211 Issue

[retorq]

Something I've noticed, didn't see it mentioned, I was wondering if anyone else had this. Basially when I turn on the 211 and TV the info screen looks fine, after a few hours when I goto the info screen the top edge of the top box will be off the screen. Not sure if it's a TV issue or a 211 issue. I don't see this with my HTPC or my DVD so I'm assuming it's not my TV. I'll probably have to snap a few pics to show you what I mean.

 

[gbrowndsl]

My 211 will cause screen freezing (but the sound continues to work), does this without fail every 4-5 hours necessitating a reboot.

 

[RandallA]

My 211 will cause screen freezing (but the sound continues to work), does this without fail every 4-5 hours necessitating a reboot.

Where do you have the 211? Inside a cabinet? It sounds to me like it's overheating and thus locking up. Just wondering if it's heat related.

 

[retorq]

Mine did that on Universal HD and a few others but after I repeaked the dish it went away. I was lead to believe it was a problem with a video stream error though. My 211 is out in the open, I don't think mine was getting too hot. Attached is a pic of my setup, the 211 is where the 811 is in that pic.

My 211 will cause screen freezing (but the sound continues to work), does this without fail every 4-5 hours necessitating a reboot.

 

[CochiseGuy]

Mine did that on Universal HD and a few others but after I repeaked the dish it went away. I was lead to believe it was a problem with a video stream error though. My 211 is out in the open, I don't think mine was getting too hot. Attached is a pic of my setup, the 211 is where the 811 is in that pic.

Nice looking setup!

I just upgraded from an 811 to a 211. Rather than start a new topic, I thought I'd ask the question here:

Anyone have an opinion if the HDMI connection is better for HD content than component on the 211? I used component with the 811, and as the 211 didn't ship with any HDMI cables (upgrade through Dish), the installer just used the existing component. I'm ordering an HDMI switchbox from monoprices.com & thinking of throwing in an HDMI cable in the order for the 211, if it will make any difference.

Also, strangely enought, the installer also ran standard RCA composite cables to my Sony RP HDTV. He claimed the SD programming "looks better" output on compsite. I find that hard to believe. But, so far (just upgraded this morning), the SD does appear as better PQ than on the 811, which had only component connections.

 

[retorq]

To be honest I didn't see a difference between component and HDMI on my 811. My HTPC (bottom of that picture) is hooked up through a DVI to HDMI cable. The 211 has only HDMI output not DVI so I can't connect my existing cable up to test it. I didn't notice any difference in SD going from the 811 to the 211, adjusting my Tv's color/white/black balance made a bigger difference.

 

[retorq]

Here's some pics of what I'm talking about, I'll get pics of how it is when I turn them on after being off for a bit:

 

[CochiseGuy]

To be honest I didn't see a difference between component and HDMI on my 811. My HTPC (bottom of that picture) is hooked up through a DVI to HDMI cable. The 211 has only HDMI output not DVI so I can't connect my existing cable up to test it. I didn't notice any difference in SD going from the 811 to the 211, adjusting my Tv's color/white/black balance made a bigger difference.

I never tried DVI on my 811 (it had only DVI, no HDMI). I have only 1 DVI input on my Sony TV, and I'd read here that there were issues with the 811's DVI connection, so I stuck with component.

I notice a clear improvement in picture quality in the 211 over the 811 in both HD and SD. This is over component. I'm real happy with the improvement. I wnet ahead & ordered the HDMI switch box & cables from monoprice, so I'll check out if there's add'l. improvement using HDMI output. I use digital optical output to my non-HDMI A/V receiver, so no change there.

After a few days' use, I haven't had any freeze issues, or the info going off the screen. It works just great! :up

 

[retorq]

Let me know how the HDMI looks on the 211 on your setup, maybe I'll upgrade mine to an HDMI.

Here's pics of how the guide looks after being turned on in the AM, you can clearly see in these two (substandard) pics that the guide is atleast 1/4 to 1/2 inched from teh top of the TV. In the above pics the right side is actually off the screen or at the top. Odd . . . so no one else has this or no one else noticed?? I'm just thinking if it 211 is stretching the picture after being on so long I'm not realy seeing 1080i lines, it's down to 1000 lines or something, follow??

 

[Ghostwalker]

Since my HDMI went postal, I'm using composite cables and I can say that there is a big difference in my viewing. I want my HDMI to DVI back.

 

[mruk69]

My 211 will cause screen freezing (but the sound continues to work), does this without fail every 4-5 hours necessitating a reboot.

My 211 will freeze and then black screen on all channels with audio and banner, when watching OTA.

 

[shanewalker]

I ran into the frozen/stepped video when watching OTA yesterday on my 2-wk-old 211. I saw that bug listed in the now-closed 211 bug thread as far back as mid-March, so Dish has known about this issue for a while now--I'm surprised it's not been addressed.

So the only workaround is a reboot, huh? That's sad. Hope they get this fixed soon.

 

[Ghostwalker]

Received my replacement 211 receive today and I notice that there was a sticker on the back. Wanting to investigate further I find out that the replacement receiver has been refurbished. The refurbished sticker had been placed over the original sticker.

So took close-up digital camera shots of both the stickers on the replacement receiver, and on the receiver that was being replaced.

Might come in handy, in the future.

...plus got the 268 software update too at the time of activation.

 

[Poke]

Yeah just by looking at the pics right now I would say its on the 211 end. You might see if you local reseller or Dish can get you another 211 basically a swap out. But I have never seen that happen before and good luck let us know what you find out.

 

[RandallA]

Received my replacement 211 receive today and I notice that there was a sticker on the back. Wanting to investigate further I find out that the replacement receiver has been refurbished. The refurbished sticker had been placed over the original sticker.

So took close-up digital camera shots of both the stickers on the replacement receiver, and on the receiver that was being replaced.

Might come in handy, in the future.

...plus got the 268 software update too at the time of activation.

If they are refurbishing the 211s, I wonder what they are replacing or fixing?

 

[Ghostwalker]

If they are refurbishing the 211s, I wonder what they are replacing or fixing?

During activation, I ask the tech what would have been fixed. According to him, a number of things. At which point I said, I suspect you mean the HDMI connection!

No answer of course.

 

[Foxbat]

retorq, can I ask a stupid question? Are you sure it is the 211 and not the HDTV? It looks like you have a CRT RPTV and it might be drifting up over the course of being on for four-five hours. Tell your significant other that you need to go out right now and replace your malfunctioning equipment with the new Pioneer 50" 1080p PDP

But, seriously, you have verified that the graphics move back down after a reboot of the 211 and the TV left on?

 

[retorq]

I ran the upgrade thing past the wife, no go!!

I'm pretty sure it's just the 211, the HTPC I have connected doesn't seem to drift at all. After a hardreset of the 211, the graphics appear OK. Do CRT RPTVs normally drift after 'long' usage?? Maybe I need to look into having the set calibrated?? I didn't notice this with the 811 either, if it were the TV I might have noticed it with that.

 

[Foxbat]

I thought it was worth a shot. Seems odd that a digital output would "drift", but I can see if the RAM location holding to starting line of where the graphics are supposed to start got "stepped on", then the graphics could appear somewhere else on the screen. Doing the hard reset confirms its the 211.

I wonder how common this is? Maybe some peoples' overscan is low enough they don't notice the drift?

 

[revm1m]

I switched to Dish from DTV last Friday, Friday night my 211 had picture but no sound, so I had to reboot. Today during watching world cup picture froze twice but there was sound and I had to reboot again. This vip211 is two days old and I had to reboot twice already. Should I call Dish to get a new one? or just keep rebooting.