New DirecTV HD receivers render my Sage setup useless

[Fountainhead]

So DirecTV came out and replaced my dish and all of my receivers with HD-capable stuff. I have no HD in the house but they swapped it all out due to something with the way local channels are handled. Whatever.

My problem is that the receivers (DirecTV H23-600) default to the HD channels when you use direct channel input. So typing in 206 gets ESPNHD. That means that when sage changes the channel to record something it'll default to the HD channels (not purchased) instead of the SD version. #$%$%^^!!!!!

Has anyone run into a situation like this before. Any ideas for a workaround?

[toricred]

I didn't think Directv would let you activate an HD receiver without purchasing the HD access for ~$5-10 per month. That would mean you would be able to tune into the HD version. If you output through the S Video cable to your tuner then Sage should work the same as before, but the picture would be slightly better.

[Fountainhead]

Originally Posted by toricred

I didn't think Directv would let you activate an HD receiver without purchasing the HD access for ~$5-10 per month. That would mean you would be able to tune into the HD version. If you output through the S Video cable to your tuner then Sage should work the same as before, but the picture would be slightly better.

Well, I didn't WANT HD receivers. It was required (so they say) due to some change in the way local channels are being handled. I needed a new (HD) dish as well.

So, the way it is now is that I have a new HD dish and 5 HD receivers (2 attached to Sage). (And no HD TV's...bah!) What happens is that in the guide there are duplicate channels for HD/SD, ie there are two channel 206's...one is ESPNHD, and one is ESPN. Trying to tune into ESPNHD just gives me the "channel not purchased". Tuning into ESPN givces me ESPN in SD. Both channels are 206.

The problem with Sage is that if you just key in 2-0-6, it defaults to the HD version of 206 (ESPNHD) and I just get "channel not purchased." Bad news. There seems no way to tell the receiver to default to the SD versions of channels. So essentially any channel that has an HD version won't work on Sage now because when Sage inputs the channel number it goes to the HD version..

What about this: Can I purchase the HD package to activate the HD versions of the channels, then set the receivers for 480p output and still be able to tune into the HD channels output in SD? Do you follow that?

[stanger89]

It's probably related to the switch to all MPEG-4. I don't know if DTV has any MPEG-4 "SD" boxes.

There's got to be a setting to disable that....

There's a post on the BTV forums stating that entering 206-1 will tune the SD channel.

[toricred]

I also think your other solution will work if you're willing to pay the monthly access fee for HD even though you're not using it. That said Stanger's suggestion is probably the "right" solution rather than paying for something you don't want.

[Fountainhead]

Originally Posted by toricred

I also think your other solution will work if you're willing to pay the monthly access fee for HD even though you're not using it. That said Stanger's suggestion is probably the "right" solution rather than paying for something you don't want.

Yeah, I'll try that for certain. I actually do have one TV (an older 50 inch rear projection) that can do 720p so the extra few bucks a month for HD access wouldn't be a total wash. Still, if stanger's trick works then that would be just fine.

I'll report back what I find out. Thanks for the help.

[Fountainhead]

Originally Posted by stanger89

It's probably related to the switch to all MPEG-4. I don't know if DTV has any MPEG-4 "SD" boxes.

There's got to be a setting to disable that....

There's a post on the BTV forums stating that entering 206-1 will tune the SD channel.

Bummer. Doesn't seem to work on mine. I just get "channel not available" entering that string. I tried both remapping it via Sage, and also direct input from the remote. It doesn't seem to care for it.

I'll keep looking.

EDIT: Looking through the DirecTV forums I saw a few other people inquiring about the same thing with this receiver (Not Sage, but just getting the receiver to tune the SD channels) and the answer seems to be...you can't. There is no setting that allows you to specify a preference for SD, and no direct channel entry that will do it. What a load.

[traker1001]

I had the same issue.

The fix is to change the receiver from quad LNB to oval 3 lnb to exlude the HD channels from even being seen by the directv receiver. This forces all channel change to be of th SD and purchased variety.

[Fountainhead]

Originally Posted by traker1001

I had the same issue.

The fix is to change the receiver from quad LNB to oval 3 lnb to exlude the HD channels from even being seen by the directv receiver. This forces all channel change to be of th SD and purchased variety.

Well, that was close but not only did the HD channels disappear, so did my local channels. They're no longer available at all with the 3 lnb sat setting.

[traker1001]

The setup I havev currently working gives me my locals. I have the 3 LNB installed and I am able to see the 101, 110, 119 and 72.5 sats. This gives me locals with all my channels. Except the HD's, So I don't get the whole HD channel change issue.

Took me some searching and guess work, But I eventually found the setup that worked for me. You could probably also.

[Fountainhead]

Originally Posted by traker1001

The setup I havev currently working gives me my locals. I have the 3 LNB installed and I am able to see the 101, 110, 119 and 72.5 sats. This gives me locals with all my channels. Except the HD's, So I don't get the whole HD channel change issue.

Took me some searching and guess work, But I eventually found the setup that worked for me. You could probably also.

How many dishes do you have? I used to have two, with one being just for local channels. Now I only have one. The local channels are all HD (meaning they don't have SD duplicates) and that's probably why eliminating the HD part of the feed removes them.

I have two receivers going into Sage. I might be forced into setting one for oval 3 to get just non-HD channels with no local channels, and leave the other as as is with local channels and full HD stuff. Then on the one getting local channels exclude from my sage channel lineup everything except the local channels. So one tuner would have access non-local SD channels, and one tuner just local and nothing else. It would increase the odds of a recording conflict but at least I could probably get by the majority of the time. What do you think?

[bcjenkins]

Have you sent this into support? While it is not a SageTV problem per se, I would have to imagine they would be interested in a fix for it nonetheless. Assuming channel change to 206 and channel up or down actually solves the problem, it should be trivial to fix.

B

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by Fountainhead

How many dishes do you have? I used to have two, with one being just for local channels. Now I only have one. The local channels are all HD (meaning they don't have SD duplicates) and that's probably why eliminating the HD part of the feed removes them.

I have two receivers going into Sage. I might be forced into setting one for oval 3 to get just non-HD channels with no local channels, and leave the other as as is with local channels and full HD stuff. Then on the one getting local channels exclude from my sage channel lineup everything except the local channels. So one tuner would have access non-local SD channels, and one tuner just local and nothing else. It would increase the odds of a recording conflict but at least I could probably get by the majority of the time. What do you think?

Well one way to maximize your viewing, would be on the second receiver to only exclude channels that have both HD and SD. This way, if for example, you have GSN that has no HD equivalent, then you could still record this on the HD/Local box, but channecls such as ESPN you could not. This way you could record ESPN in SD on Box 1 (SD only), and record GSN on Box 2 (HD/Local Box).

The alternative is to just go SD only on your satellite and get an OTA tuner for your locals. With Dish, they charge you $5 a month for locals so I went QAM/OTA for my locals (by passing the dish altogether) and am happy with this. However, OTA capture is all dependent on location and signal strength. This is just an alternative.

[Beefcake550]

Umm...I have an HR23-600 and I want the HD channels to supercede the SD versions. I had to go into the menu system and select that option. There is an option in the setup menu (but I can't look it up for you now since I'm at work) to do exactly what you want. DirecTV only screwed up by not checking their work (i.e. - you get your channels) before they left.

If you can't find it in the menu, PM me and I'll look it up.

[lpitman]

Originally Posted by Fountainhead

So DirecTV came out and replaced my dish and all of my receivers with HD-capable stuff. I have no HD in the house but they swapped it all out due to something with the way local channels are handled. Whatever.

My problem is that the receivers (DirecTV H23-600) default to the HD channels when you use direct channel input. So typing in 206 gets ESPNHD. That means that when sage changes the channel to record something it'll default to the HD channels (not purchased) instead of the SD version. #$%$%^^!!!!!

Has anyone run into a situation like this before. Any ideas for a workaround?

Somewhere in the STB receivers setup is a checkbox for setting HD only or Standard channels, I am at work or I could look it up for you.

[Fountainhead]

Originally Posted by lpitman

Somewhere in the STB receivers setup is a checkbox for setting HD only or Standard channels, I am at work or I could look it up for you.

On mine, the only one I see in the setup area is the option to either "Show SD Duplicates", or "Hide SD Duplicates." I've been through every menu and there is nothing that provides the option to remove the HD versions from display or default selection. If you get home later and can look up where it might be on yours I'd be interested. I sure don't see it on mine.

[Beefcake550]

right, so if you "show SD duplicates", and then tune to 206, you get ESPN, correct?

In addition to this working, it sounds like you'd like to have channels which you don't receive not be in the guide. Why can't you just remove the HD versions from the sage guide....am I missing something?

[Fountainhead]

Originally Posted by Beefcake550

right, so if you "show SD duplicates", and then tune to 206, you get ESPN, correct?

In addition to this working, it sounds like you'd like to have channels which you don't receive not be in the guide. Why can't you just remove the HD versions from the sage guide....am I missing something?

No. keying in 206 (or whatever) always defaults to the HD channel. Doesn't matter what I include/exclude from the Sage guide. 206 is 206.

Enabling "show SD duplicates" merely gets two 206's listed in the DirecTV onscreen guide...one 206 for ESPNHD, and another 206 for ESPN. From the onscreen guide you can select either one. But just keying in 2-0-6 (either via the DirecTV remote or through Sage) will tune in the HD channel. No matter what.

So I could have a 206 in Sage for ESPN and another 206 in Sage for ESPNHD, then "exclude" the HD 206 channel from Sage but it won'y matter. When Sage enters 2-0-6, the receiver will tune in the HD version.

[Fountainhead]

FYI. To wrap this up, I just called DirecTV and had then turn on the HD channels for $10 a month. Looks like I can tune in the HD versions and record them just fine on Sage with my old PVR-150 cards...not in HD of course, but I never wanted that anyway.

Glad to have a solution, even if it cost me $10 a month. Thanks for the suggestions that you guys offered.

[briands]

You might lean on their Customer Relations people. It seems you should not have to pay additional fee for something that you did not want, but a change that they required to be made. They may waive the charge.
Never hurts to ask.