D* hooking me back up?

Or is this "failure" possibly related to the diplexers or something else?

 

[Brewer4]

What happened is the antenna is not coming down on your single wire. Either the diplexer mix was removed near the dish, or its not being split near your TV. They come together at the dish side and get separated right before they go into your receiver. So when the cable buy stole the existing cable, he problably removed one or BOTH the diplexers or couplers.

Also, is any pre-amp involved? If those are removed or incorrectly setup, that will stop your OTA signal.

 

[Ramy]

Is the installer sure that the cable from the Antenna actually goes all the way to your box and isn't cut somewhere else.

 

[OTAHDFORME]

What happened is the antenna is not coming down on your single wire. Either the diplexer mix was removed near the dish, or its not being split near your TV. The come together at the dish side and get separated right before they go into your receiver. So when the cable buy stole the existing cable, he problably removed one or BOTH the diplexers or couplers.

I asked the D* installer if the diplexer was on the roof near the dish. He insisted that it was not ... and that it was not in the attic. He said that the OTA antenna cable went directly from the roof to the closet in the house where all the cables come together. So ... he installed a diplexer in that closet (there was no evidence of one left by TW) and even replaced the one I still had at the TV. There were several loose unlabeled cables in that box for the other TVs that aren't hooked up. Surely he didn't pick one of those cables thinking it was the antenna cable???

I still find myself wondering if there was a diplexer further up the line that he overlooked and he messed up by installing one in the closet. But ... I don't do roofs.

 

[Brewer4]

Oiy. Oh man. Looks like its trace the cable lines. Any hints on which line might be OTA in the closet? Any color differences or slight cable variations? I would try to isolate the OTA line all the way down to the receiver unless you think a diplexer is involved outside the closet.

 

[OTAHDFORME]

Oiy. Oh man. Looks like its trace the cable lines. Any hints on which line might be OTA in the closet? Any color differences or slight cable variations? I would try to isolate the OTA line all the way down to the receiver unless you think a diplexer is involved outside the closet.

There should be 3 TV cables hanging loose (we only have 3 of 6 connected now.) Right now, there are only two spare cables and they are identified. The antenna cable was not labeled. And neither of the cables that he has diplexed together are labeled. Obviously one of them is right because I have satellite service on all three connected TVs.

I'm wondering if he used the Master Bedroom cable, thinking it was the antenna cable ... and in his messing around with the cables ended up with the end of the antenna cable in the wall above the box where it has become invisible. That cable was hanging loose in the box a few days ago.

I guess my husband and I get to play tag team trying to determine if he actually hooked up the antenna cable.

 

[OTAHDFORME]

Also, is any pre-amp involved? If those are removed or incorrectly setup, that will stop your OTA signal.

I don't think a pre-amp was involved. Surely if there was, after this guy went on the roof and in the attic twice ... he would have figured it out???

 

[OTAHDFORME]

Is the installer sure that the cable from the Antenna actually goes all the way to your box and isn't cut somewhere else.

I tried to respond but can't see my response ... so here goes again.

The D* installer isn't sure of anything.

But ... we will be checking out whether or not he really grabbed the antenna cable or not, since one of the cables that should be loose has now gone missing.

 

[OTAHDFORME]

Problem solved!!!:

The installer had the cables attached incorrectly to the diplexer in the closet.

We now have OTA Local HD!!!

 

[Brewer4]

Whew. Sounded like they crossed the streams. Ray, never cross the streams.

 

[OTAHDFORME]

Whew. Sounded like they crossed the streams. Ray, never cross the streams.

Who is Ray?

 

[Brewer4]

Ghost Busters movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087332/quotes

 

[OTAHDFORME]

Yes HR10-250.

If you contact Directv, they will want you on the R15 the SD DVR or the HR20 the HD DVR. Those will work with a 3 LNB dish and you can couple the OTA and D* signal. However, if you go with an HR20 HD DVR, they might require you to sign up with the HD package. However, if you contact retention group, you might get free HR20 and free HD package for 6 to 12 months. Now you can do a D* single wire called Single Wire Multi-Switch that allows 2 D* signals to come down on one wire. Here's the other catch. I dont think you can couple OTA with it though.

So the skinny is, your 1 wire is very limiting and its going to really reduce your options. Also not wanting to pay HD access fees and DVR fees also limits your options.

OK ... I'm about to give in ... I REALLY want a DVR ... but I really don't want to lose my OTA antenna access. I can deal with the HD access fees and DVR fees, as long as I can watch one program while recording another.

If I went with the HR20 HD DVR, with one cable coming out of the wall for the SAT combined with the OTA Antenna, would I be able to watch an OTA program and record a Directv program (or the reverse)?

Would I be able to watch one OTA program and record another OTA program? That's what the majority of our usage would be.

 

[Ramy]

You can't have one cable carrying both the OTA and Sat signal, it isn't possible anymore with the new satellites due to the frequencies the new sats use.

 

[OTAHDFORME]

You can't have one cable carrying both the OTA and Sat signal, it isn't possible anymore with the new satellites due to the frequencies the new sats use.

Even if I'm keeping my old 3LNB Dish and not upgrading it?

 

[Brewer4]

Even if I'm keeping my old 3LNB Dish and not upgrading it?

You can couple OTA with a 3 LNB dish. However, if you want HD, you WILL have to upgrade to the new 5 LNB dish which carries Ka and Ku frequencies which you can NOT couple with an OTA signal. Keep in mind all HD in the near future will be off MPEG2 and more than likely not on the current 3 LNB satellites.