# HR34 Genie: Version 0x05D3 - Issues/Discussion



## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

This is the official Issues and Discussion thread for HR34, version 0x05CD

Release notes: http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=3122903#post3122903

_We ask that you keep polite and focused within this thread, and post as much detail as possible. If your receiver is set up for network issue reporting, please post the key generated by the receiver.

Being part of the DBSTalk community means working together to help each other document issues and come up with solutions. While everyone gets upset from time to time, this is not the appropriate place for vents or rants. All off-topic posts and discussion will be deleted.

Thanks!_


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## lgb0250 (Jan 24, 2010)

The series already recording message is still coming up. On a good note, the remote is no longer sluggish. After the last release my remote became ridiculously sluggish and now it's back to normal. I also see where they added a new search feature for TV Shows under search and browse. When I access it I get this message "You Might Like is currently updating. Please check back in 1 hour". I currently have genie recommends turned off since this feature really doesn't really interest me anyway.


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## gregftlaud (Nov 20, 2005)

On the "My Directv" section where it shows what's on etc do we really need half the screen taken up by the Genie banner??


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

If you opt in to Genie Recommends that goes away.


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## RACJ2 (Aug 2, 2008)

gregftlaud said:


> On the "My Directv" section where it shows what's on etc do we really need half the screen taken up by the Genie banner??


I believe they are trying to make more people aware of the Genie feature, even if you don't choose to use it right away. And the new search by "TV Shows" looks like it will give you more information on recommended shows that used to be on the main screen. Although the first time into it, it says "You Might Like is currently updating. Please check back in 1 hour." So I'm just assuming it will be similar to what used to be on the main "My DIRECTV" screen.

And so far with this release, everything seems to be working well. No longer freezing on a black screen for extended periods of time, when you exit a recording.


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## raromr (Jun 24, 2010)

And the always present progress bar issue still not fixed as well as the error about program still recording for future recordings still no solve. Groan.


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

raromr said:


> *And the always present progress bar issue still not fixed* as well as the error about program still recording for future recordings still no solve. Groan.


I don't think the potion in bold is an issue at this point, more like expected behavior.


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## tkdsmurf (Oct 31, 2012)

How many different series recordings can be set up on the genie's memory. The regular HD DVR used to be a limit of 50.


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

tkdsmurf said:


> How many different series recordings can be set up on the genie's memory. The regular HD DVR used to be a limit of 50.


Genie is 100.


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

raromr said:


> And the always present progress bar issue still not fixed* as well as the error about program still recording for future recordings still no solve.* Groan.


The error message is still there but the action does take place.

Sorry for the confusion of the two posts.


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## Strayshot (Apr 25, 2012)

Still no folder access in Directv2PC.


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## BakeBarry (May 23, 2009)

I already had my first lock-up since the update.

When I go to cancel a future recording from the to-do list, it is still saying that it has a partial recording that must be deleted.


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## lansbury (Jun 29, 2007)

The last three software upgrades my box has hung at 0% download each time. I have to red button reboot and then the box will subsequently download the software OK within a few hours.

It has happened again with this update and box is currently just rebooted.


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## lansbury (Jun 29, 2007)

Strayshot said:


> Still no folder access in Directv2PC.


+1


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## jcwest (May 3, 2006)

Got the 5d3 upgrade this A.M. and the issue, "pip locks up when you tune to the same channel in main window" is still there.
Has been there in last couple of updated. 
Please DTV spend a little time on this and fix the problem.

J C


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## raromr (Jun 24, 2010)

Same issue here since last 3 or 4 updates


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## RACJ2 (Aug 2, 2008)

jcwest said:


> Got the 5d3 upgrade this A.M. and the issue, "pip locks up when you tune to the same channel in main window" is still there.
> Has been there in last couple of updated.
> Please DTV spend a little time on this and fix the problem.
> 
> J C


Despite the fact that I'm not sure why you would want to have the same channel in the PIP, I was curious. When I tried this, it did freeze when I selected a channel that was currently recording. When I swapped it, the PIP then worked fine, no freeze. Swap it back and it would freeze again. When I did the same test with a channel that wasn't recording, the PIP did not freeze at all.


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## TMan (Oct 31, 2007)

As a five-day user of the HR34, is there an obvious way to recognize whether the unit has received a software upgrade without delving into menus and looking at hexidecimal version numbers? 

I rebooted mine the first night, and it obviously performed a software update because it said it was doing so, but I don't know how it indicates this when initiating one on its own.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Only real way is to turn off the front panel lights. The setting doesn't survive a reboot.

Of course it doesn't necessarily mean it downloaded software, just that it rebooted, but if you have it on battery backup, the two generally go together.


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## gvc (Sep 13, 2012)

TMan said:


> As a five-day user of the HR34, is there an obvious way to recognize whether the unit has received a software upgrade without delving into menus and looking at hexidecimal version numbers?
> 
> I rebooted mine the first night, and it obviously performed a software update because it said it was doing so, but I don't know how it indicates this when initiating one on its own.


i could always tell because my recordings sort preference changes back to default (newest first) after a reboot. I prefer to sort oldest to newest. also, the 30 second skip used to default back to 30 sec slip but I think thats been fixed.


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## RACJ2 (Aug 2, 2008)

TMan said:


> As a five-day user of the HR34, is there an obvious way to recognize whether the unit has received a software upgrade without delving into menus and looking at hexidecimal version numbers?
> 
> I rebooted mine the first night, and it obviously performed a software update because it said it was doing so, but I don't know how it indicates this when initiating one on its own.


The quickest way to check when you received an update, is to press and hold the [Info] button on the remote. It will bring up the screen with the hexadecimal # you don't like, but you can look at the date and time right next to that.


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## TMan (Oct 31, 2007)

Okay, so certain user customizations will revert to default after upgrades.

Oh, a long press of Info gets you there? That is acceptable. No menu digging required.


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## augisdad (Sep 29, 2011)

Be aware though, that if you happen to be on a channel that allows you to press the RED button (TWC, ESPN e.g.), pressing and holding the INFO button won't work.


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## steve053 (May 11, 2007)

dpeters11 said:


> Only real way is to turn off the front panel lights.


Sorry for the thread hijack, but how do you turn off the front panel lights on the HR34?

TIA

Steve


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## TMan (Oct 31, 2007)

steve053 said:


> Sorry for the thread hijack, but how do you turn off the front panel lights on the HR34?
> 
> TIA
> 
> Steve


I assume there is an option buried in a menu somewhere, but I haven't discovered that one yet in my brief ownership time.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

steve053 said:


> Sorry for the thread hijack, but how do you turn off the front panel lights on the HR34?
> 
> TIA
> 
> Steve


Hold down the left arror and then press the right arrow twice to turn them off.


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## RACJ2 (Aug 2, 2008)

augisdad said:


> Be aware though, that if you happen to be on a channel that allows you to press the RED button (TWC, ESPN e.g.), pressing and holding the INFO button won't work.


On those channels, you have to press [Exit], then hold [Info] to bring up the last update info.


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## MrLatte (Aug 19, 2007)

While watching a recorded show, a message popped up saying it had to record a show at the top of the hour.

BTW, I've never turned on Genie. I'm used to seeing this message when watching live TV with Double Play turned on but never before while watching a recorded show!


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## MrLatte (Aug 19, 2007)

There are annoying bugs still with the HR34! My WAF is plummeting. In fact she was longing for the HR20 that I "upgraded" away from.


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## jcwest (May 3, 2006)

RACJ2 said:


> Despite the fact that I'm not sure why you would want to have the same channel in the PIP, I was curious. When I tried this, it did freeze when I selected a channel that was currently recording. When I swapped it, the PIP then worked fine, no freeze. Swap it back and it would freeze again. When I did the same test with a channel that wasn't recording, the PIP did not freeze at all.


Here's why, it is accidental rather than intentional.

When watching NFL ST I place all active games in a custom menu. 
I generally watch one game full window and one in the PIP. When one of the game goes to commercial I channel up to the next game. The main window and PIP is usually separated by a few channels but if I accidentally select the same one, TA DA, lockup.

J C


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## augisdad (Sep 29, 2011)

Received this message flashing on the screen several times while watching live TV last night. Signal was never interrupted. Genie is off. Weather was clear.


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## augisdad (Sep 29, 2011)

Was flipping back and forth between recordings and LIVE TV last night. Had a buffer twice while doing this. Next time gone. I guess I'm going to have to record LIVE TV from now on if I want to be able to do this anymore.


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## augisdad (Sep 29, 2011)

Had 2 shows recording @ 9pm CDT Wed evening. Had looked @ the To Do list and noticed that The Soup was not scheduled to record until last night @ 7pm. Not sure why with 5 tuners, it would think it needed to bump this from 9pm Wed. I've never activated Genie.


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## don s (Sep 4, 2011)

Continued, persistent Whole Home issues still. I still cannot see other networked DVRs, HR24s, from the HR34 and vice versa. It has been this way for the last 5 or 6 firmware updates and persists through this one. Bitterly frustrating...


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

don s said:


> Continued, persistent Whole Home issues still. I still cannot see other networked DVRs, HR24s, from the HR34 and vice versa. It has been this way for the last 5 or 6 firmware updates and persists through this one. Bitterly frustrating...


Have you tried fixed IPs on the units? Swapped locations for the "bad" unit to check if it's the connections?


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## somguy (Oct 2, 2006)

Recording Tips still randomly populating even though they are shut off.

Doubleplay for me still is not working. Worked for a week then it stopped. With this update made no difference. I tried an RBR and tried down arrow on dvr itself. I just get message to hit down arrow again to start it but when I do the message disappears but does not go to other tuner...and I have 4 more of them!!

Problems too numerous to mention...reminder of HR20 hell back in 2006-2009.

Genie not ready for primetime...may have to be returned...so sad.

Anyone who buys a lemon at a store returns it within 30 days so I am giving them 30 days to get it right...seems only fair. If a magic pill (software updates) didn't exist I would have this dvr returned right away.


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## samthegam (Dec 11, 2011)

One issue I am experiencing is that the screensaver randomly pops up while watching live tv but while I am watching recording unless it is paused


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## usnret (Jan 16, 2009)

+1. Was watching Fringe live last nite and it pop'd up twice. That was the only time and also a first for my 34.


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## wease (Jun 27, 2010)

Do you have to have the Whole house system installed for this receiver to work?
I just want to be able to record 5 shows with pip on the main TV.I called DTV and they said i had to have the other kit installed for it to work?I have the swm dish now so it should not need all the extras to work,right?
Thanks


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

wease said:


> Do you have to have the Whole house system installed for this receiver to work?
> I just want to be able to record 5 shows with pip on the main TV.I called DTV and they said i had to have the other kit installed for it to work?I have the swm dish now so it should not need all the extras to work,right?
> Thanks


It will work with an SWM dish without whole home. You can plug an internet cable directly from the router to the HR34 for downloading video on demand if you wish.
The only caveat is if you have other receivers, you need to have less than 4 total tuners now for the HR34 to work without upgrading the dish as you need 5 unused SWM channels for it.


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## nmetro (Jul 11, 2006)

usnret said:


> +1. Was watching Fringe live last nite and it pop'd up twice. That was the only time and also a first for my 34.


I have seen this with Genie turned on, with the first Genie release, it seems this is still a problem. I turned off Genie, since its original release, because it seem to make things more unstable. If you have just turned on Genie, it may be taking over all 5 tuners to do what it does, ignoring the fact that you are watching TV.

As for things I have seen so far with this release; audio dropouts over HDMI. Seems like this is a recurring problem. Easily fixed by stopping and restarting the recording, or change the channel back and forth on live TV.


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## wease (Jun 27, 2010)

I have a swm switch box attached to my older style dish with the 4 dish inputs connected to the swm.Do i need a 8 way swm for this to work them?I think so or should i jst get a new swm dish complete setup that will do the 5 and 3?
Thanks


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## wease (Jun 27, 2010)

can you add 2 swm 4 way splitters together to make 8?


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

wease said:


> I have a swm switch box attached to my older style dish with the 4 dish inputs connected to the swm.Do i need a 8 way swm for this to work them?I think so or should i jst get a new swm dish complete setup that will do the 5 and 3?
> Thanks


If you have an SWM8 multiswitch (4 wires from dish, one out to receivers/splitter) then you are still limited to 8 total tuners. To get 16, you need to upgrade to an SWM16.

If you have just 1 wire from dish, you will need a new LNB and a SWM16 to have more than 8 tuners.


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## mjwagner (Oct 8, 2005)

The little white triangles are still not there in the playlist.


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## RACJ2 (Aug 2, 2008)

somguy said:


> Recording Tips still randomly populating even though they are shut off.
> 
> Doubleplay for me still is not working. Worked for a week then it stopped. With this update made no difference. I tried an RBR and tried down arrow on dvr itself. I just get message to hit down arrow again to start it but when I do the message disappears but does not go to other tuner...and I have 4 more of them!!...


I had that issue with the last release, but its working good on the current release. Is your DVR full? Is this happening when you have several things recording at the same time?


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

don s said:


> Continued, persistent Whole Home issues still. I still cannot see other networked DVRs, HR24s, from the HR34 and vice versa. It has been this way for the last 5 or 6 firmware updates and persists through this one. Bitterly frustrating...


Have you done a menu reset since the latest update? If not, try that first.


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## don s (Sep 4, 2011)

"Laxguy" said:


> Have you tried fixed IPs on the units? Swapped locations for the "bad" unit to check if it's the connections?


Yes. They are all on fixed IPs, no luck. They were working fine, until they weren't. Sometime about 4 months ago DTV broke whole Home functionality for my HR34 with a firmware update, and its been broke since. The HR24s can all see and play each others recordings, but the HR34 no longer can. Every time I call about it they act like they are well aware of the issue and claim that they are working on it. Utterly frustrating.


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## don s (Sep 4, 2011)

"inkahauts" said:


> Have you done a menu reset since the latest update? If not, try that first.


Yes. Resets and RBR's do nothing.


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## BuffaloDenny (Mar 19, 2007)

I lost all my SD channels again, with native turned on. Turning it off gets them back.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

don s said:


> Yes. They are all on fixed IPs, no luck. They were working fine, until they weren't. Sometime about 4 months ago DTV broke whole Home functionality for my HR34 with a firmware update, and its been broke since. The HR24s can all see and play each others recordings, but the HR34 no longer can. Every time I call about it they act like they are well aware of the issue and claim that they are working on it. Utterly frustrating.


Sounds like you may have a bad unit. My HR34 hasn't lost MRV in quite a long time.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"don s" said:


> Yes. Resets and RBR's do nothing.


How exactly is your system wired? And how is your system connected to the Internet? Is it with a separate bbdeca unit, or are you using the HR34 to bridge the network? Is everything else on deca?

Also, do you use pandora or on demand?

I have a couple different suggestions you could try based on those answers just to see if you cold get it back.


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## jibberyerkibber (Mar 1, 2012)

Perhaps some of you have had some of these problems, perhaps not. Anyway here goes.

1. Since 0x5d3 downloaded, my HR34 has frozen-up 5 times. It usually fixed itself after approximately a 3 to 5 minute wait.

2. The infernal TO RECORD THIS EPISODE prompt still appears when I change channels. I say this prompt should not appear when the RECORDING TIPS is turned off. Equally as annoying, the TO RECORD THIS EPISODE prompt appears when I play a previously recorded video!

3. Unlike my HR23 and HR24, the HR34 still does not properly AUTO-REWIND when I go from FFWD to PLAY. Sometimes it does AUTO-REWIND a little bit, but not nearly enough to compensate for my reaction time. MY HR23 and HR24 both AUTO-REWIND a reasonable amount to restart the video at a point several seconds before when I pressed PLAY.

4. Oftentimes when I go to the FFWD mode, the picture will freeze while the hard drive is actually fast forwarding "behind" the frozen picture.

5. Sometimes when I an in the FFWD mode and I press PLAY, nothing happens. In other words, the HR34 will simply keep on fast forwarding. Oftentimes I have to press PLAY as many as 5 times to get the HR34 to back to PLAY from FFWD.

6. I, like others have noted, get a message saying a program is recording when it is not. For example, when I try to delete a program on my TO DO list that is scheduled way in advance, I get the message.

7. For the life of me I can't figure out why when I am scrolling down through the GUIDE, the highlight will jump from the program area off to the left and highlight the station info. BTW: those white triangles don't mean a thing. Most if not all of the stations without the white triangle still yield a list of their up and coming programs.

8. Oftentimes when I use FFWD speed setting 4 to get to the end of a recorded video, when the HR34 gets to the end of the video, nothing happens. In other words, the dialog box asking me if I want to keep or delete the video does not appear.

9. Sometimes when I key in a new channel number, the new number will appear on the screen, but the HR34 doesn't switch to the new channel. Sometime I have to key in the new number as may as three times before the HR34 switches to the new channel.

10. I find that my particular HR34 is still oftentimes very sluggish to respond to commands from the remote. I am sick and tired of pressing a function button on the remote and have nothing happen, or have what is supposed to happen actually happen 1,2,3,4,5 seconds later. I wish my HR34 worked as well as my 1977 Apple II.


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

All the same as jibberykibber but I never use FF or REW unless I want to do the fifteen minute skip. Since the new software that is now unreliable and sometimes it jumps 15 sometimes it does not. My wife uses FF and it wouldn't matter how the backspace or whatever works as she never gets synched with the program and key presses. Sometimes she is minutes ahead. I only use 30 skip and replay so it is a lot less fuss when I do it.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

jibberyerkibber said:


> Perhaps some of you have had some of these problems, perhaps not. Anyway here goes.
> 
> 1. Since 0x5d3 downloaded, my HR34 has frozen-up 5 times. It usually fixed itself after approximately a 3 to 5 minute wait.
> 
> ...


I have seen some of the issues you have, and noted a few things in red above.

You seem to have a few more bugs that I have never seen though, and I wonder if maybe a guide flush might help, if you haven't tried that before. To do that, do a simple menu restart and then as soon as you are back up and running, do it again. that flushes all guide data and it will repopulate from scratch.

Also, any chance you have a second remote you could try? Maybe swap it with another receivers remote. Some of your issues almost sound remote related.


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

I hade my HR34 Genie installation yesterday. Love it. The only quirk I've found is that if you try and delete a recording that is set up days in the future, the device thinks it's recording now, and asks if you still want to delete it. But if I delete a show that is actually currently recording, it just does it without question. 

Love the box though.


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## Datagg (May 17, 2009)

All of Jibbers list, PLUS Live tv being paused, not starting up again.... need to switch channels then back... Ive had the unit for 2 plus weeks now and this issue is increasing day after day... i cant begin to tell you how many resets i have done. oh another issue that began a few days ago, shows a show that is recording, visible sign at the top of it recording, yet never recorded..... I'm ready to throw this damn thing off a cliff.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Datagg" said:


> All of Jibbers list, PLUS Live tv being paused, not starting up again.... need to switch channels then back... Ive had the unit for 2 plus weeks now and this issue is increasing day after day... i cant begin to tell you how many resets i have done. oh another issue that began a few days ago, shows a show that is recording, visible sign at the top of it recording, yet never recorded..... I'm ready to throw this damn thing off a cliff.


Have you done two menu resets in a row right after it comes back online?


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## Datagg (May 17, 2009)

inkahauts said:


> Have you done two menu resets in a row right after it comes back online?


I did the first time, then the second time.. thought it helped, yet today it did it again...Its so random when it occurs, it could be a 5 second pause, to an hour... sometimes i can press play and it will begin other times not. a rewind to the beginning of pause to play doesn't help either, its like it just loses what it did, yet keeps the picture there yet wont start up.. insane....


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Datagg said:


> I did the first time, then the second time.. thought it helped, yet today it did it again...Its so random when it occurs, it could be a 5 second pause, to an hour... sometimes i can press play and it will begin other times not. a rewind to the beginning of pause to play doesn't help either, its like it just loses what it did, yet keeps the picture there yet wont start up.. insane....


Sounds like a bad unit to me. Have you called DirecTV and have them send out a tech?


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## kepper (Nov 17, 2005)

Experiencing this with problem with both HR24 and HR21 using MRV:

When I select a program recorded on HR34 in Program List, no menu appears on far left (Play, Delete, etc.)... instead have black box where menu should be. Rebooted both HR24 and HR21, still continues. Reboot of HR34 needed to restore the menu.

Programs recorded on HR21 and HR24 were fine, only issue was with programs recorded on HR34.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Datagg said:


> I did the first time, then the second time.. thought it helped, yet today it did it again...Its so random when it occurs, it could be a 5 second pause, to an hour... sometimes i can press play and it will begin other times not. a rewind to the beginning of pause to play doesn't help either, its like it just loses what it did, yet keeps the picture there yet wont start up.. insane....


Almost sounds like a hard drive issue based on everything you have said. You don't have a esata hooked up do you?


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## Datagg (May 17, 2009)

RunnerFL said:


> Sounds like a bad unit to me. Have you called DirecTV and have them send out a tech?


Not as of yet.. but may have too.. Problem is its random so of course it wont do it for them. It was just a swap anyways, had H24 there before hand, deca setup also. no esata.

Maybe they would just send me a replacement box for a swap.

Thanks for all the help guys, looks like im gonna have to give DTV a call


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## augisdad (Sep 29, 2011)

Turned on my TV Saturday morning around 9:10 to find the buffer frozen @ 8:41. Was able to unstick it, but it froze again about 5mins later in the buffer. Got it to finally advance to real time but thought I'd see if I could play anything in the buffer. Rewound to the beginning and had a frozen screen of what was playing @ live, but the time would advance. Played around with it a little bit more and was able to get bits and pieces to play, but it would always hang at some point with a frozen screen. Would always seem to be able to get back to live tv ok, but even rewinding that a few minutes would hang again. Finally got tired of messing with it. 

Also noticing that when in ff mode sometimes the time scroll reverses. It's not a smooth flow - more herky-jerky like.


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## rmmccann (Apr 16, 2012)

Yesterday we had a small glitch with our HR34 - Girlfriend was watching DIY and the screen froze (appeared to be paused). She had to change the channel and come back to resume watching.

Other than that, I get the "delete recording" message for future recordings and the device is slow to respond at times.

For the most part, it works pretty well.


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## Rob Dawn (Jan 11, 2006)

BakeBarry said:


> When I go to cancel a future recording from the to-do list, it is still saying that it has a partial recording that must be deleted.


I'm having this issue too. Very annoying to have to go through the extra steps when you are deleting multiple items from the To-Do List!!!


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

Rob Dawn said:


> I'm having this issue too. Very annoying to have to go through the extra steps when you are deleting multiple items from the To-Do List!!!


Know bug and a fix is being worked on.


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## don s (Sep 4, 2011)

RunnerFL said:


> Sounds like you may have a bad unit. My HR34 hasn't lost MRV in quite a long time.


Yes, I feel this is the case also. This despite DTV's attempts to convince me otherwise. I am going to see if they will replace my box...

Update: I just called and I am getting a replacement unit shipped. It was a hassle as they still told me the Whole Home problem is a "known issue", but I escalated and will receive a replacement box. Hopefully it will fix the issue. I am growing quite weary of the problem honestly ..


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

A whole new adventure now. After a few days absence, turned on the TV and the Genie said it was on 360 Fox. Picture was a Harry Potter movie and there was a dialogue box with a bunch of junk on how to order. Could not get it off that no matter what. Guide, tune nada, list tune nada, had to RBR it. Missed a lot of recordings. Momma will not be very happy.


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## don s (Sep 4, 2011)

As a follow up, my replacement HR34 arrived today (exactly 1 day after I called, amazing). Though it's too soon to be sure, the new box appears to have no Whole Home issues at all. The problems may have been with the old receiver itself and not in the software, though that HW issue would have occurred a few months after it was working fine.

I remain cautious, as I was able to get intermittent remote connections occasionally with the old box so I will reserve final judgement for a few days. Still it is nice being able to use remote viewing of playlists from the HR34 again. Very happy I pulled the trigger on getting a replacement. Thanks for the hint RunnerFL !


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

don s said:


> As a follow up, my replacement HR34 arrived today (exactly 1 day after I called, amazing). Though it's too soon to be sure, the new box appears to have no Whole Home issues at all. The problems may have been with the old receiver itself and not in the software, though that HW issue would have occurred a few months after it was working fine.
> 
> I remain cautious, as I was able to get intermittent remote connections occasionally with the old box so I will reserve final judgement for a few days. Still it is nice being able to use remote viewing of playlists from the HR34 again. Very happy I pulled the trigger on getting a replacement. Thanks for the hint RunnerFL !


Sounds like good news. Keep us posted!


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

Another adventure with the newest downgrade of software. Genie, unfortunately not Barbara Eden, would not play any recorded content from either its own recordings or from the HR24.

Please Please go back to the SD GUI.


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## don s (Sep 4, 2011)

1 full day now with no problems after getting the new HR34 box. I'm going to tentatively say my issues are resolved with the replaced receiver. The HR34 can now share playlists to and from my other HR24s in my house consistently (for 1 day+ at least ... Yay


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## wease (Jun 27, 2010)

Just hooked up my hr34 and i see there is no digital fiber optic connection on it?Strange that the best receiver has no fiber optic for dolby.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

I believe they consider that legacy.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

wease said:


> Just hooked up my hr34 and i see there is no digital fiber optic connection on it?Strange that the best receiver has no fiber optic for dolby.


Fiber optic is considered old technology. Coax digital is the new thing.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

I don't know if I'd consider it new, I had it on my HR20.


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## don s (Sep 4, 2011)

RunnerFL said:


> Fiber optic is considered old technology. Coax digital is the new thing.


Which is odd, since I have coax digital inputs on my 1997 Denon A/V receiver  . Luckily though, because of precisely that, I had an extra coax cable lying around to use for the HR34. Seems utterly odd that there is no toslink connect. Coax digital is more antiquated than toslink IMO ...


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

Fiber is a much higher bandwidth connection than any wire will ever be. For audio two tin cans and a string will work.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

don s said:


> Which is odd, since I have coax digital inputs on my 1997 Denon A/V receiver  . Luckily though, because of precisely that, I had an extra coax cable lying around to use for the HR34. Seems utterly odd that there is no toslink connect. Coax digital is more antiquated than toslink IMO ...


Fiber showed up long before 1997, Toslink is digital so it's impossible for toslink to be more antiquated. Coax and Fiber are bot S/PDIF connections. Fiber is also far more fragile than coax.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Jerry_K said:


> Fiber is a much higher bandwidth connection than any wire will ever be.


Incorrect, there is no bandwidth or quality difference between the two when it comes to the audio itself. As far as durability there is a big difference, fiber is fragile coax is not.


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## mkertzman (Mar 19, 2007)

I've posted this for the past two releases - no change in this release, so I'll post again.

The behavior is as follows. I record a program (from a Series recording) and when I try to play it back, all I see is a freeze frame of the last frame showing on live TV before playback. The progress bar shows movement, but at a higher rate of speed than regular playback. FF/REW seems to work on the progress bar, but has no impact on seeing anything other than the the live freeze frame.

Since this release, I activated Whole Home DVR and was able to test playing back the problem recording from a remote DVR - this time, it just shows a black screen - no apparent movement on the progress bar, just black.

This happened this week on David Letterman's show and it's happened in the past on MSNBC.

An additional data point that may be related. When I just turned on the TV/HR34 (at about 10 AM local), the live TV had been tuned to the local NBC station - the live TV was frozen, and when I showed the progress bar, it showed the time pointer at 7:20 AM, but some time gap before what appeared to be the live buffer. The only way to unfreeze live TV was to change the Live TV channel - when I went back to the problem channel, it was fine. In addition, two programs that I had recorded via Series Manager that were on AFTER the frozen live TV had recorded fine. 

Another user here thought that a workaround/possible cause was that this recorded program freeze might happen when the recording is on the same channel as the live TV. All of this might indicate some issue with the Live TV buffer, but I really don't know. This problem has been there for at least several HR34 releases.

I hope that this gives DirecTV enough information to diagnose the problem. I'd also like to hear from others who have experienced the same issue and whether you've found a fix/workaround or more information. Thanks!


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## jibberyerkibber (Mar 1, 2012)

mkertzman -- I've had this happen before, but not lately.


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## augisdad (Sep 29, 2011)

It's happened to me at least twice over the past 3 releases. Both times I believe it was on the Live TV channel. The first time it was a series link recording. The second time it happened on just a show that had been buffering, and I decided to save what had buffered before it went away. I tried playing around with the Live TV buffer and it would sometimes give me a 30sec playback before freezing again. I have had the Live TV buffer frozen several additional times as well, but did not think to try recording it to see if it brought up a blank recording. Maybe next time it happens I'll try that.


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

I believe that Toslink/Fiber optic audio outputs and inputs are more expensive to add to a device. Since most people are switching over to HDMI to carry both their audio and video signals, a lot of manufacturers have decided to quit including Toslink/Fiber Optic audio outputs and inputs as a way to cut costs. Just like most AV manufacturers have cut down on composite, S-video and even component audio video inputs and ouputs on their AV receivers to reduce costs. S-video is going away too on most components. Pretty soon it wouldn't suprise me if we start seeing more devices with just 2 sets of ouputs HDMI and composite.


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

RunnerFL said:


> Incorrect, there is no bandwidth or quality difference between the two when it comes to the audio itself. As far as durability there is a big difference, fiber is fragile coax is not.


Did I say Audio? No. Fiber has greater bandwidth capability. And it has that capability over much longer distances. We used fiber for communication with mini subs over very long distances (classified as to how far). Suffice to say it was measured in distances usually associated with land based vehicles. And that fiber was not "fragile". Wires of a few thousand feet are about as long as one can deploy underwater.

When Fiber was being implemented for audio, the multichannel capability using very high frequency carriers was in use.

And wire is subject to electromagnetic fields that can and will distort the original signal. Coax helps but is not proof against stray signal getting in.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

The fiber audio cables I've seen for home audio were definitely not as rugged as that. Though in reality likely not a big deal if its not messed with much.


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## tom74 (Nov 8, 2012)

Perhaps I'm the only one but, has anyone else looked at their "to do list" and seen series recordings set-up to record in duplicate ( 2 recordings for the same episode at the same time) even though only one series recording is set-up? I'm not sure yet if it will actually record twice or if it just the list that is funky.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

tom74 said:


> Perhaps I'm the only one but, has anyone else looked at their "to do list" and seen series recordings set-up to record in duplicate ( 2 recordings for the same episode at the same time) even though only one series recording is set-up? I'm not sure yet if it will actually record twice or if it just the list that is funky.


I've seen other reports of this, perhaps two or three, but not recently. It could be due to a number of factors, and probably will go away on its own through time. (It hasn't happened on my unit yet.)


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## tom74 (Nov 8, 2012)

Laxguy said:


> I've seen other reports of this, perhaps two or three, but not recently. It could be due to a number of factors, and probably will go away on its own through time. (It hasn't happened on my unit yet.)


Do you know if In other cases the recordings have actually taken place in duplicate or has it just been the to do list itself?


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

Finally a good thing from a software downgrade. Most commercials have no audio.


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## somguy (Oct 2, 2006)

RACJ2 said:


> I had that issue with the last release, but its working good on the current release. Is your DVR full? Is this happening when you have several things recording at the same time?


*No my dvr is in no way full. When NOT recording anything both problems still exist (won't change tuners by use of down arrow and PIP will not turn on). Tuner Switching (doubleplay) worked first week and STILL is not working after multiple rbr's; had Genie for 3 weeks now. Also PIP worked for first week and is no longer working...maybe they're all related?! System tests OK; all 5 tuners 97-98% signal strength and all 5 tuners can record at the same time. No one else mentioning this so maybe the dvr is a lemon? Either it's a software issue, SWIM connection issue or a bad dvr...time will tell.*


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Jerry_K said:


> Fiber has greater bandwidth capability. And it has that capability over much longer distances.


Better over longer distances, yes. More bandwidth, no.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

tom74 said:


> Do you know if In other cases the recordings have actually taken place in duplicate or has it just been the to do list itself?


No, I sure don't. Unless you're running out of room, I'd let 'er go as she is, and then do some investigating. History may reveal something, and do please report what you find!


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

somguy said:


> *No my dvr is in no way full. When NOT recording anything both problems still exist (won't change tuners by use of down arrow and PIP will not turn on). Tuner Switching (doubleplay) worked first week and STILL is not working after multiple rbr's; had Genie for 3 weeks now. Also PIP worked for first week and is no longer working...maybe they're all related?! System tests OK; all 5 tuners 97-98% signal strength and all 5 tuners can record at the same time. No one else mentioning this so maybe the dvr is a lemon? Either it's a software issue, SWIM connection issue or a bad dvr...time will tell.*


You are not trying to activate double play or pip while watching a recording from the playlist are you? Just throwing that out there, I know once I thought mine was broken, till I realized I was watching a recording.


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## jibberyerkibber (Mar 1, 2012)

I asked this question before but I forgot where so I still don't know the answer. When I am using the PIP feature, is there a way to flip the audio back and forth between the main picture and the PIP? Thanks.


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

jibberyerkibber said:


> I asked this question before but I forgot where so I still don't know the answer. When I am using the PIP feature, is there a way to flip the audio back and forth between the main picture and the PIP? Thanks.


I'm pretty sure I have seen it posted a few times now that this is not possible. You have to swap the two pictures, you can only get audio from the main picture.


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## Carl Spock (Sep 3, 2004)

This is the least stable version of the HR34 software so far.

On Sunday night I made a blank recording of 60 Minutes. I got two hours (with extra-long padding because of football) of a black screen. I had been watching CBS earlier that day for football and it was fine later that night.

Last night, while watching a recording of one of the evening news shows - I think it was Special Report on Fox News although it could have been Rachael Maddow's show - the screen suddenly went black. I couldn't do anything with the DVR. It was locked up. Even the DirecTV logo on the front of the DVR was not there. The only solution was a RBR. When I got back a picture and control, I deleted the recording, scared to play it again. I then did a second menu reboot to clear the Guide data since I was having problems. Everything seems to be working today.

I haven't seen stuff like this since the early days of the HR20.


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## usnret (Jan 16, 2009)

Was watching the Dan Patrick show this am and the audio/video just stopped (as when I pause a recording). Heard a clicking sound, hit the black play button and the program started again. Did it 3 times within a 5 minute span. Don't know what happened but the clicking sound the 34 was making scares me. Any ideas??


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## jibberyerkibber (Mar 1, 2012)

HR34 0x5d3 12:30 pm PST. Waited. Nothing. Reboot. Fixed.


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## usnret (Jan 16, 2009)

Jib - maybe you need to add toner??


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"jibberyerkibber" said:


> HR34 0x5d3 12:30 pm PST.


That Looks fun!


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## gully_foyle (Jan 18, 2007)

The autocorrect is again too short after a 2x sprint through commercials. Almost always needs another 12 to 18 seconds rewind. My reactions are a bit better than average, I think.

Also, and this is a continuing problem: When watching a recording and having some graphic overlay (timebar or info, say), EXIT sometimes clears the graphic (correct) and sometimes exits the recording (very incorrect).


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## jibberyerkibber (Mar 1, 2012)

This is for my HR34 friends. What do you think?

"I was watching my TV yesterday in the split screen mode. One picture was from my HR34 and the other was from my HR24. Both receivers were tuned to the same station, MSNBC 356. Both tuner pictures were in real-time, i.e. no delay. I was doing this to check my PROGRAM GUIDE for each receiver and still watch and listen to the program in the other split screen. Then came a fade to black to a commercial break. Guess what? The HR34 screen had one set of commercials and the HR24 screen had another completely different set of commercials! Then after the commercials, a fade to black and the regular identical 356 program came back simultaneously in both screens, i.e. both tuners. Anyone? It's been many years since I took LSD."


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Probably one had local commercials loaded to be inserted into the program, and the other receiver didn't.


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

This morning my lovely wife said "The TV is all screwed up". A recorded program was supposed to be playing. But instead the top half of a still frame would pop up for a split second and then the screen would go black for a second then the half frame flashes on ad infinitum. No response to the remote. So RBR and it started working.

It was bad as an HR34, it is horrible as a genie. Does not grant wishes very well.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Jerry_K" said:


> This morning my lovely wife said "The TV is all screwed up". A recorded program was supposed to be playing. But instead the top half of a still frame would pop up for a split second and then the screen would go black for a second then the half frame flashes on ad infinitum. No response to the remote. So RBR and it started working.
> 
> It was bad as an HR34, it is horrible as a genie. Does not grant wishes very well.


You need a different unit. Im sorry, but your issues are far to often and above the norm IMHO. It's either your wiring and system, or an actual bad receiver. I'd ask for a replacement.

My folks, who don't participate in any ce testing etc, have had one for six months, and the only complaint I ever get from them is some of the other DVRs falling off, and im pretty sure that's actually a issue with the other units and not the HR34 at their house. And I hear about every tech issue they ever have.


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

DVRs falling off by that I guess you mean not on the combined playlist, is a common problem on these threads with the Genie nee HR34. 

And most folks we see with DVRs don't really use them at all. Hardly any series recordings, once in a while a recorded program, don't use double play, have no idea that you can pick up the buffer if you don't turn it off (standby) don't ever build a buffer to skip commercials. No clue at all even when you explain the features and walk them through how to use them. All they have with a DVR is a remote instead of going up to the TV to twist a knob and change the channels. Yes some are running TVs with only a coax input and a knob to change the channels. So of course they are not going to run into any glitches. They never poke at that part of the software.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Jerry_K" said:


> DVRs falling off by that I guess you mean not on the combined playlist, is a common problem on these threads with the Genie nee HR34.
> 
> And most folks we see with DVRs don't really use them at all. Hardly any series recordings, once in a while a recorded program, don't use double play, have no idea that you can pick up the buffer if you don't turn it off (standby) don't ever build a buffer to skip commercials. No clue at all even when you explain the features and walk them through how to use them. All they have with a DVR is a remote instead of going up to the TV to twist a knob and change the channels. Yes some are running TVs with only a coax input and a knob to change the channels. So of course they are not going to run into any glitches. They never poke at that part of the software.


You issues seem to go far beyond lost buffers and DVRs dropping of the playlists... Which I think is more of a hr2x issue than a genie issue... Have your DVRs gotten the latest firmware for the hr2xs?


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## tom74 (Nov 8, 2012)

Laxguy said:


> No, I sure don't. Unless you're running out of room, I'd let 'er go as she is, and then do some investigating. History may reveal something, and do please report what you find!


I left the duplicate recordings alone and they were all recorded twice. If you clear out the series and reset it up it fixes the problem however, it seems that the cause of the duplicate recordings is any receiver resets. When a reset is done that is when duplicates show up in the to do list. You reset the series and all is fine until the next reset. With my particular duplicate issues it seems to pick on series setups from local channels ( abc, NBC, CBS, Fox). I have yet to see it with a national cable channel series recording.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

tom74 said:


> I left the duplicate recordings alone and they were all recorded twice. If you clear out the series and reset it up it fixes the problem however, it seems that the cause of the duplicate recordings is any receiver resets. When a reset is done that is when duplicates show up in the to do list. You reset the series and all is fine until the next reset. With my particular duplicate issues it seems to pick on series setups from local channels ( abc, NBC, CBS, Fox). I have yet to see it with a national cable channel series recording.


Interesting! I wonder if something in the coding of the locals could be making that happen. (?). I've not seen anyone post that the duplicates are a persistent problem, at least not as you've described.


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## don s (Sep 4, 2011)

So.... Though my replacement HR34 is allowing me to see recordings on the other DVRs in my home, I am again starting to experience drop offs again where remote viewing is dropped. 

I can for now reset the box and multi room viewing get re-established (which I was unable to do with the other unit), but it is still really irritating that I still am having issues with remote viewing. DTV continues to say it is a "known issue", but it is getting infuriating. I'm just glad that for the moment I have a workaround. Annoying, but better than nothing for now.

DTV needs to get this software fixed soon ...


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"don s" said:


> So.... Though my replacement HR34 is allowing me to see recordings on the other DVRs in my home, I am again starting to experience drop offs again where remote viewing is dropped.
> 
> I can for now reset the box and multi room viewing get re-established (which I was unable to do with the other unit), but it is still really irritating that I still am having issues with remote viewing. DTV continues to say it is a "known issue", but it is getting infuriating. I'm just glad that for the moment I have a workaround. Annoying, but better than nothing for now.
> 
> DTV needs to get this software fixed soon ...


What firmware do have on all your units?

How is your system wired? Are you using deca? How is your system bridged to the Internet?


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## don s (Sep 4, 2011)

inkahauts said:


> What firmware do have on all your units?
> 
> How is your system wired? Are you using deca? How is your system bridged to the Internet?


The DTV installer set it all up in Feb of this year, and all was fine for a long time. WH was working fine until a firmware update on the HR34 about 4 months ago broke the whole home functionality between my HR34 and the HR24s. The latest firmware is on the 34 and the 24s.

It was all working ... until it suddenly wasn't. It clearly was the software. After the update I would lose multi-room viewing with the 34. The HR 34 couldn't see recordings in other rooms and vice versa. The HR24s all continued to work just fine between each other. I tried resets and static IPs, etc. Nothing fixed it. After months of calling DTV and being told it was a "known issue", I finally got a replacement HR34, figuring I had nothing to lose.

The new box worked just fine for 5 days or so. However now it is - AGAIN - occasionally losing connection with the other DVRs - it can't see recordings in other rooms and vice versa. (The HR24s all continue to work just fine between each other). The difference with this box so far is that I can reset it and regain multi-room viewing apparently. I couldn't even to that with the previous unit.

The WH problem is not consistent, it is not presenting for all users, and apparently is quite known to DTV. It is irritating to the Nth degree for me at this point - especially considering that there were no issues at all with me before August or so ..


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## jibberyerkibber (Mar 1, 2012)

gully_foyle said:


> The autocorrect is again too short after a 2x sprint through commercials. Almost always needs another 12 to 18 seconds rewind. My reactions are a bit better than average, I think.


I've been harping about the HR34's failure to autocorrect after FFWD > PLAY ever since I got mine nine months ago. My HR23 and HR24 autocorrect just fine. As many times as I posted about this, and as many times I have written DTV, it appears they are not concerned with this issue.


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

inkahauts said:


> You issues seem to go far beyond lost buffers and DVRs dropping of the playlists... Which I think is more of a hr2x issue than a genie issue... Have your DVRs gotten the latest firmware for the hr2xs?


Do you have a Genie nee HR34?


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## tonydi (Jul 10, 2010)

jibberyerkibber said:


> I've been harping about the HR34's failure to autocorrect after FFWD > PLAY ever since I got mine nine months ago. My HR23 and HR24 autocorrect just fine. As many times as I posted about this, and as many times I have written DTV, it appears they are not concerned with this issue.


I don't know if it's that they aren't concerned, or if they can't reproduce it. My HR34 works perfectly with the autocorrect, always has. My neighbor's does as well.

Same with most of the issues that Jerry_K, has, neither of us sees hardly any of his problems.

I've got the HR34, two H25's and one HR24 with whole home and internet. Never had an issue with seeing/playing recordings across the network. I also use static IP's for everything, the boxes and my TV's.

That being said, there seem to be a few common things that *everyone *sees, like the weird deal with deleting a future recording and having it tell you it's recording, yet that's survived one firmware update unfixed.

All in all, mine's working pretty well. I think the only bug I've got is that future recording thing. I just hope and pray that they don't break something in future updates.

And I need to stop posting how well mine works because I just *know* I'm going to jinx things. :eek2:


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## EyeRonik1 (Nov 26, 2007)

tom74 said:


> Perhaps I'm the only one but, has anyone else looked at their "to do list" and seen series recordings set-up to record in duplicate ( 2 recordings for the same episode at the same time) even though only one series recording is set-up? I'm not sure yet if it will actually record twice or if it just the list that is funky.


I frequently have the same program recording multiple times. This is far from the biggest issue I have so with my HR34 so I haven't pursued it.

The biggest problem by far is performance. Most of the time performance is fine, much of the time it is quite slow, and occasionally (about once a week) it can take minutes to open the Now Playing list. A reboot fixes it but I don't want to interrupt current recordings.

It often takes so long that the window times out and exits before it populates.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Jerry_K" said:


> Do you have a Genie nee HR34?


Yes I do. 100 series links. Some are boolean arsls. Watch remote recordings and live often. To and from the genie. I just don't see the stuff you post that no one else seems to either. I have the delete from to do list bug and such, which is getting worked on, but you have some really outlier issues IMHO.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"don s" said:


> The DTV installer set it all up in Feb of this year, and all was fine for a long time. WH was working fine until a firmware update on the HR34 about 4 months ago broke the whole home functionality between my HR34 and the HR24s. The latest firmware is on the 34 and the 24s.
> 
> It was all working ... until it suddenly wasn't. It clearly was the software. After the update I would lose multi-room viewing with the 34. The HR 34 couldn't see recordings in other rooms and vice versa. The HR24s all continued to work just fine between each other. I tried resets and static IPs, etc. Nothing fixed it. After months of calling DTV and being told it was a "known issue", I finally got a replacement HR34, figuring I had nothing to lose.
> 
> ...


So it sounds like you have 628 on your hr2xs. It also sounds like your system is setup to work over deca but you haven't said how your system is bridged to your home network.

A couple things. One do you have unpn turned on your router? If so its likely causing issues.

Personally as a test I'd disconnect your deca cloud from the home network, completely reset all networking settings and in all dtv boxes and then see what happens not using any fixed ip addresses or interacting with you home network. Let them get their own 169 addresses and talk to just themselves and see if anything changes. It's simple to do and may help elevate your frustration.


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## don s (Sep 4, 2011)

inkahauts said:


> So it sounds like you have 628 on your hr2xs. It also sounds like your system is setup to work over deca but you haven't said how your system is bridged to your home network.
> 
> A couple things. One do you have unpn turned on your router? If so its likely causing issues.
> 
> Personally as a test I'd disconnect your deca cloud from the home network, completely reset all networking settings and in all dtv boxes and then see what happens not using any fixed ip addresses or interacting with you home network. Let them get their own 169 addresses and talk to just themselves and see if anything changes. It's simple to do and may help elevate your frustration.


Thanks for the suggestions. 
-My system is bridged via ethernet via the DECA Broadband connector to my home router
- I have tried previously disconnecting from the home network with the old box, that didn't help.
- I did have uPNP turned on withing the router. I'll try turning it off and see what happens (though I might need it for other applications.)

Thanks again ...


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

inkahauts said:


> Yes I do. 100 series links. Some are boolean arsls. Watch remote recordings and live often. To and from the genie. I just don't see the stuff you post that no one else seems to either. I have the delete from to do list bug and such, which is getting worked on, but you have some really outlier issues IMHO.


None that are not reported from time to time by others too.


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## Drinyth (Nov 9, 2012)

inkahauts said:


> A couple things. One do you have unpn turned on your router? If so its likely causing issues.
> 
> Personally as a test I'd disconnect your deca cloud from the home network, completely reset all networking settings and in all dtv boxes and then see what happens not using any fixed ip addresses or interacting with you home network. Let them get their own 169 addresses and talk to just themselves and see if anything changes. It's simple to do and may help elevate your frustration.


I'm having an issue with my DirecTV Genie system (1 HR34 and 2 C31s) where the C31s will lose the ability to watch video (live or recorded) after a certain period of time.

I've tried numerous things to no avail. I'm curious as to what the effects are of disconnecting my HR34 from the Internet? Do I just lose the On-Demand functionality and obvious Internet services (youtube, etc). I'd be willing to forgo those features for now if I can get my C31 receivers to stay running and not have to reboot my HR34 daily to keep MRV working. I just want to make sure that I'll continue to receive updates to the programming guide and that the WHDVR will continue to work as normal without an Internet connection.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Drinyth" said:


> I'm having an issue with my DirecTV Genie system (1 HR34 and 2 C31s) where the C31s will lose the ability to watch video (live or recorded) after a certain period of time.
> 
> I've tried numerous things to no avail. I'm curious as to what the effects are of disconnecting my HR34 from the Internet? Do I just lose the On-Demand functionality and obvious Internet services (youtube, etc). I'd be willing to forgo those features for now if I can get my C31 receivers to stay running and not have to reboot my HR34 daily to keep MRV working. I just want to make sure that I'll continue to receive updates to the programming guide and that the WHDVR will continue to work as normal without an Internet connection.


The disconnect from the Internet is a way to help determine where the issue may be coming from, not really a fix IMHO. With that said, all guide data and firmware updates come via sat, so there is zero worry about that if you disconnect the Internet.

I saw someone mention it looks like they have been pushing out a new update for the c31s so you might want to see what happens after you get that. What firmware do you have right now on your c31? Press and hold select on the remote for 12 seconds or longer, and then release and you will have a screen pop p on the c31 that will tell you your current firmware....

How often are glowing video? There is a coax network signal strength screen I can point you to to see if maybe your issue is related to your wiring.


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## Drinyth (Nov 9, 2012)

inkahauts said:


> The disconnect from the Internet is a way to help determine where the issue may be coming from, not really a fix IMHO. With that said, all guide data and firmware updates come via sat, so there is zero worry about that if you disconnect the Internet.


I agree that it's more of a troubleshooting tool than a fix. But if it's between leaving it disconnected vs. having to reboot the HR34 daily, I'll take the former. It's good to know it shouldn't cause any ill effects for my usage.



> I saw someone mention it looks like they have been pushing out a new update for the c31s so you might want to see what happens after you get that. What firmware do you have right now on your c31? Press and hold select on the remote for 12 seconds or longer, and then release and you will have a screen pop p on the c31 that will tell you your current firmware....


Indeed, I also received an update for the C31 today. I'm running version 0x709 now. The date next to the version shows as 11/2 as opposed to today's date, though. I forget what the old version was that it was running? I'm pretty sure the old date was on 10/19, though.



> How often are glowing video? There is a coax network signal strength screen I can point you to to see if maybe your issue is related to your wiring.


Glowing video? My C31 devices have stopped showing video (live or recorded) within 24 hours of a RBR of the HR34. It has occassionally gone a little longer although I can't remember it going for more than two days without running into this problem.

If you want to pass along that coax network signal strength screen, I'll be more than happy to run through those test.

For now, I'll let this new C31 version run with the Ethernet still connected to the HR34. I should know within a day or so if it resolved the issue or not.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Drinyth" said:


> I agree that it's more of a troubleshooting tool than a fix. But if it's between leaving it disconnected vs. having to reboot the HR34 daily, I'll take the former. It's good to know it shouldn't cause any ill effects for my usage.
> 
> Indeed, I also received an update for the C31 today. I'm running version 0x709 now. The date next to the version shows as 11/2 as opposed to today's date, though. I forget what the old version was that it was running? I'm pretty sure the old date was on 10/19, though.
> 
> ...


The date is the date the software was finished being built, not the date it was downloaded. 

What, doesn't everyone's c31 glow ominously? Haha.. Love autocorrect sometimes.

Press guide and right arrow at the same time on the front panel of your HR34. Then in the system diagnostics screen choose coax network, and post your results. Then also choose phy rate mesh and let us know what that says...

You might even want to post all that in the ask vos thread here...

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=200715

You shouldn't need to reboot daily to get the c31s to work right.


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## Drinyth (Nov 9, 2012)

inkahauts said:


> The date is the date the software was finished being built, not the date it was downloaded.


Ahh! That makes sense.



> Press guide and right arrow at the same time on the front panel of your HR34. Then in the system diagnostics screen choose coax network, and post your results. Then also choose phy rate mesh and let us know what that says...


Here are the results from those two tests:





















> You might even want to post all that in the ask vos thread here...
> 
> http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=200715
> 
> You shouldn't need to reboot daily to get the c31s to work right.


I read through the thread a bit and it looks like my numbers should be within acceptable levels? It doesn't appear that the problem lies within my home wiring, but if you see something that I don't, please tell.

Thanks again for all the help!


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Drinyth" said:


> Ahh! That makes sense.
> 
> Here are the results from those two tests:
> 
> ...


That dropped session count at 37 is a big problem.. I suggest asking vos (veryoldschool) in that thread what he would suggest. Curios, are these the only three things in your system? No other recovers? Did they use a 4 way splitter or eight way?


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## Drinyth (Nov 9, 2012)

inkahauts said:


> That dropped session count at 37 is a big problem.. I suggest asking vos (veryoldschool) in that thread what he would suggest. Curios, are these the only three things in your system? No other recovers? Did they use a 4 way splitter or eight way?


In that thread, there was another guy who had a dropped session count of 52, but VOS replied back to him with "Dropped session count is due to the C31s, so you'll need to dismiss that for now". So I assumed my 37 was alright, but I'll post in that thread to make sure.

Yes, I just have three receivers in my system for now. The one HR34 and two C31 clients.

They used a 4-way splitter for my install.


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## Drinyth (Nov 9, 2012)

Drinyth said:


> Indeed, I also received an update for the C31 today. I'm running version 0x709 now.
> 
> For now, I'll let this new C31 version run with the Ethernet still connected to the HR34. I should know within a day or so if it resolved the issue or not.


The C31 issue isn't resolved for me. I just unplugged the HR34 from the network to see if that will have any positive effect.

I wonder if I should move this topic to the C31 thread? Seemingly, that is the receiver that is getting hung up? But then again, it's a reset of the HR34 that always fixes the problem?


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Drinyth" said:


> The C31 issue isn't resolved for me. I just unplugged the HR34 from the network to see if that will have any positive effect.
> 
> I wonder if I should move this topic to the C31 thread? Seemingly, that is the receiver that is getting hung up? But then again, it's a reset of the HR34 that always fixes the problem?


Give vos more info and ask what else he might suggest in his thread. Since you have disconnected it from the net, personally, I'd also reset all network defaults too.


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## Drinyth (Nov 9, 2012)

inkahauts said:


> Give vos more info and ask what else he might suggest in his thread. Since you have disconnected it from the net, personally, I'd also reset all network defaults too.


VOs was really helpful in this thread that I posted about the issue with other things that I might try. Sadly, I've pretty much run through the gambit of things to try with his help, but to no real avail.

We'll see if being disconnected from the IP network does anything. My network settings should still all be the default settings, but I can reset those as well just to be sure.


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## Steve Robertson (Jun 7, 2005)

After reading this thread I am not sure I want my new box tomorrow it seems like the same issues over and over again with D* I have benn with them for over 15 years now and some things just never change.


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## Curtis0620 (Apr 22, 2002)

Steve Robertson said:


> After reading this thread I am not sure I want my new box tomorrow it seems like the same issues over and over again with D* I have benn with them for over 15 years now and some things just never change.


Got my HR34 a couple of months ago, I have no problems with it.


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## Carl Spock (Sep 3, 2004)

But Steve is right.

I had this exact same question before I got mine. Yes, it is typical DirecTV, fixing the software after it's been released. But the level of frustration isn't nearly as bad as it has been in the past. I've had problems with this software but it is one recording dropped, not a dozen. Since I rebooted, it hasn't come back. More than 99% of the time my HR34 preforms very well.

It's still quirky - yesterday the Delete option mysteriously disappeared from the menu just as I was getting ready to delete a show. Simply closing and reopening the window solved the problem. I really wish DirecTV would fix the fast scan so that it stops correctly, like all the other DVRs. It's stuff like that.

I like mine a lot and would get it again in an instant.


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## Steve Robertson (Jun 7, 2005)

Glad to hear some good reports I know these boards are for problems and you never hear the good stuff


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Steve Robertson said:


> Glad to hear some good reports I know these boards are for problems and you never hear the good stuff


Genie kicks but overall. A few people have some major issues, as would be expected, but fort he majority, the most the small issues aren't even noticed, if they even have them. Its well worth it to have a genie.


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## don s (Sep 4, 2011)

inkahauts said:


> So it sounds like you have 628 on your hr2xs. It also sounds like your system is setup to work over deca but you haven't said how your system is bridged to your home network.
> 
> A couple things. One do you have unpn turned on your router? If so its likely causing issues.
> 
> Personally as a test I'd disconnect your deca cloud from the home network, completely reset all networking settings and in all dtv boxes and then see what happens not using any fixed ip addresses or interacting with you home network. Let them get their own 169 addresses and talk to just themselves and see if anything changes. It's simple to do and may help elevate your frustration.


At the risk of jinxing things, after following your advice and turned off uPNP on my router, and so far I have had a solid multi-room connection without a single drop. It's been a week now. I can't say if that was it for sure - as there were a mix of causes I suspect - but I do know for about a week it has been great. <fingers remain crossed> Thanks !


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## RACJ2 (Aug 2, 2008)

Started having delays entering commands from the remote which started a couple days ago. Had to wait 20 to 30 seconds and then it would run through all the commands. Also, about 30 second delay when exiting from a recording, while a couple new programs were recording. Did a reset and its been good for a day or so.


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## Steve Robertson (Jun 7, 2005)

I can't believe there is no optical out put on the Genie what were they thinking? Thanks to a great tech he was able to find a way to do it through my tv so I am good but still can't believe they left this out of the box.

For what is worth he told me they are working on a 10 tuner box now and should be out within the year


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## funnyfarm299 (Mar 3, 2012)

"Steve Robertson" said:


> I can't believe there is no optical out put on the Genie what were they thinking? Thanks to a great tech he was able to find a way to do it through my tv so I am good but still can't believe they left this out of the box.
> 
> For what is worth he told me they are working on a 10 tuner box now and should be out within the year


There is no way a tech knows that from a reliable source. Besides, ten tuners is too much for most D* systems.


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## Steve Robertson (Jun 7, 2005)

funnyfarm299 said:


> There is no way a tech knows that from a reliable source. Besides, ten tuners is too much for most D* systems.


Like I said take it for what it is worth


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

Yeah, 10 tuners wouldn't make sense. It would have to have two coax inputs so it could run off of two legs of a SWM16, since each leg could only handle 8 tuners. then you'd have to keep track of which coax went to which input on the DVR because I would think that only one input would handle the 8 tuners, and the other would only handle 2.

Now a single DVR/HMC with 8 tuners I could understand, and I was kind of suprised that wasn't what DirecTV did with the HR34 in the first place. However, if they knew that the C31 wasn't going to be ready to be released at the same time as the HR34 then it makes a bit more sense. They would have had to keep the HR34 tuner count low enough to allow it to be used with a few (3) H25 or H24 receivers so they didn't have to install a SWM16 all the time.

I think a new HMC box with 8 tuners, that could stream out to 6 clients at a time would be a great idea, and I might even consider switching over to it.


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## jibberyerkibber (Mar 1, 2012)

I was recording a football game the other day. I pressed the play button now and then just to check the time and, as expected, the time bar line was orange, meaning the game was in fact recording to the hard drive. Everyone knows that. Then I keyed in a channel with the remote and the HR34 of course switched to that channel. Then I pressed the PREV button and went back to the football game. Guess what? The entire orange time line was gone. Somehow the HR34 erased the recorded football game all on its own.


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

jibberyerkibber said:


> I was recording a football game the other day. I pressed the play button now and then just to check the time and, as expected, the time bar line was orange, meaning the game was in fact recording to the hard drive. Everyone knows that. Then I keyed in a channel with the remote and the HR34 of course switched to that channel. Then I pressed the PREV button and went back to the football game. Guess what? The entire orange time line was gone. Somehow the HR34 erased the recorded football game all on its own.


You sure about that, or did the HR34 just start using a different tuner than the one that was recording that channel? Is the game actually gone from the playlist?


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

jibberyerkibber said:


> I was recording a football game the other day. I pressed the play button now and then just to check the time and, as expected, the time bar line was orange, meaning the game was in fact recording to the hard drive. Everyone knows that. Then I keyed in a channel with the remote and the HR34 of course switched to that channel. Then I pressed the PREV button and went back to the football game. Guess what? The entire orange time line was gone. Somehow the HR34 erased the recorded football game all on its own.


The program isn't truly recording unless it shows up in List. It sounds like you lost the buffer for that game, which shouldn't happen, but seems to a bit more on the '34s than others.

A safeguard, one I use if I care at all about seeing whatever it is, is to actually hit the Record button. Too many ways the buffer can be wiped accidentally by the user, nevermind software glitches.


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## jangell2 (Apr 6, 2004)

I did a search for the AM21 in this thread and there were no hits, so I hope this is a new question. I just talked to DTV, and they told me that the AM21 (which allows for over-the-air recording) does not work with the HR34 (DTV likes to call it the Genie).

Is this true? That means there's no way to record OTA with this DVR. When you have a rain fade-out that means your out-of-luck.


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## jangell2 (Apr 6, 2004)

I've read a few other threads and it sure seems like it works with the HR34, some of you guys are doing it.

So if DTV tells me it doesn't work, can I still order it from them? How much does it cost? I've got an order where they comped me an HR34, can I ask them to comp the AM21?

I really want OTA?


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## Carl Spock (Sep 3, 2004)

Steve Robertson said:


> I can't believe there is no optical out put on the Genie what were they thinking? Thanks to a great tech he was able to find a way to do it through my tv so I am good but still can't believe they left this out of the box.


Steve, a coax digital connector is generally considered superior to an optical one, so if they were going to only have one type, it should be a coaxial one.

The supposition is that only having one type of digital output is a cost saving move.

Coaxial to optical converters are cheap, generally around $15. Here's a typical one from Amazon for $16.74.

http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-400...349&sr=8-1&keywords=coax+to+optical+converter

So how do you like your box?


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## natureboy (Aug 10, 2009)

Thinking about getting a Genie. A question I have is can you watch shows recorded on a another hd dvr H23 that is in the bedroom on a tv in the living room that is hooked up to the Genie.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

natureboy said:


> Thinking about getting a Genie. A question I have is can you watch shows recorded on a another hd dvr H23 that is in the bedroom on a tv in the living room that is hooked up to the Genie.


Yes. With Whole Home service, that is.


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## RD in Fla (Aug 26, 2007)

Anyone having an issue with YouTube? Internet is connected, Pandora works great, but any YouTube search I do comes back with "check your Internet connection." What gives?


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## srfrdan (Feb 24, 2010)

how do u get genie when the website says not yet available


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

srfrdan said:


> how do u get genie when the website says not yet available


You call and order.


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## jibberyerkibber (Mar 1, 2012)

This has happened to me a lot lately. It's happened before with other HR34 software. I am watching a recorded video. Then I switch to a tuner input and watch it for a while. Then I hit PREV to go back to the recorded video. It goes back when I hit RESUME, but to a place in the video way way earlier than when I originally left it. It keeps going back to that exact same earlier place repeatedly when I try the same thing again later on in the recorded video. Anyone else? Thanks.


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## tonydi (Jul 10, 2010)

Mine doesn't do that, it returns to the recorded show within a fraction of a second of where it was when I switched away. Oh, I'm using the Exit button to drop out of the recording and back to live, in case the method makes a difference.


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## augisdad (Sep 29, 2011)

3x over the weekend turned the TV on to a frozen buffer. Also had buffer dumped numerous times after watching a recording. FF sometimes jumps to reverse, and had it once jump all the way back to the beginning of a recording. Genie is off and I keep the HR34 unit on all the time.


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## Datagg (May 17, 2009)

I have had all these issues and a few more scattered about.... Direct TV asked on FB the other day, "This season my holiday shopping list includes_______________! ,,, My answer was "The hope that a update comes out so the Genie can work as it should"

Cant say it any simpler than that.


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## drs23 (Nov 26, 2012)

Jerry_K said:


> DVRs falling off by that I guess you mean not on the combined playlist, is a common problem on these threads with the Genie nee HR34.
> 
> And *most folks we see with DVRs don't really use them at all. Hardly any series recordings, once in a while a recorded program, don't use double play, have no idea that you can pick up the buffer if you don't turn it off (standby) don't ever build a buffer to skip commercials.* No clue at all even when you explain the features and walk them through how to use them. All they have with a DVR is a remote instead of going up to the TV to twist a knob and change the channels. Yes some are running TVs with only a coax input and a knob to change the channels. So of course they are not going to run into any glitches. They never poke at that part of the software.


New to the forum. Found it by searching for a fix for the remote that quit working over the holidays in my wife's office. Glad I stumbled upon it!

As to the bolded: Hey! I resemble that remark!

I've had Direct TV for about 2 1/2 years now and didn't know about these features.

The bottom line as condensed as possible. My wife's remote went out over the weekend so I got online to see if I could find a fix and found this site. There was a post by one of the mods (female, don't recall her name) who mentioned an free upgrade to the Genie was being offered. I called DTV and after a brief time on hold the rep came back and informed me that I'm eligible for a free upgrade to the Genie plus one satellite receiver as well as a free replacement for the defective remote. After reading about all the issues with it from reading this forum all morning I'm not sure I did the right thing but it's being installed tomorrow morning.

Now the questions.

1) Where does one go to learn about the above mentioned features such as "build a buffer to skip commercials". How is this done?

2) Does anyone know if the "satellite" receiver has pause/FF features?

3) Is it possible to hook up my surround sound to these newer DVRs? I haven't even tried it since the DTV install because it itimidated the hell outta me.  I'm sure there's got to be a way but I don't know that I have the right receiver, it's kinda old, probably obsolete in this arena.

That's it for now but I'm sure there'll be more to come.

Thanks


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## Capmeister (Sep 16, 2003)

drs23 said:


> 1) Where does one go to learn about the above mentioned features such as "build a buffer to skip commercials". How is this done?


I just record the show and then start watching in about 15 or 20 mins in, from the beginning. You can also leave the tuner on that channel, hit pause, and 15 or 20 mins later, hit play again, and watch.



> 2) Does anyone know if the "satellite" receiver has pause/FF features?


Only if it's one of the DVRs (Digital Video Recorders). If it has an R in the model (HR22, HR34, etc.) it can do that.



> 3) Is it possible to hook up my surround sound to these newer DVRs? I haven't even tried it since the DTV install because it itimidated the hell outta me.  I'm sure there's got to be a way but I don't know that I have the right receiver, it's kinda old, probably obsolete in this arena.


Sure.

For example, the HR34 has both digital audio out and optical audio out.

My TV has that, so I just use HDMI for everything into the TV and then go OUT from my TV to my surround system. Makes it easier for me.


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## Capmeister (Sep 16, 2003)

Forgive me... may be wrong about optical out on the HR34. I'm not home to look and don't hook it up that way. 

Edited: http://forums.directv.com/pe/elementDisplayRedirect.jsp?elementID=11049490


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## Steve Robertson (Jun 7, 2005)

Carl Spock said:


> Steve, a coax digital connector is generally considered superior to an optical one, so if they were going to only have one type, it should be a coaxial one.
> 
> The supposition is that only having one type of digital output is a cost saving move.
> 
> ...


Ok thanks but I am in good shape right now and understand what you are saying about the outputs


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## TMan (Oct 31, 2007)

Capmeister said:


> My TV has that, so I just use HDMI for everything into the TV and then go OUT from my TV to my surround system. Makes it easier for me.


I also deliver the HR34's output to my television via HDMI, and then go from the television to a sound bar via optical cable. That way the sound bar obviously plays whatever is currently on screen (satellite, semi-retired TiVo, DVD).

I just recently hooked the sound bar directly to the HR34 via a coax, in addition to the optical connection to the television. (My sound bar accepts both.) This enables my wife to enjoy music from the Sonic Tap channels without needing the television to be on. Just switch the bar from optical to coaxial, wake up the HR34 if necessary, type the channel number "in the blind" and enjoy.

It might stay on coaxial for a couple of days at a time as it only needs to be switched back to optical if we want to listen to something not originating at the HR34.


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## dserban (Apr 21, 2008)

HR34 does not have optical sound output. Only digital or analog.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"dserban" said:


> HR34 does not have optical sound output. Only digital or analog.


 Optical is digital too so for charities sake, the HR34 will pass digital audio via hdmi or coaxial digital connections only. It does not have an optical (toslink) connection.


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## mattblade (Jul 10, 2006)

My HR34 keeps rebooting itself every half hour on its own. Is anyone else having this problem with the 0x5d3 firmware. 

I am also having consistant dropped MRV connections.


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## Datagg (May 17, 2009)

I have all running HDMI. Genie HDMI to AVR, to HDMI to TV....seems to be once in awhile some handshake issues, yet not bad... My HR24 same setup was fine. The Genie has some bugs in it that's for sure. Hope they get them all fixed soon before my head explodes.

Matt, i did have a lock up which caused a reboot, yet never just occurred without an issue first.


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## Skerlnik (Jun 18, 2012)

Datagg said:


> I have all running HDMI. Genie HDMI to AVR, to HDMI to TV....seems to be once in awhile some handshake issues, yet not bad... My HR24 same setup was fine. The Genie has some bugs in it that's for sure. Hope they get them all fixed soon before my head explodes.
> 
> Matt, i did have a lock up which caused a reboot, yet never just occurred without an issue first.


There is definitely something wrong with the HDMI handshake from the HR34 -> Yamaha AVR. I only ever lose the handshake while the source is my HR34. It's really annoying to have to power cycle the DVR in the middle of a recorded show


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## Datagg (May 17, 2009)

Skerlnik said:


> There is definitely something wrong with the HDMI handshake from the HR34 -> Yamaha AVR. I only ever lose the handshake while the source is my HR34. It's really annoying to have to power cycle the DVR in the middle of a recorded show


I have a Yamaha A1000


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Skerlnik said:


> There is definitely something wrong with the HDMI handshake from the HR34 -> Yamaha AVR. I only ever lose the handshake while the source is my HR34. It's really annoying to have to power cycle the DVR in the middle of a recorded show


Of course it's annoying.

You could go HR34-> TV, and then TV-> AVR for audio. Added benefit: you don't have to always have the AVR on.


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## Skerlnik (Jun 18, 2012)

Datagg said:


> I have a Yamaha A1000


I have the RX-A3010. It used to happen with my RX-A1010 also.



Laxguy said:


> Of course it's annoying.
> 
> You could go HR34-> TV, and then TV-> AVR for audio. Added benefit: you don't have to always have the AVR on.


Not a solution for me. I have 1 HDMI cable running inside my wall to my TV, and of course the AVR switches sources. Besides, who would want to listen to little TV speakers vs. my other 7 reference speakers?


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Just was told by a friend that his screensaver is kicking in on live TV while watching the news.


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## RACJ2 (Aug 2, 2008)

Still having continual slowdown issues, 20 to 30 seconds for the Genie to recognize the remote commands. And while traveling and trying to watch something via Slingbox on my laptop or phone, the slow commands are even more excruciating. A reset resolves it, but I'm having to do this is more often.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"RACJ2" said:


> Still having continual slowdown issues, 20 to 30 seconds for the Genie to recognize the remote commands. And while traveling and trying to watch something via Slingbox on my laptop or phone, the slow commands are even more excruciating. A reset resolves it, but I'm having to do this is more often.


Try tuning to channel one for one minute and see if your unit speeds up some afterward.


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## tonydi (Jul 10, 2010)

inkahauts said:


> Try tuning to channel one for one minute and see if your unit speeds up some afterward.


That's interesting, haven't seen that one before. What is that supposed to do?


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## powerpack (Jul 27, 2010)

RD in Fla said:


> Anyone having an issue with YouTube? Internet is connected, Pandora works great, but any YouTube search I do comes back with "check your Internet connection." What gives?


I have this problem on two of my three clients.


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## Carl Spock (Sep 3, 2004)

Skerlnik said:


> There is definitely something wrong with the HDMI handshake from the HR34 -> Yamaha AVR.


I, too, have this problem with my Yamaha RX-V1800.



> It's really annoying to have to power cycle the DVR in the middle of a recorded show


Annoying but not disruptive. I just power down the system for a moment. You don't have to do a reboot.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"tonydi" said:


> That's interesting, haven't seen that one before. What is that supposed to do?


Long story, but it might help clear out the interactive stuff that loads on interactive channels that might be causing slow down for some people sometimes...


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## texasmoose (May 25, 2007)

latest anomaly & it almost looks better than the black UI.


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## dsm (Jul 11, 2004)

I continue to have dvr scheduler problems with the hr34. Recordings via scheduler always fail to record anything. Someone here said turn off genie, but that didn't help. Weeks ago the CSR told me they had a fix they would push to my system but of course that was bs and nothing happened.

Steve


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

dsm said:


> I continue to have dvr scheduler problems with the hr34. Recordings via scheduler always fail to record anything. Someone here said turn off genie, but that didn't help. Weeks ago the CSR told me they had a fix they would push to my system but of course that was bs and nothing happened.
> 
> Steve


What do you mean by "scheduler"? You cannot get anything recorded via the Guide?


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## texasmoose (May 25, 2007)

We're still getting occasional failures forall types of recordings too. Whether it be series record or via smart app; online via reg internet site, as well as setting it up a few days out in the guide itself.

Key presses on the remote are still laggy as ever. If we had the choice we would revert to the previous "Blue" guide over the "Black". It seems the HD UI is responsible for most of this sluggish performance.

I will add that the recording issues have been with us from the very start regardless of the UI version.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"dsm" said:


> I continue to have dvr scheduler problems with the hr34. Recordings via scheduler always fail to record anything. Someone here said turn off genie, but that didn't help. Weeks ago the CSR told me they had a fix they would push to my system but of course that was bs and nothing happened.
> 
> Steve


You mean recordings set online? Actually those should have been fixed if it was genie caused with the last update you received.

Are you choosing to set them as defenitly record or if you can?

Do you have any other DVRs? Is it working fine for those?


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## utmba95 (May 4, 2008)

1. On SD channels, the SPDIF coax out doesn't always work.
2. I have a season pass for Formula 1 as the higest priority/first run, but the HR34 was doing really weird stuff. A couple of times it started an hour late. Other times it didn't record at all. The History list just says "This episode was canceled by <HR34 name>". Nobody was home at the time to cancel it. The exact same season pass on my HR22 worked as expected.
3. On a couple of occasions the UI has locked up for about 3-5 minutes. For instance I'll hit PAUSE and nothing happens for many minutes. Eventually it starts working fine again.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

utmba95 said:


> On SD channels, the SPDIF coax out doesn't always work.
> 
> Also in general, when a program is PAUSED it would be great to continue sending audio (with no volume) rather than stop sending the signal. My old Tivo did that and the receiver doesn't have the lag that it does when the audio is interrupted and restarts.


If you have a recording paused why would you want the audio to continue? I'm not sure I get the logic here. Once you un-paused the recording you'd either hear the audio all over again or be out of sync.


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

RunnerFL said:


> If you have a recording paused why would you want the audio to continue? I'm not sure I get the logic here. Once you un-paused the recording you'd either hear the audio all over again or be out of sync.


I think it may be an HDMI handshake which is his problem. Audio starts well after video when coming out of pause. Much more noticeable on HD than SD.

I am about ready to go component and coax into the receiver. I would do it in a heartbeat if I did not need that feed to convert to composite for DVD recording without getting a nag screen about SD output and have to change the settings.

Anyone know if there is a component "splitter". I may just try it with some RCA Y cables.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Jerry_K" said:


> I think it may be an HDMI handshake which is his problem. Audio starts well after video when coming out of pause. Much more noticeable on HD than SD.
> 
> I am about ready to go component and coax into the receiver. I would do it in a heartbeat if I did not need that feed to convert to composite for DVD recording without getting a nag screen about SD output and have to change the settings.
> 
> Anyone know if there is a component "splitter". I may just try it with some RCA Y cables.


Have you tried just using coax for the audio and hdmi to the TV?


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## rlinsurf (Mar 2, 2008)

Is there a thread here for upgrading the HD?

Thanks


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"rlinsurf" said:


> Is there a thread here for upgrading the HD?
> 
> Thanks


Just connect an esata drive. There is a couple threads all about esata in this forum and the connected home one.


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## utmba95 (May 4, 2008)

RunnerFL said:


> If you have a recording paused why would you want the audio to continue? I'm not sure I get the logic here. Once you un-paused the recording you'd either hear the audio all over again or be out of sync.


The idea is to send blank or muted audio rather than no audio at all. This way the receiver doesn't have the resync delay. Currently when I resume from pause I can't hear the first few seconds of audio. Newer receivers are probably quicker, but Tivo handled this much better. Rather than saying "No Data" my receiver would still show that it was receiving Dolby Digital while paused. Resuming was instantaneous.


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

inkahauts said:


> Have you tried just using coax for the audio and hdmi to the TV?


The TV is a display only. Audio is handled by a receiver. The one cable way is HDMI but it has all the HDCP so until all the components agree that they will protect the broadcast junk, there is no video or sound for a bit and then video with no sound and finally both.

With the Pioneer receivers, one would always have audio when swithching from HD to SD programs, the other would not have audio on the SD and only an HDMI reset on either the receiver or TV would solve the problem. Now the Marantz receivers at least have audio on HD and SD regardless of order of "boot up" of the HDMI chain. Copy protection is just plain stupid on any media.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

utmba95 said:


> The idea is to send blank or muted audio rather than no audio at all. This way the receiver doesn't have the resync delay. Currently when I resume from pause I can't hear the first few seconds of audio. Newer receivers are probably quicker, but Tivo handled this much better. Rather than saying "No Data" my receiver would still show that it was receiving Dolby Digital while paused. Resuming was instantaneous.


Ahhh, now I understand. I thought you were saying that you'd like to be able to pause the video but still hear the audio from the recording.

I've only experienced what you're talking about a few times. When I do I just hit skip back a couple of times.


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## rlinsurf (Mar 2, 2008)

inkahauts said:


> Just connect an esata drive. There is a couple threads all about esata in this forum and the connected home one.


Ah, cool. Thanks.


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## utmba95 (May 4, 2008)

>On SD channels, the SPDIF coax out doesn't always work.

I just duplicated this.
1. Was watching The Universe on H2 and had a full buffer.
2. Turned on Double Play to an HD channel.
3. When I went back to the SD channel the audio out no longer worked.

Changing channel up and then back down caused the audio to come back but obviously lost my buffer.


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## pappasbike (Sep 19, 2006)

I had an HR34 installed today replacing one of my HR21s. I was checking to see if my DTV ipad app would show the device which it does. However on the Currently Watching column it says that it is blocked. I went to the Whole Home settings and at External Devices current program is blocked but clicking on that only has block as an option. The other two settings can be set to allow or block but not that one. Is this just an issue with my receiver or is that the way it currently works with the software version it has - 0x54c?


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"pappasbike" said:


> I had an HR34 installed today replacing one of my HR21s. I was checking to see if my DTV ipad app would show the device which it does. However on the Currently Watching column it says that it is blocked. I went to the Whole Home settings and at External Devices current program is blocked but clicking on that only has block as an option. The other two settings can be set to allow or block but not that one. Is this just an issue with my receiver or is that the way it currently works with the software version it has - 0x54c?


That's not normal. Maybe try doing a menu reset and then seeing if you can get in and change it.


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## ebox4greg (Dec 3, 2012)

Yeah, I got that same black on white screen. Not sure what I was doing when it started. It only happens on ONE C31 client....

returning EVERYTHING to defaults reset it back to the black/blue scheme.



texasmoose said:


> latest anomaly & it almost looks better than the black UI.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"ebox4greg" said:


> Yeah, I got that same black on white screen. Not sure what I was doing when it started. It only happens on ONE C31 client....
> 
> returning EVERYTHING to defaults reset it back to the black/blue scheme.


Did you try just doing a menu rest on the c31?


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## pappasbike (Sep 19, 2006)

inkahauts said:


> That's not normal. Maybe try doing a menu reset and then seeing if you can get in and change it.


I restarted the receiver from the menu and the new software was downloaded. After everything started back up I checked that setting again and Current Program is still blocked and I'm unable to change it. Is there another setting somewhere that would affect this?

Just checked again and it is now working, I think the new software was needed. Although the iPad app doesn't show the program. It just says updating, but at least it's not blocked. The app does show the current program of the other receiver, my remaining HR21.


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

Not sure if this is a software issue or a hardware problem. Having a couple issues with recorded shows.

1. will be watching a show, and will skip through the commercial the picture will freeze and not start up again, exit the show, resume and still frozen.

2. will be watching a live show then decide to go to a recorded on, once I select the show and hit play, I see a frozen image of the live show and the recording never starts.

When either happens I have done a RBR and a menu restart and nothing allows me to continue watching the shows, can only delete them.

Not done a surface test becasue I really can;t recall the key sequence to get the test menu up. Wondering if I should just call it in to Directtv. I have the protection plan.


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## TMan (Oct 31, 2007)

Man, this software is slow. 15-20 seconds last night to exit a recording on the C31 and return to the recording list with live TV in the inset window. Five seconds to get a response to trick play commands, and a couple seconds of trick play movement before the progress bar would appear. I bet it took close to 30 seconds when I turned on the C31 last night before it presented live TV to the screen. Sluggish in the menus, too. More than usual, that is.

While my HR34 is properly connected to the internet (I downloaded something last night from HBO On Demand), it apparently isn't presenting itself properly to my home network and thus is not visible in the iPad app. I have also been unable to schedule a recording from the program guide on DirecTV's web site for many days now. I guess a reboot is in order, but this is hardly a satisfying solution.

The performance, behavior, and consistency of the HR34 and C31 is, frankly, quite appalling to me. How is it going to behave when I'm low on space? It's over 80% free right now. Six weeks in, the shine is definitely waning for me, and it is already becoming very frustrating. I've had the white menu shown by texasmoose above, too.


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## jangell2 (Apr 6, 2004)

I had gotten the impression that wifi was built-in to the HR34. I just tried connecting to my wifi and discovered that I'll need an adaptor. Does DTV sell those things and how much will they cost me?


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## pappasbike (Sep 19, 2006)

I've just recently gotten my HR34 so I don't know if this issue was present in previous software versions. The ipad app correctly lists the 34 when all are on my home network, however the "Currently Watching" column only displays the channel that the 34 is tuned to when the device is on ( out of standby ). If I turn it off ( or standby, whichever is the correct term ) the "Currently Watching" column just shows updating but never gets the channel. As soon as I turn the 34 on the app then will capture the channel. My other dvr an HR21 which is also on the network in another room always shows the channel it's tuned to whether on or off. The dvr that the 34 replaced, another 21, would also always display the current channel in the app whether on or off.

With the 34 is this a known or expected behavior?


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## Carl Spock (Sep 3, 2004)

jangell2 said:


> I had gotten the impression that wifi was built-in to the HR34. I just tried connecting to my wifi and discovered that I'll need an adaptor. Does DTV sell those things and how much will they cost me?


You need DECA with the HR-34 as it doesn't have a Ethernet jack. I don't think you can add Wi-Fi to it.

You must have at least SWiM now or otherwise the HR34 wouldn't work. Just add DECA.


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## TMan (Oct 31, 2007)

The HR34 does indeed have an Ethernet jack.


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## jangell2 (Apr 6, 2004)

Carl Spock said:


> You need DECA with the HR-34 as it doesn't have a Ethernet jack. I don't think you can add Wi-Fi to it.
> 
> You must have at least SWiM now or otherwise the HR34 wouldn't work. Just add DECA.


Uh...what is DECA?



TMan said:


> The HR34 does indeed have an Ethernet jack.


Yes it does, but ethernet is nowhere near my HR34.


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## jangell2 (Apr 6, 2004)

Ok, I see this over at Solid Signal:
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=cck-w&d=directv-cck-w-wireless-deca-cinema-connection-kit-(cck-w)&utm_campaign=base&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=google_base

But it's $70. I wonder if I can get DTV to provide it?


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

jangell2 said:


> Ok, I see this over at Solid Signal:
> http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=cck-w&d=directv-cck-w-wireless-deca-cinema-connection-kit-(cck-w)&utm_campaign=base&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=google_base
> 
> But it's $70. I wonder if I can get DTV to provide it?


The only way to know is to call and ask. They should have made sure your HR34 was hooked up to the Internet when they did the install.


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## jangell2 (Apr 6, 2004)

RunnerFL said:


> The only way to know is to call and ask. They should have made sure your HR34 was hooked up to the Internet when they did the install.


I see that now, but the installer, once he got the HR34 working was out like a flash.

What additional functionality do I get with wifi connected? Do I need that for using the ipad app? For remotely programming the DVR?


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

jangell2 said:


> I see that now, but the installer, once he got the HR34 working was out like a flash.
> 
> What additional functionality do I get with wifi connected? Do I need that for using the ipad app? For remotely programming the DVR?


You'll need it for the iPad app, remote scheduling and DirecTV On Demand as well as TV Apps.


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## Carl Spock (Sep 3, 2004)

TMan said:


> The HR34 does indeed have an Ethernet jack.


 I thought it didn't but was afraid I might be wrong in this. Thanks for the correction, TMan.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"pappasbike" said:


> I've just recently gotten my HR34 so I don't know if this issue was present in previous software versions. The ipad app correctly lists the 34 when all are on my home network, however the "Currently Watching" column only displays the channel that the 34 is tuned to when the device is on ( out of standby ). If I turn it off ( or standby, whichever is the correct term ) the "Currently Watching" column just shows updating but never gets the channel. As soon as I turn the 34 on the app then will capture the channel. My other dvr an HR21 which is also on the network in another room always shows the channel it's tuned to whether on or off. The dvr that the 34 replaced, another 21, would also always display the current channel in the app whether on or off.
> 
> With the 34 is this a known or expected behavior?


That is expected behavior. When the HR34 is off, its not necessarily buffering any channels, where as the hr2xs are always buffering the foreground tuner. This is because all five tuners can be used for anything, and is not at all designed to have a tuner stuck doing any one job ever.


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## Caromsoft (Jul 17, 2010)

wingrider01 said:


> Not sure if this is a software issue or a hardware problem. Having a couple issues with recorded shows.
> 
> 1. will be watching a show, and will skip through the commercial the picture will freeze and not start up again, exit the show, resume and still frozen.
> 
> ...


I have had this happen as well on several shows. I am not 100 percent sure but it seems to happen mostly on CBS shows. I have noticed because I am not able to get the missing shows from On Demand.


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

Caromsoft said:


> I have had this happen as well on several shows. I am not 100 percent sure but it seems to happen mostly on CBS shows. I have noticed because I am not able to get the missing shows from On Demand.


been on various channels - USA (242), cartoon network, have not had any problems with cbs though - I am a NCIS fanatic for I record off both cbs and usa for the older marathons


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## TMan (Oct 31, 2007)

"Carl Spock" said:


> I thought it didn't but was afraid I might be wrong in this. Thanks for the correction, TMan.


My installer connected my HR34 to my Ethernet network despite having a wired DECA putting Internet access on the coax network elsewhere in my house. I soon learned here on this forum that you're not to do both, so I disconnected the Ethernet cable. It seems I could have let the HR34 be the DECA bridge, but that is apparently "unsupported," so I left the wired DECA in place in my basement at the splitter.


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## jibberyerkibber (Mar 1, 2012)

About six days ago my HR23 and HR24 got new software. Guess what? No infernal TO RECORD THIS VIDEO prompt when I change channels, the highlight doesn't jump off to the left of the screen to cover the CHANNEL INFO when I scroll down through the guide, and no white triangles. Also, my HR23 and 24 continue to properly auto-backspace after FFWD > PLAY. My particular HR34 does not auto-backspace nearly enough to compensate fro my reaction time, Jonathan Quick-like as it is. Please, oh please DTV, make the next software for the HR34 like the latest software for my HR23 and 24. The white triangles I can live with. Thanks!


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## unixguru (Jul 9, 2007)

The Minneapolis snow storm last weekend caked my dish with heavy snow. Had no signal for ~24 hours. Took both my dish heater and several hours of sun to melt it off.

Neither my HR34 or HR24 recovered automatically. Both had to be rebooted.

Of course this is nothing new. How hard could it be for receivers to automatically recover when signal returns????


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## TMan (Oct 31, 2007)

unixguru said:


> The Minneapolis snow storm last weekend caked my dish with heavy snow. Had no signal for ~24 hours. Took both my dish heater and several hours of sun to melt it off.
> 
> Neither my HR34 or HR24 recovered automatically. Both had to be rebooted.
> 
> Of course this is nothing new. How hard could it be for receivers to automatically recover when signal returns????


I haven't had a satellite dish long enough to get snow on it, but your remark raises a question for me: would you have had the problem of needing to reboot your equipment immediately after the accumulated snow was thick enough to mess up the signal even if you could have brushed it off right away, or was it the length of time the signal was lost that made them mad?


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## raott (Nov 23, 2005)

The Tim Allen movie "The Santa Clause" was on last night. I believe it was on 311. I set the movie to record and got a message that said something to the effect that the movie was already recorded and was now available via the playlist.

Apparently this was a movie already recorded by the Genie or was preloaded PPV (there is little, if any distinction). The problem is, instead of it recording the free movie on 311, what was moved to the playlist is a PPV costing $3.99. 

Genie, or whatever function loaded the $3.99 version instead of recording the free movie needs to be able to differentiate the two and at least give the option as to what the DVR should record and/or move to the playlist.


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## unixguru (Jul 9, 2007)

raott said:


> The Tim Allen movie "The Santa Clause" was on last night. I believe it was on 311. I set the movie to record and got a message that said something to the effect that the movie was already recorded and was now available via the playlist.
> 
> Apparently this was a movie already recorded by the Genie or was preloaded PPV (there is little, if any distinction). The problem is, instead of it recording the free movie on 311, what was moved to the playlist is a PPV costing $3.99.
> 
> Genie, or whatever function loaded the $3.99 version instead of recording the free movie needs to be able to differentiate the two and at least give the option as to what the DVR should record and/or move to the playlist.


I don't know whether to ROTFLMAO or cry.

Sure enough; go to their web page and search "The Santa Clause". Click on it and it shows "Watch on TV" on channel 311 (ABC FamilyHD). And it says "Other ways to watch: On Demand"... for $3.99.

Hopefully that is acknowledged as a bug and not just another scam to make a buck.

I just do a :nono2: every time I scroll past the PPVs and see all these ancient (1994 for that one!) things they think someone will pay for.


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## unixguru (Jul 9, 2007)

TMan said:


> I haven't had a satellite dish long enough to get snow on it, but your remark raises a question for me: would you have had the problem of needing to reboot your equipment immediately after the accumulated snow was thick enough to mess up the signal even if you could have brushed it off right away, or was it the length of time the signal was lost that made them mad?


No idea.

My OTA (AM21N on HR34) and previous recordings worked on my C31 but were a bit problematic. Periodic freeze problems requiring a channel change or exit to come out of it. Sometimes audio dropped out - returned by pausing/unpausing.

Two sat recordings, Dexter and Homeland, didn't record of course. Don't know if they would have eventually been rescheduled. I added another showing explicitly so as not to miss them.

As a retired software engineer... I would expect this to have been a standard test case all along and a mature product like this should have automatically recovered 100%. The crap they consider good enough these days is just shocking.


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## Reggie3 (Feb 20, 2006)

unixguru said:


> The Minneapolis snow storm last weekend caked my dish with heavy snow. Had no signal for ~24 hours. Took both my dish heater and several hours of sun to melt it off.
> 
> Neither my HR34 or HR24 recovered automatically. Both had to be rebooted.
> 
> Of course this is nothing new. How hard could it be for receivers to automatically recover when signal returns????


I put my dish where one can get to it since I live in an area that does get snow - even though we get 300 days of sun here in the foothills. I've only had to brush it off twice since 96'


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## unixguru (Jul 9, 2007)

Reggie3 said:


> I put my dish where one can get to it since I live in an area that does get snow - even though we get 300 days of sun here in the foothills. I've only had to brush it off twice since 96'


Not an option for me due to trees. I used to have mine about that high but had to go up.


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

unixguru said:


> The Minneapolis snow storm last weekend caked my dish with heavy snow. Had no signal for ~24 hours. Took both my dish heater and several hours of sun to melt it off.
> 
> Neither my HR34 or HR24 recovered automatically. Both had to be rebooted.
> 
> Of course this is nothing new. How hard could it be for receivers to automatically recover when signal returns????


It takes longer for the HR24 to become "confused" with no signal than it does for the HR34. We have to set up the dish every time we move our home (full time travelers). If I take too long to get signal, the HR34 reboots itself and I have to wait and wait for it to boot so I can begin to align once more. Sometimes it takes three of four reboots before I can dial in the signal. Truly a pain. And for whatever reason our HR34 does not have a tone which would help. Both of the Genies installed in our kids homes while we were there have a tone on the signal strength bars. Darned if I can get a tone.


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## Carl Spock (Sep 3, 2004)

All of my DVRs, including my HR34, came back fine after not having signal for nearly 24 hours because of the same storm. No reboots necessary.


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## pappasbike (Sep 19, 2006)

I posted this in a separate thread but someone else suggested posting it here in case it could be related to the current software.I've only had the 34 for about a week and just rented a PPV for the first time, the Bourne Legacy. When the movie started the audio was fine but the video played almost like it was speeded up somehow. At first I thought it was just a special effect for the opening scene but the whole movie was playing that way. It was so unusual that it actually made me feel somewhat nauseous. Finally I decided to stop the movie and restart the receiver just to see if it would help. After the receiver came back to live tv I resumed the movie and it had fixed the video. The movie then continued to play normally.

I've since rented another 1080P movie to see whether the issue would repeat itself. The movie played perfectly, no issue. I've rented many 1080P movies in the past on my prior boxes and never had such a problem. I don't believe this is a 1080P issue but an HR34 issue. Anyway a restart fixed the first movie and prevented any issues with the subsequent movie. Hopefully that continues but if anyone else sees the issue try a restart.


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## augisdad (Sep 29, 2011)

I am getting really tired of not having a buffer that works anymore (at least the way I always could depend on it working on my HR20-100). I can never depend on there being one when I come out from watching a recorded show anymore. I can never depend on it recording what it SAYS it has in the buffer by just pushing record. I can never actually go back to the beginning and watch what it SAYS it has bufferred, without having a frozen screen somewhere along the line. Last night the most I could get out of the buffer was maybe 15 mins. The rest was always just a frozen screenshot of whatever you last had on the screen (including having the final screenshot carried over of what I had just got through deleting). There doesn't appear to be a rhyme or reason for it one time being there, and the next time not. What's the point of even having a buffer, if it's not going to work right?


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## DolfanBob (Aug 7, 2007)

We are a retailer who got the HR34 before it was released to the public and before being renamed the Genie. This unit has some issues that I have just ignored because it is a showroom unit.
When I try and rewind a live program back to a spot on a movie or live broadcast. It will rewind back about 2 to 5 minutes and freeze while the minute locator bar at the bottom continues backwards. When I push the play button. The screen still stays frozen and the indicator bar starts moving forward as usual. It will not rewind and play as it should.
Also when you use the guide. The pay per view banners above HBO do not show up and you have a large section of the guide screen that is just black. No info for anything.
Any thoughts on these issues?


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## ghardenb (Dec 6, 2006)

I have the jack on the rear panel, marked "ir receive". Is this active? If I plug an ir receiver into it and it works, will the front panel ir target still be active as well? I've seen an 1r receiver on Amazon for 15.00. Can anyone suggest one that they know will work on the hr34?


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## Ed Campbell (Feb 17, 2006)

Searched for this - found nada; so -


Last night I started watching a show while it was recording. 20 minutes in. Decided to alter series settings to start 1 minute early because of the usual station jerking us around on start time. Didn't pay attention to record light - who knew? - but when I reached minute 20, I was asked if I wanted to delete - and realized I only had a partial, the episode stopped recording when I changed the series setting!

Got to watch the final 20 minutes live.

To check this, I went to settings for the following show - accessing settings from the ToDo menu - changed start to 1 minute early and when I returned to the ToDo menu, the episode had been removed from the list, the record icon was missing from the Guide.

Not smart coding.


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## TMan (Oct 31, 2007)

Why would you attempt to change the start time of a program already underway? 

I know it builds in an automatic prepad anyway if a tuner is available before the scheduled start, but it wouldn't be able to retroactively grab any more than that amount, right?

The error you described with the next program is more troublesome, though.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Ed Campbell" said:


> Searched for this - found nada; so -
> 
> Last night I started watching a show while it was recording. 20 minutes in. Decided to alter settings to start 1 minute early because of the usual station jerking us around on start time. Didn't pay attention to record light - who knew? - but when I reached minute 20, I was asked if I wanted to delete - and realized I only had a partial, the episode stopped recording when I changed the series setting!
> 
> ...


Really? You think they coded it that way on purpose? That has all the hallmarks of a bug if you ask me.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"DolfanBob" said:


> We are a retailer who got the HR34 before it was released to the public and before being renamed the Genie. This unit has some issues that I have just ignored because it is a showroom unit.
> When I try and rewind a live program back to a spot on a movie or live broadcast. It will rewind back about 2 to 5 minutes and freeze while the minute locator bar at the bottom continues backwards. When I push the play button. The screen still stays frozen and the indicator bar starts moving forward as usual. It will not rewind and play as it should.
> Also when you use the guide. The pay per view banners above HBO do not show up and you have a large section of the guide screen that is just black. No info for anything.
> Any thoughts on these issues?





"augisdad" said:


> I am getting really tired of not having a buffer that works anymore (at least the way I always could depend on it working on my HR20-100). I can never depend on there being one when I come out from watching a recorded show anymore. I can never depend on it recording what it SAYS it has in the buffer by just pushing record. I can never actually go back to the beginning and watch what it SAYS it has bufferred, without having a frozen screen somewhere along the line. Last night the most I could get out of the buffer was maybe 15 mins. The rest was always just a frozen screenshot of whatever you last had on the screen (including having the final screenshot carried over of what I had just got through deleting). There doesn't appear to be a rhyme or reason for it one time being there, and the next time not. What's the point of even having a buffer, if it's not going to work right?


I'd suggest both you guys do two menu restarts back to back and flush your guide data. Buffers will not always be there out of stand by and such, and if other things need the tuners and such, but that sounds like more than that. And if your missing info in the guide, flushing all guide data will force it to reload everything.


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## Hornnumb2 (Oct 4, 2006)

I had mine for a week now, when I went to playlist last night nothing came up. But I can switch over to my hr22 and watch a program from the Hr34. I sure thought before pushing these out to the masses they would have alot of bugs worked out.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Hornnumb2" said:


> I had mine for a week now, when I went to playlist last night nothing came up. But I can switch over to my hr22 and watch a program from the Hr34. I sure thought before pushing these out to the masses they would have alot of bugs worked out.


That is a very very rare bug that I to have seen. But it doesn't seem to hit very often. Assuming you left the play list on screen for ten minuets and never saw it populate, a simple menu reboot will get it back most likely.


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## Jerry_K (Oct 22, 2006)

DTV DVRs are an entomologists dream. Bugs everywhere.


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## ebox4greg (Dec 3, 2012)

The HR34's ethernet port works better than a CCK or DECA.
The tech that installed mine stated that is the way they are being trained now. Lan cable into the HR34's ethernet.

Absolutely no issues here. Total connectivity. internet on every tv.



TMan said:


> My installer connected my HR34 to my Ethernet network despite having a wired DECA putting Internet access on the coax network elsewhere in my house. I soon learned here on this forum that you're not to do both, so I disconnected the Ethernet cable. It seems I could have let the HR34 be the DECA bridge, but that is apparently "unsupported," so I left the wired DECA in place in my basement at the splitter.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

ebox4greg said:


> The HR34's ethernet port works better than a CCK or DECA.
> The tech that installed mine stated that is the way they are being trained now. Lan cable into the HR34's ethernet.
> 
> Absolutely no issues here. Total connectivity. internet on every tv.


Don't quite see how it works "better" since my CCK has been flawless. But it is cleaner looking, granted. You can have DECA while using the 34's ethernet port to, uh, port the internet onto the DECA cloud.


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## jibberyerkibber (Mar 1, 2012)

augisdad said:


> I am getting really tired of not having a buffer that works anymore (at least the way I always could depend on it working on my HR20-100). I can never depend on there being one when I come out from watching a recorded show anymore. I can never depend on it recording what it SAYS it has in the buffer by just pushing record. I can never actually go back to the beginning and watch what it SAYS it has bufferred, without having a frozen screen somewhere along the line. Last night the most I could get out of the buffer was maybe 15 mins. The rest was always just a frozen screenshot of whatever you last had on the screen (including having the final screenshot carried over of what I had just got through deleting). There doesn't appear to be a rhyme or reason for it one time being there, and the next time not. What's the point of even having a buffer, if it's not going to work right?


I too have often had my buffer (green line) disappear after coming back to the tuner after looking at a recording. Worse, once I came back to a recording (orange line) from the tuner and it, the orange line recording, had been deleted.

BTW: since the latest software was downloaded to my particular HR34 on October 31, my HR34 has frozen 14 times. 10 times waiting for a few minutes unfroze it. 4 times I had to reboot. Surprisingly, after rebooting those 4 times, the complete two week GUIDE was already all the way reloaded.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"jibberyerkibber" said:


> I too have often had my buffer (green line) disappear after coming back to the tuner after looking at a recording. Worse, once I came back to a recording (orange line) from the tuner and it, the orange line recording, had been deleted.
> 
> BTW: since the latest software was downloaded to my particular HR34 on October 31, my HR34 has frozen 14 times. 10 times waiting for a few minutes unfroze it. 4 times I had to reboot. Surprisingly, after rebooting those 4 times, the complete two week GUIDE was already all the way reloaded.


In the one with the recording, where you able to go into the playlist and play the entire recording from there?

And unless you do two resets in a row, it won't flush the guide data. Basically, as soon as it get back up and running after the first one, you have to do the second one.


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## gully_foyle (Jan 18, 2007)

Three times now I've tried to buy and watch a pre-downloaded current release movie DirecTV Cinema. All three times I get to the "confirm buy" screen and the video output stops (my AVR puts up its no-signal screen). Sometimes I can get the video back by hitting the OFF/ON toggle a few times, other times I've had to RBR.

I haven't tried this with any un-pre-downloaded movies. I've had some indications (frame freeze stuff with a few recordings) that my hard drive has hard read errors. Could there be a major problem with the DirecTV pre-download partition?

I have an HR21 in the system I can use to watch PPV, but I'd like to resolve this. Preferably without exchanging the HR34 or the hard drive.

Any ideas?


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## jibberyerkibber (Mar 1, 2012)

"In the one with the recording, where you able to go into the playlist and play the entire recording from there?" 

Inkahauts, thanks, but I don't remember. Duhhh.


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## kwint1 (Jan 18, 2012)

still slow as molasses. mostly while recording. watching NFL ticket is especially frustrating especially when managing recordings.

Just anger inducing at times. hope they fix this soon


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"kwint1" said:


> still slow as molasses. mostly while recording. watching NFL ticket is especially frustrating especially when managing recordings.
> 
> Just anger inducing at times. hope they fix this soon


What is your full setup?


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## Datagg (May 17, 2009)

DolfanBob said:


> We are a retailer who got the HR34 before it was released to the public and before being renamed the Genie. This unit has some issues that I have just ignored because it is a showroom unit.
> When I try and rewind a live program back to a spot on a movie or live broadcast. It will rewind back about 2 to 5 minutes and freeze while the minute locator bar at the bottom continues backwards. When I push the play button. The screen still stays frozen and the indicator bar starts moving forward as usual. It will not rewind and play as it should.
> Also when you use the guide. The pay per view banners above HBO do not show up and you have a large section of the guide screen that is just black. No info for anything.
> Any thoughts on these issues?


Same issue here.... I mentioned in another thread also..I pause a show to take a leak, come back and it wont play..... Take a 10 minute call, set pause t come back and it dont play..Forwarding and rewinding does nothing. Have to change channel then return to it and of course i missed the paused time.... Flushed out guide, reset 10 plus times, nothing helps... Really pissing me off and im about to shove this Genie up DTV's ass


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Datagg" said:


> Same issue here.... I mentioned in another thread also..I pause a show to take a leak, come back and it wont play..... Take a 10 minute call, set pause t come back and it dont play..Forwarding and rewinding does nothing. Have to change channel then return to it and of course i missed the paused time.... Flushed out guide, reset 10 plus times, nothing helps... Really pissing me off and im about to shove this Genie up DTV's ass


What's your complete setup? How often does that happen? You two are the only ones I have seen with this particular issue of it freezing just on regular live tv pause. I wonder if something else isn't going on.


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## Datagg (May 17, 2009)

inkahauts said:


> What's your complete setup? How often does that happen? You two are the only ones I have seen with this particular issue of it freezing just on regular live tv pause. I wonder if something else isn't going on.


Direct swap with a HR24. Nothing else but the box. Happens everytime i pause, for 1 second, to 30 minutes plus.... Doesn't matter what it is, it always occurs. Did it randomly a few weeks ago on and off, now its every time every day... cant pause and resume on anything now. Deca unit on system, but we are talking live TV from local up. I wrote on the DTV forums and they claim a update is supposed to roll out in a couple of weeks that will address this. I wont hold my breath, but i hope it works. Pausing and not able to return to where i left off is a ridiculous situation. I asked if this update specifically addresses this issue, or is it a hardware situation.. no answer as of yet.


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## pappasbike (Sep 19, 2006)

"inkahauts" said:


> What's your complete setup? How often does that happen? You two are the only ones I have seen with this particular issue of it freezing just on regular live tv pause. I wonder if something else isn't going on.


Just had the same freeze happen to me. Paused a live broadcast, came back about 15 minutes and tried to ff to get past commercials and picture froze. I could advance the progress bar/time but the picture stayed frozen at the prior scene and would not change. I could go back to prior to the freeze and hit play from there but as soon as it advanced ( in normal speed ) to the spot where it froze and would not continue. I also had to change channels and thus lose the buffer. Something similar would happen to my HR21 that this replaced. Occasionally when fast forwarding the picture would freeze while the progress bar and time advanced but this almost always corrected itself with a return to picture advancing as well.

Since I've read many posts of this occurring with the 21s and now this occurrence with the 34 I believe this is far more widespread than just those two people. Certainly not just a freak, one in a million occurrence with the 34. Although it is the first time it has happened to me with this device, but I've only had it for two weeks.


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## Datagg (May 17, 2009)

pappasbike said:


> Just had the same freeze happen to me. Paused a live broadcast, came back about 15 minutes and tried to ff to get past commercials and picture froze. I could advance the progress bar/time but the picture stayed frozen at the prior scene and would not change. I could go back to prior to the freeze and hit play from there but as soon as it advanced ( in normal speed ) to the spot where it froze and would not continue. I also had to change channels and thus lose the buffer. Something similar would happen to my HR21 that this replaced. Occasionally when fast forwarding the picture would freeze while the progress bar and time advanced but this almost always corrected itself with a return to picture advancing as well.
> 
> Since I've read many posts of this occurring with the 21s and now this occurrence with the 34 I believe this is far more widespread than just those two people. Certainly not just a freak, one in a million occurrence with the 34. Although it is the first time it has happened to me with this device, but I've only had it for two weeks.


Yeap I figured it was a more widespread issue. My bro who got a genie 2 weeks ago had this happen to him the other day also. I know it has increased in frequency for me, today was a disastrous day. Couldn't pause anything. Even testing, pausing a show for 5 seconds then hitting play nothing happened. The DTV forums said an update is rolling out in the next couple of weeks. I got answer to that pretty quickly, yet when asked if it addresses this very issue all was silent.

Correction I did get a reply, yet as usual DTV replies vague and makes you scratch head if its going to do anything at all.... Question was, "Will this update fix this particular issue?" The reply was "hard to say, but updates always comes with "under the hood" improvements "

So what does that mean?..your guess is as good as mine.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"pappasbike" said:


> Just had the same freeze happen to me. Paused a live broadcast, came back about 15 minutes and tried to ff to get past commercials and picture froze. I could advance the progress bar/time but the picture stayed frozen at the prior scene and would not change. I could go back to prior to the freeze and hit play from there but as soon as it advanced ( in normal speed ) to the spot where it froze and would not continue. I also had to change channels and thus lose the buffer. Something similar would happen to my HR21 that this replaced. Occasionally when fast forwarding the picture would freeze while the progress bar and time advanced but this almost always corrected itself with a return to picture advancing as well.
> 
> Since I've read many posts of this occurring with the 21s and now this occurrence with the 34 I believe this is far more widespread than just those two people. Certainly not just a freak, one in a million occurrence with the 34. Although it is the first time it has happened to me with this device, but I've only had it for two weeks.


That's not the same as the way I interpreted it earlier. I was under the impression your unit completely locked up completely and would not respond to anything.

The frozen frame thing is something that has been around for a long time, especially for mrv in the HR21 for me. But i pretty much use skip so I don't notice it to often.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Datagg" said:


> Yeap I figured it was a more widespread issue. My bro who got a genie 2 weeks ago had this happen to him the other day also. I know it has increased in frequency for me, today was a disastrous day. Couldn't pause anything. Even testing, pausing a show for 5 seconds then hitting play nothing happened. The DTV forums said an update is rolling out in the next couple of weeks. I got answer to that pretty quickly, yet when asked if it addresses this very issue all was silent.
> 
> Correction I did get a reply, yet as usual DTV replies vague and makes you scratch head if its going to do anything at all.... Question was, "Will this update fix this particular issue?" The reply was "hard to say, but updates always comes with "under the hood" improvements "
> 
> So what does that mean?..your guess is as good as mine.


I suggest anyone having issues, especially with Whole Home Service try turning off upnp on their routers, or just disconnecting from their home network, and flush all their guides (two menu resets back to back) and see if that helps. I do believe there was some bad guide data that caused some issue a while back, and maybe its lingering too and causing issues. Also, evidently some home network things are causing some issues as well.


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## Datagg (May 17, 2009)

Even trying to rewind a show locks up the screen..... When I pause, screen locked, change channels then back. Tonight, watching the voice the wife said rewind that , did and it locked..... So pause and rewind give the same results, frozen screen. 

Got another reply from DTV forums... "well time will tell…"

Real nice!!!... Lube up DTV, this Genie going to be up where the sun don't shine real soon.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Datagg" said:


> Even trying to rewind a show locks up the screen..... When I pause, screen locked, change channels then back. Tonight, watching the voice the wife said rewind that , did and it locked..... So pause and rewind give the same results, frozen screen.
> 
> Got another reply from DTV forums... "well time will tell..."
> 
> Real nice!!!... Lube up DTV, this Genie going to be up where the sun don't shine real soon.


I almost think you just got a bad unit with a hard drive that's diing.


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## Datagg (May 17, 2009)

inkahauts said:


> I almost think you just got a bad unit with a hard drive that's diing.


I agree. I will be calling them tomorrow to get a replacement. I just hate redoing my timers. Wish they would get some kind of a backup, or something online so they can be downloaded... I went thru 4 HR24's, i wont even go into the HR21 mess.... Yeap I haven't had good luck with DTV boxes, bounced back and fourth over the years but the Genie brought me back as conflicts were always an issue. Lets hope the second box works as it should.

Thanks for all the replies guys....


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

inkahauts said:


> I almost think you just got a bad unit with a hard drive that's diing.


Have not had it happen on live shows but have had it happen on time shifted shows, I tend to record the older show marathons and watch them as time permits, same with a few others. When I go to play them the picture is frozen but the time bar keeps going. It happens very frequently and is starting to get to be a pain. The unit is farily new, about 3 months, not sure if it is a software fault or a hardware fault. I can;t remember the sequence to get it into disk diagnostics to see i the drive is the problem though


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## pappasbike (Sep 19, 2006)

"Datagg" said:


> Yeap I figured it was a more widespread issue. My bro who got a genie 2 weeks ago had this happen to him the other day also. I know it has increased in frequency for me, today was a disastrous day. Couldn't pause anything. Even testing, pausing a show for 5 seconds then hitting play nothing happened. The DTV forums said an update is rolling out in the next couple of weeks. I got answer to that pretty quickly, yet when asked if it addresses this very issue all was silent.
> 
> Correction I did get a reply, yet as usual DTV replies vague and makes you scratch head if its going to do anything at all.... Question was, "Will this update fix this particular issue?" The reply was "hard to say, but updates always comes with "under the hood" improvements "
> 
> So what does that mean?..your guess is as good as mine.


I don't think my issue was quite as bad as yours and so far has only occurred once. But again I've only had it for two weeks. This specific issue would be a major problem for me as I frequently pause the current broadcast while I walk my dog so that I can come back and begin watching while being able to get past the commercials. I tend to watch a lot of The Mentalist and Castle marathons on TNT and I do a lot of this pausing while I perform other activities. All other functions were working, I could advance the progress bar, I could rewind back to before the freeze and the program would play but once at the point of the freeze neither normal play nor ff would advance the picture.

So far I'm still quite pleased with the device because the 21 was so horrible but a repeat of this would get me cursing again! Hopefully this hypothetical update will help. At least with the 21 when this happened it was almost like a tape got stuck and then after a few seconds freed itself and started advancing normally. It never completely froze so that I could not view the rest of the program at all.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"wingrider01" said:


> Have not had it happen on live shows but have had it happen on time shifted shows, I tend to record the older show marathons and watch them as time permits, same with a few others. When I go to play them the picture is frozen but the time bar keeps going. It happens very frequently and is starting to get to be a pain. The unit is farily new, about 3 months, not sure if it is a software fault or a hardware fault. I can;t remember the sequence to get it into disk diagnostics to see i the drive is the problem though


Is this on a locally recorded show or a remote show? Press select during the boot up to get to the diag screens. This is what I think DIRECTV was talking about though when they where talking about a firmware issue.


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## Carl Spock (Sep 3, 2004)

This morning my HR34 totally froze up watching a program from a DVR in my bedroom. I couldn't pause, stop or rewind the program. Nor could I change channels on the HR34. The Guide and Playlist were unavailable. I walked away and tried working the HR34 again 5 minutes later with no success. A RBR was the only solution.

This software is the buggiest of any I've used with the HR34. I will not be sorry to see it go.


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## Ed Campbell (Feb 17, 2006)

I had the same experience same time [MST] - no quick play, double play switching, etc.. Since I left the receiver tuned to BloombergTV, my first choice in the morning, I decided to leave it alone. Figured I'd try an RBR at 6AM after Tom Keene's show ended.

BUT - after 10 or 15 minutes my wife noticed the line of lights which individually show pic resolution were flashing in unison. After sev'l seconds, the DVR rebooted. Running fine since - though many channels' content missing from Guide just 3-4 days out.

Edit: _Just thought I'd note - after 5 hours, still running OK._


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## thunder22 (Dec 19, 2012)

My hr34 is "bricked" this morning as well. It is stuck on ch 201 and won't respond to the remote or front panel except for about 3 seconds when it first exits it's self tests and begins to display the channel, but then it locks up. D* tech support is sending another box but I don't have much confidence that anything will be different if it's loaded with the same firmware or receives the same update that went out this morning. (I have tried multiple resets via RBR and removing power with no success).


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## Dave from Kazoo (Nov 28, 2004)

The HR34 has been bricked here. I my wife woke me up and ask me to fix it. It went thru a reboot at about 7:20am this morning. Only shows a black screen now. A reset does help. A call to Direct TV and their answer is we have a major problem with the software - No Fooling! I can't record anything or watch anything on that TV. AGH!!!!! The 2 H25's are working good. I need the record option with my work schedule.


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## smd (Apr 11, 2006)

Same problem here since early this morning. I've tried several red button resets, unplugging the unit, even forcing a software download. Nothing works - it comes up with a black screen, no picture or sound, and is unresponsive to the remote or buttons on the front panel. I can't even power it off without unplugging it. Technical support also told me that they are having this issue with all HR34's and they are working on a fix but they have no idea when that will happen.


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## tonydi (Jul 10, 2010)

smd said:


> Technical support also told me that they are having this issue with all HR34's and they are working on a fix but they have no idea when that will happen.


Well that's not true, mine is working fine.


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## lzhj9k (Mar 14, 2009)

smd said:


> Technical support also told me that they are having this issue with all HR34's and they are working on a fix but they have no idea when that will happen.


I just checked mine and it is ok

It is running 05D3 software

Perhaps the realized a problem and stopped the rollout ??


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## thunder22 (Dec 19, 2012)

I called back for a status and they are admitting a SW problem and are working on a fix. I don't understand why a roll back isn't possible or pushing back out the version that was on there before this update. That is of course assuming the box will take a sw update now that it's in the state that it's in.


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## Blademan (Jun 3, 2004)

smd said:


> Same problem here since early this morning. I've tried several red button resets, unplugging the unit, even forcing a software download. Nothing works - it comes up with a black screen, no picture or sound, and is unresponsive to the remote or buttons on the front panel. I can't even power it off without unplugging it. Technical support also told me that they are having this issue with all HR34's and they are working on a fix but they have no idea when that will happen.


Yup. I tried RBR reset as well. I just got off phone with Tech Support and they said issue is with all HR34s. Some may be lucky and don't have the issue, yet. DirecTV plans to push a software update to fix issue, but no ETA.


Boots up to channel 201 (not a blank screen)
Non responsive to remote or buttons
All the TV resolution lights will flash, followed by spontaneous reboot. Seems to reboot every 30 minutes
Outside of some whole home issues with program visbility, I've never had any issues with this HR34 for 11 months.


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## Graygeek (Dec 17, 2010)

Noticed my HR34 had rebooted when I got home tonight, I suspected it had been updated .... but it shows it is still running 05D3 software ... thankfully it seems to be running fine.


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## thunder22 (Dec 19, 2012)

The "trick" fix is to do a red button reset, and then when it gets to step 2 of 2 hit it again. Supposedly this forces the box to rebuild its guide data. 

This procedure worked for me. Good luck.


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## smd (Apr 11, 2006)

Thanks for this tip. Doing another red button reset during step 2 worked for me also.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

thunder22 said:


> The "trick" fix is to do a red button reset, and then when it gets to step 2 of 2 hit it again. Supposedly this forces the box to rebuild its guide data.
> 
> This procedure worked for me. Good luck.


A safer procedure, which I guarantee will work, is to use a menu reset, followed by another one (obviously having to wait through the full reboot) within 30 minutes. That *will* flush the Guide and it will be rebuilt over the next 10-30 hours (approximately).


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## thunder22 (Dec 19, 2012)

Laxguy said:


> A safer procedure, which I guarantee will work, is to use a menu reset, followed by another one (obviously having to wait through the full reboot) within 30 minutes. That *will* flush the Guide and it will be rebuilt over the next 10-30 hours (approximately).


Impossible in this situation, the box was unresponsive to front panel and the remote.


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## Blademan (Jun 3, 2004)

thunder22 said:


> The "trick" fix is to do a red button reset, and then when it gets to step 2 of 2 hit it again. Supposedly this forces the box to rebuild its guide data.
> 
> This procedure worked for me. Good luck.


:hurah: This worked. Thanks !!!

Now that the box responds, I can get into the menu. Looks like I've been on 0x5dc since 10/31. No idea why it went on the fritz overnight.


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## Blademan (Jun 3, 2004)

Laxguy said:


> A safer procedure, which I guarantee will work, is to use a menu reset, followed by another one (obviously having to wait through the full reboot) within 30 minutes. That *will* flush the Guide and it will be rebuilt over the next 10-30 hours (approximately).


Is this a good housekeeping item? When would it be recommended to perform?


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## pappasbike (Sep 19, 2006)

I'm having more episodes of the picture freezing while fast forwarding a paused program. The progress bar and time advance but the picture stays frozen. This time the picture "unfreezes" after a short time but not until the part of the program that I wanted to watch has passed by. If I try to back it up it just goes back to the frozen picture. At least this time it does finally unfreeze so that I don't lose the whole program as I did the first time when all I could do was change channels and come back losing the buffer.


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## jcwest (May 3, 2006)

Add me to the column of HR34 bricked TOTALLY.
6:00 A.M. today I noticed all lights were on the HR34, I always put it into standby. 
When I turned on TV it was hung @ 98% Satellite info.
Didn't have time to work on it before work, got home @ 3:00 P.M. and the box was stuck at Rebuilding Scheduler List.

1. Did RBR and stuck @ 98% again. 
2. Powered down unit for half hour and it got to Rebuilding Scheduler LIst and locked up.
3. Spent about an hour on phone with DTV Tech Support and found out that they had attempted a S/W update last night causing the lock-up. After explaining what I had done the Tech. said you have already done everything that I would suggest and he needed to send me a replacement box.
Problem is I have about a Million hours of unwatched programs.
4. Hoping they had replaced the NR S/W forced an update and got "Found new Software 5d3", finished download and back to 98% and locked up.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to revive the box short of replacing???? Please.............

J C


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

lzhj9k said:


> I just checked mine and it is ok
> 
> It is running 05D3 software
> 
> Perhaps the realized a problem and stopped the rollout ??


 Same here. All is good. Running same software since October 31 st.
05D3


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

All you guys having the issues, What software version is the issue?? I haven't seen one person with the issues state that.
05D3?? I've had this since october.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Blademan said:


> Is this a good housekeeping item? When would it be recommended to perform?


I do it whenever I suspect there could possibly be corruption in the Guide. When is that? Sluggishness, mostly, or just a hunch. Sometimes it's the first reboot that helps things, but since I am rebooting anyway, I may as well do it twice is how I sometimes view a reset.


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## dod1450 (Dec 16, 2009)

damondlt said:


> All you guys having the issues, What software version is the issue?? I haven't seen one person with the issues state that.
> 05D3?? I've had this since october.


The problem is that we are unable to see the version number. So does anyone from D* that is monitoring can share this info?


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## HofstraJet (Mar 6, 2003)

jcwest said:


> Add me to the column of HR34 bricked TOTALLY.
> 6:00 A.M. today I noticed all lights were on the HR34, I always put it into standby.
> When I turned on TV it was hung @ 98% Satellite info.
> Didn't have time to work on it before work, got home @ 3:00 P.M. and the box was stuck at Rebuilding Scheduler List.
> ...


+1 here. I am really PO'd. Have a ton of stuff on the unit I haven't had time to watch. Keep forcing software updates but it either freezes on Rebuilding Scheduler List or just goes to a black screen after booting and is unresponsive. Maybe I can download this week's CE and that will fix it.


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## dod1450 (Dec 16, 2009)

HofstraJet said:


> +1 here. I am really PO'd. Have a ton of stuff on the unit I haven't had time to watch. Keep forcing software updates but it either freezes on Rebuilding Scheduler List or just goes to a black screen after booting and is unresponsive. Maybe I can download this week's CE and that will fix it.


 The best way of fixing this is to press the red reset button. Wait to it gets to step 2 of 2 and the scroll bar gets beyond 1%. At this time press the red reset button again and let it finish the process. It will put one back to the Oct 31 revision.


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## HofstraJet (Mar 6, 2003)

dod1450 said:


> The best way of fixing this is to press the red reset button. Wait to it gets to step 2 of 2 and the scroll bar gets beyond 1%. At this time press the red reset button again and let it finish the process. It will put one back to the Oct 31 revision.


Excellent. Thanks! I confess - I am guilty of posting before reading through the thread. I was reading the thread after I posted and saw that was the fix when your post confirmed it. Tried it and it worked. Thanks again.


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## specialkd24 (Oct 13, 2009)

I hope everyone posting here saw the thread someone else started about the software update issue. Hit the red reset button, then when it is on Step 2 of 2 in the boot, hit the red reset again.

It works.

I too have 50-75 hours of unwatched shows and they wanted to send me a replacement. I argued with them I didn't want a new one, I wanted this one fixed. I got off the phone with DirecTV, came here, saw a thread about it, and fixed it myself. Then I called in and cancelled the replacement they wanted to send me and told the CSR they needed to give better advice.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Some further info would be really helpful, such as posting the before version and the after the double RBR....

Initially we were talking about how to flush the Guide cache, and now some are indicating the two times RBR is forcing a download of the previous software version. For those people: Are you seeing the screen that says it's downloading software? Does it say a new version? Again, specific version numbers would be helpful.

Thank you.


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## bkleven (Jul 8, 2006)

jcwest said:


> Add me to the column of HR34 bricked TOTALLY.
> 6:00 A.M. today I noticed all lights were on the HR34, I always put it into standby.
> When I turned on TV it was hung @ 98% Satellite info.
> Didn't have time to work on it before work, got home @ 3:00 P.M. and the box was stuck at Rebuilding Scheduler List.
> ...


This is essentially what has happened to mine.

This morning it was on even though it was off when I went to bed, and when I pressed the power 'button' nothing happened so I turned the TV and AV receiver on to see what was up.

Frozen at 'Rebuilding Scheduler List'.

So I did a RBR and let it do it's thing. This time it froze at 98% of Satellite Info. And it rebooted on it's own several hours later.

Then it froze again at Rebuilding Scheduler List. So I did a RBR and forced a software download. The bootup process went much faster, but still froze at 'Rebuilding Scheduler List'. And this time it rebooted on its own after just half an hour or so.

So I pressed 'Select' during the 'Performing Self Check' screen and got into the diagnostics. Ran all of the basic ones with no issues. Went into 'Advanced->Hard Disk Utilities' and I'm running the Long SMART test and the LBA Fix. We'll see if that does anything.

If not, I'll try the second RBR trick and see if it works.

EDIT: Forgot to add that I was at 05D3 before I forced a software download and of course it just re-downloaded 05D3.


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## dod1450 (Dec 16, 2009)

Laxguy said:


> Some further info would be really helpful, such as posting the before version and the after the double RBR....
> 
> Initially we were talking about how to flush the Guide cache, and now some are indicating the two times RBR is forcing a download of the previous software version. For those people: Are you seeing the screen that says it's downloading software? Does it say a new version? Again, specific version numbers would be helpful.
> 
> Thank you.


 I did not see any indication of "download software" on the screen.


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## specialkd24 (Oct 13, 2009)

My software says: 0x5d3, Wed 10/31, 3:00 a

Mine was fine last night but locking up when I got home tonight before coming here, reading and then doing the double-reboot I posted above. Before I did that, I would reset, and it would get to 98% on step 2, and then to the rebuilding scheduler screen, and then only a black screen.

After unplugging the power, eventually I got it to show the menu bar for Ch. 201, but no picture whatsoever and it froze immediately.

Customer support couldn't help and wanted to send me a replacement, until I did the double reset (or whatever you want to call it).

Now it is working fine. Who knows what will happen tomorrow. But it is definitely not broken.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Excellent. Great that you found a way to bring 'er back to life!

I'm just trying to ascertain if it actually caused a new download, or unblocked one that was there, or forced a finish of a previous d/l, perhaps not showing a dialog of any kind.


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## bkleven (Jul 8, 2006)

The RBR during the second step did tie trick for me as well. Too bad I didn't know about it this morning. I could have saved a couple hours of my day.

Just glad it's working!


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## HofstraJet (Mar 6, 2003)

Laxguy said:


> Excellent. Great that you found a way to bring 'er back to life!
> 
> I'm just trying to ascertain if it actually caused a new download, or unblocked one that was there, or forced a finish of a previous d/l, perhaps not showing a dialog of any kind.


The double RBR does not show any dialog boxes - it just works. It doesn't visibly show a new sw download or anything like that. It just runs through the normal boot sequence again and it starts up properly. I had tried doing a 02468 forced sw download which didn't work prior to learning about the double RBR here.


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## jcwest (May 3, 2006)

dod1450 said:


> The best way of fixing this is to press the red reset button. Wait to it gets to step 2 of 2 and the scroll bar gets beyond 1%. At this time press the red reset button again and let it finish the process. It will put one back to the Oct 31 revision.


THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

This brought her back to life and everything seems to be in tact.

Thanks Again J C


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

HofstraJet said:


> The double RBR does not show any dialog boxes - it just works. It doesn't visibly show a new sw download or anything like that. It just runs through the normal boot sequence again and it starts up properly. I had tried doing a 02468 forced sw download which didn't work prior to learning about the double RBR here.


The double RBR is flushing the guide data. There must be something in the guide data keeping the units from completing the boot process.


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## HofstraJet (Mar 6, 2003)

RunnerFL said:


> The double RBR is flushing the guide data. There must be something in the guide data keeping the units from completing the boot process.


Yep - I agree. It's quite sad that D*'s tech support team is not aware of this fix. Who knows how many unhappy customers they have right now and how much money they are wasting on sending out new boxes which may well suffer the same fate when the new sw is downloaded.


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## Dave from Kazoo (Nov 28, 2004)

Did the RRB button twice and it brought my unit back to life. All is good right before Christmas!


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## tonydi (Jul 10, 2010)

HofstraJet said:


> Yep - I agree. It's quite sad that D*'s tech support team is not aware of this fix. Who knows how many unhappy customers they have right now and how much money they are wasting on sending out new boxes which may well suffer the same fate when the new sw is downloaded.


They're aware, they posted the instructions on their Twitter feed yesterday, including the detail about waiting until after the 1% point to begin the second reboot.

Now, as we constantly see, some of DTV's phone people are on top of things and some aren't, so getting the correct info is definitely a game of CSR Roulette.


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## wrj (Nov 23, 2006)

Sounds like DTV needs some new engineers. Sorry if this is hard, but catastrophic issues shouldn't be showing up in a NR. That is what beta testing (CE) is all about. Customers shouldn't be having to find out about a "double red button reboot" trick on a forum to get there receivers working.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

wrj said:


> Sounds like DTV needs some new engineers. Sorry if this is hard, but catastrophic issues shouldn't be showing up in a NR. That is what beta testing (CE) is all about. Customers shouldn't be having to find out about a "double red button reboot" trick on a forum to get there receivers working.


It's not in the NR itself, the issue is in the guide data.


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

wrj;3148701 said:


> Sounds like DTV needs some new engineers. Sorry if this is hard, but catastrophic issues shouldn't be showing up in a NR. That is what beta testing (CE) is all about. Customers shouldn't be having to find out about a "double red button reboot" trick on a forum to get there receivers working.


I can see your point but this kind of issue didn't show up too often.

I can tell you that it's being worked on. I understand the frustration but know our comments are heard.

Mike


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## wrj (Nov 23, 2006)

Mike Bertelson said:


> I can see your point but this kind of issue didn't show up too often.
> 
> I can tell you that it's being worked on. I understand the frustration but know our comments are heard.
> 
> Mike


Well guys thanks for bringing me down. But I'm still upset that we use to be able to set a bookmark on a recording and then go to it. Now we can only set the bookmark.

Also, I really liked being able to control a recording (FF, pause, etc) while browsing the guide. Now that is gone also. It just upsets me to have features and then they disappear.

Oh well...life goes on.


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## specialkd24 (Oct 13, 2009)

HofstraJet said:


> Yep - I agree. It's quite sad that D*'s tech support team is not aware of this fix. Who knows how many unhappy customers they have right now and how much money they are wasting on sending out new boxes which may well suffer the same fate when the new sw is downloaded.


This was my whole point. The CSR I talked to for 30 minutes didn't know anything about it. She wants to send me a new box.

Then I come on here and fix the problem in a matter of moments. When I called back to cancel the replacement box I told the new CSR that maybe they should spread the word, since I had to go to a 3rd-party message board to find out. All she said was "we are aware of the problem." Well obviously you aren't since you have CSR's sending out new boxes to people for something they can fix themselves.

What a waste of money for DirecTV and I'm sure people who don't come to message boards like this, have lost a lot of recordings because DirecTV made them send back their boxes.

I'm just happy my hours and hours of recordings are back.


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## jibberyerkibber (Mar 1, 2012)

wrj said:


> Sounds like DTV needs some new engineers. Sorry if this is hard, but catastrophic issues shouldn't be showing up in a NR. That is what beta testing (CE) is all about. Customers shouldn't be having to find out about a "double red button reboot" trick on a forum to get there receivers working.


You can say that again. Needed new software engineers since last December when the new style GUI software started coming down. MY HR 23 and 24 are finally doing pretty good. I anxiously await the newest software for my HR34. Fourteen freezes since 0x5d3.


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## tonydi (Jul 10, 2010)

jibberyerkibber said:


> I anxiously await the newest software for my HR34. Fourteen freezes since 0x5d3.


And zero here. Don't get me wrong, there are little things with mine that are annoying like how sometimes channel changes don't go smoothly or how you get the stupid message about something already recording when you try to delete a future recording, but I'm relatively happy with my experience.

I feel bad for you since you are one of a couple of forum members that have more than their fair share of problems with their HR34s. I don't recall, is yours an original one or have you gotten DTV to swap you for another?


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## Datagg (May 17, 2009)

Well the newest update, 0x5d4 rolled in a few days ago.... Locking up issue from a pause still not working. Had it. Called DTV, tech ran me thru the normal stuff, which I stated i have done at least 75+ times since owning this unit, yet i did it anyway to entertain the situation. Paused back to the future, pressed play it did not start up, Buffer recording it, yet rewind and play would yield no play results. Tried another random channel same results. Been a month plus now of this issue and increasing. Always takes a channel change then back to resume live. 

Told tech new update I got was supposed to fix this, yet it did not. At the end he said the engineers are aware of this issue and to expect another update by weeks end and perhaps more next week. He claims they are not replacing Genies for lockups etc, as many are calling in with the same situations and more and sending a replacement would be a course of futility. 

So there it is, a 1 year unit plus (Ive had it for 2 months) and we are beta testers. I asked about the last update and he kinda said it was to test to see if the fix would stop the issues, a hot fix if you will.... It did not and to expect more updates. I'm just about ready to flip out on DTV for this. I'm not a beta tester and reply was we are aware of the issue.... Conversation ended. I'm tired of this ****. I love the extra tuners, but how much more can a person take... Damn..

Edit... Put in 0x5d4 forum also as it discusses it directly.


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