Anyone Here Using the HR54 with an AM21?
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Because the reason I was asking is because rovi lists DirecTV as one of the companies that they provide their programming guide to
New to the forum and satellite TV, buts lots of computer hardware and software experience.
In Raleigh, NC -- just got a AM21n and connected to my HR44 (0xb23 software) and am getting the "stuck at 66%" scanning issue.
Without an antenna, and even with 5ft of coax, the scan completes, but no channels are detected. Normally I am using an amplified 50m Amazon Basics antenna. Connected directly to the TV, I get the full compliment of Raleigh, NC OTA stations.
Any hints that can be offered? I read something about adding in stations manually? Can that be done?
Thanks again,
Scott.
In Raleigh, NC -- just got a AM21n and connected to my HR44 (0xb23 software) and am getting the "stuck at 66%" scanning issue.
Without an antenna, and even with 5ft of coax, the scan completes, but no channels are detected. Normally I am using an amplified 50m Amazon Basics antenna. Connected directly to the TV, I get the full compliment of Raleigh, NC OTA stations.
Any hints that can be offered? I read something about adding in stations manually? Can that be done?
Thanks again,
Scott.
I'm no expert or anything, but have you thought about replacing your AM21? I know you can find other ones at sites such as solidsignal.com
Well I need full integration with the DirectTV guide, are there third party tuners that fully integrate and allow recording? I imagine that would require a reverse engineering of the USB protocol DirectTV uses.
18.1 miles according to tcfool. See attachment --- the PBS station is first on the list, WUNC.
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to Satelliteguys Scott! Have you tried using the powered antenna without the power? Have you tried different combinations of antenna or different lengths of just coax? From reading post #18, it seems that the PBS station is what is screwing things up.
I have tried a 5ft and 15ft length of coax. I will unplug the amplifier tonight and try when I get home.
I was thinking of putting some sheet metal between the antenna and the PBS tower, to see if I could block that signal enough to get it to scan to 100%. Any ideas on making a directional blocker?
Thanks -- Scott.
I was thinking of putting some sheet metal between the antenna and the PBS tower, to see if I could block that signal enough to get it to scan to 100%. Any ideas on making a directional blocker?
Thanks -- Scott.
If you have access to a small indoor antenna you could try scanning with it and see if it will find the channels you want, then reconnect your big antenna. The consensus seems to be that once the AM21 gets past the scanning stage it works fine. For some reason one of DirecTV's changes has made it more sensitive to signal levels than before.
So it is signal level? From reading I did not get there was a consensus as to it being something in that PBS signal (content) verses the strength of the signal.
If it is strength, I can try without the amp to see if I get anything. If it hangs I can shield it a delta at a time until the signal level is whats required to get the scan to complete. If it is the PBS signal content, there is not two much I can do.
Thanks again,
Scott.
If it is strength, I can try without the amp to see if I get anything. If it hangs I can shield it a delta at a time until the signal level is whats required to get the scan to complete. If it is the PBS signal content, there is not two much I can do.
Thanks again,
Scott.
It could be something in the PBS signal, sometimes they do transmit odd things. But that hasn't been proven. Another poster in the Chicago area on DBSTalk has the same issue and he narrowed his down to WGN's signal in his area though, so that leads me to believe it could possibly be signal related vs simply a PBS issue. I'd try reducing the signal and see if the channels you want to receive still will scan in. If they do you can put everything back the way it is and it should work fine.
Right -- I read that post this morning. I have a plan. I have the directional map from TVfool overlaid on a google earth picture of my house. I should be able to reduce PBS enough, it is at 315 degrees, and most of the stations I really care about are at 106 degrees. That's a good bit of separation.
OK -- lots of experimentation tonight.
The upshot is at least in the Raleigh zip, as soon as the WUNC (25 / 11.1, 11.2, 11.3) get strong enough for the AM21 to recognize a signal is there, the scanning locks up.
First I tried the varying lengths of coax -- no stations.
Second I tried the antenna without the amp in the middle of the room -- picked up one channel.
Third, moved the antenna to the window -- locked up -- Seems my second strongest channel is WUNC...
Any amplified location caused a lockup... Started adding splitters to the amplified antenna, could not get it to not lockup.
Had to resort to pulling the antenna connection when scanning got to 65% (66% locks up), and plug it back in at %67. My first try, I got 5 stations, my second try I got 8 -- including the two that are essential for my wife.
If I had a true unidirectional antenna, perhaps I could point it at the two locations I am interested in, which are more than 90 degrees away from WUNC and get more.
These experiments, while not conclusive at all, lead me to believe that it is something in the signal of WUNC and not the strength of the signal. The first station I picked up was stronger than WUNC, and the scan completed fine.
I will continue looking for solutions that allow me to pick up all 36 stations I get when my antenna is directly connected to my TV.
Cheers,
Scott.
The upshot is at least in the Raleigh zip, as soon as the WUNC (25 / 11.1, 11.2, 11.3) get strong enough for the AM21 to recognize a signal is there, the scanning locks up.
First I tried the varying lengths of coax -- no stations.
Second I tried the antenna without the amp in the middle of the room -- picked up one channel.
Third, moved the antenna to the window -- locked up -- Seems my second strongest channel is WUNC...
Any amplified location caused a lockup... Started adding splitters to the amplified antenna, could not get it to not lockup.
Had to resort to pulling the antenna connection when scanning got to 65% (66% locks up), and plug it back in at %67. My first try, I got 5 stations, my second try I got 8 -- including the two that are essential for my wife.
If I had a true unidirectional antenna, perhaps I could point it at the two locations I am interested in, which are more than 90 degrees away from WUNC and get more.
These experiments, while not conclusive at all, lead me to believe that it is something in the signal of WUNC and not the strength of the signal. The first station I picked up was stronger than WUNC, and the scan completed fine.
I will continue looking for solutions that allow me to pick up all 36 stations I get when my antenna is directly connected to my TV.
Cheers,
Scott.
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