OTA AM21 and software update questions and HR24 submodel question, BBCA HD

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Ozma

Well-Known SatelliteGuys Member
Original poster
May 6, 2009
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San Jose
This is a little random.

I'm currently on DISH (4 VIP722's with OTA). Thinking of converting to direct for various issues (cost, VIP722 heat and power consumption, etc.).

Trying to clarify a couple of issues...

1) Does the AM21 show ALL local channels that it sucks out of the air whether or not there is guide information (the way DISH does). Have read disagreements on this.

2) On the 722 you can schedule a time of day for updates. How about the HR24? Can the time for a software update be controlled? How? Concern is an update coming right in the middle of a show and trashing it (we're night owls so getting the update "in the middle of the night" might be our primetime).

3) The submodel of the HR24 (e.g. HR24-100, HR24-500) indicates the manufacturer. Is there a particular submodel that I should strive to get? I heard that some versions of the HR24 don't have optical audio out? Hope that's not true. Definitely need the optical connection for some of my TV's.

4) Any idea when BBC America HD is coming??

Thanks in advance for any info. Trying to find any "gotcha's" before dropping the hammer.
 
1. no. It only loads the channels that are in the database. Depends on market honestly. Here in Minneapolis it loads all the full powered stations. We have a couple low powered stations (religious) that it wont load.
2. I think if the unit is on it wont download software
3. that I do not know. I dont have a HR24 so I'll divert that to someone who does
4. unknown
 
1) Does the AM21 show ALL local channels that it sucks out of the air whether or not there is guide information (the way DISH does).
What Ice said - & from what several folks have reported on both boards, it does NOT look like D* is going to be adding much, if ANY more subchannels to their OTA database. In my market alone, D* is now missing 3 new subs, 2 of which are the new Me-TV. :eek:
And unfortunately, there is NO way whatsoever to force it to recognize them - at least on E*, their OTA tuners DO find all available subs; granted while there might not be guide info, at least you CAN live watch & set manual timers to record those (missing) channels as a last resort.

2) On the 722 you can schedule a time of day for updates. How about the HR24? Can the time for a software update be controlled? How? Concern is an update coming right in the middle of a show and trashing it (we're night owls so getting the update "in the middle of the night" might be our primetime).

If you mean the guide update times (which is really what you are changing on the set-up menu on E* DVR) when it updates for the day - there is NO such animal needed on D* equipment, as the guide is ALWAYS continuously "trickle" updated 24/7. It makes NO difference whether you turn the receiver on or off; the receiver is actually ALWAYS running 24/7 regardless anyway. (turning it "off" really only turns off the video output, as the hard drive always runs)

As far as actual software updates, there is no way to control when you get an update - however, D* almost ALWAYS does these in the middle of the night. Every once in a great while, someone screws up at D* & sends out a forced update during prime time - & you DEFINITELY see complaints about it here! :eek:
 
Directv doesn't do that annoying nightly check for updates. When updated software is available, it is 'pushed' to the receiver at sometime during the night (whether it is on or off), and if it's on you do get a 5 minute warning that comes up onscreen before it does. You do have the option to cancel the update, and it will try again each night until it is allowed to run.

I have an HR24/200 and 500, and both have optical and coaxial digital out. Can't vouch for other submodels.
 
Thanks for the info. I looked at Zap2It listing for antenna channels and found that all channels that I care about were covered (I'm in zip code 95120). So, theoretically, all of these channels and subchannels should show up, right?

I jumped into the Direct phone tree. After about 20 minutes I got a supervisor and ran the AM21/not-in-guide question by him. He said that it CAN be made to act like DISH and will allow tuning/manual recording of channels not in the Direct guide. Have no idea if his information is accurate, but I thought I should pass it on.

What Ice said - & from what several folks have reported on both boards, it does NOT look like D* is going to be adding much, if ANY more subchannels to their OTA database. In my market alone, D* is now missing 3 new subs, 2 of which are the new Me-TV. :eek:
And unfortunately, there is NO way whatsoever to force it to recognize them - at least on E*, their OTA tuners DO find all available subs; granted while there might not be guide info, at least you CAN live watch & set manual timers to record those (missing) channels as a last resort.



If you mean the guide update times (which is really what you are changing on the set-up menu on E* DVR) when it updates for the day - there is NO such animal needed on D* equipment, as the guide is ALWAYS continuously "trickle" updated 24/7. It makes NO difference whether you turn the receiver on or off; the receiver is actually ALWAYS running 24/7 regardless anyway. (turning it "off" really only turns off the video output, as the hard drive always runs)

As far as actual software updates, there is no way to control when you get an update - however, D* almost ALWAYS does these in the middle of the night. Every once in a great while, someone screws up at D* & sends out a forced update during prime time - & you DEFINITELY see complaints about it here! :eek:
 
He's wrong....as a person who had one I can assure you it will NOT scan. You enter a zip code (or two if you're near neighboring markets) and it loads what channels are in the database
 
I can also verify that the AM21 does NOT scan. You're stuck with what it "knows" from the 2 DMAs that you tell it and ONLY that. Caution using the zap2it site to check what you'll get - I am missing a few that zap2it lists. If you can receive channels from: Canada, a third DMA that you can't enter a zip code for, most LP stations, OR random subchannels that aren't in the D* system, you're SOL for those channels on the AM21. WFIW, here's my locals list on the D* guide:

-WFMY 2 CBS (via D* and AM21)
WFMY 2-2 Weather (via AM21)
WUNC 4-1 PBS (via AM21)
WUNC 4-2 UNC-Kids (via AM21)
WUNC 4-3 UNC-EX (via AM21)
WRAL 5-1 CBS (via AM21)
WRAL 5-2 This TV (via AM21)
-WGHP 8 Fox (via D* and AM21)
WGHP 8-2 Antenna TV (via AM21)
-WTVD 11 ABC (via D*, HD via AM21)
WTVD 11-2 LWN (via AM21, also in SD on 11-3)
-WXII 12 NBC (via D*)
-WGPX 16 Ion (via D*, HD via AM21)
WGPX 16-2 Qubo (via AM21)
WGPX 16-3 Ion-Life (via AM21)
WNCN 17-1 NBC (via AM21)
WNCN 17-2 Antenna TV (via AM21)
WNCN 17-3 Universal Sports (via AM21, national feed on D* 625)
-WCWG 20 CW (via D* and AM21)
WCWG 20-2 BNT (via AM21. Guide data is incorrect 24/7 as they haven't updated their listings since the channel's change from Video Mix.)
WCWG 20-3 Estrella (via AM21)
**WCWG 20-4 Shopping (NOT on AM21 - not important, though)
WLFL 22-1 CW (via AM21)
**WLFL 22-2 Country (NOT on AM21 - subchannel is incorrectly listed as PBS subchannel and constantly displays "searching for signal" message.)
-WUNL 26 PBS (via D*)
WUNL 26-2 UNC-EX (via D*)
WRDC 28-1 MNT (via AM21)
WRDC 28-2 Cool TV (via AM21)
WUVC 40-1 Univision (via AM21)
WTNC 40-2 Telefutura (via AM21)
WLXI 43-1 TCT (via AM21, national feed on D* 377)
WLXI 43-2 TCT HD (via AM21, different than TCT SD)
**WLXI 43-3 TCT-Family (NOT on AM21)
**WLXI 43-4 TCT-Spanish (NOT on AM21)
-WXLV 45 ABC (via D* and AM21)
WXLV 45-1 Country (via AM21)
**WGSR 47-1 / -2 / -3 Ind/LP (NOT on AM21)
-WMYV 48 MNT (via D*, HD on AM21)
WMYV 48-2 CoolTV (via AM21)
WRAZ 50-1 Fox (via AM21)
WRAZ 50-2 MeTV (via AM21)

When I flip the antenna, I can get a few of the Roanoke/Lynchburg, VA DMA channels, but I can't add them to the AM21.
 
Thanks for the info. I looked at Zap2It listing for antenna channels and found that all channels that I care about were covered (I'm in zip code 95120). So, theoretically, all of these channels and subchannels should show up, right?

I jumped into the Direct phone tree. After about 20 minutes I got a supervisor and ran the AM21/not-in-guide question by him. He said that it CAN be made to act like DISH and will allow tuning/manual recording of channels not in the Direct guide. Have no idea if his information is accurate, but I thought I should pass it on.

Did he explain HOW ?
 
it doesnt show any locals ;)
any bogus zip will just waste your time. It scans like its thinking then comes up with "invalid zip" if I remember right
 
it doesnt show any locals ;)
any bogus zip will just waste your time. It scans like its thinking then comes up with "invalid zip" if I remember right

I have seen installers years back would run it on the 00000 zip code and it would work, but that was not with the AM21's, probably the HR20's I would guess.
 
The "supervisor" did not explain how.

I shared this with the guy (independent A/V guy) that I will do business with. He called Direct installer support and they said, as posted here, that if it's not in the guide the AM21 won't get.


Did he explain HOW ?
 
I jumped into the Direct phone tree. After about 20 minutes I got a supervisor and ran the AM21/not-in-guide question by him. He said that it CAN be made to act like DISH and will allow tuning/manual recording of channels not in the Direct guide. Have no idea if his information is accurate, but I thought I should pass it on.

He was either lying, or there is a new procedure that no one but him knows about!
 
does the hr 24-200 have ota capabilities if not which ones do

The only dvr with a built in ota tuner is the HR20 series. Any of the others can use the AM21 ota tuner module though. It works just as if it was built in.
 
Here is something pretty coo, that I found at "the other site"

Now I've posted the full channel list for D* before but this adds OTA in it too. SO it now shows what chanenls the AM21 will load for a market
Open the file and select the 2nd option (LIL). It will then show the sat locals then the OTA ones for the guide (and it does match what I had on my AM21 here in Minneapolis)
 

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does the hr 24-200 have ota capabilities if not which ones do

One other D* HD DVR that not only has OTA built-in, but DOES scan, is the (old) HD Tivo. While you still will NOT get guide info on these (missing) channels, you CAN at least watch them live & pause, as well as setting manual timers to record them. And if any of those missing channels happen to be in HD, the HD Tivo will STILL get them in HD as well.
This is exactly why I still kept my HD Tivo activated, along with my HR20's.

It's STILL BS that D* has decided to throw in the towel on updating OTA guide info, though - ESPECIALLY since THEY were the brainboxes that decided to NOT include any kind of scanning on their current OTA tuners. :mad:
 
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