Survey on 211/411/622 HDMI problems

[Tom Bombadil]

Time to run another survey, it has been several months since the last one, to see how many SatGuys readers have had successes and/or problems with their HDMI connectors.

Please ONLY respond with your experiences with a 211, 411, or 622 receiver.

The poll has been enabled to allow you to check multiple boxes. If you have had two receivers with HDMI failures, please check ONLY the box for two failures, do not check both the one and two failure boxes.

If you have two receivers with working connectors and had one previous one that failed, then please check BOTH the two working receivers box and 1 failed receiver box.

I have allowed for 1-3 successes and/or failures. If you have had 4 failures or 4 working 211, 411, or 622 receivers, please check the 3 box and you can post a message, if you like, telling me that you have 4 or 5 or howmany.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I personally have a 622 and so far the HDMI connection is working fine. I did locate my 622 in my basement and the HDMI cable runs upward through the basement ceiling into my A/V room. Thus the 622 has a favorable environment where the surrounding air temperature is low (55-58 degrees) and the pressure on the connector is such as to minimize internal connector damage between the systemboard and HDMI output connector.

Just wanted to say this in order to point out that I am not grinding a personal axe with this survey.

 

[shultz]

i have 4 vip211's and have never had a problem with the hdmi connections. i did however have a problem with one unit that would just shut itself off when ever it wanted to. dish brought out a new receiver and everything's been fine since.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

A reminder to those who haven't yet responded that you can check two boxes, so if you had one receiver that failed and then it was replaced with one that is still working, you can check BOTH the 1 working receiver and 1 failed receiver boxes.

 

[Spencer1812]

I've had my VIP211 for six months, Never a problem. Yesterday, day after the 3.42 update, No picture. 10 Re-boots with two different CSR's, nothing. Hooked it up with component cables, and got the picture back.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

That certainly sounds like a software-related problem.

So instead of Dish releasing a long-awaited software fix for the HDMI problem, they are instead knocking out even more receivers with software bugs.

 

[Spencer1812]

I told the csr that I wanted a working HDMI or I wanted out of my 18 month commitment. The csr offered to replace my receiver. My hope is the newer receivers have working HDMI's. My fear... A refurbished unit.

 

[AT&TDishman]

Have 622/HDMI working fine. Have 411/HDMI not working due to software problem from change to 3.42 back to 3.41. Told HDMI will be fixed when new software is released for 211/411.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Thanks to the 71 voters who have responded so far.

To this point we have 46 working HDMI connections and 38 HDMI failures.

I appreciate people responding honestly and reporting exactly what they have experienced.

 

[Foyd Zimmerman]

I have replaced my 211 receiver on 11/26 and the hdmi port is working great. I had to argue with tech support . On the first call was told that the 211 receiver had no problem. So I purchased a new hdmi cable and that did not correct the situation. Called tech support and was told it was a software issue. Called a third time and was told to put the blue green and red cable as this would correct the problem. I did this and finally received HD picture. I then E mailed the CEO and tech support and within 15 min. received a call from Dish that they were sending me a new receiver. The point I'm trying to make is that tech support sucks. As a consumer why should I have to argue with them? If it was'nt for the lease agreement I would of been out of here.
Floyd

 

[SatinKzo]

Well, after 10 months of no HDMI issues on my 211, it died today. Component still works.

Called normal tech support, in about 10 minutes they had confirmed it to be a hardware/software problem, got me a RMA number and UPS blue'd me a new receiver.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Responses are trickling in slowly. When I ran my first poll about 5-6 months ago, I got somewhere around 180 responses. I thought I'd get more this time around, as there are many more 211s and 622s in use now.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

As in several other polls I've conducted in the past year, as more responses roll in, the ratios don't change very much.

After 90 responses, we have 59 receivers with functional HDMI outputs and 47 with nonfunctional outputs.

That's a very high failure rate. Particularly given that several of the functional receivers are likely replacements for failed receivers, and thus may be living on borrowed time until they fail.

Consider this scenario:

100 buy Product X.
75 of these products fail and are replaced.
20 of the replacements have already failed and they are replaced.

At this point you have 100 working products and 95 failures. So it looks like the failure rate is less than 50% when it is really around 75%.

So if the 59 working and 47 failures is from a representative sample (which likely it is not), that would suggest a failure rate of more like 60%-70%.

 

[cooldude919]

I have had a 622 and a 211 for about 3 months. A few weeks ago i notcied my 211 HDMI stopped working, hooked up component, and no problems. The 211 is on my tv downstairs that i rarely use, and no one touches. I will look into getting it replaced this week hopefully, i am wondering if the local reseller will just swap one out with me, or if i will have to work with dish. Suppose i will call and ask tomorrow.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Poll is about to close. We have 100 responses.

The # of working HDMI connections has increased a bit. The late respondents have had more success.

We now have 66 working receivers and 51 failures.

Remember if you have 2 receivers and one had to be replaced because of an HDMI failure, that you should check BOTH the boxes for 2 working receivers and 1 failed receiver.

 

[m3ksh33p]

I voted im on my first receiver, my hdmi worked when I first received the 211 in june 2006, then on november 23 it just quit. I would like to know why ?
I do not believe it was the port that broke because my receiver was on the lowest shelf and there was no pressure on the connection.

So lets say its a "software" issue (which I dont believe either)

1. What software version did my 211 have on june 20 2006 when I first received it?

2. How many "updates" have been downloaded to my receiver between june 20 and november 23?

3. Was there an "issue" around that november date?

4. Im going to call and demand a new reciever, so what version of software will the new have when it arrives ?

5. If my samsung tv worked fine with the original software and some other model or brand didnt, then why mess up my system with expermental updates?

6. When I get another receiver, how do I make sure this doesnt happen again, because I know you cant stop the downloads.?

 

[teachsac]

My 411 quit working last night when I turned it on. Worked in the morning and worked for almost a year. I had it on a shelf even with the TV. No pressure and the connection was snug. I haven't tried either of my 622s mostly because no DD5.1 over HDMI and one because of the run. I should have a replacement for the 411 soon.

S~

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Looks like we finished with 68 having tested, working HDMI connectors and 52 with failed HDMI connectors.

This suggests a failure rate of 60% or so.

Let's say 80 people bought receivers and 52 failed. 40 returned their units for replacements and 12 are sitting on broken receivers, using their component outputs and waiting for a software fix. This would result in exactly the numbers as reported. This would be a 65% failure rate.

If 20 people were sitting on broken ones, then there would have been 88 purchased and 32 returned for replacements. This would be a failure rate of 59%.

 

[m3ksh33p]

Im not waiting anymore , I got another one coming
this is BS,, AND I have to pay for the shipping ??? $14.95 what kind of BS is this??? This will be the last damn shipping ( if I do) that I will pay.....for junk crap., DISH SUCKS!!!!