# Adding Local hd channels to the 921



## Gorbie23 (Feb 1, 2005)

Hi, I'm outside of the Denver metro area and my 921 receiver will not add the local 
HD channels. I have tried scanning for the channels and it finds none. I have tried adding them manually and the do not show up in the local channels menu.
All the local channels that I have tried to add have a signal strength of between 
60 and 125 and say locked. When I save them there is nothing in the menu.
My local PBS channel 38 comes in some were between 122-125 and says locked
can some one help or is this a software problem. I've had the receiver almost a week and have bought new cable, antenna and an amp.

Thanks

Greg


----------



## bnam (Nov 25, 2004)

Try removing the amp and see if you are able to get a lock.
B


----------



## Gorbie23 (Feb 1, 2005)

I I have tried that and they still will not show up. I have rebooted the receiver and called E* CS nothing helps


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Greg, where exactly are you, and are you at all familiar with our local HD situation in Denver? What you're experiencing here is very much not a 921 problem (most likely), but rather a political, land use problem. I'd invite you to head over to AVSForums and do some reading (it'll take you about 3 weeks if you want to read it all) in the Denver OTA pt 3 thread in the Local HDTV forums to get the history of our battle here.

But, from wherever you are, you probably have a good chance of getting at least KWGN (2) and KDVR (31) from Lookout out there - KWGN broadcasts on channel 34, and KDVR broadcasts on channel 32.


----------



## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

Digital channels can't be manually saved until the signal strength message shows "locked and acquired." Two odd things about that though, stations that rarely show "acquired" do get added from an Auto Scan, and stations that have a consistently strong signal also don't achieve "acquired" status.


----------



## Gorbie23 (Feb 1, 2005)

I am in between Brighton and Ft Lupton. I pretty new to HD. But all I really want is fox.


----------



## **pinke_13** (Jan 26, 2005)

Greg, first off after you scan for the local channels do they show up on the left hand side of the 'local channel setup' screen, before you save? If not you may have to try resetting the factory defaults option, then rescanning. If they are listed, save the list, go back into the 'local channel setup' and go to to display options. Make sure 'off air channels' is marked. If it's marked, select 'dish locals', save it and front panel reset the receiver (hold the power button on the front of the receiver for 5 sec). Let the receiver reboot, go back to 'display options' and reselect 'off air locals'. that should take care of your problem. If not, your 8psk cartridge on the rcvr may be faulty, then you'll have to replace the rcvr.


----------



## Michael P (Oct 27, 2004)

**pinke_13** said:


> Greg, first off after you scan for the local channels do they show up on the left hand side of the 'local channel setup' screen, before you save? If not you may have to try resetting the factory defaults option, then rescanning. If they are listed, save the list, go back into the 'local channel setup' and go to to display options. Make sure 'off air channels' is marked. If it's marked, select 'dish locals', save it and front panel reset the receiver (hold the power button on the front of the receiver for 5 sec). Let the receiver reboot, go back to 'display options' and reselect 'off air locals'. that should take care of your problem. If not, your 8psk cartridge on the rcvr may be faulty, then you'll have to replace the rcvr.


The "off-air locals" setting only affects analog off-air signals. This setting has no affect on digital OTA function.

BTW: What **pinke_13** is referring to is a menu feature that was added with the latest software 2.11. If you subscribe to the satellite delivered locals "LIL's" you would want this set to "Dish Locals", otherwise it should be set to "off air locals". You cannot see any analog OTA stations if "Dish Locals" is checked.

The "factory default setting is "dish locals"  I lost my analog stations for awhile when 2.11 first loaded.


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Gorbie23 said:


> I am in between Brighton and Ft Lupton. I pretty new to HD. But all I really want is fox.


Greg, from that location, if you're receiving channel 12 (from channel 38), then you should be able to receive KDVR as well, because Lookout is almost exactly the same direction as Squaw, where 12 broadcasts from.

Go into the Locals screen (menu-6-9). Select Add DTV. In the box, enter 32. Wait for the message under the green bar to at least say "Locked" if not "Locked and Acquired". Press Save. You should now have 31-1 and 32-1 both listed in your channel list (it may be off the screen, so you'll have to scroll down). You should then be able to tune to 31-1 for fox.

Even if you tried this in the last couple of days, do so again. KDVR has been working on their PSIP data in their broadcast, trying to get it up to specs, and their tweaking has caused the 921 to lose the channel. I had to delete it and re-add it late last week because of this.


----------



## Gorbie23 (Feb 1, 2005)

When I enter the channel in the add dtv It does pick up a signal and says locked 
but not Locked and Acquired. Right now I do not receive any local channels. Should I use an amp. Thanks again for all your help Every one


----------



## Spanky (Feb 4, 2005)

Mark,

Thanks for the link to the Denver HD OTA info. I just installed an antenna for the OTA channels I get KBDI, KDVR & KWGN & I was wondering why I couldn't get the others.
Guess I'll have to see if I can get a waiver for CBS. Seems like it sould be automatic for someone in my area 

I live in Windsor where it's pretty tough to get good OTA reception anyway because we are in a valley.

New to the forum - I lurked for several weeks before getting my 921 mid January.
So far I am very happy with it.


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Greg, you can try the amp, but my bet is that it won't help you out in your situation up there. About the only thing you'll be able to do is get a bigger antenna installed outside on your roof. There are a couple of people in the Denver OTA thread that live up your way that have gone through this mess, and ended up with a large antenna installed outside.


----------



## pesla5439 (Dec 1, 2004)

I finally have all of my local OTA's after months of problems. Turns out that my antenna was too good! It seems that the 921 OTA tuner is very sensitive to overpowered signals. I changed antennas to a less powerful one and added a radioshack attenuator so that I could dial down the signal strength. Suddently, all of my problems disappeared.


----------



## Gorbie23 (Feb 1, 2005)

Here's what going on now. I tried another of air receiver and received 11 digital 
channels. I went back to my ten year old antenna and tried a US digital receiver
and channels 2.1, 4.1, 6.1, 9.1,9.2, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 25.1, 31.1, 53.1 all come in. Mean while 
my 921 does not show a picture have the time. Is there some kind of return policy
or can some one tell me what to do. I think the 921 is defective.
 

Thanks,

Greg


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Ah, that does indicate that your 921 is defective most likely. Send me an email, Greg, with the following information:

receiver CAID
smartcard ID number
Boot version
Flash version
a description of the problem
a description of the troubleshooting that you've done so far

And I'll send it to the 921 support team at Dish who can get it replaced for you quickly.


----------



## Gorbie23 (Feb 1, 2005)

Thanks Mark

One other question and then I will get the info to you. Just talking to someone and I was wondering if the should be 2 separate line coming in to the receiver from the lnb or if one line coming off the LNB and the split into 2 with a dish pro splitter would work.


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

If you have a DPP44 switch or a DPP Twin LNB, then you can run one line to the DPP Separator to connect both tuners to one line. But, if you have ANY other switch or LNB (or combination), then you must have 2 lines running to the 921 to connect both tuners.


----------



## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

BobaBird said:


> Digital channels can't be manually saved until the signal strength message shows "locked and acquired."


Managed to prove myself wrong a few nights ago when I finally did the suggested delete/rescan. A station that got missed in the auto-scan showed only "locked" in the manual add screen but still got saved. It hasn't been watchable in over a month  but at least it's back on the list. I was unable to save another station that was only "locked."


----------



## Gorbie23 (Feb 1, 2005)

Well I got my call from 921 support team and they are going to replace my 
receiver. It took a little convincing because they still say the off-air tuner is good 
and that it's just not as good as a stand alone receiver that's why I am not picking up the digital channels. He also said that as software update come out it might get better but that it's probably a limitation of the hardware used for the off-air tuner. Not some thing that i wanted to hear from dish network rep. But I talked and convinced him that I need to get a new receiver and they will deliver it next week. So thanks Mark and hopefully this receiver works. I will let you know when I get it.

Thanks for all the help

Greg


----------



## Gorbie23 (Feb 1, 2005)

**Update**

I received the receiver yesterday and activated it. As soon as it was done with the soft ware update I scanned for digital channels and BAM there they were. So thanks Mark you helped fix the problem. 

Greg


----------

