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From wiring your system to advanced tips and tricks to make you a Star Choice system expert.

Tech Central » Pay Per View

Pay Per View

When your Star Choice receiver is installed, it should be connected to the phone line and activated for ordering Pay Per View with your remote.

But once in a while, you may encounter problems ordering Pay Per View on your remote. We need to activate Pay Per View on your system. If this hasn't been done, you'll need to call us to help you set it up. At times, if you've had a power surge or another major technical problem, the receiver's memory can be erased. If this happens, you'll need to call us to activate Pay Per View again.

Activate Pay Per View

How can you tell? When you try to order a movie, you get the prompt to call your service provider about your account.

Common problems and solutions

Just a default
Phone Home
Re-establishing the connection
Can't order Pay Per View
Technical problems
Signal Loss
I ordered by phone, but the movie isn't showing

Just a default

Sometimes your system can go into default. When this happens, if you try to order a movie, you'll get the message that the Instant Pay Per View requires updating.

This happens when your receiver stops talking to us.

Your receiver is programmed to call us regularly. If it can't connect for 30 days, or if you have purchased four movies or an event and it can't connect, it will go into default, preventing any new Pay Per View purchases.

That loss of connection could be caused by a number of reasons. The most common is that the receiver has been disconnected from the phone or there is a problem with the line. It could also happen if payment on your account is overdue.

Phone home

Make sure your receiver is always plugged into a phone jack. It must be an ordinary phone line, not a cell phone, party line or data line.

The receiver needs a plain dial tone to work. Do you have voice mail or call messaging on your phone? The receiver won't be able to call when there is a message waiting.

At times, customers will find they are billed for movies long after they have watched them. That's because the receiver will store all Pay Per View purchases until it has a chance to report them to us.

When connection is re-established, the receiver will call us with your purchases.

Re-establishing the connection

If your receiver has gone into default mode, you can try to re-establish the connection. To do this, you have to help it call us.

You can do this directly from the Pay Per View requires updating screen. Just press the right arrow key.

Or, On the DSR207, DSR317, DSR505, DSR530 press OPTIONS, then go to System Setup (6), System Settings (4), Installation Settings (3), Reportback (3) and choose START.

On the legacy receivers, go to the Options menu. Press System Status (6), then System Settings (4).

At the bottom right of the screen, you'll see the RPTback, short for Reportback. Use the right arrow key to highlight RPTback. This gets the process started.
Look for the box that says Modem Status.
If it says No Dial Tone Detected, you'll have to determine why the receiver isn't hearing a dial tone. Is it plugged in to the phone jack? Is it a solid tone, not a beeping tone voice mail? Is there a computer modem or fax machine that may be interfering with the line? Fix the problem and try again.

Once you have a dial tone, it will say On hook. Waiting for Carrier means it's dialing. When it connects, you'll briefly see Waiting for Response. Finally Reportback Successful. This means it has re-established connection. You should now be able to order your Pay Per View movie.

If it does not say that, you'll have to call us.

Can't order Pay Per View

What message are you getting when you try to order a movie? If it says to contact your service provider, the receiver has lost some stored information. You'll have to call us.

If it says that your Instant Pay Per View requires updating, there could be a problem with how your receiver calls us. The receiver could have disconnected from the phone or there could be problem with the line. Here's how to try and solve the problem.

Make sure your receiver is always plugged into a phone jack.
It must be an ordinary phone line, not a cell phone, party line or data line.

Check the dial tone.
The receiver needs a plain dial tone to work. If you have voice mail on your phone, the receiver won't be able to call when there is a message waiting.

On the DSR207, DSR317, DSR505, DSR530 press OPTIONS, then go to System Setup (6), System Settings (4), Installation Settings (3), Reportback (3) and choose START. On the legacy receivers, go to the Options Menu. Press System Status (6) and then System Settings (4). At the bottom right of the screen, you'll see the RPTback or Reportback. Use the right arrow key to highlight the RPTback. This gets the process started.

Look for the box that says Modem Status. If it says No Dial Tone Detected, you'll have to determine why the receiver isn't hearing a dial tone. Is it plugged in to the phone jack? Is it a solid tone, not a beeping tone voice mail? Is there a computer modem or fax machine that may be interfering with the line? Fix the problem and try again.
Once you have a dial tone, it will say On hook. Waiting for Carrier means it's dialing. When it connects, you'll briefly see Waiting for Response. Finally Reportback Successful. This means it has re-established connection.

You should now be able to order your Pay Per View movie. If you can't, call 1 866 STAR PPV and talk to a customer service representative.
- What type of receiver you have.
- What steps you have been through to try and fix the problem.

Technical problems

Occasionally, customers experience problems with the audio or video of some Pay Per View movies or events. Generally, it's minor and does not affect your enjoyment of the movie. This is a problem at source. It not related to your signal or system set-up.

If this occurs, call us at 1 866 STAR PPV to let us know about the problem as soon as possible.

If you lose the picture altogether, even for short time, it could be a signal loss issue.

Learn about signal loss

Signal Loss

Did your movie or event suddenly go off the air? It could be a problem with signal loss. Check the satellite icon on your receiver. Is it red? Are you getting a "Please Wait a Moment" prompt on the screen.

The information from the satellite isn't getting to your receiver. There could be a number of reasons. Here's how to sort through them.

Go to your options menu to bring up the satellite signal strength counter. On the DSR207, DSR317, DSR505 or DSR530. Press OPTIONS, then Go to System Setup(6). Then click on System Settings (4). Installation Settings (3) and then Tune-in Satellite Signal (1). On the legacy units, press OPTIONS button then choose Change System Settings(4) Change Installation settings (3),) and then Satellite signal (1). Click Installation settings (6), then Tune-in Satellite (3) and then Satellite signal (1). What's the number? If it's less than 5, the problem is probably the connections inside your home. Read No. 6 for help. If it's between about 25 and 70, the problem is probably signal interference of some sort.

What's the weather like? Very thick clouds, heavy rain or snow can cause interference with your signal. Remember any severe weather between your dish and our satellites, located above the equator, can cause signal loss. The good news is it is almost always short-lived. The best plan is to wait a while.

Look at the dish. Is if covered with snow or leaves? If so, gently clear it off with a broom, providing the dish is accessible and you can do this safely.

Look from the dish due south? Is there anything that may be interfering with the signal? A tree? New construction?

Have you had a storm with wind? Have you noticed a weakening of signal strength for a while? This could indicate that the dish has lost its alignment. It's been knocked off the angle it needs to be on to receive the strongest signals. You'll need to arrange for an installer to come and re-align your dish.

Check the co-ax connection on the receiver. Disconnect and then reconnect the cable that comes from the wall and goes to the receiver. Make sure it is connected to the right jack. It's the one on the left side of the receiver next to the satellite icon.

If you've been through the list and you can't determine why you have signal loss, call our customer service representatives at 1 866 STAR-WEB (7827-932) as soon as possible.
- What components you have.
- What Pay Per View event you were watching and what time you lost the signal.
- All of the steps you've been through to try and solve the problem yourself.

I ordered by phone, but the movie isn't showing

First, check to make sure your system is operating properly. Try viewing other channels. If they work, then you know the problem must be with Pay Per View specifically.

If there seems to be a general problem with your system, you'll want to learn about signal loss or connections.

Learn about signal loss
Learn about connections

If the problem is with Pay Per View, chances are there was a problem with the way we told your receiver about the purchase. Please call us right away at 1 866 STAR-WEB (7827-932) and let us know. We'll work to get it fixed right away.

You may want to consider hooking up a phone line to your receiver so you have access to Instant Pay Per View through your remote control. Not only is this easier, but you will save the service fees charged for using the phone system or Customer Service Representative.