VOD Activation Information for HR21 CE Users

[bigwalt]

VOD Help with HR21

Just got DTV installed. My HR21 has ver0x193 that was installed on 1/4/2008. Does this version support VOD?

If it does - before I call Direct TV phone # to activate DOD do I need to have either a phone line or Internet connection to my HR21?

 

[Ritchie]

VOD Success

Hi all

I'm a new forum member, but a long time DirecTV user. After building and using various DVR computers, I got my first DVR+, an HR21. Wondering about the DoD mentions I came across in the manuals and online, I discovered this forum, and hence discovered CE software. I downloaded last night, and everything worked fine, but no VOD channels. (Even without the VOD, the new OS has some improvements). I thought that I'd wait a bit before calling DirecTV and trying the automated activation, just to see what happened.

At about 24 hours after the software change, I was scrolling through the guide, when I noticed a banner between 245 and 246, advertising VOD/DoD. Selecting that, I was taken to a screen (showcase?) offering a 15 minute video called Welcome to DoD. When I went to the menu and selected "On Demand", something actually happened, besides the annoying "boink" sound - a screen popped up similar to "Active", with links to the various download options, and they worked. In fact I'm downloading a movie at the same time that I'm recording another HD movie, and I didn't expect that capability. When I went to channel 1000 in the guide, there were no chanels listed. Then I tried a new feature - yellow context button allows easy access to Favorites options. Changing to "All channels" allowed me to see the 1000 series of channels.

So, my experience with an HR21 and the new beta software was sucessful, and easy. Nice Work DirecTV. Hope it stays that way.

Happy viewing
Rich

 

[m99037]

No pay for view

I have the HR21 with the latest CE installed. I can't seem to get the Pay for View movies in On demand to download, it just says to call in. Is this normal being that it's in BETA? Everything else works great. Also do we have to download a new CE when they come out or are updates automatic after the first download? Thanks Marty

 

[jcrandall]

Just got DTV installed. My HR21 has ver0x193 that was installed on 1/4/2008. Does this version support VOD?

If it does - before I call Direct TV phone # to activate DOD do I need to have either a phone line or Internet connection to my HR21?

WELCOME to Satelliteguys!

You must download a CE release before you can do what you're asking.

They are only out on most Friday nights starting at 11pm EST.

 

[jcrandall]

I have the HR21 with the latest CE installed. I can't seem to get the Pay for View movies in On demand to download, it just says to call in. Is this normal being that it's in BETA? Everything else works great. Also do we have to download a new CE when they come out or are updates automatic after the first download? Thanks Marty

Do you have a phone line hooked to the receiver? That is required to buy PPV.

If not you can't use the on-demand PPV. If you do, can you run the system test (in setup menu) to make sure the phone modem is working?

 

[jcrandall]

Hi all

I'm a new forum member, but a long time DirecTV user. After building and using various DVR computers, I got my first DVR+, an HR21. Wondering about the DoD mentions I came across in the manuals and online, I discovered this forum, and hence discovered CE software. I downloaded last night, and everything worked fine, but no VOD channels. (Even without the VOD, the new OS has some improvements). I thought that I'd wait a bit before calling DirecTV and trying the automated activation, just to see what happened.

At about 24 hours after the software change, I was scrolling through the guide, when I noticed a banner between 245 and 246, advertising VOD/DoD. Selecting that, I was taken to a screen (showcase?) offering a 15 minute video called Welcome to DoD. When I went to the menu and selected "On Demand", something actually happened, besides the annoying "boink" sound - a screen popped up similar to "Active", with links to the various download options, and they worked. In fact I'm downloading a movie at the same time that I'm recording another HD movie, and I didn't expect that capability. When I went to channel 1000 in the guide, there were no chanels listed. Then I tried a new feature - yellow context button allows easy access to Favorites options. Changing to "All channels" allowed me to see the 1000 series of channels.

So, my experience with an HR21 and the new beta software was sucessful, and easy. Nice Work DirecTV. Hope it stays that way.

Happy viewing
Rich

Thanks for posting and WELCOME to the site!

VOD does take about 24 hours to start working. When they roll it out to all customers, however, most won't even notice since they won't know about it until they run into it in the guide or menu structure.

Glad it's working. Post any feedback if you have any issues

 

[markj73]

Well is this right?

Ok I got the CE (0x1fe) on an HR-21-700 working fine for the On Demand itself
however i was wondering if this is right.

When downloading 1 show (On Demand)
Recording 1 Show Satelite...
and watching or recording another show simultaneously the DVR will not work ont he second Live Show, if preset to record will be blank. If it's stictly live DirecTV it will pause but not resume easily. Not sure if this is the way it is supposed to be or not but other then that working well.

Basically you can't record 3 shows at once including one On Demand download, I guess watch for the conflicts of shows coming up. if you plan to download an on demand, while you wait watching another show.... Maybe im just greedy lol

 

[m99037]

I can order movies on regular PPV just not while in OD. Maybe it was just the movie, 3:10 to Yuma. I haven't tried it on any others in PPV OD. It did work fine when I got out of OD and used PPV the old way.

 

[Zman1176]

Adding items to the queue

When I try to add items to the queue to download, it adds the item then almost immediately removes it and 0's the queue out. I tried with The Tudors on Showtime (we have Showtime if you are wondering) and we tried Mythbusters but it happened on both. I did not see anything in the queue list either after doing this to see if they were there and there is nothing in my list either.

It was activated some time today. Not sure what time though.

Any suggestions or just wait?

Thanks

 

[jcrandall]

zman - try the connect to internet option in network setup.

m99037 - I have no idea on the PPV other than trying the next CE, they'll see your issue here. You may try another movie and reply back (of course at your expense if it works)

markj - that is not normal. try rebooting your box and try again. Also try it again in 24 hours. Using vod should have zero impact on your satellite recordings.

 

[Zman1176]

I did Network then "run test" and it connected to the internet and checked the phone connection but still did the same thing when I tried to add to the queue. Is there a specific area that has "connect to internet"? I may have overlooked it. I'm having problems getting to the TV with my wife, who is 8 months pregnant, watching it.

Should I do a reset later on or just wait for a little while longer?

Thanks!

 

[jcrandall]

Connect to Internet is in the setup menus, under Network setup. It will show you the IP address, network status, etc.

Try rebooting your router too.

 

[Zman1176]

Found and fixed the issue. thanks for the help.

I have a pretty fast internet connection and was wondering what the average download speed appears to be and if the times may improve possibly by more compression on DirecTV's side or what you see is what you get. The average that I'm getting is 2 minutes of a show per 1 minute of downlaod time on a 16mb connection. I'm sure I get something around half of that though.

this is just something to throw out there but could they do a mixed mode download where they do some broadband and some via satellite to speed up the process?

Don't get me wrong, I love the VOD and now there is never a chance that I go back to cable! Just some thoughts and suggestions.

Thanks!

 

[jcrandall]

Found and fixed the issue. thanks for the help.

this is just something to throw out there but could they do a mixed mode download where they do some broadband and some via satellite to speed up the process?

Glad you got it working!

I don't think we'll see a hybrid download setup anytime soon, but maybe they can work on the speed of internet download as the VOD gets more use and rolls to more and more customers

 

[m99037]

fast forward

I don't know if this started after the CE download on the 9th but, now when fast forwarding on a recorded program, the picture freezes and you have to wait for a few moments then it starts going again. It does this quite often. It's like on a computer when you enter too fast and the program has to catch up. Sometimes it takes 30 sec. to a minute to unfreeze. You can't do anything until then.

 

[jcrandall]

Haven't heard or seen that hapening...Have you tried rebooting?

 

[m99037]

I did a complete reset. I had to restart everything and it seems to work fine but when I go to OD there is nothing there. On the screen it says it will take some time to get it downloaded but I have waited 24 hrs and still nothing. I tried the 800 # for activate on demand. it says it is activated & that once activated it can't be removed. I guess I will still have to wait and see what happens. The reset seems to have helped the freezing on fast forward.

 

[Mazakman]

Well my first post. So I did the phone thing. ( called DTV and ask to activate). It took about a week but now I have VOD. I now have software version Ox168 on both of my R21-700 boxes. The upgrade came in at 2:54AM Pacific time on 2/12. The menu has changed also. The VOD works great.

 

[rad]

Well my first post. So I did the phone thing. ( called DTV and ask to activate). It took about a week but now I have VOD. I now have software version Ox168 on both of my R21-700 boxes. The upgrade came in at 2:54AM Pacific time on 2/12. The menu has changed also. The VOD works great.

You might want to double check that version number. IIRC that's the original level, you should be on 0X1FE.

 

[Mazakman]

OPPS My bad. You are right the new version is Ox1fe