# OTA With DirecTV Genie?



## msglsmo (Dec 27, 2015)

Currently with DISH, but moving to DirecTV on Wednesday. I'm curious about OTA. With Dish, I have my OTA antenna connected to the Hopper3 with a dongle. Comes in handy for the sub channels DISH doesn't carry as well as during storms.

Based on what I can tell, it doesn't appear the same is possible with the Genie. Anything I'm missing?


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Nope. Not missing a thing.


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## ejbvt (Aug 14, 2011)

msglsmo said:


> Currently with DISH, but moving to DirecTV on Wednesday. I'm curious about OTA. With Dish, I have my OTA antenna connected to the Hopper3 with a dongle. Comes in handy for the sub channels DISH doesn't carry as well as during storms.
> 
> Based on what I can tell, it doesn't appear the same is possible with the Genie. Anything I'm missing?


There is an OTA unit for Directv, but AT&T discontinued it. It's not the best, but if you can find an AM21 or AM21N unit at a good price, it will still work with the Genie. You won't get all of your subchannels, only what is in a very old and outdated database. We can help if you get a unit. Otherwise, there is no official OTA unit anymore.


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## codespy (Mar 30, 2006)

I'm still using my DirecTV OTA tuners with my Genie. eBay usually has some AM21's/AM22's, but if there are none listed, I have some that I could sell, including some new ones in sealed boxes.


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## msglsmo (Dec 27, 2015)

Thank you everyone for the updates. I may have an old AM21 in the garage from a previous stint with DirecTV. I'll take a look.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

Note that while the AM21 will work with the HR34/44/54, it will not work with the Genie2 / HS17.


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## msglsmo (Dec 27, 2015)

Good point. I'm not sure which Genie I'll be receiving on Wednesday.


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## JerryMeeker (Sep 20, 2007)

Just curious, how do you connect the AM21 to the Genie? With older DVR's, the AM21 received power from the wall outlet, and the DVR received power from the AM21. This way, both units power on and off together. The HR54 has a different power connector, so this is no longer possible. How does the AM21 get powered off? Also, something is already plugged into my HR54's USB port. Where would the AM21 plug in?


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

JerryMeeker said:


> Just curious, how do you connect the AM21 to the Genie? With older DVR's, the AM21 received power from the wall outlet, and the DVR received power from the AM21. This way, both units power on and off together. The HR54 has a different power connector, so this is no longer possible. How does the AM21 get powered off? Also, something is already plugged into my HR54's USB port. Where would the AM21 plug in?


What is plugged into your HR54's USB port? There's nothing else you can connect to it, unless you're charging a cell phone off it or something.


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## JerryMeeker (Sep 20, 2007)

slice1900 said:


> What is plugged into your HR54's USB port? There's nothing else you can connect to it, unless you're charging a cell phone off it or something.


Upon further inspection, the USB port is providing power to my DECA adapter, so "or something" is correct. There is no reason I couldn't use a separate USB power source for the DECA in order to free up the USB connector on the HR54.

So if I plug the AM21 into the HR54's USB port it will work the same way as it did with my previous HR24? How is the power toggled on and off--or just leave it powered on all the time?


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## Bill Broderick (Aug 25, 2006)

JerryMeeker said:


> Upon further inspection, the USB port is providing power to my DECA adapter, so "or something" is correct. There is no reason I couldn't use a separate USB power source for the DECA in order to free up the USB connector on the HR54.
> 
> So if I plug the AM21 into the HR54's USB port it will work the same way as it did with my previous HR24? How is the power toggled on and off--or just leave it powered on all the time?


The 3rd Generation DECA adapter can be powered either by USB or a power brick. There is a little plastic slider that covers one power jack or the other. If you want to use the USB to power an AM21, you would need to disconnect the DECA adapter from the HR54 USB connection power and use an external power supply to power it instead.


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## JerryMeeker (Sep 20, 2007)

Bill Broderick said:


> The 3rd Generation DECA adapter can be powered either by USB or a power brick. There is a little plastic slider that covers one power jack or the other. If you want to use the USB to power an AM21, you would need to disconnect the DECA adapter from the HR54 USB connection power and use an external power supply to power it instead.


Got it, Bill, thanks. Now to figure out how to power it off and on...


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## Bill Broderick (Aug 25, 2006)

JerryMeeker said:


> Got it, Bill, thanks. Now to figure out how to power it off and on...


I've never had an AM21. But, I believe that you just leave it turned on. Realistically, none of your receivers are ever turned off (unless they are unplugged). Essentially, when you turn them off, the A/V outputs are disabled.


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## NR4P (Jan 16, 2007)

HR44 and HR54 toggle on/off the AM21's via the USB port.
HR34's do not toggle the power.


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## JerryMeeker (Sep 20, 2007)

NR4P said:


> HR44 and HR54 toggle on/off the AM21's via the USB port.
> HR34's do not toggle the power.


Interesting. Different than how it worked with the HR24. I'll have to connect the AM21 to see if it works OK.


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## raott (Nov 23, 2005)

I could never get the AM21 to work with my HR54. It was fine with the HR34 and 44, but would never complete a scan on the 54. A few others have reported the same.


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## texasbrit (Aug 9, 2006)

In a couple of areas (NC, chicago) there was one station that stalled the HR54. But someone reported that the problem had gone away.


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## JerryMeeker (Sep 20, 2007)

For me, it is a now moot point. I ended up installing the AM21 on my bedroom HR24, using the second coax that was freed up when I converted to SWM. Given Whole Home access, it really doesn't matter where the AM21 is installed. Regardless where the AM21 is installed, I find it unreliable, with frequent signal break-up and pixelation, even though my OTA signal is very strong.


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

Then your OTA signal isn't as strong as you think, or you have other issues like multipath.

It is even possible for your OTA signal to be TOO strong, if you use an amplified antenna and are very close to the towers.


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## texasbrit (Aug 9, 2006)

what's your zip code?


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## JerryMeeker (Sep 20, 2007)

slice1900 said:


> Then your OTA signal isn't as strong as you think, or you have other issues like multipath.
> 
> It is even possible for your OTA signal to be TOO strong, if you use an amplified antenna and are very close to the towers.


I have spent a considerable amount of time trouble-shooting the signal break-up. The signal strength meters show a 100% signal. I have tried a signal attenuator, but that didn't help. Multipath could well be the issue. The same OTA signal is routed directly to my TV, and the quality of the signal is pristine. So, since the signal is unstable on the AM21, I have always concluded that the device is a POS, and not worth any further trouble-shooting.


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## codespy (Mar 30, 2006)

I've used a 1 X 4 coax signal booster from Radio Shack for the last 7 or so years now, and to get rid of the multipath issues I had, I set the FM Trap to 'on'. That solved the issue of multipath/signal issues. When I toggle the switch to off....I lose the signal even though the strength is over 85. I'm about 30 miles from Milwaukee's network OTA antenna's.


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

The AM21 has an early generation of ATSC tuner. Later generations, which your TV would have if it is less than a decade old, do a better job of ignoring multipath.


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## Bink (Aug 21, 2005)

JerryMeeker said:


> I have spent a considerable amount of time trouble-shooting the signal break-up. The signal strength meters show a 100% signal. I have tried a signal attenuator, but that didn't help. Multipath could well be the issue. The same OTA signal is routed directly to my TV, and the quality of the signal is pristine. So, since the signal is unstable on the AM21, I have always concluded that the device is a POS, and not worth any further trouble-shooting.


You're overloading the AM21, you seem astute enough to understand that. Tone down the amp(s) or, more likely, stop trolling...


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