RCA DTC-210 needs an access card? What kind?

[ghostman]

Hi,

I've been lurking a bit on these forums lately. I bought a RCA DTC-210 DirecTV receiver hoping to receive OTA HD. The person I bought the unit from tested the unit without an access card and it worked. In addition, I found a handful of websites (including this one) that suggested that it would work without a access card. That's why I bought it.

Now that I have it, when I go to "Select Dish Type" to attempt to set it to "No Dish", I get a message asking me to insert the access card. My only option is to click OK, which just throws me back to the setup menu. I can't set it to No Dish! :-(

So, now I need to get an access card, but I don't know which kind. I noticed P3, P4, P6 cards on ebay. Will they all work? Will only certain ones work? Will having a non-functioning card be enough?

 

[roashru]

ghostman, your directv receiver is requesting the last activated or "married" card that was in it. normally that prompt is for changing or upgrading cards. if you reset the software in the receiver you will get rid any of the previous owners data and settings. could also try calling some directv dealers in your area to see if they will help you.

 

[ghostman]

The "married" card would be a problem, since the original owner said he had to send that back. I tried hitting the reset button, but it didn't fix anything. Is there another reset? I tried setting it to factor defaults, but again, it prompted for the access card.

The specific error is:

Please insert your access card
Receiver=0001 XXXX.....

BTW, I was expecting it to work because of this:
http://home.att.net/~roashru/Directv.html

 

[roashru]

ghostman, that list is based on all of the directv hd receiver manuals that the receiver dish type can be set to "no dish", "none", or "no satellite" all of the directv receivers i have set the dish type for ota only have never prompted me for a card this could be the software version the receiver has or rca. i checked the rca dtc-210 manual again there is no mention in the manual about needing an access card.

if the the receiver still knows a card number you didnt find a hidden service menu to reset it there.

 

[ghostman]

Haha. I didn't realize you were the owner of that page when I posted it. Yeah, I browsed quickly through the manual and didn't find that error message anywhere.

Basically, the first screen I see is the "Installing" screen. Being the only button available, I click it and it sends me to a screen with the options:

Select Dish Type
Dish Pointing
Auto Detection
DirecTV Satellite Signal Meter
Back

And that's all I can access. Oddly, I managed to get out to the setup screen once while randomly clicking away. The options included Preferences and such, but the Off-Air option was greyed out. No clue how to get back to the menu though. Hitting "Menu" brings me back to the "Installing" screen.

 

[roashru]

ghostman, i found a possible service menu code for the rca dtc-210 if it works please post what you see.

on front of reciever switch to 1080i, on the remote push menu then enter numbers 1,3,7,0.

 

[Digital Dude]

You can get into the setup menu with any old directv card inserted.

 

[roashru]

"if the the receiver still knows a card number you didnt find a hidden service menu to reset it there."

 

[Rick0725]

There is a word document attached to a post for the instructions on how to install the directv 72.5 satellite in the directv forum here.

At the end of that document is a list of tuners and how to reset them to the original factory condition.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=20327&highlight=72.5

RCA HD D210 Steps:
Enter the System Diagnostic screen

1.On the receiver press and hold MENU and RIGHT ARROW (You may have do press MENU and RIGHT ARROW twice). The first the MENU will come up the second time SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC will come up.
2.Scroll down and highlight COMMANDS
3.Scroll down to Default Settings

 

[ghostman]

ghostman, i found a possible service menu code for the rca dtc-210 if it works please post what you see.

on front of reciever switch to 1080i, on the remote push menu then enter numbers 1,3,7,0.

I'll give this a shot later (at work now). Though I'm wary about messing with service menus blindly. There's a possibility the owner still has the original deactivated access card somewhere. I'm hoping that will solve this problem, though I don't know why I'm having this trouble to start with.

"if the the receiver still knows a card number you didnt find a hidden service menu to reset it there."
I'm actually not sure what that means. Are you saying I might be able to make the unit forget the "married" card through the old service menu? I noticed that for Voom units, they tell you not to reset the box. I guess that's because the Voom service needed an activated card. I'm guessing a deactivated card should still work for DirecTV units.

RCA HD D210 Steps:
Enter the System Diagnostic screen

1.On the receiver press and hold MENU and RIGHT ARROW (You may have do press MENU and RIGHT ARROW twice). The first the MENU will come up the second time SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC will come up.
2.Scroll down and highlight COMMANDS
3.Scroll down to Default Settings

Thanks Rick0725, but I've already attempted that. I found that through the manual. Unfortunately, when I hit Default Settings, I get the same error asking me to insert an access card.

Interestingly, I found a similar situation here with a RCA DTC-100:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=638938

 

[Rick0725]

The operation above is not the little red button reset.

It restores the unit to original factory condition...like brand new out of box.

think there is a change card option in the menu.

I have done this on my rca, samsung, lg, sony, etc to clean everything up including the ota scans.

 

[ghostman]

The operation above is not the little red button reset.

It restores the unit to original factory condition...like brand new out of box.

think there is a change card option in the menu.

I have done this on my rca, samsung, lg, sony, etc to clean everything up including the ota scans.

Yes, I'm aware it's not the red button reset. I hit Menu+Right, select COMMAND, then select Default Setting. Once I click on that, it prompts me for the access card again. Thanks for the suggestion... still not sure why I have such a weird unit.

 

[roashru]

RCA DTC-210 and Samsung SIR-TS360 with similar hidden reset code. oh no

 

[Digital Dude]

I just switched from DirecTV to Dish. I've had nearly every HD receiver that DirecTV ever put out. One of our 4 DirecTV HD boxes is a RCA DTC-210.

Since our account is cancelled I pulled the P5 card out of the DTC-210 and inserted an old P3 (football) card I had laying around. Guess what? I went right into the menu, install, dish type, changed to no dish! It rebooted and works fine as an OTA box.

Any Directv card will allow you to get into the setup menu, married or not.

The DTC-210 is just a TS360 without the inputs and a faster processor, same menus etc.

 

[ghostman]

Gah! This thing is killing me. I finally got the original access card. But when I attempt to set it to No Dish, it now prompts me for a password! I'm currently asking the seller for the password, but is there a way to reset it?

I'm following the manual, and it currently asks me to first set the unit to No Dish, then enter the commands menu, then clear the password. But I can't set it to No Dish without the password. It's a catch-22! Sigh...

 

[ghostman]

Gah! This thing is killing me. I finally got the original access card. But when I attempt to set it to No Dish, it now prompts me for a password! I'm currently asking the seller for the password, but is there a way to reset it?

I'm following the manual, and it currently asks me to first set the unit to No Dish, then enter the commands menu, then clear the password. But I can't set it to No Dish without the password. It's a catch-22! Sigh...

Ok, for some reason, when I attempted this again after hitting some buttons (random buttons, like Menu, System Setup, etc.), it allowed me to reset the unit from the Command menu. After that, I was able to set it to No Dish and scan for off-air channels. I don't have a UHF antenna (no outdoor antenna either), but I a paper clip and a coat hanger was able to pull in channel 2-1 and 5-1. So it seems everything is working now!

Thanks for everyone in the thread who put in your suggestions. They were all much appreciated. Now, off to buy the Zenith antenna...