Hughes Direct TV HTL-HD Receiver (1 Viewer)

[Dick Boneske]

My old Hughes E86 developed a problem where I could only get some satellite channels. Local and local digital worked great!

Direct TV replaced the E86 with the new Hughes HTL receiver. It appears to have picture quality as good as the E86, but lacks two things.

First, antenna channels had program guide info displayed with the E86--not with the new receiver.

Second, signal strength is displayed for the dish only, not antenna as the E86 did.

Can these problems be resolved, or were these features left out of the new receivers? The new manual is absolutely worthless!!

 

[Alan M]

I too had my E86 replaced by Directv for the HTL-HD.

As for your questions,local programming does show in my guide.Not sure why yours doesnt.Antenna strength I havent really checked,so not sure if theres a solution to this or not.

I agree,picture quality does seem as good as the E86.I did find that I could not access the stretch modes on the HTL.Directv sent me a uni remote that couldnt access them( I like using the stb stretch modes rather then the TV's).I did order one from an online source.
The manual is worth more in paper then the instructions are worth.The hughes division that made the E86,and the HTL is no longer in business.I'd give this reciever a 7 out of 10 and the manual a 0 out of 10.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Do you have the original remote for the HTL-HD. If so there may be a "signal strength" button on the remote, should be labelled "Signal". If you have this button it will bring up signal strength for satellite and local digital channels, but not for local analog channels.

The HTL-HD was built by LG, is a clone of the Sony HD-300, and is one of the best HD boxes around. I have it's predecessor, the Sony HD-200 and it's superior to the E-86 I struggled with for over a year in every respect.

If the GUI on the HTL-HD is like the other LG units, you need to go into the setup menu to get guide data for local channels to work.

Try this:

Press the "menu" button on the remote to bring up the setup menu. Click on "DirecTV", next click on "initial setup", then "channel setup". After clicking on "channel setup" you should see a screen that asks if you want local digital and analog channel guide data added to your guide. Click on "yes" and you will be asked to enter your zip code, once you do that you should start to get guide data for your locals. I seem to recall having to enter a zip code with the E-86 to get local guide data so this hasn't changed.

 

[Dick Boneske]

Thanks for the info. I will try the procedure you describe for getting local digital channel guide to work. I hope it does.

Direct TV sent a generic remote that does not allow access to the local digital antenna signal level. This is not nearly as important as the program guide.

Another anomaly I see with the HTL vs. the E86 is that one local digital channel, 38-1, often comes up with a "no signal" message. When going through automatic local digital channel programming, usually 38-1 does not enter. Then, I cannot access 38-1 at all. Signal strength with the E86 on this channel was 90-100%.

The RF remote feature is not possible on the HTL, either. I don't like this receiver as well as the E86. The one good thing is that it doesn't run nearly as hot as the E86.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Is there a chance that 38-1 is experiencing broadcast difficulties? Are all your other locals coming in as before?

My local PBS station always has "no signal" in the morning, only broadcasts digital in the evening.

I would call DirecTV and insist on an oem remote for your box, there's a lot of functionality missing without it.

 

[Alan M]

Hi guys,

When I recieved my HTL,it came with a uni remote also.

"I would call DirecTV and insist on an oem remote for your box, there's a lot of functionality missing without it."

I did just that,and was told they dont have the OEM remote.What I did was,order the OEM remote online from old remotes.com.Directv then credited my acc. for the cost of the OEM remote(I ordered it twice from directv and twice,they sent me the uni remote).
Hope this helps.

 

[Mike JL]

BTW - on the HTL-HD you can press the 'pause' button for direct access to the signal strength meter.