DirecTV H20 User Manual

Safety & Care

Your DIRECTV® HD Receiver has been designed and manufactured to stringent qua lity and safety standards. You should, however, be aware of the following important precautions for safe and optimal use of the equipment.

Meaning of symbols printed on the rear panel of the product:

 e “ bolt of lightning” indicates un-insulated material within your unit may cause an electrical shock. For the safety of

• everyone in your household, please do not remove product covering.

 e “exclamation point” calls attention to features for which you should read the enclosed literature closely to prevent

• operating and maintenance problems.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this product to rain or moisture. The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing and that no objects filled with liquids, such as vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.

Important Safety Instructions

1) Read these instructions.

2) Keep these instructions.

3) Heed all warnings.

4) Follow all instructions.

5) Do not use this apparatus near water.

6) Clean only with dry cloth.

7) Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

8) Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including ampliﬁ ers) that produce heat.

9) Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong.  e wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not ﬁ t into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.

10) Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

11) Only use attachments/accessories speciﬁ ed by the manufacturer.

12) Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table speciﬁ ed by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.

13) Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

14) Refer all servicing to qualiﬁ ed service personnel. Ser vicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

TIP

We highly recommend plugging the DIRECTV Receiver into a surge protector to prevent damage from ﬂ uctuations in your power supply.

IMPORTANT:

Be sure not to place your DIRECTV Receiver near anything WET or HOT!

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF

ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK).

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PART S INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE

PERSONNEL.

• CAUTION: Avoid moisture to reduce the risk of ﬁ re or electric shock.  e DIRECTV Receiver should not be used near water (for example, kitchen sink, bathtub, pool, damp basement). Also, never spill liquid on the receiver, and do not place vases or other vessels containing liquid on top of it.

• Ensure proper ventilation — the vent slots on the DIRECTV Receiver must be left uncovered to allow proper airﬂ ow to the unit. Blocking the airﬂ ow to the unit could impair performance or damage your receiver and other components.

• Do not stack electronic components or other objects on top of the DIRECTV Receiver. Also, do not stack the receiver on top of a “hot component” such as an audio power ampliﬁ er.

• Protect your components from power surges by connecting all the components before plugging any power cords into the wall outlet. Use of a surge protector is also recommended.

• Don’t overload power outlets or extension cords, which can result in the risk of ﬁ re or shock. It’s also important to use only the type of power source indicated on the marking label or in this manual.

• To prevent electrical shock, this apparatus shall be connected to a mains socket outlet with a protective earthing and fully inserted.

• Avoid audio hum or interference by inserting all cable plugs ﬁ rmly into their jacks. Also, place Audio/Video (A/V) cables to the sides of the TV back panel rather than down the middle once connected. Try not to coil any twin-lead cables and keep them away from A/V cables as much as possible.

• Never insert objects of any kind into any openings in the DIRECTV Receiver (other than the DIRECTV® Access Card as detailed in this chapter).

• Place it on a ﬂ at, hard surface — do not operate the DIRECTV Receiver on a carpet or other padded surface.

• Always unplug your DIRECT V Receiver before moving it.

• Always unplug the DIRECT V Receiver, TV and other equipment before you connect or disconnect any cables.

• Leave the main power connector accessible the mains connector at the back of the unit in case of emergency shutdown

• CAUTION: Electric Shock — never attempt to disassemble the DIRECT V Receiver yourself; always take it to a qualiﬁ ed service person when repair is required. Opening or removing covers may expose dangerous voltage or other risks, and incorrect reassembly can cause shock when receiver is subsequently used. Attempted self-repair may also void your warranty. Changes or modiﬁ cations not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance (by the warranty or by the manufacturer) could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

• Do not drop your DIRECTV Receiver and always move it with care.

• Have your DIR ECTV Receiver professionally serviced (do not attempt to service it yourself )

• Any changes or modiﬁ cations in construction of this device which are not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

• To reduce the risk of ﬁ re, use only No. 26 AWG or larger telecommunications line cord.

• Do not install this equipment in a conﬁ ned space such as a book case or similar unit.

For your information:

•  e identiﬁ cation sticker can be located underneath or on the back of your receiver.

•  e telecommunication network voltage used is the category number 3.

Note to Satellite Dish Installer

This reminder is provided to call your attention to articles 810 and 820 of the 2002 National Electrical Code. Refer to article 810, in particular 810-1 and 810-15, for required grounding of the metal structure of the dish antenna. Refer also to the 810-2 which, by reference to article 820, requires that the satellite dish coaxial cable shield be connected to the grounding system of the building as close to the point of cable entry as practical.

iii

Great TV viewing is in your hands!

A good way to begin learning about your DIRECTV® System is to familiarize yourself with the remote control. You’ll ﬁ nd further details throughout the User Guide relating to speciﬁ c functions.

Navigating 101

You’ll ﬁ nd you can get around nearly all onscreen menus the same simple way.

4Highlight… a menu or button by using the

ARROW keys (up, down, left and right).

4Choose it… by pressing SELECT while the item

is highlighted.

Note: Don’t worry about getting stuck in a menu. You can always press EXIT to return to video.

Quick Tip

To place batteries in your remote control:

1. Remove cover from the battery compartment by sliding it downward.

2. Insert 2 AA batteries (supplied), matching the positive (+) and negative (–) at each end.

3. Slide the cover back on to complete installation.

To program your remote control:

1. See “Programming Your Remote Control” on page 70.

Keys in the shaded area below can be programmed to function with your VCR, DVD player or stand-alone DVR unit.

Changes the “source” — the piece of equipment

whose signal is displayed on your TV

Cycles through HD resolution and screen format options

TV INPUT

FORMAT

STOP

REPLAY

REWIND

PAUSE

Displays the DIRECTV Active™ Channel–

local weather and more!

Displays the onscreen program Guide

Selects any highlighted item

Takes you to the screen you visited previously

Displays a compact menu of settings and services

In Guide, jumps 12 hours back; other functions

In Guide, jumps 12 hours forward; other functions

vary — look for onscreen hints

vary — look for hints onscreen

Raises or lowers volume

Toggles sound volume on/off

Tune to a channel directly; also input numbers

NUMBER KEYS & DASH

when needed in onscreen menus

ACTIVE

GUIDE

SELECT

BACK

RED

GREEN

VOLUME

MUTE

MODE SWITCH

Changes remote to control other

equipment, for example, a DVD

AV1 AV2 TV

INPUT

FORMAT

PWR

ACTIVE

GUIDE

SELECT

BACK

VOL

1 2 3

jkl mnoghi

4 5 6

tuv wxyzpqrs

7 8 9

—

0 _

LIST

EXIT

INFO

CHAN

PAGE

defabc

ENTER

POWER

Turns your DIRECTV HD Receiver and other equipment on and off, as selected with MODE switch

DIRECTV & TV POWER ON/OFF

& TV

Turns your TV and DIRECTV HD Receiver on and off

POWER

OFF

ADVANCE

PLAY

FFWD

RECORD

LIST

Displays your To Do List

EXIT

Exits any menu and returns to last channel viewed

ARROWS

Move highlight to items in whatever direction needed

INFO

Displays info for a highlighted or fullscreen program

BLUE

In live TV, displays the Mini Guide; other functions vary — look for onscreen hints

YELLOW

In fullscreen TV, cycles through alternate audio tracks; other functions vary — look for onscreen hints

CHAN/PAGE

In live TV, changes channel up or down; in a menu, such as the Guide, scrolls page up or down

Tunes to last channel viewed

ENTER

Activates channel number entries quickly

“

Welcome to the DIRECTV Family!

Getting Started

Welcome .........................................................................................................................................2

Installation and Activation ............................................................................................................. 4

DIRECTV HD Receiver Front Panel ............................................................................................5

DIRECTV HD Receiver Rear Panel .............................................................................................6

What’s On

Watching TV ...............................................................................................................................11

The Guide .................................................................................................................................... 15

Autotune ...................................................................................................................................... 17

Pay Per View................................................................................................................................. 19

The Quick Menu

Using the Quick Menu ................................................................................................................22

Settings.........................................................................................................................................22

Audio Options.............................................................................................................................. 24

Dolby® Digital .............................................................................................................................. 25

Category Sort ............................................................................................................................... 26

Pay Per View.................................................................................................................................26

Find By .........................................................................................................................................27

Date & Time ................................................................................................................................28

Favorites .......................................................................................................................................28

Caller ID & Messages .................................................................................................................. 29

Parental Controls.......................................................................................................................... 30

This is the

Table of

Contents

Pretty Simple,

Right?

Other Info

Troubleshooting ........................................................................................................................... 36

Limited 90-Day Warranty............................................................................................................ 45

Product Information ....................................................................................................................50

DIRECTV PROTECTION PLAN ............................................................................................ 51

FCC Customer Information .........................................................................................................53

Installation

Before you begin ..........................................................................................................................58

Hardware Reference ..................................................................................................................... 58

Making the Video Connections ...................................................................................................62

Making the Audio Connections ...................................................................................................64

Making the Basic Connections ....................................................................................................66

Guided Setup ...............................................................................................................................68

Activate Your DIRECTV Service ................................................................................................69

Programming Your Remote Control ............................................................................................ 70

Using an IR/RF Remote to Control Your DIRECTV HD Receiver ........................................... 71

Receiving Local “Off-Air” Broadcast Channels ...........................................................................72

High-Def 101

About High-Definition ................................................................................................................ 74

Options For Changing Video Output .........................................................................................77

Supported Resolutions and Formats ............................................................................................. 79

Wide-Screen vs. Standard Formats ...............................................................................................80

Index .........................................................................................................................................85

Icon Reference ...........................................................................................Inside back cover

Important

Important: This device incorporates an anticopy process technology that is protected by U.S. patents and other intellectual property rights. The anticopy process is licensed for non-commercial, home use only. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited. Unauthorized changes or modiﬁ cations to this equipment may void the user’s authority to operate it.

vii

“

Are you ready to watch totally cool, high-deﬁ nition TV?

We thought so.

Chapter 1

Getting

Started

2 Welcome

4 Installation and Activation

5 DIRECTV HD Receiver Front Panel

6 DIRECTV HD Receiver Rear Panel

Welcome

With its astounding variety of channels and choices, crisp digital-quality picture and sound and one-

of-a-kind sports and events, DIRECTV® HD service oﬀ ers everything you’d want in your television

experience. With the DIRECTV® HD Receiver you can expect more than ever before, with access

to over 225 channels, including our awesome HD selections and over 30 premium movie channels,

with something to please everyone in the family. DIRECTV Pay Per View oﬀ ers a handy choice in

recent hit movies, plus exciting live sports, concerts and specials, even Pay Per View selections in HD.

 ere’s exclusive sports subscriptions for every taste and team. Even access to 36 commercial-free music

channels!

To deliver this unique programming and enhance your entertainment experience, the DIRECTV

HD Receiver has been designed to be simple and user-friendly. You’ll ﬁ nd that most features are self-

explanatory, with onscreen directions to lead you through them.

So, welcome to the family.

TIP

You can ﬁ nd additional

information and the latest

updates at DIRECTV.com.

With an optional off-air antenna, you can also

What You Can Watch

With the DIRECTV HD Receiver, you have access to all types of televised programming, including:

4 DIRECTV high-deﬁ nition and standard-deﬁ nition digital programming via satellite, including

network channels if oﬀ ered in your area (DIRECTV service subscription required).

4 Local digital TV channels, including any local HD broadcasts shown in your area, available via an oﬀ -

air antenna.

Equipment You’ll Need

To view HD programming, you’ll need, in addition to your DIRECTV HD Receiver:

4 A high-deﬁ nition TV set (or HDTV monitor)

4 A 5 LNB Multi-Satellite dish antenna—MPEG4 and Ka/Ku compatible

To enjoy select HD programming available on oﬀ -air local channels, you will also need an oﬀ -air

antenna (sold separately) connected to your DIRECTV HD Receiver.  is is possible only in cities

where local broadcast stations make digital TV programs, including high-deﬁ nition, available.

Reception may vary based on your geographic location.

watch locally broadcast HD channels.

Installation and Activation

If you or a professional installer have not yet connected your DIRECTV Plus HD Receiver and other

components, please see Appendix A, Installation at the end of this User Guide. Following activation, you

will need to activate your DIRECTV service. If you have not activated already, see page 69 for more

information.

Package Contents

 e following items are included with your DIRECTV HD Receiver:

4 A/V cables (RCA type) 4 User Guide

4 S-Video cable 4 IR Remote Control & batteries 4 Phone cord 4 Component Video cables (YPbPr)

4 Power cord 4 B-Band Converter

4 Access card

E N

I V

S E

E C

480

720p

108

Locate the access card that came with your DIRECTV HD Receiver. Write down the card number in the space below, then insert the card into the receiver, facing upward, fully into the slot.

Card #

Your equipment may not look exactly like the model illustrated.

DIRECTV HD Receiver Front Panel

1) POWER – Turns your DIRECTV HD Receiver on or oﬀ . Your Receiver still tunes and receives

messages when powered oﬀ .

2) REMOTE SENSOR –  e infrared sensor picks up commands from the remote control.

3) GUIDE – Displays the onscreen program guide.

4) RESOLUTION/RESOLUTION INDICATOR –  e RESOLUTION key switches the output resolution of the HD receiver. Each time you press the key, it cycles to the next available resolution: 1080i, 720p, 480i and 480p.  e adjacent lights indicate the current resolution setting.

5) MENU – Brings up the Quick Menu to access settings and services.

6) ARROWS – Move the onscreen highlight up, down, left or right.

7) SELECT – Selects the item highlighted.

8) ACTIVE – Displays the DIRECTV Active™ Channel—local weather and more!

9) INFO – Displays channel banner or info to a highlighted program or channel cell.

10) DOOR PANEL –  e access card slot and RESET button are located behind the door panel.

OFF AIR IN

SATELLITE IN

USB

S-VIDEO

OUT

COMPONENT

VIDEO OUT

AUDIO OUT

DIGITAL

AUDIO OUT

(OPTICAL)

HDMI

RF REMOTE

ANTENNA

PHONE

JACK

AC IN

Your equipment may not look exactly like the model illustrated.

51111 7

8 11 12

9 10

DIRECTV HD Receiver Rear Panel

1) OFF-AIR IN – Used to receive local, oﬀ -air digital broadcast channels.

2) SATELLITE IN – Use to connect the DIRECTV HD Receiver to the satellite dish antenna.

3) USB – For future services and accessories. Additional hardware may be required.

4) S-VIDEO OUT – Provides the best non-HD picture quality, better than VIDEO RCA-type jacks.

If your TV has only RCA and S-Video jacks, use it along with the audio jacks (S-Video only carries

picture information, not sound) to connect to your TV.

5) VIDEO OUT – Provides good, but non-HD, picture quality. You can connect the second RCA-

type composite VIDEO jack to another device, such as a VCR. You must also connect the AUDIO

cables when using the VIDEO connection.

The Rear Panel may look complicated, but you probably won’t use all the connections.

Connect video, audio, your satellite dish, a phone line, power, and you’re done!

6) COMPONENT OUT/ YPbPr (G, R, B) – Provides good HD picture quality, but not as good

as HDMI. YPbPr carries only picture information, not sound; use it along with a digital audio

connection or Audio Out (L/R red/white) jacks.

7) AUDIO OUT (R and L) – Connect a second set of audio cables to another component, such as a VCR or stereo.

8) DIGITAL AUDIO OUT (OPTICAL) – Provides digital-quality audio signal. (Cable sold separately.)

9) HDMI – Provides the best quality HD picture (better than YPbPr/component video).  e HDMI also provides audio, for a high-quality, “one-cable” solution. (Cable sold separately.)

10) RF REMOTE ANTENNA – Used to receive the signal from an RF-capable remote that’s been set up for RF usage. (RF remote sold seperately. Contact DIRECTV Customer Service at 1800-DIRECTV or DIRECTV.com, or see the retailer where you acquired your DIRECTV HD Receiver.)

11) PHONE JACK – Connects the DIRECTV HD Receiver to a telephone line.  e DIRECTV HD Receiver requires a land-based telephone line connection to communicate periodically with your program provider.

12) POWER – Use to connect the power cord for your DIRECTV HD Receiver.

“

Now let’s watch some TV!

Chapter 2

What’s On

11 Watching TV

15 The Guide

17 Autotune

19 Pay Per View

TIP

Watching TV

Use the Channel Lineup (included

in your Welcome package) to get

familiar with our channel numbers.

VOL

CHAN

PAGE

Now that everything’s set up, you’re ready to grab your remote and start surﬁ ng!

With the MODE switch to the left (under the DIRECTV logo), press PWR. To access the channel

of your choice, simply key in its numbers on your remote (the channel will appear in a second or two,

or press ENTER after the numbers and it will appear right away). You can also navigate to diﬀ erent

channels through the Guide, described in detail later in this chapter. Keep in mind, either way, you’ll

only be able to access those channels in your chosen DIRECTV

programming package. For a list of the

channels available in the DIRECTV programming packages, visit DIRECTV.com.

Use the black keys on the left side of your remote control to adjust volume up or down (VOL) or mute

the sound ( MUTE).  e black keys on the right side can take you to the next channel numerically up or

down (CHAN), or jump to the previous channel you watched (PREV).

DIRECTV Active™ Channel

 e DIRECTV Active™ Channel provides a variety of interactive services, including daily and extended

weather forcasts, daily horoscopes, lottery results, pay per view and broadcast TV recommendations,

and special DIRECTV promotions.

Press the ACTIVE key to access these features.

61 2 3 4 5 7

Current Date & Time

DIRECTV Channel

The Channel Banner

Any time you tune to a channel, the Channel Banner appears across the top of the screen, displaying

info on the channel and show you are currently watching:

1) Current date & time

To see program details at any time

press INFO on your remote (press

a second time to clear). Select

More Info button to see additional

options.

Program Info

Current Favorites

Audio Options

Messages

Parental Controls

2) DIRECTV Channel – Channel logo, number and call letters of the station you’re currently viewing.

3) Program Info – Program title, stop and start time and rating of the current program.

4) Current Favorites – Favorite Channels list currently in use.

5) Audio options – A “ﬁ lled in” icon indicates alternate audio options are available. A “hollow” icon,

no alternate audio options are available.

6) Messages – A “ﬁ lled in” icon indicates new DIRECTV messages in Caller ID & Messages. A

“hollow” icon, there are no new or unread messages.

7) P a r e n t a l C o n t r o l s – Parental Controls lock status.  ree icons: Locked (“ﬁ lled-in” lock icon),

unlocked (“hollow” unlocked icon) and temporarily unlocked (“ﬁ lled-in” locked icon).

Music Channels

Your DIRECTV service includes dozens of enjoyable, continuous, commercial-free music channels with something for every taste. Tune to these just as you would to any channel. You’ll see a special Channel Banner that initially displays the channel description (for example, “Alternative,” “Today’s Country”). As each song is played, its info will appear in the banner, including song title, artist and record company..

The Guide

TIP

Press the GUIDE key twice to skip

the Category Sort screen.

GUIDE

Overview of the DIRECTV Advanced Program Guide

 e Guide displays listings of current and upcoming programs for up to 7 days in advance. Find out

what’s on (now or later), change the channel, ﬁ nd and purchase a pay per view movie or event, or search

for a program you’re interested in.

Icons you may see in the Guide:

4 – Broadcast in letterbox (16:9 widescreen) format

4 – All Day Ticket Pay Per View showings (pay once, watch all day)

4 – HD program

4 – Dolby Digital audio available

Getting Around in the Guide

Press the GUIDE key on your remote, then choose how you want to ﬁ lter the Guide (or press GUIDE

twice to skip the ﬁ lter). Select All Channels, or channels in a speciﬁ c category.

Moving through the Guide is simple:

4  e UP, DOWN, LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys move you through listings and time slots.

Highlight a program or channel cell to view its description.

4 Use the CHAN key up or down to scroll a full page.

GUIDE

ACTIVE

LIST

EXIT

SELECT

4 Press the RED or GREEN keys to move forward or back in time.

4 To tune to a program that is on now, highlight the program and press SELECT. Selecting a future

program displays program information.

4 Press INFO when you’ve highlighted a show in the Guide to view a more in-depth description and

options. Pressing INFO when you’ve highlighted the channel name displays the channel’s listing for

up to 7 days.

4 Press SELECT when you’ve highlighted a channel cell (far left) to view that channel in the TV

window.

4 Press MENU to see Guide options, change your Favorites list, or jump to a desired date and time.

BACK

Highlight an item by using the arrow

keys to move LEFT, RIGHT, UP or

DOWN. Press SELECT to access the

information or channel.

INFO

Don’t you hate when you miss

Autotune

An even better way to catch all your favorites

Autotune is a great way to see your favorite programs on your schedule. You won’t forget to tune to

your favorite team’s playoﬀ game because you got distracted. Just set a program to autotune and your

DIRECTV

Receiver will tune to it automatically when it starts.

a show just because you forget it’s on?

So do we.

To schedule a program for autotuning with speciﬁ c options:

1) Highlight a program that interests you and press INFO.

2) Highlight and select Autotune. A screen is displayed where you can set Autotune options for that

program. Follow the onscreen instructions to set the program to autotune as you wish.

3) Select the Set Autotune button, then OK on the conﬁ rmation screen.

If a program you select to autotune conﬂ icts with another program, you will be notiﬁ ed of the conﬂ ict at

the time and given a choice of which autotune to cancel.

Changing Autotune Options/Canceling an Autotune

Once you have scheduled a program to autotune, you can change the autotune options or cancel the

autotune by selecting the program in the Guide or the To Do List (press LIST); then, select the Autotune

item in the left menu, and follow the onscreen instructions to change the program’s options or cancel

the Autotune completely. For all programs, you can extend Autotune start and stop times (for example,

start 1 minute before the program; stop 5 minutes after the scheduled end of the program).

Recording to VCR

To record a program on your VCR, make sure you’ve connected your VCR properly to your DIRECTV

Receiver, then set up your VCR to record at the same time as a scheduled autotune and you’re set. See

your VCR User’s Guide for information on how to set it up for scheduled or manual recording.

Important

To obtain optimum picture quality, make sure the receiver is connected directly to the T V. Connecting the receiver to the TV through a VCR or DVD recorder is known to yield less than optimum picture quality, particularly when viewing copy-

protected programming.

Use Autotunes to record your favorite shows to your VCR.

TIP

You can also order DIRECT V Pay

Per View movies and events on the

Internet at DIRECTV.com or over the

phone at 1-800-531-5000. Keep in

mind, though, there is an additional

ordering fee for purchases placed

over the phone.

Pay Per View

The Latest Movies, 24 Hours a Day

You don’t have to go out for the best and biggest movies and special events! Recent hits and events like

sports, comedy and more are available 24 hours a day on DIRECTV® Pay Per View. You’ll ﬁ nd them

listed in the Guide in the 100s.

Tune to a pay per view program or press INFO on a highlighted pay per view program. Select the Buy

option and follow the onscreen instructions. As long as your receiver has been connected to a land-based

phone line, you can use your remote to order.

You can cancel your pay per view order for any reason as long as none of the program has been viewed.

Press LIST to display the To Do List. Press SELECT on the Purchase item in the left menu. Select the

desired program and follow the onscreen instructions.

“

This is no ordinary menu....

It’s really, um, quick!

Chapter 3

22 Using the Quick Menu

22 Settings

24 Audio Options

24 Dolby

25 Category Sort

26 Pay Per View

Digital

The Quick

26 Find By

27 Date & Time

27 Favorites

28 Caller ID & Messages

29 Parental Controls

Using the Quick Menu

Press MENU on your remote to easily access DIRECTV® features. Once the Quick Menu is displayed,

use the UP and DOWN arrows to highlight a desired menu item, then press SELECT to access that

item. Some menu items will display a submenu, others will take you directly to a new screen. To remove

the Quick Menu at any time, press MENU again.  e features in the Quick Menu change as needed to

display only the most helpful features at any time. For example, when the Quick Menu is displayed over

the Guide, it displays special features to help you with the Guide.

Settings

Selecting Settings in the Quick Menu displays a submenu of items that lets you customize, adjust and

keep track of your DIRECTV viewing experience.

Setup

 e Setup item in the Quick Menu displays the Setup screen, where you can access the Info & Test,

Satellite & Antenna Setup, Remote Setup, Audio Setup, Display Setup, Access Card and System Reset

screens.

Info & Test:  e System Info option lets you view the current system information.  e System Test

option lets you run a test on the tuner, access card, receiver ID and phone line.

Sat & Ant (Satellite & Antenna):  is option is useful if your DIRECTV® HD Receiver has lost

signal strength, or you need to realign your satellite dish or setup an oﬀ -air antenna.

Remote: Use this option to setup your remote to control your TV and other equipment.

Audio:  e Audio option in Setup lets you make lasting adjustments to settings such as language and

Dolby Digital. To make temporary adjustments, use the Audio Options item in the Quick Menu.

Display:  is option lets you change display settings such as native mode, screen format, bar color,

the Channel Banner display time, the language in onscreen menus, time zone (for the clock) and screen

centering.

TV Type:  e TV Type option is where you can set your TV’s aspect ratio and resolution.

Access Card: Follow the onscreen directions to replace your access card. You will need your old

and new access cards to complete this process. (Note: DIRECTV will provide new access cards and

instructions when necessary.)

Reset: From here you can restart the receiver, reset to factory defaults, or reset everything.

Scheduler

 is feature gives you an overview of and access to all the programs you’ve set to Autotune or purchase.

Favorites

Check the current status of your Favorites list(s) by clicking here, and make changes if you like. See page

28 for more details.

Parental Controls

Check the current restrictions of your Parental Controls by clicking here, and make any adjustments. See

page 30 for more details.

Audio Options

Some programs have alternate audio available (such as other language tracks or Dolby Digital).  is

option only appears in the Quick Menu over Live TV when the current program has alternate audio. You

can set the default so that whenever a program has alternate audio available, it automatically plays this

audio, or you can change the alternate audio temporarily for the program you are watching. In either

case, press MENU while in Live TV, then:

To change the default audio, from the Quick Menu, select Settings, select Setup, then select Audio in

the left menu and follow the onscreen instructions.

To temporarily change the audio, from the Quick Menu, select Audio Options, then select the audio

track you prefer. Once the program is over or you change the channel, the audio will change back to the

default setting.

Dolby

 e recommended audio format for HDTV is Dolby® Digital.

Digital

What is 5.1 Audio?

It’s 5 channels of audio for theater-style sound, plus a subwoofer for heart-pounding bass.

Go ahead. Try this at home.

Your DIRECTV HD Receiver is capable of reproducing 5.1-encoded audio: ﬁ ve discrete channels of

full-range digital audio, plus one channel of low-frequency (subwoofer) audio, for use by A/V receivers

capable of decoding the 5.1-channel signal.  e audio signals are broken into left-front, center, right-

front, left-rear, right-rear and low-frequency channels.  e result, when your DIRECTV® HD Receiver

is connected to a compatible Dolby Digital A/V receiver and 5.1 channel speaker setup, is an experience

that gives you much of the dynamic range, 360-degree imaging and sonic excitement of a real theater.

Not all TV programs deliver 5.1 channel signals, and not all programs are broadcast using Dolby

Digital for DIRECTV programming. Programs using this high-quality audio standard are indicated by

the words Dolby Digital in the program description in the Channel Banner (see page 13) and the Guide

(see page 15).

To change the Digital Audio format, press MENU, select Settings, then select Setup. Select Audio in the

left menu. Highlight the Dolby Digital tab and press SELECT, then follow the onscreen instructions

and select from the following options:

4 On: Turns on Dolby Digital audio ouput. (Note: True Dolby Digital is only available via HDMI or

optical outputs.

4 Off: Select this option to turn off Dolby Digital Audio output.

Note

* Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories.

Category Sort

 is feature lets you temporarily arrange the Guide to list only programs in a particular category such as

Movies, Sports or News.  is option only appears in the Quick Menu over the Guide.

While in the Guide, from the Quick Menu, select Category Sort. To further narrow your search, select

the category you want, then select a subcategory if you wish.

To quickly move through the Category Search results, use the RED or GREEN key on your remote to

advance or reverse in 90-minute increments. Press GUIDE to return to the regular Guide, or EXIT to

return to live TV.

Pay Per View

 is option enables you to check out DIRECTV Pay Per View listings by category.  is option only

appears in the Quick Menu over the Guide.

While in the Guide, press MENU, then select Pay Per View. You will see three choices for sorting the

listings. Choose All to display all current pay per view programs. Movies will give you listings of all

current movies available. Pick Special Events to see speciﬁ c events such as sports, comedy specials and

more.  e Guide will display only programs that match the selected choice.

Find By

Would you like to locate a particular program, movie or sports event you want to see — even shows

starring a favorite actor, or games with your favorite team? Find by oﬀ ers some easy ways to spot just

what you want to watch.

Press MENU, then select Find by. You can ﬁ nd a program by Title, Person, Keyword or Channel. Your

search will be quicker if you narrow your search by selecting subcategories; just follow the onscreen

instructions. Once you’ve found a program you’re after, all you have to do is highlight and select the

title to display when the program is on. If you’d like to repeat a previous search, select Recent Finds, then

select your search to view matching programs.

Note

Keep in mind, when you search with Find by, only those programs slated to air within the Guide’s number of days of programming supported by your receiver will appear on your list.

Date & Time

 is option gives you a convenient way to jump several days ahead in the Guide, without having to

scroll through pages of programs.

Favorites

Favorites allows you to set up special, customized Guide that shows only those channels you choose. So

you can have easy access to the channels you like best, or perhaps a grouping of family channels just for

the kids.

When you’re using a Favorites list, the Guide will only display those channels you’ve

chosen — and you’ll also only see those channels when you change channels using CHAN UP/DOWN

o n y o u r r e m o t e .

Keep in mind, no matter what Favorites list you’re currently using, you can still always access any

channel you receive by keying in its channel number on your remote. You can also edit or delete a list at

any time by returning to Favorite and editing your list(s).

Caller ID & Messages

 is feature lets you receive important messages from DIRECTV about your service. Also, if you have

Caller ID service*, you can also view phone calls you’ve received or turn call notiﬁ cation on or oﬀ . Press

MENU to display the Quick Menu, select Calls & Msgs, then select Edit Settings. Select either Caller ID

or Messages from the left menu, as desired.

Caller ID

 e Call Log tab displays up to 25 recent incoming calls. Highlight and select a name to delete that

listing from your log.

 e Notiﬁ cation tab lets you turn the notiﬁ cation feature on or oﬀ . When the Notiﬁ cation option is on,

you’ll see a notice on your TV screen whenever a call comes in.

DIRECTV Messages

 is feature lets you view a listing of current DIRECTV messages waiting for you. Simply highlight

and select a message in the list to read, then you’ll have the choice to keep or delete it.  e messages icon

will appear brightly on your channel banner whenever there’s any new or unread message in your Inbox.

Note

* You must subscribe to Caller ID service through your local telephone company, and your DIRECTV Receiver must be connected to a phone line.

Parental Controls

Parental Controls enables parents to place certain restrictions on just who’s watching what, and require a

passcode to view restricted programming. Whether it’s for mature content or spending amounts, you’re

always able to keep limitations where you want them for the whole family.

Press MENU to display the Quick Menu, SELECT Parental Controls, then Edit Settings, and you’ll see

the current status showing any restrictions.  e system default is “unlocked” for all categories.

Ratings

Here you can set rating limits for Movies and TV:

1 ) S E L E C T Ratings.

2) Highlight the desired tab using the ARROW keys and press SELECT. Note: You can also use RED

or GREEN to cycle tabs.

Movies

Highlight and select the Movies tab, then set the overall rating limit you wish to impose. Brief

descriptions of the ratings appear for your guidance.

TV Programs

SELECT the TV tab, then highlight and select the TV rating you desire. You can also set ratings

for particular content (for example, Fantasy Violence, Dialogue), each of which is described when

highlighted.

TIP

For ratings limits and channel

blocks, as well as most o ther

checkbox-type items, pressing

SELECT toggles the item on and off

when setting them up.

SELECT

Other Shows

To block programming that has no rating — such as news and sports — select the Other tab.

Channel Blocks

You can block viewing of a certain channel or channels from this menu.

SELECT Chan Blocks in the left menu, then scroll down the channel list to SELECT those you wish to

block, or key in channel numbers for quicker access. Use Block All or Allow All to save time if you wish

to aﬀ ect a large number of channels.

Spending

From the left menu, SELECT Spending, then set your preferred spending limit for any single pay per

view purchase. Simply key in the amount using the numbers on your remote.

Hours

From the left menu, SELECT Hours, then set your preferred hours during which TV can be viewed.

You can set hours based on “school nights” and weekend nights—Monday- ursday, Friday-Saturday,

and Sunday.

Now, lock it

Once you’ve set the restrictions you want, choose Lock Now from the left menu. You’ll be directed to

create a passcode (which you’ll want to make easy enough to remember, but hard enough that the little

ones won’t guess it!).  is passcode will be your entry to unlocking and adjusting limitations in the

future.

An onscreen message will appear whenever anyone tries to tune to a channel or program that has

been restricted, or attempts to spend or watch beyond limitations set. He or she will not be allowed to

proceed without the passcode. Using your passcode, you can easily override the limits.

Let me in…!

Temporarily or permanently unlocking a restriction is easy. To temporarily unlock a particular program:

1) When any controls are currently activated, Unlock Now will appear if you try to tune to a restricted

program.

2) Select Unlock Now and enter the password.

For more unlock options:

1 ) P r e s s M E N U , t h e n S E L E C T Parental Controls.

2) Various options for removing restrictions temporarily or permanently will appear. Select one and

enter your password.

TIP

The Parent al Control icon in the

Channel Banner will tell you if the

receiver is locked, temporarily

unlocked, or unlocked.

Locked Unlocked Temporarily

Unlocked

Note: If you have Parental Controls set and temporarily unlocked, turning the receiver power oﬀ will

relock the box.

Making multiple entries aimed at guessing the passcode is discouraged by a time delay; each invalid

passcode entered lengthens the delay for subsequent entry by one second.

Don’t use obvious numbers, like birthdays or addresses, for your passcode.

Your kids are smarter than you think.

To change your passcode at any time:

1 ) P r e s s M E N U , S E L E C T Parental Controls, then Edit Settings.

2) Scroll down to Passcode and press SELECT.

3) Enter your old password, then enter a new one twice to conﬁ rm.

“

Is there anything else you want to know? It’s probably here in

the back....

Chapter 4

Other Info

36 Troubleshooting

45 Limited 90-Day Warranty

50 Product Information

51 DIRECTV PROTECTION PLAN

53 FCC Customer Information

Troubleshooting

TIP

Many problems can be corrected by performing a simple reset of the DIRECTV® HD Receiver. If

you experience image freezes, audio freezes or blank screen, or the system won’t respond to front panel button or remote control, try one of these:

4 Press the red RESET button behind the access card panel door on the front of the

DIRECTV HD Receiver, then wait for program guide information to be acquired.

4 If the problems persist, try unplugging the power cord of the DIRECTV HD Receiver for 15

seconds, then plug it in again.

4 Running the System Test (later in this section) can also help you diagnose and solve many

common problems.

System Upgrades

Your DIRECTV HD Receiver is able to receive upgrades or modiﬁ cations to some of its features

and functions.  ese modiﬁ cations will occur automatically, usually at times when the receiver

would likely be turned oﬀ . If your receiver is on when an upgrade or modiﬁ cation is sent, you may

experience a disruption in reception for a minute or two. Your reception should return to normal

after the modiﬁ cation is complete. Your receiver must be plugged in to AC power to receive any

You can ﬁ nd additional

troubleshooting help at

DIRECTV.com.

Note

If preferred, you can have an Authorized Service Representative visit your home for a fee, to set up your digital satellite receiver and instruct you on its operation. For details about this service, call 1-800-DIRECTV or visit DIRECTV.com.

upgrades. Do not unplug your receiver while an upgrade is in progress. Please consult the System

Info screen to check for an upgrade or modiﬁ cation planned by DIRECTV.

Having a problem? Then check the following:

1. Cables and connections

2. MODE switch on your remote

3. Remote batteries

4. TV Input

5. Power

Most problems have simple solutions.

DIRECTV HD Receiver or TV Problems

Progress bar freezes during Satellite Data Acquisition

 is may be normal. After ﬁ ve minutes, the screen saver is displayed. Press any key on the remote

to see the progress bar again. If Satellite Data Acquisition still does not move forward, press the

RESET button behind the access panel door on the front of the DIRECTV HD Receiver and wait

for program guide information to be acquired.

Wrong picture, blue screen, snow or black/blank picture

 e DIRECTV HD Receiver and most TVs and VCRs let you toggle between video sources. If you

don’t see the signal you think you should be seeing, try using these buttons to toggle between the

signals:

4 Press the TV/VCR button on the VCR remote or on the VCR’s front panel.

4 Press the TV INPUT button on the DIRECTV remote control.

4 If problems persist, turn oﬀ all equipment that is connected to your TV, wait a few minutes,

then turn the DIRECTV HD Receiver back on.

4 Check your connections and cables.

Problems with Caller ID

4 You must subscribe to Caller ID service through your local phone company.

Also, check to be sure your Caller ID feature is turned on (see page 29).

4 If you are plugging your receiver to a wireless phone jack, note that it typically does not transmit Caller ID

information and you may need a special wireless phone jack to use with Caller ID service. See the user’s manual

that came with the wireless phone jack to see if it transmits Caller ID information. If it doesn’t, either connect the

phone line directly to a standard wall-mount phone jack or install a wireless phone jack that transmits Caller ID

information.

DIRECTV HD Receiver will not turn on

4 Check to make sure the power cord is plugged into the DIRECTV HD Receiver and the wall outlet.

4 Check the wall receptacle (or extension cord) to make sure it is “live” by plugging in

something else.

4 Make sure the remote control is on DIRECTV mode, and press PWR (power key).

4 Press DIRECTV & TV POWER ON, then press it a second time if needed.

4 C h e c k b a t t e r i e s i n r e m o t e c o n t r o l .

4 Be sure remote control is pointed at remote sensor, and front of receiver is not blocked.

The Caller ID feature requires you to sign up for

Caller ID with your phone company.

4 Unplug the receiver. Wait ﬁ ve minutes. Plug it in again.

Turn s o ﬀ while playing

4 Electronic protection circuit may have been activated because of a power surge. Wait 30 seconds, then turn

on again.

4 Unplug DIRECTV HD Receiver for a few minutes, then plug back in. If this happens frequently, the voltage in

your house may be abnormally high or low.

4 Consider using a surge protector or line conditioner.

4 If your TV turns oﬀ while playing, and other lights/appliances in your house do too, you may have blown a circuit

breaker or be experiencing a power outage.

4 Consult an electrician if the problem is frequent or severe, especially if other household appliances or electronics

are aﬀ ected.

DIRECTV HD Receiver turns on or changes channels unexpectedly

4 An Autotune may have been activated. See page 17.

4 Your TV’s timer may have been activated.

4 Check your TV owner’s manual.

You can get a lot of information at our website:

www.DIRECTV.com

Blank screen

4 Check that all components connected to the input jacks are turned on.

4 Try another channel.

4 Your DIRECTV HD Receiver may be hooked up incorrectly to the TV. Press the INFO button on the front panel

of the DIRECTV HD Receiver to see if the channel banner appears. If it does not, check the Setup and Connections section for instructions about connecting your satellite receiver.

4 Press the TV INPUT key on the remote to make sure your TV input is set to the TV input your DIRECTV HD

Receiver is connected to.

4 Press the POWER button on the front of the DIRECTV HD Receiver.

4 Press the red RESET button behind the door on the front panel of the DIRECTV HD Receiver.

Temporary loss of the satellite signal or Searching for Satellite Signal message

4 Your satellite system may be experiencing rain fade, a temporary loss of the satellite signal due to unusually heavy

rain clouds or rainfall. Rain fade is usually brief, lasting only as long as the heavy rain cloud condition persists.

4 Your dish may be blocked. Check that something is not blocking the dish.

Partial programming loss/channels missing from the Guide/channel is in the Guide but can’t tune to

If you live in a newly built neighborhood, be sure

to place your dish where it is unlikely to become

blocked by a fast-growing tree.

4 Your satellite dish antenna may be incorrectly conﬁ gured. Check the dish type set in your receiver’s preferences

and change if necessary. Press the MENU key on the remote control, then select Settings, then Setup. In the next

menu, select Satellite, then Repeat Satellite Dish Setup. Follow the steps. From the Satellite Dish Type screen, make

sure the proper dish type is selected (round, oval with a dual LNB or oval with a triple LNB).

4  e channels might be excluded from the Favorites list currently in use. Press MENU on the remote, select

Favorites, then All Channels, or enter the channel number manually.

My video and audio are out of sync.

4 Try changing channels.

4 Press LIST, then EXIT.

4 If neither of those work, restart your DIRECTV HD Receiver. Press the RESET button behind the access panel

door on the front of the DIRECTV HD Receiver. You can also press MENU, press SELECT on Settings, then

SELECT Setup. Select the Reset item from the left menu and follow the onscreen instructions.

My DIRECTV HD Receiver is “frozen” on a single frame of a TV picture.

4 If you are on a Pay Per View channel, watching the free portion of a program, the free portion may be completed.

You must buy the program to continue watching.

4 If that doesn’t work, restart your DIRECTV HD Receiver. Press the RESET button behind the access panel door

on the front of the DIRECTV HD Receiver. You can also press MENU, press SELECT on Settings, then SELECT

Setup. Select the Reset item from the left menu, then press SELECT on Restart Receiver.

When all else fails, press the RESET button.

Remote Control Problems

P r o b l e m s w i t h t h e r e m o t e c o n t r o l

4 Check that nothing is between the remote control and the remote sensor.

4 Make sure the remote control is in DIRECTV mode. Slide the MODE switch on the remote to the DIRECTV

position so the remote will control the DIRECTV HD Receiver.

4 Check the batteries in the remote control.  ey may be weak, dead or installed incorrectly. Try replacing batteries.

4 If you’re entering a channel number that is less than four digits long, the receiver might wait two seconds before

tuning to the channel. Press ENTER after entering a channel number to tune immediately.

4 If you are trying to operate a device other than the DIRECTV HD Receiver that you have programmed the

remote to control, make sure you ﬁ rst slide the MODE switch to the mode that is programmed for that device (AV1 or AV2).  e indicator light for the component you’re trying to control should light up when you press a valid key for that component. If it doesn’t, make sure the MODE switch is in the correct position.

A remote control indicator light starts ﬂ ashing.

 e batteries in the remote control are running low and should be replaced soon. You may also see an onscreen message that

the batteries are low. Note that when you replace the batteries, you should not have to reprogram your remote to control

other devices unless the batteries have been completely dead for a month or more.

With proper care and fresh batteries, the only

problem you should have with the remote is

remembering where you left it.

Fine-Tuning the Signal

If you self-installed your satellite dish antenna, you may have already used the Satellite Setup section of Guided Setup

to ﬁ nd the dish-pointing coordinates, acquire and ﬁ ne-tune the signal and run a system test. If you need to run

Satellite Setup again, press MENU. Select Settings from the Quick Menu, then select S e t u p . When the System Setup

screen is displayed, press SELECT on Satellite in the left menu, then select the Repeat Satellite Setup button.

Running the System Test

 e System Test allows you to run a basic diagnostics check on your DIRECTV HD Receiver. If you are experiencing

any trouble with your receiver, run the system test. It will also allow you to get your access card and receiver ID

numbers or to initiate diagnostic procedures on your digital satellite receiver.

First make sure that:

4 All connections — jacks, cables, etc. — are in place correctly (see Chapter Two, Getting Connected, for more

information)

4  ere are batteries in the remote control, and they are working correctly

4  e access card is installed in the DIRECTV HD Receiver.

Follow these steps to run the diagnostics system test on your DIRECTV HD Receiver.

1) Turn on your TV and the DIRECTV HD Receiver.

2) Slide the mode switch to the DIRECTV position to put the remote control in satellite receiver-controlling mode,

then press MENU to display the Quick Menu.

3) Select Settings.

If none of the preceding tips helped solve your

troubleshooting issues, the System Test may help

to figure things out.

4) Select S e t u p , then Info & Test.

5) Highlight the System Test tab and press SELECT, then press SELECT on Run Test.

6) If your system does not pass the system test, check any of these potential trouble areas: cabling, pointing the

satellite dish, phone connection and access card.

7) If you continue to have problems, call DIRECTV Customer Service at 1-800-DIRECTV.

You should run a system test several times before concluding that there is a problem. Occasional ﬂ uctuations in the

phone line or satellite signal can give temporary false readings.

Factory Defaults

To reset all the remote control and clear all but DIRECTV mode, follow these steps:

1) Point the remote away from your DIRECTV Receiver and components. Press and hold MUTE and SELECT

until the light above the slide switch on the remote ﬂ ashes twice (about 5 seconds).

2) Enter 9-8-1.  e light on the remote will ﬂ ash twice, indicating you have cleared AV1, AV2 and TV modes.

If you get a bunch of new equipment (lucky you!),

you may find it useful to reset your remote before

you re-program it.

Limited 90-Day Warranty

DIRECTV warrants your DIRECTV HD Receiver (Model Number: H20) and any included accessories against defects in

material or workmanship for a period of ninety (90) days after the date of purchase.

Who is Covered?

You must have proof of purchase to receive warranty service. A sales receipt or other document showing that you purchased

the product is considered proof of purchase. THIS LIMITED WARR ANTY EXTENDS ONLY TO THE ORIGINAL

CONSUMER PURCHASER OR ANY PERSON RECEIVING THE DIRECTV HD Receiver AS A GIFT FROM

THE ORIGINAL CONSUMER PURCHASER AND TO NO OTHER PURCHASER OR TRANSFEREE. THIS

WARR ANTY DOES NOT EXTEND TO COMMERCIAL USERS. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR

USE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES AND ANY SUCH USE VOIDS THIS WARR ANTY.

What is Covered?

Warranty coverage begins the day you purchase the product. For ninety (90) days from the purchase date, at the option

of DIRECTV, the DIRECTV HD Receiver will be repaired or replaced with a new, repaired, refurbished or comparable

product (whichever is deemed necessary) if it becomes defective or inoperative.  is exchange is done without charge to you

for parts and labor. You will be responsible for the cost of shipping to and from the location designated by DIRECTV. If

DIRECTV cannot reasonably repair or replace the Receiver then DIRECTV may, at its sole discretion, refund the price

you paid for the product or the current retail price of the product.

Don’t think of it as a 90-Day Warranty. Think of it

as a three-month vacation....

All products, including replacement products, are covered only for the original warranty period. When the warranty on

the original product expires, the warranty on the replacement product also expires. After ninety (90) days from the date of

purchase, you pay for the replacement of all parts, and for all labor charges.

SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARR ANTY LASTS, SO THE

ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

What is Excluded?

Your warranty does NOT cover:

4 Labor charges for installation or setup of the product.

4 Installation, performance of, or repair of: audio/video cabling, telephone line, or accessory attachments used with

the product.

4 Product replacement because of misuse, accident, lightning damage, unauthorized repair, or other cause not

within the control of DIRECTV.

4 Incidental or consequential damages resulting from the product. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE

EXCLUSION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE EXCLUSION

MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

The warranty does not cover deliberate misuse.

So be nice to your DIRECTV HD Receiver.

4 Any modiﬁ cations or other changes to the product, including but not limited to software or hardware

modiﬁ cation in any way other than as expressly authorized by DIRECTV will void this limited warranty. Except

in the case of hardware or software provided by DIRECTV, installing software modiﬁ cations, “hacks” or utilizing

service access or “back doors” will void this limited warranty.

4 Reception transmission problems caused by signal conditions, telephone line, or cable or antenna systems outside

the unit.

4 A product that has been modiﬁ ed or adapted to enable it to operate in any country other than the country for

which it was designed, manufactured, approved and/or authorized, or repair of products damaged by these

modiﬁ cations.

4 A product used for commercial or institutional purposes.

4 DIRECTV makes no warranty that the access connection will be a local (not long distance) phone call.

4  e continued provisioning of any of the programming and other services delivered through the Receiver

including but not limited to television programming, show information, program guide data, and scheduling

information.

Make Sure You Keep...

Please keep your sales receipt or other document showing proof of purchase. Attach it to this User Guide and keep both

nearby. Also keep the original box and packing material in case you need to return your product.

Before Requesting Repair Service...

Please check the troubleshooting section of this guide.  is may save you a call to DIRECTV Customer Care.

Keep the paperwork! And just as important,

remember where you keep it! You’ll feel so clever if

you ever need it.

To Get Warranty Service...

Warranty service will be provided by DIRECTV. If you believe you need service for your Receiver, contact DIR ECTV at

1-800-DIR ECTV. A representative will go through a diagnostic checklist with you. If it is determined that the product

needs to be returned for service or exchanged, you will receive a return authorization number.  e representative will give

you complete shipping details.

To Get Out-of-Warranty Service...

To obtain out-of- warranty service contact DIRECTV at 1-800-DIRECTV for information on the possibility of and any

costs for repair or replacement of out-of- warranty products.

ALL WARRANTIES IMPLIED BY LAW, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARR ANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY

AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE EXPRESSLY LIMITED TO THE DURATION OF THIS

EXPRESS LIMITED WARR ANTY.

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ANY WARRANTIES IMPLIED BY THE LAW OF ANY STATE OF THE U.S.A.,

THIS EXPRESS LIMITED WARRANTY IS EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARR ANTIES,

GUARANTEES, AGREEMENTS AND SIMILAR OBLIGATIONS OF DIRECTV. REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT

AS PROVIDED IN THIS LIMITED WARRANTY IS THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY UNDER THIS LIMITED

WARRANTY. IN NO EVENT WILL DIR ECTV BE LIABLE FOR ANY AMOUNT GREATER THAN THE

RETAIL PRICE OF THE DIRECTV RECEIVER. DIRECTV SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL

OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES FOR BREACH OF ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY ON THE

DIRECTV RECEIVER.

The people at 1-800-DIRECTV are pretty friendly.

SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON WARRANTIES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY

NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS. YOU MAY HAVE OTHER

RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.

DIRECTV, Inc.

2230 E. Imperial Hwy

El Segundo, CA 90245

1-800-DIR ECT V

Don’t despair if your warranty has expired. Service

is just a phone call away....

Product Information

Keep your sales receipt to obtain warranty parts and service and for proof of purchase. Attach it here and record the

serial and model numbers in case you need them.  ese numbers are located on the product. (You may have noted some

of this information on page 67 when you connected the cables to your receiver.)

Model No. ___________________________________________________________________

Serial No. ____________________________________________________________________

Purchase Date: ________________________________________________________________

Dealer/Address/Phone: _________________________________________________________

Access Card: _________________________________________________________________

Receiver ID: __________________________________________________________________

Hardly anyone ever fills in this page.

Go ahead: Be different from everyone else.

DIRECTV PROTECTION PLAN

Protect your DIRECTV® System with the DIRECTV PROTECTION PLAN. For a low monthly fee, the DIRECTV

PROTECTION PLAN covers the components of your DIRECTV System, giving you peace of mind and comprehensive

support to ensure that you and your family enjoy nonstop DIRECTV

DIRECTV PROTECTION PLAN Benefits

Your DIRECTV Limited Warranty provides certain remedies for this receiver during the stated coverage term.  e

DIRECTV PROTECTION PLAN provides comprehensive coverage for your DIRECTV System, including:

4 In-home service calls when needed 4 24-hour Technical Support

4 Power surge related repairs 4 Dish antenna realignments

4 Cables, switches, and associated wiring throughout

home

4 Defective remote control replacements 4 All parts and labor for repair

Get ALL THAT FOR JUST $5.99 a month.  is one low monthly fee covers every DIRECTV component and receiver on

your account.

4 Replacement of defective equipment (if problem

entertainment.

can not be resolved over the phone) *

You might not be able to buy happiness, but you

can buy peace of mind. As little as $5.99 a month.

How cool is that?

If you have standard DIRECTV Receiver(s), visit DIRECTV.com and SIGN IN using the simple steps below or

call 1-800-DIRECTV.

1. SIGN IN with your user name and password, or click on the “Register Now” link and go through the easy steps,

then continue with Step 2.

2. SELECT Option B, and then click the “Next” button at the bottom of the page.

3. SCROLL down to Step 3 (Add Additional Services) and SELECT “DIRECTV PROTECTION PLAN,” then

CLICK on the “Next” button.

4. REVIEW your change and CLICK on the “Accept  ese Changes” button.

If you have a DIRECTV Plus Receiver, DIRECTV DVR, DIRECTV HD Receiver, DIRECTV HD DVR or DIRECTV

Receiver with UltimateTV Service, please call 1-800-DIRECTV to sign up.

 e DIRECTV PROTECTION PLAN is oﬀ ered by AIG Warranty Guard and underwritten by New Hampshire

Insurance Company on behalf of DIRECTV where authorized by law. Certain limitations apply. Pricing, terms and

conditions of the DIRECTV PROTECTION PLAN are subject to change. Full terms and conditions will be mailed to you

prior to service billing and are available at DIRECTV.com. (Note: Annual payment option no longer available.)

Call 1-800-DIRECTV and sign up today!

Protect your investment in quality TV.

Note

*A fee of $49 for standard IRD equipment, $249 for DIRECTV DVR, DIRECTV PLUS DVR or Ultimate TV equipment, $400 for HD equipment, or $1,000 for DIRECTV HD DVR equipment will be charged to your DIRECTV bill if the defective equipment that we are replacing for you is not returned within 30 calendar days. The plan will provide a return box for the defective equipment and even pick up

the shipping costs. You’ll receive replacement equipment in about 72 hours.

FCC Customer Information

 is device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device

may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that

may cause undesired operation.

Responsible Party:

DIRECTV, Inc.

2230 E. Imperial Hwy

El Segundo, CA 90245

1-800-DIR ECT V

4 Trade Name: DIRECTV

4 Type of Equipment: DIRECTV Satellite Receiver

4 Model Number: H20

Federal Communications Commission (FCC):  is equipment complies with both Part 15 and Part 68 of the FCC rules.

 is equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits of a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of

the FCC Rules.  ese limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential

installation.

 is equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with

This equipment radiates radio frequency energy.

Mad scientist beanie not required.

the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However there is no guarantee that interference

will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,

which can be determined by removing and applying power to the equipment, the user is encouraged to try to correct the

interference by one or more of the following measures:

4 Reorient or relocate the receiving satellite dish antenna.

4 Increase the separation between the equipment and the DIRECTV Receiver.

4 Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit diﬀ erent from that to which the DIRECTV Receiver is connected.

4 Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

4 CAUTION: Changes or modiﬁ cations not expressly approved by the manufacturer responsible for compliance could void

the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

 e user may ﬁ nd the following booklet, prepared by the Federal Communications Commission, helpful: “How to Identify

and Resolve Radio and TV Interference Problems.”  is booklet is available from the U.S. Government Printing Oﬃ ce,

Washington, DC. To meet FCC requirements, only peripherals (computer input/output devices, terminals, printers, etc.)

certiﬁ ed to comply with Class B limits may be attached to this device. Operation with non-certiﬁ ed peripherals is likely to

result in interference to radio and TV reception. To meet FCC requirements, shielded cables are required to connect the

device to a personal computer, peripheral, or other Class B certiﬁ ed device.

 is equipment complies with Part 68 of the FCC Rules and the requirements adopted by ACTA. On the back of this

equipment is a label that contains a product identiﬁ er in the format US:AAAEQ##TXXXX. If requested, this information

must be provided to your telephone company.  is equipment uses the following USOC Jack: RJ11C. A plug and jack used

to connect this equipment to the premises wiring and telephone network must comply with the applicable FCC Part 68

With proper installation, the only interference this

equipment should cause is to eliminate boring TV.

rules and requirements adopted by ACTA. A compliant telephone cord and modular plug is provided with this product. It is

designed to be connected to a compatible modular jack that is also compliant. See installation instructions for details.

 e REN is used to determine the number of devices that may connect to a telephone line. Excessive RENs on a telephone

line may result in the devices not ringing in response to an incoming call. In most but not all areas, the sum of the RENs

should not exceed ﬁ ve (5.0).

To be certain of the number of devices that may be connected to a line, as determined by the total RENs, contact your local

telephone company.  e REN for this product is part of the product identiﬁ er that has the format US: A A AEQ##TX X X X.

 e digits represented by ## are the REN without the decimal point (e.g., 03 is a REN of 0.3).

If this DIRECTV Receiver causes harm to the telephone network, the telephone company will notify you in advance that

temporary discontinuance of service may be required. But if advance notice isn’t practical, the telephone company will

notify the customer as soon as possible. Also, you will be advised of your right to ﬁ le a complaint with the FCC if you

believe it is necessary.

 e telephone company may make changes in its facilities, equipment, operations or procedures that could aﬀ ect the proper

functioning of your equipment. If they do, you will be notiﬁ ed in advance in order for you to make necessary modiﬁ cations

to maintain uninterrupted service. Connection to party line service is subject to state tariﬀ s. Contact the state public utility

commission, public service commission or corporation commission for information.

Use the telephone cord supplied with this

equipment to ensure proper operation.

If trouble is experienced with this unit, for repair or warranty information, please contact DIRECTV Customer Care at

the address and phone number listed below. If the equipment is causing harm to the network, the telephone company may

request that you disconnect the equipment until the problem is resolved.

DIRECTV, Inc.

2230 E. Imperial Hwy

El Segundo, CA 90245

1-800-DIR ECT V

If your home has specially wired alarm equipment connected to the telephone line, ensure the installation of this

DIRECTV Satellite Receiver does not disable your alarm equipment. If you have questions about what will disable alarm

equipment, consult your alarm company, telephone company or a qualiﬁ ed installer.

DO NOT DISASSEMBLE THIS EQUIPMENT. It does not contain any user-serviceable components.

We recommend the installation of an AC surge arrester in the AC outlet to which this equipment is connected. Telephone

companies report that electrical surges, typically lightning transients, are very destructive to customer terminal equipment

connected to AC power sources.

Do not disassemble this equipment! Trust us on

this, please.

Appendix A

Installation

58 Before you begin 58 Hardware Reference 62 Making the Video Connections 64 Making the Audio Connections 66 Making the Basic Connections 68 Guided Setup 69 Activate Your DIRECTV Service 70 Programming Your Remote Control 71 Using an IR/RF Remote to Control Your DIRECTV HD Receiver 72 Receiving Local “Off-Air” Broadcast Channels

Before you begin

Your satellite dish antenna must be installed before you can begin following the procedures in this User

Guide. (Professional installation is highly recommended.) Your dish needs to be mounted in a position

where it has access to the satellite signals, and RG-6 coaxial cables must be run into the room(s) where

your receiver(s) will be located. If you choose to install the dish yourself, see the separate instruction

manual that came with your satellite dish antenna.

Hardware Reference

Satellite Dish Antenna

 is is your “dish” and related hardware, aﬃ xed to your roof or other surface, which picks up the

broadcast signals from our satellites.

DIRECTV HD Receiver (or Satellite Receiver)

Your DIRECTV Receiver picks up the signal from your satellite dish antenna and translates it into

v i e w a b l e T V p r o g r a m m i n g .

Access Card

Contains information about your DIRECTV service. It must be properly inserted for your receiver to

work and to activate your programming.

Oﬀ -Air Digital Antenna (not included)

 is antenna attaches to the back of your DIRECTV HD Receiver and is used to receive local “oﬀ -air”

digital broadcasts.

TIP

You can find additional

information and the latest

updates at DIRECTV.com.

DIRECTV

ACCESS CARD

Note: You may need to

purchase additional cables

depending on your setup.

HDMI and optical cables not

included.

Cables & Connections

HDMI Jack and Cable

 e DIRECTV HD Receiver incorporates HDMI™ [or High-Deﬁ nition Multimedia Interface]

technology. HDMI oﬀ ers a high-quality connection that combines the video and audio signal into a

single cable.

 e HDMI jack uses HDCP content protection to allow you to view HD programming that has been

encoded using the HDCP protection system. For the best access to HD programming at the highest

available resolution, connect this to an HDTV that supports HDCP technology.

DVI (Digital Visual Interface) is an older digital connection standard that has been replaced by HDMI

and is compatible with HDMI. DVI carries video only. You can also use an HDMI to DVI converter

(not included), which also carries video only, so must be used with audio cables to receive the audio

signal.

Component Video Output ( YPbPr)

 e component connector provides high-quality video for your HDTV system. Component video is also

referred to as “ YPbPr.” It uses three separate cables—with connectors colored green, red and blue—one

for each component of the HD video signal.

Note

HDMI and High-Deﬁ nition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.

Digital Audio Outputs (Optical Jack and Cable)

 e Digital Audio Optical cable provides the best quality audio.  e jack and cable use light to send

digital audio data to A/V receivers equipped to receive and interpret it.  e jack and cable (cable not

included) must be aligned before plugging in, and may be covered by protective caps, which must be

removed before making connections. Use caution when handling optical cables:  ey are delicate!

S-Video Jack and Cable

S-Video jacks and cables provide the best non-HD picture quality. You will still need to connect the left

and right audio cables to the TV, or optical audio cable to your stereo, because the S-Video cable only

carries the picture signal, not sound.

Audio/Video (A/V) Jack and Cable

Audio/Video (A/V) cables provide very good picture quality and stereo sound, and should be used if

you don’t have HDMI, component or S-Video cables, or your TV does not have HDMI, component or

S-Video jacks.  e DIRECTV Receiver’s A/V jacks are color coded (yellow for video, red for right audio

and white for left audio). If your TV has only one input for audio (mono), connect it to the left (white)

audio jack on the DIRECTV Receiver.

Telephone Jack and Cord

 e telephone line cord connects your DIRECTV Receiver to a land-based telephone line.  e phone

line connection is used to periodically call DIRECTV.  is connection is required for sports package

subscriptions and for purchasing PPV movies and events. You will need an RJ11-type modulator jack

(the most common type of phone jack). Note: Do not connect your receiver to a digital PBX phone

system — doing so may permanently damage your equipment and void your warranty.

S-Video Jac

Video

Phone

Jack

Choose Your Setup

TIP

When working with

cables, be sure to

connect corresponding

outputs and inputs (Video

OUT to Video IN, Right

Audio OUT to Right Audio

IN, etc.). Never connect

an IN to an IN or an OUT

to an OUT.

OUT

All A/V jacks and inputs

are color coded. Always

match the color of the

plug to the same color of

the jack.

Everybody wants to be connected.

 ere are several ways to connect your receiver to match your particular equipment setup and to gain

optimum signal quality.  e basic steps are as follows:

• Connect the satellite dish cable to your receiver.

• Connect the receiver audio and video to your TV or VCR.

• If you connected the receiver to a VCR, connect the VCR to your TV.

• Connect the receiver to a telephone line.

• Plug in all power cords.

 is section gives detailed instructions on the types of connections you can make, depending on the

equipment you have, in order to get the best picture and sound quality. Note that the back panels of

your TV and other equipment may not exactly match those illustrated.

Connecting Your DIRECTV HD Receiver to your TV or VCR

Depending on the inputs on the back of your TV or VCR, you have the following options for

connecting your DIRECTV HD Receiver:

• HDMI

• YPbPr Video

• S-Video

• Digital Audio (optical)

• Analog Audio

 ese connections are described on the following pages.

Making the Video Connections

Choose one of the following connections:

• Best (HD Video and Digital Audio): Connect the HDMI cables to the HDMI jacks on the receiver and your TV. HDMI cables also carry digital audio, so you do not need to make a separate audio connection, unless you would like to use other audio outputs; for example, if you want to connect your DIRECTV HD Receiver to a stereo or home theater system. Note: HDMI cable is not included with the HD Receiver.

• Better (HD Video): Connect one end of the Component (Y Pb Pr) video cables to the COMPONENT OUT video jacks on the DIRECTV HD Receiver. Connect the other end of the component video cable to the component input on your TV, making sure to correctly match the red, green and blue connectors. You will need to connect audio separately.

• Good (Non-HD): Connect one end of the S-Video cables to the S-VIDEO OUT jacks on the DIRECTV HD Receiver. Connect the other end to the S-Video input on your TV. Note:  e SVideo cable will not provide an HD signal to your TV.

• Not recommended (Non-HD). You can use RCA connectors to connect your DIRECTV HD Receiver to your TV, but it is not recommended. To get the best quality of image, use one of the above methods. However, if your TV does not support S-Video, component or HDMI connections, connect one end of the RCA cable (usually with a yellow plug) to the VIDEO OUT jack on the DIRECTV HD Receiver. Connect the other end to the video input on your TV.

TIP

To switch between watching your

VCR and watching video from your

receiver, you may need to program

the INPUT key on your DIRECTV

Remote. (See page 70 for info.)

Some TVs also have a MENU button

that allows you to change the video

source using an onscreen menu. If

you have trouble changing the video

source, refer to the instructions that

came with your TV.

Important

protected programming.

Connect Video

JAC

Cables –

TelevisionTelevision

COMPONENT IN

The back panels of

your equipment may not

look exactly like those

illustrated.

DIRECTV HD® Receiver

SATELLITE IN

ATELLITE I

*Note: Do not confuse the component YPbPr cable with a standard Audio/Video (RCA-type) cable. Observe the Red, Green, Blue color-coding. You will not get HD video if you use the Video Out connector on your DIRECTV HD Receiver or TV.

S-VIDEO

OUT

S-VIDEO

GOOD

BETTER*

S-VIDEO

DIGITAL

DIGITA

HDMI

BEST

HDMI

REMOT

RF REMOTE

ANTENNA

DIGITAL AUDIO IN

(COAXIAL)

HDMI

HDMI (includes

video & audio)

PHON

PHONE

JACK

DIGITAL

AUDIO IN

(OPTICAL)

AC I

AC IN

Making the Audio Connections

• Best: If you connected your DIRECTV HD Receiver to your TV with HDMI cables you do not need to make a separate audio connection, unless you would like to use other audio outputs; for example, if you want to connect your DIRECTV HD Receiver to a stereo or home theater system. Note: HDMI cable is not included with the DIRECTV HD Receiver.

• Best 2: You may also receive digtal audio by connecting an Optical Audio cable from the DIGITAL AUDIO OUT (OPTICAL) jack on your DIRECTV HD Receiver to a DIGITAL AUDIO IN (OPTICAL) jack on your TV.  is output can also be used if you wish to listen to audio on a stereo or home theater system, even if you are already using an HDMI cable for audio on your TV. Note: Optical Audio cable is not included with the DIRECTV HD Receiver.

• Good: For analog audio, connect the white (L) and red (R) RCA-type cables from the DIRECTV

HD Receiver to your TV.

If you used an HDMI cable to hook up video, you can skip this section.

Note

If your TV only has one audio input jack use AUDIO L (white) jack on the back of the DIRECTV Receiver to make the connection.

Connect Audio Cables –

The back panels of your equipment may not look exactly like those illustrated.

TelevisionTelevision

COMPONENT IN

DIRECTV HD® Receiver

SATELLITE IN

ATELLITE I

S-VIDEO

HDMI

DIGITAL AUDIO IN (OPTICAL)

RCA-type DIGITAL OPTICAL

GOOD

BEST 2*

RF REMOTE

RF REMOT

DIGITAL

AUDIO OUT

(OPTICAL)

ANTENNA

PHONE

PHON

JACK

* NOTE: For best audio quality, use the HDMI cable for audio and video. (See “Making the Video Connections.”)

AC IN

C I

Making the Basic Connections

1) Connect DIRECTV HD Receiver to Satellite Dish. Connect the RG-6 RF coaxial cable from your satellite dish to the jack labeled SATELLITE IN on the DIRECTV Receiver.

2) Connect Oﬀ -air antenna to DIRECTV HD Receiver (optional). Connect the oﬀ -air antenna to the jack labeled OFF-AIR IN on your receiver. When you go through the Guided Setup process, be sure to select the Satellite & Antenna button when you reach the Satellite Dish & Oﬀ -Air Antenna screen.

3) Connect RF remote antenna to DIRECTV HD Receiver. (Optional - RF equipment sold separately.) If you want to use your remote without having to point it at the receiver (as in cases

when your receiver is behind the cabinet door of an entertainment center), you’ll need an RF remote antenna and RF capable remote. Plug the RF remote antenna into the RF REMOTE ANTENNA jack on your receiver. Receivers and remotes use IR functionality by default. You can activate RF functionality during Guided Setup. After Guided Setup, you can activate RF functionality by going to the System Setup screen and choosing REMOTE in the left menu. Select IR/RF Setup button and follow the on screen instructions.

4) Connect DIR ECTV HD Receiver to Telephone Line. Plug one end of the telephone cord into

a phone jack on your wall (or into a phone splitter that is plugged into a phone jack) and the other

end into the PHONE JACK on the back of the DIRECTV Receiver.

5) Plug all power cords into electrical sockets.

You’re almos t done!

Connect Other Cables –

The back panels of your equipment may not look exactly like those illustrated.

While you’re looking at the back of your DIRECTV HD Receiver, write down the serial number, receiver ID and model number. You’ll need them later.

Serial #

Receiver ID

Model #

(Copy these numbers to page 50 along with your other purchase information)

DIRECTV HD® Receiver

OFF AIR IN

SATELLITE IN

USB

S-VIDEO

OUT

AUDIO OUT

DIGITAL

(OPTICAL)

SATELLITE IN

RF REMOTE

ANTENNA

HDMI

(optional)

PHONE

JACK

AC IN

Guided Setup

Now that your receiver and equipment are all hooked up and plugged in, you’re ready to

complete setup to begin enjoying your DIRECTV service.

1) Make sure the MODE switch at the top of the remote control is set to DIRECTV, which is the far-

left position.

2) Press TV POWER ON.  e DIRECTV Receiver will turn on.

3)  e ﬁ rst screen will allow you to select a language. Using the arrow keys on the remote control,

move to the language you prefer and press SELECT.

4) You will see a Welcome screen.

HDTV settings in Guided Setup

Several screens in the Guided Setup process are related to HDTV:

4 TV Ratio Screen:  is screen lets you select your TV’s aspet ratio: 4:3 or 16:9.

4 TV Resolutions Screen: As you select each resolution, an onscreen message asks if you can still see the

screen properly. If you can, press the INFO key. If not, the unsupported resolution is turned oﬀ after a few seconds. If you turn on Native mode, the receiver will automatically adjust resolution to match the resolution of individual TV programs as they are tuned.

4 Primary Local Network: If you’ve chosen to set up both your Satellite Dish and Oﬀ -Air Antenna, you

will see this screen near the end of Guided Setup.  e receiver will use the ZIP code you enter on this screen to determine what locally broadcast digital stations are available to you. Setting up a Secondary

Local Network is optional; it can be useful if you are located between two network areas and intend to receive programming from both via your oﬀ -air antenna.

AV1 AV2 TV

INPUT

PWR

POWER

TIP

You may decide to set up,

change or adjust some of the

settings later. When you’re

ready, press MENU on your

remote, press SELECT on

Settings then select Setup.

The User Guide that came with your TV will help you set the HDTV settings properly.

SELECT

Guided Setup

Now, let us lead the way…

is as simple as following the onscreen instructions. When in doubt, we’ve usually highlighted the most likely choice for you.

Simply follow the onscreen directions to complete your setup functions. If you’ve installed your satellite

dish and system yourself, you’ll be guided though various functions for optimizing your signal and setup

— including positioning your dish and a system test. If you had your system professionally installed,

these functions already have been completed.

After these setup procedures are complete, you’ll see a message onscreen that says, “Acquiring Satellite

Info,” as the receiver gathers information from the satellite for the onscreen program guide.

Next, you’ll be given the opportunity to program your remote to control other equipment such as your

TV and/or DVD player. Just follow the screen instructions and you’ll be ready to watch in no time!

Activate Your DIRECTV Service

Once all the setup processes are complete, all that’s left to do is activate your DIRECTV service. Before

you make the call, be sure to:

4 Have on hand your service address, social security number and a valid major credit card. 4 Note your access card and receiver ID numbers. (You may have written them down earlier in this

chapter.)

When you’re ready, just call 1-800-DIRECTV (1-800-347-3288) and pick the programming package

that’s right for you.

Important

In order to protect your TV screen from burn-in (a side-effect caused when a stationary image is displayed for too long), the DIRECTV Receiver interface automatically goes into screen saver mode, and displays a black screen with a moving logo when no key is pressed for 5 minutes or more while a stationary image is displayed on the TV. To dismiss the screen saver and return to what you were doing, press any key on the remote. Burn-in may cause permanent damage to your TV and DIRECTV is not liable for any damages that may be caused to your TV.

Programming Your Remote Control

If you

You may have already programmed your remote control during Guided Setup, but if you didn’t, or you

want to make changes, or you’ve acquired some new equipment, follow these instructions.

You can program the DIRECTV R emote Control to operate your TV power, volume and mute,

additional equipment such as a DVD, VCR, stereo, or second TV or DIRECTV Receiver.

1) Press MENU to display the Quick Menu.

2) Highlight Settings and press SELECT.

3) Highlight Setup and press SELECT.

4) Press SELECT on Remote in the left menu.

5) Follow the onscreen instructions to program your remote for your TV or additional equipment

(AV1 and AV2).

Once your remote is programmed to work with your TV, the VOL and MUTE key control the TV

regardless of the slide switch position. If you would like to change the VOL and MUTE to work

with other audio equipment, such as a stereo, you can. When you program the remote for the audio

equipment, onscreen instructions will direct you on how to do this.

programmed your Remote Control during Guided Setup, you can skip this section.

A remote that can go through walls? That’s right: We’re rethinking your remote, too.

Using an IR/RF Remote to Control Your DIRECTV HD Receiver

You can skip this section if you do not have an RF Remote Antenna and RF Capable Remote (sold

separately) or you setup your RF Remote Control during Guided Setup.  is information is included

here if you skipped that part, or if you want to change your Remote setup later.

 e remote control included with your DIRECTV HD Receiver works using IR (infrared). IR is

typical of remotes you are already familiar with from other remotes you may have — the remote must be

pointed at the device for it to respond. If you have an RF Remote Antenna and RF Capable Remote,

you can use them to operate the DIRECTV HD Receiver without having to point your remote directly

at it, such as when the receiver is installed in a cabinet, or you use the remote from another room in your

house.  e operating range of an RF Remote is up to 200 feet, with some possible decrease due to weak

batteries or obstacles such as walls in your house. Once programmed, your RF Remote will be addressed

to only one receiver, so will not aﬀ ect other receivers in your home.

To setup an RF Capable Remote, press the MENU key, press SELECT on Settings, then select Remote

from the left menu. Press SELECT on the IR/RF Setup button. Follow the onscreen instructions to

conﬁ gure your remote.

Receiving Local “Off-Air” Broadcast Channels

 e DIRECTV HD Receiver can receive both satellite and locally transmitted, oﬀ -air broadcast

channels, and will display these local channels in the Guide. In order to receive oﬀ -air channels, attach

an oﬀ -air antenna to the OFF-AIR IN as instructed in the “Choose Your Setup” section starting on page

61. During the Guided Setup process, be sure to select the Satellite & Antenna button when you reach

the Satellite Dish & Oﬀ -Air Antenna screen and follow the onscreen instructions.

If you didn’t setup an oﬀ -air antenna during the guided setup, you must enter your location into the

receiver using the Local Network Area screens in order to receive Program Guide information for local

oﬀ -air broadcast channels. When you enter your ZIP code, if there is more than one network area

available, your receiver will show your options. Pick the one closest to you as your primary network area.

In some cases, there may be more than two cities displayed. You may decide to also enter a secondary

local network if more than one is available to you, but this is optional.

To scan for oﬀ -air channels and set up the local network areas after Guided Setup, do the following:

1. Press MENU.

2. Press SELECT on Settings in the Quick Menu.

3. Select Setup in the Quick Menu.

4. Select Sat

Ant from the options on the left menu.

5. Press SELECT on the Antenna Setup button. If you have not selected your local networks yet, select the Local Networks button and follow the instructions until you are done.

6. Select the Scan for Channels button to have the receiver scan local oﬀ -air frequencies.

When the receiver has ﬁ nished scanning for channels, you are given the chance to edit local oﬀ -air

channels to remove channels from the Guide that you don’t watch, or those that have poor reception.

NOTE: Your reception will vary by

geographic location. In o ther words:

Some areas get better reception

than others!

Appendix B

High-Def

101

74 About High-Definition

77 Options For Changing Video Output

79 Supported Resolutions and Formats

80 Wide-Screen vs. Standard Formats

About High-Definition

To get the

What is HD, and how does it diﬀ er from regular TV? To learn more, here’s some helpful information

about high-deﬁ nition and your DIRECTV HD Receiver.

Types of TV Broadcasts

Analog TV is the type of TV broadcast you may be most familiar with. If you get your broadcasts via

a standard oﬀ -air antenna, it’s the type you receive, and most broadcasts from local cable companies

are analog as well.

Digital TV is a newer system for broadcasting TV signals delivering higher quality audio and video.

“ Digital TV” refers to a television that can receive and display digital images. Following are terms you

might see used regarding Digital TV broadcasts. Although your DIRECTV HD Receiver is a “true” HD receiver, the type of TV or monitor you plug it into (SD, ED, or HD) can aﬀ ect the resolution of

the TV picture you see. See “Resolutions and Interlacing” on page 75, for an explanation of display

resolutions.

4 SD (standard deﬁ nition) is digital TV that oﬀ ers a picture quality that is better than older analog

televisions. SDTV displays images at a resolution of 480i.

4 ED (enhanced deﬁ nition) is digital TV that can display a higher resolution picture than SDTV. An

EDTV can display at 480i or 480p.

best-quality TV picture, you need an HD TV to go with your DIRECTV HD Receiver.

4 HD ( high deﬁ nition) is digital TV that can provide the highest quality picture, at resolutions

1080i, 720p, 480p, or 480i.

Resolution & Interlacing

Two elements that determine the quality of a TV picture are:

Resolution

If you’ve ever looked very closely at your TV, you have noticed the picture is actually made up of many

lines scanning across the screen.  e set of lines that make up a complete image are called a “frame.” For

TV equipment and broadcasts, resolution is deﬁ ned by the number of horizontal lines displayed to make

up each frame of a video image.  e more lines of resolution used to compose each frame, the more

detailed and sharp the picture. Standard TV resolution uses 480 horizontal lines to make up each video

frame; HDTV uses either 720 or 1080 lines to compose each frame.

Interlaced & Progressive

 e term “interlacing” refers to whether each of those frames contains all of the lines of image, or every

other line. Interlaced signals take every other line from 2 frames, each lasting 1/60th of a second, and

combine them into one frame lasting 1/30th of a second. In this way, interlacing tricks the eye into

thinking it’s seeing twice the resolution that’s actually being displayed. In non-interlaced video, referred

to as “progressive scan” video, frames are displayed every 1/60th of a second containing all of the lines of

video information.

 e speciﬁ cations for video resolution are usually stated by giving the number of horizontal lines (480,

720 or 1080, as described above) followed by either the letter “i” (for interlaced) or “p” (for progressive

scan). Most standard TV broadcasts are 480i; some DVDs and non- HDTV digital broadcasts use 480p.

Speciﬁ cation for HDTV broadcasts and equipment requires either 1080i or 720p.

Aspect Ratio

In addition to resolution and interlacing, a television picture is also deﬁ ned by its aspect ratio—

referring to the shape of the screen as deﬁ ned by the ratio of the screen’s width to its height.

For analog TV, the aspect ratio is 4 units wide by 3 units high (4:3).  is is the familiar shape of

conventional TVs—slightly wider than they are tall. SDTV and EDTV can be either 4:3 or 16:9. For

HDTV broadcasts, the aspect ratio is 16:9—nearly twice as wide as it is tall.  is is, not coincidentally,

more like the shape of movies shown in theaters, which makes HD an ideal format for viewing movies

on TV. You will be able to see much of what is captured on ﬁ lm, but lost on an SDTV display.

Screen Formats

What if you’re watching a nearly square-shaped 4:3 broadcast on a 16:9 TV, or vice versa?  e

DIRECTV HD Receiver lets you choose from a variety of screen formats to deal with those scenarios.

You can set up your preferences for format during Guided Setup and change them at any time.

See the next page for your options.

Options For Changing Video Output

The FORMAT key, made simple: Keep pressing the FORMAT key until you like the picture on your TV.

In order to optimize the display of programs on your television, you may occasionally need to change

the resolution and/or screen format.  ere are two keys that can be used to make changes: the

FORMAT key on the remote control and the RESOLUTION key on the front panel of the receiver.

FORMAT key on Your Remote

Pressing this key will cycle the resolutions that you’ve indicated in System Setup as being supported by

your TV. In addition, it will cycle the three available screen formats in conjunction with each individual

resolution. Available screen formats are based on the TV Aspect Ratio you set in System Setup. With

each press, an onscreen message will let you know what the current resolution/format setting is. For

example, if you indicated that your TV supports only 1080i, 480i and 480p and it is a 16:9 television,

and Native is turned oﬀ *, the cycle of settings for the FORMAT key are as follows:

1st press: 480i/Stretch 6th press: 480p/Crop 2nd press: 480i/Letter box 7th press: 1080i/Stretch 3rd press: 480i/Crop 8th press: 1080i/Letter box 4th press: 480p/Stretch 9th press: 1080i/Crop 5th press: 480p/Letter box 10th press: repeat cycle

* In Native mode, the receiver automatically adjusts resolution to match the resolution of individual

TV programs as they are tuned.

If your TV supports all formats (1080i, 720p, 480i and 480p), then your cycle would also include 720p.

If Native is turned on, the FORMAT key cycles through Stretch, Letter and Crop for the current TV

program’s native resolution.  e FORMAT key allows you to easily cycle all resolution and format

settings with a single key until the picture displays the way you like it. Navigating menus to modify

settings is not necessary.

If pressing this key causes a loss of video and audio, continue to press it until the picture returns. (Wait a

second between presses to allow the Receiver to change the resolution.)  is can happen if your settings

include a resolution that your TV doesn’t support. To correct this, you’ll need to change your resolution

setting: Press MENU, select Settings, then Setup, then HDTV in the left side menu. Press SELECT on

the Resolution tab and mark or unmark the TV Resolutions to display the resolutions supported by your

television.

RESOLUTION Key on Receiver Front Panel

Resolution made simple: Set the resolution

 is key is used to cycle all available resolutions on your DIRECTV HD Receiver. It does not cycle

format settings. If video and audio are not appearing, it may be because the current resolution setting

is not supported by your television. By pressing this key, you can check all available resolutions to see if

that solves the problem.  e lights next to the RESOLUTION key on the front panel will light below

the resolution to which the receiver is set; they will change with each key press.

to the highest number that your TV supports by pressing the RESOLUTION key.

Supported Resolutions and Formats

 e tables on the next page show the formats and resolutions supported by the DIRECTV HD Receiver, the interaction with the FORMAT key, the outputs supported by the diﬀ erent types of connections, and other, related information. See the beginning of this chapter a full description of screen resolutions, formats, and Native mode.  e DIRECTV HD Receiver provides the display formats shown in the following table:

Selected

Resolutions

480i, 480p 480i/Stretch ➠ 480i/Letter ➠ 480i/ Crop ➠ 480p/Stretch ➠ 480p /Let ter ➠ 480p/ Crop

720p 720p / Stretch ➠ 720p / Let ter ➠ 720p/ Crop

108 0i 108 0i /St re tch ➠ 10 8 0i /Le tt er ➠ 10 8 0i / Crop

480i, 480p, 720p

480i, 480p, 1080i

720p, 1080i 720p/Stretch ➠ 720p / Letter ➠ 720 p/ Crop ➠ 108 0i /Stretch ➠ 10 80i / Let te r ➠ 1080 i/ Crop

All selected (480i,

480p, 720p,

108 0i )

Native Native/Stretch ➠ Native/Letter ➠ Native / Crop

480i/Stretch ➠ 480i /Letter ➠ 480i/ Crop ➠ 480p/Stretch ➠ 480p/Letter ➠ 480p/ Crop ➠ 720p / Stretch ➠

480i/Stretch ➠ 480i/Letter ➠ 480i/ Crop ➠ 480p/Stretch ➠ 480p/ Letter ➠ 480p/ Crop ➠ 108 0i /St re tch ➠

480i/Stretch ➠ 480i /Letter ➠ 480i/ Crop ➠ 480p/Stretch ➠ 480p/Letter ➠ 480p/ Crop ➠ 720p / Stretch ➠

720p / Let ter

NOTE: This chart is for 4:3 T V Ratio. For 16:9 TV ratio, “Pillar” box is displayed instead of “Let ter”.

Remote Control FORMAT Key Cycle

(➠ = Press FORMAT key)

720p / Let ter ➠ 720p/ Crop

108 0i /Le tter ➠ 10 8 0i / Crop

➠ 720p/ Crop ➠ 1080i /Stretch ➠ 10 8 0i / L et te r ➠ 10 8 0i / C ro p

 e following table shows the resolutions that can be output from each type of connection:

Output Connection Available Resolutions

YPbPr 1080i, 720p, 480i, 480p

HDMI 1080i, 720p, 480i, 480p

S-Video 480i

Video (RCA Type/Yellow) 480i

NOTES: 720p and 1080i are HD formats. 480i and 480p are not. S-Video and RCA outputs display all resolutions as 480i.

Wide-Screen vs. Standard Formats

4:3 TVs Showing 16:9 programs

For a standard 4:3 TV showing a wide screen program, the program is too wide to ﬁ t on the screen. To

alleviate this, choose:

Letterbox

With this format, the 16:9 image is shrunk until the entire width of the program ﬁ ts on your TV. Since

the aspect ratio of the program is maintained, the image is no longer tall enough to ﬁ ll your screen, so

gray or black bars are seen at the top and bottom of the screen. To change the bar color, press MENU,

then select Settings. Select Setup, then select the Display menu. Highlight the Preferences tab and press

SELECT, then set Bar Color option to the desired color. See your TV owner manual for information on

the best color for your set.

Stretch

In the Stretch setting, instead of adding bars to the top and bottom, the 16:9 program image is stretched

vertically until it’s tall enough to ﬁ ll the screen. Your entire screen will be full, but the program images

are stretched to compensate.

Crop

 is format crops (cuts oﬀ ) the left and right portions of the 16:9 frame so it ﬁ ts the 4:3 screen.

You can watch HD programs on a standard TV, but you won’t really be watching HD.

If your display is a 4:3 format TV or monitor, your format options include these:

For 4:3 program signals:

Fills TV Screen

Only Letterbox shows the entire original 16:9 image without distortion.

For 16:9 program signals:

Letterbox Stretch Crop

16:9 TVs Showing 4:3 programs

For a wide screen 16:9 TV showing a standard 4:3 TV program, the program is too tall to ﬁ t the screen.

Your choices here include:

Pillar box

Here the 4:3 image is shrunk until the entire height of the program ﬁ ts on your TV. Since the aspect

ratio is maintained, the image is no longer wide enough to ﬁ ll the screen, so gray or black bars are

seen at the left and right edges. To change the bar color, access the HDTV screen in System Setup as

described above, then select the desired bar color option under the TV Ratio tab.

Stretch

In this setting, instead of adding bars to the sides, the 4:3 program image is stretched horizontally until

it’s wide enough to ﬁ ll the screen. Your entire screen will be full, but the images are a little stretched to

compensate.

Crop

 is format crops (cuts oﬀ ) the top and bottom of a 4:3 frame, keeping the 4:3 ratio intact.

Fortunately, you can still watch regular TV on your HD TV. Isn’t it nice to be one step ahead of the rest of the world?

If your display is a 16:9 format TV or monitor, your format options include these:

Only Pillar Box shows the entire original 4:3 image without distortion.

For 4:3 program signals:

For 16:9 program signals:

Pillar Box Stretch Crop

Fills TV Screen

“

Now let’s watch some TV!

Index

Access card 5, 43, 44, 69 Analog TV 74 ARROW keys 5 Aspect Ratio 76, 77 Audio options 13, 24

Dolby® Digital 5.1 24 Language 24

Autotune 17

Batteries 38, 42, 43, 71 Buttons 37

Cables 40, 43, 60, 61 Caller ID

Problems 38 Category sort 25 Channel banner 5, 29, 40 Channel blocks 30 Channel list 30 Connections 40, 43, 59

digital audio 7, 60 Digital TV 74 DIRECTV HD Receiver Problems

37 DIRECTV mode 38, 42 DIRECTV PROTECTION PLAN

51 DIRETCV Active™ 85 Dish-pointing coordinates 43 Display

Formats 72, 74, 77, 78, 79, 81, 83 Dolby® Digital 5.1 24 DVI 59

EXIT key 26

Favorites 13, 28, 41 FCC Customer Information 53 Find by 26 FORMAT button 77, 78 Front Panel 77, 78 front panel 77, 78

Guide 26, 72 Guided Setup 43, 66, 68, 72 GUIDE key 16

HDMI 7, 59, 62, 64, 79 HDTV 3, 59, 68, 74, 75, 76, 78, 82 high deﬁ nition 74

INFO key 13, 16, 19, 40 Interlacing 74, 75

Jacks 40, 43, 60, 61

Language 68 Language for audio 24 Lock 31 Locking the system 31

MENU key 5, 22, 26, 27, 32, 41,

43, 62, 68 Messages 13, 28, 29 Mode switch

remote control 43 Movie ratings 30 MUTE key 11, 44, 70

Notiﬁ cation 29

Parental Controls 13, 24, 29, 32

channel blocks 13, 24, 29, 32

ratings 13, 24, 29, 32

spending limits 13, 24, 29, 32

unlocking 13, 24, 29, 32

unrated programs 13, 24, 29, 32

viewing hours 13, 24, 29, 32 Passcode 31, 32 Pay Per View 2, 15, 19, 26, 31 Power surge 39 Previous channel 11 Previous channels 39 Program details 13 Program guide 36, 37, 47, 69

date & time 36, 37, 47, 69

quick menu 36, 37, 47, 69 scrolling 36, 37, 47, 69 sorting 36, 37, 47, 69 tuning to a program 36, 37, 47, 69

using 36, 37, 47, 69 Program Guide Advanced 72 Programming 2, 5, 11, 27, 30, 40,

47, 58, 69 Order 72, 77 ordering 2, 5, 11, 27, 30, 40, 47,

58, 69, 70 tuning to 2, 5, 11, 27, 30, 40, 47,

58, 69, 70

Progressive 75 Purchases 19

Quick Menu 5, 22, 29, 43, 72

Ratings 30 Rear Panel 6 Receiver Rear Panel 6 Recent Finds 27 Remote Control

Programming 79

Remote control 5, 11, 13, 16, 19,

22, 28, 31, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41,

42, 43, 44, 68, 69, 70, 71

keys 5, 11, 13, 16, 19, 22, 28, 31,

36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 68, 69, 70

modes 5, 11, 13, 16, 19, 22, 28,

31, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 68, 69, 70

problems 5, 11, 13, 16, 19, 22, 28,

31, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 68, 69, 70

programming 5, 11, 13, 16, 19,

22, 28, 31, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41,

42, 43, 44, 68, 69, 70 RESET 36, 37, 40, 41 Resolution 68, 75, 78, 79 Restart 41 RF REMOTE 7, 71

Satellite Data Acquisition 37 Satellite Setup 43 screen format 77 SDTV 74, 76 Search 15, 27 Settings 32, 43, 68 Setup 40, 41, 43, 61, 68 Showings 15 Spending limit 31 System Test 36, 43, 44

Index

Temporarily unlock 32 Timer 39 To Do List 18, 19 Troubleshooting 36 Tuning to 42 Tuning to a program 42 TV Aspect Ratio 77 TV ratings 30

Unlock a particular program 32 User proﬁ le

spending limit 2 viewing hours 2

Video Output 59, 77

Warranty 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 60

YPbPr 7, 59, 79

Zoom 79

Notes

ACTIVATION OF PROGRA MMING MAY BE SUBJECT TO CREDIT A PPROVAL AND R EQUIRES VALID SERVICE ADDRESS,

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND/OR MAJOR CR EDIT CARD. DEPOSIT OR PR EPAYMENT MAY BE REQUIR ED. Progra m-

ming subject to change. DIRECTV services not available outside the U.S. DIR ECTV programming is sold separately and independent-

ly of DIRECTV System hardware. A valid programming subscription is required to operate DIRECT V System hardware. Activate your

DIRECTV programming today at 1-800-DIRECT V (1-800-347-3288). Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories. Singular

logo, DIRECT V Active, and ADVANCED PROGR A M GUIDE are registered trademarks of DIRECT V, Inc.

 is product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by U.S. patents and other intellectual propert y rights. Use of this

copyright protection technology must be authorized by Macrovision Corporation, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses

only unless otherwise authorized by Macrovision. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited.

Due to restrictions imposed by copyright holders, certain programming may include content protection measures that may restrict viewing

in high deﬁ nition and/or recording with certain consumer electronics equipment attached to the receiver. Please contact the manufacturer

of such equipment for additional information.

Rev. 1.4 — H20.060428

The

Fine

Icon Reference

Arrow Icons

Indicate that a show’s start or end time is earlier or

later than is visible in the Guide program cell.

LEFT and RIGHT arrows move the highlight in

the indicated direction.

Objects are scrollable above or below the visible

window.

UP and DOWN arrows move the highlight in the

indicated direction.

Scheduler Icons

Shows an Autotune has been set for a future program,

or a present program is Autotuned.

Indicates an Autotune has been set for all episodes

of an ongoing program.

Indicates an Autotune set for a present or future

program conﬂ icts with another scheduled program.

Shows an Autotune has been set for matching

Indicates a present or future pay per view program

programs in a “Find by.”

has been scheduled for purchase.

Other Icons

Denotes one or more alternate audio tracks available

for a program.

Denotes that no alternate audio tracks available.

Indicates one or more new messages are in the

Inbox.

Indicates no new messages are in the Inbox.

Shows that Parental Control limits are currently

“locked.”

Shows that limits are temporarily unlocked.

Shows that there are no current limits imposed.

Indicates a rating level or channel that is blocked via

Parental Controls.

Indicates a pay per view program is available as an

All Day Ticket replay.

Indicates program shown in letterbox format.

Denotes an error condition has occurred.

DirecTV H20 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual