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DirecTV TiVO THR22: black screen & lost connection

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  • DirecTV TiVO THR22: black screen & lost connection

    I had trouble setting up our shiny new TiVO when we received it less than two months ago. I had a DirecTV service tech come. The problem was the dish configuration (which I didn't play with on my own). The tech configured the Dish as a Slimline-5 and installed the required B-Band converters. It worked just fine (obviously). For a while...

    Here's the problem: occasionally, for no apparent reason, the unit will stop recording/buffering on *either* tuner and the screen will go completely black. Most likely no message will pop up to say that the signal is lost. The signal can be restored by changing the channel on the offending tuner or by checking the satellite signal strength -- which is always just fine. This morning a message appeared saying something like "multiswitch not working, check your connections".

    My suspicion is that the signal from the dish is getting briefly interrupted and the TiVO gives up on it and doesn't attempt to reacquire.

    Here's why: our old HR10 HD TiVO unit exhibited the same #$%! frustrating behavior. Though it happened most often during hockey season (aka winter) in inclement weather, it could happen at any time. Since it was a second hand unit that had already been sent back to the shop for repairs, I assumed there was something wrong with the unit. (Since DirecTV was coming out with a new TiVO Real Soon Now, we put up with it.)

    Here are my thoughts about the cause of the problem:

    * There's a design flaw in TiVO that was also present on the old HR10 model.

    * Our HR10 and new THR22 just happen to be faulty in the same way; wow, what a coincidence if true.

    * There's a problem with cabling from the dish. If so, it has to be with both since the problem presents itself on either tuner. Since the problem has been happening during clear sunny weather we've been having recently, I'm skeptical that this is the current problem.

    * The dish's hardware is faulty.

    * Some combination of the above.

    Any ideas?

  • #2
    I'd say it's either a dish or cabling problem. Those two models (THR22 and HR10) are so different internally that they aren't really similar at all.

    I'd bet there's a cabling issue and/or a grounding issue somewhere.
    Been here a long time . . .

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    • #3
      Originally posted by WK-Michael View Post
      I'd bet there's a cabling issue and/or a grounding issue somewhere.
      I had the DirecTV techs come by. They tested the dish, which passed, so they replaced all the cabling and installed a grounding box. All those years of thinking our old TiVO was the problem!

      So far so good -- but I won't relax until I get through all of hockey season without any problems.

      Thanks for the input.

      Comment


      • #4
        Final chapter of DirecTV TiVO THR22: black screen & lost connection

        Originally posted by jmpiazza View Post
        I had the DirecTV techs come by. They tested the dish, which passed, so they replaced all the cabling and installed a grounding box. All those years of thinking our old TiVO was the problem!

        So far so good...
        Alas, no happy ending so far. We've had a total of four DirecTV service calls. EVERYTHING outside the TiVO has been replaced: cabling, grounding block, LNB (to current type), switched over to a "Slimline-5S (SWM)", and on the last visit, replaced the LNB again because there was nothing else to do.

        We should be having no problems.

        Now we wait. If a lost signal happens again the only thing left to do is replace the TiVO.

        Comment


        • #5
          What is the HR10 doing now? Disconnected due to the SWM dish?

          Maybe your power in your house is playing a role in the problems?
          Been here a long time . . .

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          • #6
            Originally posted by WK-Michael View Post
            What is the HR10 doing now? Disconnected due to the SWM dish?

            Maybe your power in your house is playing a role in the problems?
            We were going to look at the power but (surprise!) it's been virtually rock solid for exactly one week so far. It appears that the old bad LNB was replaced with a new bad LNB.

            I'm not going to relax until it continues to work well into hockey season.

            Side note: the forum's instant email notification hasn't been working for me.

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