Standard def channels get blocked out

[Robert Hester]

I am in Hawaii with a 1.2 meter dish with 3LNB, an SMW, an H24 receiver and a standard def TV. The installer set up the system as if the dish were a Slim-3.

Problem: Channels that have both a Hidef and Standard def channel cannot be received. For example, MSNBC or National Geographic.

Workaround: If I do satellite setup on the H24 to ignore the Hidef satellite, (EG as a Round disk with 3LNB), I only get good signal readings for the 101 satellite, and I tune to the standard def versions of the MSNBC and National Geographic channels just fine (if I am the Slim-3 configuration, it tells me I have not ordered the channel). The problem with the round dish (101 only) configuration is that I do not receive my local channels.

My workaround is ok I suppose, and I will mount an antenna to get the local channels. However I was thinking that surely there are more than a few lunatics like me who don't care to put Hidef tvs in every room. Technically, the problem seems to be that even if I tell the box to only give me a 480i signal, the box still assumes that if I turn to channel 356, it should map the signal for hidef MSNBC from satellite 103 if it can see that. It seems perfectly reasonable to me that it should know that it should instead go to 101 to get the signal for standard def MSNBC. That's what it does when I put it in the round dish mode. Of course, I don't really care how it does it's business, but it seems to me that if there are at least some plausible explanations for how the box could do for me what I want, then perhaps some engineers had addressed the issue.

My question is: Is there some other way for me to get both my local channels and my standard def channels without my ugly workaround? Can anyone help, or should I just continue along with the off air antenna approach (BTW- I saw a connector on the SWM- is the H24 going to give me ok or do I have to get a digital tuner?)

Packages: Choice extra. I don't care about Hidef and don't pay for any Hidef other than those that come with the Choice package.

 

[Mr Tony]

welcome or should I say Aloha

So the only reason you have the HD sat is for the locals right? Looks like Honolulu locals are on 99W

Here is how you can set it up properly. Leave it in 3LNB SWM

menu
favs and setup
system setup
display
preferences
under guide HD Channels have it say "show all channels". Normally I would say to set it up as "hide HD duplicates" but then your locals will disappear too but you can try that

I know if you hide HD dupes it will go to the SD channel. I did that with a SDTV setup. But I worry that the locals will disappear too as they are only on HD satellite (99W)
You could set up a favorite with the SD channels only. If you leave the setting as "show all" both the HD and SD channel will show in the guide

 

[Robert Hester]

Worked great... a few other side notes.

That was just the ticket. Thank you very much for taking time to give me the pointers. As you guessed, the installers gave me an HD type setup because of the locals.

I know if you hide HD dupes it will go to the SD channel. I did that with a SDTV setup. But I worry that the locals will disappear too as they are only on HD satellite (99W)

Thanks for mentioning this detail. I can report that on my H24 setup it did not hide the locals for me. Actually Hide HD dupes is what I want because otherwise the Tivo will go to the wrong channel. (This probably would not be a problem if I got the DirectTv dvr, but it will never have the internet programming for obvious reasons, so I am passing on that.)

[Note for H20 users: I noted on the H20 that there was no such Hide HD option. You either have the choice of showing SD dupes or not. This is no good for anything trying to control the receiver like a tivo or a dvd recorder because you can't type in the channel number directly but must go their via the guide or channel up button.]

 

[Mr Tony]

Thanks for mentioning this detail. I can report that on my H24 setup it did not hide the locals for me.

good to know. I know channels that only are in HD (like HDNet, HDMovies and the HD extra pack) if you hide HD channels they disappear completely. Sounds like if you have locals that are HD only they are exempt from that issue.

Glad its working for ya