Brand new here, googling my problem and found this forum. I have an old 622 receiver and use an antenna to receive HD local channels. Lately we've been having trouble recording shows that we receive via antenna. The strength meter shows a strong signal but we have severe signal loss when we try to watch the recorded shows. Is is time to just endure the cost and upgrade to a hopper or is there something I can look at/try with my current receiver? Thanks in advance for any help.
Trouble with recording over the air channels
- Thread starter MLee
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I think your disk is about to fail. Get an EHD immediately and offload any programs you can't afford to lose.
The protection plan is cheaper than an upgrade and will get you a refurbished DVR for the cost of shipping.
I'm sorry, but with the current box being a ViP622, I think an upgrade is in order. Is it the only box? I suggest looking at a Hopper (HWS) all the same, as it could be hard to guarantee an upgrade will be specifically to a ViP722K. Those ViP622 boxes are long in the tooth and have had their share of hardware problems. The Hopper series HW seems good and SW problems can be fixed.
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Thanks for the quick responses. Recordings of dish channels seem to be fine, every so often a little loss of picture but nothing to speak of, seems to be antenna based. I thought about another refurbished unit but it would also be nice to have 2 HD outputs. Then again the $200+- upgrade fee for the hardware is a bit much in comparison. Being a loyal 5+ year subscriber doesn't seem to get you anywhere......
Try contacting one of the DIRT (Dish Internet Response Team) members at the bottom of the section pages here at Sat guys, they can get you the best deal on an upgrade.
BTY, I'm not so sure about the hard drive going bad theory, since your sat channels seem OK, Od think perhaps you've got a problem with the antenna or the down lead that is killing most of the signal. Double check that you have good continuity from antenna to receiver.
BTY, I'm not so sure about the hard drive going bad theory, since your sat channels seem OK, Od think perhaps you've got a problem with the antenna or the down lead that is killing most of the signal. Double check that you have good continuity from antenna to receiver.
It is possible you have TOO much antenna signal going to the tuner. Are you noticing this on multiple OTA channels or just a few? If you have an amplified antenna, try turning the amplifier off (or at least down if possible) and see if it makes a difference.
+1
This is true but you should be experiencing the same problem watching OTA live as well.
Ed
And I wouldn't be too sure about it costing $200. Again, ask DIRT.
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From the posting I assume the 622 is only 5 years old. With DISH recording correctly the problem may be in the ATSC tuner in the receiver or in the wiring of the TV antenna. Please describe your TV antenna system and number of TV's your connected to. Remember the Hopper doesn't come with a built in OTA antenna it is an accessory, and monthly fees will increase DVR fee goes upto $12 and the JOEY is $7.
Either way, he is sitting on a time bomb that sooner or later he will have to move from. Best to be familiar with the options ahead of time.
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The channels I have problems on were all 100 strength while one that doesn't seem to was 92, so I've taken your advice and removed the amplifier. Now they range from 57 to 93 so I'll try that. We haven't noticed any issues with watching live, which leads me to believe it could be a hard drive problem, but then the fact that sat channels record clean would dismiss that. Strange for sure but thanks again for all the advice. Nice to see veteran members chiming in to help the new guy.
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I don't think the tuner will lock on 57, so I think you will have to put the amp back in. The "signal strength" meter is not really telling you signal strength, but rather an inverse error rate. 100 is (obviously) perfect. When my 612's tuner was being overloaded by a nearby station, the error rate went up, and the inverse error rate went down to the 50's. IF the 622 is different, then maybe pulling the amp will help. Let us know.
Since you don't have a problem watching live, then that rules out your antenna, cables, and tuner. Case closed. It's the disk about to fail. OTA HD channels require approximately twice the bandwidth (and storage space on disk) as satellite HD channels. Your disk can't keep up. I hope you took my advice above and offloaded all critical programs from your 622 and onto an EHD. Your internal disk is not long for this world.
I must agree. Live OTA viewing OK, DVR'd bad = HDD going bad, or circuitry going bad. Dish DVR programs OK? Then circuitry OK (long shot anyway). Your HDD is almost certainly going bad.
NOW- What do you want to do about this? Ask for a ViP722K and get no guarantees, unless MAYBE thru a local retailer? Or get a ViP922 (if allowed), which seems "risky." Or Hopper (HWS)? Something else?
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NOW- What do you want to do about this? Ask for a ViP722K and get no guarantees, unless MAYBE thru a local retailer? Or get a ViP922 (if allowed), which seems "risky." Or Hopper (HWS)? Something else?
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Sounds to me like the logical/best choice would be to upgrade to the hopper. Guess it's time to pm a DIRT?
I can't fully endorse the HDD going bad premise. Even while watching live with no problems, the record buffer is filling up. After watching live for 10 minutes or so, rewind back and see if the buffer is experiencing the same signal/choppiness issue that wasn't there while watching live. If so, then that would definitely point to the HDD not being able to keep up. If it's ok, then there is something else going on.
With all DISH DVRs you never watch "live" it is always recorded to the hard drive first. If you have a non DVR receiver listen to the same program at the same time, the DVR will have an echo because the sound is slightly delayed.
My guess would be the OTA rcvr circuitry and interface with HDD.
Mine will give me signal loss on OTA while getting a perfect signal with TV tuner. Recently it has started recording OTA timers at odd hours and for extended periods. For example, Monday, 2/10/14,. it started recording the timer set for local news from 6:00 - 6:30 PM on Sunday. Info reported original air date 2/16/14. When I turned on set to watch local news Monday evening got the signal loss error, hit DVR button twice and it showed the 'Sunday' recording still underway with something like 16 hours of recording. Selected view and got a live picture, stopped the recording and deleted then watched as normal. It has done this numerous times in the past month, wiping out what ever is on drive.
Had Mary with DIRT schedule a Hopper. When tech arrived he told me I would not be able to diplex in OTA. Only one cable in to house in conduit). Canceled the Hopper and had him order a replacement 622. It arrived DOA Friday. Now have a tech scheduled for Monday. We'll see how it goes.
Guess come spring I'll just have to pull another cable to house and give Hopper a try. I have a feeling these 622's are all suffering from old age.
Mine will give me signal loss on OTA while getting a perfect signal with TV tuner. Recently it has started recording OTA timers at odd hours and for extended periods. For example, Monday, 2/10/14,. it started recording the timer set for local news from 6:00 - 6:30 PM on Sunday. Info reported original air date 2/16/14. When I turned on set to watch local news Monday evening got the signal loss error, hit DVR button twice and it showed the 'Sunday' recording still underway with something like 16 hours of recording. Selected view and got a live picture, stopped the recording and deleted then watched as normal. It has done this numerous times in the past month, wiping out what ever is on drive.
Had Mary with DIRT schedule a Hopper. When tech arrived he told me I would not be able to diplex in OTA. Only one cable in to house in conduit). Canceled the Hopper and had him order a replacement 622. It arrived DOA Friday. Now have a tech scheduled for Monday. We'll see how it goes.
Guess come spring I'll just have to pull another cable to house and give Hopper a try. I have a feeling these 622's are all suffering from old age.
