"Lost Channel Lock" on PVR 721

[nh_dish]

Is anyone experiencing issues with losing channel lock?

This started occurring randomly (coincidently right after E* fixed the 721 access authorization issue) and has steadily gotten worse over the past week. This morning 99% of channels are giving "Lost Channel Lock" error.

I have gone to the point dish menu, and I have 85-90% on both 110 and 119, and the bars are green for locked... but if I exit and select a channel I still get the error message.

I've tried power-button reset and unplugging the unit for 10 minutes. Neither seemed to make any difference. On the previous days, it would just start working again suddenly (after just waiting it out).

I am EXTREMELY HESITANT to call customer service, as I know how badly E* wants to make these older units "disappear".

But, I'm left wondering if it's my receiver. I am very hesitant to make that conclusion... since E* has consistently screwed up my receiver in a new way EVERY time they update the firmware.

Can anyone offer any insight?

 

[nh_dish]

UPDATE:
Additional Information:

While I can't scroll every channel and wait to see if it displays, I have gone through several dozen channels. Here are some interesting results.

Channels 4,5,7 (ABC, CBS, NBC local channels) display fine.

Channel 2 (PBS local) no display... error message states "CHANNEL 8776 LOST LOCK...(blah-blah)...Satellite 110 Transponder 18..."
----so why it doesn't say CH.2 lost lock???

Channel 173 (Disney West) no display... error message "CHANNEL 173 LOST LOCK... (blah-blah)...Satellite 119 Transponder 4..."

All the rest of the channels that I tried either turn similar error message (often with 8776 or 8773 as channel, regardless of actual channel selected), or just a blank screen, no info, no image, nothing.

The fact that a handful of channels DO still tune makes me question further that may not be my receiver.

 

[megamike]

I have similar problems with my 721. I have no guide data for channel 102, the preview channel. I get the lost lock error if I go to that channel and another one I can't remember right now.

 

[UGAChance]

Channel 2 (PBS local) no display... error message states "CHANNEL 8776 LOST LOCK...(blah-blah)...Satellite 110 Transponder 18..."
----so why it doesn't say CH.2 lost lock???

Channel 173 (Disney West) no display... error message "CHANNEL 173 LOST LOCK... (blah-blah)...Satellite 119 Transponder 4..."

LNB Drift on EVEN transponders... call DISH and tell them that.

 

[Charise]

Same problem here over last weekend, but I went through all the "fixes" multiple times, and my 721 seems to be working correctly now. Of course, I haven't been home to see it today.

I don't want to pay the DVR fee either, so I haven't called in case they want to "replace" my receiver.

LNB Drift on EVEN transponders... call DISH and tell them that.

Will they want to send an installer for this? What's the fix for LNB drift?

 

[UGAChance]

Will they want to send an installer for this? What's the fix for LNB drift?

They have to replace the LNB. They will send a tech to do it.

If you have another STB newer than the 721, goto Menu->System Setup->System Info. That is the "Super Diagnostics" System Info. It checks your signals on the sats and it will report "Good"(green), "Warning"(yellow), or "Error - Check details"(red). If you check the details and it says LNB Drift... it will have numbers that say how bad... like -5.

All the newer STBs have LNB Drift compensation software so you do not lose lock. The 721 did not get LNB Drift software out to the public, so it may show lost lock where other STBs don't.

I noticed that I did not have Event Info on channel 102 either... the newer STBs put the Service Name in the place where the Event Name goes if there is no Event Information... The 721 just says No Information Available.

 

[pacman]

Our 721 has been doing the same thing, but mostly in the mid-day. When I get home to work on it the channels are working again. I will have to check the drift on our 622.

 

[Stargazer]

I remember a while back when the heat would affect lnb's and that they would need replaced as a result. Is the heat affecting lnb drift or is that an entirely different issue?

 

[Cold Irons]

Exact same problems with my 721. Have to check the 622 for LNB drift - if the 4 20yr olds ever take a break from the xboxes. Power cord reset seems to fix mine for the rest of the evening, but it comes back the next day most of the time.

Doing a check switch w/o sat connections & then reconnecting & checking again seemed to clear it up for a number of days.....probably just coincidence.

 

[Charise]

If you have another STB newer than the 721, goto Menu->System Setup->System Info. That is the "Super Diagnostics" System Info. It checks your signals on the sats and it will report "Good"(green), "Warning"(yellow), or "Error - Check details"(red). If you check the details and it says LNB Drift... it will have numbers that say how bad... like -5.

I checked this evening on my 622 and got the following:

Status: Check “Details” for LNB!
LNB Drift Detected…
0x00, 0x00, 121(e -8)(o -5)
0x00, 0x00, 119(e -6)
0x00, 0xa1, 110(e -7)

I guess I need to call. Thanks for your help.

 

[UGAChance]

I remember a while back when the heat would affect lnb's and that they would need replaced as a result. Is the heat affecting lnb drift or is that an entirely different issue?

Yes... that is why people are starting to see this again.

It drifts one way with heat and then back a little with cold... but it keeps drifting further and further each time.

 

[nh_dish]

I remember a while back when the heat would affect lnb's and that they would need replaced as a result. Is the heat affecting lnb drift or is that an entirely different issue?

I think this is spot-on.

The two worst days, I could only receive a handful of channels. Those were our first 95+ degree days of the year.

Almost every channel is working now. Have been for the past couple days. Yeah, you guessed it... temps dropped back to the 70's.

I may not have drift detection in my 721, but I did notice that if I scroll the transponders while in point-dish utililty, that even though I have 90-ish% on one transponder, others drop to 75% or less, and alternate between green and red (locked and not). It's not as simple as odds and evens though. It's more like randomly crappy signal as I scroll.

Anyway, I'm guessing that's my indication of drift.

 

[Cold Irons]

On my 622:
0x00, 0xa1, 100 (e -5)
0x00, 0xa1, 119 (e -5)

I've got a tech coming to "install" a 722 - guess I'll call for him to add this to the visit.

It was hot as Hades here in the flatlands of Va. earlier this week....

 

[pacman]

Just an update. I was seeing constant LNB drift numbers of -10 for 129 and -6 for both 110 & 119, so I called Dish. They sent out a tech and replaced all the LNB's. Now I have no drift and I am waiting until the next hot day to see if the 721 looses channels or not.

 

[nh_dish]

So, I finally called Dish CS... now that I have less than a dozen channels 90% of the time

I shouldn't have waited so long to call. After what I expect is the typical CS run-around, I was finally informed that they would have a technician replace the LNB's... in about 2 WEEKS!!

C'mon! That's horrible! Mail me the dang thing and I'll install it myself!

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

I considered buying one off EBay, installing it myself, and then put the old one on again just before the technician arrives. They are cheap on EBay. Well, that is until you calculate shipping. Dang thieves. $20 to $30 to ship a DPP twin LNB?

Can anyone recommend a good place to purchase one for a reasonable price?

 

[nh_dish]

UPDATE:

Dish technician showed up yesterday, as scheduled.
Replaced the LNB (after MUCH resistance and argument).

Channels all come in again. YEAH!!