721 Woes

[Gnits]

I have been having odd problems with my 721 since about April, as I recall. I have gone through quite a number of external troubleshooting steps.

• Replacing wire.
• Regrounding my SW34.
• Replacing the unit itself.

It seems that there is a software problem with the device that causes a number of symptoms. The issues seem to have been pervasive enough that it has depleted Dish Network's supply of refurbished 721s for the time being. I finally got some information from one technician about a month ago that it was a software issue that they have seen and is supposedly soon to be fixed. Anyone else here dealing with this issue? Anyone have contacts in Dish that could determine when the next software update for the 721 might be happening?

Some of the symptoms I see include:

• Slow tuning of stations
• System goes black when changing stations and (sometimes) tunes the station in completely or sometimes just audio.
• Channels that it loses locks on but when the signal meter is shown you see full signal (sometimes with a lock, sometimes not)
• Program guide goes whacky and stops showing information out more than an hour or so.

Before I get asked if I have done any of the 'dumb' troubleshooting steps, i have replaced my SW34 (3 times), replaced cables twice, switched to a Dishpro plus receiver (because i upgraded my system to a ViP622) the symptoms have never really changed with all of these changes. And my replacement 721 acts just the same. As i am at work i dont have the firmware revision handy enough but its been the same for at least a month at this point.

Any suggestions, anyone with good contacts?

Daren

 

[pacman]

Yea, I have been having the same issues with our 721 (connected to a second tv in another room for the kid's). Guide data not always there, black screen when turned on until I channel up/down or go to the guide, S-L-O-W response to all commands, and more. I was hoping that they would fix this as it occurred after one of their updates (the one where lots of people lost the extended guide), but it still is not working right.

 

[drdroo]

I have those problems too... It's part of my justification to go to a 722 and finally dive into the arena of HD.

As it went, it took them 3 tries to send me a 721 that didn't have loose screws rattling in it and/or a defective drive..

It did work great (except for the drive failure which resulted in my exchange misery), until they started messing around with the software across this year.

 

[dstrouth]

[*]Channels that it loses locks on but when the signal meter is shown you see full signal (sometimes with a lock, sometimes not)

Daren

Daren:

Since you have a 622... I'm curious about something. I've had the above issue on my 721... and think I've figured out why I'm having it on my system.

On the 622... check system info. See if after it completes to 100% if you says to click details to see info about LNB, and see if you have any LNB drift.

I have LNB drift on the even transponders on both 119 and 110, and those are the transponders where I lose lock, but the signal meter shows full strength on the 721, even though it won't show picture. My 2 622's and 1 311 all work fine... its just the 721 that loses lock... and it really only happens during the day when it is HOT outside!

Let us know if you see any lnb drift... if you do.. that might back up my theory...