721 Issues

[avediswolf]

Interesting. I now have a 24 hour guide. even after 3 plug pulls.
I'm called them, They said to me as well, they have no other reports, and it may have to do something with the time change coming up.

Come monday, I'll call again if it's not fixed.

By the way, I got the audio issue resolved without an RA. Needed to open it, and snap in the card reader.

SW version is L324HABD-N ( Isn't that HABD-N the hardware version or something? )

 

[hometheaterman]

Last time I checked I still had the 3day guide but I'm not sure if I've checked today. I have had good experiences calling Dish. I usually get someone I can understand just fine unlike a lot of other companys.

 

[retiredTech]

OK Sunday Morning March 11, after time change. turned on my 721 and had only a 3day guide AGAIN!.
However, I did discover something, I suspect is at the root of L324's problem.
In the past (before L324) when I did a "point dish" screen, almost always the display showed I was using tuner 1 (without changing it) and if not a pip swap would easily switch it to tuner 1.
Now after overnight, when I go to "point dish" it is always showing I'm using tuner 2, and even doing "pip swap" it isn't easy to get it to use tuner 1.
BUT... once I get to USE tuner 1 then ... the 9 day guide does download,
after a while without any other help.

SO E* IF YOU ARE LISTENING!!! L324 is locking (at least some) 721s into tuner 2 and confusing the guide download! (maybe it thinks both tuners are in use?)
I've heard my 721 baulk when it tried to restart in the middle the night at the MISCODE you put in L324!!
E* CLEAN UP YOUR ACT!!!

In the mean time, all 721 owners call in and complain.
As a bandaid, make your viewing on tuner 1.

 

[kstuart]

That sounds very plausible - it would explain:
- Why different people see the problem or don't
- Why the problem goes away by itself
- Why E* did not catch it in testing

 

[BillH]

How to Tell When On Tuner 1 or 2

OK Sunday Morning March 11, after time change. turned on my 721 and had only a 3day guide AGAIN!.
However, I did discover something, I suspect is at the root of L324's problem.
In the past (before L324) when I did a "point dish" screen, almost always the display showed I was using tuner 1 (without changing it) and if not a pip swap would easily switch it to tuner 1.
Now after overnight, when I go to "point dish" it is always showing I'm using tuner 2, and even doing "pip swap" it isn't easy to get it to use tuner 1.
BUT... once I get to USE tuner 1 then ... the 9 day guide does download,
after a while without any other help.

SO E* IF YOU ARE LISTENING!!! L324 is locking (at least some) 721s into tuner 2 and confusing the guide download! (maybe it thinks both tuners are in use?)
I've heard my 721 baulk when it tried to restart in the middle the night at the MISCODE you put in L324!!
E* CLEAN UP YOUR ACT!!!

In the mean time, all 721 owners call in and complain.
As a bandaid, make your viewing on tuner 1.

-----------------------
How do I tell what tuner I am using?

And when do you think Dish will fix this problem?

 

[retiredTech]

To see which tuner you are using : press
"menu"
6"System Setsetup"
2"Point Dish"
This will display "tuner input" as either 1 or 2,
see if it says 1 or 2, press "done".
do a PIP and then swap screens
and repeat above check
and see if the tuner still says 2.
If it switchs to tuner 1
then likely a little later your 9day guide will finally download.

 

[jrbdmb]

That sounds very plausible - it would explain:
- Why different people see the problem or don't
- Why the problem goes away by itself
- Why E* did not catch it in testing

Read the threads on v3.65 of the 5xx software. These 721 bugs are trivial to crap I've had to put up with on my 508 (frequent lock-ups, deleted protected recordings, frequent reboots required, etc.). It's not clear any more if any regression testing is being done on the SW updates for legacy receivers ...

 

[ERSanders]

OK Sunday Morning March 11, after time change. turned on my 721 and had only a 3day guide AGAIN!.
However, I did discover something, I suspect is at the root of L324's problem.
In the past (before L324) when I did a "point dish" screen, almost always the display showed I was using tuner 1 (without changing it) and if not a pip swap would easily switch it to tuner 1.
Now after overnight, when I go to "point dish" it is always showing I'm using tuner 2, and even doing "pip swap" it isn't easy to get it to use tuner 1.
BUT... once I get to USE tuner 1 then ... the 9 day guide does download,
after a while without any other help.

SO E* IF YOU ARE LISTENING!!! L324 is locking (at least some) 721s into tuner 2 and confusing the guide download! (maybe it thinks both tuners are in use?)
I've heard my 721 baulk when it tried to restart in the middle the night at the MISCODE you put in L324!!
E* CLEAN UP YOUR ACT!!!

In the mean time, all 721 owners call in and complain.
As a bandaid, make your viewing on tuner 1.

RT, I tried your fix on my downstairs unit and, after a few hours (while I was doing something else), the guide was back to the nine days. I think that you may have found the cause.

To switch from tuner #1 to tuner #2 I simply go into PIP mode and swap to the other tuner...easier!

I called Dish Tech. and told them about your fix and potential root cause. The tech. said that she would note it in my account and pass it on to the cave where the software geeks hide (my words, not hers).

 

[BillH]

How to Tell What Tuner I am on

To see which tuner you are using : press
"menu"
6"System Setsetup"
2"Point Dish"
This will display "tuner input" as either 1 or 2,
see if it says 1 or 2, press "done".
do a PIP and then swap screens
and repeat above check
and see if the tuner still says 2.
If it switchs to tuner 1
then likely a little later your 9day guide will finally download.

When I do menu and Point dish, I see two blocks, one is tuner 1 and the other is tuner 2. How do you tell which one you are on if you only have 1 tuner working.

 

[retiredTech]

When I do menu and Point dish, I see two blocks, one is tuner 1 and the other is tuner 2. How do you tell which one you are on if you only have 1 tuner working.

Sounds like you have a different menu than I.
The menu I have shows "Tuner Input" which can be "changed" from 1 to 2,
But when it is first displayed, it should be the "show" tuner you are viewing.

However, If your 9 day guide is not downloading,
while viewing just do the PIP... then Swap the picture.
That should allow it to free up a tuner for the guide to download.
(it will take a few minutes to download the guide)

 

[ken]

After reading this multi page thread I still don't know what I got from the new software (besides side-by-side PIP) except a few bugs.

 

[BillH]

Sorry, My Mistake

Sounds like you have a different menu than I.
The menu I have shows "Tuner Input" which can be "changed" from 1 to 2,
But when it is first displayed, it should be the "show" tuner you are viewing.

However, If your 9 day guide is not downloading,
while viewing just do the PIP... then Swap the picture.
That should allow it to free up a tuner for the guide to download.
(it will take a few minutes to download the guide)

----------------------

Sorry My Mistake. I was going one screen too far. Yes, I do see the tuner input screen you have been talking about.

I assume that on this screen, if you change the tuner number, it does not accomplish what you want to do. You have to go to the PIP and change there.

However I tried that, and then returned to this screen and it was still #2.

Anyway, mine had been having only 3 days when I turn it on in the morning, but after a while and after doing nothing, the 9 days would come. I am going to see what happens this afternoon after getting in from work.

 

[ERSanders]

RT, my downstairs 721 was back to the three day guide this AM. I swapped the tuners again via PIP and I got the nine day guide shortly thereafter.

I think you struck it rich. Now if Dish can do something about it....

 

[BillH]

I talked to Dish Yesterday

RT, my downstairs 721 was back to the three day guide this AM. I swapped the tuners again via PIP and I got the nine day guide shortly thereafter.

I think you struck it rich. Now if Dish can do something about it....

I called Dish yesterday and told them what we know and she got some diagnostic info to give the technicians and she said she thought they would be putting a "Patch" on in a couple of days.

SO, I guess it is just wait and see what happens. I do think the more that calls the quicker it will be.


:

 

[BillH]

Getting Hard To Change to Tuner 1

My 721 is getting to where it does not want to change to tuner one, in the PIP mode. When I go back to the point dish screen, it is still on tuner 2.

What can I do to make it change to tuner 1?

I have tried 2 and 3 times and it still shows tuner 2.

Thanks.

 

[ERSanders]

BillH, I'm a bit confused by your comment.

The simplest way to switch tuners is while watching tuner 1 (for example) go into the PIP mode and hit the swap button, then hit PIP until you are back to one screen...you are now watching tuner 2. Its that simple.

All you have to do is wait a while and your guide will (should? since this is not an exact science at this point) be at nine days.

I had to do this to my upstairs 721 this morning. It took about 20' to get the nine day guide. This is the third or fourth time this trick has worked for me.

 

[BillH]

Sorry for the confusion. RETRY

BillH, I'm a bit confused by your comment.

The simplest way to switch tuners is while watching tuner 1 (for example) go into the PIP mode and hit the swap button, then hit PIP until you are back to one screen...you are now watching tuner 2. Its that simple.

All you have to do is wait a while and your guide will (should? since this is not an exact science at this point) be at nine days.

I had to do this to my upstairs 721 this morning. It took about 20' to get the nine day guide. This is the third or fourth time this trick has worked for me.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
I turned my TV and satellite on this morning and had only 3 days guide. So I looked at the tuner input and sure enough, it said Tuner 2. So I went back to the regular program and did a PIP and hit the swap button and it swapped the pics.

But then, I went back to the Tuner input screen and it still showed Tuner 2 (after hitting the swap). In the past, this switched to Tuner 1 for me. So I tried it again but I got the same results.

So when this occurs, am I really on Tuner 1 or 2 and if it is two, how do you make it change to tuner 1?

Another question. Is it possible to look at the tuner input and it read 2 but you really be on Tuner 1?

To put it another way, after I do a PIP Swap, I am still on the same tuner input that I was on to begin with. Or at least, the Satellite says I am.

 

[Smith P.]

Is there different channels in PIP ?

Could be dead Tuner 1.

 

[BillH]

Yes

Is there different channels in PIP ?

Could be dead Tuner 1.

It is not dead since I have 2 different pictures or channels on.

It is confusing isn't it.

Of course, the idea thing would be for DISH to get it fixed!


:up

 

[ERSanders]

The PIP swap must, by definition, use the other tuner since you can see a different channel and be recording both. Perhaps the check switch defaults to a specific (probably the wrong) tuner!

Did your actions this morning give you the nine-day guide after a while?