HD Boxes: 0 For 3!

[chasfh]

I first got HD from D*TV in early 2004. I got the Samsung box. Before long, it got buggy -- it would freeze on channels, especially when I surfed empty channels such as those within the MLB EI ghetto, or it would fail to load info headers, and I would have to reboot the thing. I went through this maybe a couple times a month.

We put up with this for a couple of years, until last month when it was happening twice a week or so, getting to be intolerable. We figured it was time for a new box.

So I negotiated a sweet deal with D*TV to get HD DVR. They sent two local guys over to install it, and it worked great. I loved it.

Until two days later, and it froze up too.

After three freeze-ups in the first week, I called and asked for a new box. They resisted at first, but decided they could not ignore a faulty equipment issue, so they caved in and Fed-Exed me a new box.

I set up the new one, sent back the old one, and traveled for the week, tivoing some shows in the process. When I came back for the weekend and tried to watch my tivoed shows, I found that the recording function was faulty (pixeled pictures, choppy audio) -- and in fact, when I press back (going back six seconds), same problem.

So now, tomorrow, I have yet another box coming to replace yet another faulty box.

So far, that makes me 0 for 3 in HD boxes. All of them had operational problems. None of my D*TV SD boxes ever had any problems.

Is this a common experience? Or am I just really unlucky?

 

[rad]

I first got HD from D*TV in early 2004. I got the Samsung box. Before long, it got buggy -- it would freeze on channels, especially when I surfed empty channels such as those within the MLB EI ghetto, or it would fail to load info headers, and I would have to reboot the thing. I went through this maybe a couple times a month.

We put up with this for a couple of years, until last month when it was happening twice a week or so, getting to be intolerable. We figured it was time for a new box.

So I negotiated a sweet deal with D*TV to get HD DVR. They sent two local guys over to install it, and it worked great. I loved it.

Until two days later, and it froze up too.

After three freeze-ups in the first week, I called and asked for a new box. They resisted at first, but decided they could not ignore a faulty equipment issue, so they caved in and Fed-Exed me a new box.

I set up the new one, sent back the old one, and traveled for the week, tivoing some shows in the process. When I came back for the weekend and tried to watch my tivoed shows, I found that the recording function was faulty (pixeled pictures, choppy audio) -- and in fact, when I press back (going back six seconds), same problem.

So now, tomorrow, I have yet another box coming to replace yet another faulty box.

So far, that makes me 0 for 3 in HD boxes. All of them had operational problems. None of my D*TV SD boxes ever had any problems.

Is this a common experience? Or am I just really unlucky?

Unlucky. I've had two HR20-700's for almost a year with nothing like that. I've also had a R15, it had to be replaced when it started to blow out the smart cards, new box OK, just the 'normal' R15 problems.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I had alot of problems with my samsungs as well. But never really anything with my H-20 or HR-20. I hope it stays that way.

 

[directvfreak]

Could it be that your dish needs aligned? If you are getting pixelation, your signal might be weak. Go to Menu-> Settings-> Setup-> Satellite-> Signal Strength. Make sure most of your numbers are above 70. It is okay if you see 2 or 3 zeros. It is common to see zeros. Check all sats.

 

[Jimbo]

Well you did not mention where you are located, the only reason I ask is because we need addl. info, such as What type of channels are you having this problem ?
SAT , OTA , Locals , D* delivered locals or OTA ?
Mpeg 2 channels or MPEG4 channels.
D* has had some trouble with some mpeg 4 signals in cities that are just started up, Detroit Boston , Atlanta come to mind, D* made adjustments and I believe they are all working well now.

Also to the site.

No it is not a common problem to have this happen with 3 different boxes.
As directvfreak mentioned, what kind of signal do you have ?
I would hope you have the 5 lnb dish set up already.
Any splitters, barrels switches in the senario ? Are they straight runs from the dish to the rec's ?

Jimbo