Help!Sat Box will not respond to any remotes?

[willywonkaisrsh]

I just got DirecTV less than a month ago with an hr-22. Everything has been great up until tonight when none of the 3 remotes I have will operate the box. I have 2 DirecTV remotes and a harmony remote that I use all the time.
I went to go turn everything on with the harmony and everything powered up just fine including the hr-22. But then when I went to do anything else the box did nothing. I went and got the DirecTV remote that came with it and it also did nothing. I have a 2nd DirecTV remote that the installer gave me as a back-up and it also did nothing. I figure that this must mean something is wrong with the box and not the remotes. I can control the box with any of the front buttons and everything seems to work just fine. I powered the box off unplugged and plugged it back in. and turned it back on. It ran through the setup process that took about 5 minutes but still no remotes would work the box. I called direct and they are sending me a refurbished box for replacement but I would really like to just get the new one to work and not have to worry about waiting for the refurb.
Was wondering if you guys had any ideas. Also, wanted to know if I press the reset button, does it mean I will have to activate the box again by calling direct? Is the reset button going to do the same thing that unplugging it does? If I do end up using the refurb box, is there any way I can get my recorded stuff transferred, whether by swapping hard-drives or transferring them over usb?

 

[Rey]

you need to make sure your box isn't set up for RF remote instead of IR. go to your set up menu,then choose the remote section. make sure it says IR not RF.

 

[mental1]

If the Harmony remote worked, its not in RF mode since the Harmony isn't a RF remote. Yes, the reset button is basically the same as pulling the plug. No, you will not have to call DTV to re-activate the receiver. No, it will not erase your data. No, you can't get your saved shows off of your current HR22 unless you burn it to DVD or record it to VHS. Hope that helps.

Try to reset the receiver and see if that helps. Sometimes the receivers just get a mind of their own and need to be reset.

 

[Rey]

If the Harmony remote worked, its not in RF mode since the Harmony isn't a RF remote. Yes, the reset button is basically the same as pulling the plug. No, you will not have to call DTV to re-activate the receiver. No, it will not erase your data. No, you can't get your saved shows off of your current HR22 unless you burn it to DVD or record it to VHS. Hope that helps.

i'm sorry i misunderstood. if after the reset the issue continues then maybe the harmony is programmed incorrectly.

 

[willywonkaisrsh]

I know it’s not any of the remotes including the harmony because I tried every one of them. I never had to change any of the setting on the box for RF or IR, I just programmed the harmony and it worked. It has to be something with the box.

 

[Rey]

I know it’s not any of the remotes including the harmony because I tried every one of them. I never had to change any of the setting on the box for RF or IR, I just programmed the harmony and it worked. It has to be something with the box.

did you do a reset?

 

[Jimbo]

did you do a reset?

He said he did in the original post.
I think he should try rebooting from the menus instead of the red reset button.

 

[Rey]

He said he did in the original post.
I think he should try rebooting from the menus instead of the red reset button.

maybe a reset to defaults.

 

[willywonkaisrsh]

I did a reset by pressing the red button behind the door on the box. I can turn the box on and off with the remote but it wont do anything else.

 

[willywonkaisrsh]

Is it possiable that a brand new hr-22 that is not even a month old that has the latest software update and has worked perfect up till now would just stop responding to any remote commands except for on and off? seems pretty damn strange. are DirecTv boxes known for crapping out like this?

 

[nickg420]

This has happened to me twice from updates. The OP needs to put the remote into IR mode using the front panel buttons. Once the remote is responding again in IR mode program it for RF again and it should work fine.

 

[willywonkaisrsh]

This has happened to me twice from updates. The OP needs to put the remote into IR mode using the front panel buttons. Once the remote is responding again in IR mode program it for RF again and it should work fine.

Thanks alot. I will def try it when I get off work. Question though... Who is the OP and will the remote work in IR and RF modes?

 

[dslate69]

Thanks alot. I will def try it when I get off work. Question though... Who is the OP and will the remote work in IR and RF modes?

You are the OP (Original Poster). No the receiver works in 1 mode at a time. The remote can send ir to tv and rf to receiver though.

 

[dslate69]

also I don't think anyone said this if so ignore...
make sure the remote is in sat mode, if it is not it will still power on and off but nothing more

 

[willywonkaisrsh]

You are the OP (Original Poster). No the receiver works in 1 mode at a time. The remote can send ir to tv and rf to receiver though.

Can I program the reciever to work with the remote in either RF or IR? And if so, how do you do that?

 

[dslate69]

Can I program the reciever to work with the remote in either RF or IR? And if so, how do you do that?

No, from my understanding the receiver is in rf or ir not both. Seems sill I know and maybe a update will tackle that.
If I am wrong I am sure someone will let us know as I get 99% of my info from boards like this as well.

 

[mental1]

Which model harmony remote do you have? I think only the 890/895, 1000 & 1100 are RF models. So unless you have one of those remotes, forget about RF. It sounds like the HR22 didn't like the software update it got.

dslate69, you're right. The receiver will operate in RF or IR, not both at the same time.

 

[willywonkaisrsh]

Which model harmony remote do you have? I think only the 890/895, 1000 & 1100 are RF models. So unless you have one of those remotes, forget about RF. It sounds like the HR22 didn't like the software update it got.

dslate69, you're right. The receiver will operate in RF or IR, not both at the same time.

I have the Harmony 550. It has worked ever since I got the receiver and I never had to change settings on the receiver. I just programed the remote and it worked. The software update was downloaded when they installed everything about a month ago, and the problem didn't start until last night, so I don't think it's the software. I was thinking if I were to force download the newest software if it would fix my problem? Does anyone have any thoughts on this and/or how to force download the software?

 

[dslate69]

I have the Harmony 550. It has worked ever since I got the receiver and I never had to change settings on the receiver. I just programed the remote and it worked. The software update was downloaded when they installed everything about a month ago, and the problem didn't start until last night, so I don't think it's the software. I was thinking if I were to force download the newest software if it would fix my problem? Does anyone have any thoughts on this and/or how to force download the software?

DL'ing the newest software shouldn't hurt anything.

Troubleshooting I would do.
While troubleshooting it use the D* remote that is married to the box, whether the harmony worked or not put it in a drawer and use the D* remote until you get this figured out.
Reset the software to factory defaults like someone has said.
Make sure the remote is in SAT mode.
Put in NEW batteries, no matter if they are only a week old. This is for troubleshooting and you want to eliminate anything you don't need and replace anything you can.
Turn off the lights in the room fluorescent lights can interfere.
The tv itself may interfere if it is an lcd with fluorescent backlighting. You could test this by turning the tv off and channel up or down turn tv back on and see if it changed.
The manual for the remote should have the code to put the remote in rf and back in ir mode. I would do just that rf then back to ir.

Still not working; rum and coke.

 

[willywonkaisrsh]

Thanks everyone for all your help. I will try some of the advice as soon as I get home, especially the rum and coke. I will post later on my results.