Help w/722 & Greetings

[hooktool]

Hello,

New to the forum, there sure is a lot of information here. I've made an attempt to find an answer by using search, but not much luck with specific answers. I'll try to be brief and would appreciate any help.

I've been a Dish subscriber for over ten years, and quite happy, but then I never had any real technical problems before. Always good reception, only lost in the heaviest of storms.

Got our first HD DVR (722)about 6 months ago, no problems with that at first. They replaced the old Dish 500 with a new dish (Turbo) it has three LNBs on it, if that's the correct terminology. All new double cable. (probably not more than 20 feet) We loved it and have come to depend on the record/DVR scheduler.

A couple of weeks ago, the record function started acting up and then the disc died a couple of days later. Called tech support and they sent a new (refurb?) 722 in a couple of days. It installed easily with no issues-except the "Original air Date" that shows up in the info box, or in the dvr schedule is often wrong. For example, I record "Countdown" on MSNBC, and it comes on at 6pm Eastern. This date may be right, but the show is re-aired throughout the evening/early morning and the dates on all those is wrong, we end up with multiple recordings of the same show. Since we record a number of shows that repeat, we end up with a lot of recordings in a very short time.

Scrolling through different channels, such as ESPN, a current or repeated show will indicate an original air date of anywhere from a correct time/date, to days/months/years ago. And no, these aren't old programs, but current programs with today's news. CNN "Newsroom" this very minute shows an original date of 11/07/06. As you can imagine, this makes the DVR schedule function pretty much useless.

I spent most of the day and evening on the phone , trying this and that, updates etc. with various techs, some of whom were VERY uninformed, to be kind. Nonetheless, we were sent another 722, which after installation still had the same "date" issues. We got them to agree to send a local guy.

The guy called and came early, put in a 722K and it took ALL DAY to get updates etc to load. He left and came back. The picture is unwatchable on the HD channels as it is VERY pixelated and smeared, on/off, black/colored patches etc. He said that it is a tree that's in the way. The signals on 110 and 119 are 60-75% when I check them. We didn't have reception issues before this. The dish has not moved. There is a large tree that certainly is NEAR the edge of the line of sight, and it is surely growing this summer. But it's hard for me to believe that it's coincidental that the tree started to interfere as soon as the 722K was installed. (though it did take long enough for the tree to grow some) Is the 722K more sensitive? Can I have a signal of 60-75% and still have the tree cause severe interference/poor picture quality? It never loses the signal or goes into "searching"

Moving the dish, and/or topping a REALLY large tree will be difficult. If I did that and still had problems, it would likely send me over the edge.

I still have the issue with the date. Again, I had none of these issues with the first 722, only after it died a couple of weeks ago.

Can someone help? please?

Thanks a lot,

John

 

[tigerfan33]

Check your "HDTV Setup" settings and make sure it is set to 1080i or 720p. You should have no problem getting a picture with the signal strength you are getting. It is very good.

Check those settings in the menu and WELCOME!!

 

[vtjman]

As for the date issue. This is an issue with the guide provider not your receiver. The CSR and tech people should have been able to tell you that and avoided this receiver shuffle which has left you in your current predicament.

Many shows do the same thing as the show you mention, Countdown does. It's unfortunate that they don't give more info for the daily show. The problem is that if every showing of a show has the same info for air date, then the dvr has no way of knowing if that show is new or has been recorded already.

Think of it this way, if there was a show that came on multiple times a night with NEW airings at both times and it always had the same air date listed in the guide data, and you set it to record all new episodes, if the dvr did what you want, which is just record the first showing of the night, then it would skip the second showing and you would have missed a new episode.

So really what you are seeing with your DVR is by design. The real people to get after is the guide data provider, or possibly even the network itself. Hope this helps.

And Welcome!

 

[hooktool]

As for the date issue. This is an issue with the guide provider not your receiver. The CSR and tech people should have been able to tell you that and avoided this receiver shuffle which has left you in your current predicament.

Many shows do the same thing as the show you mention, Countdown does. It's unfortunate that they don't give more info for the daily show. The problem is that if every showing of a show has the same info for air date, then the dvr has no way of knowing if that show is new or has been recorded already.

Think of it this way, if there was a show that came on multiple times a night with NEW airings at both times and it always had the same air date listed in the guide data, and you set it to record all new episodes, if the dvr did what you want, which is just record the first showing of the night, then it would skip the second showing and you would have missed a new episode.

So really what you are seeing with your DVR is by design. The real people to get after is the guide data provider, or possibly even the network itself. Hope this helps.

And Welcome!

No, that's not it. For six months it worked as it should-the original air dates always showed when going through the guide and using the INFO button, or setting up a schedule. We recorded hundreds of shows on the first one. Any show should show it's original air date-that way it's only recorded once if you check "New" on the schedule. By having random old dates each time a program airs, it sees every instance of the SAME episode/show as a NEW one and records it. Also, sometimes the first time a program is on it has the wrong date. I can scroll through the guide now and find new programs with random older dates.

I agree they should have been able to tell me something............. One guy told me to turn off the TV while the receiver was updting. I asked how would I know it was through and he assured me that the receiver had enough power to give me a text box even though the set was off.

Thanks for the welcome and help.

Thanks,

John

 

[hooktool]

Check your "HDTV Setup" settings and make sure it is set to 1080i or 720p. You should have no problem getting a picture with the signal strength you are getting. It is very good.

Check those settings in the menu and WELCOME!!

Well, I was hopeful, but no change. I'm not sure I said in the original post that the standard def channels are better, but still some pixelation once in a while. Also, an older standard receiver running off the same dish is OK.

On the 722 receivers, we had both standard and hi-def channels of the locals-ABC,NBC,CBS,FOX, but now just the HD channels. Standard def for them is gone, no matter the guide settings.

This minute 110 is at 61, 119 is at 73, 129 is 44. If the tree encroaches along the edge of the signal, even though the total signal is strong, can it cause issues with the image?

Thanks for the welcome, and help.

John

 

[vtjman]

Ok well do me a favor, go look at the first showing of Countdown on Monday night at 8pm EDT and tell me what the original air date is on your guide. On mine for MSNBC HD it has the correct air date, I have the SD channel blocked so I can't tell you if that guide data is the same, but please let me know if your air date for the first showing of Countdown on Monday is 7-27-09 or if it is 3-31-03?

Also I noticed that the 10pm EDT airing of Countdown has the original air date as 3-31-03 instead of the correct air date of 7-27-09.

 

[hooktool]

Ok well do me a favor, go look at the first showing of Countdown on Monday night at 8pm EDT and tell me what the original air date is on your guide. On mine for MSNBC HD it has the correct air date, I have the SD channel blocked so I can't tell you if that guide data is the same, but please let me know if your air date for the first showing of Countdown on Monday is 7-27-09 or if it is 3-31-03?

Also I noticed that the 10pm EDT airing of Countdown has the original air date as 3-31-03 instead of the correct air date of 7-27-09.

Yep, yours is the same as mine. If you set your schedule up to record "New episodes" it will record both of those.

For instance, right now Headline news on 202 shows 10-20-08.

I don't guess it really matters as the picture is too bad to watch.

John

 

[vtjman]

Yep, yours is the same as mine. If you set your schedule up to record "New episodes" it will record both of those.

For instance, right now Headline news on 202 shows 10-20-08.

John

Yes this is the behavior I had with my 622 when I first set it to record Countdown and then later Rachel Maddow. It would record every showing of those shows all night long. So my way around that is when I set the timer up originally I set it to record at the 8pm ET showing on Mon-Fri. This will record only that showing on Mon-Fri.

 

[hooktool]

Yes this is the behavior I had with my 622 when I first set it to record Countdown and then later Rachel Maddow. It would record every showing of those shows all night long. So my way around that is when I set the timer up originally I set it to record at the 8pm ET showing on Mon-Fri. This will record only that showing on Mon-Fri.

Thanks. I guess I can do that, but it did work correctly before. Doesn't seem like we should have to work around it. Outside of recording purposes, the original air date is sometimes nice to know when you're browsing. I'll look into it more after I get the larger problems solved.

I like your taste in programming.

John

 

[david_jr]

Moving the dish, and/or topping a REALLY large tree will be difficult. If I did that and still had problems, it would likely send me over the edge.

I would suggest moving the dish if at all possible. Much easier than topping a large tree. Sounds like your 129 sat is partially blocked or you are not aligned properly. Tech probably checked the alignment when he was there so that is probably not it. At 44 SS any movement of the trees or weather can cause the signal to drop low enough to cause the problems you are descibing.

 

[hooktool]

No change in signal strength, but picture is perfect this morning. ALL the affected channels are on 129. IS this still a marginal sat? I've read a bit about that-there's alot to read here. though!

Any input on the guide/date thing from anyone else?

John

 

[david_jr]

Since the new bird went online at 129 most people have been quite happy with reception.

 

[hjason7812]

wow your lucky to have that signal i get 30 sometimes 21% signal.
and the installer says it is normal to have that low of a signal.
why would they have a meter that goes up to 125 if 21to 30 is where it is supposed to be?
don't make any sense to me.

i have a vip722k i like it other then it can't get any itv except the weather hsn and cnn.
that is all i can get i click on play games and it says i need to upgrade my dish and receiver.
what is going on i just switched from directv to dish in may.
i got the latests receivers and dish.
but i cannot use any itv apps.
that is messedup.

 

[MikeD-C05]

The signal meter was changed last year to make the signal meter readings uniform for all receivers. They should of changed their meter on all the receivers to show only 100 or to make the signals read higher to take advantage of the 125 signal meter. It confuses people. But 50 or higher is great signal strengths.