DirecTV HD 20 Dvr problems?

Question

I have directv, and a dvr hd 20 from dtv. when i playback programs many times the sound and picture is out of synch. I also get a picture freeze for 3-4 seconds often. I have called DTV service & of course will not admit ever having these problems....Liars...Anyone else have any info or suggestions?

Thanks, Bob

Answer 1

is it possible that at the time of the recording you had a bad satellite signal? That could be the root cause of the problem.

I'm gonna edit my troubleshooting steps because upon reflection I can give you a few more pointers.

First, try just hitting the record button when you know you have a good signal. Do you all of a sudden get the audio/video sync issues and freezeframe? If so, call customer service and they will replace it.

if the live video is fine it's more than likely that it was just a bad signal at the time of the recording, which can't really be fixed because the receiver only records what it has broadcast to it, and part of that is the signal interruptions.

definitely opt for the protection plan, though, and try doing it before you  have to have a tech visit because the cost has gone up from $70 to $79 and it's now $19.95 to opt-in as the service call is set up instead of $14.95. Instead, you'll pay $5.99 for at least 12 months, totaling just under $72, to have your whole system covered.

Answer 2

The first thing to try is a hard reset of the unit,unplug from power for 10 or 15 seconds and plug back in.This solves a lot of problems just like doing a restart on a computer that freezes up.Most of these type of problems are software not hardware,if that doesn't work you can try a forced software update.Unplug the power or press the reset button and when the welcome screen comes up use your remote to enter 02468.This will force the unit to update its software,most of the time this will fix the problem.If it doesn't help the box is screwed up and needs to be replaced,if you don't have the protection plan now get it before you schedule a service call.The 5.99 a month for the protection plan beats a $75 service call charge.