DIRECTV troubleshooting: Your guide to DIRECTV outages

About DIRECTV

DIRECTV is an American broadcast satellite service. With its headquarters located in El Segundo, Calif., DIRECTV has been providing direct satellite television and audio to households in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean since 1994. 

DIRECTV is known for its affordable, fast and broad satellite television services. Although it does not offer internet services, it partners with AT&T Internet and offers bundle packages. 

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Troubleshooting your DIRECTV service

When you first sign up for DIRECTV, you will receive a DIRECTV receiver. Like any electronic device, you may experience an outage in which the receiver may display error codes. These error codes are usually self-diagnosable, but users’ biggest challenge is in interpreting the various error codes. DIRECTV’s receiver is fitted with functionalities to help you understand what the error codes mean and how to diagnose them. 

Some of the most common error codes are 771, 203 and 775. Error code 771 is the most common error message that DIRECTV users experience. There are several reasons you can get the 771 message, usually involving a minor diagnosis of signal interruptions due to bad weather or electrical outage. This can usually be solved from your home by calling a technician. 

Error code 203 usually means that your service has been reduced due to a past due account or that your service has been interrupted for another reason. The only way to resolve an error 203 message is to contact customer service. Customer service providers can be reached at (800) 531-5000. 

If you receive error code 775, it usually means that you have a frozen screen. This could happen for various reasons such as the receiver having trouble communicating with the satellite or because of cable issues. Although most people end up calling customer service, you can easily solve this error by troubleshooting. 

You can troubleshoot your DIRECTV receiver by ensuring that the cables are connected firmly. The cables should not be loose and the wires should be connected correctly so that the right signals are sent between the receiver and the satellite dish. Lastly, you can unplug the SWiM Power inserter for 15 seconds and then plug it back in. 

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DIRECTV outages

There are several reasons for a DIRECTV outage. The most common error code that you might receive is 771 for an outage. Outages can occur due to bad weather such as thunderstorms or hurricanes, electrical outage or service outage in your area. 

There are several ways you can check for an outage in your area. You can call customer service to find out if there is an outage in your area. You can also log in to your DIRECTV account to check your account for outages in your specific area. 

Lastly, you can check the internet connection status by hitting the “menu” button on your remote control. After hitting the “menu” button, select “Help and setting” then “setup” to check your connection status. You can then select “network” and then “test connection” to receive an internet connection status update.  

Fixing an outage is usually simple. If you are experiencing slow connection, you can try troubleshooting by restarting your home network or unplugging your streaming device, waiting for 60 seconds, and then plugging it back in. If the problem continues, you can try to move your router to another location where there is a stronger internet signal.  

The easiest way to report a service outage is by calling the DIRECTV customer service line. A customer service representative will gather the information you provide about the service outage. After gathering the information, the representative may be able to provide the reasons for the outage and a timeframe for when the service will be restored. 

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Troubleshooting your DIRECTV equipment

Sometimes users may experience a slow connection or a disruption in service when there isn’t an outage in the area. If this is the case, then the best solution available is to check your equipment and troubleshoot.

How to troubleshoot DIRECTV receiver

DIRECTV problems can prevent you from watching your favorite shoes, enjoying downtime, or watching a game. Some of the most common problems associated with DIRECTV include the receiver not turning on, no DIRECTV picture or sound, no signal, the DIRECTV remote not working, or a slow DIRECTV receiver. 

If you are having problems with your DIRECTV equipment or if your router is showing the DIRECTV waiting for a receiver signal, then there are a few things you can do to troubleshoot. Here is how to troubleshoot your DIRECTV receiver. 

If your receiver isn’t turning on then there might be an issue with the power supply so you will want to check your receiver’s power supply. You can do this by pressing the power button on the front panel of your receiver while your TV is turned on. If your receiver does not turn on, unplug the cord from the back of your receiver and the electrical outlet, then securely plug it back into both ends. Press the power button on the front panel of your receiver again. If it still does not turn on, check your electrical outlet. 

If you think your electrical outlet is the issue, you can troubleshoot this by unplugging your receiver and plugging in another appliance that works. For example, you can plug in a lamp or a phone charger and see if these work. If you tested the electrical outlet and none of the other appliances work, then you can reset your electrical outlet by resetting the circuit breaker or pressing the reset button on your outlet.  If the appliance works, then the problem is your DIRECTV receiver and you should contact a technician. You can contact a technician by visiting DIRECTV’s support page and logging in to your account.  

DIRECTV remote troubleshooting: how to reset directv remote

If your DIRECTV remote is not working, the first thing you can do is make sure that the batteries are not dead. If the batteries are fine, then the remote probably lost connection to the receiver. In that case, the fastest way to fix a DIRECTV remote is to program your remote by pointing the remote at the receiver and pressing and holding the mute and enter button until the screen shows “Applying IR/RF Setup.” There are two types of DIRECTV remotes: the genie and universal. This issue is more common in the Genie remote than the universal. 

Troubleshooting your DIRECTV internet

DIRECTV provides internet service through its partnership with AT&T. Users who bundle their satellite and internet services may experience internet outage. If you bundled and are looking for DIRECTV internet troubleshooting, you can locate the ATT customer service page for more information on outages.  

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DIRECTV troubleshooting FAQs

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