After new update DVR no longer plays back smoothly--skips, pauses, stops

[bookwalk]

The past few days (have had my Hopper since Nov 9) all of a sudden, after a few hours of usage, any DVR recordings I start to play or if I pause any live tv and then start to reply or resume, the resulting play is full of skips, jerky, loss of sound, recorded content--really unwatchable. So all I can do is watch live TV.

Also, when I do a reset, after the normal Startup, it reports that it recognized the "network", it ends with a gray box with Attention 015--acquiring satellite signal--click on "details" and then I see Sat --yesterday it was 129, today it shows 119 and transponder 21 5 out of 5 and it just sticks here indefinitely.

I can get rid of the box by clicking on Guide or DVR. I can then view DVR or paused live tv replays, but only for a short while and then it goes back to skipping, stuttering, etc and so no DVR.

Called CSR and they said to have a DISH technician--scheduled that and he called and we agreed he couldn't see much else he could do except replace the Hopper--HORRIBLE--I am then forced to buy a $99 EHD to try to preserve my recordings to transfer to the next Hopper.

We have 2 Hoppers and this is not happening to the 2nd Hopper, so eliminates the DISH. Also switched the Node inputs (Host) for both --makes no difference.

What are my options?

 

[bookwalk]

UPDATE to the Above--would appreciate any input, especially from a DISH tech or the "DIRT" team?????

In another forum or topic thread, I read that someone with a similar problem pulled the power for a longer period of time than 10 secs, so I did that yesterday--for about 20 minutes. So far, today, have played back all DVR recordings and resumed paused live tv WITHOUT ANY SKIPS or stuttering or stopping.

HOWEVER, the 2nd Hopper we have has some new issues:


It has been randomly "rebooting" to a "Acquiring Satellite Signal" and Error 004 and you cannot get to live tv--you can get the Guide, but clicking on a program does not allow you to see Live TV OR any DVR recordings.

We did a "Check Switch" from this 2nd Hopper and here's the message from Settings/Diagnostics/System Status: "LNB Drift Detetcted Ox12, Oxa1, 119 (e-14).

We will schedule DISH technician appointment to take a look at this problem--either DISH LNB or software or both. I do not get this message or problem on Hooper 1--only on 2nd Hopper in Kitchen????

Again, why so many opinions on how long to unplug from power--I tried 3 times to unplug only for 10 secs, but it was the last unplug for 20 minutes that has, so far, corrected the DVR or resume from pause of live tv jumpy playback and hopefully saved my Hopper from being replaced!

Hooray for these forums--I tried the DISH forum, this and one other forum and hope one of your "DISH" employees can comment on this????

 

[lucky86]

10 seconds is all the time a reset should need to be done for. Why resetting fixed the DVR issue? Not sure but I would say coincidence or the nightly update or maybe time not being used allowed for the box to cool down to correct the hard drive issue.

A malfunctioning lnb can cause different issues and it's possible one or two of the lines from the dish to the node are working correctly allowing your hopper 1 to function normally.

 

[bookwalk]

10 seconds is all the time a reset should need to be done for. Why resetting fixed the DVR issue? Not sure but I would say coincidence or the nightly update or maybe time not being used allowed for the box to cool down to correct the hard drive issue.

A malfunctioning lnb can cause different issues and it's possible one or two of the lines from the dish to the node are working correctly allowing your hopper 1 to function normally.

What should the technician do to correct this problem? What might have caused it--after being installed and working ok for 2 months?

Already tried switching the 2 node outputs from the dual node, but could be bad node and/or LNB?

 

[lucky86]

What should the technician do to correct this problem? What might have caused it--after being installed and working ok for 2 months?

Already tried switching the 2 node outputs from the dual node, but could be bad node and/or LNB?

Sometimes equipment just malfunctions. You stating that it displayed lnb drift usually means it's an lnb issue.

 

[bookwalk]

Sometimes equipment just malfunctions. You stating that it displayed lnb drift usually means it's an lnb issue.

Right--as it does not appear on the other receiver, but....

Does the tech have a way to electronically test the LNBF at the Dish because, after the looonnnng depowering--pulling plug for 20 minutes, the 2nd Hopper that had the LNB drift error message now does not show that message and not having any issues with this Hopper?????

What can cause this drift? Technician will come anyway, but now no error messages Acquiring Satellite.

Wonder if all this is temperature dependent? We are starting to have pretty cold temps up here--at night down to -5F, but during date up to about 9 F, but today, 21 F and no problems.

 

[lucky86]

The cold weather issue is something other people on these forums have been posting about. Maybe if it gets cold again before the tech come out, see if the errors return and if so, try blowing a hair dryer on the node if possible to see if the problem is corrected after the node is warmed up.

 

[bookwalk]

Thanks--the node is inside the house--laying flat--does it need to lie flat like the OTA Usb dongle? I wonder about moisture somewhere or grounding? But now, not sure how the tech is going to troubleshoot when the messages are no longer appearing--but will try to note, if the errors come up again, what time of day and temp, etc.

Thanks,

 

[lucky86]

I'm sure he'll check the LNB and most likely just replace it to be safe. The node doesn't need to be mounted any special way. The manual says the OTA dongle should be laid flat but I have mine hanging behind my TV and I have no issues.