612 DVR Problem

[robertz675]

I have just replaced my 11th 612 receiver this year. I can watch a movie live but if I record it and play it back there is always a problem i.e it records it in 3 segments, plays 5 minutes of the movie and then reboots. We (or DISH) have:

1. Had 5 technicians out.
2. Plugged unit into a UPS, a power strip, the wall even changed outlets
3. Replaced dish
4. Replaced lead in wire

We have a non dvr receiver and have exchanged places. Never a problem with the non dvr only the 612. DISH has offered to upgrade our receiver at no charge IF we extend our contract. Every time that the unit is exchanged, I have to drive just under 50 miles each way to drop it off at UPS.

The people at DISH say "we are sorry, but you still have a contract to pay". Has anyone else ever had this problem?

 

[TheKrell]

Those are the symptoms of a bad internal disk, but it strains credulity that you could get 11 bad disks in a row. I think it has to be environmental.

When you say, "replaced dish", do you mean your LNB/switch assembly was swapped out for new? Is there anything else drawing power from the dish antenna coax? How about the USB ports? What is your wall voltage?

 

[robertz675]

The line voltage is 118 - 122 volts. I have a record of it on my computer for the past 6 months. The replaced the LNB, the smitch and the ground block along with the lead-in coax. The lead in wire comes straight from the dish with no splices. I agree that this is unbelievable. When DISH ships us a new receiver it lasts about 3-4 days. When a technician installs one it will last 7-10 days. The hard drive is what seems to be the problem every time. We never loose a signal or have a problem when viewing live only from recorded programs. This is what the schedule log showed when I tried to record a 1 hour program:

Event stopped by STB reboot
Start 7:59 PM
AV Recorded 7:59 PM
Reboot 8:08 PM

Start 8:08 PM
AV Recorded 8:08 PM
Reboot 8:45 PM

Start 8:45 PM
AV Recorded 8:45 PM
Stop 9:03 PM
AV Stopped 9:03 PM

And the end result is that we don't get to see the complete show. It is costing DISH a fortune to ship receivers and technicians to constantly have the same problem. Each time the technician comes, he verifies that the problem actually exists.

 

[MaryB@SlingTV]

Hi Robertz675, I apologize that you have had so much trouble with your VIP612 receiver. I would to try and assist you in getting this issue resolved. Can you please PM me your account information, I would like to review your account. Thank you!

 

[TheKrell]

Huh. How are the temps on the hard drive? Do you allow good ventilation on both sides?

 

[robertz675]

Don't know about the hard drive temps, but there is plenty of ventilation. It is in the same location that we had a DirectTV DVR in for 8 years.

 

[vash1090]

To the OP, did you search for other threads on 612's? The 612 model is still currently listed under known issues and a software update is being developed to fix the playback problem. Unfortunately, the release date is not announced yet.

 

[Scherrman]

We don't do a lot of 612 installs but the ones we have out there do not have that many problems. I know it's not DISH's best receiver but 11 bad receivers is rediculous. That can't be just a receiver problem. It would be interesting to see what would happen if you had a 722 receiver in it's place.

 

[gpollock87]

kinda glad i changed my 612 order to a 722, hope you find your problem though

 

[TG2]

To OP are you using an HDMI cable? If so have you tried Component while recording and playing back? The thought is that perhaps something is going wrong with HDCP and causing the problem (I believe HDCP is causing a problem for me on my 722k when my TV is off / standby and I try to record HD PPV movies for later playback ... its the *only* time my receiver reboots repeatedly like that <and its the 2nd one I've tried>)

 

[robertz675]

I am using a HDMI cable and I have changed inputs on the TV and even changed TV's

 

[reddice]

Do you have OTA antenna hooked up to the 612. If you do disconnect it and just hook up the OTA directly to your TV. I had problems with reboots and lost signals after I disconnected the OTA and connected it to my TV I did not have those problems anymore and my 612 is stable.

 

[TG2]

I am using a HDMI cable and I have changed inputs on the TV and even changed TV's

There's the other poster mentioning OTA connections as a possible issue... and in changing inputs... did you change to a Component Video input rather than HDMI (no hdmi at all connected from the back of the receiver) ??

Technically according to the HDMI spec site... its the responsibility of the "Source" device to make sure it is 100% in compliance.. and now the source is also required to perform a series of tests to prove some level of compatibility... the "signal source" in this case would be the Dish Receiver ... who would enfrorces & act on violations of non-source testing compliance I don't know..

And does the Reboot happen when recording just any channel that's HD? or only certain movie channels? (if only the hd / higher end movie channels and not *all* hd channels, then again it could be an HDCP issue.)

 

[robertz675]

We do not have an OTA connection and the problem is on both SD and HD channels.

 

[papalittle]

I would get a tester and check the polarity at the wall and check for a ground at the wall.

 

[robertz675]

I have done that

 

[TG2]

We do not have an OTA connection and the problem is on both SD and HD channels.

what about using a component only connection (no HDMI connections) and see if the problem goes away?