721 Issues

[ERSanders]

Bob, its not the lack of a good UPS that's causing this problem. I have both of my 721's on APC Smart-UPS 1400's. Otherwise I agree with you about the buggy s/w. It seems that they fix one problem and create at least an equal number of problems...job security at the cost of Customer Satisfaction!


For the others following this thread I have had one more incidence of the three (or so) day guide on the upstairs 721. So it is still an issue and looks likely that it is the tuner 1 vs 2 thing that RT first noticed. Let's all grow old while awaiting the fix.

 

[kstuart]

And while I'd really like to get HD ....
.... Go to stophdlite.com

How is it that you are protesting something you have not experienced ?

 

[SRW1000]

How is it that you are protesting something you have not experienced ?

At the risk of turning this into an anti-HD lite thread, one doesn't have to experience everything to know whether or not they are for or against it.

In this case, tossing out up to 30% of an HD picture's resolution, but still branding it as HD, is unethical and wrong. I refuse to reward them by paying for something they're not prepared to offer.

Scott

 

[kstuart]

It sounds like the people who protest against movies that no one has seen yet.

You are protesting against a number.

All digital video is "lossey". It removes data, using techniques that remove data that do not affect the perception of the image.

DVD does this, CD does this, digital cable, DirecTV and Dish Network do this, and all HDTV do this.

No HDTV system actually gives the consumer 1920x1080 images 30 times a second.

A still photograph of the image will have resolution 1920x1080, but in every case digital information is removed, in order to make use of bandwidth constraints.

A system that transmitted a 1920x1080 image 30 times a second would result in something like 3 channels in a cable system, and maybe 10 channels in the whole Dish Network system.

You should actually look up how digital video (MPEG2 and MPEG4) actually work, and then you will understand that bitrate is probably more important than resolution (unless the channels is CNN or FoodTV), and that how the video is compressed matters more than any simple number.

Fortunately, the Dish Network engineers are constantly working on tweaking the picture quality, using different parameters for different kinds of video.

 

[SRW1000]

It sounds like the people who protest against movies that no one has seen yet.

This is a discussion best moved to one of the many HD Lite threads, which is why I hesitated responding to your comments.

Suffice it to say, I disagree. Let's leave it at that for this thread. I only mentioned it in passing in my original posting to let other people know my mindset, and reasons for not wanting to upgrade/up-pay to Dish's HD DVR at this time.

In the meantime, my 721's clock is still off by an hour. At this point, I'm hoping that the time may be right at the end of the month, when Daylight Savings Time used to be scheduled.


Scott

 

[kstuart]

If your software version number begins with B, then that is what is causing the problem.
It's a non-standard software version that you are getting by mistake.
E* Tech Support needs to deal with that.

 

[iKramerica]

What if it's starting with L like it's supposed to?

What's causing the problem is bad programming. It's happened before, it'll happen again if Dish insists on "upgrading" EOL products without consumer consent, which should be illegal. We own the box, it's out of warranty, we should have the right to disable updates...

 

[kstuart]

What if it's starting with L like it's supposed to?

What's causing the problem is bad programming. It's happened before, it'll happen again if Dish insists on "upgrading" EOL products without consumer consent, which should be illegal. We own the box, it's out of warranty, we should have the right to disable updates...

Reading your problems, they don't sound like they have anything to do with the update. People lose channels on other receivers, it is usually something to do with LNBs, switches, bad cables, loose connection, in other words, hardware rather than software.

 

[retiredTech]

Reading your problems, they don't sound like they have anything to do with the update. People lose channels on other receivers, it is usually something to do with LNBs, switches, bad cables, loose connection, in other words, hardware rather than software.

Yes that is usually true. However, with L324, one evening for a while. My 721 was so confused that it denied me(not authorized) one of my local channels (which all come from the same transponder) It also put weird channels in my guide which I don't have, although the smart card knew better.
Anyway when a computer hangs up on a bad software command, it "can" cause wierd problems.

I have found the best way to get back the 9 day guide (and un-hang L324) is
PIP swap, however one swap doesn't always do it.
Now I swap PIP once, then wait a few seconds and swap PIP again.
So far this seems to free up the tuners and trigger the 9 day guide download in a few minutes.

 

[BillH]

Talked to Dish Today

She said that it was a software problem that they were aware of and were working on it.

I asked her when she thought they might have it fixed and she said she had no idea.

I told her to PLEASE hurry it up, that we were getting angry.

:

 

[kstuart]

She said that it was a software problem that they were aware of and were working on it.

I asked her when she thought they might have it fixed and she said she had no idea.

I told her to PLEASE hurry it up, that we were getting angry.

As a software engineer, I can say that if it is a relatively obvious mistake (like the recent 501/508 bug that caused the DST fix to be apply after every reset, instead of once a year), you can change the one line, recompile it, do some tests, and get it out in a day or two (which they did for that 501/508 bug).

BUT, if it is a more sophisticated problem, like this two tuner problem, then it is not immediately obvious what needs to be done, so certainly the CSRs are not going to know how long it will take.

E* (and most other software development departments) don't like to revert to the previous version, partially because it looks bad from a marketing viewpoint, but more because the time spent reverting could be more profitably spent fixing the bug, which will have to be done anyway.

E* in particular has unique problems with reverting to older versions, because in addition to cute interface features, the new software often has essential support features, such as adding a new satellite position (like 105, 121, 118.75, or 129) that is absolutely needed just to provide channels.

Generally, E* has a good track record of eventually fixing all the problems, and they are more accessible than most engineering departments - word about problems really does reliably reach them.

Their resources are not infinite , so some patience is necessary. If you have two receivers, it often helps to have two different models.

 

[Smith P.]

Don't put two cents/brains/balls/eggs in one basket !

 

[BillH]

The Fix is sliding on by, and forgotten

Looks like Dish is just going to let this problem slide on by and in a while, the subscribers will be all forgotten about it.

Just like the local weather think that was suppose to be put on channel 214.

I have resided myself to the fact that the local weather on 3414 is just not going to ever happen.

I sure hope this does not go the same way, but as of now, it sure looks like it is.

Guess I can always go back to cable TV.

 

[h2ouup2]

The PIP trick works for getting me the 9 day guide back. However now I have an issue with many of the channels having "No Information Available."

Also I use to show 90 hrs of recording time, now I show 100 hours. What changed here?

 

[avediswolf]

The PIP trick has usually worked in the past, but yesterday, no matter what I did, I couldn't get more than a three day guide, until I flipped the 721 the bird, and unplugged it for a while.

I changed the oil in my truck while it booted up, Take about the same amout of time.

The complete guide was there when I went back in.
This morning, 3 days. This is really getting annoying, espicially since we use the search feature alot to record stuff.

What is direcTV's number? hehe.

 

[hometheaterman]

My 721 is back to the three day guide again. I hadn't checked it in a while until recently and it is back to 3 days. This is pretty annoying. I didn't pay this much for a receiver that has a 3 day guide.

 

[kstuart]

I'm hardly ever having this problem (only once in the past few weeks).

Given the above, it seems like it depends on how you use the two tuners, and maybe whether or not you "turn off" (put in standby) the box.

 

[BillH]

I am REALLY getting MAD at Dish

It really aggrivates me to know that someone screws up my TV and then does nothing to try to fix it. They just let us sit here and sweat.

If it goes like the weather thing that they were suppose to put on 214, they will NEVER fix it.

Sounds like I may have to make a switch to Direct TV. That is the first time in 5 years that I have even thought about it but the time has arrived.

WAKE UP DISH

 

[iKramerica]

Their offer to me was to send me another refurbed 721 (4th over time), or to give me a free upgrade (which of course means I have to pay a DVR fee at minimum that I don't pay now).

My 721 decided to forget I subscribe to USA, ESPN and a few other channels again a few minutes ago.

Apple reverts to older software when an update has a bug, and even has "older version reinstallers" available. They seem to be gaining market share.

Dish should never be "embarrassed" to get it right, even if it means taking one step back to go two steps forward!

 

[navychop]

What is direcTV's number? hehe.

1-OUR-PQSUCKS

or fax them at

1-OUR-HDDVRSSUCK