Are your DIRECTV DVR recordings cutting off? Here’s what you can do

It’s really frustrating when you go to watch a show only to find a partial recording. This is bound to happen once in a while due to scheduling issues; even though the DVR is constantly getting new information, it’s always possible that something changes too late and your DVR doesn’t get it in time. Sporting events run long, there are emergency special reports, that sort of thing.

If it’s happening to you more than once in a while, though, something’s wrong. Here’s what you can do.

Pad recordings

You can change your recording defaults to always add a little bit of time onto recordings. Press LIST, then arrow up to Recording Manager. Arrow all the way down to Typical Recording Preferences. You won’t see this menu at first; you’ll have to arrow all the way down to see it. Press SELECT and change “Stop” from “On-Time” to whatever you want it to be.

Reset your DVR twice in a row

Sometimes this problem is solved with a simple reset. Find the reset button –it may be located behind a spring-loaded door on the front– and push it. Keep in mind in a Genie system you will have to go to the main DVR, not just the box in front of the TV. This will disrupt TV viewing for everyone, not just you. Wait 5-10 minutes, after which time you should be back on live TV. Then push the reset button again.

If your DVR goes into some sort of hard drive test or takes more than 15 minutes to reset, that’s a good thing because it means errors were found and are being fixed. Even if you don’t see something like this, you could have just fixed the problem. Rebooting the DVR runs a number of routine tests and rebooting twice in 30 minutes clears out system caches that could be making things worse for you. Sometimes that’s all it takes.

Check your signal strength

Press MENU and then go to Settings, Satellite, and choose “View Signal Strength.” Check the signal levels for every satellite. Some of the numbers may be zeroes, that’s normal. The numbers that aren’t zeroes should all be in the 80s and 90s on a sunny day. If they’re not, then your dish might be out of alignment. If you’re missing recordings in a particular time of the day, you might run the test at the same time if you can. It could be that leaves or some other obstructions are only in the way of your dish at that time.

If you need to re-aim the dish, you can do it yourself with time and patience, or you can call and get a tech to do it for you.

If everything else looks good…

This can be a sign of a dying DVR. It might be time for a new one. Generally, it’s not hard to get a replacement at a discounted price. You might be asked to sign a new two-year commitment, but otherwise the price should be fairly reasonable. You might be eligible for an upgrade to the latest equipment, too… and the only way to know for sure is to call Solid Signal at 888-233-7563 and talk to the experts. It’s the perfect, no-obligation way to find out exactly what you’re eligible to get. Our team makes it easy and can help you get the equipment you deserve so you never miss recordings again.

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.