Samsung SIR-T165 can't get ch. 1-1

[daveo]

I recently bought the Samsung SIR-T165 set top box in hopes of seeing the NCAA Tournament in High Def.  WDJT is the CBS affiliate in Milwaukee, and it broadcasts on channel 1-1.  

To my dismay, I have discovered that this box will not scan channel 1 or 1-1.  When I do a scan of all channels (called "memorize" on the Samsung menu), this box scans up to channel 69 and then skips directly to 2.  I also cannot go to channel 1.  If I press "1" on the remote, it waits for a second number, then goes back to the channel it was on without trying to search for a signal on channel 1.  The "Add/Delete" channel function does not help either, as you have to first tune in the channel you want in order to "add" it.

The Samsung people tell me that channel 1 is not a valid VHF/UHF channel, so the box is working correctly.

I have a friend who has the SIR-T151 box and he gets 1-1 just fine - in fact, he called me during the MU v. Kansas game to tell me he had the game in High Def (he lives about 2 miles away from me, so it is not an antenna or signal strength issue).  

If anyone has any advice, it would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.:bang:

[jlegge]

We watched channel 1-1 here during the championship game in high def on that very box.

Have you tried typing in channel 46-1 or seeing if this channel was scanned in when you did the search?

[daveo]

Thanks for your reply.  I did buy the box at Flanners and called for tech support but did not get much assistance.  

I did try to tune in channel 46 (there is no way to add the -1 with my remote that I can find).  The box would attempt to scan that channel for several seconds and then show static on the screen.  When I scan for channels, it searches 46 and then states "no signal".

Attempting to tune channel 1 behaves differently.  pressing 1 on the remote displays 1 in the right hand corner of the screen for about 5 seconds, then returns you to the channel you were on previously.  It behaves as if 1 is not a valid option.  When I scan for channels, the scan jumps from 69 to 2, it does not even attempt to scan channel 1.

I called Samsung Tech Support, and they tell me that over the air VHF and UHF only supports channels 2-69, so 1 should not be an option for over the air scanning.  They say that if I used cable, then 1 would be a valid option.  

My neighbor has a Samsung SIR-T151 and is getting this to work just fine over the air.  

When you watched the game on channel 1-1 at Flanners were you getting channel 58s digital signal over the air, or through a cable?

Thanks again for your time.

[Pat]

While I can imagine entering a 1 directly might not work, I'm pretty sure it would receive the channel, since its really 46 and the "1" is for display only.

I suggest you take the box over to your neighbor's house and see what happens using his antenna.  There are some really crappy antennas being sold -- maybe you have one.

[Riktar]

And if you figure out how it's done let me know. I just picked up a SIR-T165 and want to try and get 1.1 as well!

[mhz40]

If you tried this past weekend, 1-1 was off-the-map to accomodate the multicast NCAA feeds...
MHz40

[daveo]

I finally did get channel 1-1 to work and it turned out to be an antenna/signal strength issue.  I have a HD antenna in the attic of my two story home.  The antenna was installed by a professional who adjusted it to recieve Milw stations as strongly as possible, but it is not possible for me to adjust the direction now (it is fixed).  I was splitting the signal from this antenna to 4 TVs in the house for several months before getting Cable TV.  During this time with the signal split, I could not get a strong enough signal to tune in 1-1 (channel 46).  After I got cable, I plugged the antenna directly into the HD reciever without the signal being split at all and I was able to re-scan and get 1-1.  It is still the weakest signal that I get (about 10-20% signal strength) but it does tune 1-1 now.  

So, antenna adjustments or signal boosting (no splitting) might help.  I still find the inability to directly tune to 1-1 on this HD box very frustrating.  The channel scan did not find a signal on 46, but I wanted this box to try scanning that channel for a several minutes and was not able to do that.  I think it is odd that a channel called 58 would be on digital channel 46 and then chose a HD identifier like 1-1 that some boxes cannot even tune to directly!  

Anyway, hope this helps others - best of luck.