322 possible firmware bugs?

[GSfromCT]

I have recently upgraded to a 322 from a 3900. Man its quite an upgrade especially in the EPG, no more waiting what seemed like 10 minutes for the info to appear.
I have noticed a couple of issues that I have emailed Dish, and now we are going through the dog and pony show of checking everything in my system info.
The issues I have seen:
1. Timers. I set timers to recored to DVD for timeshifting every night. I have on three different timers noticed that the box turns on at the right time, but I get a black screen (on both S video and also ch 4 from the 75 ohm connection).
Maybe a coicidence, but all three timers with black screen were on Sundays.
The first time this happened, my timer from 8 to 9 PM was black (I missed the ending episode of the Amazing race). The timer from 9 to 10 PM recordered normally (full video and sound, no problems).
The second time this happened I had just setup the timer and turned the box off but the TV was still on. The box started and the screen was black. I channeled up on the remote, the next channel up displayed so I channeled down and my TV was displaying what the timer should have displayed.
The third time it happened was the same as the second. I no longer trust the box so I watch to make sure the box turns on right at the first timer.
2. Guide. Sometimes I cannot go to the right to see later times. I press the right arrow and nothing happens. If I page down in the guide, I can then arrow to the right to see later times. I can then page up to see the later times I couldn't see on the channels until I paged down, arrowed right, then paged up. This is minor as it is easily worked around.
I tried searching before posting and went back as far as January which was a time of older firmware as I believe these issues to be firmware related.
I am current with L421 firmware.
Has anyone seen this? The timer issue is something I have to "babysit". So far I have not seen this happen on any other day but Sunday, and only on my first timer of the day (one of the timers was sunday morning).

 

[Voyager6]

I've had a similar problem with the timers on my 322. It would record ER on Thursday night but then would not record the DW's soaps the next day. Just the black screen with the dish logo. I now make sure that the 322 is on, as in displaying the correct channel, before I leave for the day. No problems since I started doing this.

 

[lakebum431]

Wow, if you are doing time shifting why on earth don't you just get a regular DVR? I wouldn't waste my time trying to do manual DVD recordings every day. Once you try a real DVR you won't believe how much time you've been wasting.

 

[Pepper]

I concur with lakebum, as much as we complain about the $5.99 monthly fee per DVR, it is worth every penny to not have to fumble with external equipment and media just for timeshifting purposes.

SHHH... don't anybody tell E* that I actually said that.

 

[GSfromCT]

Wow, if you are doing time shifting why on earth don't you just get a regular DVR? I wouldn't waste my time trying to do manual DVD recordings every day. Once you try a real DVR you won't believe how much time you've been wasting.

My DVD-R doesn't charge me $5.99 a month to use it. Also, If I want to keep what I watched, its already on DVD instead of having to replay it from a DVR to a DVD.
The way I see it, it takes me an extra 10 seconds to program the DVD recorder. Even though the DVR would be so much more convenient and I am sure I would love having a DVR after using it, i just can't get over paying $5.99 for that convenience. It's is more principle than the actual cost.

 

[GSfromCT]

I've had a similar problem with the timers on my 322. It would record ER on Thursday night but then would not record the DW's soaps the next day. Just the black screen with the dish logo. I now make sure that the 322 is on, as in displaying the correct channel, before I leave for the day. No problems since I started doing this.

Voyager6
Thanks for the info!
After going through all my settings with Dish, I was actually starting to think "Hey, maybe this is a problem with my setup?"

I have called them one other time about one of my local channels not coming in properly. As usual they started asking me about signal levels, etc. I guess they have to start troubleshooting somewhere.

 

[DWS44]

My DVD-R doesn't charge me $5.99 a month to use it. Also, If I want to keep what I watched, its already on DVD instead of having to replay it from a DVR to a DVD.
The way I see it, it takes me an extra 10 seconds to program the DVD recorder. Even though the DVR would be so much more convenient and I am sure I would love having a DVR after using it, i just can't get over paying $5.99 for that convenience. It's is more principle than the actual cost.

You've obviously give some thought to a DVR so I don't want to bombard you, but I'll throw this one more idea at you...trick play. Before I got a DVR, I never thought much about being able to use pause, rewind, skip back, etc, with "live" TV, but now I can't stand watching TV w/o it! To me that alone is worth the price of admission! :up

 

[DishSubLA]

I have recently upgraded to a 322 from a 3900. Man its quite an upgrade especially in the EPG, no more waiting what seemed like 10 minutes for the info to appear.
I have noticed a couple of issues that I have emailed Dish, and now we are going through the dog and pony show of checking everything in my system info.
The issues I have seen:
1. Timers. I set timers to recored to DVD for timeshifting every night. I have on three different timers noticed that the box turns on at the right time, but I get a black screen (on both S video and also ch 4 from the 75 ohm connection).
Maybe a coicidence, but all three timers with black screen were on Sundays.
The first time this happened, my timer from 8 to 9 PM was black (I missed the ending episode of the Amazing race). The timer from 9 to 10 PM recordered normally (full video and sound, no problems).
The second time this happened I had just setup the timer and turned the box off but the TV was still on. The box started and the screen was black. I channeled up on the remote, the next channel up displayed so I channeled down and my TV was displaying what the timer should have displayed.
The third time it happened was the same as the second. I no longer trust the box so I watch to make sure the box turns on right at the first timer.
2. Guide. Sometimes I cannot go to the right to see later times. I press the right arrow and nothing happens. If I page down in the guide, I can then arrow to the right to see later times. I can then page up to see the later times I couldn't see on the channels until I paged down, arrowed right, then paged up. This is minor as it is easily worked around.
I tried searching before posting and went back as far as January which was a time of older firmware as I believe these issues to be firmware related.
I am current with L421 firmware.
Has anyone seen this? The timer issue is something I have to "babysit". So far I have not seen this happen on any other day but Sunday, and only on my first timer of the day (one of the timers was sunday morning).

As for your timers resulting in black screen. I, too, had the same annoying problem for quite a while, until I played a hunch: I set up the 322 with a VCR remote code following the VCR Set-up via the Menus, and ever since I have NEVER had a black screen; all timers have fired 100%.

In other words: if you did not set-up the VCR timer function, and did not provide a VCR code during set-up, the timers won't function correctly.

Solution: From the table of VCR codes provided, select a manufactuer code that won't interfere with any of your equipment. I selected an RCA code, as I won't have any RCA products. Enter the code following instructions. Your timers should work properly.

One more thing just to ensure no black screen. Although this seems not to be a problem after entering VCR code, in the past the 322 TV1 would have a black screen if the timer was set to fire on the very same channel that the box was tuned to when it was last shut off.

I found the TV2 timers to always fire, no matter what.


As for your guide problems: I have experienced this only about 4 times approaching 2 years of use. However, a re-boot fixed the problem. I can't say that this guide trouble amounts to a problem for me.

 

[Voyager6]

In other words: if you did not set-up the VCR timer function, and did not provide a VCR code during set-up, the timers won't function correctly.

One more thing just to ensure no black screen. Although this seems not to be a problem after entering VCR code, in the past the 322 TV1 would have a black screen if the timer was set to fire on the very same channel that the box was tuned to when it was last shut off.

In my case, I have the VCR code set-up. It still would give me the black screen sometimes. I now tune in the correct channel and leave the receiver on before leaving for the day.

This is probably the firmware bug that GSfromCT is describing. I've never had this problem on my 301 or 2800 receivers. It has also never occurred on my 522. Just on the DW's 322 receiver. Very unfortunate for me when the DW's soap doesn't record. Thank God the Soap Channel replays the soap she watches later that night.

 

[DishSubLA]

In my case, I have the VCR code set-up. It still would give me the black screen sometimes. I now tune in the correct channel and leave the receiver on before leaving for the day.

This is probably the firmware bug that GSfromCT is describing. I've never had this problem on my 301 or 2800 receivers. It has also never occurred on my 522. Just on the DW's 322 receiver. Very unfortunate for me when the DW's soap doesn't record. Thank God the Soap Channel replays the soap she watches later that night.

Wow, that is unfortunate because I know how annoying that black screen can be. I guess I can count my good luck. Now, I have supreme confidence the 322 TV1 timer will fire--it always has, so far--going on at least a year of countless fires (I had to record multiple 30 minute TV shows each weekday for my brother, and record my stuff on a 2nd 322--no misfires.

Again, try not to leave the 322 tuned to the channel you want to record when you put the box in standby because you may get the black screen. Try leaving it at Ch. 101 or something like that.


I hope they fix the problem.