Possible bad SW64? Is there anything I can do to bring it back to life?

[WeeJavaDude]

I just started having problems with with what looks like a possible SW64 switch problem. I have had this switch for a long time. The reason I feel that it is my switch is because I have tried two check switches (508 and 721) and they both failed the switch test. The 721 took ages to go through the test and came back thinking one input was find and the other one was bad. The 508 came back with an unknown switch error. I tried unpluging the power inserter, counting 30 and then plugging it back int. Trying another check switch on my 721, but so far no luck.

I am paying the monthly maintence fee so I am going to give them a call in a bit, but I thought I would through this out to the group. If I do call them, is there any chance I can get upgraded to a new switch technology.. Maybe if I mention I am looking to purchase a 921/942 in the future and will need a 5th input maybe they will prepare know for this pending upgrade. Yeah right.. one can dream.

Any suggestions to try before given the CSR a call. Want to try everything before calling them.

I have a 811, 721 and a 508. This installation has been working well for a long time. I have a Dish 500 pro I believe and a regular dish on the 148 for Japan TV. Thoughts?

 

[SimpleSimon]

Removing the power inserter is not enough to ensure a switch reset (if that even applies to a SW64). You've got to kill ALL power sources by making sure there's no voltage on the switch ports - 2 ways to do it. Unplug receivers or disconnect feed cables.

That being said, I hold little hope for it.

 

[Claude Greiner]

unplug the switch and all the imputs, let it cool down for an hour and reconnect it. Problem solved!

You can call Dish and let them send someone out, they might just change you all over to Dishpro Technology to solve the problem!!!

 

[WeeJavaDude]

Thanks guys!! I will give this suggestion a try. I don't hold a lot of hope either.

 

[WeeJavaDude]

Well this is an interesting one.

I did has you guys suggested and it did not seemt to fix the problem. At least it seemed not to since I was doing my check switch on my 721. I could not get the check switch to work so I called Customer support and was immediately bumbed up to Advanced support. Advanced support indicated that the problem was my 721. Tuner #1 would not seem to find the switch. They did not have a explaination why my 508 failed check switch but they did not think it was a bad SW64. I went down to my 811 and did a switch test while talking to the guy and it passed.

Since I had bypassed my sw64 with my 508 I could not do a check switch on it while on tech support. I have a 721 coming to my house and an RMA number.

After I got off the phone I reconnected the 508 and did a check switch. Bingo it found the switch.

I went up stairs and tried a checkswitch on the 721. No deal. Then it hit me. I had not done a soft reboot. I did a softreboot followed by checkswitch and I am back and running. Hmmm.. wonder if I have a tuner that is starting to fail.

Well I am know back to normal. I called Dish last night about an hour after the first call and they could not stop the 721 from shipping so I have to refuse shipment know. With this incident, I am not sure if I should swap out of or keep my orignal 721. I am leaning towards keeping it since I have a decent amount of recorded shows.

Thanks again guys. Boy at the beginning of this I would have bet it was my switch.

 

[larrystotler]

If you want to keep what is on the current 721, then don't switch it out. Having to do a reset on the switch is common, and the idiot CSRs should know more about this. They should have told you to pull the power plug on the 721 before they offered to RMA it. This kind of crap increases prices for all of us......AUGHHHHH... Ok done ranting.

 

[WeeJavaDude]

If you want to keep what is on the current 721, then don't switch it out. Having to do a reset on the switch is common, and the idiot CSRs should know more about this. They should have told you to pull the power plug on the 721 before they offered to RMA it. This kind of crap increases prices for all of us......AUGHHHHH... Ok done ranting.

After it hit me I did not try a reset.. I immediately did a "DOH!!!!!" It smelled so much like a switch issue that it never dawned on me to reset my 721. It was only after i went to the power inserter and noticed it was on my 721 that I started to possible think it was a 721 issue. However, given that both the 508 and 721 failed the switch test, I figured it was a faulty SW64.