Problem Recording with AM21

[tidepooler]

Hi,
I hope someone can help me. I recently bought a new tv and quickly realized that I wasn't getting the full benefit without upgrading my DVR to and HD one. So, they brought me an HR23-700. However, shortly after they brought it, I realized I still couldn't get my local stations in HD, so I bought an AM21 and an OTA indoor antenna.

When I'm at home watching the local HD channels, it works great! I love the HD. I just love, love, love it! I can't get enough of the HD. But, when I set my DVR to record the local HD channels when I'm not home, it doesn't work. It has the show in my list, but when I try to play it the screen is black and I get a message on the tv that says all or part of the program didn't record. And then it just sits there with the black screen and doesn't progress through any programming at all.

I have tried to rescan the channels but that didn't work. I'm wondering if I have to leave the unit physically ON when I'm not home in order for the tuner to pick up the signal? That seems odd to me since I had to plug in the power to the back of the DVR, which turns on/off with the power button on the remote that also controls my tv. When I push OFF, they all go off. Does this sound to anyone like it might be the problem?

Can anyone give me any other idea about what I could do to fix the issue?

Thanks! :rant:

 

[Jimbo]

Hi,
I hope someone can help me. I recently bought a new tv and quickly realized that I wasn't getting the full benefit without upgrading my DVR to and HD one. So, they brought me an HR23-700. However, shortly after they brought it, I realized I still couldn't get my local stations in HD, so I bought an AM21 and an OTA indoor antenna.

When I'm at home watching the local HD channels, it works great! I love the HD. I just love, love, love it! I can't get enough of the HD. But, when I set my DVR to record the local HD channels when I'm not home, it doesn't work. It has the show in my list, but when I try to play it the screen is black and I get a message on the tv that says all or part of the program didn't record. And then it just sits there with the black screen and doesn't progress through any programming at all.

I have tried to rescan the channels but that didn't work. I'm wondering if I have to leave the unit physically ON when I'm not home in order for the tuner to pick up the signal? That seems odd to me since I had to plug in the power to the back of the DVR, which turns on/off with the power button on the remote that also controls my tv. When I push OFF, they all go off. Does this sound to anyone like it might be the problem?

Can anyone give me any other idea about what I could do to fix the issue?

Thanks! :rant:

When your home are you watching your locals thru the D* box or do you have it split and going into your TV as well ?

IF you can watch your locals thru the D* box when your home and all is well .... does the locals show up in your custom guide, you said you DID do the scan on the recvr and they showed up in the guide ?

Have you been able to record ANYTHING on the unit, sat channel or locals ?

 

[tidepooler]

Hi, and thanks for responding.

I only have the locals going to the AM21 and then the DVR, not split and to the TV.
Yes, the local channels show up in the guide. Yes, I did scan (and re-scan) on the DVR and then the channels showed up in the guide with a "-1", "-2" after the channel numbers.
Yes, I can record any satellite channels (HD or not) whether the unit is on or off. Yes, I can record local HD channels when the unit is ON (i.e., if I'm already watching the tv and the DVR and AM21 power has been turned on). But, otherwise, no dice on the HD locals recording to the DVR.

Any ideas?

 

[boba]

Leave the power on while gone and see if it records.

 

[Jimbo]

Hi, and thanks for responding.

I only have the locals going to the AM21 and then the DVR, not split and to the TV.
Yes, the local channels show up in the guide. Yes, I did scan (and re-scan) on the DVR and then the channels showed up in the guide with a "-1", "-2" after the channel numbers.
Yes, I can record any satellite channels (HD or not) whether the unit is on or off. Yes, I can record local HD channels when the unit is ON (i.e., if I'm already watching the tv and the DVR and AM21 power has been turned on). But, otherwise, no dice on the HD locals recording to the DVR.

Any ideas?

Leave the power on while gone and see if it records.

Of course there would be no reason for them to not record if the unit was left on.

Does this happen ALL the time or intermittent ?

IF the unit will not record when the power is off, Call D* sound like it's defective, the power switch should not turn the unit off, just the lights.

Curious, what is the AM21 plugged into ?

Does it happen to go to any switches that get turned off when you leave (lights attached or such ?

 

[tidepooler]

Thanks for staying with me on this.

The AM21 is plugged in to the DVR directly. Even the power cable goes to the DVR (it doesn't have a regular power cable that I can plug in to the wall anyway). There is no switch turning anything else off.

However, through more troubleshooting, I have been able to figure a couple of other things out. I left the power to the DVR/AM21 on all day with recordings set, and found that the same problem occurred. So, I then set it to record two different local HD channels while the power was off, and it recorded the NBC station, but to the CBS station. I realize now that I can't even watch the CBS channel - it says "searching for signal on the off-air tuner (771)". That would explain why it doesn't record anything.

After that experiment, it made me realize that all the programs I've been attempting to record and having problems with are on the local CBS HD channel. Obviously, I wasn't actually checking to see if I could watch the CBS station. Is there a way I can remedy that?

 

[wildbill129]

Have you checked the signal strength on the CBS station? Is it UHF or VHF? Is your OTA antenna UHF or VHF? Many stations broadcast on both frequencies, some don't. Two of mine went back to VHF after the digital transition in June last year. I had to get a VHF antenna to get them.

If you haven't already, check antennaweb.org, punch in your address and see what kind of antenna you need and where you need to aim it to get your frequencies. I see you are in California, where?

 

[Al K]

Sorry to interrupt this thread, but I can't get Directv to tell me which receivers work with the AM21. I had a receiver fail (not DVR) and the replacement receiver doesn't handle locals OTA. They will ship me an HR23, but I have to buy the AM21 myself. They say that I'm not eligable for the AM21 since they are providing my locals to me. They won't even sell me one!

If I take the HR23 and it doesn't work with the AM21, they say I'm still stuck with the new 2 year commitment. I just want to make absolutely sure that the HR23 and the AM21 are compatible.

This thread caught my eye and seems to indicate the two work together.

 

[cvalkan4]

Yes, the AM21 works well with the HR23. I'm using the two together right now.

 

[boba]

You may need an outside antenna to pickup your CBS station.

 

[rmmrph]

I actually think i know the answer to this one. If you are only receiving your local channels via antenna (not through D*) you can not record via the website. The website only shows channels broadcast via satellite. It is a limitation of only having OTA only for locals.

 

[Jimbo]

I actually think i know the answer to this one. If you are only receiving your local channels via antenna (not through D*) you can not record via the website. The website only shows channels broadcast via satellite. It is a limitation of only having OTA only for locals.

Good point, I have the same issue.
They could address that but it would be WAY down the priority list.

Rmmrph,

from the OP post:
But, when I set my DVR to record the local HD channels when I'm not home, it doesn't work.

The OP never said if he was trying to record them while away thru his internet connection, so I am not sure if this is the same thing your referring to, but you are correct about not being able to record your locals if you get them OTA via the website