# HDVR2 pixelization problem



## rmassey (Sep 5, 2002)

I have an HDVR2 that is showing some extreme pixelization on some channels. This HDVR2 is from 2002, when they first came out. I upgraded the HD to a 120 5400 Samsung a few months after purchase in Dec 2002. 

I thought the piixelization was from the 120 gb HD going out. I first checked the sat signal strength. Both tuners show around 92 signal for 101, 110, 119. I then tried a clear and delete on the upgraded 120 gb drive, still shows the problem. I then put in the original 40 gb Maxtor drive that was used only a few months into 2003. I did a clear and delete and I still see the problem. What gives? 

I also have an HR10-250 in the house and it has a perfect picture on both tuners with no pixelization. So I think the Dish is aligned AOK and the wiring is fine in the house to the MS, etc. 

Dish aligned - check. Clear & Delete - Check, Replaced HD - Check. Problem still persists. Lower number channels (locals) look fine, some of the higher number channels (VH1, MTV) show extreme pixelization. 

When I swapped back the original 40 gb HD, I blew out all the dust bunnies and it looks like the temp is within normal range for the HDVR2. 

If the HD is OK. is the HDRV2 just flaking out on me or does D* just suck for a blocky pixelated picture? 

Thanks for any comments/tips to fix this one.


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## AJ500 (Feb 22, 2002)

Do you get good signal strength on all transponders?

I had a similar problem except the signal strength would bounce from 0 to 90 every couple of seconds only on some of the transponders and only on tuner 2.

Clear & Delete everything didn't fix it, so D* replaced the unit.


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## jo666886 (Dec 22, 2002)

Had a similiar problem - except it was lower (locals) w/ pixelation. Bought a DSR704 from ptvupgrade.com.

Question: Can I just pop my 120gb (zippered) drive from my hdvr2 into the DSR704, or do I need to reformat & zipper.

thanks


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

yeah swap the drive to a new unit, telnet in and run 51killer.tcl.


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## rmassey (Sep 5, 2002)

> Do you get good signal strength on all transponders?
> 
> I had a similar problem except the signal strength would bounce from 0 to 90 every couple of seconds only on some of the transponders and only on tuner 2.


Ahh Excellent Tip - I found the problem. Check this out.

I walked thur each transponder on 101 and noticed that on 16-20 & 24-26 it would bounce from 0 to 90 every couple of seconds on Sat 2 only. I had Sat 2 (only) running thru a surge protector, so I bypassed that. This appeared to fix the problem.....but not really. While I was screwing and unscrewing sat Coax lines, I would unplug the S-video, because it's right next to the sat2 connection and I needed room for my fingers to screw on the coax.. As soon as I plugged the S-Video back into the HDVR2, Sat2 signal would bounce to 0 again every few seconds.

For now I am using composite and not using the s-video output. This at least fixes the Sat 2 signal issue. I can prob live with composite as I am only feeding a 32" 4:3 sony and this is the DTivo my kids use. I may try to swap out the S-Video cable to see if that helps things. Now I need to put the 120 gb drive back into the HDVR2.

thanks for the tips. It gave me enough info to further diag the problem and luckily I stumbled onto the s-Video/Sat2 issue.

Anyone ever hear of the S-video going out or not playing nice with the Sat2 input?


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## AJ500 (Feb 22, 2002)

Very interesting! I was using S-video as well. I should try activating that HDVR2 again and use composite. I also purchased that unit in 2002.


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## rmassey (Sep 5, 2002)

AJ500 said:


> Very interesting! I was using S-video as well. I should try activating that HDVR2 again and use composite. I also purchased that unit in 2002.


It's worth a try. I wonder if you can just check the sat2 signal without activating the HDVR2? That could save you the time/trouble/money of dealing with D* for activation.


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## mrailing (Nov 30, 2005)

I am having the same issue as well. I am getting it on the 101 and transponder 27 and 19, as it's channels 354 and 212 that I notice it on, I am sure other channels as well, but those I have been watching recently. This started happening maybe 2 weeks ago, and was fine before that. The box was not moved.

I have tried the following:

-Removed the S-Video cable and gone to composite only.
-Removed the Digital Audio cable and gone to composite only.
-Tried both Composite 1 and 2 outputs.
-Swapped the Sat cables.
-I have a cable going straight from my Sat to my Sat box, no connectors, no other multiswitches.
-I have changed to all 4 outputs from the Sat
-I have tried 4 sets of different cables (composite - S-Video - RG6)
-I have double checked all the angles of the dish
-I have used a different box connected to the same line of Sat 2, and it's fine on that box.

Now it's "better" with all composite connections, compared to S-Video, but I still get a LOT of scrambling on Sat 2, but not on every channel. Sat 1 is perfect.

So here is my question, could it be the card, and would the card affect just Sat 2? If not then it has to be just my Sat 2 connection on the box, and that would mean that it is time for me to get a different DirecTV Tivo correct?

Appreciate your advice.


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## AJ500 (Feb 22, 2002)

I went through similar steps in trying to isolate the problem. I, too, had a second receiver to try and the problem moved with the receiver and the second receiver worked fine connected where the failing receiver was once connected.

Here's my post:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=4207537#post4207537

I got a replacement receiver and that solved the problem. I think the Sat 2 input tuner is failing or getting some internal interference with those problem frequencies


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## mrailing (Nov 30, 2005)

Yeah, I am taking mine apart right now. Heck I even reloaded and "zipped" the drives again to see if it would help, but nothing, still have the problem. If after I take it apart and don't see a broken trace, or something corroded in the connector, then I might just have to use this as an excuse to buy the HR10-250.

So I guess I will find out soon if I get to get an HD sat box...


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## AJ500 (Feb 22, 2002)

The D* CSR wanted to send me an R10 to replace my purchased HDVR2. I have the D* protection plan so I called retention and was able to get an HR10-250 instead for $19.95. I already had an HDTV and OTA antenna feed in that room, so I'm happy!


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## mrailing (Nov 30, 2005)

I have no protection plan, but I am trying to get familiar with the HR10-250 and find out what I can do to it "hacking wise". I know there isn't 6.2 software for it yet, but I am trying to find out what the drawbacks are to not having 6.2 on it.... So reading I go...


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## mrailing (Nov 30, 2005)

Hmm, well I took apart my HDVR2. I took a paper clip, not one of the smooth ones, but one of the ones that's rough (I decided on this since I didn't have really anything else that size). I then inserted it in to the Sat 2 cable hookup, and moved it in and out. Thinking if there is any corrosion on the contacts that this might "rub" it off. 

I checked inside, used my compressor to blow out some of the dust, and looked for any damage on the motherboard, or possible bad capacitors, but found nothing. On further examination I noticed that the door to the Optical Cable was slightly broken. There was a small piece missing from the door, and I tried to see if it was jammed in anywhere. I found the small piece caught between the back edge of the case and the S-Video port. I removed the small piece of plastic and put everything back to gether.

Now I booted the Tivo, and now I am not getting any scrambling, garbled, pixelated problems. In fact it's just fine. I have tried all the different channels that was scrambling before, and they aren't any more, on either Tuner.

Now the ONLY thing that's not hooked up the same, is my Slingbox. I don't have ANYTHING connected to the Composite outs. The only things hooked up to the back of my Tivo are:

-Both Sat 1 and Sat 2
-S-Video
-Optical Digital Audio Cable
-Linksys USB200Mv2
-Phone Cable

So I am afraid to connect the Composite cables since everything is working, but I will check and see if it's still "unscrambled" in the morning when it has a few hours of being on, and I will scan through as many channels as I can to make sure that none are causing problems. So I don't know what's making it work now, if I knocked off some corrosion, if not having any Composite cables connected, it the little piece of plastic is causing a problem, or what, but it's actually working correctly...


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## JohnnyO (Nov 3, 2002)

I too bought an HDVR2 right when they came out. 

I too have been experiencing heavy pixelation on one tuner. At first I didn't think it was the receiver. I assumed it was the foul weather. 

The other night I ran through the satellite test, and signal was good across all transponders on both tuners. 

Today, the problem was happening again. Weather was clear. The other tuner was clear. I ran downstairs and checked my other TiVo, and was pleased to see it was recording the same show, so I backed it up, and it was clear too. It must be tuner specific, and something beyond the satellite test. 

Is there any value in calling DirecTV, since these are purchased items? Do they have a stock of re-furb units out there? 

Thanks, 

John


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## mrailing (Nov 30, 2005)

To follow up on my other post. After getting it to work by messing around with everything, it's doing it again. 

I see three choices. 1. Just use one tuner. 2. Get a replacement box (I just bought one on ebay, so hopefully it will resolve the problem by getting a replacement box). 3. Upgrade boxes.

If the replacement HDVR2 has issues, because of just being a bad box, or if it still does the SAME thing, then I plan on giving Directv a call and seeing about replacing the card in the box. We had a similar problem and it turned out to be the card, and not the box, so I will see what happens when I get it by Tuesday.


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## rminsk (Jun 4, 2002)

JohnnyO said:


> It must be tuner specific, and something beyond the satellite test.


It could also be a bad port on a multiswitch or a bad cable.


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## JohnnyO (Nov 3, 2002)

rminsk said:


> It could also be a bad port on a multiswitch or a bad cable.


I've got no multi-switch. If the satellite test was OK on both tuners, doesn't that rule out a bad cable?

Thanks for the input. I'll have to play with the cables -- at least to switch them -- to see if the problem follows the cable or not.

John


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## ping (Oct 3, 2005)

This also happened to my HDVR2, and I've seen a few other threads that specifically mention HDVR2. A bit too few for it to be a pattern, but on the other hand, it does a really good imitation of a bad hard drive (until you do enough testing to see it's only on one tuner), so I wonder how many misdiagnosed ones are out there.

I had originally planned on putting it in the bedroom with the one good tuner, but now I've got an R15 in there. It's still in the livingroom (deactivated and with no satellite connections) until I get around to watching the last few good recordings I have on it.


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## rminsk (Jun 4, 2002)

JohnnyO said:


> I've got no multi-switch. If the satellite test was OK on both tuners, doesn't that rule out a bad cable?


Unless you have a round dish the dish has a built in multiswitch.


> Thanks for the input. I'll have to play with the cables -- at least to switch them -- to see if the problem follows the cable or not.


That would be the best way to test it.


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## rminsk (Jun 4, 2002)

ping said:


> This also happened to my HDVR2, and I've seen a few other threads that specifically mention HDVR2.


All the series 1 and series 2 DirecTiVos except the Samsung unit were made in the same plant using the same parts. The only difference is the face plate. The Samsung was made in Korea and used a different hard drive and phillips head screws instead of torx screws.


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## ping (Oct 3, 2005)

rminsk said:


> All the series 1 and series 2 DirecTiVos except the Samsung unit were made in the same plant using the same parts. The only difference is the face plate. The Samsung was made in Korea and used a different hard drive and phillips head screws instead of torx screws.


Fair enough, but the HDVR2 was the first series 2, and I just noticed several people in this thread saying they got it when it first came out (so did I, BTW). So maybe they had a bad batch of tuners go into the original run.


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## JohnnyO (Nov 3, 2002)

rminsk said:


> Unless you have a round dish the dish has a built in multiswitch.That would be the best way to test it.


Good point. I do have the elliptical dish. I'll swap cables today and see what happens.

Thanks.


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## JohnnyO (Nov 3, 2002)

JohnnyO said:


> Good point. I do have the elliptical dish. I'll swap cables today and see what happens.
> 
> Thanks.


I did more testing today. I swapped the cables, and the problem stayed with the tuner (tuner 2 in my case).

I ran through the satellite tests again too. These all looked good on both tuners, which I thought odd.

Some channels have problems, while some do not, which also seems odd. Channels 286 and 287 are particularly bad, while 501 wasn't so bad, and channel 2 (a local channel) seemed mostly fine.

Oh well, short term I'm gonna put a larger drive in the basement Philips DS708 and move it upstairs to the living room, put the HDVR2 downstairs, and disable the second tuner on that bad boy. Perhaps I'll look for another used DTiVo.

Thanks,

John


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## AJ500 (Feb 22, 2002)

Channel 286 is on transponder A-27
Channel 287 is on transponder A-16

Are you getting good solid (no large fluxuations) signal strength on those transponders?


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## doconeill (Dec 13, 2002)

I'm becoming more and more convinced that HDVR2s in general have defective second tuners. I never hear someone saying that tuner 1 is bad - but many people have posted here (me included) that tuner 2 has failed on the HDVR2.

Fortunately I don't notice the same reports for the later models. Hopefully it was something they worked out.


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## JohnnyO (Nov 3, 2002)

AJ500 said:


> Channel 286 is on transponder A-27
> Channel 287 is on transponder A-16
> 
> Are you getting good solid (no large fluxuations) signal strength on those transponders?


Yes -- I checked the transponder to channel info, and spent most of my time watching those two transponders. It fluctuated from 84-87 percent.

Typicallly (at least during my testing yesterday) I'd see fairly gross pixelation within 15 seconds. I'd sit on the monitor page for 45 seconds and not see the meter move out of the 84-87 range.

John


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## ecotsonas (Sep 18, 2007)

Hello,
I firmly believe that this is a software problem. 

If you are having problems with your HDVR2 signal breaking up ONLY on satellite 2 and you are using an s-video cable try these steps to confirm:

1. Put it on channel 201.
2. Test your satellite signal strength. (You should be on transponder 23)
3. You should see satellite 1 signal stay constant and satellite 2 signal will drop down to "no signal"
4. Pull the s-video cable and use a composite cable. This time the satellite 2 signal will remain constant, (it won't drop).

Now for proof that it is a software problem.
1. My tivo is running version 6.3e-01-2-151 (satellite 2 breaking up)
2. I borrowed a friends HDVR2
3. I plugged the borrowed HDVR2 into the same satellite lines
4. Re-married my original card to the new HDVR2 box
5. Dialed out to get any updates
6. Repeated the steps above to test signal strength
7. No problems. Satellite 2 has a constant signal.
8. The software version of this tivo is 6.2a-01-2-351

Further proof that this is a software problem.
My parents also have an HDVR2 box where satellite 2 is breaking up. Their tivo software version is also 6.3e-01-2-351. I walked them through the confirmation steps to visually see that only satellite 2 signal is dropping off.

I hope that this helps all of you who have been extremely frustrated lately thinking that you have a bad tuner 2. 

Erik


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## rminsk (Jun 4, 2002)

ecotsonas said:


> Now for proof that it is a software problem.
> 1. My tivo is running version 6.3e-01-2-151 (satellite 2 breaking up)
> 2. I borrowed a friends HDVR2
> 3. I plugged the borrowed HDVR2 into the same satellite lines
> ...


So how is that proof? It is a completely different box that is working correctly. That seems to me to be a hardware problem and not a software problem.


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## ecotsonas (Sep 18, 2007)

Agreed it isn't conclusive, but I find it hard to believe that all of these HDVR2's are all failing on tuner 2 all of a sudden. Unfortunately just dialing out doesn't get the 6.3e version. I wanted to get the 6.3e update and test that since I have a box right now that doesn't have a problem running 6.2a. 

Think about it, what a perfect way for Directv to get people to replace their Tivo with their own brand.


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## nmpeter (Mar 25, 2008)

I can confirm that the same problem was happening on my HDVR2 . After a new dish, a new multiswitch 800 feet of new coax, and lots of hair pulling, I was looking for a replacement box and came across this post.

buy the man a cigar..my wife is happy..and who on earth can put a price on THAT.

The moment I pulled the S-video, tuner two came back on the line with no drops.

thanks!


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