H21 Requires Frequent Rebooting

[cassowary]

More often than not when I turn on one of my H21-200 receivers all that is displayed is a yellow-green screen on the TV. At this point no buttons on the remote or front of the receiver will respond. I have to unplug AC power from the receiver and plug it back in, then the receiver re-boots and after about 4 minutes of all the checks, etc., everything is normal. This occurs if I turn the receiver off when I turn the TV off or if I leave the receiver on and turn the TV off when I finish watching.

As usual when I called DirecTV the person starts checking some elementary list of problems, none of which are remotely close to what is occurring. Has anyone had this problem with the H21-200? I bought the receiver in Sept. '09 from Best Buy. I don't know if they will exchange it but if I can't find a fix I will haul it back to them. Does anyone know if DirecTV will send a new one after 90 days of use? I did not ask the gal to whom I spoke if that was an option. If I can't find a fix I will also try that route. Thanks.

P.S. I still have one H20 and I had better luck with it than the H21 (have 3).

 

[Jimbo]

More often than not when I turn on one of my H21-200 receivers all that is displayed is a yellow-green screen on the TV. At this point no buttons on the remote or front of the receiver will respond. I have to unplug AC power from the receiver and plug it back in, then the receiver re-boots and after about 4 minutes of all the checks, etc., everything is normal. This occurs if I turn the receiver off when I turn the TV off or if I leave the receiver on and turn the TV off when I finish watching.

As usual when I called DirecTV the person starts checking some elementary list of problems, none of which are remotely close to what is occurring. Has anyone had this problem with the H21-200? I bought the receiver in Sept. '09 from Best Buy. I don't know if they will exchange it but if I can't find a fix I will haul it back to them. Does anyone know if DirecTV will send a new one after 90 days of use? I did not ask the gal to whom I spoke if that was an option. If I can't find a fix I will also try that route. Thanks.

P.S. I still have one H20 and I had better luck with it than the H21 (have 3).

Well, you cannot return it to BB.
I would call D* and have them send a new one out IF they will, otherwise set up a service call and let them decide what to do with it from there.

IF you have the Protection Plan there is no cost to you other than possibly a
$ 20 shipping fee or handling whatever they want to call it.
Still possible that there will be NO FEE, seeing how new it still is.

Definatly call them back and get it straightened out.

 

[sddtvtech]

not normal. you need a new reciever. D* will either send a tech or send you one through the mail.

 

[cassowary]

Yea, I talked to another neophyte at D* this morning. She opened her little "fix it" book and even though she did not find my specific problem she had me go into setup and change the "Native" setting to OFF. I doubt that has anything whatsoever to do with the problem but I changed it and terminated the conversation in a friendly manner. I often fear these type people will put nasty notes in the file if one gives them a ration, although I have done so quite often in the past. I realize they keep files from previous calls concerning problems with equipment (not a bad idea) but they hold the deck and can deal any card they please about sending one a new receiver or not should a customer's temperature rise a bit.

I cannot recall any company that employs so many people who know so little about their products. One consolation, at least the ones I have spoken to can be understood as they speak our native language. Not much comfort when they know so little about resolving technical problems.

Final vent; D* receivers over the years that I have owned/leased them have had various problems with any darn model they have made. It would look like the engineers could build a reliable product which would perhaps permit D* to let a lot of these phone answering people go. Yes, they probably are paid minimum wage and don't give a flip if they solve a problem or not.

I will call Best Buy as soon as they open but doubt they will take the receiver back. The 90 day D* warranty is way too short IMHO.

Thanks for the input and good advice, I really appreciate the prompt replies.

 

[sddtvtech]

They did make good product til the day they decided to make their OWN recievers. recievers like TIVOs, Samsung, RCA and those were built good. unforunately, they dont work with the new technology we are using tody such as local stations in HD and Concus programming that are in HD.

 

[yorktown]

You didn't buy the receiver from Best Buy in Sept. 09.
You paid the DIRECTV up front lease fee.
You don't own it.
You can't return it to Best Buy.

Sometimes electronics do just plain fail, doesn't mean that every single DIRECTV product ever made has various problems. I've been with DIRECTV for 13 years and I've never had a receiver or DVR go bad on me. Over the years I've upgraded from SD to HD equipment, but I've never had a unit go bad.

 

[raoul5788]

They did make good product til the day they decided to make their OWN recievers. recievers like TIVOs, Samsung, RCA and those were built good. unforunately, they dont work with the new technology we are using tody such as local stations in HD and Concus programming that are in HD.

You apparently don't realize that Directv isn't making their own receivers, they only brand them with their name. They are still made by Pace and other companies.

 

[sddtvtech]

You apparently don't realize that Directv isn't making their own receivers, they only brand them with their name. They are still made by Pace and other companies.

they are considered doing their own by designing it themselves instead of contracting like RCA, Samsung and TIVO. i mean those were better system than what DTV has now. they took the cheaper route and look what got them. they probably spend more on getting defective equipment fixed instead of having a good quaility brand.


you pay for what you get. simple as that.