GE GRD33G3A manual

Satellite Receiver User’s Guide GRD33G3A W e bring good things to life.[...]

SAFETY INFORMA TION Do not stack electronic components or other objects on top of the DSS Receiver . The slots on top of the receiver must be left uncovered to allow proper airflow to the unit. Blocking the airflow to the unit could impair performance or damage your receiver and other components. Do not stack the DSS receiver on top of a “hot com[...]

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 First Things First ........................................................... 3 What is the DSS® System? ............................................................ 4 Ordering DSS® Programming ...................................................... 4 Unpacking the Box ..........................................................[...]

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 DSS ® is a registered trademark of DIRECTV , Inc., a unit of GM Hughes Electronics More Features ............................................................. 27 Pay-Per -View Programs ................................................................ 28 Using the Attractions Guide ................................................[...]

FIRST THINGS FIRST 3 Read the First Four Sections The first four sections of the manual introduce you to your DSS ® system, and show you how to use the on-screen guides and menus. Reading these sections gives you the basic information you need to navigate the DSS ® system. Lists & Limits The fifth section of the book introduces you to the Lis[...]

FIRST THINGS FIRST 4 When you order programming, you need to know your Access Card number . T o get the number , select Options from the Main menu, and then select System T est. Wait for the system to run all of it’ s tests. The Access Card number is displayed at the end of the system test. Write the Access Card number in the space below for easy[...]

FIRST THINGS FIRST 5 Unpacking the Box The following items come with your DSS ® receiver: • Receiver (with access card inserted) • Remote Control ON/OFF DISPLAY ANTENNA MENU SELECT Receiver REC STOP PLAY FAV • INPUT PREV CH DISPLAY GUIDE MENU • SELECT CLEAR 0 8 79 5 46 CHAN 2 13 ANT MUTE ALT AUD ALT VCR DSS TV OFF • ON REW FF PAUSE FETCH[...]

FIRST THINGS FIRST 6 Using This Manual There are a couple of conventions used in this manual that might help you read it. • W ords that appear in ALL CAPS indicate the name of a button. • The names of on-screen menu option are shown in italics . Impor tant Note about This User’s Manual This manual assumes that your DSS ® system has been inst[...]

7 POINT AND SELECT ➣ ➣ ➣ PROGRAM GUIDES FIRST THINGS FIRST ➣ A Navigation Method Point and Select is a method of navigating through the menu system and program guides. Once you know how to point and select, you can explore the menus to learn more about how your DSS ® system works. LISTS & LIMITS 1 2 3 4 THE MENU SYSTEM 5 POINT AND SELE[...]

8 POINT AND SELECT MENU•SELECT What is Point and Select? Point and Select is the two-step method you use to control the DSS ® system. 1. Point Y ou point by pressing the ar row keys on the remote or front panel. Pressing the arrow keys moves the on-screen highlight to different items in the Program Guide and the menu screens. Pressing an arrow o[...]

PROGRAM GUIDES 9 ➣ FIRST THINGS FIRST What is a Pr ogram Guide? A program guide is an on-screen programming schedule. There are several types of guides, each presenting the schedule in a different format. Using Program Guides is easy as long as you remember the Point and Select rule. Point to items on the screen by pressing the arrow keys on the [...]

PROGRAM GUIDES 10 Bringing Up the Pr ogram Guides Y ou can access the program guides by using the GUIDE button on the remote, or by selecting Program Guide from the Main menu. When you press the GUIDE button on the remote, the Grid Guide appears on-screen. The Grid Guide is one type of program guide. Using A Pr ogram Guide There are several ways to[...]

PROGRAM GUIDES 11 Scr olling Page By Page If you want to scroll up or down through the Program Guide faster , press the Channel Up/Down buttons on the remote control. The highlight scrolls a page at a time. This is called “paging.” T uning to a Program T o tune to a program listed in the guide, point to the program and press MENU•SELECT . The[...]

PROGRAM GUIDES 12 T ypes of Pr ogram Guides There are three types of program guides: the Grid Guide, the Channel Guide, and the Attractions Guide. The Grid Guide Shows the schedule in a time-and-channel format, similar to a TV schedule listed in a newspaper . The seven-channel Grid Guide. The Channel Guide Displays the programming schedule in a cha[...]

PROGRAM GUIDES 13 The Attractions Guide Displays coming attractions and special events information. The Attractions guide. Sor ting the Grid Guide There are six on-screen choices—called “buttons”— at the bottom of the Grid Guide: down arrow , Movies, Sports, Other , All, and Sort. The Sorting buttons are at the bottom of the screen. Down Ar[...]

PROGRAM GUIDES 14 Using the Sor ting Buttons The remaining buttons at the bottom of the guide are called “sorting buttons.” These buttons allow you to simplify the guide to show specific types of information such as movies, or sports. The Movies button lists movies only . After selecting Movies, point to the Theme button that appears and press [...]

PROGRAM GUIDES 15 Using the Themes Button After you select one of the sorting buttons, the name of that button changes into the Themes button. Use the Themes button to further sort the Grid or Info Guide to show subtopics (“themes”). For example, you could simplify the guide to show “baseball” under the Sports sorting button, or “comedies[...]

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THE MENU SYSTEM 17 ➣ ➣ PROGRAM GUIDES FIRST THINGS FIRST ➣ THE MENU SYSTEM ➣ LISTS & LIMITS What is a Menu? The DSS ® menu is a list of choices, just like a menu in a restaurant. And, just as a restaurant menu is divided into sections such as appetizers, entrees, and desserts, the on-screen menus are also separated into sections to hel[...]

THE MENU SYSTEM 18 Using the Menu System T o bring up the Main Menu, press MENU•SELECT on the remote. The Main Menu. T o use the menu system, you need to know the Point and Select rule. Use the arrows on the remote to point to an item on the screen, and then press MENU•SELECT to select it. Exit and Help There are Exit and Help buttons at the to[...]

THE MENU SYSTEM 19 Menu Descriptions This section briefly describes each of the available Main Menu options. Detailed information about each menu is included in the sections of the manual which describe each menu. Program Guide Shows the on-screen programming schedule options. Mailbox Use to read your mail messages. Purchases Use to review or cance[...]

THE MENU SYSTEM 20[...]

LISTS & LIMITS 21 ➣ ➣ PROGRAM GUIDES FIRST THINGS FIRST ➣ THE MENU SYSTEM ➣ LISTS & LIMITS Contr olling The System The Lists & Limits feature puts you in control of your DSS ® viewing by letting you create channel lists and set ratings and spending limits which can be password protected. Especially for Par ents Y ou can set up [...]

LISTS & LIMITS 22 An Over view When you select Lists & Limits from the Main Menu, the first screen you see is the Ratings Limit screen. By moving down through the other options, you can set per -event spending limits, create favorite channels lists, and also lock the system by assigning a password. Setting the Ratings Limit The Ratings Limi[...]

LISTS & LIMITS 23 Setting Up Spending Limits Use the Spending Limit option to indicate a per -event spending limit for pay-per -view programs. 1. Point to Spending Limit , and press MENU•SELECT . Set a per -event spending limit. 2. Use the arrow keys to enter a single-event spending limit. After a spending limit is set and the system is locke[...]

LISTS & LIMITS 24 1. Point to Channel Lists and press MENU•SELECT . Select a Favorite channel list to edit. 2. Point to a channel list option and press MENU•SELECT . Channels containing a checkmark are included in the channel list . 3. Use the arrow keys to point to a channel, and press MENU•SELECT to remove (or replace) the check mark. A[...]

LISTS & LIMITS 25 Parent Appr oved Channel List The Parent Apprv channel list enables you to limit access to channels by creating a list of acceptable channels, and then locking the system. When the system is locked, the Parent Apprv list overrides all other channel lists, and requires that you enter the four -digit system password to view an u[...]

LISTS & LIMITS 26 2. Use the arrows or the digit keys to enter a four -digit system password. 3. Enter the password a second time to confirm it. After the system has been locked, you must enter the correct password in order to access the Lists & Limits menu, so Don’t Forget Y our Password! If you do forget your password, contact your prog[...]

MORE FEA TURES 27 Up to this point in the manual, you’ve learned how to use the on-screen program guides, how to get around in the menu system, and how to use the Lists & Limits feature. This section highlights the rest of the features offered by your DSS ® system, including the following: • Pay-Per -View Programs • The T imer Feature ?[...]

MORE FEA TURES 28 Pay-Per-View Programs Pay-per -view programs (PPV) are programs that you purchase on an event-by-event basis. For instance, there might be a specific channel that runs nothing but previews for movies. After previewing the movie, you can purchase it or find out more details about it. PPV programs can also be found in the Program Gu[...]

MORE FEA TURES 29 Using the Pr ogram Guide for PPV Programs When you use the Program Guide to select a PPV program, the Program Details screen gives you a few more options. Use the Program Guide to get to the Program Details screen. Select View Channel to see go to that channel and view a program preview (if a preview is available). Select Channel [...]

MORE FEA TURES 30 Using the Pur chases Menu The Purchases menu allows you to review upcoming and past purchases. The Purchases menu shows you upcoming or past purchases. The list of purchases may be longer than one screen; use the down arrow keys to see more items. The display also shows the title, channel, date, time, and cost of each program. •[...]

MORE FEA TURES 31 Timer Feature The T imer feature allows you to preset your system to automatically tune to a particular channel at a predetermined time. T o use the T imer feature, select T imers from the main menu to bring up the T imers screen. Select a T imer (1, 2, 3, or 4) and then use the arrow keys to complete the on-screen sentence. When [...]

MORE FEA TURES 32 Using Fetch Press the FETCH button on the remote to bring up the current channel list. Then Point and Select a channel from the fetch list (just as you would from the Grid Guide). The Fetch menu gives you a logo-based channel list. The Mailbox The mailbox shows you messages that are sent—or “mailed”— from your program prov[...]

MORE FEA TURES 33 Checking your mail Select Mailbox on the Main menu to view your mail. 1. Point to a message and press MENU•SELECT . The message is opened for you to read. The Mail menu. 2. Press MENU•SELECT again to close the letter . After you read a message and want to erase it, point to Erase and press MENU•SELECT . When you exit the dis[...]

MORE FEA TURES 34 Alter nate Audio Pr ograms Alternate Audio allows you to select different audio programs (when available) to be played with the video. For example, audio broadcast in a second language may be available for certain programs. There are two ways to change the audio: • Press AL T AUD on the remote. • Point to Alternate Audio from [...]

MORE FEA TURES 35 System T est The System T est display screen is accessed through the Options menu, and allows you to initiate diagnostic procedures on the DSS ® system. Y ou should use this feature to get your Access Card number , or when your receiver doesn’ t seem to be working correctly . There are four separate tests: signal, tuning, phone[...]

MORE FEA TURES 36 Auto Help Most menus contain a short description of that menu. Help Buttons Help buttons appear in many display screens. T o see information about the display screen you are using, point to the Help button and press MENU•SELECT . Press MENU• SELECT again to remove the message from the screen. Menu Help Select About DSS from th[...]

CONNECTIONS 37 Things to Know Befor e Connecting Components Protect Y our Components from Power Surges • Connect all components before plugging any power cords into the wall outlet. • Always turn off the DSS ® receiver , TV and other components before you connect or disconnect any cables. Position Cables Correctly to A void Audio Hum or Interf[...]

CONNECTIONS 38 Connecting Y our DSS ® Receiver to Y our TV If your DSS ® system has not been professionally installed, or if you move your system or add a component, refer to these pages to help you connect your system. Jacks and Cables S-Video Jack and Cable (S-VHS) The S-Video jack provides the best picture quality for your DSS ® system. This [...]

CONNECTIONS 39 Choosing a Connection The following pages show four examples of hookups commonly used to connect the DSS ® receiver with a TV and other components. Refer to your TV and VCR Owner’ s Manuals for more information on hooking up your specific components. Connection A Provides the best possible picture and stereo audio quality . T o us[...]

CONNECTIONS 40 CAUTION Do not stack electronic components or other objects on top of the DSS ® receiver . See Safety Information, inside front cover . Connection A Best Picture and Sound Quality T o use this connection you must have: • TV with separate RF , audio/video, and S-V ideo inputs (jacks) • VCR with RF inputs and outputs (jacks) • C[...]

CONNECTIONS 41 Connection B V er y Good Picture and Sound Quality T o use this connection you must have: • TV with separate RF and audio/video inputs (jacks) • VCR with RF and audio/video inputs • Coaxial and audio/video cables T o connect TV , VCR and antenna or cable box. 1. Connect coaxial cables as shown. 2. Connect audio/video cables as [...]

CONNECTIONS 42 Connection C Good Pictur e and Sound Quality T o use this connection you must have: • TV with RF input (jack) • VCR with RF and audio/video inputs • Coaxial and audio/video cables T o connect TV , VCR, and antenna or cable box. 1. Connect coaxial cables and audio/video cables as shown. T o r eceive DSS ® programming: • T une[...]

CONNECTIONS 43 Connection D Good Picture and Sound Quality T o use this connection you must have: • TV with RF input • Coaxial cables T o connect TV and antenna or cable box: 1. Connect coaxial cables as shown. T o receive DSS ® pr ogramming: • T une TV to channel 3 or 4 (depending on how you set the CH3/CH4 switch on the back of the DSS ® [...]

CONNECTIONS 44 Interactive Setup If you self-installed your satellite dish, you may have already used the interactive setup to find the dish pointing coordinates, acquire and fine-tune the signal, and run a system test. If you need to run the interactive setup again, go to the Assistance menu and select Setup . If you just want to check your dish p[...]

REFERENCE 45 DSS ® System Over view Although the DSS ® system is simple to use, there are a number of parts in the system. Don’ t be overwhelmed. This section explains how these different parts work together to bring a picture to your screen. Contr ols and Buttons This section also describes the controlls located on the front and back of the re[...]

REFERENCE 46 Uplink Center Authorization Center Satellite Satellite Dish Antenna Par ts of the DSS ® System One way to understand the DSS ® system is to look at the different parts of the system—from the studio down to the DSS ® receiver and remote control in your living room. W orld View These parts make up the DSS ® system “big picture.?[...]

REFERENCE 47 Home View These parts are inside of or attached to your house. DSS ® Satellite Dish Picks up the satellite’ s coded program information and relays it to your DSS ® receiver . (Y our satellite dish may be installed in different locations on or around your house. The satellite dish must, however , be pointed in a southern direction t[...]

REFERENCE 48 Contr ols and Buttons This part of the Reference sections discusses the controls and buttons located on the receiver and the remote control. ON/OFF DISPLAY ANTENNA MENU SELECT Front Panel Contr ols ON/OFF T urns the DSS ® receiver’ s power on or off. DISPLA Y Brings up the on-screen channel marker . ANTENNA Switches the source of th[...]

REFERENCE 49 Back Panel IN FROM ANT Use to connect an off-air antenna or cable TV signal to the DSS ® system. OUT TO TV Use to connect the DSS ® receiver to your TV . However , if your TV has audio/video jacks, you should use those jacks to get better picture and sound quality . CH3/CH4 SWITCH If a coaxial cable is used to connect the DSS ® rece[...]

REFERENCE 50 REC STOP PLAY FAV • INPUT PREV CH DISPLAY GUIDE MENU • SELECT CLEAR 0 8 79 5 46 CHAN 2 13 ANT MUTE ALT AUD ALT VCR DSS TV OFF • ON REW FF PAUSE FETCH VOL Remote Contr ol Buttons OFF•ON T urns the device you are controlling on or off. TV T ells the remote to control the TV . VCR T ells the remote to control the VCR. AL T T ells [...]

REFERENCE 51 After you program the remote to control your TV , record your TV code here for easy reference. ANT Lets you switch the source of the video signal from DSS ® satellite signals to an off-air antenna or cable signal. TRANSPORT Buttons (REW , STOP , PLA Y , FF , P AUSE, REC) Use when controlling an auxiliary device, such as a VCR or Laser[...]

REFERENCE 52 After you program the remote to control your VCR, record your VCR code here for easy reference. After you program the remote to control a fourth device, record your AL T code here for easy reference. This remote may not operate all models of the brands that are shown. Use the codes shown in this manual, or on the sheet packed with your[...]

REFERENCE 53 Programming the Remote to Contr ol a Cable Box 1. T urn on the cable box. 2. Look up your brand and its code number(s) in code list on page 55. 3. Press and hold the AL T button. 4. Press and release the DSS ® button. 5. Enter the three-digit code from the code list. 6. Release the AL T button and press ON•OFF or CHAN UP or DOWN to [...]

REFERENCE 54 Remote Codes TV Codes Realistic ............................................... 021 Sampo ......................................... 011, 027 Samsung ............ 006, 011, 014, 015, 019, 027, 036, 037, 077 Sanyo .......... 017, 021, 039, 056, 057, 058 Scott .................................... 028, 037, 064 Sears .......... 000, 006, 0[...]

REFERENCE 55 VCR Codes Cable Box Codes ABC .............................. 022, 046, 053, 054 Anvision ...................................... 007, 008 Cablestar ..................................... 007, 008 Diamond ............................................. 056 Eagle ............................................ 007, 008 Eastern Int. ............[...]

REFERENCE 56 Glossar y The following is a list of terms used in this manual. There is also a glossary contained within the Assistance menu of your DSS ® system. Access Card Identifies you to the DSS ® service providers and is required for your DSS ® system to work. Do not remove the access card except when a new card has been issued to replace t[...]

REFERENCE 57 Main Menu The first list of choices in the DSS ® on-screen menu system. Press the MENU button on the remote or front panel to bring up the Main menu. Past Purchases Detailed list of the programs that you have already purchased and viewed. Point and Select The method of using the remote control (or front panel) buttons to navigate to a[...]

REFERENCE 58 T roubleshooting The DSS ® System T est allows you to run a basic diagnostics check on your DSS ® system. If you are experiencing any trouble with your system, run the system test. Make sure that • All connections—jacks, cables, etc. are correctly in place. See Connecting Y our DSS ® Receiver , page 46, for more information. •[...]

59 APPENDIX A: WARRANTY INFORMA TION T oll-Free T elephone Product Help Y ou can reach Thomson Consumer Electronics at the following number: 1-800-679-4776 (T oll free inside U.S.A.) Our toll-free DSS ® System number operates from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. EST on weekdays and 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. EST Saturday and Sunday . Thomson provides a toll[...]

60 APPENDIX A: WARRANTY INFORMA TION What we will do: • During the initial 90 days: Exchange the defective portion of your DSS ® with a new or , at our option, refurbished unit and correct any basic installation defects at no cost to you. • After the 90 days and within one year: Exchange the defective portion of your DSS ® with a new or , at [...]

61 APPENDIX A: WARRANTY INFORMA TION T o receive a r eplacement receiver after we have received your unit: • W rite the RA number on the outside of the carton used to return the unit. Make sure you insure your shipment in case of damage or loss. • Carefully pack the unit using the original box and packing material if possible. Please retain all[...]

62 - APPENDIX B: FCC REGULA TIONS FCC Registration Infor mation Y our DSS ® equipment is register ed with the Federal Communications Commission and is in compliance with parts 15B and 68, FCC Rules and Regulations. 1. Notification to the Local T elephone Company . On the bottom of this equipment is a label indicating among other information, the F[...]

63 APPENDIX C: ACCESSORIES Audio/V ideo Cables Accessory Order Form for GE DSS ® Models Price Part No. T otal Description RG-6 Coaxial Cable 12 feet D912 $12.95 25 feet D925 $15.95 50 feet D950 $21.95 75 feet D975 $29.95 100 feet D901 $29.95 Stereo Audio/V ideo Cable 6 feet D906 $12.95 12 feet D914 $14.95 S-V ideo Cable D913 $12.95 “F” Connect[...]

64 APPENDIX C: ACCESSORIES T o order accessories, follow the instructions below to order by telephone. United States and Canadian Orders T o place your order by phone, have your Visa or MasterCard ready and call the toll-free number listed below between 8 AM and 8 PM Eastern Standard T ime. Use this number only to place an order for accessory items[...]

65 INDEX A Access Card 47 new card setup 35 Access Card number 4 AL T AUD button 34 Alternate audio programs 34 Arrow keys 8 Attractions Guide 13, 29 Audio/video jacks 38 Auto Help 36 B Back Panel controls 49 AUDIO (R and L) 49 IN FROM ANT 49 OUT TO TV 49 PHONE JACK 49 S-VIDEO 49 SA TELLITE IN 49 VIDEO 49 WIDE BAND DA T A port 49 Batteries installi[...]

100% RECYCLED P APER MINIMUM 50% POST CONSUMER Thomson Consumer Electronics is one of the first corporations to take part in a special program to improve our environment. Thomson has committed itself to a voluntary initiative program through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency . The program’ s purpose is to reduce toxic air emissions and to [...]