Who is having problems with HDMI with 211/411/622

[bhelms]

Reading through this thread, the evidence seems to point to a hardware issue. Certain serial number revs seem to be more susceptible to failure than others.

It would be helpful if people posted their HDMI experience, along with their serial number rev letter and s/w versions they've used. Here's mine:

SN Rev: C
s/w tested:
v360 - no Audio/Video, ever (only got HDMI TV recently)

Version "D" received in early May with the HDMI output DOA. I think that was somewhere around SW version L3.56. The promised "SW fix" 3.57 did nothing to solve the problem. Version "E" received in late May, SW 3.59 initially installed, now 3.60; HDMI is "so far, so good" (KOW !!)

I'm not so sure that ANY version up through "F" (F now shipping? Anyone get a version "G" yet?) is any more or less likely to have problems with the SMT HDMI socket. The probability won't change until E* either: 1) designs-in a more robust connector, and/or; 2) educates the users that the connector is frail and that they need to take precautions to prevent the "excess" force that is carried-through to the PCB that can fracture one or more of the connections.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Since you have now relocated the receiver to lessen the noise problem, (at the risk of returning to the original topic) does that mean you'll leave it powered-up 24/7? In that case, and given that you're protecting the HDMI plug/socket, then I think you are much less likely to experience the HDMI problem assuming it would be only HW related.

Yes, I would hope so.

I am a decent test case for this. The 622 is in a cool environment, on 24x7, and the HDMI cable is secured and cannot be wiggled. The cable now comes up through the floor to my living room, so there is very little weight or force on the HDMI connector. The 622 power, the phone cord, and satellite feed all run through a Tripp-lite surge protector. I've done pretty much all I can do to address the problem.

If it quits working for me, then I don't know how anyone could be safe from a failure.

 

[bhelms]

If it ever does quit on you, can you take a look at the connections on the PCB to see if it is indeed a broken connection?

Agreed - you have gone above and beyond in terms of protecting the connection from a mechanical failure as we have seen and discussed ad nauseum in these threads! Hopefully you will have the longest lasting HDMI connection...!

 

[general487]

Mine is gone today...

The HDMI on my 411 went out today as well...it had been working great since Aprilish and just quit working. No amount of restarts or anything got it going again. It did go in and out for a while when I was jiggling the cable, but eventually I couldn't even get it to do that.

Again, I didn't mess with the cable or receiver for like 4-5 months, but it just quit.

New receiver is *supposed* to be here in two days.

I HATE COMPONENT!

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Yeah, I'll check the connections.

But if this is also a software thing, as it seems to be for some, like general487 above, then I could lose it at any time.

 

[peter1377]

HDMI problem on a 942?

so I've been reading about all the problems with HDMI on the 622s and that's actually what has kept me from upgrading my 942. But then this past weekend, I took my HDMI cable out of my 942 and put it on my DVD player so the wife and I could watch a movie, but when I put it back to my 942, the picture was dead. Some wiggling got it going, but now its working about half the time. I have to wiggle it and/or take it in and out to get it running. Has anyone else with a 942 had this problem? I thought it was isolated to the new mpeg4 receivers?

 

[Tom Bombadil]

There have been sporadic reports of failed HDMI connectors on the 942. No where near the incident rate that appears to be present on the 211/622, but higher than zero.

In general I recommend minimizing all movement of HDMI cables with Dish receivers. This includes moving the receiver around to move other cables, reposition it in a stack or rack, etc. These connectors are fragile. I definitely recommend against doing physical cable swaps between components. Think of it this way ... the typical Dish receiver HDMI connector may only have a lifetime limit of 1-4 cable insertions/removals. Use them wisely and carefully.

If you have another video source to connect to your TV, such as a DVD player, then you should either use component cables for it, or some type of HDMI switcher. Something that would not require you to physically disconnect the Dish receiver HDMI cable to watch the other source.

 

[ksilfer]

HDMI on my 622 spontaneously kicked the bucket after 3-4 months of no problems.

Definitely a port/PCB breakage. If I torqued on the HDMI cable in just the right way it would come back on.

I popped off the cover to take a look at the pins, but after seeing the size of them didn't feel qualified to re-solder...

What I -did- do was add a small washer between the top of the HDMI connector assembly and the screw that attaches it to the back of the chassis. It looked to me like that screw connection as-is from the factory pulls up on the port. Perhaps over time, with thermal cycling, that screw connection pulls/breaks the pins away from the PCB?

Adding the washer looked to me like it made it so the screw connection now puts pressure on the port assembly -down- towards the PCB. It's been a couple of weeks now with no problems. I'm keeping my fingers crossed...
-- KEENE

 

[configsys]

Yes, I would hope so.

I am a decent test case for this. The 622 is in a cool environment, on 24x7, and the HDMI cable is secured and cannot be wiggled. The cable now comes up through the floor to my living room, so there is very little weight or force on the HDMI connector. The 622 power, the phone cord, and satellite feed all run through a Tripp-lite surge protector. I've done pretty much all I can do to address the problem.

If it quits working for me, then I don't know how anyone could be safe from a failure.

Mine quit woking and the HDMI cable never moves. The other unit upstairs failed and I never even used it. They sent me a replacement 211 and the HDMI works fine on it for now. Let's see how long that will be.

 

[aboz]

I just had a 622 HDMI failure. I have the 622 since March. The CSR Kinda refused to believe that the socket was bad even after I explained the tech chat, but what I do notice is that the component sockets are also sensitive , I touch the cable and I loose picture. I will be getting a new reciever sent to me.

 

[DVR625]

I just had a 622 HDMI failure. I have the 622 since March. The CSR Kinda refused to believe that the socket was bad even after I explained the tech chat, but what I do notice is that the component sockets are also sensitive , I touch the cable and I loose picture. I will be getting a new reciever sent to me.

I talked to a Dish installer and at first he said he didn't know they had a problem.
As the conversation went on he told me they are instructed not to use the HDMI socket.

 

[bhelms]

HDMI on my 622 spontaneously kicked the bucket after 3-4 months of no problems.

Definitely a port/PCB breakage. If I torqued on the HDMI cable in just the right way it would come back on.

I popped off the cover to take a look at the pins, but after seeing the size of them didn't feel qualified to re-solder...

What I -did- do was add a small washer between the top of the HDMI connector assembly and the screw that attaches it to the back of the chassis. It looked to me like that screw connection as-is from the factory pulls up on the port. Perhaps over time, with thermal cycling, that screw connection pulls/breaks the pins away from the PCB?

Adding the washer looked to me like it made it so the screw connection now puts pressure on the port assembly -down- towards the PCB. It's been a couple of weeks now with no problems. I'm keeping my fingers crossed...
-- KEENE

Welcome, ksilfer! If I read you correctly, you actually FIXED your dead HDMI port by placing that washer, is that correct? I fully agree that (at least in your case) you probably actually reversed the tension on the HDMI socket's surface-mount connections on the PCB and placed them in compression by adding that washer. What a simple fix! (Wish I thought of it!)

DIY MEMBERS, TAKE NOTE! THIS IS PROBABLY GOOD A PREVENTIVE MEASURE !!! (All usual disclaimers apply...!)

 

[bhelms]

I talked to a Dish installer and at first he said he didn't know they had a problem.
As the conversation went on he told me they are instructed not to use the HDMI socket.

What a crock! Not disagreeing with you or even the installer, but if that's what they're being told, well, what a crock! We're PAYING for the HDMI quality capability then being deliberately deprived of it. I wonder how many clueless "owners" there are out there...?!?

 

[BobMurdoch]

If they don't use the HDMi socket there is zero trouble, so I can see how this is a simple "workaround".

Me, I have maxed out my HDTV inputs so I have to use the DVI port via a converter or I have to constantly unplug my DVD recorder,... a real pain with the kiddies and missus...

I just had a new one sent to me last week that replaced my unit that I got approx. 2 weeks after they started shipping. Mine failed about 3 months after I got it. Plenty of ventilation, NO movement of the receiver, so either a software or temperature issue.

Hopefully this newest generation is more failure resistant.....

 

[Bountykiller]

I opened my 622 up tonight after losing patience on any sort of software fix... Well the results were pretty much what others are saying. Using a toothpick (another thread gave me the idea) I touched all the legs of the HDMI connector and found that the lot of them were lose. NOT EVEN ONE pin was connected. as an FYI, I NEVER took my hdmi out after putting it in the first time. (only one insertion) It worked fine for a few months and died randomly in no relation to any update.

I am highly bewildered that the connector didnt even have one single leg soldered to it! How is it possible that the lot of them came off at the same time!?! It would seem that the connector is not only flimsy, but that dish has some engineering problems for there to be so little solder on the legs!

Mine must be one of the first revisions, upon opening it up, I saw "DVR 962" on the PCB! I think I got a prototype unit or something ;0 heh I tried to re-solder (dont even attempt this if you have a novice level of soldering ability) and reconnected the lot on the back, but there must be some more underneath on the underside of the unit as i could not get it to work still! What a nightmare though, one little slip and bam two legs go together!

Nothing a little de-soldering wick didnt fix though! Anyways, its a definite enginnering issue. For all those who are still holding out on a fix to happen miraculously... do not! Call and request a new one! They should just recall all the affected units to be honest. Apparently with all the lawsuits they are dealing with they must not be able to afford to do so ;0

-B

 

[David_Levin]

What I -did- do was add a small washer between the top of the HDMI connector assembly and the screw that attaches it to the back of the chassis. It looked to me like that screw connection as-is from the factory pulls up on the port. Perhaps over time, with thermal cycling, that screw connection pulls/breaks the pins away from the PCB?

Adding the washer looked to me like it made it so the screw connection now puts pressure on the port assembly -down- towards the PCB. It's been a couple of weeks now with no problems. I'm keeping my fingers crossed...
-- KEENE

This jives exactly with one of my comments. The back retaining screw is pulling up on the connector.

Unfortunately, your washer solution is likely to be temporary. Over time, the pins are going to bend up into the position they are currently in. You'll lose the connection.

 

[David_Levin]

0 heh I tried to re-solder (dont even attempt this if you have a novice level of soldering ability) and reconnected the lot on the back, but there must be some more underneath on the underside of the unit as i could not get it to work still!

A ways back, I posted some engineering drawings of what looks (to me) like the connector in the 622. I don't believe there are any pins in the back.

If you didn't get the port working, either they weren't all soldered (or not soldered well), or perhaps you gave the HDMI IC an ESD hit, or perhaps the pins shorted at some point and blew it, or perhaps.....

You get the idea.

To all who were brave enough to open up the box. Thanks.

And thanks for posting. The confirming data is nice to have.

Mark Lamutt has been pretty clear about port problems. I doubt he'd be saying this if he didn't have confirmation from the inside.

Dish could really do better. They should admit the problem. Take names. Provide a schedule for a redesigned 622, and ask people to use Component until the redesign is ready.

Continually making customers fight with customer service and/or replace bad with more bad is just silly and wasteful.

P.S. I'm sorry if my comments are getting a bit disjointed. The threads here and at dbstalk are getting very long and it's hard to remember what was said where. I tend to talk more freely here because I think this is a more open forum (where offending posts and links to more information are much less likely to be edited).

 

[bhelms]

I opened my 622 up tonight after losing patience on any sort of software fix... Well the results were pretty much what others are saying. Using a toothpick (another thread gave me the idea) I touched all the legs of the HDMI connector and found that the lot of them were lose. NOT EVEN ONE pin was connected. as an FYI, I NEVER took my hdmi out after putting it in the first time. (only one insertion) It worked fine for a few months and died randomly in no relation to any update.

I am highly bewildered that the connector didnt even have one single leg soldered to it! How is it possible that the lot of them came off at the same time!?! It would seem that the connector is not only flimsy, but that dish has some engineering problems for there to be so little solder on the legs!

Mine must be one of the first revisions, upon opening it up, I saw "DVR 962" on the PCB! I think I got a prototype unit or something ;0 heh I tried to re-solder (dont even attempt this if you have a novice level of soldering ability) and reconnected the lot on the back, but there must be some more underneath on the underside of the unit as i could not get it to work still! What a nightmare though, one little slip and bam two legs go together!

Nothing a little de-soldering wick didnt fix though! Anyways, its a definite enginnering issue. For all those who are still holding out on a fix to happen miraculously... do not! Call and request a new one! They should just recall all the affected units to be honest. Apparently with all the lawsuits they are dealing with they must not be able to afford to do so ;0

-B

Good post, BK, and thanks for your efforts and for taking the risk some of us are afraid to take! Tho' I've been "on the bench" for years, I certainly don't have the skill to hand solder all those fine-pitch (0.5mm?) connections, but I would probably try a trick or two to re-solder an isolated one or two if they came undone. As David_Levin said, your problem may very well transcend just an unsoldered pin at this point, and I would agree that an ESD event is a very likely culprit. Did you take ESD-suppression precautions? (Grounded mat and iron, wrist strap, etc.?)

There are "engineering issues" to be sure with this connector, and there could be process issues as well in their plant that could be batch related. You are the first to post that ALL the connections came undone. I would consider that highly unlikely unless they were not properly reflowed in the first place. So again, multiple possible root causes to be addressed!

BTW - The PCB on my "E" version unit is marked DVR-962 as well. That was the original intended model number and apparently they have not changed the silkscreen for the board nomenclature through multiple iterations.

One can hope, but I doubt there will ever be a recall. Altho' this problem may be very common I'm guessing that most who experience it are "fixing" it, either independently or by advice from E* or during a service call, by switching to the component outputs. And I'll bet that most users don't care about that method as long as they can see some form of HD. I'll bet most don't even notice a difference!

Tks again and BRgds...

 

[shodobe]

I guess I am just lucky. No problems with my HDMI since March. Works perfectly with my Philips 50". I have a $14.99 Monoprice cable that works just great. I personally wonder if the problem doesn't exist mostly in the TV units and not in the 622. Just thinking out loud. It seems people are always itching to blame Dish for all the shortcomings of the 622 and not other things. I know there are alot of problems associated with the 622, believe me I know since my first unit went belly up with a burned out power supply!

 

[lnyoung]

Another 622 HDMI Bites the Dust

Been happily using the 622 through the HDMI port since April. This Sunday, HDMI failed with the overall greenish/blue cast to the screen, which progressed to a blank screen. When I move the HDMI plug, it changes, but I can not get to stabilize.

Called Dish support, got the software story. Feel very strongly it is not a software issue, but hardware as is well outlined in this thread.

Should I keep calling back until I get someone to replace the unit? Does asking for 2nd level support help?

Thanks.