Dish Network ViP222 HD Dual-Tuner Receiver: A SatelliteGuys.US Review

[alex82inca]

It was model 111 what built on Conexant.

222 is also Conexant.

 

[Smith P.]

Really ? We are in the thread.

 

[tigerrun]

Excellent review! Have you had any additional screen freezes? Both my original 222 and a replacement have the same screen freeze, while the voice continues to function. And it turns into a "black screen" when going to the menu. A complete reboot solves the problem. But it is tiring to have to reboot every day or so and my wife is threatening to go back to cable!!

 

[Nick1Toast]

Excellent review! Have you had any additional screen freezes? Both my original 222 and a replacement have the same screen freeze, while the voice continues to function. And it turns into a "black screen" when going to the menu. A complete reboot solves the problem. But it is tiring to have to reboot every day or so and my is threatening to go back to cable!!

I am not sure if this applies to your 222, but I have had a running dialog going on with Dish tech department since shortly after I got my 222 last September or so. I emailed them about issues with Voom, mpeg 4, 129 jerky video problems I had. We have emailed back and forth with symptoms etc. Finally after the last software upgrade to L3.04 I reported to them that the jerky video was fixed. Unfortunately, very shortly after that upgrade, the symptoms you described started and I reported to them about the new problems. They responded the next day after my detailed report about this, that they hoped to have a fix for this in a few weeks. Lets hope so, but without further issues introduced, because I for one really like this receiver.

 

[tigerrun]

Thanks for the reply. I am was hoping that it is, in fact, a software issue. something that can be fixed quickly. Perhaps it is too much to hope that the call centers would know anything about these kind of issues. I would not mind being told that a future software release would fix this problem. I really like the new DVR receiver which does not exhibit this problem. I will print off your reply an give it to the service person that shows up this week. Dish is wasting a lot of $ sending out replacement units and service calls if this is in fact a software issue. My configuration is straight forward. I will keep this post alive until a solution is found.

 

[gbs]

I saw the review of last night's Tech Chat and they said that the 211 would have a DVR software upgrade in July 2008 to allow use of an external hard drive. Does anyone know if this will apply to the 222 also?

 

[Nick1Toast]

I saw the review of last night's Tech Chat and they said that the 211 would have a DVR software upgrade in July 2008 to allow use of an external hard drive. Does anyone know if this will apply to the 222 also?

I'm not a hundred percent on this, but I thought I read somewhere on this forum that the 222 hard drive deal would follow the 211's by 3 to 6 months if the 211 went okay.

 

[tigerrun]

Dish sent a service tech out to look at 222 freeze issue. No freeze while he was here. He replaced the antenna LBN and confirmed that these 222 units were having this problem. He no sooner got out the door and the unit froze again. Too late, gone! I called in the problem and decided to upgrade to the 722 on the current promo. since my 722 is rock solid. Awaiting the 722 shipment.

 

[clayfisher2]

I am experiencing same problems with the black screen and sound issue. We have to reboot about once a week or more. Hope they come up with a fix or better yet replace it with a 722 like tigerrun.

 

[Indy]

I'm not a hundred percent on this, but I thought I read somewhere on this forum that the 222 hard drive deal would follow the 211's by 3 to 6 months if the 211 went okay.

Since I have not followed the forum or tech chats for quite some time, is the 222 external hard drive option going to happen or has it already? Time frame?

 

[tsduke]

Since I have not followed the forum or tech chats for quite some time, is the 222 external hard drive option going to happen or has it already? Time frame?

Who knows. E* seems aspleep at the wheel with both software enhancements and programming additions.

 

[Nick1Toast]

Software update and freezes

This thread seems kind of dead now, but there was a software update to L305 on the VIP 222 that at least on my box took care of the freezes that required reboots. I let the tech dept. know of my results and they responded that customer reports showed about a 50 percent success rate as reported to them by 222 owners. Nick.

 

[tsduke]

Mine still freezes. It always when I'm not watching it that it happens. Somebody will go to turn it on and it's locked.

 

[Jerryinvirginia]

Know of several 222's that have not experienced video drop.....none of these receivers are connected to local antenna....outside or table top???????

 

[IrishBrewer]

I'm supposed to be getting a VIP222 for HD-only plus locals (locals are non-HD). However, in this review, I saw the following:

"Local Channels can only be watched on TV1"

Is this in reference only to the OTA locals or does it also apply to locals coming from the sat feed? I don't think I want this hardware if I dont get the locals on my TV2 line. When I upgraded to this hardware (install is tomorrow) Dish didn't mention anything about this limitation.

If this is indeed a limitation, are the other VIPs like this for a single box setup?

 

[TuxCoder]

Welcome to SatelliteGuys.US, IrishBrewer.

Locals that are provided via the satellite (so, not via antenna) can be watched from TV1 and TV2. That poorly worded line in their help screen is only referring to local channels received through an antenna.

 

[IrishBrewer]

Welcome to SatelliteGuys.US, IrishBrewer.

Locals that are provided via the satellite (so, not via antenna) can be watched from TV1 and TV2. That poorly worded line in their help screen is only referring to local channels received through an antenna.

That's a relief. I don't mind not getting the locals from the antenna feed since TV2 is SD anyway and the only reason I'll be using the antenna is to get HD versions of my SD locals for viewing on TV1.

Thanks for the info.

 

[mholbro]

Got a VIP222.If I get the HD-Only Package, will the HD be downconverted on TV2 for my SD tv?

 

[wassupTC]

Got a VIP222.If I get the HD-Only Package, will the HD be downconverted on TV2 for my SD tv?

The downconversion is a part of the receiver's hardware to the best of my knowledge, so regardless of your package it will be downconverted to SD.

You can still get the 16:9 aspect ratio on the HD channels by using the 'Letterbox' setting on the receiver and then using the 'zoom' setting on you TV. Your guide will look wrong, but you will have the correct aspect ratio.

 

[Carl B]

IrishBrewer and mholbro:

Are either of your new ViP222s exhibiting the "freeze/black screen problem" alluded to earlier in this thread (i.e., are you finding the need to reboot daily or weekly)?

Thanks,

Carl B.