# 721 blacking out on screen but recording



## marshalk (Jun 9, 2002)

To rewind this a bit, I am in Alaska and can not get a good enough shot at 110. For whater reason E* does not put the software or EPG on 119, only on 110. Well I was able to get the software download from a dealer who has a 2M dish and can get a signal from 110, download the initial software and away we go. I have a dish 300 with a dual lnb and both outputs going into the 721. 

Everything seemed fairly normal, pause, ff etc. Guide looked good, programing was fine. Then while watching one show while another timer was recording something else I hit PIP and the pip window opens, fills with the main on-screen program goes black. The svideo tv screen goes black and there is no audio. Very curious. I cant swap and if you hit cancel or view the proram banners says "Unknown Record". Huh???? A power down (with the remote) seemed to clear it up. Other PVR functions are working, I can see the menus, call up the guide etc. Then it happened again. The really weird thing is that we were recording DS9 but it went black on the tv. We left it alone till the end of the program and lo and behold, it was recorded just fine. We could watch it recorded, but were unable to watch it live.

It am not 100% sure it has to be recording for this error to manifest. Last night we were watching, swapping between pips and with recall on one tuner and the main screen went black while the pip was on. No swap but a remote power off triggered a system boot. It went through the hard drive verify and acquireing info from the satellite. Appeared to be a full reboot to me.

I figure this could be:
some artifact of my 119 only setup, like can't dl software
no switch, just dual lnd into dual inputs on 721
a bum 721 with heat or other problems (it is in a good spot)

Any thoughts on this one?

thanks...marshal


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## Guest (Jul 21, 2002)

You need to do a nvm reset and run check switch again.


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## marshalk (Jun 9, 2002)

I assume nvm is non-volitile ram. How does one do this? Just a pul the plug reset, followed by the check switch? I need to be a bit careful to do nothing to cause it to try and do the software download again. Without easy access to 110 it is somewhat problematic for me to download.


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## Guest (Jul 22, 2002)

On most models, nvm reset is accessed through a "secret" key sequence on the diagnostic screen. Maybe someone here knows the keys.


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## Bill D (May 11, 2002)

> _Originally posted by anonymous _
> *You need to do a nvm reset and run check switch again. *


 marshalk

This sounds exactly what happened to me, similar things different details, for more details check out the 721 glitch thread..
Here is what advanced tech had me do, (nvm reset)
Go into the system setup and then diagnostics, now hit info.. right ...left 
A debug menu pops up, one of the selections is nvm reset, hit it and it will prompt are you sure??
After it is done, (a few seconds I think) hold down power on the front panel (cold re-boot I guess)
Everything should be fine now
As far as what anonymous said about check switch not sure if you should do that after or before the re-boot, I think after will be o.k.
The next morning after I did the nvm reset, the 721 got dumb and lost my SW 64 switch setup, doing a check switch everything was cool..
good luck..
As for anonymous I assume you must be a Dish employee, please feel free to offer any other tips you have with the 721, staying anonymous is fine with me if it helps any of us out..
Bill


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## Scott Greczkowski (Mar 21, 2002)

Just a word of warning though, do not keep resetting your NVRAM because you feel like it. 

After the system reboots you must then reset your address on your remote (if your not using the default address) to do this press the SYS INFO button on the front of the 721 then press the Record button on your remote.

You will also have to run a check switch again after you have control of the remote again. Remember the check switch is slow, so have patience.


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## marshalk (Jun 9, 2002)

Do we know if the nvm reset will require a fresh software download? I would rather avoid lugging it out to the dealer who has access to 110.

thanks...mk


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## Bill D (May 11, 2002)

No, it will change nothing but fix your problems (I only did it the one time, and I wish someone would have told me to do the check switch). I ended up doing it the next morning.
Check switch is a definite, start it and go get some breakfast and read the paper.
Good luck..
Boy that s*cks not having access to 110, have they given you any other way to possibley get future stuff..


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

MarshalK - have you tried a seperate 24 or 30 inch dish for 110 ? Then you would use 1 SW21 for each LNB on the 721. I would think this would at least be worth pursuing (especially the larger dish(es)). As a last resort, you could always put up your own 2M dish.


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## marshalk (Jun 9, 2002)

I have been thinking about getting another dish. I may try and borrow a 1.2M and seeing if I can get enough of the 110 signal to make it work. It would simplify things tremendously. Right now I am using a 1M dish for 119 and when aimed just right on a crystal clear day I can get, if memory serves, about 83% on transponder 17. The E* advanced tech supervisor I spoke to about the 119 only thing was polite but firm, i.e. "sorry but you need access to 110". No plans to change it, no hints they think it is a problem just "you need access to 110"


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## marshalk (Jun 9, 2002)

The NVM reset and check switch seem to have worked. I was kind of busy last night and only watched the tube for a little while but long enough for the problem to manifest and it did not. Here's hoping it stays fixed. Thanks for the help...mk


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## jerryyyyy (Jul 19, 2002)

Please note that I had similar problems as my initial wriing installation was bad- did not have dual inputs from BOTH dishes.


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