# HDVR2 Problem with Sat#2



## jblakers (Nov 18, 2002)

Software version 6.3e-01-2-151

Lately my directivo HDVR2 Hughes is giving me trouble.

It always saying its searching for a signal on Sat#2 and everyday it reboots on its own.

the signal on sat#2 is so bad. The pictures is freezing, pixels, etc.. Very unwatchable.

When I check the signal for Sat #1 and sat#2 it shows its getting a great signal.


Whats is going on?

Thanks


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## IminMs (Sep 10, 2006)

Try swapping the sat1 and sat 2 cables. See if the problems goes to sat 1 or stays on sat2.


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## jblakers (Nov 18, 2002)

is it a software version problem?


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## wscannell (Dec 7, 2003)

The Sat 2 input seems to have an issue sometimes with having both s-video and composite video output (Yes, output) connections to the TiVo. Try removing one or just going with composite and the problem seems to go away.


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## jblakers (Nov 18, 2002)

wscannell said:


> The Sat 2 input seems to have an issue sometimes with having both s-video and composite video output (Yes, output) connections to the TiVo. Try removing one or just going with composite and the problem seems to go away.


Thanks

I will give that a try and see how it goes.


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## jblakers (Nov 18, 2002)

So far its working fine.

Whats weird is that I had no problem with this HDVR2 directivo for 2 years now and always had both red,white,video output cable and S video & digital AUDIO outoup cable in the back. 

I remove the red, white,video output cable out and so far no problems. 

thanks


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## No4Mk1 (May 27, 2005)

I have been having the exact same issue for months and unplugging the S-video cable resolved it immediately!

Thanks!!!


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## RobD (May 25, 2001)

I've had this problem for months as well, mostly in the evenings. I thought it was room-specific, because multiple working tivos do it only in this one particular room. So I thought it was the line going to sat #2. Switched it out to a spare run today (I hate crawlspaces), and again it is pixelating.

Did a signal strength test on channel 242, sat #2 would drop to zero every couple of seconds. With both tuners set to 242, #1 was clear and #2 was badly pixelating. Swapped lines going into the tuner while it was doing it - sat #2 was still the pixelating tuner.

All Tivos hooked up in this location are composite-only, no s-video hookup.
So I have a failing tuner #2 that only shows itself in this location of the house on all three of my hdvr2s? How can THAT be possible?

I'm baffled on this one! 

3 HDVR2 units, 6.2a, Zippered and networked together.


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## bwash (Dec 16, 2002)

RobD said:


> Did a signal strength test on channel 242, sat #2 would drop to zero every couple of seconds. With both tuners set to 242, #1 was clear and #2 was badly pixelating. Swapped lines going into the tuner while it was doing it - sat #2 was still the pixelating tuner.
> 
> I'm baffled on this one!
> 
> 3 HDVR2 units, 6.2a, Zippered and networked together.


I have this same exact problem...today I was going to do the same thing you have already done. My unit even pixelates on the same channel 242!! I do not have s-video connected, I have an r15 in the bedroom that is fine on both tuners.

If you find an answer please post a reply. I have a spare r10 and I may reactivate it and retire this hdvr2.


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## ntrance (Jul 14, 2006)

RobD said:


> Did a signal strength test on channel 242, sat #2 would drop to zero every couple of seconds. With both tuners set to 242, #1 was clear and #2 was badly pixelating. Swapped lines going into the tuner while it was doing it - sat #2 was still the pixelating tuner.


I have this problem also with an SD-DVR40 with 6.3f. Swapping cables has no effect; the problem remains on sat #2. I have only composite hooked up, on one of the outputs. I also tried disconnecting sat #1, and disconnecting the composite, leaving only 1 audio output hooked up. Based on the sound during a signal strength test, the problem remained.


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## chuckg (Sep 1, 2007)

ntrance said:


> I have this problem also with an SD-DVR40 with 6.3f. Swapping cables has no effect; the problem remains on sat #2. I have only composite hooked up, on one of the outputs. I also tried disconnecting sat #1, and disconnecting the composite, leaving only 1 audio output hooked up. Based on the sound during a signal strength test, the problem remained.


You actually have 6.3f? Activated by DirecTv? When? Any associated message?


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## ntrance (Jul 14, 2006)

chuckg said:


> You actually have 6.3f?


Well, I upgraded to 6.3f via slices. I went back to 6.2 and the Sat #2 problem remains.


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## chuckg (Sep 1, 2007)

ntrance said:


> Well, I upgraded to 6.3f via slices. I went back to 6.2 and the Sat #2 problem remains.


Thanks.

Lot of Tuner 2 failures reported on several forums.

Check the "Pricing" page;
http://0054c07.netsolhost.com/


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## ntrance (Jul 14, 2006)

Thanks. At first I thought this problem was software related, and possibly easily fixed, but now it is clear to me that it is the hardware. For me, it's not worth paying to have this receiver fixed as I have plenty of others that I can activate in its place.


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## bwash (Dec 16, 2002)

ntrance said:


> Thanks. At first I thought this problem was software related, and possibly easily fixed, but now it is clear to me that it is the hardware. For me, it's not worth paying to have this receiver fixed as I have plenty of others that I can activate in its place.


This is exactly what I did. My hdvr2 was 5 years old and I just think it was more trouble than it was worth. I had a R10 that was in the attic, swapped them out and everything is fixed. I was not interested in hacking so my R10 is just fine for me. I had disabled the s-video and was still getting problems on tuner 2, now I can use the s-video again (much better picture).


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## RobD (May 25, 2001)

Well, I'm bummed if it is a hardware issue. That's 2 of my 3 receivers that have the issue. Weird how everybody has tuner #2 fail - almost like there is a design flaw that makes is more fragile to voltage surges.

I'm not going to fork out $100 for each unit to be fixed by the above-mentioned repair company. I've got an R15-500 that I own in the closet, so I may bring that out of mothballs and use it in the den to replace one failing HDVR2. As much as I love the MRV ability, it won't do me any good when (pending wife's approval of the funds) I upgrade the living room to an HR21 and a 46" HDTV LCD.

The other option I am considering is moving my 300GB drive to pair with the 400GB in my working HDVR2 (which has a Weaknees bracket) and let it be the super-recorder for the house. Then I can use the two failing HDVR2s and set them up to be single-tuner units and they can MRV from the master for recorded shows. This will be my plan if I don't go high-def.

Unless, of course, a hardware wizard steps forward with the magic dust that fixes pixelation problems that happen mostly in the evening on tuner #2...


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## chuckg (Sep 1, 2007)

RobD said:


> Unless, of course, a hardware wizard steps forward with the magic dust that fixes pixelation problems that happen mostly in the evening on tuner #2...


This is known as shotgunning.

What starts to happen in the house in the evening that doesn't ordinarily happen? Electrical/electronic.
When the problem occurs:
Check the AC line voltage in the "bad" room.
Swap out the TV.
Disconnect the network.
Then. Perhaps in this order;
1) Disconnect every electrical/electronic connection to the HDVR2/TV combo except the input coaxes, the two power cords and the video cable. No DVD. No sound system. No network. Should only be five "lines".
2) Disconnect all but the two required ouputs from the multiswitch. And the third input OTA/cable if it exists.
3) Remove the multiswitch and directly connect via F-connector female-to-female adaptors the two LNB lines to the two lines to the "bad" room.
4) Power the HDVR2/TV combo via the AC circuit in the "good" room.

Should be enough to start.


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## RobD (May 25, 2001)

chuckg said:


> This is known as shotgunning.


At this point, I prefer the shotgun method of repair. I'm usually a very logical person, being I do computer repair and can usually think the problem down to the cause.



chuckg said:


> What starts to happen in the house in the evening that doesn't ordinarily happen? Electrical/electronic.
> When the problem occurs:
> Check the AC line voltage in the "bad" room.
> Swap out the TV.
> ...


Hmm, nothing really changes, the room is used all day by the wife and then by us in the evening. It's on from about noon to midnight. It does pixelate during the day, but MUCH less than the evening. Seems to especially hate WWE shows, but Monk and Psych are affected. Local channels are a little smear line of pixels once in a great while. It's a TV and an HDVR2, no sound system or anything fancy, was originally using S-Video but switched back to composite (two were never hooked up simultaneously). On its own AC circuit, using a UPS, no beeps from low voltage here. Tried two TVs so far. Replaced the Phase II dish with a Phase III, no luck. Replaced the powered multiswitch with a non-powered one, didn't help (not easy, it's in the crawlspace on the opposite end of the access hole). Changed ordering of the cables out on the dish, figuring it was satellite-specific. Changed the order of the lines going into the multiswitch. It does it during the summer and winter, so I ruled out temperature in the crawlspace.

I guess my last-chance effort is to put it out in the good room with only a line going into Sat #2 and see how it does. I figured putting my spare in service would have ruled it out, but I didn't think that both units would have bad sat #2s.


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## bwash (Dec 16, 2002)

RobD said:


> I've got an R15-500 that I own in the closet, so I may bring that out of mothballs and use it in the den to replace one failing HDVR2.


I have an R15-500 as well and they are soooo much better than before, give it a day or so when you fire it up before you use it alot.

I think many of our directivo are just getting old. They have been running for 5 or 6 years 24/7 and things just go out. When I retired my hdvr2 the 2 tuner and modem both were not working properly but they did up until about 3 months ago. It was really great when I replaced the hdvr2 with the r10 (using all the same cables etc.) and things just worked better (of course it is new).


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## jimbojonessmith (May 18, 2004)

This just happened to me -- tuner 2 just totally died. If I put the line from the 2nd tuner into the Tuner 1 it works fine; if I put the functioning line from the first tuner into 2nd tuner, I get nothing.

I have a leased HR10-250 -- does getting this replaced by DTV mean I have to give up my TIvo for a DTV box? If that's the option, I might have to think about living with one tuner.


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

Most likely they would replace the HR10 with an HR2x. 

Have you tried a reboot?


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## RobD (May 25, 2001)

Well, just confirmed that two of mine have dead tuner #2s. I took them out to the other room and just hooked up the sat #2 line. Changed the channel to 242, and got the typical evening pixelation.


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