Can this thread be started? Bad 811 chip- Who what where?

[gpflepsen]

As alluded to in the chat, what's the deal with the bad chip in the 811. What is it's effect? What will be the fix? What about those with substandard performance from their 811s? Come on Dish, make it right, all I want is an 811 performing up to expectations and as advertised.

After the last SW update, my impression of the 811 has decidedly turned south. My neighbor (who I turned to Dish) has a family that thinks Dish sucks, in large part because of the 811's guide downloading all the time. Their daughter was in my home watching TV with our girl this weekend and she said "I hate Dish Network, Dish sucks" I asked why, she replied "because it is always downloading stuff and I have to wait all the time. Direct TV never did this"

I feel like a heel for getting them into Dish Network, all because of the performance of the 811.

 

[silversurfer]

It can be started just start it in the right forum please

 

[gpflepsen]

Wow! We have an 811 forum? Whoda thunkk it.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I am not quite sure if there is a defective chip in the 811. It could be that they were just having trouble getting a component needed to make the 811's.

I am trying to get clarification on this.

 

[gpflepsen]

OK. But the only impartial viewers of TV, in regards to service providers are the kids, and they think Dish Network sucks. Come on charlie, do what's right, do it for the kids. They are the future of Dish Network.

 

[NightRyder]

As alluded to in the chat, what's the deal with the bad chip in the 811. What is it's effect? What will be the fix? What about those with substandard performance from their 811s? Come on Dish, make it right, all I want is an 811 performing up to expectations and as advertised.

It's unlikely we will get any official answers from Dish until they have built up a sufficient stock of 811s to swap out the existing receivers. Assuming, of course, that there really is a chip problem and that they don't try to patch it up with software.

NightRyder

 

[bcshields]

If there is a chip problem.. and the best non public way of doing so is letting the 1 year replacement warranty work it's way out. No public embarrasment, just a nonchalant swapout attitude with the 811.

Heck, they're doing it now anyway...

 

[keith]

I happen to believe that my 811, with the dark image problem on all outputs, not fixed after 4 months and 2 software updates, can not be fixed by software. If and when Dish say there is a hardware problem, I will be demanding a swap out. Actually, the "end of March" 266 software update will be it as far as it goes with my patience. If the images are still substandard, I will be getting something else from Dish or elsewhere.

Keith.

 

[WeeJavaDude]

I happen to believe that my 811, with the dark image problem on all outputs, not fixed after 4 months and 2 software updates, can not be fixed by software. If and when Dish say there is a hardware problem, I will be demanding a swap out. Actually, the "end of March" 266 software update will be it as far as it goes with my patience. If the images are still substandard, I will be getting something else from Dish or elsewhere.

Keith.

Well I am not aware of a bad chip on the 811? Is this just people opinions or is there an official word. The downloading Guide issues and the fact that at times it gets stuck in an infinite loop is a software issue from what I can tell and has nothing to do with a bad chip. <<< Software Engineer's opinion >>>

As for image quality issues (Dark Picture) may take here that this is a harder problem to crack and than what was fixed on 264, 265. Also, My guess is that Dish assumbed most people will be using the component and DVI outputs and the picture Quality on them was at a acceptable level. Not like svideo and composite. This is my take and I hope too that they fix it with 266 Keith.. If

 

[BOYCOTT26]

I'm not sure but when I listened to the audio clip Scott had out it sounded
like Jim was talking about a shortage of a componet not a bad chip.I hope
if he was talking about a bad chip they will replace existing 811's.Also why
would they assume we would only be using it for HD, what buy a reciever
to get 4 HD channels and OTA that does'nt make since.

 

[gpflepsen]

Don't forget the biggest area where the 811 fails, namely the OTA analog performance.

Think of it this way. Dish produces a short run of beta 811s with pretty much hand picked components. All test done on these receivers are successful and point to cranking up production. They get 50,000-100,000 produced and in the hands of customers and all these complaints of (fill in the blank) start flooding in. Now we have gone through ~2 months with a short supply of 811's. Could a faulty chip be responsible? I am hoping it is as it would give Dish a legitimate excuse for the 811's problems.

 

[Foxbat]

Don't forget the biggest area where the 811 fails, namely the OTA analog performance.

I didn't buy the 811 for analog tuner performance (and a good thing, too!) as NTSC broadcasts will disappear at some point. Sort of like putting a whale oil tank on it.

Now, to my eye, it appears that the analog section of the 811 runs at only 30 fields per second instead of 60 fps. Why they spent the money on putting analog composite inputs (and medicore ones at that) on the 811 escapes me. If you have an 811, there's a real good chance you have an HD-ready TV, and most of those have composite- and S-Video inputs that do a far better job of displaying SD content than running these through the 811 and upconverting the picture to 1080i.

 

[AcuraCL]

I happen to believe that my 811, with the dark image problem on all outputs, not fixed after 4 months and 2 software updates, can not be fixed by software. If and when Dish say there is a hardware problem, I will be demanding a swap out. Actually, the "end of March" 266 software update will be it as far as it goes with my patience. If the images are still substandard, I will be getting something else from Dish or elsewhere.

Keith.

I'm just curious here ... not trying to be a smart ass ... but if you have "dark image problem on all outputs" ... how do you know it's not your tv? I don't think I've seen anyone else complain that the 811 is dark on ALL outputs ....

 

[GaryPen]

I don't think I've seen anyone else complain that the 811 is dark on ALL outputs ....

That's right. They've only complained about Composite, S-video, and DVI. I don't recall any dark Component comments.

 

[GaryPen]

Gerry makes a valid point. It also jibes with the way I interpreted the audio stream.

It sounded to me that the original chip was defective, either through faulty design or manufacturing. Doubtful it was simply a matter of not being able to produce enough.

Of course, one can still argue that this is a supply issue. The original supply was defective, so they had to wait for a supply of corrected chips.

 

[gpflepsen]

We need to keep this rumor alive.

 

[keith]

.. how do you know it's not your tv? I don't think I've seen anyone else complain that the 811 is dark on ALL outputs ....

I have connected the 811 to a Sony 27" TV by s-video (SD), Planar 17" LCD by DVI-D (720P) and Panasonic AE100 front projector (1080i) by component. All outputs have badly crushed blacks, from OTA SD, OTA HD, Dish SD and Dish HD. I would say that the DVI-D output is the worst. Any one of a number of different sources connected to the same selection of displays produce great images in all permutations.

Anything but 811 connected to any display by any interface - image good.
811 connected to any display by any interface - image bad.

My 811 info (menu..6..1..3) has a rev. of LABD. There are LADD's out there. Dish CSR's won't tell me what the difference is. I think I have an older 811 that can not be fixed by software updates. That is only my opinion, not based on talking to Dish because they won't tell me, but after 4 months waiting and 2 software updates, I wait to be proven wrong. The 266 update is the final update for me. Either it is fixed then or it is getting replaced - maybe with another Dish IRD or maybe changing provider.

I have to draw a line in the sand somewhere. Watching garbage images for 4 months, from a "high definition" box, is already ridiculous. Don't even get me going on all the bugs switching from OTA to Dish and vice-versa.

My 301 on s-video is far superior! I can live with good quality SD easier than I can with HD images that have crushed blacks.

Keith.

 

[Kevinw]

As a person who has had both a LABD and a LADD, I saw no difference or was there any difference in performance between the two. My HD using components on my Toshiba 50H81 is superb. No black crush. I also had a Pioneer SH-D505 and have a Samsung Sir-T351 for comparison and HD is similar between all 4 boxes.

SD on the 811 is crushed and horrible. Definitly very bad PQ.

 

[GaryPen]

Have you tried the DVI output at all?

 

[trumpie]

I have a new Sony 36" HD direct view television that had a bright picture with my old 4700(4900).
With the 811 the picture is dark when using any of the outputs
I have to keep the brightness turned up all the way to watch SD or HD