Death of a Dishplayer (7200)

[Peter Parker]

My 7200 died yesterday. THis was the fourth one i have had. It began acting erratically at the last s/w update. It lost all my recordings and kept losing signal. A switch check would get it back. That was until the switch check that sent it into the call MSN mode. Now it just endlessly calls, connects to, and then breaks off communication with MSN.

I have the $1.99 warranty. I asked if there were any upgrade plans and was told my only option was to take a $49 510 and pay the DVR fee (plus a commitment). I said no and asked about 508s or even a 501. I was turned down. I wote CEO @echostar.com. Let's see what happens.

 

[BobMurdoch]

Have you tried to unplug it and plug it back in? The phone home bug condition which states that your modem can't connect can be cleared by pulling the plug and reinserting it.

Hold out for a 508, or tell them to replace your dishplayer. The $1.99 was a steal. That's probably why they made it go away for non-existing users of the service and tripled the price......

 

[gtoph]

actually sounds like you need to replace the HD.

 

[Peter Parker]

Couldbe.But at this point I was curious as to whether I had other options. 4 Dishplayers in as many years is not great.


I did try pilling the plug. It did not work. I want to make it clear that I am not trying to upgrade for free. I am willing to pay SOMETHING for a 508 or even a 501 and yes I know that the features are different.

 

[Peter Parker]

FWIW I was offered a refurbed 508. I know that some would say I am crazy to accept it because of no NBR a and few other features but I am inclined to accept.

 

[GaryPen]

The 50x is a decent basic DVR. It generally does the job in a crude way.

What about a 522? You'll get hit with the $5 DVR fee, of course. But, you'll have dual tuner recording, which is sweet (after the 721 and my current Comcast 6412, I could never go back to single tuner DVR at home). Plus, it's got the dual outputs. It's kinda like getting two DVR's, if you think about it. I think it has a semi-working NBR, as well.

 

[Peter Parker]

The 50x is a decent basic DVR. It generally does the job in a crude way.

What about a 522? You'll get hit with the $5 DVR fee, of course. But, you'll have dual tuner recording, which is sweet (after the 721 and my current Comcast 6412, I could never go back to single tuner DVR at home). Plus, it's got the dual outputs. It's kinda like getting two DVR's, if you think about it. I think it has a semi-working NBR, as well.

But that is not being offered.

 

[GaryPen]

Didja ask?

 

[StevenZ]

I'm on my 3rd or 4th HD, on my original 7100. I can't buy an 8.6GB drive anymore (as if I'd want to!), but the DP is a workhorse that's happy to handle an 80GB drive.

Sure it's a pain to shell out another $75 every year or two, and it's annoying when the reciever makes its 45-minute call to Microsoft to download inital software, but the DP is finally stable enough to enjoy. Now with a yellow smart card.

 

[Peter Parker]

Yes Gary I did. But there is after all a practical limit on what you can expect to get fora used 7200.

To those who have had success with their DPs I say stick with them. But I have had less success of late.

 

[dfergie]

FWIW I was offered a refurbed 508. I know that some would say I am crazy to accept it because of no NBR a dna few other features but I am inclined to accept.

the 5xx series is not that bad... I have had 2 501s both were refurbs... first lasted from 01 till fall of 04, waited a bit and got other one (replacement, receiver died not HD on first one)about march... more stable than my 921 or Replays...

 

[BobMurdoch]

Yes Gary I did. But there is after all a practical limit on what you can expect to get fora used 7200.

To those who have had success with their DPs I say stick with them. But I have had less success of late.

Getting a newer generation receiver (albeit a refurb 508) for a receiver that was first released in 1999 is not a bad deal. Bigger hard drive (provided you didn't upgrade the drive yourself), more stable system, DishHome, AND bye bye to the 25 minute EPG download everytime the system locked up.

I took the same deal earlier this year when my two Dishplayers in my kids' rooms choked on the yellow smart card swap. No cost to me (I have the $1.99 warranty still active - they even paid shipping both ways) and the receivers have been rock solid. The 5xx are the most reliable PVRs I've gotten from E* yet (and I've had the Dishplayer, 508, 510, 721, and 921 models active on my account at one time or another). The GUI still isn't as attractive as the Tivo (the newer look is better, but I've never been a big "grey" fan for menus). Once again, the Tivo is better, but it can't record HBO Comedy, Showtime Beyond, or any of the other movie channels that E* carries but D* does not and which I watch a lot of.

 

[Peter Parker]

I finally accepted the deal. I already hae a 508 so I know what I am getting into. I will miss NBR and searching witha keyboard but I will live. I jst went through too many of these 7200s and their lifespans kept getting shorter and shorter.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

My original 7100 is still running after 4 years. I put in a 30GB drive when it was one month old. However after getting the yellow card update, it has been acting erratically. It was nigh perfect for the two years before the yellow card.

As it is now annoying me, I think I'll finally get rid of it.