# 721 new update L324



## retiredTech

not sure what else it has?
PIP now has "side by side" (third press of PIP button)

Also...I had to do a "smart card pull" reboot to get my 9 day guide back. 
But all is working now.


----------



## jrbdmb

The side-by-side PIP is a nice addition. Too bad you still need an original 721 remote with the "i" button to get a minimized PIP (2nd tuner is working but instead of a screen you just get a little icon in the corner).

BTW, with the woes of the 5xx DVR software version 3.65, the 721 is now officially my "most reliable Dish DVR". Beside a reboot about once a week, it actually isn't too bad ...


----------



## retiredTech

Twice since... L324 update... overnight my 721 goes to only a 3 day guide,
so the next morning I've had to "pull my smart card" to get my 9 day guide back.
(yes I power down my 721 over night)
I wish there was a "menu button"
To "force a guide update" 
instead of a complete reboot.


----------



## cclement

Yeah, my 721 is a total workhorse. If it wasn't so reliable, and DVR fee Free- I would upgrade it to 625. It just plain works everyday. I haven't rebooted mine for over 6 months. I'm glad to see them still updating it.


----------



## jrseh

retiredTech said:


> I've had to "pull my smart card" to get my 9 day guide back.


I hadn't noticed the side-by-side PIP before reading this thread (thanks for the heads up), but I did notice the 2-3 day program guide on my 721. What steps are involved in a "pulling the smart card" reboot. I powered down, pulled and reinstalled the card, powered back up, and waited - I still have only a 2-day guide. My 301 is similarly affected.

John


----------



## Charise

retiredTech said:


> not sure what else it has?
> PIP now has "side by side" (third press of PIP button)
> 
> Also...I had to do a "smart card pull" reboot to get my 9 day guide back.
> But all is working now.


About 2 days ago I had to do my first soft boot in over 6 months. Maybe that was the cause?

Before the last 6 months I had to reboot once a week to keep everything working properly--I can't even remember what the problem was, but it was very minor--maybe the time left of a program not showing properly? Since then, I don't even have to soft boot once a week. My 721 has been super-stable. 

Thanks for the notice, retiredTech!


----------



## BNUMM

Has anyone else had a problem with the interactive weather feature. When I select it the current temperature will come up, but then after a few seconds the receiver reboots. Then the reboot takes 14 minutes. Other than that it works fine. The last time I called Dish they wanted to replace it with a 501 or do an upgrade. An upgrade would only get me a DVR fee. I have no need for dual outputs.


----------



## BNUMM

Still no 9 day guide.


----------



## finniganps

BNUMM said:


> Still no 9 day guide.


Me either - I've tryed holding the power button down and letting it reset, pulling the power cord and letting it reset. It DOES say getting guide info.....but when it's done (time exceeds 10 minutes), I still only have a guide for about two days. Anyadditional ideas other then calling Dish (my next step)?


----------



## avediswolf

jrbdmb said:


> Too bad you still need an original 721 remote with the "i" button to get a minimized PIP (2nd tuner is working but instead of a screen you just get a little icon in the corner)


If you have the 6.2 remote that uses the keys, use the * button to minimize the PIP.
The * button will make it window bigger, then put them side by side, then minimize to icon. It takes 3 presses.


----------



## flatus

avediswolf said:


> If you have the 6.2 remote that uses the keys, use the * button to minimize the PIP.
> The * button will make it window bigger, then put them side by side, then minimize to icon. It takes 3 presses.


Hey, this works!!! Thanks for the tip, I really missed the minimized pip functionality when I replaced my remote.

Is this new to this software upgrade or has it always been there?


----------



## merrilea

I also had to "Check Switch" because I only had a few high numbered channels.
Lost my preferences; Everything is OK now.
This all happened while we were on vacation so I missed all my recordings.
It took too much time to sort it all out.


----------



## finniganps

Wierd, but now my 9 day guide is back......


----------



## boy654

My 721 reboots itself early morning every day if it is in standby, if I'm watching tv it won't reboot. Is this normal for 721? Now with L324 I get the 3 day guide and have to reboot once or twice to get the 9 day guide. I called Dish and complained, they told me it will be referred to engineering.


----------



## ret26

I bought my 721 when it first came out 4-5 years ago. I've had to have it replaced about 20 times. I have gotten 3 replacements that were defective from the factory. I "dished it up" to a 625 I was going to rent. The installers showed up and hooked it up. They couldnt get it activated and found out it was for another customer. Had to go back to shop for replacement. Talked me into a 622. I tried it for a day and it sucks! I had been renting a 211 that I like but it didnt record like the 622. The 622 had horrible digital picture. Now I have to wait for all the recievers to make it back to Texas before they will bring me the 625. Today I was trying to get HD on my 211 channels and only got HD locals on my antenna. Called DISH and they said I need to get a 1000+ dish. They just put in a 1000!!!!!!!!!! And they have to shut off my locals until the newer dish is installed. So a week w/o locals that I could use my DVR with. (And this nonsense doesnt even include talking to foreigners with broken english at the customer service desk.) And now baseball might not be available. If it wasnt for a PPV I record each week for my sister in law I'd tell DISH to &%#$ off!!


Paul


----------



## TBoneit

ret26, I have to think some environmental problem. Are you on a ups or just plugged into the wall? 

I don't believe the 721 is that bad. I just replaced my first and I'm suspicious that it happened because I moved it to where it isn't on a UPS now. However I also think the hard drive was finally starting to go. It was getting noisier. Overall 721 has been a good experience for me. Of course I am also still running a Dishplayer. It works reliable for me. I hve two, one as a spare. I never had the problems other seemd to have, once again on a UPS. Same as I now have my VIP622 on a UPS. It just seems to help.


----------



## avediswolf

flatus said:


> Hey, this works!!! Thanks for the tip, I really missed the minimized pip functionality when I replaced my remote.
> 
> Is this new to this software upgrade or has it always been there?


It's been there for a while. Just not documented, that I know of. Just stumbled across it one day.


----------



## ERSanders

For those of you who are experiencing a three, or fewer, day guide:

Elsewhere, a potential "work-around" has been identified. The theory is that the L324 s/w looks only at one of the two tuners for the guide download...usually the wrong one!

The fix is to switch tuners. Simply, while watching tuner 1 (for example) go into the PIP mode and hit the swap button, then hit PIP until you are back to one screen...you are now watching tuner 2. Its that simple. The theory is that the "other" tuner should download the nine-day guide. (Apparently the L323 s/w either looked at both tuners or the "right" one...nobody here knows!)

All you have to do is wait a while and your guide will (should? since this is not an exact science at this point) be at nine days.

If this works for you please call Dish tech. support and let them know. Allegedly they are working* on a fix so every call will help. 

* heard that one before.


----------



## ERSanders

I guess that nobody over here has the problem.:sure: WOW!


----------



## TBoneit

Truth to tell, I nevber looked out that far in the guide as the 721 is in the LR and I don't really use it myself. I use a VIP622 for personal TV watching. It is good to know there is a fix if they complain about it. 

For anybody wondering why the 622 isn't elswhere? Resistance to change by other family members. Noise and knashing of teeth when I changed the 7100 for a 501 and much later when the 501 started displaying "Waiting for the drive to spin up" messages. If the 721 ever dies I might be able to change it for a 622.


----------



## retiredTech

L324 still causes loss of 9 day guide ( overnight) the "daily fix" is to manually swap the PIP screens and free up the tuners because of confused software in 
L324.
Will E* fix this? I doubt it. 
E* is unwilling to accept user input as valid proof of their mistakes. 
The reports either don't get to the right people...
or the techs aren't qualified to do basic detective work.
(or management wants a bad tech system of reports and repair)
Also they don't know how to test anything, if you are going to release something without it being 100% tested , you better we willing to listen to reports of problems and WORK ON A FIX RIGHT AWAY!!
Most customers would be understanding if you tried a little harder, but to just ignore a problem you MADE just because it not reaching a preset threshold of complaints set by some stupid supervisor who probably couldn't fix his toaster,
IS BAD BUSINESS.


----------



## subeluvr

retiredTech said:


> Will E* fix this? I doubt it.
> E* is unwilling to accept user input as valid proof of their mistakes.
> The reports either don't get to the right people...
> or the techs aren't qualified to do basic detective work.


OR... with the onset of this new 721 problem and the problems that the 5xx PVRs are having Dish management may view this circumstance as the perfect time to lever 5xx and 721 owners into the 625 and 622 platform and begin to collect the DVR fees for each box that the 5xx and 721 are not being charged.

After 8 years as a Dish customer (and now an ex Dish customer) this situation smacks of Charlie's thinking and tactics and I agree that a fix will not be quick if at all.


----------



## fparkin

my 721 is piece of crap take 30 min to update channels my 501 is great records never misses a show


----------



## krlauver

I have found when the guide truncates to 2 or 3 days the problem is that the unit has changed its configuration from a dish 500 setup to a dish 300 setup. Changing it back to a dish 500 in the setup menu restores the guide after a little while.

The unit does not have to be rebooted. Just give it some time to download the schedule.

I sent a message of my work around to DISH.


----------



## BNUMM

krlauver said:


> I have found when the guide truncates to 2 or 3 days the problem is that the unit has changed its configuration from a dish 500 setup to a dish 300 setup. Changing it back to a dish 500 in the setup menu restores the guide after a little while.
> 
> The unit does not have to be rebooted. Just give it some time to download the schedule.
> 
> I sent a message of my work around to DISH.


Thanks, it worked. I wonder what causes the unit to switch to a dish 300.


----------



## subeluvr

BNUMM said:


> Thanks, it worked. I wonder what causes the unit to switch to a dish 300.


A software *down*grade


----------



## kwd57

krlauver said:


> I have found when the guide truncates to 2 or 3 days the problem is that the unit has changed its configuration from a dish 500 setup to a dish 300 setup. Changing it back to a dish 500 in the setup menu restores the guide after a little while.
> 
> The unit does not have to be rebooted. Just give it some time to download the schedule.
> 
> I sent a message of my work around to DISH.


When I switch my 721 to dish 500 and go back to confirm that it held the change, it is back to 300 again. Is mine the only one doing this or are they all not holding the change? I took a chance and called dish about this, but got the standard answer, "I never heard or this problem, but we can replace the unit"


----------



## BNUMM

kwd57 said:


> When I switch my 721 to dish 500 and go back to confirm that it held the change, it is back to 300 again. Is mine the only one doing this or are they all not holding the change? I took a chance and called dish about this, but got the standard answer, "I never heard or this problem, but we can replace the unit"


Mine is doing it too.


----------



## retiredTech

L324 is flawed, it has messed up my 9day guide EVERY morning.
The way I get my 721 to complete it's 9day guide download (every morning) is:
To change channels on my 721 (after I power up), do a PIP and swap the picture and change channels on "that" tuner.
This usually works,(not always) after awhile the 9day guide downloads.
BUT every morning (after the 3-4am "maintenance" the 721 does on it's own) it only loads about 3days of the 9day guide.
It has something to do with the L324 software causing confusion as to the 721's tuners being available to do the 9day guide download.
BY manually changing channels on each tuner, this "breaks" the software confusion and let's the 721 proceed properly.
E* knows about this problem, but either can't find the flaw in the software or is unwilling to change it.
Either way, E* really needs better code writers!


----------



## FLY5

I'm having problems bringing in the guide, but I'm not sure if it's the same problem reported here or not. My guide was stuck at about 5 or 6 days and wasn't advancing. So I rebooted and got 9 days. But now it isn't advancing again - every day it stops at the same point. I do shut the receiver off at night.

I just tried doing the PIP trick. How long does it take before you know if that worked?

As for the changing from a 500 setup to a 300 setup trick, can someone please tell me how exactly to do that. I looked at the setup menu, but it wasn't obvious to me where that setting is.

Does one of these tricks work better than the other?

Thanks.


----------



## ERSanders

If you are really still on L32*4* the PIP trick should work after a few hours for the new data to download.

However, if you check your "System Info" you will probably find that you have been "upgraded" to L32*5*. That "solved" the guide problem and, at least on some 721 receivers, has replaced it with a three or five day guide...and the PIP fix no longer works! Some fix eh?


----------



## FLY5

Ok, I checked System Info and I have L325. I currently have 7 days on the guide but it isn't advancing each day. (I got 9 days when I rebooted but it hasn't advanced since.) What can I expect with L325? When will the guide advance? Is there any way to force it to advance? Will the 300 to 500 trick work?

I really liked the 9 day guide ... if it's really been replaced with a 3 or 5 day guide, that's a terrible step backward.


----------

