# Gray Bars won't go away.



## GodisGreat79 (Jun 12, 2006)

I just had a SD DVR installed an R22 and the insaller wasn't sure either so I thought I would ask here, but the boxes on the side of the screen are grey and won't go away, its like I have HD but I don't.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I'm moving this to the DVR Plus forum.


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## GodisGreat79 (Jun 12, 2006)

Update:I fixed it.


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## jdspencer (Nov 8, 2003)

Please explain so that others can know what you discovered!


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

jdspencer said:


> Please explain so that others can know what you discovered!


The only option he could have changed on the R22 is the 4:3/16:9 option.

If your locals are in MPEG4 or if DirecTV forgets to choose "cropped" on a LIL before sending it out in SD on the 101 you are STUCK with gray bars on the R22. I keep asking for the VIDEO tab in the HDTV menu to be opened up on the R22 so subscribers can choose bar/channel change screen color and eliminate those bars if they desire.


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## GodisGreat79 (Jun 12, 2006)

See what happened was the HDTV was shaded out so I couldn't change it from 16.9 to 4.3 but after resetting the R22 it then was no longer shaded out and I could choose that option.

Andy.


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## dseang21 (Feb 19, 2009)

Do you have a widescreen tv hooked up to the R22?


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## GodisGreat79 (Jun 12, 2006)

dseang21 said:


> Do you have a widescreen tv hooked up to the R22?


Nope not at all.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

GodisGreat79 said:


> See what happened was the HDTV was shaded out so I couldn't change it from 16.9 to 4.3 but after resetting the R22 it then was no longer shaded out and I could choose that option.
> 
> Andy.


Original software releases for the R22 had the HDTV menu locked out. Later releases for the R22 opened up the 4:3/16:9 option tab but the VIDEO and RESOLUTIONS tab are still blocked out. The VIDEO tab should be completely open since nothing in it pertains exclusively to HDTV. The RESOLUTIONS tab should be partially opened so a customer can select 480i or 480p in case the customer wishes to use the component output but their TV with a component input does not support progressive scan. (The R22 is presently locked at 480p, gray screen color bars, and letterbox)


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## dseang21 (Feb 19, 2009)

So I realised that I didn't read this part..." but the boxes on the *side* of the screen are grey and won't go away". I was assuming that it was the proverbial gray bars on the top and bottom that Directv is unwilling to admit there is a problem with.

And ThomasM...You are preachin' to the chior. If they are going to provide a downgraded HD box to use for SD, give us enough options to at least make it work properly. I've gone round and round with tech support a couple of times about this. At one point, when I asked what I could do about the problem, I was told "Learn to love it". I know he was trying to be funny, but I felt it was inappropriate. Another time, they(this time I asked for a supervisor) told me that the problem was with my TV and I whould contact the manufacturer.

Rediculous


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## xmguy (Mar 27, 2008)

dseang21 said:


> So I realised that I didn't read this part..." but the boxes on the *side* of the screen are grey and won't go away". I was assuming that it was the proverbial gray bars on the top and bottom that Directv is unwilling to admit there is a problem with.
> 
> And ThomasM...You are preachin' to the chior. If they are going to provide a downgraded HD box to use for SD, give us enough options to at least make it work properly. I've gone round and round with tech support a couple of times about this. At one point, when I asked what I could do about the problem, I was told "Learn to love it". I know he was trying to be funny, but I felt it was inappropriate. Another time, they(this time I asked for a supervisor) told me that the problem was with my TV and I whould contact the manufacturer.
> 
> Rediculous


I second this. Those menu options have NOTHING to do with SD. But I have my doubts if D* will unlock these. But I hope so.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

xm,

I'll jump on the bandwagon and throw my vote in there. I've been yelling for a while about that too.

- Merg


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## LOCODUDE (Aug 8, 2007)

Ditto......


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## michaelancaster (Jul 7, 2007)

So what everyone is saying is that we're stuck with grey side and top/bottom bars? I hate everytime I change channels, the screen glows bright grey before the channel kicks in. I just want to change that option to black, but no love from D*.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

michaelancaster said:


> So what everyone is saying is that we're stuck with grey side and top/bottom bars? I hate everytime I change channels, the screen glows bright grey before the channel kicks in. I just want to change that option to black, but no love from D*.


Yup, customers with R22's are "stuck" with gray screen channel changes (which take 10 times longer than on older SD-only receivers), gray bars on MPEG4 channels (locals in some areas), and other non-HDTV "blocked" options that folks with the full-featured HR (HDTV) series receiver can change to their heart's content. Even cheapie "DTV converter boxes" let you change these options.

If my locals weren't on the 101 in MPEG2 and I was stuck with an R22, I'd cancel my service and buy a TiVo rather than put up with those irksome gray bars on my SD TV.

Call Customer Service and complain weekly. Maybe they log the complaints!


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