RC73 (two of them) failing on HR44 after one worked before

[diitto]

Long story as to why this matters but just know that I have an RC66RX remote and an RC73 remote that both work to operate my HR44 Genie that we got about a year ago to replace an old and finally dead HR34.

We had a brief power outage yesterday (happens now and then and certainly not the first that this HR44 system has seen) and when the system rebooted my RC73 would no longer talk to the HR44 at all. I'm a retired EE and usually pretty good with these things but trying to reprogram or repair (not sure which it needed) this RC73 was a joke. Nothing worked. One thing I read is that perhaps I might need to just reboot the HR44 Genie again (the power outage aftermath was the first). I did that and amazingly not the RC73 works again.

I have two other identical and new remotes that I bought as spares, one is an RC66RX and one is an RC73. Can someone share with me the programming and or pairing steps required to get either one of these to work. Currently the both will operate the TV or so it seems (I might have done something to cause that when I first got these some time back) but they will not talk to the HR44.

Maybe you would tell me only one RC66RX and one RC73 can be programmed/paired at a time???

I'm looking for a better tutorial than any I have seen to this point. I mainly want to be sure I have useable spares if I drop and break say my RC73.

The only reason I prefer to the RC73 to the RC66RX is I like to watch sports plays played back in slow motion. That feature works great on the RC73 and it worked terribly poorly (jumps sometimes huge amounts) on the RC66RX. Otherwise, I like the RC66RX better...

Any help available??? thanks...

 

[Jimbo]

Try this ....
It should get them at least working on the box.

Program a Genie Remote Manually

1. Point the Genie remote at your Genie cable box, then press and hold the Mute and Select buttons until the green light on the remote blinks twice.
2. Enter the code 961 on the remote keypad.
3. Press the Channel Up button.
4. Press Enter.
5. The TV will display “Your remote is now setup for RF.”

 

[dishrich]

Long story as to why this matters but just know that I have an RC66RX remote and an RC73 remote that both work to operate my HR44 Genie that we got about a year ago to replace an old and finally dead HR34.
Maybe you would tell me only one RC66RX and one RC73 can be programmed/paired at a time???

First, NONE of those older "white" remotes like the RC6xxx models, will work in RF on the HR44 (or 54) receivers. This is because both those newer receivers use the RF4CE remote technology, that ONLY the newer "peanut" remotes support.

The RC6xxx remotes WILL work in IR mode only, on those same receivers; these same receivers WILL respond to both IR & RF4CE signals simultaneously (older D* receivers do NOT work simultaneously in IR & RF mode)
edit: the HR34, while it works with the RC6xxx remotes in RF mode, does ALSO work simultaneously in IR mode; it's the only legacy RF remote model that does.

You CAN "pair" any number & models of IR remotes to these receivers, as it's simple IR (non-unique) codes.

I found this procedure on how to pair multiple RF peanut remotes (in RF mode) to an HR44/54: (can't vouch for myself that it works)
Pair Two RC71 Remotes to one HR44 (RF Mode)?

More info:
A Quick Discussion of DIRECTV Remotes - The Solid Signal Blog

 

[diitto]

Thanks to both of you (Jimbo and dishrich) for the info. I copied the above links and will read the docs later. I did look over the Quick Discussion doc and that helps.

So I don't recall having to do anything with the RC73 remote that came with the HR44 though perhaps I did. Just don't remember.

And you say, yes, that I could "pair" this second RC73 that I bought new from Amazon recently without risking the first one??? And should I use as a best approach the programming steps that you, Jimbo, suggest above, with the 961 code entry and other steps???

I would choose, if reasonable, to have this 2nd RC73 as a working spare NOW while I am thinking about all this stuff rather than struggling later when I finally drop the existing RC73 (it is easy to drop) one too many times. Thoughts?? and thanks again for the above help.

 

[Jimbo]

I believe, the steps I provided above will make the remote respond to the recvr ... I don't think it sends it to RF, without addl. steps being done.

 

[diitto]

and won't impact the other RC73 I now have working again??? So two RC73's can both be set up to talk to the one HR44?? Just want a spare but don't want to mess up the one I now have working... Thanks for all the help...

 

[dishrich]

If you mess it up, it's actually NOT a big deal to just reprog it again from scratch.
Did you even read the link I attached from the "other" sat board, on prog 2 remotes yet???