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DVRs locked up across the U.S.
DirecTV satellite DVR users were struck by a little snafu yesterday morning that caused DirecTV DVR boxes across the U.S. to lock up. In addition to this issue, apparently DirecTV was also pushing a software update at the same time which complicated the situation. While opinions seem to be mixed, apparently the issue seems to be causing a problem with just the DirecTV-branded HD DVR boxes.
From what we have been able to uncover, only the DirecTV DVR units were affected by this lock issue; older DirecTV TiVo units do not seem to be suffering from this problem. The first reports suggested that it was a software related issue, but this appears to be incorrect. Our sources tell us that the software update was not the issue, but rather an issue with a program guide update that appears to be the origin of the problem.
Users who still have their DirecTV DVR locked up can get up and running again by pressing the “red button” behind the access card door on the front of the unit and letting it complete all of the way, and then pressing the “red button” a second time within 30 minutes after the first red button cycle completes. Apparently, this does delete the program guide information and re-loads it again, so some channels might show blank blocks in the future until the receiver has downloaded the complete program guide again.
DirecTV has really had no official comment beyond acknowledging the problem in their Twitter feed and suggesting the “two red buttons within 30 minutes” as an accepted fix for the time being. In a effort to address the problem DirecTV is said to have sent remote reboot commands to HD-DVRs in order to help the situation. The issue is becoming very public, with many sources jumping to report the issue. The negative PR could be bad for DirecTV at a time when they are trying to highlight the positive, such as the 3D broadcast of the World Cup that will be on DirecTV.
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DirecTV DVR snafu strikes
DVRs locked up across the U.S.
DirecTV satellite DVR users were struck by a little snafu yesterday morning that caused DirecTV DVR boxes across the U.S. to lock up. In addition to this issue, apparently DirecTV was also pushing a software update at the same time which complicated the situation. While opinions seem to be mixed, apparently the issue seems to be causing a problem with just the DirecTV-branded HD DVR boxes.
From what we have been able to uncover, only the DirecTV DVR units were affected by this lock issue; older DirecTV TiVo units do not seem to be suffering from this problem. The first reports suggested that it was a software related issue, but this appears to be incorrect. Our sources tell us that the software update was not the issue, but rather an issue with a program guide update that appears to be the origin of the problem.
Users who still have their DirecTV DVR locked up can get up and running again by pressing the “red button” behind the access card door on the front of the unit and letting it complete all of the way, and then pressing the “red button” a second time within 30 minutes after the first red button cycle completes. Apparently, this does delete the program guide information and re-loads it again, so some channels might show blank blocks in the future until the receiver has downloaded the complete program guide again.
DirecTV has really had no official comment beyond acknowledging the problem in their Twitter feed and suggesting the “two red buttons within 30 minutes” as an accepted fix for the time being. In a effort to address the problem DirecTV is said to have sent remote reboot commands to HD-DVRs in order to help the situation. The issue is becoming very public, with many sources jumping to report the issue. The negative PR could be bad for DirecTV at a time when they are trying to highlight the positive, such as the 3D broadcast of the World Cup that will be on DirecTV.