# Screensaver Starts While Watching Live TV



## jangell2 (Apr 6, 2004)

I've got an HR34 and we just watched a recorded program and than started watching CNN. After a few minutes the screensaver started. I hit the play button and it went a way. A few minutes later, screensaver again, hit play and it goes away.

What's going on? The screen is very active with live TV and it's not paused.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

First thing to try is resetting your DVR/Receiver using the red button behind the front panel access card door. See if that helps.


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## coolman302003 (Jun 2, 2008)

I have seen quite a few people reporting that they experience this (even some with HR2X models) but I have to say I haven't seen this with my HR34 in the nearly 10 months I have had it... 

I have always kept Genie Recommends and Power Saving turned off perhaps this is why?


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## ICM2000 (Sep 14, 2006)

Screen saver starting on live TV Just started on one of my HR-24's. Any help?


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## gov (Jan 11, 2013)

I came home last night and my HR21 on the big screen was in screen saver.

Touched the remote, and it popped out of SS into live TV on the channel I had left the box on.

I'VE BEEN INFECTED!!! OMG !!!


:coffee


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## SomeRandomIdiot (Jan 7, 2009)

As a test, I put a HR20-100, HR20-700 and 2 HR34 on Channel 360 this morning at 1AM - all tuned at the same time.

Both HR20s had live signal this morning. One HR34 did - the other had the screen saver.

Interesting - and possible related - the HR34 that had the screen saver on probably had not been rebooted in a week and gets the most use. The HR20s had been rebooted in the previous 24 hours and the other HR34 without a screen saver this morning had been rebooted in the past several days.

Will try and reboot the offending HR34 tonight and try the test again.


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## SomeRandomIdiot (Jan 7, 2009)

Day 2 of experiment.

Tuned all 4 units in post #6 (2 HR20s, 2HR34) to Channel 360 and rebooted all 4 right after 1:30AM via menu/restart.

Checked all units at 2:00AM to make sure they were on right channel and receiving programming.

At 9AM, identical pattern to previous day. Both HR20s displaying live programming on Channel 360. 1 HR34 displaying live programming, the second HR34 with screensaver (Same HR34 which had screensaver the previous morning).

Both HR34-700 (as if there is another) are both on same firmware.

The only difference in all units? HR20s and the HR34 still displaying programming did not record ANYTHING overnight or this morning (nothing was scheduled).

The offending HR34 which is displaying a screen saver was set to record the local ABC/CBS/FOX/NBC morning newscasts beginning at 4:30A/5:00A and morning shows 7A-9A (and did record these - as it did yesterday on Sunday's limited schedule). Of course, if I had a HR34 set to record 5 programs at the same time, the channel would have changed from Channel 360 on the 5th tuner.

Current evidence after 2 days would suggest that recording programming in the background is somehow triggering the screensaver on current display.

Day 3 - I will make sure none of early morning newscasts and morning shows are scheduled to record - and see if the offending HR34 still goes to screensaver. Will also set the other HR34 to record the early morning news/morning programming. If the HR34 reverse behavior, then it would appear this is the combination that triggers screensaver in live programming that some see and others do not.


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## bdmarine (Mar 23, 2010)

The screen saver popping up for no reason happens to me on my HR23 fairly often. In fact it happened at about 1:00 AM this morning right after a recording event began on the other tuner.


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## SomeRandomIdiot (Jan 7, 2009)

bdmarine said:


> The screen saver popping up for no reason happens to me on my HR23 fairly often. In fact it happened at about 1:00 AM this morning right after a recording event began on the other tuner.


I have had the screensaver pop up on HR2x units as well.

Trying to narrow it down to what is different - and right now its if the unit has recorded programming. If it carries through on 2nd HR34 on Day 3, I intend to test theory on the HR20s.


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## SFNSXguy (Apr 17, 2006)

My three HR20-700s are often in SS when I turn the TVs on... touch any button and I get live signal -- no other issues seem to occur -- recordings all done OK.


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## SomeRandomIdiot (Jan 7, 2009)

Day #3 Testing...

As noted in above post #6 and #7, intended to cancel all early morning newscasts and morning shows on ABC/CBS/FOX/NBC on the HR34 that was always showing a Screen Saver and program those on the other HR34 that was not showing the Screen Saver. Theory was the Screen Saver should not appear on the HR34 which has shown the SS every morning and should appear on the HR34 where it does not appear.

Same procedure with both HR34 and both HR20s. Set to Channel 360.....rebooted at 2am via menu/restart.

As expected, the SS moved from one HR34 to the other.

Thus, the issue appears to happen when the HR34 (and most likely other units) record a program.

What it not known, does it it take 4 Channels of recording on a HR34 to cause the issue - or will it happen with few recorded programs. Obviously, the HR2x is fewer than 4.

So as stupid as this sounds, it appears one can keep the screen saver from happening on the DirecTV DVRs providing you do not record anything, lol. If you do record anything, apparently the SS bug kills the current programming on screen.

Also unknown if touching the remote control (actually sending a command to the unit or TV) causes the bug to disappear, which is probably why more people are not reporting it.

Day #4 tomorrow - intend to try and on Channel 202 instead of Channel 360 to make sure it is not related to Channel 360 being 720p (which could also be a reason why this problem is not more widely reported). After that, intend to drop record channels from 4 to 3 to 2 to 1 to see how many record channels need to be operational to introduce the bug.

Day #4 tomorrow.....intend to test


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## SomeRandomIdiot (Jan 7, 2009)

SFNSXguy said:


> My three HR20-700s are often in SS when I turn the TVs on... touch any button and I get live signal -- no other issues seem to occur -- recordings all done OK.


The Genies lose the buffer when SS activates.


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## SomeRandomIdiot (Jan 7, 2009)

Test Day #4

Actually ran 2 tests ovenight given what has been proven thus far.

Same procedure - tune to channel - reboot at 2AM via menu.

Test #4-1
Check if 720p v 1080i makes a difference
Tuner 1: Watching 202 (CNN) instead of 360 (FNC) live
Tuner 2: Set to record ABC Early Morning News / Morning Shows
Tuner 3: Set to record CBS Early Morning News / Morning Shows
Tuner 4: Set to record FOX Early Morning News / Morning Shows
Tuner 5: Set to record NBC Early Morning News / Morning Shows

At 9am, Screen saver was showing on screen (Channel 202) so resolution is not a factor

Test #4-2
Check if 3 tuners recording v 4 tuners produces same results
Tuner 1: Watching 360 (FNC) live as in past
Tuner 2: Set to record ABC Early Morning News / Morning Shows
Tuner 3: Set to record CBS Early Morning News / Morning Shows
Tuner 4: not recording anything
Tuner 5: Set to record NBC Early Morning News / Morning Shows

At 9am, Screen saver WAS NOT showing on Tuner 1 (Channel 360)

Thus with the HR34, it appears the bug triggering the Screen Saver only happens when all tuners are in use (either watching live or all recording).

Now the question, how long do all 4 tuners need to be recording to trigger the Screen Saver - and what parameters are need to trigger it in a HR2x.

Plenty of debugging info that D* can easily reproduce within hours in-house if they want to truly fix the issue.


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

You might also test whether having a client actively using a tuner counts the same as having it recording content. Since most people aren't recording four things at once very often, another trigger for some people could be something like 2 things recording plus 2 clients that are left on each consuming a tuner.


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## SomeRandomIdiot (Jan 7, 2009)

3 hours 54 minutes

That's the time it took recording 4 programs on ABC/CBS/FOX/NBC and watching Channel 360 on the fifth channel before the screen saver came on.

However, I *believe* I reset the HR34 several days ago at 3:45PM and recordings started of the afternoon newscasts on all 4 tuners/stations - resulting in a Screen Saver - and *believe* it happened faster than 3:54.

So I am planning on repeating this several times to see how consistent the number is.


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

I have stated before in other threads that I have never had the screen saver to pop up when it was not supposed to.
Well, I have now. I have it on CNBC and the TV is muted, just watching the numbers and the screen flashes.
Went outside to water the roses and trim off the old buds and came back in, sat down and whoops there it is. This took about 3 hours for this to happen.
I pressed the Select button and the picture came back.

Edit / Add : I have the Power Saver set to OFF.


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## acostapimps (Nov 6, 2011)

I sometimes leave the tv on overnight and I never see the screensaver unless I pause something on the program, and I have power savings mode on. Although at one point I did see the SS while watching live tv but It was on for hours.


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## GBFAN (Nov 13, 2006)

I have an HR24-500 and use it to watch a second football game or last night I had it on Thursday night football while we watched our regular shows on our other HR24-500. After about 3 hours the one with the football game on went to screen saver. I have also had this happen on both HR24-500's while watching football on Sunday. Just because I'm not using the remote, it doesn't mean I'm not watching TV.


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## m4p (Apr 12, 2007)

I have an HR20-700. Sometimes after I've turned off the TV (DVR still on) and come back later, turn on the TV and find it in screen saver mode.


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## GBFAN (Nov 13, 2006)

Had this happen again watching Thursday night Football last night


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## Delroy E Walleye (Jun 9, 2012)

There have been numerous threads on this topic for some time. 

I have to say, until I got an H25 I couldn't escape the problems of either the screen saver activating for no reason, or played recordings "dumping" to live for no reason. They (HR2x) just can't seem to be left alone for very long, but this thread is the first I've heard of an HR34 having the screen saver activating problem.

Only the H25, and now the HR44 (no clients) will "stay" exactly how I leave them (provided 5th tuner on 44 isn't needed for recording and wasn't left live)* and the power is left on. 

I won't use any other units for long-term "leaving alone." These two units will stay however I leave them indefinitely, even when either paused or playing recordings from older HR2xs.

Amazingly, I'd almost forgotten about this problem.

*Live TV stays on perfectly unless fifth tuner records, but a paused recording will remain.


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