HR44 and AM21n strange problem, help !

[Steve_in_FL]

I've been trying to figure this out for a couple of months and have done everything I can think of. I've read a lot here too but I need some help please.

I had a HR34 genie for a couple years but recently got DTV to upgrade it to the HR44 genie. Also have 3 mini receivers. I purchased the AM21n off of Amazon and had it hooked to the HR34 and after some trying, I got all the OTA channels I wanted.

However, ever since I hooked it to the new HR44 I'm having some strange problems, as follows...

Specifically, the only channel I'm having the problem with is 27.2 which is WRDQ-DT2 "Antenna TV" from Orlando. (I'm just outside Orlando and get all Orlando channels)

The strange thing is, it shows in the "edit off air channels" but I can't get it to show in the guide. Also, the signal strength for 27.2 is decent at 50 to 60 and I can get it stronger by raising my outdoor antenna. I can view it perfectly directly through my TV's tuner.

And, for some reason, channel 31.2 shows in the guide as WRDQ-DT2 and has the correct program info displayed but is actually a spanish channel and NOT Antenna TV. And, I can't get 31-2 out of the guide !

I'll add some screen shots shortly.

I need some help and advise please, thanks,

Steve

 

[raoul5788]

I've read a couple of similar posts to this. There was no solution given. I would try rebooting and see if that helps.

 

[Mr Tony]

what I would do is clear the antenna out (it says reset settings or something like that)
then do a double red button reboot (reboot, wait until you have tv again then do another red button reboot)...that will clear out the old guide info

then do the antenna setup

what looks weird is this
Directv database shows 27-1 & 27-2 only
Rabbitears shows 27-1 as Independent, 27-2 as Antenna TV and 31-2 (RF27-3) as Telemundo simulcast (there is a low powered 31-1 as the main Telemundo)

 

[raoul5788]

Good point on the double reboot Iceberg.

 

[Steve_in_FL]

Thanks for the fast replies and help.

I have done the Reset in antenna settings and re-did the "initial setup" and rebooted many times. However, I reboot by unplugging both the HR44 and the Am21n, waiting a few seconds and plugging them back in.

I'll try the double red button reboot. Do I wait for the HR44 to completely reboot before pressing it again ?

The only way I've ever been able to clear everything before is by doing a complete reset and loosing all my recordings and guide settings and haven't wanted to do that unless that's the only way to fix this.

And right, I think 31-2 is actually Telemundo ???

Thanks again,

Steve

 

[coconut10]

I've been trying to figure this out for a couple of months and have done everything I can think of. I've read a lot here too but I need some help please.

I had a HR34 genie for a couple years but recently got DTV to upgrade it to the HR44 genie. Also have 3 mini receivers. I purchased the AM21n off of Amazon and had it hooked to the HR34 and after some trying, I got all the OTA channels I wanted.

However, ever since I hooked it to the new HR44 I'm having some strange problems, as follows...

Specifically, the only channel I'm having the problem with is 27.2 which is WRDQ-DT2 "Antenna TV" from Orlando. (I'm just outside Orlando and get all Orlando channels)

The strange thing is, it shows in the "edit off air channels" but I can't get it to show in the guide. Also, the signal strength for 27.2 is decent at 50 to 60 and I can get it stronger by raising my outdoor antenna. I can view it perfectly directly through my TV's tuner.

And, for some reason, channel 31.2 shows in the guide as WRDQ-DT2 and has the correct program info displayed but is actually a spanish channel and NOT Antenna TV. And, I can't get 31-2 out of the guide !

I'll add some screen shots shortly.

I need some help and advise please, thanks,

Steve[/QUOTE

I'm no expert and I might be wrong with what I'm going to suppose. But, here's what I think might be going on. If you look at Orlando's stations on Rabbit Ears, both 27.2 and 31.2 are broadcast on RF27. D* database only carries 27.2, not 31.2. So you should only receive 27.2 and not 31.2. The way the AM21 works it will pickup both stations because they are broadcast on the same RF frequency. IF the signal is stronger on 31.2 over 27.2 it will show that station and not the other one even though they both show up in your " edit channels" because they are broadcast on the same RF, but with different channels numbers assigned. As far as looking how to correct this, I have no idea. It can only show the stronger broadcast channel because of the RF conflict.

 

[Mr Tony]

I'll try the double red button reboot. Do I wait for the HR44 to completely reboot before pressing it again ?

wait until it says "downloading guide" then hit the red button again

The only way I've ever been able to clear everything before is by doing a complete reset and loosing all my recordings and guide settings and haven't wanted to do that unless that's the only way to fix this.

double rbr will clear the guide info

 

[Steve_in_FL]

Great, I'll try it and post what happens. Thanks!

 

[Mr Tony]

I'm no expert and I might be wrong with what I'm going to suppose. But, here's what I think might be going on. If you look at Orlando's stations on Rabbit Ears, both 27.2 and 31.2 are broadcast on RF27. D* database only carries 27.2, not 31.2. So you should only receive 27.2 and not 31.2.

should is the key word there

The way the AM21 works it will pickup both stations because they are broadcast on the same RF frequency. IF the signal is stronger on 31.2 over 27.2 it will show that station and not the other one even though they both show up in your " edit channels" because they are broadcast on the same RF, but with different channels numbers assigned.

stronger signal doesnt mean anything. Look closely at rabbitears
RF27-2 is what maps as 27-2 AntennaTV
RF27-3 is what maps as 31-2 Telemundo
They are different stations. The AM21 should not even know 27-3 exists as its not in the database

Plus they're on the same RF channel so the signal would be the same

As far as looking how to correct this, I have no idea. It can only show the stronger broadcast channel because of the RF conflict.

there is no RF conflict as I posted above.

I wonder if AntennaTV was just added recently? edit: nope wiki shows AntennaTV has been there for 2+ years

 

[Mr Tony]

I have done the Reset in antenna settings and re-did the "initial setup" and rebooted many times. However, I reboot by unplugging both the HR44 and the Am21n, waiting a few seconds and plugging them back in.

unfortunately the AM21 seems to have "gremlins" when doing a reset in the antenna settings. It doesnt truly clear out the guide info. I've had that happen to me before and the only thing that fixed it was doing the reset in antenna (to "clear" out the settings), then the double red button reboot.

 

[coconut10]

It's picking it up because it's a .2 RF27 station and the AM21 will match the two stations. You are right about the signal being the same because they are on the same RF. But in my AM21 application I pickup the same station on 2 different RF channels and it will show 2 channels in the "edit channels" but will only show one channel and it will be the channel with the stronger signal at the time it looks for the channels. In the instance in this post the AM21 is looking at 27.2 RF27 and 31.2 RF27 as the same channel and it will only show 1 channel, why its showing 31.2 I couldn't tell you.

 

[texasbrit]

I've been trying to figure this out for a couple of months and have done everything I can think of. I've read a lot here too but I need some help please.

I had a HR34 genie for a couple years but recently got DTV to upgrade it to the HR44 genie. Also have 3 mini receivers. I purchased the AM21n off of Amazon and had it hooked to the HR34 and after some trying, I got all the OTA channels I wanted.

However, ever since I hooked it to the new HR44 I'm having some strange problems, as follows...

Specifically, the only channel I'm having the problem with is 27.2 which is WRDQ-DT2 "Antenna TV" from Orlando. (I'm just outside Orlando and get all Orlando channels)

The strange thing is, it shows in the "edit off air channels" but I can't get it to show in the guide. Also, the signal strength for 27.2 is decent at 50 to 60 and I can get it stronger by raising my outdoor antenna. I can view it perfectly directly through my TV's tuner.

And, for some reason, channel 31.2 shows in the guide as WRDQ-DT2 and has the correct program info displayed but is actually a spanish channel and NOT Antenna TV. And, I can't get 31-2 out of the guide !

I'll add some screen shots shortly.

I need some help and advise please, thanks,

Steve[/QUOTE

I'm no expert and I might be wrong with what I'm going to suppose. But, here's what I think might be going on. If you look at Orlando's stations on Rabbit Ears, both 27.2 and 31.2 are broadcast on RF27. D* database only carries 27.2, not 31.2. So you should only receive 27.2 and not 31.2. The way the AM21 works it will pickup both stations because they are broadcast on the same RF frequency. IF the signal is stronger on 31.2 over 27.2 it will show that station and not the other one even though they both show up in your " edit channels" because they are broadcast on the same RF, but with different channels numbers assigned. As far as looking how to correct this, I have no idea. It can only show the stronger broadcast channel because of the RF conflict.

No, that's not how it works. Channel 27 is transmitting three subchannels, they are all on RF27. 27.1 and 27.2, and then in the slot that would normally be occupied by 27.3 they are broadcasting a channel with the "virtual" channel number 31.2.
To be correct, the guide should show all three. It looks like the channel mappings for 31.2 and 27.2 are screwed up. If I look at zap2it, which is the source of the data, that's screwed up as well, because it shows the 31.1 shows as being on a station called "27.3"
Suggest you email Tribune (there's a response form on the zap2it site) and tell them they are supplying the wrong data to DirecTV for this block of channels, see if they can fix it.

 

[raoul5788]

I forgot to you to Satelliteguys Steve_in_FL!

 

[Steve_in_FL]

OK, I did the Antenna Reset procedure, then the double red button reboot (it never says "Downloading Guide", instead "Step 2 of 2: Receiving satellite info" which is when I press the red button again.

That did clear out the OTA channels in the guide. I then re did the "initial setup" for antenna and my zip code was still there, I re-entered my zip code and after it was done, everything is exactly the same, that is, the 32-2 still showing 27-2 Antenna TV info but is actually Telemundo. And 27-2 showing in edit OTA channels but not in the guide.

This did all work fine when I had the HR34, maybe I used a different zip code when I had the HR34 hooked up but I sure don't recall what it was and I've tried many different ones where 27-2 is used but no luck yet.

Any ideas as to what I should try ?

I'll email Tribune with the info you provided and at least try to get them to fix the listing.

 

[Mr Tony]

It's picking it up because it's a .2 RF27 station and the AM21 will match the two stations.

no it doesn't. The Telemundo is RF27-3 whereas the AntennaTV is RF27-2. Doesnt matter what it "maps" to as the AM21 only takes the RF channel. The spreadsheet I have shows only RF27-1 & 27-2 in the database

 

[coconut10]

Sometimes by running a secondary zip code you can get a channel not in the database. I don't know if it will work in this instance, since you already have a 27.2 channel. But you can try. Run your Orlando zip and use Oklahoma City (73101) as your secondary zip. OKC runs ANTENNATV on 4.2 RF27 and it might give you that channel as a dual channel in your "edit channels". No harm in trying. If that doesn't work you can try running any zip code that has an active 27.2 channel to try and attain the channel, but you would have the guide for the channel you run. That's why OKC would be my first try. Because if it works, it also gives you the right guide for the channel.

 

[Mr Tony]

To be correct, the guide should show all three.

the issue is the database for the AM21 does not have RF27-3 in the database. Here is the OTA database for Orlando
call sign/channel/RF channel
WESHDT 2–1 11
WESHDT2 2–2 11
WKMGDT 6–1 26
WKMGDT2 6–2 26
WFTVDT 9–1 39
WFTVDT2 9–2 39
WDSCDT 15–1 33
WDSCDT2 15–2 33
WDSCDT3 15–3 33
WKCFDT 18–1 17
WKCFDT2 18–2 17
WKCFDT3 18–3 17
WUCFDT 24–1 23
WUCFDT2 24–2 23
WUCFDT3 24–3 23
WUCFDT4 24–4 23
WVENDT 26–1 49
WVENDT2 26–2 49
WRDQDT 27–1 27
WRDQDT2 27–2 27
WOFLDT 35–1 22
WOTFDT 43–1 43
WTGLDT 45–1 46
WTGLDT2 45–2 46
WTGLDT3 45–3 46
WHLVDT 52–1 51
WACXDT 55–1 40
WACXDT2 55–2 40
WACXDT3 55–3 40
WOPXDT 56–1 48
WOPXDT2 56–2 48
WOPXDT3 56–3 48
WOPXDT4 56–4 48
WRBWDT 65–1 41
WEFSDT 68–1 30
WEFSDT2 68–2 30
WEFSDT3 68–3 30
WEFSDT4 68–4 30

It looks like the channel mappings for 31.2 and 27.2 are screwed up. If I look at zap2it, which is the source of the data, that's screwed up as well, because it shows the 31.1 shows as being on a station called "27.3"

31.1 is the actual station (Telemundo). SInce its on a low powered station they are also on a subchannel of 27 (which is full powered). Hence the 31.2 moniker

Suggest you email Tribune (there's a response form on the zap2it site) and tell them they are supplying the wrong data to DirecTV for this block of channels, see if they can fix it.

moot point as Directv doesnt have 31-2 in the database

 

[coconut10]

The AM21 looks at 31-2 RF27 as a -2RF27 station and that's why there is a conflict. I don't know why, but that's the way it is. I can pick up 5.6 RF45 THIS in the Twin Cities because my antenna picks up the translator feed for 5.6 THIS out of St James MN. St James 5.6 broadcasts on RF44. By using Cincinnati OH as a secondary zip I get the channel because Cin. has a 52.6 RF44 channel in the database. By matching the .6 RF44 it gives me 5.6 with the Cin. guide for the channel. I don't know why, but that's the way the AM21 works. It puts it as 5.6 WKON in my guide.

 

[Mr Tony]

I don't know why, but that's the way it is.

the AM21 is so screwed up...thats why
I remember when I had mine and it was such a PITA with half the channels not being in the database. I dont have Directv anymore but I did notice the Duluth area (where I am now) has guide info right...of course they havent added anything there in a few years

The AM21 looks at 31-2 RF27 as a -2RF27 station and that's why there is a conflict.

the issue is it SHOULDN'T be....RF27-2 shows as AntennaTV. RF27-3 shows as Telemundo

 

[coconut10]

I agree. But since the database for Orlando doesn't have a 31.2 the AM21 when it scans, will match to a .2 RF27 channel, and hence the conflict. There have been others on different websites with the same problems in Orlando.