612VIP receiver and 6.4 remote not working together

[hgjohnson]

I am new to this forum. I have had a VIP612 DVR receiver for over a year now, maybe two years. When I initially got it as a present, the 6.4 remote that came with it didn't work. Dish Network sent me a new 6.4 remote that also didn't work. I was replacing an older 510 receiver and somewhere during all the testing we found out that the old remote (not sure what model) for the old 510 receiver did work with my new VIP612 receiver. The person helping me at the time thought it was because the new VIP612 receiver was only receiving IR signals and not UHF. Anyway, for the last year or so I have been using the old remote without problem. However, I just sold the old 510 receiver and the old remote with it. Now I have two 6.4 remotes that don't work. And, yes, I did use fresh batteries. The replacement remote they sent me way back when had several different keys with it. So I call Dish Network and told the tech the problem and she tried to get the remote to initialize, but it won't. While looking at the SYS INFO screen, I hold down the SAT button until the others light up. I press a number then the # button then the RECORD button. Nothing happens. I get the impression that the remote address number is supposed to change to whatever number I chose to press, but it doesn't. By the way on the SYS INFO screen the remote address is 5 and beside that is says IR/UHF Pro Band A. So their solution is to send me another 6.4 remote. I did agree to that, but I don't think it will be successful since I already have 2 that don't work (and I told them so). She said there is no record of a second remote being sent before, but this is what the next step in the plan is before they can try anything else. So have agreed to purchase a 3rd remote and pay for shipping that costs as much as the remote since I live out in rural Alaska. And there are no technicians that live out here that can come look at my system.

Oh yeah, I did try the other keys (4 each of a different color pattern) that came with the second remote without success. And I did try changing the A/B toggle switch on the back of the remote without success. And I did reset the receiver by unplugging it for 10 seconds and let it reboot without success.

So while I am waiting for a new remote, I was wondering if anyone can offer any other help? Any feedback is much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[MattG@DISH]

For a 6.4, you should be using the SILVER tab that says "UHF Pro" (for UHF)

Other than that, the only thing I didn't see that you've checked is the UHF antenna on the back of the receiver (If it's missing, that's the problem). When you're going through the programming process, hold the remote near the back of the receiver (by the antenna) when you press the record button, and see if it's responding normally when back there.

To program it as IR, use the green #1 that it comes with (the one that doesn't say UHF), and do the same steps you have listed

(While looking at the SYS INFO screen, I hold down the SAT button until the others light up. I press a number then the # button then the RECORD button)

Also, if you are getting another remote sent directly from us, it will be a 21.0 remote

 

[TimberWolf]

Chances are there is no remote ant on the back of the rec on the coax connection with a green center.
Be sure the remote is set to band A with a green #1 key
Do the press and hold thing and put in #5 to see if it matches up.
Make sure there is nothing blocking the IR sensor on the front of the rec.
It could be a bad IR sensor on the rec itself as well

 

[boba]

Chances are there is no remote ant on the back of the rec on the coax connection with a green center.
Be sure the remote is set to band A with a green #1 key
Do the press and hold thing and put in #5 to see if it matches up.
Make sure there is nothing blocking the IR sensor on the front of the rec.
It could be a bad IR sensor on the rec itself as well

The 510 remote worked so the IR sensor on the 612 can't be the problem. The most likely is the missing UHF antenna, but the 612 is an oddity it can be set to IR only in the menu. Mine came set that way and TECH Support had to do some digging to find out how to change it to IR/UHF. It was simple but not using that "feature" I have forgotten how to do it. Go to sys. info screen and look at letter "i" it should show IR/UHF I just don't remember how to change it.

 

[hgjohnson]

Thanks for the tips Matt. I had already checked the UHF antenna several times. And it is in the correct location and not loose and sticking straight up with nothing blocking it in direct line of sight of the remote. I was using the silver tab. I did try what you suggested and held the remote near the back of the receiver and tried the programming process again. But again it didn't work. I don't know where the IR signal is received, but my suspicion is that the UHF antenna jack is broken somewhere inside. Unfortunately I do not have a tab that is green colored with a #1 and no UHF on it. I have 3 green tabs all with #1's on them but all have different colored "teeth" one all green teeth, one all black teeth, and one with green teeth with a black stripe and all of them have a UHF Pro stamped on them too. I also have a blue #2 tab with UHF Pro on it.

The lady technician I was talking to at Dish said the tabs didn't have anything to do with IR/UHF mode and that the A/B toggle switch is what made the difference. I am not sure I totally believed that because in the remote instruction book it shows the green tab without the UHF symbol. But when I asked her about it she seemed determined that I needed to buy a new remote. I also hope you are right about getting a 21.0 remote, because she also said that they would be sending out another 6.4 remote even though I already told her I had 2 of them that didn't work and I didn't think that it would solve the problem. But she insisted that it was the only solution at the time.

Thanks again for your help. Any other feedback is appreciated.

 

[hgjohnson]

Thank you TimberWolf and boba. A missing UHF antenna is not the problem although I suspect that there may be some broken disconnect inside the receiver from the UHF jack. I do have an antenna and it is installed in the right place. I even tried a second antenna from my old receiver before I sold it and it also didn't work. The antenna is not loose and is sticking straight up and not blocked by anything and in direct line of sight to the remote. I unfortunately do not have a green #1 tab that doesn't say anything. All my green tabs have a #1 and say UHF Pro on them. I did look on the sys info screen and in the "i" box it say IR/UHF Pro Band A. So that indicates to me it should be receiving both IR and UHF. I am not entirely sure that I have the remote set to IR, even though the technician said it was because it is the A/B toggle switch on the back that determines that. She said the tabs (green tab, silver tab...) had nothing to do with it just the A/B switch, even when I asked her directly about the picture of the green tab #1 that it shows in my remote manual, but that I don't have. Maybe the new remote they are sending me will have one of those tabs. Or maybe I can get them to send me a 510 remote.

Thanks again for all the suggestions. Any more feedback is appreciated.

 

[MattG@DISH]

On a 6.4, the A/B switch only changes the band the remote operates on, it does not change the remote from IR to UHF. IR/UHF is determined by the "key" in the 6.4 remotes (21.0 remotes have a similar switch, but say it does control the IR/UHF).

It sounds like it may be a bad receiver in your case, since that's the only thing that hasn't been replaced

 

[hgjohnson]

Thanks Matt. I also suspect the problem is in the receiver with the UHF reception. Hopefully the new remote will have a "key" or a switch that will allow me to make the remote IR. I really do think that will solve the problem. Maybe once I get the remote I will ask for you specifically when I call Dish Network because the technician I worked with did not seem to know exactly how the remote worked (even when I asked her specifically about the "keys") nor did she seem to listen when I told her Dish had already tried a new remote. Do you guys keep records of customers previous calls to technicians for tech support? Because she said there was no previous record of me getting a second remote. I don't suppose Dish could send me a 510 remote if this other one doesn't work?

Anyway, thanks again for your help. I am still waiting for the arrival of my new remote and wishing I had a "PAUSE" button for when I watch football this weekend...

 

[chainblu]

Do you have a black chip that says "UHF" on it. Put it in. It has simultaneous IR. You might have to reset your remote address with all the experimenting you've been doing.

 

[TimberWolf]

Even if the ant port is bad, the rec should still respond to IR. 612s are now being shipped with 20.0 remotes and no antenna at all.
Some of the green #1 keys may say UHF on one side and not the other.
Make sure the remote is set to address 5 if that is what the rec is still on. Press and hold sat until others light up and press # twice. Do NOT press rec. Count the number of times sat button blinks. That is the address the remote is currently set to.

It is sounding more and more like the rec is having issues though.

 

[hgjohnson]

Thanks TimberWolf!!! That made all the difference. One of the keys didn't have UHF on the backside and once I reset the remote address back to the same as the receiver AND flipped that key over (which I didn't realize you could do) then it works. I now have a working remote. Unfortunately, I have a $40 remote that I now no longer need still in route. I hope they will reimburse the cost. Especially since I specifically asked the Dish technician how to set my remote to IR and she really didn't know how to do it but she thought she did and the only solution she could offer was for me to buy another remote. Anyway, thanks so much again. You and everyone else offered great advice. I will check here first next time!

 

[TimberWolf]

Glad to help.
They charged $40 for a 6.4???

 

[hgjohnson]

Technically no. They charged me $20 for a remote and $21 shipping thru UPS and it was supposed to be here in 2 days. I still haven't gotten it yet after 6 days, so I don't know if it is another 6.4 remote (which is what she said she was sending) or a 21.0 remote that Matt (above) said they should send. Either way it is $41 that I would like back. The joys of living in rural Alaska where you just can't go down the street and pick something up...