# Just tried to hook up my old 721



## Presence (Mar 14, 2004)

I have not used my 721 for many years. Today, I decided to add another television and would dig out the old 721 and give it a shot. Things have changed since I last used it, and I am having problems.

The last time this was hooked up, I believe I was running a 500 Quad LNBF. I now have a 1000.2. So I ran a cable from the 1000.2 to a DPP Separator, then the two lines into the 721.

It boots up, but sits on the 678 "Acquiring data from satellite" screen. I tried resetting to factory defaults, hard resets, etc. I ran a Check Switch and it does not recognize what kind of switch I have. 119 and 110 are coming in beautifully, but I have a feeling the unknown switch is causing the grief.

I checked, and the software on this 721 is L1.79. Possibly what needs to happen is an update of this software, but the catch-22 is perhaps that cannot happen with the 1000.2?

Any help appreciated.


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## Presence (Mar 14, 2004)

Check Switch reports the switch as a "Generic_41" on both tuners and the Details say something along the lines of "the NON-bandstacked QUAD on port 1 is not support is a diseqc_"

Then Port 1 says Bandstacked Feed 119, port 2-4 all say No Connection.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

You need L321 to recognize the Dish 1000.2 switchgear.

I'd temporarily run another cable and see if you can't score a software update.


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## Presence (Mar 14, 2004)

Run another cable... to what? Another of the 1000.2's outputs?  You mean use two of the 1000.2's outputs straight into the 721?


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## Presence (Mar 14, 2004)

Hmm -- I just powered on the 721 to have another go at it, and the screen came up as "Unpacking DishLinux" then "Installing DP721," so maybe something is going on after all.


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## Presence (Mar 14, 2004)

Damn, how long does a software upgrade take? The screen has said something about "please wait while installing the software" for at least half an hour now. Orange light on the front of the box, and I rarely hear the hard drive heads make any noise.


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## Presence (Mar 14, 2004)

Still going. Yikes - should I hard reboot?


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## finniganps (Jan 23, 2004)

Call Dish technical support...perhaps they can help.


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## Presence (Mar 14, 2004)

OK, the software did finally upgrade and I am at 3.26 now. I did a Check Switch and everything looks good there.

I called Dish to activate the receiver, however my channels are not activating. All kinds of channels are highlighted in blue ("you can upgrade without calling etc"), some in red, and very few of the ones that do show in my All Sub actually work. For example, AMC shows up as a channel, but when I select it I first get a black screen and then if I let it sit for a minute the receiver reboots.

How long does it take for the channels to show up? I know the 721 is not the fastest receiver on the planet now.


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## BNUMM (Dec 24, 2006)

Presence said:


> OK, the software did finally upgrade and I am at 3.26 now. I did a Check Switch and everything looks good there.
> 
> I called Dish to activate the receiver, however my channels are not activating. All kinds of channels are highlighted in blue ("you can upgrade without calling etc"), some in red, and very few of the ones that do show in my All Sub actually work. For example, AMC shows up as a channel, but when I select it I first get a black screen and then if I let it sit for a minute the receiver reboots.
> 
> How long does it take for the channels to show up? I know the 721 is not the fastest receiver on the planet now.


Try resetting to factory defaults (menu 6-6). Then do a hard reset.


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## Presence (Mar 14, 2004)

Tech support from India cracks me up. But she got the job done. I appreciate everyone's input.

Thoughts: for some reason I was expecting a huge difference in the way the 721 worked with a software jump from 1.79 to 3.26. But it looks the same, clunky menus and all. I do like some of the newer features like the side-by-side PIP, though. I enjoy that on my 622s; I was not expecting to find it on the 721.


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