Sony SAT-B3, SAT-A4 User Manual

3-865-515- 21 (2)

DIRECTV Digital Satellite Receiver

Operating Instructions

BEFORE USING YOUR DIRECTV SYSTEM

You must activate your programming service by calling your program providers:

DIRECTV 1-800-347-3288 USSB 1-800-204-8772

For more information, see page 22.

SAT-A4 MODEL ONLY

RF ANTENNA: The digital satellite receiver is shipped with IR reception enabled and RF reception disabled. To use the RF feature (and the antenna), you must change the factory setting (IR ONLY) to the RF setting (RF ONLY) using the on-screen displays, as described in this manual.

SAT-A4 SAT-B3

WARNING

To reduce the risk of ﬁre or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture.

This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosure that may be of signiﬁcant magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.

Note to the CATV Installer

This reminder is provided to call the CATV system installer ’s attention to Article 820-40 of the NEC that provides guidelines for proper grounding and, in particular, speciﬁes that the cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building as close to the point of cable entry as practical.

Note to the Satellite Dish Antenna Installer

This reminder is provided to call the Satellite Antenna installer’s attention to Article 810 and in particular Article 810-15 of the NEC, which covers proper installation and grounding of television receiving equipment, as well as to Article 820-40 of the NEC, which speciﬁes that the Satellite Antenna cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building as close to the point of cable entry as practical.

Telephone Line Interruption

Periodically, information on your DIRECT TICKET® and Pay Per View selections is sent, free of charge, via your telephone line to an 800 number. During the time the information is being forwarded, you cannot use your telephone and you will hear static noise for approximately 30 seconds. If you would like to use your telephone while the information is being sent, you can interrupt the sending of this information at any time by temporarily unplugging the phone line to the receiver.

You are cautioned that any changes or modiﬁcations not expressly approved in this manual could void your authority to operate this equipment.

Owner’s Record

The model and serial numbers are located on the bottom of the Digital Satellite Receiver. The number for the access card is on the back of the card and on the carton label. Record these numbers in the space provided below. Refer to these numbers whenever you need to call your sales or service representative regarding this product.

Model Number:

Serial Number:_____________________________________________

Access Card Number:_______________________________________

___________________________________________

Customer Support

For Programming

For subscription information, or to resolve problems related to programming, call:

DIRECTV at 1-800-DIRECTV (347-3288) or USSB at 1-800-204-USSB (8772).

For Hardware and Installation

To arrange for the installation of your DIRECTV System, call the dealer from whom you purchased your system.

For general information, or to resolve problems related to the operation of your Digital Satellite Receiver or Satellite Antenna, please contact your Sony dealer. If your dealer or installer is unable to answer your questions, call the Sony Satellite System Information Center at 1-800-838-7669.

Trademark and Copyrights

Sony and Express Navigator are trademarks of Sony. DIRECTV is a trademark of DIRECTV, Inc., a unit of Hughes Electronics, and is used with permission. USSB and USSB Entertainment Plus are ofﬁcial service marks of the United States Satellite Broadcasting Company, Inc.

Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. “Dolby”, the double-D symbol, and “AC-3” are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation.

Macrovision Information

This product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by U.S. patents and other intellectual property rights. Use of this copyright protection technology is granted by Macrovision for home and other limited pay-per-view uses only. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited.

Note on Recording Programming

Programming may be taped for home viewing only. All other taping is expressly prohibited. Some programming may not be taped. An additional taping fee may be applied. Call your program providers for details.

StarSight Licensed

The manufacture and sale of the television schedule feature of this product was licensed under one or more of the following patents of StarSight Telecast, Inc.: U.S. Patent Nos. 4,706,121; 4,977,455; 5,151,789; and 5,353,121; with use rights reserved.

Network Broadcasting Information

ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and PBS networks are available from DIRECTV. Some restrictions apply.

Contents

Chapter 1

Introducing the DIRECTV System

Features Package Contents Inserting Batteries into the Remote Control

Chapter 2

Using Basic Functions

Remote Control for Model SAT-A4 Remote Control for Model SAT-B3 Using a Program Guide Using the Station Index

Chapter 3

Connecting Your DIRECTV System

Overview TV Only TV and VCR Home Entertainment System (Hi-Fi TV, Hi-Fi VCR, Audio/Video Receiver) Connecting the IR Blaster Setting Up the RF Antenna (SAT-A4 Only) Setting Up Your DIRECTV System

Chapter 5

Using the Options Menu

Overview Displaying the Options Menu Checking and Cancelling PPV Purchases Setting Display Options Using the Jump Loop Feature Setting Locks and Limits Setting Up a List of Custom Stations Setting Audio Options Reading Your Messages Selecting Data Services

Chapter 6

Using the Setup Menu

Overview Displaying the Setup Menu Setting Up the Satellite Dish Antenna VCR Recording Replacing Your Access Card Setting the Aspect Ratio Setting Up the Remote Control (SAT-A4 Only) Running a System Test Displaying Help, Tips, and Shortcuts

Chapter 4

Using the DIRECTV System Features

Overview Before You Get Started ... Using the On-Screen Displays: Highlight and Select Displaying the Program Guide Features of the Program Guide Moving Through the Program Guide Selecting a Program from the Guide Selecting a Category List Selecting a Different Category Guide or List Using the Station Index Setting Up the Timer Using the Favorite Station Guides Displaying the Program Banner Using the DISPLAY Feature

Appendix

Other Information

Location and Function of Controls Using the Remote Control Programming the Remote Control Troubleshooting Precautions FCC Regulations and Information Limited Warranty Specifications Index

Contents

Chapter 1

Introducing the DIRECTV System

Welcome to the Sony brand DIRECTV System, the ultimate digital entertainment experience. Read this chapter for an overview of features of the system and to check the carton contents of the Digital Satellite Receiver.

Features

Here are just a few beneﬁts you’ll enjoy:

Excellent Performance

q Superior, digital-quality video that rivals the performance of

laserdisc players.

q Crisp digital-quality audio that will enhance your TV or home

theater experience.

Premium Entertainment

q Choose from a variety of program packages available through your

program providers, DIRECTV and USSB.

q Connect this receiver to your Dolby

Digital A/V receiver for dynamic surround sound.

Digital decoder or Dolby

Convenience and Ease-of-Use

q Order premium pay per view (PPV) movies. PPV programs start as

often as every 30 minutes, so you can watch programs when you want to see them.

q Sony’s Express Navigator

through all the system features and functions.

q Select from a variety of program guides that are sorted by program

categories, including Sports, Movies, News, and more.

q The Timer feature, when used with Sony’s IR Blaster, allows easy

One Button Recording of digital satellite programs.



on-screen display system guides you

Easy to Customize

q Create a Custom Category Guide and up to ﬁve of your own

Favorite Station Guides for stations you watch most often.

q Change the color palette, and station ordering of the program

guides. Use the DISPLAY button to toggle among different sizes of on-screen displays.

q Set up a passcode, which lets you choose spending limits and

control viewing of programs by rating and station.

Package Contents

Check to make sure you’ve received the following items in the Digital Satellite Receiver’s carton:

Digital Satellite Receiver

SAT

POWER

SATTVCABLE

CABLE

SLEEP

MUTING

CH OFF

SWAP PIP

JUMP FAVORITE

FUNCTION

AUDIOPOSITION

TV/SAT

TV/VIDEO

ENTER

GUIDE

DISPLAY

CATEGORYINDEX

VOL

PAGE

EXIT

Access Card

* RF Antenna and S-Video cable are not included with SAT-B3. SAT-A4 includes the RM-Y800 remote control shown above; SAT-B3 includes the RM-Y139 remote control shown on page 8.

If you are missing items, contact the dealer from whom you purchased the Digital Satellite Receiver.

Note

Keep the original carton and packing materials to safely transport the system in the future.

Inserting Batteries into the Remote Control

Before you can use the remote control, you must ﬁrst insert the supplied batteries. If you want to use this remote control to operate other video components, such as a TV or cable box, you must also program the remote as described in the Appendix on page 85.

To install the batteries:

Push and slide open the battery compartment.

SAT-A4 Remote Control:

SAT-B3 Remote Control:

Insert two size AA batteries (supplied). Be sure to match the

–

marks on the batteries with the

compartment.

Notes on Batteries

q When the batteries become weak, the Function button indicator

ﬂashes. If the remote control does not operate properly, the batteries might be weak. When replacing batteries, replace both batteries with new ones. Do not mix different types of batteries together.

q When you remove the batteries — to replace them, for example —

any codes you’ve set may be erased. If this happens, you must reprogram the remote. See “Programming the Remote Control” on page 85 for details.

–

and

marks in the battery

and

q When replacing the batteries, do not touch any buttons on the

remote control.

frutiger bold

Chapter 2

Using Basic Functions

You can start watching programs using just a few buttons on the remote control. Here’s an overview of the buttons you’ll use most often.

Remote Control for Model SAT-A4

MUTING

SLEEP

FUNCTION

AUDIOPOSITION SWAP PIP

TV/SAT

TV/VIDEO

1 4 7

DISPLAY

VOL

CATEGORYINDEX

CABLE

2 5 8

EXIT

POWER

SAT

SATTVCABLE

CH OFF

JUMP FAVORITE

6 9

ENTER

GUIDE

PAGE

RM-Y800

SAT POWER Button

Turns the Digital Satellite Receiver on and off.

FUNCTION Buttons

Selects the component (SAT, TV, CABLE) that you want to operate. These buttons ﬂash to indicate which component the remote control is set to operate. To switch from the TV to SAT mode, press the SAT FUNCTION button, and then press the TV/SAT button. To control your TV or cable box, you must ﬁrst program the remote control, as described on page 85.

PIP Buttons

Control the Picture-In-Picture functions of your Sony TV (see page 81).

0–9 and ENTER Buttons

Pressing the 0–9 buttons and then the ENTER button selects a station number directly.

GUIDE Button

Press to display the Custom Guide.

CATEGORY Button

Press to display the Category Guide.

INDEX Button

Press to display the Station Index.

SATELLITE RECEIVER

CH/PAGE Buttons

Changes the channel. When a program guide is displayed, pressing the CH/PAGE buttons pages through the guide.

Joystick/ Button

Moving the joystick up, down, left, right, and diagonally scrolls through the program guides. Pressing the button selects the program that’s highlighted.

See Also

q Pages 9–10 for a quick start to using the program guide and the

Station Index.

q Page 84 for a complete description of the buttons on the remote.

Using a Program Guide

The program guide displays the programming that’s available from your program providers.

Press the GUIDE

CUSTOM GUIDE WED OCT 5 8:45 PM

First Knight 8:00 PM 10:00 PM PG-13

Act. Adv. 1995 Richard Gere, Sean Connery, Julia Ormond. Thrilling romance results when rogue knight Lancelot becomes torn between his loyalty to King Arthur and his love for Queen Guinevere (CC, ST) (A, V)

8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PMWED

DTV 106

DTV 107

DTV 108

DTV 109

DTV 110

DTV 111

DTV 112

The Rainmaker

The Postman (lbx)

Spice World—All Day Ticket

First Knight

button to bring up the Custom Guide.

Wynonna in Concert

Mr. MagooMr. Magoo

Ellen All...Ellen—All Day Ticket

Mouse HuntSwitchback

Moving Around In a Program Guide

You can also change the look of the program guide by pressing the DISPLAY button. See “Using the DISPLAY Feature” on page 41.

In program guides, you can select station call letters/numbers to display a description of the station.

Move the highlight to the name of the program you want.

You’ll hear the audio and see the video (in the background) of each program as they are highlighted.

The table below lists the various ways in which you can move around in the guide.

Press the button to select the highlighted program

To Do This ... Use This Button

Go to other stations in the guide one station at a time

SAT-A4 : Move the joystick up and

down

SAT-B3 : Press the and buttons

Go to other time slots in the guide one program at a time

SAT-A4: Move the joystick left and

right to move one time slot at a time.

SAT-B3:

Press the and buttons

Both Models: Or press the GUIDE

button to “page” to future time slots.

Go to other stations in the guide one “page” at a time

Go to a station directly

Press the

PAGE (CH-) buttons

Press the

(to specify the station number)

PAGE (CH+) and

0-9 buttons and press ENTER

Return to the last station you were watching

Press the

EXIT button

Using the Station Index

The Station Index lets you select a program from a grid of station logos and call letters.

Note

Pressing EXIT removes all on-screen displays. Also, you may need to change to another station if a message appears, which requests that you press the button to purchase the program, etc.

INDEX

Press to bring up the Station Index

Your Station Index may not look exactly like this. The stations displayed depend on the programming you’ve ordered.

Moving Around In the Station Index

STATION INDEX Sports Center

100

107 108

114 115 116 117 118 119 120

Move the highlight to the station you want.

The program title is displayed at the top of the Station Index. Also, you’ll hear the audio and see the video (in the background) of each program, as they are highlighted.

The table below lists the various ways in which you can move around in the Station Index.

Press the button to tune to the program that’s highlighted.

To Do This ... Use This Button

Go to other stations in the guide, one station at a time

101 102 103 104 105 106

109

110

111 112 113

SAT-A4: Move the joystick in any

direction

SAT-B3: Press the

buttons

You can also change the look of the Station Index by pressing the DISPLAY button. See “Using the DISPLAY Feature” on page 41.

Go to other stations in the Station Index, one “page” at a time

Go to a station directly

Return to the last station you were watching

Press the

PAGE (CH-) buttons

Press the

ENTER (to specify the station number)

Press the

PAGE (CH+) and

0-9 buttons and press

EXIT button

Chapter 3

Connecting Your DIRECTV System

Read this chapter to set up your Digital Satellite Receiver for the ﬁrst time, or to add or remove audio or video components connected to your system.

Overview

You can connect the Digital Satellite Receiver in a variety of conﬁgurations. The answers to the following questions will determine how you hook up and operate your Digital Satellite Receiver. For example:

q Do you have cable TV or a broadcast (terrestrial) TV antenna?

q What type of connectors do your TV and VCR have: S-VIDEO,

A/V (RCA-type), or RF coaxial?

q Do you plan to integrate your Digital Satellite Receiver with your

audio or video system?

q Do you have a Dolby Digital decoder or Dolby Digital A/V

receiver?

Note:

Before you connect the RG-6 coaxial cable from the LNB to the Digital Satellite Receiver, make sure the Digital Satellite Receiver is unplugged. This will prevent your Digital Satellite Receiver from experiencing a short.

(SAT-A4 Only)

Detailed hookup instructions are provided on the pages that follow. For optimum audio and video performance, follow these general recommendations as much as possible when hooking up your components:

q If you have an audio or audio/video system, consider integrating

the Digital Satellite Receiver into a home entertainment conﬁguration to take advantage of your hi-ﬁ system’s audio capabilities.

q If your TV has an S-VIDEO jack, use it to connect your TV to the

Digital Satellite Receiver. An S-Video connection provides a better picture than A/V or RF connections.

q If your TV does not have an S-VIDEO jack, use your TV’s A/V

connectors to connect your components. An A/V connection provides a better picture and audio when compared to an RF connection.

q If you have a Dolby Digital decoder, or an A/V receiver with Dolby

Digital, you can connect these components using an optical cable and set the Audio options to allow Dolby Digital signals to be output to your other components (see page 58). Dolby Digital provides up to six discrete channels of audio for a complete surround sound experience

q If your A/V receiver has a digital optical input terminal, you can

connect it to your A/V receiver using an optical cable.

TV Only

TV With RF Connector Only

Your VHF/UHF IN jack may be labeled as RF IN.

Digital Satellite Receiver

ACCESS CARD

DIGITAL

OUT

(OPTICAL)

VCR CONTROL

Refer to the illustration below.

Connect the RG-6 cable from the Satellite Antenna’s LNB to the

Digital Satellite Receiver’s SATELLITE IN jack.

Connect the Digital Satellite Receiver’s VHF(SAT)/UHF OUT jack to the TV’s VHF/UHF IN jack.

Note

A VHF/UHF connection does not provide stereo sound. To receive stereo sound, you must use an A/V connection (described on page 13).

Connect one end of the telephone line cord to the Digital Satellite

Receiver’s TEL LINE jack. Connect the other end to your home’s modular telephone outlet. Do not connect to a “wireless” telephone extension. Since these devices typically do not support high data rates, connecting to one may result in very slow operation or may even prevent connection with your program provider.

Connect one end of the AC power cord to the Digital Satellite Receiver’s AC IN jack. Connect the plug end to an AC outlet.

CH3 CH4

VHF/UHF IN

VHF(SAT)/UHF

OUT

TEL LINE

AC IN~

SATELLITE IN

LOW SPEED DATA

AUDIO

RF REMOTE

L(MONO)

VIDEO OUT

VIDEO

S VIDEO

SAT-A4 receiver is pictured, but connections are identical for SAT-B3.

Optional Connections

q If you have a cable input, cable box, or a terrestrial TV antenna,

connect it to the Digital Satellite Receiver’s VHF/UHF IN jack.

q You can also connect the Digital Satellite Receiver to your audio

receiver’s AUDIO IN jacks using audio cables.

TV With A/V Connectors

If your TV has only one AUDIO IN jack, connect the lower (mono) AUDIO L jack on the

Digital Satellite Receiver to the

TV’s AUDIO IN jack.

Digital Satellite Receiver

ACCESS CARD

DIGITAL

OUT

(OPTICAL)

VCR CONTROL

Refer to the illustration below.

Connect the RG-6 cable from the Satellite Antenna’s LNB to the

Digital Satellite Receiver’s SATELLITE IN jack.

Connect the Digital Satellite Receiver’s A/V jacks to the TV’s A/V IN jacks.

Connect one end of the telephone line cord to the Digital Satellite

Connect one end of the AC power cord to the Digital Satellite Receiver’s AC IN jack. Connect the plug end to an AC outlet.

CH3 CH4

VHF/UHF IN

VHF(SAT)/UHF

OUT

TEL LINE

AC IN~

SATELLITE IN

LOW SPEED DATA

AUDIO

RF REMOTE

L(MONO)

VIDEO OUT

VIDEO

S VIDEO

SAT-A4 receiver is pictured, but connections are identical for SAT-B3.

Your VHF/UHF IN jack may be labeled as RF IN.

Optional Connections

q If you have a cable input, cable box, or a terrestrial TV antenna,

connect it to the TV’s VHF/UHF IN jack.

q Best Connection : If your TV has an S-VIDEO jack, use an S-VIDEO

cable to connect the Digital Satellite Receiver’s S-VIDEO jack to the TV’s S-VIDEO IN jack. This provides the best picture quality. Then use audio cables to connect one set of the Digital Satellite Receiver’s audio jacks to the TV’s AUDIO IN jacks.

q You can also connect the Digital Satellite Receiver to your audio

receiver’s AUDIO IN jacks using audio cables.

TV and VCR

Refer to the illustration on the opposite page.

Connect the RG-6 cable from the Satellite Antenna’s LNB to the

Digital Satellite Receiver’s SATELLITE IN jack.

Complete one of the following to connect the Digital Satellite

Receiver:

q Better Connection : Connect the Digital Satellite Receiver’s A/V

jacks to the A/V IN jacks on the TV and VCR. If your VCR has only one AUDIO IN jack (monoaural VCR), connect it to the lower AUDIO L (mono) jack on the Digital Satellite Receiver.

Your VHF/UHF IN jack may be labeled as RF IN.

q Good Connection : Connect the Digital Satellite Receiver’s

VHF(SAT)/UHF OUT jack to the VCR’s VHF/UHF IN jack.

Complete one of the following to connect the VCR to the TV:

q Better Connection : If both your TV and VCR have A/V jacks,

connect the VCR’s A/V OUT jacks to the TV’s A/V IN jacks.

q Good Connection : If your TV or VCR has only an RF jack,

connect the VCR’s VHF/UHF OUT jack to the TV’s VHF/UHF IN jack.

Connect one end of the telephone line cord to the Digital Satellite Receiver’s TEL LINE jack. Connect the other end to your home’s modular telephone outlet. Do not connect to a “wireless” telephone extension. Since these devices typically do not support high data rates, connecting to one may result in very slow operation or may even prevent connection with your program provider.

Connect one end of the AC power cord to the Digital Satellite Receiver’s AC IN jack. Connect the plug end to an AC outlet.

Optional Connections

q If you have a cable input, cable box, or a terrestrial TV antenna,

connect it to the TV or VCR’s VHF/UHF IN jack.

q Best Connection : If your TV has an S-VIDEO jack, use an S-VIDEO

q You can also connect the Digital Satellite Receiver to your audio

receiver’s AUDIO IN jacks using audio cables.

q If you are using the IR Blaster, see page 18 for setup instructions.

Note

If the screen appears fuzzy, the program you are watching may be protected by Macrovision. Turn the VCR off to improve the picture quality.

Digital Satellite Receiver

DIGITAL

OUT

(OPTICAL)

VCR CONTROL

ACCESS CARD

LOW SPEED DATA

SATELLITE IN

AUDIO

L(MONO)

RF REMOTE

VIDEO

VIDEO OUT

S VIDEO

CH3 CH4

VHF/UHF IN

VHF(SAT)/UHF

OUT

TEL LINE

AC IN~

SAT-A4 receiver is pictured, but connections are identical for SAT-B3.

Home Entertainment System (Hi-Fi TV, Hi-Fi VCR, Audio/Video Receiver)

Refer to the illustration on the opposite page.

Connect the RG-6 cable from the Satellite Antenna’s LNB to the Digital Satellite Receiver’s SATELLITE IN jack.

Connect the Digital Satellite Receiver’s A/V jacks to the VCR and A/V receiver’s A/V IN jacks.

Connect the Digital Satellite Receiver’s DIGITAL OUT jack to the

A/V receiver’s digital optical input jack (SAT-A4 only).

Connect the VCR’s A/V OUT jacks to one set of the A/V receiver’s

A/V IN jacks.

Connect the A/V receiver’s MONITOR OUT jack to the TV’s

VIDEO IN jack.

Your VHF/UHF IN jack may be labeled as RF IN.

Connect one end of the AC power cord to the Digital Satellite Receiver’s AC IN jack. Connect the plug end to an AC outlet.

Optional Connections

q If you have a cable input, cable box, or a terrestrial TV antenna,

connect it to the VCR’s VHF/UHF IN jack.

q Best Connection: If your A/V receiver has an S-VIDEO jack, use an

S-VIDEO cable to connect the Digital Satellite Receiver’s S-VIDEO jack to the A/V receiver’s S-VIDEO IN jack. Then connect an SVIDEO cable from the A/V receiver to the TV’s S-VIDEO IN jack. This provides the best picture quality. Then use audio cables to connect one set of the Digital Satellite Receiver’s audio jacks to the A/V receiver’s AUDIO IN jacks.

q If you are using the IR Blaster, see page 18 for setup instructions.

Note

If the screen appears fuzzy, the program you are watching may be protected by Macrovision. Turn the VCR off to improve the picture quality.

In this conﬁguration, the A/V receiver must be turned on in order to view TV programs.

Digital Satellite Receiver

Connecting the IR Blaster

SAT-A4 receiver is pictured, but connections are identical for SAT-B3.

Digital Satellite Receiver

DIGITAL

OUT

(OPTICAL)

ACCESS CARD

LOW SPEED DATA

VCR CONTROL

The IR Blaster works with the Digital Satellite Receiver’s Timer function to automatically start and stop the recording function of your VCR.

1 Connect the IR Blaster to the Digital Satellite Receiver’s VCR

CONTROL jack. Then place the IR Blaster below and in front of the VCR, about 1/2 ” to 1”. For best results, place the IR Blaster directly below the VCR’s IR receiving area.

CH3 CH4

VHF/UHF IN

VHF(SAT)/UHF

IR Sensor

OUT

TEL LINE

AC IN~

SATELLITE IN

RF REMOTE

AUDIO

VIDEO

S VIDEO

L(MONO)

VIDEO OUT

to 1

If the IR Blaster doesn’t seem to be working correctly, ﬁrst check that the IR Blaster is positioned directly below the VCR’s IR receiving area and that the VCR’s line input is set to the

Digital

Satellite Receiver. If it’s still not working, try this procedure again using the other codes listed for your VCR on page 86.

2 Set the manufacturer, and code type of your VCR using the VCR

RECORDING Screen on page 66. This must be done for the IR Blaster to function properly.

3 To use the IR Blaster: 1) Set the Timer (page 35), 2) Turn

on the VCR and set the VCR’s line input to the Digital Satellite Receiver, 3) Insert a tape, 4) Turn off the VCR.

Setting Up the RF Antenna (SAT-A4 Only)

The RF (radio frequency) antenna enables the remote control to operate the Digital Satellite Receiver even if the Digital Satellite Receiver is located in another room or is placed behind a cabinet door.

Note

You must set up the RF antenna if you plan on using the RF feature.

To set up the RF antenna:

1 Connect the RF antenna to the Digital Satellite Receiver’s RF

REMOTE jack.

Do not place the RF antenna directly on top of the Digital Satellite Receiver or any other metal object. For best results, place the RF antenna in a visible location.

Digital Satellite Receiver

ACCESS CARD

DIGITAL

OUT

(OPTICAL)

VCR CONTROL

2 Place the RF antenna at least one foot away from the Digital

Satellite Receiver.

3 Use the on-screen displays to set up the Digital Satellite Receiver to

accept RF transmission (RF ONLY). See “Setting Up the Remote Control” on page 71 for details.

The Digital Satellite Receiver is shipped with IR transmission enabled and RF transmission disabled. To use the RF feature, you must ﬁrst change the factory setting (IR ONLY) to the RF setting (RF ONLY) using the on-screen displays, as described on page 71.

CH3 CH4

VHF/UHF IN

VHF(SAT)/UHF

OUT

TEL LINE

AC IN~

SATELLITE IN

LOW SPEED DATA

AUDIO

RF REMOTE

L(MONO)

VIDEO OUT

VIDEO

S VIDEO

The operating range of the remote control is about 100 ft. This may decrease due to ambient radio wave conditions, your room’s walls, weak batteries, etc.

Setting Up Your DIRECTV System

Viewing Satellite Programs

Viewing Cable or Off-Air Programs

Recording Satellite Programs While Watching Cable or Off-Air Programs

1 Turn on the TV, and then set the TV’s line input to the Digital

Satellite Receiver. (For example, set the TV to channel 3 or 4, if you used an RF connection; or set to VIDEO1, etc., if you used an A/V connection.)

2 Turn on the VCR and A/V receiver, if you connected these

components. Then set their output switches accordingly.

3 Turn on the Digital Satellite Receiver and select a station.

The following instructions apply only if you connected your cable TV or terrestrial antenna to your Digital Satellite Receiver.

1 Turn off your Digital Satellite Receiver, or press the TV/SAT button

to set the Digital Satellite Receiver to TV mode.

2 Turn on the TV and then:

q If you have a cable box, turn it on and then tune the TV to the

output channel of your cable box, usually channel 3 or 4.

q If you do not have a cable box, just tune your TV to the station

you want to watch.

The following instructions apply only if you connected your cable TV or terrestrial antenna to your Digital Satellite Receiver.

1 Turn on the TV and then:

q If you have a cable box, turn it on and then tune the TV to the

output channel of your cable box, usually channel 3 or 4.

q If you do not have a cable box, tune your TV to the station you

want to watch.

2 Turn on the Digital Satellite Receiver, and tune to the program you

want to record. Then select the VCR to line input, and start recording, according to your VCR’s instruction manual.

3 Press the TV/SAT button to set the Digital Satellite Receiver to TV.

The Digital Satellite Receiver’s signal is sent to the VCR, while the offair signal is sent to your TV for you to watch.

Note

For information on using the Digital Satellite Receiver’s automatic timer, see “Setting Up the Timer” on page 35.

You cannot record one satellite program while watching another satellite program (unless you have a second Digital Satellite Receiver).

If the screen appears fuzzy, the program you are watching may be protected by Macrovision. Turn the VCR off to improve the picture quality.

Chapter 4

Using the DIRECTV System Features

Read this chapter to learn how to use system features including the Master program guide, Station Index, Favorite Station Guide, and the ordering of pay per view programs.

Overview

This chapter provides detailed instructions for using the main features of your Digital Satellite Receiver. Topics include:

q Checking to make sure your system is completely set up and ready

to be used (page 22).

q Using Highlight and Select, the simple, two-step process for

operating the on-screen displays (page 23).

q Displaying and navigating through the program guide (page 24).

q Selecting subscription and pay per view programs from the

program guides (page 28).

q Using the program list (page 29).

q Selecting other program guides that are sorted by category and

subcategory (page 30).

q Using the Station Index (page 33).

q Setting the Timer (page 35).

q Using the ﬁve Favorite Station Guides (page 37).

q Displaying the Program Banner (page 40).

q Using the DISPLAY feature (page 41).

Before You Get Started ...

Make sure you (or your DIRECTV System installer) have completed the following procedures before you start using your Digital Satellite Receiver:

Note

Make certain that you (or your installer) have optimized the signal strength. If the signal is not optimized, you may experience losses in audio or video, especially during rain, snow, or other conditions that tend to degrade signal performance. See the Satellite Dish Antenna Operating Instructions for details on pointing the dish and optimizing the antenna’s signal strength.

Install the Satellite Antenna as described in the Satellite Dish

Antenna Operating Instructions .

Connect the Satellite Antenna to your Digital Satellite Receiver. Then connect the Digital Satellite Receiver to your television and telephone line. (See Chapter 3.)

If Your System Is Not Completely Installed ...

Note

Your phone line must be connected to the Digital Satellite Receiver in order for you to purchase a pay per view program with the remote control.

Make sure the access card is inserted into the Digital Satellite Receiver. (See page 68 for details on inserting the access card.)

Call your program providers (DIRECTV and USSB) to activate your service. You’ll need to provide information, including the model and serial numbers of your Digital Satellite Receiver and the access card number.

DIRECTV 1-800-DIRECTV (347-3288)

USSB 1-800-204-USSB (8772)

See the manual that came with the Satellite Antenna and Chapter 3 of this manual for complete installation instructions. Or, see your dealer to arrange for a professional installation or the purchase of the Sonybrand Installation Kit.

Using the On-Screen Displays: Highlight and Select

All of the features and functions of the Digital Satellite Receiver can be operated using a simple, two-step process: Highlight and Select. These two steps are explained below.

Step 1: Highlight

q To highlight, move the joystick (SAT-A4) or press the arrow buttons

(SAT-B3) on the remote to move the on-screen to the

item that you want to select.

Step 2: Select

q After you’ve highlighted the item that you want, select it by

pressing the button.

Example: Highlight and Select

In the sample menu that follows, moving the joystick up (SAT-A4) or pressing the button (SAT-B3) moves the highlight from ITEM 5...

highlight

Shortcut

(SAT-A4 Only) In many of the on-screen displays you can move the joystick in eight directions: left, right, up, down, and diagonally (up left, up right, down left, and down right).

SAMPLE MENU

ITEM 1

ITEM 4

ITEM 7 ITEM 8

... to ITEM 2.

SAMPLE MENU

ITEM 1

ITEM 4

ITEM 7

Pressing the button selects ITEM 2.

ITEM 2

ITEM 5

ITEM 2

ITEM 5

ITEM 8

ITEM 3

ITEM 6

ITEM 9

ITEM 3

ITEM 6

ITEM 9

You can apply this basic operation of highlighting and selecting to perform any of the system’s functions.

Displaying the Program Guide

You can select programs using the CH+ and CH- buttons, or you can enter the station number directly using the 0-9 buttons. However, because the DIRECTV System offers you such a variety of programming choices, you’ll get the most out of the system by using one of the on-screen program guides to ﬁnd the programs you want to watch.

To display the Master Guide:

q Press the MENU button to bring up the Main Menu. Then

highlight and select MASTER GUIDE from the menu.

Shortcut

You can select menu items directly by pressing the corresponding number button. For example, press 2 to select the Master Guide from the Main Menu.

MAIN MENU

MASTER GUIDE

EXIT

TIMER SETUP

CATEGORY GUIDE

MOVIES GUIDE

OPTIONS MENU

Note

To bring up the Custom Guide, press the GUIDE button on the remote control. See “Setting Up a List of Custom Stations” on page 54 for details.

Features of the program guide are discussed in more detail on the following pages.

CATEGORY LIST

MOVIES LIST

SETUP MENU

Features of the Program Guide

When you select a guide from the Main Menu or press the GUIDE button on the remote, a program guide appears, similar to the following:

Program Guide

Program

Description

Schedule Grid

MASTER GUIDE WED OCT 5 8:45 PM

First Knight

8:00 PM - 10:00 PM xxxx PG-13

8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PMWED

DTV 106

DTV 107

DTV 108

DTV 109

DTV 110

DTV 111

DTV 112

The Rainmaker

The Postman (lbx)

Spice World—All Day Ticket

First Knight

Wynonna in Concert

Mr. MagooMr. Magoo

Ellen—All...Ellen—All Day Ticket

Mouse HuntSwitchback

Program guides, such as the Master Guide shown above, feature a variety of elements, including:

q Program guide title, such as Master Guide, Custom Guide, Movie

Guide, Sports Guide, etc.

q Current day of the week, date and time.

Day, Date, Time

Station logo

Page Indicator

q Station logo (when available) and program description of the

currently highlighted station.

q One Button Recording of programs.

q Schedule grid, which includes:

Station names, numbers, and program titles. These appear in ascending numerical order from top to bottom (unless you have changed the listing to alphabetical order. See “Setting the Station Order” on page 47 for details).

Time slots. These appear left to right, with the current time’s programming in the leftmost position.

Page indicator. This shows you approximately which page you’re on, relative to all the pages in the guide. The size of the indicator is proportional to the overall size of the entire program guide.

Moving Through the Program Guide

The on-screen program guides are displayed only one page at a time. Because the program guide usually contains many pages, you need to move through the guide to see more of the programs contained in the guide. You can move by scrolling, paging, and direct station tuning.

Scrolling

Paging Vertically Through the Stations

Paging Through Later Program Start Times

To scroll, use the remote control to move the highlight one position at a time. You can scroll to different stations or time slots.

To move to other stations in the guide one station at a time:

q SAT-A4 : Move the joystick up or down.

q SAT-B3 : Press the up or down arrow buttons.

To move to other time slots in the guide:

q SAT-A4: Move the joystick left or right.

q SAT-B3: Press the left or right arrow buttons.

To page, use the PAGE buttons to move through the guide one page at a time. This allows you to move through the guide more quickly than scrolling.

To page through the guide:

q Press the PAGE or PAGE buttons.

The PAGE button pages in the up direction. The PAGE button pages in the down direction.

To display future time slots in the guide:

q Press the GUIDE button.

Pressing the GUIDE button repeatedly cycles through all the available time slots in the guide as they are made available by your program providers (for example, THU 3:00 PM, THU 10:00 PM, FRI 3:00 AM, etc.).

Direct Station Tuning

Note

To select a future program guide directly, press the MENU button and then select SELECT GUIDE/TIME. See page 31 for details.

To move to a station directly:

q Press the 0-9 buttons to specify the station number. Press the

ENTER button to change the station more quickly.

Displaying Favorite Stations

To see your favorite stations at the top of the program guide:

q Press the FAVORITE button.

Pressing the FAVORITE button repeatedly cycles through the stations currently set for the ﬁve Favorite Station Guides (FAVORITE 1, 2, 3, 4,

5), and then back to the normal guide.

Note

See page 37 for instructions on setting up your favorite stations.

Changing the Appearance of the Guide

Exiting the Guide

One Button Recording

To toggle through the three variations of program guide:

q Press the DISPLAY button repeatedly. (See “Using the DISPLAY

Feature” on page 41 for details.)

There are two ways to exit the program guide:

q Select a program from the guide by pressing the button. (See

“Selecting a Program from the Guide” on page 28 for details.)

q Press the EXIT button on the remote. You will be returned to the

last program you were watching before the program guide was displayed.

Setting up the IR Blaster (See “Connecting the IR Blaster” on page 18 for details) and the VCR (See “VCR Recording” on page 66 for details) will allow you to record a future program, simply and automatically, when selected from a guide and added to the timer.

Selecting a Program from the Guide

For all programs except pay per view (PPV), you can select a program from the guide just by pressing the button. If the program is currently showing, the guide disappears and the program you selected appears.

If the program has not yet started, a pop-up window appears, which gives you the option of adding the program to the Timer list, returning to the program guide, or tuning to the current program on that station. See “Setting Up the Timer” on page 35 for details on using the Timer.

Watching a PPV program is similar, except it requires you to order the program before you can watch it beyond the free preview period (usually about ﬁve minutes after the program starts).

Ordering Pay Per View Programs

Selecting RETURN returns you to the previous screen, without purchasing the program.

Selecting TIMES brings up a list of additional show times that you can choose

rom for the program you selected.

A PREVIEW button, which gives you a free preview of the program, appears only when the preview is available.

If the BUY button does not appear (and the message “Purchase information not available” appears), you must call your program provider to order the program in advance.

To order a PPV program listed in the program guide:

1 Highlight the program name in the guide and press the button. 2 Select BUY from the Purchase Program screen.

PURCHASE PROGRAM

First Knight WED OCT 5 XX 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM DTV 102 X X X X Rating:PG-13

Act. Adv. 1995 Richard Gere, Sean Connery, Julia Ormond.Thrillingromance results when rogue knight Lancelot becomes torn between his loyalty to King Arthur and his love for Queen Guinevere (CC, ST, (A, V)

Price/View:$2.99

RETURN

BUY

TIMES

HELP

3 When the Conﬁrm Purchase pop-up window appears, select YES

to conﬁrm your purchase. Selecting NO returns you to the Purchase Program screen, without purchasing the program.

To watch a PPV program you’ve purchased in advance, just tune to the station when the program is about to start. Your program providers will bill you automatically.

About Copy-Protection

Some PPV programs are copy-protected by Macrovision at the discretion of the copyright owner. When watching a PPV program, turn the VCR off to ensure a quality picture.

Selecting a Category List

The Category List displays programs alphabetically by program title, as opposed to the Guide format, which sorts the programs numerically by station number. A sample Movies List is shown below.

The buttons that appear for each program indicate start times.

For example, in this sample Movie List, “First Knight,” with a start time of 9:00PM, is highlighted.

To select a program, highlight the start time button and then press the button.

MOVIES LIST WED OCT 5 8:45 PM

First Knight

8:00 PM - 10:00 PM xxxx PG-13

10:30

Ellen—All Day Ticket

First Knight

Johnny Mnemonic Judge Dredd (Letterbox)

The Postman Spice World—All Day Ticket

Switchback

9 PM 9:30 10 PM

WED

To display a Category List, select MOVIES LIST from the Main Menu. To set up a different program category for the Category List, see “Selecting a Different Category Guide or List” on page 30.

To move to other programs in the list one program at a time:

q SAT-A4: Move the joystick up or down.

q SAT-B3: Press the up or down arrow buttons.

To move to other time slots in the list:

q SAT-A4: Move the joystick left or right.

q SAT-B3: Press the left or right arrow buttons.

To page through the list:

q Press the PAGE or PAGE buttons.

To toggle through the three variations of lists:

q Press the DISPLAY button repeatedly. (See “Using the DISPLAY

Feature” on page 41 for details.)

To exit the list:

q Select a program from the list by pressing the button.

q Press the EXIT button on the remote. You will be returned to the

last program you were watching before the list was displayed.

+ 67 hidden pages