Dislikes/Bugs on the 522

boba

SatelliteGuys Master
Original poster
Dec 12, 2003
11,350
1,035
Dorchester, TX.
What have you found for bugs or dislikes on the 522 so far?
The biggest problem I have had so far is the info screen popping up on Tuner2. I have also had it lockup with a black screen and aquiring signal once on Tuner1.
I have only done 4 recordings so far but all have had extra time added by the receiver so I had to skip over parts of the previous programs, to watch the intended programming. I don't have this with my 2 TiVos.

I don't like the lack of ability to change the numerical order that other receivers have in the programming guide.
I don't like the wider size of the remote it to me is less comfortable to hold and must be very hard for women who have smaller hands.
 
Let me preface this by saying I am satisfied with my 522 and would get it again had I the chance. It is like having two 510's in one however you can share the PVR between the two rooms.

Dislikes:

1. Occasional popup info screen
2. Lack of single mode (will fix in the future)
3. One time it just reset on its own
4. Sometimes the sound mutes out momentarily on playback of PVR (very minor though)
5. Lack of PIP function (will fix in the future)
6. Keeps reminding me to attach a phone line when there is one connected. Maybe just a friendly reminder, but annoying.
7. Can't watch other tuner's recordings until it is finished
 
Found another one yesterday, caller ID only works for a few minutes after a power button reset. Reset twice yesterday not working again today.
 
Today 12/17/03 both tuners had a message that a phone line needs to be connected. When I did the phone line test it detected the connected phone line successfully.
 
I have to reset it way too often. In the morning sometimes it won't work and won't list all my channels. A reset will fix it but the box is downstairs.

Still happy though. Big improvement over TWC DVR. That thing is a POS.

Also still looking for an extra #2 remote. Any help?
 
Sounds like it is forgetting it is on a phone line and this may be related to why caller ID stops.
 
Mine has REBOOTED itself 3x in the last 24 hours for no reason.

One minute you are watching it, then it blacks out and the aquiring satellites screen comes up.

:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
 
Sounds like the 721 for the first year I had mine. Constant reboots and sound drop outs. It is much more stable than it was but the caller id was still an issue as of last month and I would have to do a reboot to fix it. Don't have the problem any longer as I don't have a land line anymore.
 
Some new ones I found today. (For TV1)

:arrow: While in channel guide, 90% of the channel data was "No Info Available" (NIA)If you scroll right where there is NIA then scroll back left to the current time, it keeps right on going back to previous hours and hours, but still with no channel data, at least until my finger got tired of going back.

:arrow: While in the guide, I noticed intermittent color loss. The screen looks like you turned the color to 0. Cacelling the guide results in the viewed channel being B&W also, then with no apparent resolve, it comes back to color. (Not always reproducable-very intermitent)

:arrow: When pausing live TV, then restarting, there is Audio loss. Sometimes it takes a few rewinds to get it to come back and then I have noticed choppy sound.

An observation:

The time left in the PVR menu doesn't match the amount of recorded programs for a total of 100 hrs. (Reported previously by others)

I think I know why. :idea:

The PVR (in my opinion) allocates roughly 2 (1 hour per TV??) hours of your PVR time to the PAUSE buffer. You can tune to a channel and watch it for a time. If you hit pause, you can record from that point and catch up, but you can ALSO rewind to a point BEFORE the pause point.

This means that among other things, the 522 is constantly buffering a portion of the signal from the time you select a channel in the background. I haven't tried to see how much time it actually buffers, but it does make sense as to why the time differene in the PVR menu. It acts like the anti-skip buffer in portable CD players.

Scott, maybe you know more about this or can verify it from an E* source.
 
Mark_AR said:
:arrow: While in channel guide, 90% of the channel data was "No Info Available" (NIA)If you scroll right where there is NIA then scroll back left to the current time, it keeps right on going back to previous hours and hours, but still with no channel data, at least until my finger got tired of going back.
This worked in a lot of Dish receviers, so try it on this one: When in the guide, enter a number (say 20) and then push the right (ahead) or left (back) arrow. It should jump ahead/behind 20 hours.

Should save wear n' tear on you and the buttons.
 
video62 said:
This worked in a lot of Dish receviers, so try it on this one: When in the guide, enter a number (say 20) and then push the right (ahead) or left (back) arrow. It should jump ahead/behind 20 hours.

Should save wear n' tear on you and the buttons.

But it SHOULDN'T go back to a time BEFORE the current time though.

Like to a place in the guide that has already passed.(2-24 hours ago) All had NIA in the guide grid and have not been reproducable now that the guide has reloaded.

Also the tip you suggest does work on the 522.
 
Woke up a little while ago and noticed the unit powered down on its own. No front panel lights, Black screen both TV's.

This is already bugigng me since TV2 is in my elderly mothers room and she is bedbound without any way to get up and power up the main unit.

The main reason I wanted a 522 is for the UHF remote for her. She has trouble pointing a remote at the TV without looking at it directly(IR remotes rarely work unless pointing at the device)

I wanted a PVR, so the 522 was the best of both worlds.

E*, if you read this forum, FIX THIS!

I havn't been an installed Dish customer for 48 hours and I haven't cancelled my DirecTV yet, sooooo.
 
My 522 updated last night to 160. I don't know what improvements this is supposed to offer but will have towait and see what it does or dosen't do now.
 
INACTIVITY TIMER - POS

My 522 still likes to power itself off several times over the last 3 days.

E* CSR's told me that the 522 has a 4 hour INACTIVITY TIMER. But, inactivity would not mean a system reset though. He still seems to think it is the inactivity timer. I don't think it is though.

So that means if you don't touch the remote or look at the guide it automatically goes to a blank screen after 4 hours. Boy that would really P me off if I was watching the Superbowl and all of a sudden get a blank screen.

To me this is a USELESS FEATURE. It also cannot be deactivated. The Advanced CSR said it used to be on a previous software release, but has been taken off.

So we all need to bug E* into putting the option to disable the inactivity timer back onto the system setup menu.
 
Re: INACTIVITY TIMER - POS

Mark_AR said:
So that means if you don't touch the remote or look at the guide it automatically goes to a blank screen after 4 hours.
What if you're using it just as a normal recevier and are recording to an external VCR in "6 hour" mode? This would seem to be rather rude behaviour to me.
 
Newest bug:

While watching TV today(Miracle on 34th St) No timers active or anything recording, no remote activity, both screens just stopped.

Not went blank, but just froze with what was on the screen. Neither remote had an effect. Pushing any buttons on the front of the 522 including the power button had no effect either

Unplugging the unit was the only way to fix it, then it took an extraordinary long time to boot.

So far 8 hours and no further problems.

Where is the CTRL-ALT-DEL when you need it?
 
Its been 3 days and about 10 hours, 522 locked up tighter than a drum again. Picture froze, hard reset was the only fix.

No timers set, not anywhere near remote.

P.O.S!
 
TV2 UHF Remote decided to quit working overnight.

I tried resetting the box. Nope
Tried removing batteries. Nope
Tried resetting UHF Channel from 16 to 15 to 12. Base unit did not see the change.
Unplugged everything. Nope


OK so this is getting old. Finally I remeber hearing on a recent retailer chat that you can get more keys for the remotes. (In case you have more than 1 TV2, you can tune with a 3rd or a 4th remote)

:!: :!: Slid off the battery cover. Then I took out the Blue2 key and flipped it to Green1. It would work for TV1 now in IR mode. Flipped the key back over and now it worked for TV2 UHF.

Seems as though the contact switch inside the remote opened somehow and it was stuck in NEITHER mode.

This is posted just in case someone else has a TV2 remote that quits responding.
 
It happened again. The UHF remote won't work.

:oops: The Green/Blue key doesn't seem to do anything this time :oops:

I did find a quick fix I think.

:arrow: Take the batteries out and hold down the power button on the remote to drain the power and then reinstall the batteries.

It worked this time.

*sigh*
 
Is there a reason that the 522 has to power down every night at 3AM to load program guides and check for upgrades?

I really hate the idea that on restarting you get the dish logo screen saver before it re-aquires the sat signal causing an even L-O-N-G-E-R wait for your viewed channel to come back.

My D* never had to power down to update the guide info. This is so annoying!

Guides need to update on the fly and software upgrades should load in the background then update on the next power cycle or prompt you with a little upgrade symbol somewhere on the screen when browsing the guide or interacting with the DVR but not when viewing a program. (A little circle with an up-arrow icon) would be peachy.
 
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