# Have opportunity to get a R22. What is the deal with the grey bars?!



## bert213 (Jan 6, 2009)

Hey guys,

I have the opportunity to pickup a R22 from one of my co-workers who is leaving D*.

I have been reading this thread:
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=153929&highlight=r22+video&page=3

and continue to read about those darn gray bars!

I had a Hitachi HDTV some years back that did the same thing, I believe.

Can someone post or PM me some pics of a R22 on a HDTV widescreen.

Thanks.

Also, if I should stay away from this 'crippled' DVR...let me know your thoughts.


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## Jhon69 (Mar 28, 2006)

bert213 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I have the opportunity to pickup a R22 from one of my co-workers who is leaving D*.
> 
> ...


My first concern is does your friend "own" the R22 or is he/she" leasing" it.For that you would need the Reciever ID# and call DirecTV and ask them.If he/she is leasing it he/she can't sell it the R22 has to be returned to DirecTV or they will charge him/her full price for it when he/she leaves.Also if it's leased to him/her DirecTV will not activate it for you.


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## Simmerman (Apr 10, 2008)

I have gone into the menu and "reset everything". After that, you should be able to go back into the menu and change the screen format to widescreen.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

You will get many opinions as to whether the R22 is a good receiver or not. Some people like it and some don't. It just depends on what features you want or what features you can live without.

If you want network connectivity, on-demand viewing, 30-second slip, future MRV, then the R22 is what you will need for a SD environment. If you don't need those functions and want a faster receiver (the R22 is typically slower to repond to remote control commands than the R15/R16), then the R15/R16 is probably your ticket.

As for the grey bars on the R22, if you have a widescreen TV and set up the TV resolution in the System Setup area for 4:3 format, you will have grey bars on each side of the picture. The comments most people make is that they would like to change the color of bars to black (as well as the screen background when changing a channel).

HTH,
Merg


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## Mertzen (Dec 8, 2006)

Unless that R22 replaced an owned unit and marked as such it's not going to go anywhere but back to D*.


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## Jhon69 (Mar 28, 2006)

The Merg said:


> You will get many opinions as to whether the R22 is a good receiver or not. Some people like it and some don't. It just depends on what features you want or what features you can live without.
> 
> If you want network connectivity, on-demand viewing, 30-second slip, future MRV, then the R22 is what you will need for a SD environment. If you don't need those functions and want a faster receiver (the R22 is typically slower to repond to remote control commands than the R15/R16), then the R15/R16 is probably your ticket.
> 
> ...


Don't forget the R22 program guide information has "First Air Date" like the HR2xs where the R15/R16s do not.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

Jhon69 said:


> Don't forget the R22 program guide information has "First Air Date" like the HR2xs where the R15/R16s do not.


But you can use an IR and RF remote with the R15 at the same time. AND you can record the XM music channels to HDD if you want to (which you can't on the R22). Plus, if you like "channel surfing" you don't have to wait forever for the next channel to appear (and watch a gray screen meanwhile).

The R15 also has a 4:3 or 16:9 choosable option so even with a wide screen TV you won't get those bars.

What people are grumbling about on the R22 is if you live in a market where the local channels are only offered in MPEG4 (on the HD satellite feed), you have to put up with obxnoxious GRAY bars ALL THE TIME no matter what kind of TV you have because the option to change the picture format (cropped, squeezed, letterbox, etc.) is BLOCKED OUT on the R22. Apparently this generated so many complaints that now DirecTV supplies the HD DVR to customers in those markets even if they don't subscribe to HD.


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## bert213 (Jan 6, 2009)

Thanks for the feedback guys, I picked it up this afternoon.

Already called D*, and ordered the access card.

Question: Digital Out option...will I ever receive a Dolby Digital or Dolby Pro Logic audio signal with this R22?


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

bert213 said:


> ...
> Question: Digital Out option...will I ever receive a Dolby Digital or Dolby Pro Logic audio signal with this R22?


Not much. Only a few premium channels (HBO, Showtime, etc) broadcast their newer SD movies with DD5.1 audio. Of course, your AV Receiver can synthesize surround sound from the normal 2-ch PCM audio using its Pro Logic modes.


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## bert213 (Jan 6, 2009)

litzdog911 said:


> Not much. Only a few premium channels (HBO, Showtime, etc) broadcast their newer SD movies with DD5.1 audio. Of course, your AV Receiver can synthesize surround sound from the normal 2-ch PCM audio using its Pro Logic modes.


Ahh yes, I forgot about the Dolby Pro Logic capabilities of my receiver.


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## xmguy (Mar 27, 2008)

litzdog911 said:


> Not much. Only a few premium channels (HBO, Showtime, etc) broadcast their newer SD movies with DD5.1 audio. Of course, your AV Receiver can synthesize surround sound from the normal 2-ch PCM audio using its Pro Logic modes.


I have my R22-200 connected to my surround system via digital coax. The ONLY programs I've watched with Pro Logic are VOD.


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## downrange (Jan 29, 2007)

xmguy said:


> I have my R22-200 connected to my surround system via digital coax.


if you bought the r22-200 somewhere yourself, mind saying where?

edit: forgot to add (for anyone), if my city (boston) is not currently one of the cities where this local channel gray-bar thing is caused to happen, is there any chance in the future it could be? I've seen a couple dtv lists of cities where I guess this is happening, boston's not on it but I'm afraid at some point in the future it could be.


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## Jhon69 (Mar 28, 2006)

downrange said:


> if you bought the r22-200 somewhere yourself, mind saying where?
> 
> edit: forgot to add (for anyone), if my city (boston) is not currently one of the cities where this local channel gray-bar thing is caused to happen, is there any chance in the future it could be? I've seen a couple dtv lists of cities where I guess this is happening, boston's not on it but I'm afraid at some point in the future it could be.


There are some listed on EBay,but to protect yourself always check the receiver ID numbers with DirecTV before purchase.Good Luck!


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## texasbrit (Aug 9, 2006)

downrange said:


> if you bought the r22-200 somewhere yourself, mind saying where?
> 
> edit: forgot to add (for anyone), if my city (boston) is not currently one of the cities where this local channel gray-bar thing is caused to happen, is there any chance in the future it could be? I've seen a couple dtv lists of cities where I guess this is happening, boston's not on it but I'm afraid at some point in the future it could be.


No, Boston isn't a "gray bar" city and will not be. You only get gray bars in areas where the SD locals used to be on 72.5. When you select an SD local in those areas, what you are seeing is actually the HD local, but downconverted to SD resolution, and in a 4:3 frame with gray bars top and bottom to fill out the 16:9 picture to 4:3. .


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## xmguy (Mar 27, 2008)

downrange said:


> if you bought the r22-200 somewhere yourself, mind saying where?
> 
> edit: forgot to add (for anyone), if my city (boston) is not currently one of the cities where this local channel gray-bar thing is caused to happen, is there any chance in the future it could be? I've seen a couple dtv lists of cities where I guess this is happening, boston's not on it but I'm afraid at some point in the future it could be.


R22-200 isn't available publicly. But the R22-100 is identical.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

downrange said:


> if you bought the r22-200 somewhere yourself, mind saying where?
> 
> edit: forgot to add (for anyone), if my city (boston) is not currently one of the cities where this local channel gray-bar thing is caused to happen, is there any chance in the future it could be? I've seen a couple dtv lists of cities where I guess this is happening, boston's not on it but I'm afraid at some point in the future it could be.


Not likely anytime soon for the cities that have had locals on the 101 for years (like Boston). Do you know how many R15/R16's and single-room receivers they'd have to swap out in Boston if they removed the MPEG2 locals feed? Ha ha ha! Money talks....


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## gmetz (Jun 5, 2009)

ThomasM said:


> But you can use an IR and RF remote with the R15 at the same time.
> 
> So with my R22, If I wanted a RF remote for my 2nd tv in another room, I would also need to replace the remote in the room with R22 with a RF remote?
> Thanks,
> Glenn


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

gmetz said:


> ThomasM said:
> 
> 
> > But you can use an IR and RF remote with the R15 at the same time.
> ...


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## gmetz (Jun 5, 2009)

ThomasM,
I'm in Stevens Point, WI.
My current set-up is a R22 in my living room (with a standard issue IR remote), the R22 also feeds a TV in the bedroom. I have a remote sender (with a universal remote) in the bedroom to control the R22 in the living room that works ok, (I have re-press buttons frequently). I was thinking about getting a RF remote for the bedroom (hoping it would be more reliable). What I gathered from what you have written is that I would need to have a RF remote in both the living room and bedroom if I were to go with a RF in the bedroom. Am I correct in this thinking?
Thanks,
Glenn


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

gmetz said:


> ThomasM,
> I'm in Stevens Point, WI.
> My current set-up is a R22 in my living room (with a standard issue IR remote), the R22 also feeds a TV in the bedroom. I have a remote sender (with a universal remote) in the bedroom to control the R22 in the living room that works ok, (I have re-press buttons frequently). I was thinking about getting a RF remote for the bedroom (hoping it would be more reliable). What I gathered from what you have written is that I would need to have a RF remote in both the living room and bedroom if I were to go with a RF in the bedroom. Am I correct in this thinking?
> Thanks,
> Glenn


Yes. If you switch the R22 to rf remote, then you will need an RF remote in both locations. It will no longer respond to IR commands.


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## xmguy (Mar 27, 2008)

carl6 said:


> Yes. If you switch the R22 to rf remote, then you will need an RF remote in both locations. It will no longer respond to IR commands.


That's what I did with my mom's R22-100. She wanted a location in her computer room but was tired of paying for a mirror fee for a room only she uses. So I wired a RF mod and sent a second signal to the second TV via RG-6 and bought 2 RF remotes and synced them both up together. It works great now she can continue to watch recording at the PC or in her room with the same DVR but keep the remotes in the respected room.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

gmetz said:


> ThomasM,
> I'm in Stevens Point, WI.
> My current set-up is a R22 in my living room (with a standard issue IR remote), the R22 also feeds a TV in the bedroom. I have a remote sender (with a universal remote) in the bedroom to control the R22 in the living room that works ok, (I have re-press buttons frequently). I was thinking about getting a RF remote for the bedroom (hoping it would be more reliable). What I gathered from what you have written is that I would need to have a RF remote in both the living room and bedroom if I were to go with a RF in the bedroom. Am I correct in this thinking?
> Thanks,
> Glenn


Ah, Stevens Point. Do you get locals from DirecTV up there (maybe Wausau?)
If not, you might think about an AM-21 tuner which hooks up to your R22 and an outside antenna and lets you record shows picked up over the air. It also adds those over the air channels to your program guide!

Carl6 is correct. To do what you want with an R22 would require that you purchase TWO RF remotes. You can do this on the DirecTV web page.


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