# Tired of painfully slow reciever



## kosh56 (Sep 30, 2007)

I have owned an HR20-100 with an external 1TB Western Digital drive for a few years now. It has always been slow and I'm growing weary of it. Very often it takes 5-10 seconds to bring up the guide or the play list. Once it is up it is fine, but waiting for it to pop up is too long. I've tried RBR, clearing the cache, native settings only, etc...

Could the external drive be the source of the problem? It does seem to speed up a bit when I delete programs and keep 30-40% free space, but still not where I would like it.


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## PCampbell (Nov 18, 2006)

Reset the NVRAM , Go to ch 1 then after the audio and interactive starts on your remote hit r,r,b,b,g,y buttons. A message will show in the lower left NVRAM clear.


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## kosh56 (Sep 30, 2007)

PCampbell said:


> Reset the NVRAM , Go to ch 1 then after the audio and interactive starts on your remote hit r,r,b,b,g,y buttons. A message will show in the lower left NVRAM clear.


I've tried that several times with no luck in the past


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## poofball1 (Nov 28, 2011)

you can also turnn off native mode, turn off scrolling effects and reset after the nvram is cleared


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

And for good measure try this:
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=184693

The guide itself isn't stored on the hard drive, though things like posters are.


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## kosh56 (Sep 30, 2007)

Thanks guys, I've also done both of those things.
I also have an HR21-700 with the stock hard drive. When I first got the receiver it was unusable it was so slow. Now it is just fine after some updates a couple years ago and is definitely faster than the HR20.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

kosh56 said:


> Thanks guys, I've also done both of those things.
> I also have an HR21-700 with the stock hard drive. When I first got the receiver it was unusable it was so slow. Now it is just fine after some updates a couple years ago and is definitely faster than the HR20.


HR20's are almost universally faster than the HR21's....I suspect your HR20 has something else wrong with it. My HR20 is lightning fast compared to my other 2 units, and by most reports, if it is proper working order should be due to the additional chips in use in the device...it employs some separate chips that were combined into a single chip in later models and most say it performs better because of this. Of course I have had to replace the HDD since its going on 6 years old now.


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## Podkayne (Nov 1, 2007)

Interesting...I have an HR20-100 acquired in July 2007 when I upgraded to HD. I have a 2TB external array on it, and it had always been reasonably fast until a couple of months ago. I, too, have gone through all the usual procedures, clear NVRAM, hard reboot, tweak the remote, etc etc. Now it's a tad slower than when new, but still tolerable.  My DAD just got DTV last year and he got a new HR...forget the model, but it runs rings around my old 20.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

dpeters11 said:


> The guide itself isn't stored on the hard drive, though things like posters are.


Yes it is. Otherwise you'd be flushing the guide data with every reboot instead of flushing by rebooting twice within 30 minutes. When the HR20's first came out the guide data wasn't stored on the hard drive but they changed that so that it is stored on the drive.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

Like I tried to state above, just based on customer experience here, the HR20 is commonly seen as second only to the HR24 in speed....


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## kosh56 (Sep 30, 2007)

I may try disconnecting my external drive when I get a reasonable window of time to see if maybe the drive is slowing it down. My stock HR21 is definitely snappier. It still has the occasional long pause bringing up the guide or playlist, but it's not as bad.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

RunnerFL said:


> Yes it is. Otherwise you'd be flushing the guide data with every reboot instead of flushing by rebooting twice within 30 minutes. When the HR20's first came out the guide data wasn't stored on the hard drive but they changed that so that it is stored on the drive.


So on a DVR it's on the drive, but on a non DVR it's stored somewhere else?

I actually thought the guide was stored in the same place on both. Obviously there is a place on a non DVR for it to go and not get wiped out by a reboot or power outage.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

dpeters11 said:


> So on a DVR it's on the drive, but on a non DVR it's stored somewhere else?


Yes, on an H2X it's stored in memory. That's why H2X's only have a week of guide data but HR2X's have 2.



dpeters11 said:


> I actually thought the guide was stored in the same place on both. Obviously there is a place on a non DVR for it to go and not get wiped out by a reboot or power outage.


I believe on an H2X it does get wiped on a reboot, but I haven't checked in a long time.


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## heddhunter (Aug 10, 2009)

Are any of the tips/tricks here applicable to the HR22-100? That's what I've got and it is painfully slow.


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## allenn (Nov 19, 2005)

heddhunter said:


> Are any of the tips/tricks here applicable to the HR22-100? That's what I've got and it is painfully slow.


Me too! I tried the ones mentioned, but they are no help for the HR22-100.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

Wait for HDGUI, I think you'll all be pleasantly surprised how responsive your HR22-100's act with the new GUI. Both of mine are like totally different dvrs now. If they don't then I would suspect problematic HDDs or some other issue with them.


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## kosh56 (Sep 30, 2007)

CCarncross said:


> Wait for HDGUI, I think you'll all be pleasantly surprised how responsive your HR22-100's act with the new GUI. Both of mine are like totally different dvrs now. If they don't then I would suspect problematic HDDs or some other issue with them.


I am running the HDGUI on both my HR20 and HR21. It is definitely a big improvement when scrolling through the guide and playlist, but not in getting the guide/playlist/menu up. It still takes at least 5 seconds after pushing the button for them to come up.


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## JMII (Jan 19, 2008)

All I can say is I got new HR24s and they are WICKED fast compared to my old HR20s.


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## Richierich (Jan 10, 2008)

JMII said:


> All I can say is I got new HR24s and they are WICKED fast compared to my old HR20s.


Yes, I must admit that my 5 HR24-700s are Much Faster than my 2 HR23-700s. And Happily So!!! :lol:


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## allenn (Nov 19, 2005)

CCarncross said:


> Wait for HDGUI, I think you'll all be pleasantly surprised how responsive your HR22-100's act with the new GUI. Both of mine are like totally different dvrs now. If they don't then I would suspect problematic HDDs or some other issue with them.


Yes, my HR22-100 is like a new box after the GUI update.


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## Phatcat (Jun 14, 2011)

On mine it's R,R,B,B,Y,G


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## Church AV Guy (Jul 9, 2007)

allenn said:


> Yes, my HR22-100 is like a new box after the GUI update.


I wish I was so lucky. Since the latest update, mine are like cardboard boxes.:lol: Right after the HD GUI was downloaded, they were noticeably faster, but since the last two software downloads, they have become even slower than before the HD GUI.:nono2:


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

The HD-GUI has not improved the speed in getting to places on any of my DVR's. 

Yes, once in the guide and/or list, it's faster, but getting to those locations is still just as slow.


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## JeffBowser (Dec 21, 2006)

Aye. We just plain need horsey-power. Last night I tried to watch my wife key in a 3 digit channel and get stymied 8 times in a row. I took it from her with a huff, and proceeded to be schooled by the HR23 3 more times before it managed to handle the 3 numbers in proper order. Fresh batteries, remote 4 feet from DVR in a dark room, it was trying to record another channel at the time as well. We were trying to tune in some jazz for some, um, private time in the bedroom, and the effing DVR really impeded on the flow of the evening for a bit :lol:

I'm telling you - when I see a general consensus up here that some piece of hardware definitely improves things, without a significant nay-saying population on the side, that is the only thing that will make me renew my contract.



spartanstew said:


> The HD-GUI has not improved the speed in getting to places on any of my DVR's.
> 
> Yes, once in the guide and/or list, it's faster, but getting to those locations is still just as slow.


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## Podkayne (Nov 1, 2007)

My HR 20-100 is the main DVR in the house and it is STILL DOUBLE PIG-DOG SLOW!!


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## Richierich (Jan 10, 2008)

If you have problems with the DVR not receiving all of the digits correctly do as I do and Hit the Guide Button and then Enter the 3 Digits and it will take them every time without a problem and then Select that Channel and you are good to go.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

Richierich said:


> If you have problems with the DVR not receiving all of the digits correctly do as I do and Hit the Guide Button and then Enter the 3 Digits and it will take them every time without a problem and then Select that Channel and you are good to go.


Or just hitting the info button first to bring up the channel banner and then entering the channel number also works.


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## JeffBowser (Dec 21, 2006)

Yes, yes, I know, but thanks. That's not my point, though. (not to mention, pulling up the guide for the first time all day, or pulling up anything, especially when the receiver is recording is almost as long.



Richierich said:


> If you have problems with the DVR not receiving all of the digits correctly do as I do and Hit the Guide Button and then Enter the 3 Digits and it will take them every time without a problem and then Select that Channel and you are good to go.





RAD said:


> Or just hitting the info button first to bring up the channel banner and then entering the channel number also works.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

JeffBowser said:


> Yes, yes, I know, but thanks. That's not my point, though. (not to mention, pulling up the guide for the first time all day, or pulling up anything, especially when the receiver is recording is almost as long.


OK, I think many will agree that the receivers can be slow, just wanted to provide a circumvention for the issue until when/if DIRECTV can fix the problem.


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## Podkayne (Nov 1, 2007)

I would like to decommission my double pig-dog slow HR 20-100, but I don't want to lose all the recordings. I'm thinking Whole Home, so I can just put the affected DVR on another TV and we can still watch the recordings, but I don't want to spend a lot. I wonder what 17 1/2 yrs with DTV, and having never asked for a thing from them, can get me?


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Podkayne said:


> I would like to decommission my double pig-dog slow HR 20-100, but I don't want to lose all the recordings. I'm thinking Whole Home, so I can just put the affected DVR on another TV and we can still watch the recordings, but I don't want to spend a lot. I wonder what 17 1/2 yrs with DTV, and having never asked for a thing from them, can get me?


Call and ask...


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## luckydob (Oct 2, 2006)

"Podkayne" said:


> I would like to decommission my double pig-dog slow HR 20-100, but I don't want to lose all the recordings. I'm thinking Whole Home, so I can just put the affected DVR on another TV and we can still watch the recordings, but I don't want to spend a lot. I wonder what 17 1/2 yrs with DTV, and having never asked for a thing from them, can get me?


Another 2 year agreement and quite possibly a refurbished HR20-100.


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## Carolina (Jan 20, 2012)

Well my receiver wasn't slow until we got that new guide. At first the guide was great, but now it has slowed to a crawl on my receiver. I have no idea what happened :shrug: Has anyone else had this problem?


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## Chuck W (Mar 26, 2002)

Podkayne said:


> I would like to decommission my double pig-dog slow HR 20-100, but I don't want to lose all the recordings. I'm thinking Whole Home, so I can just put the affected DVR on another TV and we can still watch the recordings, but I don't want to spend a lot. I wonder what 17 1/2 yrs with DTV, and having never asked for a thing from them, can get me?


No matter what, if you change receivers, you will lose your recordings even with an external drive. The external drive's recordings are married to the current receiver, so keep that in mind.

With that said, as Runner said, call and ask. Be prepared to have to go to retention tho, in order to get any type of deal. The standard CSRs are stingy and on the HR34's they don't seem to wanna budge at all. If you go retention, even if you aren't out of contract, they may work with you and work something out.

If you just want to swap the HR20 out for an HR24 instead of trying for the HR34, the only way to be sure you get an HR24 is to buy from a place like SolidSignal.com. You then can possibly get Directv to credit you the price.


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## bradfjoh (Jul 18, 2007)

Carolina said:


> Well my receiver wasn't slow until we got that new guide. At first the guide was great, but now it has slowed to a crawl on my receiver. I have no idea what happened :shrug: Has anyone else had this problem?


This is exactly my issue. It has become even slower the past week or so - especially when trying to pause a channel or hit guide to quickly turn it... brutal


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## Church AV Guy (Jul 9, 2007)

Last evening, my HR22 was so slow, it was almost like watching a scene in slow motion. Yes, I was so unhappy, I almost chucked the thing out the window. The only thng that restrained me was the realization that the windows in my television room do not open!


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## Vin (Mar 29, 2004)

Church AV Guy said:


> Last evening, my HR22 was so slow, it was almost like watching a scene in slow motion. Yes, I was so unhappy, I almost chucked the thing out the window. The only thng that restrained me was the realization that the windows in my television room do not open!


Using DoublePlay this week on my HR21-100 has been ridiculously slow! I also thought about throwing it out the window while watching TV from the treadmill last night but didn't think I'd accomplish much since I was in the basement at the time! :lol:


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## Chuck W (Mar 26, 2002)

Vin said:


> Using DoublePlay this week on my HR21-100 has been ridiculously slow! I also thought about throwing it out the window while watching TV from the treadmill last night but didn't think I'd accomplish much since I was in the basement at the time! :lol:


That's why, when I had my HR34 installed on Monday, I told the installer to specifically swap out the HR21 for the HR34 and leave the HR20's(I had 2 at the start of the install, but he replaced the HR20-100 with an HR24 because he mistakenly thought it wouldn't work with the DECA MRV setup  ).

He actually questioned me on replacing the HR21, saying the HR20's were older and maybe he should take one of those. I told him no way, the HR21 was the slowest of the 3, by a noticeable margin. So he replaced the HR21.


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## alc965 (Mar 14, 2012)

I called Directv and told them I am having issues with my receivers. I told DTV that the receivers would freeze and at time they would not respond neither with the remote nor manually. They responded that the problem was that I had too much shows on my DVR taped. When I told them that wasn't the case and that other DTV customers have the same problems, the CSR said that she had heard of no such cases and that my case was isolated. Looking for any or all suggestions,


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## hasan (Sep 22, 2006)

alc965 said:


> I called Directv and told them I am having issues with my receivers. I told DTV that the receivers would freeze and at time they would not respond neither with the remote nor manually. They responded that the problem was that I had too much shows on my DVR taped. When I told them that wasn't the case and that other DTV customers have the same problems, the CSR said that she had heard of no such cases and that my case was isolated. Looking for any or all suggestions,


The CSR hasn't a clue.

I don't know what the solution is going to be, but a significant number of customers are becoming increasingly concerned about the performance of these boxes. I'm completely at a loss to suggest anything that might work, as the problem(s) appear wide spread and sporadic, really compromising the earlier hardware.

I've adjusted my interaction style with both my HR20-700 and HR21-100. This allows me to use the boxes, but the sluggishness is way over the top. The non-DVR H21-200 upstairs remains snappy, but MRV is slow as a turtle to start.

I've been with D* since 1995, but the lack of progress over the last year or so, in addressing sluggishness has me considering other alternatives.


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## n3ntj (Dec 18, 2006)

My HR22-100 is very sssssslllllooooowwww to respond to my RF remote control.


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## jamwadmag (Feb 9, 2011)

Carolina said:


> Well my receiver wasn't slow until we got that new guide. At first the guide was great, but now it has slowed to a crawl on my receiver. I have no idea what happened :shrug: Has anyone else had this problem?


EXACTLY! It was 'fun' for a while...now back to the ol D* of most of last year! <sigh>


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## kwasnicka (Aug 23, 2011)

_My HR22-100 is very sssssslllllooooowwww to respond to my RF remote control_.

I have the same problem with my HR22-100 and the RF remote. Have to whack the remote on the couch/table/knee to get it to work properly. And yes it does have fresh batteries and is brand new RF remote I paid for through directv.com.


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## mdavej (Jan 31, 2007)

Remote abuse is not the answer. There is nothing wrong with your remotes.


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## Homebrew101 (Jul 12, 2006)

I have an HR22-100 that is incredibly slow to respond to remote commands. I've begun watching the front of the dvr to see if the blue light blinks after a button on the remote is pressed, when it doesn't respond the blue light also didn't flash.

I was reading on the avs forum about problems caused by the RF leaked by plasma TV's and since the TV in the room with my dvr is a plasma I am now wondering if the non-response might be caused by some RF interference from my plasma.

It might be interesting to have a poll here as to how many that experience slow responses are also using a plasma TV.

I'm going to experiment by switching my remote to IF.


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## mnassour (Apr 23, 2002)

I have been beating my head against the wall with my HR20s ever since that damned HD guide was inflicted on us late last year.

Two weeks ago we hit the wall. I was downloading one program, recording another, and trying to watch a third. The receiver locked up so hard that not even the red button would help. Pulled the plug, reset, no joy. It locked up yet again. Continued watching wife's Daily Show on the Internet. Afterward she said either fix it or set it out with the trash. I agreed.

After fighting with Case Management over the issue for two weeks :new_cussi, a tech appeared today, took one look at my HR20-700s and said "these should never have been put on whole home". He offered a couple of HR22s. I asked if there were any 24s on the truck. He came back with with two boxes and hooked them up. Spent 45 minutes on the phone with Direct arguing about whether they'd refund me on two AM21Ns, so we could continue to record local sub-channels. We split the difference with them on that...one freebie, one made up for in Showtime credits. Whatever. Amazon shipped the AM21Ns today, they arrive Wednesday.

This evening, the HR24s are running without a hiccup, lightning fast program guides, and not stutter to be seen anywhere.

The answer....get the protection plan, then keep calling them out to replace receivers until you get the right ones.

Do NOT settle for the old crap. If your HR24s slow down, call them out and demand new ones.

Increased equipment costs are the *only *way to get their attention.

And yes, my tech left with a $10 tip. :goodjob:


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## Ben_jd (Aug 21, 2006)

Carolina said:


> Well my receiver wasn't slow until we got that new guide. At first the guide was great, but now it has slowed to a crawl on my receiver. I have no idea what happened :shrug: Has anyone else had this problem?


Exactly my problem, too. I remember getting the new GUI and marveling at its speed; now I cannot scroll through the Guide or List without a long (5-7 seconds per page) wait...infuriating.


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## phxphotog (Jun 28, 2007)

My HR20-100 is rebooting about every 2 hours. I was thinking that they were installing new software but now I'm thinking that something really bad is going on. It's interrupting a lot of my recordings now. Any ideas? Should I call Directv?


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## maerativo (Jul 23, 2008)

phxphotog said:


> My HR20-100 is rebooting about every 2 hours. I was thinking that they were installing new software but now I'm thinking that something really bad is going on. It's interrupting a lot of my recordings now. Any ideas? Should I call Directv?


CALL. Could be the hard drive is going bad.


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