Anyone Here Using the HR54 with an AM21?

[scots]

I just got the HR54 on Friday, and I have an AM21 that I've used with no problems for about 4 years with the HR34 that I had previously. I've got the AM21 connected to the HR54, and the HR54 sees it. I'm able to start the setup process, enter my primary market ZIP code, and then it goes to the "Receiving satellite info..." screen. It starts the download process, and then part way through the download everything freezes up. I've tried three times now, and the same thing has happened all three times. The first time it froze at 66%, the second time it made it to 67% before it froze, and right now it's froze again at 66%. Each time I let it sit for quite a while, but it never gets any further along. I can't do anything at all with the HR54 once this freeze happens, and the only way I've been able to get the HR54 going again is to press the red reset button on the side. This never happened with the HR34.

Anyone here using the HR54 with an AM21 successfully? Any ideas as to what's going on or how to get it working? I haven't bothered contacting DIRECTV since they've ended support on the AM21. It's not a huge deal, but occasionally there's something on one of the sub-channels (which DIRECTV doesn't carry) that I like to watch - or when WRAL is showing sports on the main channel that runs over they'll show the network programming on WRAL-2.

 

[twizt3dsist3r]

My am21 works fine with my hr54. Many others have posted the same.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[scots]

Tried two more times today. Exact same thing happened again both times. I got to the "Receiving satellite info..." screen, the progress bar got up to 67% and froze there both times. Not able to do anything at all with HR54 at that point other than hit the reset button.

 

[Al K]

Tried two more times today. Exact same thing happened again both times. I got to the "Receiving satellite info..." screen, the progress bar got up to 67% and froze there both times. Not able to do anything at all with HR54 at that point other than hit the reset button.

Just hooked up my AM21 to my HR54 today. Everything went smoothly and it works fine!

 

[scots]

Tried a third time today. Once again, on the "Receiving satellite info..." screen the progress bar froze at 67%. I went out to run some errands and get something to eat, and left it sitting there to see if it would continue on. When I got back home two and a half hours later it was still sitting there at 67%, so I did the red button reset again.

 

[scots]

I tried it again after letting things sit around for a week. Still not working. Still doing the same thing. It got to 66% on the "Receiving satellite info..." progress bar and froze. One thing I did notice this time that it wasn't doing last week - the C61K stopped showing what was being watched, and a message came up on that screen that said "All resources are being used for a network operation." That message stayed there on the C61K until I reset the HR54.

Anyone have any ideas what's going on or why this isn't working for me??

 

[cpalmer2k]

It shouldn't matter, but have you tried unhooking the antenna when you run the setup and then manually add the channels (assuming it goes past the 66%). Try another USB port too, if you haven't already.

 

[goaliebob99]

Mine has issues as well. (HR54) Mine will go through the entire process and not find any channels. If I hook it up to my HR24, it has no issues. This is on an AM21.

 

[scots]

It shouldn't matter, but have you tried unhooking the antenna when you run the setup and then manually add the channels (assuming it goes past the 66%). Try another USB port too, if you haven't already.

The HR54 only has one USB port on the back. I disconnected the antenna from the AM21 and tried things with the antenna disconnected. Everything went right on through with no problems with the antenna disconnected from the AM21 - but it didn't show any local channels after it finished. I reconnected the antenna and tried again. Same thing happened as before - got to 66% and froze. Left it sitting there while I left the house and did some things. Got back home about 4 1/2 hours later, and it was still froze at 66% until I did the red button reset.

 

[jcrandall]

Just an odd thought, have you tried a different zip code from the same DMA, such as a neighboring city? Perhaps there is a database issue.

 

[cpalmer2k]

The HR54 only has one USB port on the back. I disconnected the antenna from the AM21 and tried things with the antenna disconnected. Everything went right on through with no problems with the antenna disconnected from the AM21 - but it didn't show any local channels after it finished. I reconnected the antenna and tried again. Same thing happened as before - got to 66% and froze. Left it sitting there while I left the house and did some things. Got back home about 4 1/2 hours later, and it was still froze at 66% until I did the red button reset.

Clearly one of your local stations has some kind of issue with it's data stream that is causing the AM21N's tuners to hang at a particular point in time. That explains why it worked fine with the antenna disconnected. Could you post a TV Fool report for your address? It might indicate which station(s) are most likely to be your problem.

 

[scots]

I've had the AM21 for about 4 years, and it worked with zero problems on an HR34. The first year was in Raleigh, NC (zip 27604), and the last 3 years at our current location in Fuquay Varina, NC (a suburb of Raleigh - zip 27526, same DMA). The problem didn't start until I connected the AM21 to the HR54 that I got a little over a week ago.

I tried a different zip code as jcrandall suggested - from our old house. Same thing happened. It made it up to 67% and froze until I did the red button reset.

I did the TV Fool report. I've normally been able to pick things up from the top of the list down to WUVC with no problem through the AM21.

 

[cpalmer2k]

Ok one more question, what kind of antenna are you using and is it amplified? Most of your stations are very strong, they could be overloading the AM21. Yes I know it doesn't make much sense that it worked fine with the 34 but not with the 54. However the fact that it completes setup fine without an antenna attached seems to prove my theory about it being a scan/stream issue correct

 

[scots]

I'm using the Mohu Leaf 50, and it is amplified.

 

[cpalmer2k]

I have one more idea you can try. Do you have an extra coax cable (3 foot, 6 foot, etc) laying around? If so try hooking the coax cable to the antenna input on the AM21N, and run the setup. Just let the cable act as your antenna and see what happens. I think as strong as your signals are it might receive enough of them to make the AM21 recognize the stations. If that works, choose the stations you want to include in your guide, and then hook up the Leaf and use it without re-running setup.

Your signals are very high. I know the Leaf isn't much, but with it being amplified signals in the 60's could definitely be overpowering the tuners. Why the 54 is more sensitive than the 34 I don't know, but it is the only logical explanation.

 

[scots]

Not sure if I have any coax laying around anywhere or not. I probably do. I unplugged the power on the Leaf (it's not a requirement to have it plugged in to power) and ran the setup again with the Leaf as just a "basic" antenna. Same thing happened. Made it up to 66% and froze.

 

[cpalmer2k]

It's gotta be a stream/power issue, that's the only explanation that makes sense. I think if you can ever make it past the setup it will function fine

 

[scots]

Well I FINALLY got it working!

I remembered that the coax can be disconnected from the Leaf - so I did that so it was just the coax connected. Ran the setup again, and this time I also input a secondary zip code (used my old zip). It went right on through, but was missing a few channels.

Then I did it again with the Leaf connected, but the power was disconnected so it wasn't amplified. Entered the secondary zip code again this time, and it went right on through again. Had some more channels, but was missing PBS.

Tried it a third time with the power connected. Entered the secondary zip again. This time it crapped out at 66% again, and I had to do a red button reset.

Still have the power connected, and I'm getting everything except PBS on it - so I guess PBS is the problem? I don't think I ever re-ran the setup after we moved out here when it was connected to the HR34. Out here the PBS signal is weaker than at the old house, and I sometimes had trouble getting it to come in after we moved out here.

 

[cpalmer2k]

Glad to hear it made it through. PBS stations do often put strange things into their data streams. It very well could be that was your problem.

 

[Stephen Henson]

Who actually provides guide data for DirecTV