Direct TV H23 and usb tuning question ..

[TechBill]

I finally managed to get my Direct TV H23 and SageTV usb tuning to work.

I am just using SageTV PC <-> serial to usb <-> null modem adapter <-> serial to usb <-> H23 and all was purchased from monoprice cable online store.

I don't know why but the DirecTVSerialControl.dll in /SageTV/Common/ were older than one in /SageTV/SageTV and usb tuning wouldn't work first time I set it up.

I am guessing when SageTV developer released a new version they accidently put the new version dll in SageTV root folder instead of in Common folder so I copied the DirecTVSerialControl.dll in the SageTV root folder over to the Common folder and usb tuning start to work great and instantly change channels

But ....


Direct TV H23 is a HDTV box and my issue is that they replaced all my Direct TV SD boxes that was connected to SDTV in the house with the new H23 last week and that they said SD boxes soon won't work anymore.

The usb tuning tune into the channel network is on but H23 defaults the channel to the HD channel if there is one avaliable for that network instead of the SD channel. Even if I selected SD channel guide and it still tune into the HD one.

I still rather be recording in SD format because in HD format all the SD shows are shrink down and borders are added on the left and right sometime even top and bottom which look fine on a HDTV set but look a lot worse and smaller on a SDTV set. Like making a 36 inch tv look like a 17 inch tv.

So is there either a way to tell SageTV to tune the box into SD channel instead of the HD one even both have the same channel number?

Or does anyone here know about Direct TV H23 and can tell me if there a way to set the H23 not to shrink the SD shows in the HD channels adding borders? I already mess with all the setting possible and it still doesn't avoid shrinking down so I can only assume that it shrink down and borders added at the network station before sending it to the sat then to H23. I am not sure if H23 or the network station is doing this shrinking and adding borders of SD shows.

One bad thing I didn't like hearing is when I called Direct TV customer service to see if I can change the default channel tuning from HD to SD and they said no and they also said that all SD channels will be gone in about 2 months if there is a HD channel already avaliable for it.


Thank for reading this!
Bill

[HelenWeathers]

You can try going into your DirecTV setup and telling your STB you only have the Oval 3 lnb dish. All of the new HiDef channels come from two new birds that are only picked up by a 5 lnb Multisat dish or the new Slimline 3 dish. That might get the HiDef portion of your guide data out of the mix. It worked for me.

[TechBill]

Originally Posted by HelenWeathers

You can try going into your DirecTV setup and telling your STB you only have the Oval 3 lnb dish. All of the new HiDef channels come from two new birds that are only picked up by a 5 lnb Multisat dish or the new Slimline 3 dish. That might get the HiDef portion of your guide data out of the mix. It worked for me.

Wow! Look like you are right. I just went and reset the sat but setting it to only Oval 3 dish and the 95 dish for local. It seem to have removed all the HD channel!

Thanks so much for this tip!!

Bill

[bastian74]

At least for two months, after that it sounds like you're screwed as the sd channels wont even exist. You'll have to set your STB to "crop" mode, which is worse than pan and scan. Or deal with the bars.

[TechBill]

Originally Posted by bastian74

At least for two months, after that it sounds like you're screwed as the sd channels wont even exist. You'll have to set your STB to "crop" mode, which is worse than pan and scan. Or deal with the bars.

Yeah or save up for a couple of HD-PVR. Reason I haven't jump into it yet because of the issues I been reading on the HD-PVR on in forum and at AVS. So hopefully in 2 month that most of the issues had been resolved by then.

Bill

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by TechBill

Wow! Look like you are right. I just went and reset the sat but setting it to only Oval 3 dish and the 95 dish for local. It seem to have removed all the HD channel!

Thanks so much for this tip!!

Bill

The next time my boyfriend tells me that I am full of useless information, I'll tell him Bill doesn't think so. We'll see where that goes.

By the way, it'll be longer that 2 months that the SD channels are carried. They have to replace equipment all over the country first. I'm betting you'll have at least 6 months of SD service yet. DirecTV installers are known for "misunderestimating'.

EDIT: bastian74 is right about the cropping and you need to tell your STB is hooked up to a 4x3 tv.

[heffe2001]

Originally Posted by bastian74

At least for two months, after that it sounds like you're screwed as the sd channels wont even exist. You'll have to set your STB to "crop" mode, which is worse than pan and scan. Or deal with the bars.

I haven't heard about DTV dropping the SD channels, if it's for the 2009 Digital switchover, it won't affect DTV, or the SD channels. The switchover isn't for HD-only broadcasts, it's for dropping the analog broadcasts for digital, same stuff, just different delivery. If they are dropping SD, they have to replace at least 6 rx's in my house (and just put them in a couple months ago)...

There's an option on my H23 to output at native resolution, wonder if you could do that and then tell the box you ONLY have 480i (disable the other resolutions). It at least got rid of the bars on my system at home for SD shows on the HD channels.

[TechBill]

Originally Posted by heffe2001

I haven't heard about DTV dropping the SD channels, if it's for the 2009 Digital switchover, it won't affect DTV, or the SD channels. The switchover isn't for HD-only broadcasts, it's for dropping the analog broadcasts for digital, same stuff, just different delivery. If they are dropping SD, they have to replace at least 6 rx's in my house (and just put them in a couple months ago)...

There's an option on my H23 to output at native resolution, wonder if you could do that and then tell the box you ONLY have 480i (disable the other resolutions). It at least got rid of the bars on my system at home for SD shows on the HD channels.

I tried that.

I set the box and ticked only 480i but leaving all other resolutions blank and it still shrink or scale down the SD shows on HD channels adding left and right borders to it.

The dish trick was the only way I could get it to only pick up SD channel itself but con thing about this method is that there are a few network on DirectTV that only are offered in HD which you lose out if you select SD dishes only.


Bill

[TechBill]

I ran into an issue today.

It seem like one cannot reboot a computer leaving the USB to Serial plugged in or you will get a blue screen "PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA" at the boot up time.


So I have to unplug the usb to serial and reboot then plug it back in after it completely boot up which would be bad if I went out of town and the computer reboots.


Anyone know a way to fix this issue at boot time? I am thinking maybe it the driver and I need to try find a newer one on the internet.


Bill

[HelenWeathers]

My computer reboots every day with serial 2 usb cables attached. The DirecTV receivers are booted up at the same time (turn on/off with computer). I am running Win XP SP3. My receivers are H20-100s. There may be some issue with the latest national software rollout (Oct 15-21) for the H23 receivers.

[TechBill]

Well that sucks.

My usb tuning just quit working all together after couple of reboots and now I cannot get it to work with SageTV.

I know SageTV is to be blamed because I have another software that i could tune Direct TV without any problems.

So strange ... wondered why SageTV can't control it no more.


Bill

[TechBill]

One thing I notice while trying to troubleshoot is that in Tuner Source for that tuner

Tuner Control: C:\Program Files\SageTV\Common\DirecTVSerialControl COM3 D112

I know D112 is a file I created for ir blaster, why is it loaded via serial control?? or even listed??

Also it won't let me edit so where can I edit this to remove it?


Bill


Edited to update : Looking further into this it seem that SageTV took the ir file name and name it as a Device Name for the tuner card. not sure why and still haven't been able to get it working yet ...

[TechBill]

Originally Posted by TechBill

One thing I notice while trying to troubleshoot is that in Tuner Source for that tuner

Tuner Control: C:\Program Files\SageTV\Common\DirecTVSerialControl COM3 D112

I know D112 is a file I created for ir blaster, why is it loaded via serial control?? or even listed??

Also it won't let me edit so where can I edit this to remove it?


Bill


Edited to update : Looking further into this it seem that SageTV took the ir file name and name it as a Device Name for the tuner card. not sure why and still haven't been able to get it working yet ...

Got the usb serial working again.

I had to delete the Sage Property files and redo the setup.

Now it showing
Tuner Control: C:\Program Files\SageTV\Common\DirecTVSerialControl COM3

And working fine so far. I don't know what got written to my property file that causes the serial to quit working and I did look over it but there is so many strings in there from years of mods or addons etc so I just deicded to start fresh again.


Bill

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by TechBill

I ran into an issue today.

It seem like one cannot reboot a computer leaving the USB to Serial plugged in or you will get a blue screen "PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA" at the boot up time.


So I have to unplug the usb to serial and reboot then plug it back in after it completely boot up which would be bad if I went out of town and the computer reboots.


Anyone know a way to fix this issue at boot time? I am thinking maybe it the driver and I need to try find a newer one on the internet.


Bill

Make sure you go into your machine's BIOS and disable any options that set it to boot to a USB drive or device.

Gerry

[TechBill]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Make sure you go into your machine's BIOS and disable any options that set it to boot to a USB drive or device.

Gerry

Good advice ... I will go check on that and disable them if they are any set.

Thank for the tip!


Bill