TiVo Community Forums Archives - Software or hardware problem ?

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Software or hardware problem ?
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Posted by: Stillwater

After two months of trouble free use, my HR10-250 suddenly has a problem with its' OTA tuners. One tuner works normally but the other one says "searching for signal on antenna in". When I go to check signal strength, it shows strong signals on both tuners. When I exit the signal strength test and go to live TV I still only have programming on one tuner.

I have tried rebooting the box, but to no avail.

So, is it a software problem or is one OTA tuner dead ?

Posted by: Cheezmo

I just reset my local area, and rescanned OTA and have the exact same situation.

I think the PSIP data is slightly messed up for 41, although they deny it. My Panasonic TU-DST50 can no longer tune KXAS-DT at all, and the TiVo has this wierd problem.

I think what is happening is that KXAS identifies two channels as 41-2 and 41-3 instead of starting with one like other multicasters do and the offest confuses some set top boxes.

That might explain why scanning OTA adds a second 5-1, and why tuning 41-3 gives you their radar channel.

By the way, keying in 41-2 takes you to KXAS-DT (the "second one" without guide data).
Keying in 41-1 takes you to "Searching for signal on: Antenna in".

Posted by: Stillwater

Here's an update on my problem.

It looks now like it is a hardware problem.

When on the signal strength screen, tuner one keeps losing signal lock every few seconds for just a fraction of a second; not even long enough for the meter's reading to register a dip in strength.

That makes it look more like some kind of intermittent short in the tuner circuit.

Anyone else seen this before ?

Posted by: Bill Broderick

I've had a similar problem since day 1. OTA tuner works great. But I have problems with OTA tuner B. On the signal strength meter, OTA tuner B typically shows a signal strength 10 - 15 points lower than ATO tuner A does. Usually this is OK because I receive a strong signal from the majority of the NYC. However, it appears that WNBC has reduced power. Therefore the difference between the two signal strengths is also the difference between getting a watchable picture and getting blocking (or even nothing at all). Rebooting seemed to improve the signal strength on OTA tuner B for a little while. But then it reverted back to having a lower strength than tuner A.

When I called D*, I just got a runaround. I had the first CSR tell me that there was no such thing as a DirecTV branded receiver. After I convinced her to look, she replied "Oh, you're right." Then she had me try different things. After a little while I realized that she was trying to debug the satellite tuners, not the OTA tuners. After she escalated me to an advanced tech rep, things only got worse. The tech rep kept trying to blame my antenna or the cable from the antenna. She just couldn't grasp the concept that there is only one antenna input and the two tuners were giving different results from that same input.

Luckily I bought the Extended Warranty from Circuit City. I called them this morning and they are replacing the receiver (if they have any, or when they get some).