# PVR 721 Program Guide Bug



## dbryant (Oct 14, 2005)

Help! Has anyone had the problem of their program guide on the PVR 721 working only sporadically ever since the software upgrade Dish made at the end of Aug? I only get the program guide occassionally since that time.

Because of this, I had to leave Dish after having a horrible time with them first telling me I needed an equipment replacement and then finally admitting it was a known problem with the software upgrade.

I called today to ask if the problem had been fixed and technical support said they had it in their database and it had not been fixed. But customer care said they had no record of any such problem.

Is anyone else having this issue or know a fix???


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## MrBean (Sep 29, 2004)

I have been having very spotty service with my 721 since this latest patch.

It will freeze up half of the remote, so I cannot change or select channels, or use the number buttons, but the foward/backward/pause controls work.

Or it will even go the other way, where the DVR buttons don't work, but the others do.

Also, it's been losing signals at least 2 times a day. I go into the setup and both lines are hoverning about 87 for connection, which is where it's always been.


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## navychop (Jul 13, 2005)

Mine works just fine.


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## Charise (Jan 25, 2004)

Mine hasn't exhibited any problems either.


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## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

My 721 has not had any problems since the latest update.

Have you tried to re-boot it? Press (and hold) the power button for a count of 10. That may fix your problem.


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## MrBean (Sep 29, 2004)

Bill R said:


> My 721 has not had any problems since the latest update.
> 
> Have you tried to re-boot it? Press (and hold) the power button for a count of 10. That may fix your problem.


That would be the only way to get my remote back working.

It has since quit freezing up. Hmm... wierd


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## dbryant (Oct 14, 2005)

well, that's really strange. i even exchanged mine for a rebuilt one and still had the problem.

different people at Dish customer service and technical support tell me different things and no one seems to have a solutions to the problem. tech support says it is definitely a known issue and is scheduled to be fixed in an upgrade at some unknown point in time. 
but customer service says they have no record of the problem.

i wonder if it could be my switch, SW 42?


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## JohnMI (Apr 2, 2002)

Mine has also been fine as far as that goes. My only problem since the last update is that channel changing seems noticeable slower no matter what I do. I can hit "up" and sometimes count to 4 or 5 before it actually changes. 5 seconds between channels is unacceptable. Weird that it started doing it.

- John...


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## divilish (Oct 5, 2005)

dbryant said:


> well, that's really strange. i even exchanged mine for a rebuilt one and still had the problem.
> 
> different people at Dish customer service and technical support tell me different things and no one seems to have a solutions to the problem. tech support says it is definitely a known issue and is scheduled to be fixed in an upgrade at some unknown point in time.
> but customer service says they have no record of the problem.
> ...


Every call to DN seems to get different results, that is a fact.

My 721 is now a single tuner thanks to the latest S/W release, no known date on the fix but they admit(off and on) that it is a known issue.

Really nice to have a company chop off your legs and tell you they will replace them sometime in the future, I bought the 721 for dual tuners now I cannot even watch a recorded program while it records another one, it is that messed up.

Yea, I know how to reboot it, have done that multiple times, my 508 has a similar problem but as it only has a single tuner it is not as noticable as the 721.

Almost makes me want to throw the DVR's out the window and go back to Tivo, except for the hassle, the cost and the lack of a stand-alone dual-tuner Tivo...I probably would.

Stupid dish, if they tick me off too much I might just look at directTV. No idea if it would be worth it, but I might look........


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## dbryant (Oct 14, 2005)

well, i don't understand why some people have a problem with this and some don't. i even exchanged my unit for a rebuilt one (incorrect advice from dish technical support that i must be having a hardware failure) and i still got the same program guide failure. 

i switched to Time Warner "digital" cable and it is poor quality all the way around--only some channels digital, big variations in volume from channel to channel, and fades in volume on several channels.

i guess i could try directtivo, but i understand they don't have as many of the channels i want (movies) as dish does. that leaves my with having to find someone who would sell me a 625, since dish won't let you have one unless you haven't been a customer for 6 months.

dish is really pushing it by pulling this kind of crap. my 721 is only about 4 years old and they have damn near obsoleted it.


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## boylehome (Jul 16, 2004)

I mostly use my 721 for back-up purposes (not surprisingly that I have to watch programs on it because my 921's fail to record them). 

Occasionally, but especially after a power cord reboot of the 721, an (1) ERROR SCREEN 678 appears which is a sign that the 721 will only have two hours of EPG data. The rest of the EPG shows, "No Information." It does give me the option to update it. 

Others report that they don't have this feature with their 721. 

Here is the process that fully updates the EPG: 
>I select the <guide> button which brings up the EPG.

>I then advance the guide to a future time beyond two hours.

>I get a (2) ERROR SCREEN 318 which gives me the option to retrieve program data. 

>I select, "YES" and (3) another screen with a progress bar appears, and progressively shows the progress of the remainder of the EPG data update.



I've also include information for the 721 (4) system information so you may check your versions to see if there is a difference.

Shortly after receiving software version L177 for about two weeks, I lost the above described feature. I'm happy it is back.


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## navychop (Jul 13, 2005)

I don't understand this. I have no EPG problems with my 721. Is there such a difference in the h/w and firmware on different 721 production runs? Is that why some have problems?


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## JohnMI (Apr 2, 2002)

dbryant said:


> well, i don't understand why some people have a problem with this and some don't. i even exchanged my unit for a rebuilt one (incorrect advice from dish technical support that i must be having a hardware failure) and i still got the same program guide failure.


Then I'd say it isn't related to the 721. In fact, I don't think I've heard of anyone else with a 721 with the same problem as you. This makes me thing, as I think someone else suggested, that maybe this is switch or other hardware related.



> dish is really pushing it by pulling this kind of crap. my 721 is only about 4 years old and they have damn near obsoleted it.


What are you talking about? I still see the 721 as possibly the best performing/behaving dual-tuner unit available for SD. Mine doesn't feel obsolete at all -- regardless of the fact that it has indeed been around a while. It's simple a great dual-tuner DVR, IMO. I bought it because of the many, many people here that really liked theirs -- and that was 2 years ago -- and it's still a great unit.

Now, granted, once in a while, Dish doesn't make me happy on things -- the last update for me definitely slowed down my channel changing time. So, I certainly know they aren't perfect -- but you make the device sound like an outdated piece of junk when, in fact, the problems seem more specific to you than the device. So, again, it makes me think that something else is going on since you've had two 721s that do this...

- John...


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## dbryant (Oct 14, 2005)

yes, i am wondering if it must be something like the switch. that's why i was looking on here for someone else with the same problem, but it doesn't seem like it is common. if it's not the 721 or the switch, then hell what could it be? the coax? 

the only reason my 721 is obsolete is because i can't get a program guide and the dish people told me it was because of a bug in their latest software upgrade. otherwise, i love it.


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## retiredTech (Oct 27, 2003)

dbryant said:


> yes, i am wondering if it must be something like the switch. that's why i was looking on here for someone else with the same problem, but it doesn't seem like it is common. if it's not the 721 or the switch, then hell what could it be? the coax?
> 
> the only reason my 721 is obsolete is because i can't get a program guide and the dish people told me it was because of a bug in their latest software upgrade. otherwise, i love it.


I haven't had any problems for several months or more with my 721 guide.
But I did have a problem with guide for a bit. 
If I remember correctly, what I did was "reset to factory defaults" (access from menu (you will lose your favorite lists, ect) 
which should cause a reboot, 
(be sure and give the 721 time to complete the whole process)
and after the reboot do "switch check".
I can't say for sure this fixed mine, but after that... my 721 guide problems stopped.
Maybe this info will help you.


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