Dish Cinema VOD not working - seems like it's playing but no video/audio

[jdr01930]

I'm trying Dish Cinema for the first time. I have broadband setup etc OK (I'm a computer/network tech by trade).

Short Version: Trying to watch Predators (hey its free!), screen is black/no audio.
But if I hit Pause/Info/FF/RR it acts like it would if it was playing something (little pause icons, etc).
But that something is just blackness, The Vast Emptiness.

The Long Version:
To get started, From the main DVR screen I selected the little Predators icon on lower left of screen. The whole DVR froze for about 10 minutes, cant get response from anything so I hard booted. Try again, same thing. Go in a slightly different way, get message that requires I check OK to allow Dish Cinema do download stuff - hey maybe that's it. I also reset Broadband connection. Now there's nothing in list, but shortly there after the list is redownloaded and there. I select Predators and try to play - It says Predators will begin playing shortly - then - - vast emptiness of black screen.
I can go back out and watch live TV, DVR. If I go in and select my rentals and its listed - but if I play it's like 2 hours of blank silence.

What gives? And I hope I dont end up gettting charged, as I just read some stuff that says Free is free for SD only!

 

[jdr01930]

Incidentally, the trailer plays fine.

 

[TheKrell]

I noticed that behavior when I tried to play a Dish Cinema VOD movie that turned out not to be free (as I thought). I have my VOD credit limit set to $0, so I can explain this on my account.

 

[MikeL DISH]

Hello, this is Mike LeMar with DISH Network customer service. I just want to ask you a few questions to better understand where the problem lies. Is this happening with live programming and DVR recordings, as well, or any other VOD content? Can you specify what receiver model you have, which is located in the bottom left corner of the front panel? One last question I had: was the content fully downloaded before you attempted to view it? Any additional information you could provide about the situation would be helpful to get this resolved for you. We're looking forward to your response.

 

[jdr01930]

"Is this happening with live programming and DVR recordings, as well, or any other VOD content?"

Regular live programming and DVR are fine.

Receiver model = VIP722

was the content fully downloaded before you attempted to view it?

Not completely sure - could not find status anywhere. However, 20 hours after initially attempt, the problem remained.

Theory: When the receiver showed it as Free, which is what I selected, maybe that info was out of date and it was no longer free, but for some reason my receiver had not yet gotten the updated info?? This may have confused the system? When I checked a day later (after my viewing period expired), it was no longer a free rental. Maybe that pricing/free status was out of date

I have not tried any other VOD so I dont know if problem was specific to Predators, or would apply to other stuff. If I get a chance, I'll try another freebie and see if it works.

Thanks for checking in!

 

[moosehaed]

Same problem here.
Receiver - vip722
Current movie not working - the sorcerers apprentice

Have tried downloading several times. Did a hard rest on the system. Unplugged for 3 hours. Nothing fixed it.
I have this problem with several movies in the past.

 

[JBrian420]

Same problem here. Dish VOD is pretty much useless. I downloaded a whole series to find out none of the videos had any video or audio. And the videos that actually work take for ever to load, not on demand.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[sundude90]

According to dish this VOD problem is a known issue, and they are working on a software update to fix it.

 

[halchess]

I am having the same problem. Everything downloads seemingly okay but no a/v when you try to play it. Had many calls to Dish and no answer other than sending out a new 722K. Same issues with that one and at a different house (same receiver though). Dish tech just left the house and he couldn't give us an answer either. Very frustrating as we are trying to catch a TV episode on Starz and this is the only way to do it.

 

[JBrian420]

That sounds like a cop-out answer to me.

According to dish this VOD problem is a known issue, and they are working on a software update to fix it.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[3HaloODST]

I have my VOD credit limit set to $0

How?

 

[gdarwin]

Call in an have them set it to zero.

 

[moosehaed]

They also sent me out a new 722 about 6 months ago when I first had problems with the dish cinema loading the titles.

I have a feeling that Dish is just putting the movies files on there system for future use and somehow locking them until the release date or something like that.

The only other idea is that Dish is so screwed up that they have no idea what they are doing.

 

[pabeader]

or they are having trouble with the movie server.

 

[moosehaed]

or they are having trouble with the movie server.

If this was a recent problem, then maybe, but this problem has been going on for at least 6 months, maybe more.

 

[halchess]

Spoke w/Dish again yesterday (Loyalty Dept) for the umpteenth time about this problem. Everyone has a different answer/fix (put on hold and disconnected many times during this quest). Never the same. The latest is that VOD can only be if you have Dish Platinum. In a way that makes sense since what we have been trying to download is on Starz Theater which is included in that package. However, to add it required a new 2yr contract and change of equipment. We declined.