HR23 without a switch? setup help!

[dcg9381]

I went from an old DVR to an HR23.
I've got a 3-LNB dish, I'm running 2-coax wires into the house.
Going through setup on my HR23, the setup seems to fail because I'm not selecting the right switch type.

Available switch types are : Multiswitch or SWM (single wire multiswitch).

I'm also selecting a 3-LNB 18"x20" dish. I'm only using two co-ax cables on a 3-LNB dish. The house is hardwired for two RG-6 cables only.

Do I need to get a switch to use the HR23? My old DVR's turners just connected to the dish directly.

Signal strength on each tuner is fine...

 

[jdspencer]

That dish has a built in multiswitch, so selecting the 3LNB is the correct choice. However, having said that. Which 3LNB dish do you have? The older Phase III or the Slimline SL3?

 

[cfb]

If he's "an old dvr" my guess is he's got the old dish and needs a new one.

How did you go to the hr23, bought it at retail or from directv or some other way?

Directv will hook you up with a 2 year commit when you activate the receiver, and you can get them to put a new dish on and recheck your install for free with the same 2 year commit.

Only way you get around the 2 year commit is if its an "owned" HR2x, and those are rare. If you bought it on ebay or craigslist, theres a good chance its someones leased box and directv may not activate it.

 

[dcg9381]

I bought the HR23 from a contractor that does installs for DirectTV. DirectTV has no problems activating it. I've called with the ID of the box and card. I bought it directly, it's not leased - I didn't want another 2 year service agreement and a $200 charge for the DVR, which is what I was being offered.

My old DVR is a HR10-250. It's connected to a fairly basic dish that was designed for portable use (3 LNB). The HR10-250 did not ask about switch configuration - so I'm wondering if what I'm missing here is a switch?

Can you guys confirm:
1) That I need a switch
2) Which switch I should get?

I prefer to buy this equipment over having DTV come out an install it. We just completed a custom home and our dish isn't in the final location yet, we're still pending burial of some conduit and RG6.

 

[texasbrit]

I bought the HR23 from a contractor that does installs for DirectTV. DirectTV has no problems activating it. I've called with the ID of the box and card. I bought it directly, it's not leased - I didn't want another 2 year service agreement and a $200 charge for the DVR, which is what I was being offered.

My old DVR is a HR10-250. It's connected to a fairly basic dish that was designed for portable use (3 LNB). The HR10-250 did not ask about switch configuration - so I'm wondering if what I'm missing here is a switch?

Can you guys confirm:
1) That I need a switch
2) Which switch I should get?

I prefer to buy this equipment over having DTV come out an install it. We just completed a custom home and our dish isn't in the final location yet, we're still pending burial of some conduit and RG6.

just FYI. If you got it from a contractor that does DirecTV installs, it's almost certainly leased. Installers don't have "owned" boxes. DirecTV treats it as if you were having it installed by the contractor, so they will activate it without any problem. But you would have a 2-year commitment.

 

[scarebear]

if you have an 18x20 dish you should be selecting that by itself from the menu with "multiswitch"

I bought the HR23 from a contractor that does installs for DirectTV. DirectTV has no problems activating it. I've called with the ID of the box and card. I bought it directly, it's not leased - I didn't want another 2 year service agreement and a $200 charge for the DVR, which is what I was being offered.

dunno how that is going to work, everything is leased you pay upfront to offset the cost on a $450 box

 

[harshness]

YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED A NEW DISH!

You should also know that it won't fit on the current mast.

If you're not interested in latino channels, you can get away with a Slimline 3LNB model in Austin.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

The existing dish should work but won't receive the Ka band HD channels, so should be replaced with a Slimline (unless you only want SD).

 

[boba]

AND YES as has been stated when you activate it you will enter into a new 2YR. lease agreement. Don't believe us call D* and ask.

 

[harshness]

The existing dish should work but won't receive the Ka band HD channels, so should be replaced with a Slimline (unless you only want SD).

I'm betting that an HR23 without a HD subscription would be a whole lot of extra work. Especially if the OP finds out that it is indeed leased.

 

[dcg9381]

Guys, can we move off the "leased" issue? I bought it on a CC, just in case I was going to get screwed and I had been sold a leased unit. DirectTV has no problem activating this thing - I've talked to them already. There seems to be a healthy market for these unit - they can be found all day on Ebay and CL. If it fires another 2-yr agreement and that's the only way I can get it activated, that's fine - I saved money over buying one directly from DTV.

Existing dish does send signals to the receiver, but setup fails - there looks to be some mulitplexing or switching issues going on and I do not have a switch.

So what I'm hearing is that I need a slimline dish - and the hardware to mount it.
Do the slimline dishes come with a built in switch? I also see switches available separately....

 

[JMikeH]

If you only have the one receiver, no switch is needed, as it is built into the slimline. You will need 2 lines running from the LNB to the HR23.

 

[harshness]

The point that several are trying to make is if you need all this equipment and you're going to be collared into a 24 month commitment, you might as well have DIRECTV provide the equipment and do the work.

Talking to front-line CSRs isn't sufficient to determine if the receiver is leased or owned. They are not allowed to activate any receiver as "owned". For that you must work with a different department.

 

[harshness]

If you only have the one receiver, no switch is needed, as it is built into the slimline. You will need 2 lines running from the LNB to the HR23.

If the OP is replacing their only receiver, they could go with a SWM dish and only need a single line (of the two that are already there).

 

[dcg9381]

Guys, First, I appeciate the help. I can order a slimline dish, if that's what you would recommend.

An explanation of what changed between my existing 3-LNB dish and the "slimline" dishes / switch setup would help me understand what I'm doing here... I assume the switches are being added to provide the bandwidth required for HD?

I AM replacing my *only* receiver. The HR10-250 now reboots frequently - I could change it's hard drive, but I don't want to go to the trouble.

I don't want DTV out here - they'll want to do the quick and easy mounting job and drill holes into my home. We've gone to a lot of trouble to pre-wire everthing and insulate the house really well. There is a specific configuration that I'd like to retain and eventually the dish is going up on my barn - I just need to finish the conduit run... It's 102 in Texas today...

 

[cfb]

How much did you pay the contractor for the receiver? If it was in the ~$500 range it might be an owned unit.

The units that are "all over ebay" are 98% leased units that the sellers dont know are leased because they think if they paid $200 for it, its an owned unit. $200 is a standard up front price for a leased unit. The rest "fell off a truck" or are former lease units that may also have a PPV balance still sitting on the access card...

Whether directv is fine with activating it isnt the issue or the right questions. The right questions are "Is this a leased unit or do I own it?" and "Am I going to get put on a two year commitment for activating this unit".

Best you do all that before you activate it.

 

[dishrich]

OP - regardless of whether you keep your existing oval dish, or get a new slimline, you do NOT need a switch either way. But you DO realize that if you stick with your existing dish, you will NOT get any HD channels (except for the few your old HD Tivo was getting) on your new HR23.

I don't understand why it is failing on the install; it should work just fine with your existing cabling/dish. (with the exception of getting the new HD channels) All you should have to select is multiswitch & 18x20 dish & it should work fine. Did you force a software upgrade after you got it activated? Are you getting all your channels that you should be getting - if you are, I wouldn't worry about it now.

 

[dcg9381]

OP - regardless of whether you keep your existing oval dish, or get a new slimline, you do NOT need a switch either way. But you DO realize that if you stick with your existing dish, you will NOT get any HD channels (except for the few your old HD Tivo was getting) on your new HR23.

I understand that sticking with the existing dish means non-HD channels.

When setting the DVR up. I choose "multiswitch" (there is no option for "no switch"). Signal strength comes in just fine on both tuners.

I get to a screen called "installation status".
I see a matrix like this:

99 101 103 110 119 (degrees)
odd (13v) X X X <blank> X
even (18v) X <check> X X X

"Check your installatin and re-test"

Software will not allow me to proceed past this point.

The point that several are trying to make is if you need all this equipment and you're going to be collared into a 24 month commitment, you might as well have DIRECTV provide the equipment and do the work.

Point taken. Again, I don't want them doing the install, "leasing" equipment.. I thought I was avoiding the 2-year contract, but apparently that is not true. . We've just had too many contractors that decide to do things their own way despite specific instructions. I don't think a contractor will like my temporary tripod setup...

 

[dcg9381]

Got it.. Just needed to "continue" past the screen above..

So I'm clear:
Without a HD subscription AND a switch type dish, I cannot receive HD content...

 

[dishrich]

So I'm clear:
Without a HD subscription AND a switch type dish, I cannot receive HD content...

Correct, but it's a "slimline" dish that you need f/HD - have no idea what a "switch type dish" is...