# Any 721 's have switch recognition bug?



## retiredTech (Oct 27, 2003)

My 721 won't correctly identify my 61.5,110,119 when connected
as instructed in manual.

500 Twin A "to" first SW21 (sat 1) ,

500 Twin B "to" second SW21 (sat 1),

300 A "to" first SW21 (sat 2).

300 B "to" second SW21 (sat 2)

Orginal install worked!

untill I did a switch check(after eariler software update)

(and still doesn't work with current software update)

Does anyone know if we wil get a fix for this?

Or if there is a "inexpensive" way around this?

As of nowI can either,

use my twin (110 & 119) (which I lose some channels I like) or

two 300's (61.5 & 119) (which limits my guide and no weather)

ANYONE ELSE having 3 satellite setup trouble with their 721?


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## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

I would call DISH and ask for advance tech support. They should be able to tell you if that is still a valid switch setup for the 721. I have the 3 dish slot setup on my 721 but I am using DUAL LNBs and the SW64.


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## khiyal (Oct 24, 2003)

I have seen this several times. I spent about 3 weeks with the "advanced" technical support who almost always spent over 30 minutes with me without any resolution to the problem. Finally, I gave up using two SW21s as they were either showing as SW42, SW500 or some other weird number. I am using an SW64 now, and very happy with it. No problems since last week or so.

It appears that ever since some changes were made to the birds, the SW21 setup is no longer valid, but I have not had any DISH personnel confirm this. To prove that my SW21s were functional, I took each of the individual inputs in a 300 receiver and was able to see all three locations.


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## Unthinkable (Sep 13, 2002)

khiyal said:


> I have seen this several times. I spent about 3 weeks with the "advanced" technical support who almost always spent over 30 minutes with me without any resolution to the problem. Finally, I gave up using two SW21s as they were either showing as SW42, SW500 or some other weird number. I am using an SW64 now, and very happy with it. No problems since last week or so.
> 
> It appears that ever since some changes were made to the birds, the SW21 setup is no longer valid, but I have not had any DISH personnel confirm this. To prove that my SW21s were functional, I took each of the individual inputs in a 300 receiver and was able to see all three locations.


 I was able to see all 3 satellites (61.5, 110, 119) back in June for a few weeks with this same configuration before the software was changed to 112. It hasn't ever worked for me since then despite ridiculous hours spent on the phone with tech support and endless troubleshooting checks with new equipment, new sw21 switches, etc... Had a Dish Network technician come out over the weekend to see what he could do and he knew nothing at all about the 721 and how to remedy this problem. In 3 hours of time here, he accomplished not a thing for me other then grounding both dishes. Dish is sending me a new receiver saying they believe it will fix the problems, but I'm pretty confident its not going to change a thing as I've already been down that road before. My check switches detect the wrong switches (SW42's) and lock onto the wrong satellites every single time. The real kicker here is that I plug in my older 501 and it sees all 3 satellites perfectly with this exact switch configuration. Something is still very very wrong with the software in the 721 using SW21's to see 3 sat locations from what I can tell. I'm sick of it.


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## retiredTech (Oct 27, 2003)

Update

As I said before when I got my 721(1/2003)

the (2)SW21's/500Twin 3 satellite setup worked fine

but when my 2nd tuner started acting up
(yes my 721 had a tuner go bad but it preformed wonderfully before then)

I tried a switch check to see if that would show my loss on my 2nd tuner.

(this is when my switch setup would NO longer be recognized)

Ok so Dish sent me a NEW 721 and that took care of my 2nd
tuner problem! 

The new 721 would NOT recognize my switch setup either.
So the new software (L115) came and I thought maybe that
would correct the switch recognition (IT DIDN'T)

So here is what I think is going on.

The orginal 721 software(before L112) made the PROPER
switch recognition.

Then with L112 somthing changed so if you do a switch check
with the SW21 setup IT misreads it as SW42 and will NOT work.
This problem was NOT corrected for SW21/Twin with L115,
still misreads SW21 as SW42 and won't work.

Today I reported this to Dish advanced tech who took a report
and is sending this information to the "software people".

By the way the "tech" said she had run into this before and
agreed that this sounded like a software problem.
Also that it will take a couple of weeks for them to look into it.

So what I would recommend to all of us to REPORT our problems
and go through the "hassle" of doing reporting (yes it is time consuming and frustrating BUT I believe that if we WORK tech
support we will have better results)

Is this a guarentee that a bug will be fixed?
NO but REPORTING is the FIRST STEP!


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## khiyal (Oct 24, 2003)

You express my exact problem and sentiments. I have already reported the problem several times and it is always promised to be sent to "software" people. Never got any call back. It is funny how you mention that a dish tech came who knew nothing about 721. I have had the same fate in all instances of someone visiting from dish. The problem appears to have been started somewhere around when the initial release of 115 was available. Till then, with 112, my setup with 2 sw21s was perfect.


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## Unthinkable (Sep 13, 2002)

retiredTech said:


> Update
> 
> As I said before when I got my 721(1/2003)
> 
> ...


 I received my 3rd 721 today and it still doesn't detect the SW21's just as I figured. Spent a good part of the day working on resolving this lingering problem, but its the same now as it was with the other two 721 receivers I had previously. I've reported this problem to tech support several times myself as well along with other bug issues I've encountered. I'm too tired to search for old posts regarding this issue, but I've written about this problem in the past on here. Contrary to what another person on this site reported when they said they were told by Dish Network that it was a known software issue a while back, all the tech support reps I've talked with refuse to consider it being a possible software problem in the receiver itself in my conversations with them. I get the same standard troubleshooting questions when I call with reps wanting to believe I have a combination of Dish Pro switches and LNB's screwing things up which isn't the case.


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## retiredTech (Oct 27, 2003)

Unthinkable

I knew that a new receiver would NOT correct this switch recognition problem.

I KNOW that it is something DISH changed in their software for the 721 (or at least a change on 61.5 that the 721 software can't deal with).

I understand how tired and frustrated you are with this probelm.


Yes, we should NOT have to go to such time consuming, full of hassle and disheartening measures just to get something fixed that is so obiviously their problem.

I suspect that Dish needs to hire more experienced trouble-shooters.


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## rcwilcox (Jan 20, 2003)

My 721 recognizes 615,,110,119. I have a legacy twin cascaded with a legacy SW21. The 61.5 is hooked to port one of the SW21 and the twin to port two. Don't know of that would help you but it seems to be the opposite of your configuration. Would it be worth a try?


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## retiredTech (Oct 27, 2003)

rcwilcox said:


> My 721 recognizes 615,,110,119. I have a legacy twin cascaded with a legacy SW21. The 61.5 is hooked to port one of the SW21 and the twin to port two. Don't know of that would help you but it seems to be the opposite of your configuration. Would it be worth a try?


rcwilcox

Thanks for your reply.

I believe I have tried the twin on SW21 input 2 as well.
Didn't work for me.

Have you done a "switch check" on your 721 since L112
sw update back earlier this year?

If you haven't "actually" rechecked your SW21's since that update.(that is doing a whole 28 (36) step CHECK SWITCH )

>>>>>>>>> DON'T DO ONE!!!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The update does NOT take away your switch setup from before
UNLESS you recheck it.

My 721 correctly identified my SW21s when first installed,

but when I started having tuner trouble, I ran the switch check
to see if maybe I had a switch problem,

THAT'S WHEN my 721 started misidentifying my SW21 as SW42.

Dish replaced my 721 which took away my tuner problem.

BUT the new 721 incorrectly identifies my SW21 as SW42.

If I remove the 61.5 from the SW21's , my 721 sees the SW21's.

But with 61.5 signal connected, my 721 reports SW42's.

SO IT HAS TO BE A SOFTWARE CHANGE in the 721's!

My old 2800 has no problem seeing the Twin/Sw21 setup,

JUST MY 721!


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## rcwilcox (Jan 20, 2003)

Not sure about when I last did a switch check and I sure don't want to verify this the hard way. Whes 112 released?


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## retiredTech (Oct 27, 2003)

rcwilcox said:


> Not sure about when I last did a switch check and I sure don't want to verify this the hard way. Whes 112 released?


Not Sure when 112 was released( I may be wrong about actual number)

But I do know that THE switch recognition problem was PRE

115 (the last release) and still there after 115(the recent one)

I know that I first encounter was around the last of September 2003, before the last sw update.


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## retiredTech (Oct 27, 2003)

Ok today is 11 9 03 and I tried my Twin cascaded sw21 Three satellite switch check again and still incorrectly identifies the sw21s as sw42s.

So reported it again with tech support who submitted the 
problem again to the engineers today. Tech agreed with me that
this HAS to be their software issue.

SO HOPEFULLY it will get up the chain to the ones who CAN correct this.

I would URGE everyone who has this problem to REPORT this,

and KEEP reporting it till there is enough complaints to make 

it a KNOWN issue.(which it should be already)


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## john348 (Aug 30, 2002)

I called tech support last night i just expericed this same problem
I only last week let the new L115 software down load
I was not having any problems till after the new version
I was have the problems of changing channels and locking up
so i finally had enough and did a nvm reset
woops
would not see the switches correctly now 
only as sw42 not 21's
they tell me there is no problem
was starting to think it was just my box until today
when I removed the 3rd sat and just used the dish 500
my original config was legacy quad- legacy dual and 2 sw-21's
now the thing works great again on a 2 sat config
but i want my61.5 back


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## retiredTech (Oct 27, 2003)

john348 said:


> I called tech support last night i just experienced this same problem
> I only last week let the new L115 software down load
> I was not having any problems till after the new version
> I was have the problems of changing channels and locking up
> ...


hi john348

THIS PROBLEM IS DISH's software. We just have to MAKE them

work on it. I have been trying to get this resolved as you can see from my earlier posts.

Make sure that "tech support" files a report with the engineers.

CALL DISH AND tell them that you have others with 721 (3 dish legacy) that HAVE the SAME problem.

Ask for advanced tech and get your complaint logged!

I know we shouldn't have to MAKE them work on this,
but if enough of us 721 owners SHOW them this IS their software causing this, I think Dish will correct it .

So be vigilant and keep the pressure on them to address this problem.


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## retiredTech (Oct 27, 2003)

OK I surrender, 
my old switch setup didn't look like it was going ever be corrected. (especially since it seems that the 721 is being discontinued in favor of the 522)


UPDATE after a month of trying to get the "software team" to get back with me and say " hey you are right , the 721 will no longer work with the twin/dual cascaded sw21s like in the manual. (with no luck)

I talked with a "supervisor" got "some" satisfaction.
They are sending me a SW64 and 2 duals to change my system setup SO my 721 WILL be able to use a 3 sat setup.

(after much "dickering" , I got the price of the parts down to $49)
I really should have got them free, but at this point I was willing to pay that to get this resolved.

In my opinion, It most likely will be a long time (if ever) before they "fix" the software to run my original setup.
So my suggestion to anyone having this issue is go to the SW64 legacy setup. ( or DP34, DP setup)


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## rcwilcox (Jan 20, 2003)

OK has anybody tried the switch test since 116?


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## jerryyyyy (Jul 19, 2002)

After this I am afraid to try the test. I hate to ask, but did you switch out the cables and or try it with just two dishes?


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## rcwilcox (Jan 20, 2003)

Mine is working fine. I have not done a switch test in awile and won't until I have to or hear that it is working now.


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## Guest (Dec 9, 2003)

retiredTech said:


> My 721 won't correctly identify my 61.5,110,119 when connected as instructed in manual. ANYONE ELSE having 3 satellite setup trouble with their 721?


I'm having a different bug ...

Since 115 spooled if I do a "check switch" (721 and 508 with DP Quad on Dish 500) the 721 checks everything as expected, finds the DP Quad, and even the "details" are reported correctly but when clicking "done" to back out of the check switch menu it throws an error screen informing me that a switch problem has been detected and instructs me to run a "check switch".

I tried another DP Quad from a known good installation and even ran a temp cable to eliminate that possibility. Grounding is proper (also tried without) and 721 is on a UPS. I reported the problem to Dish ATS (when 115 spooled) and they sent an "uncommon trend report" to the engineers.

Sure enough, 116 finally spools and it's still not fixed. Anyone out there with a 721 and DP Quad willing to run a "check switch"?

BTW ... the 508 is fine.


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## JustMe (Jul 3, 2003)

Come home checked the site I see new software for 721 took my 721 out of my closed (sitting there since august because of switch problems) and plugged in all cables. Run few different check switches did a MVR and a reboot still no go so I guess dish did not fix this yet. It still shows a as SW 42 switch. I feel like emailing CEO him self and asking him when will they fix my receiver that I have paid around $600 and it's been sitting in my closed for past few months because of the software problems. There is one good thing it took the software upgrade without a hick up. But it goes back to my closed.


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## rcwilcox (Jan 20, 2003)

JustMe said:


> Come home checked the site I see new software for 721 took my 721 out of my closed (sitting there since august because of switch problems) and plugged in all cables. Run few different check switches did a MVR and a reboot still no go so I guess dish did not fix this yet. It still shows a as SW 42 switch. I feel like emailing CEO him self and asking him when will they fix my receiver that I have paid around $600 and it's been sitting in my closed for past few months because of the software problems. There is one good thing it took the software upgrade without a hick up. But it goes back to my closed.


Do email the ceo. It helped me in the past.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

why not ask them for a free SW64 since they are no longer supporting your switch configuration? Let us know if they go for that!


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## jerryyyyy (Jul 19, 2002)

This is indeed a mess. I would e-mail ceo and ask for upper level support. Sit on the line until you get someone higher on the food chain.


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## davebryan (Dec 9, 2003)

I'm a newbie, so please have some patience....Sunday night I updated my 721 to the new software and got the switch recognition problem. It worked but still kept giving me an error message to do a switch check. After the check I got nothing...no picture. My single tuner DVR still worked OK, tho. I called D*, finally got advanced tech, but no help. The switch check continued to return red Xs and would not recognize the switch. I asked the tech if the new software was more sensitive to the switch, but he didn't know. I changed the two feeds at the switch going to the 721 to the one unused port and the port that my single tuner DVR was on, and put it on one of the old 721 ports. The switch check worked fine, recognized the switch properly and has been working fine since then. It is like the switch is marginal for the 721. I was told by the installer that cable quality was very important...he had had switch recognition problems with a marginal cable.

This is probably not a solution for all, but worked for me.


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## Mike D-CO5 (Mar 12, 2003)

Yesterday I lost my second tuner on my 721. It kept saying aquiring sat signal... I did the smart card reset and I did a switch check on both tuners and even swapped the pip and did more switch checks. The second tuner came back and is still working fine. I also got a message that I had a problem with my multi switch and to do a switch check. The funny part this message only came up after I had run a switch check . I would hit cancel and it went away. This started after the latest software update. I have a dishpro quad .


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## davebryan (Dec 9, 2003)

Mike D-CO5 said:


> Yesterday I lost my second tuner on my 721. It kept saying aquiring sat signal... I did the smart card reset and I did a switch check on both tuners and even swapped the pip and did more switch checks. The second tuner came back and is still working fine. I also got a message that I had a problem with my multi switch and to do a switch check. The funny part this message only came up after I had run a switch check . I would hit cancel and it went away. This started after the latest software update. I have a dishpro quad .


Mike...same problem I had. Try switching your 721 feed cables to totally new ports at the switch and then run the check switch again.


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## Mike D-CO5 (Mar 12, 2003)

Thanks Dave. I'll try that.


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## Inaba (Jun 20, 2003)

Well... the lovely albatross that is the 721 got up and bit me today. After the 116 spool, my 721 will no longer recognize the switch, or tuner two.

The system was working fine yesterday before the spool, and my 301 works just fine. Gosh, I sure love Dishnetworks hardware. What a joke.

I guess I'll have to climb up on the F$#@$ing roof tomorrow in the freezing cold weather and swap some ports around to see if that fixes it. Yep... never had this problem with Tivo or UTV... only Dish.

Still sorry I ever bought this thing. Can't wait for my contract to be up... I'll definitely be going with Voom at that point, even if I have to get two receivers and two SA Tivo's. Screw this ridiculous hardware. Can't dish get anything right, ever?


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## kriv (Aug 29, 2002)

I posted this question on another message board but decided to post it here for additional coverage.
Got a replacement 721 for one that had a failing disk. Twin lnb 500 and dual lnb 300 cascaded with sw21's. Switch check with 116 software says I got sw42 switches. Old receiver indicated sw21's until I ran a switch check (hadn't run it in a while). It then stated I had sw42's. Dish support says that the configuration is supported and that no one else has reported the problem. Tech says that it probably is a connection problem, even though I was able to view all the satellites with excellent signal strength before swapping it out for the new receiver. He also said to test the hardware. How do you convince them that it is good? Any help would be appreciated.


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