Dish Model 811 - P2.89 Software Update

[Carl B]

Originally posted by oldtimer

Quotethey had just restored the DVI PQ to where it was in winter 03-04, I'd be a real happy camper.Quote

You say it was once good.? I have talked with CS couple times on this issue
but come out with very little info.

PQ on DVI w/ the Dish 811 was excellent prior to software revision P269. With that revision they fixed the too dark video problem w/ the s-video out, but screwed up the DVI PQ. It appears they over-brightened the signal, which gives the PQ a "washed-out" appearance. No amount of tinkering w/ my User menu can correct for what E* did w/ P269 and all subsequent software releases.

They still haven't fixed it. I've sent emails to technical support identifying the problem and the answer is always that they are aware of it and it will be addressed in a future update. Still waiting.

Maybe if enough of use email them to say, "bring back the pre-P269 software DVI output PQ", someone will listen and it will get fixed before the 811 is put out to pasture. I find that I more and more watch E* channels via component than DVI now.

 

[bnaivar]

After leaving my 811 off for two straight days and nights I FINALLY got my update last night.

 

[cabledave]

Originally posted by oldtimer


PQ on DVI w/ the Dish 811 was excellent prior to software revision P269. With that revision they fixed the too dark video problem w/ the s-video out, but screwed up the DVI PQ. It appears they over-brightened the signal, which gives the PQ a "washed-out" appearance. No amount of tinkering w/ my User menu can correct for what E* did w/ P269 and all subsequent software releases.

They still haven't fixed it. I've sent emails to technical support identifying the problem and the answer is always that they are aware of it and it will be addressed in a future update. Still waiting.

Maybe if enough of use email them to say, "bring back the pre-P269 software DVI output PQ", someone will listen and it will get fixed before the 811 is put out to pasture. I find that I more and more watch E* channels via component than DVI now.

The component is a bit high also. I have a Fujitsu plasma which handles the component fine but I have two lesser quality plasmas which are overdriven when a picture that is mostly all white is shown like the end of a Gap ad. It flutters and loses sync. It was perfectly fine prior to the 269 fix.

 

[oldtimer]

They still haven't fixed it. I've sent emails to technical support identifying the problem and the answer is always that they are aware of it and it will be addressed in a future update. Still waiting.

Each time I call they say there isnt a problem that it's in my TV, I point out
that others have stated same problem, but so far not much success.

 

[Paul_Medenwaldt]

I got my update yesterday. Went from 2.84 to 2.89. Haven't really noticted a difference. I only watched about an hour of tv last night. I had no problems switching from HD to SD or from local HD to Sat HD to SD. Everything seemed to work fine. My menus all seemed to be correct, nothing to report there.

I know this would be a minor complaint compared to the others here in the thread, but I wish they would actually update the graphics on the program guide. I grow tired of the stale look of the current guide. So if thats my only beef, I would say the new update has had no real affect on my 811.

Paul

 

[Poke]

Well on the main "Menu" Screen the EyeCandy is diffrent there.

 

[John Kotches]

I have noticed that the program guide doesn't seem to download as frequently as it used to.

That's a good thing.

Cheers,

 

[Carl B]

I swear that channel changes w/ P289 are getting slower every day or maybe I'm just really noticing it now that I don't have the BSOD occupying my attention.

 

[ride525]

I think channel changes are a bit slower with 2.89 now, then they were with my previous 2.84

 

[NightRyder]

Upgraded from 2.84, here is my experience with 2.89 after a week. I don't use OTA.

Audio - Had no problems on 2.84 or before. Have lost audio twice on 2.89, both times on CBS-HD West. Program audio drops and leaves only a pulsing buzz, changing channels fixes. Denon 3801 receiver.

Video - 2.89 brought back intermittent picture freezes and pixelation that 2.84 had cured.

Misc. - Had a downloading guide episode just 10 minutes after I had powered on the receiver, haven't seen that since 2.82.

I agree with others that changing channels has slowed, as has overall response to remote commands.

Overall impressions - THIS UPDATE SUCKS!! - all that time and testing, Dish still can't get it right. I want 2.84 back.

NightRyder

 

[new_to_hdtv]

at 2.84 and working fine

I'm currently at 2.84 and have my 811 set to ask before accepting new s/w. Will they force me to take it at some point in time? or can I stay at 2.84 indefinitely until I decide to change?

 

[jwv651]

My take on the P2.89 Software Update...slower channel changeing...background seems to have MB looks like moving clouds in the background...OTA channel guide is always showing digital channel instead of the actual channel...have to reboot to get channel guide...Lip sync like watching a Kung FU movie...only good thing is it doesn't freeze up as much...I am really getting to hate this receiver.

 

[Paul_Medenwaldt]

Last night I turned on my 811 (w/2.89). It was the first time i turned it on since about Wednesday. First thing I noticed was the program guide and and channel information lettering was all garbled. It almost looked like one of spam emails you would get from Russia. Very odd characters.

I didn't have time last night to play with it (I was showing off my system to some friends). HD looked good otherwise.

This morning I did a reboot and the 811 went through its reboot process and that seemed to fix the problem. Guide and channel info look normal.

Paul

 

[bbtkd]

Do they even test this stuff?

I would usually defend the developers (having been one) and say that they can't catch everything - but are they testing at all? Or do we only get whiners on this site? Seems like if these people used it for any time at all they would have to have seen some of these problems.

 

[alocher]

I have had P2.89 for a couple of weeks now. No problems until last night, when the program guide started showing "information unavailable" for all channels for any program 30 - 90 minutes into the future. If I tried to click forward to those slots to see if the information would load, then the current show would go black. If I changed channels up or down, the new channel would come on, and then I could switch back to the old one and get reception again. I don't know if this was a P2.89 problem or something else, but it was the first time I have seen something like this.

-- Albert

 

[AcuraCL]

I am dismayed by Dish's continual f'ing up of the 811. I have tried to be patient. I have tried to be an adult about this. But 2.89 is THE WORST YET. This box is now working worse than at any point in the 20 months or so I have had it.

The f'ing guide is getting corrupted every couple of days. Have to reboot to bring it back. Rebooting now takes longer. Channel changes are freakin excruciatingly slow.

What is their f'ing problem? Dam I'm annoyed.

Edit: Just sent them this email:

"I have an 811 receiver. Obviously, this means I have been vexed by performance problems, bugs, and issues for about 20 months now. I have tried to be patient and allow you folks time to fix the problems. But I have to tell you, your latest attempt at fixing the problems (software update 2.89) is THE WORST. This is the worst that this unit has performed yet. I don't understand how you can release software that is so full of bugs ... do you not have a Quality Control department?

Please, please, return my 811 box to the previous version of software. The guide is getting corrupted almost every day, and requires rebooting. Channel changes take about twice as long to perform. I am about ready to throw this piece of work out the window and get DirectTv. I have been a Dish customer (and shareholder) for 8 years now and I am about at the end of my rope.

Fix this 811 box !!"

 

[new_to_hdtv]

previous version?

what s/w did you have b/4 2.89?

 

[AcuraCL]

Dam ... I never got 2.84 ... what was before that? I think 2.82? That was the most stable, least requiring of reboots for me.

 

[Barry Erick]

I just got it too.

Unfortunately for me, my pet peeve, the "jumpy" SD video first reported in http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=37474 is still present.

This "jumpy video" sure sounds like something we, as broadcasters, see all the time. Ground Loop Hum. Basically, something is plugged into a different AC socket than another and there is a voltage difference. When the hum comes by and rolls through the verticle (about every minute), the verticle is interrupted and the video jumps. This can also be caused by a ground shield on any cable from the dish to the TV to be touching more than one ground. This is one reason the code calls for the ground rod to be within a certain distance of the residence ground.

One way of finding this is to us a 3 prong ac adapter, without ground, on power leads. This should be just to check the problem and is not a permanent solution.

 

[LG811User]

This "jumpy video" sure sounds like something we, as broadcasters, see all the time. Ground Loop Hum. Basically, something is plugged into a different AC socket than another and there is a voltage difference. When the hum comes by and rolls through the verticle (about every minute), the verticle is interrupted and the video jumps. This can also be caused by a ground shield on any cable from the dish to the TV to be touching more than one ground. This is one reason the code calls for the ground rod to be within a certain distance of the residence ground.

One way of finding this is to us a 3 prong ac adapter, without ground, on power leads. This should be just to check the problem and is not a permanent solution.

Thanks for the suggestion. I have all of my hardware plugged into a power filter so everything is plugged into the same socket.

Also, the problem is only present when watching SD source material (through any of the outputs - composite, component, s-video) not when watching HD material.

Would these 2 points eliminate Ground Loop Hum as a source of the problem?

If not, would the suggestion be to try a 3 prong ac adapter, without ground, on the 811 only? Or would I need to try it on all of home theater equipment?