# 721 any ideas before I call Dish?



## TBoneit (Jul 27, 2006)

721 is the only unit exhibiting this problem. It displays the lost lock on channel 214 every day or two. A reboot seems to bring it back. This only seems to happen on the Weather Channel, CNN & Fox News. 

Setup is two dishes for 61.5, 110, & 119. DPP44 feeding a Dishplayer, Still working since 1999, a 721 and a VIP622 both fed through seperators. The other two DVRs continue to work with these channels even when teh 721 says lost lock. Other channels come in on the 721. As far as I can tell it is only a 721 problem.

The only clue I have is that DVR gets left on 214 overnight most nights and Fox News or CNN other times when she leaves the house for a while during the day.

Should I be steering my call to dish towards teh 721, the seperator or the DPP44?

Thanks for any help.


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## BNUMM (Dec 24, 2006)

Try changing positions on the DPP44 first.


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## TBoneit (Jul 27, 2006)

I'm guessing that you mean the feed into the 721 from the switch? When you asked that it reminded me that the 721 is the DVR that has the power inserter behind it for the switch. Now that starts me wondering if that could be the problem? Other option I do have a currently unused feed from the dish that once I pick up some RG6 I could run up to the 721 from the basement. Be a nit of a chore, Pull suspended ceiling, get brother over to help etc.

If you are meaning at the dish side of the switch then thats out as I have a fear of heights. That being the main reason I keep the monthly warranty.

Cheers


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## klyon (Jan 25, 2003)

I have no idea if this helps or not, but not too long ago my 721 lost the lock on ESPN. The screen said it was looking for sat 61.5. I ran a switch check and since then it's been fine. Something to try if nothing else..


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## BNUMM (Dec 24, 2006)

TBoneit said:


> I'm guessing that you mean the feed into the 721 from the switch? When you asked that it reminded me that the 721 is the DVR that has the power inserter behind it for the switch. Now that starts me wondering if that could be the problem? Other option I do have a currently unused feed from the dish that once I pick up some RG6 I could run up to the 721 from the basement. Be a nit of a chore, Pull suspended ceiling, get brother over to help etc.
> 
> If you are meaning at the dish side of the switch then thats out as I have a fear of heights. That being the main reason I keep the monthly warranty.
> 
> Cheers


I meant the receiver side of the switch.


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## UGAChance (May 18, 2007)

Go into Signal Strength Screen and check signal on Even vs. Odd Transponders on 119... CH 214 is on 119, Trans 6. ESPN was on 119 Trans 4.

You could be having LO/LNB Drift problems which is a bad LNB and your 622 has code to compensate but 721 does not.

If the signal bar is jumping and is red on Even Transponders you have LNB Drift. You can also goto System Info in the 622 menus and it will tell you if you have LNB Drift too.


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## TBoneit (Jul 27, 2006)

Ok, that makes it strange as it was saying it lost lock on Channel 214 on the 61.5 location And you are saying it is on the 119 location. I was surprised that it was showing as on the 61.5 as I would have thought 110 or 119 myself.

Since it always says lost lock on 61.5 etc. for channel 214 that sounds like some sort of wierd problem. When 214 goes out other channels are working just up or down arrow and fine for example.

If she has to lose her 70+ hours of recordings due to a receiver swap I'll be hearing about it.


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## klyon (Jan 25, 2003)

TBoneit said:


> Ok, that makes it strange as it was saying it lost lock on Channel 214 on the 61.5 location And you are saying it is on the 119 location. I was surprised that it was showing as on the 61.5 as I would have thought 110 or 119 myself.


Yep, that's exactly what mine was doing. Like I mentioned above, running a switch check fixed the problem, for me anyway.


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## ScottF (Dec 31, 2004)

TBoneit said:


> 721 is the only unit exhibiting this problem. It displays the lost lock on channel 214 every day or two. A reboot seems to bring it back. This only seems to happen on the Weather Channel, CNN & Fox News.
> 
> Setup is two dishes for 61.5, 110, & 119. DPP44 feeding a Dishplayer, Still working since 1999, a 721 and a VIP622 both fed through seperators. The other two DVRs continue to work with these channels even when teh 721 says lost lock. Other channels come in on the 721. As far as I can tell it is only a 721 problem.
> 
> ...


I am sorry you are having this problem, but I am glad that it has happened to someone besides me. This started 4 or 5 days ago with me on ch. 214 and on ALT channel 444 I think. After running check switch and a couple of resets the other times it happened all seems OK for now. I did contact Dish but they were not any help, just asking me to do the things I had already done. I have DHPP but they could not change out the unit since it seems to be working for now, however this past weekend was bothersome having to do the resets, etc.

My 721 is about 5 years old and this is the first problem I have had. If anyone has any other ideas on what the cause/solution could be would be greatly appreciated.


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## TBoneit (Jul 27, 2006)

Maybe it is something inthe software?

I may try a switch test tonight followed by a pull the power rather than a power button reset.


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## retiredTech (Oct 27, 2003)

My 721 has done this several times. After overnight download, channel 200 CNN says lost lock on 61.5. Which is a lie because 200 CNN is NOT on 61.5 ,it is on 119. So the 721 is looking for 200 CNN in the wrong place and that channel isn't there. This has to be a glitch in the overnight download.
To correct it, I did a "power button reboot". Then it works right.
Don't let E* replace your 721 Unless you want a DVR fee. You will get 522 or 625 which will have a DVR fee. (yes DVR advantage is the same price for now, but I expect that to change next year as the price is frozen just untill 2009)


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## mattfast1 (Mar 26, 2008)

I think the DDA package will still be available for a discount though. I speculate it will just increase as much as the regular package (if AT200 sees a $2 increase, so will DDA w/AT200).

Just my $0.02.


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## TBoneit (Jul 27, 2006)

Last night I had a problem trying to go to Channel 21 WLIW. Lost lock on 61.5 etc.

I starting to wonder if it is something to do with having the 721 hooked up through a separator Power inserter and DPP44? Or to put it another way the satellite feed comes into the Power inserter, then goes from that to the seperator then to the 721. OTOH it has just gotten wacky lately. I suppose it could be going bad. 

Thinking of changing it to a 612 as I suspect that is the closest replacement? two tuners and one TV. The reason I'm thining of that is I understand that the swap and PIP do not work on that unit and I can not seem to get the main user to understand what to do when pip gets hit by accident. She just doesn't get the concept. She got used to dual tuners and recording 2 things easy enough.

Is the 612 that different from the 721 and 622 or would it be a easy learn. Other possibility change the current 622 in place of the 721 and put a new 722 where the 622 is currently.

If I were sure it is the unit then it would be a no brainer. I'm just not sure if it is the unit of one of the components feeding it.

I should mention I seem to have no problem with 61.5 on the 622 and I believe I get my HD channels from it as I only have 61.5, 110 & 119 locations.

Any thoughts?


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## TBoneit (Jul 27, 2006)

OK, as a follow up for others that may have this problem............

Yesterday the 721 stopped showang any video and always showed lost lock.
This morning the Dishplayer was not getting anything
This afternoon the 622 stopped getting anything, Lost Lock message.

Tonight thinking about it I remembered something from my SW64 days. So I pulled the power inserter power, and Pulled the plug on all three receivers for a while. At this moment in time all three are working so maybe the switch needed a reset. Whether or not it will hold I can not say but it did work.


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## WillW (Feb 25, 2006)

I'm having the same problem; neither reboot or check switch fixes this for me. The instant weather channel loses lock as does ESPN, 140. Don't bother with the "chat" style tech support. Since there was no error message, he was at a loss. Finally concluded that I needed a technician to come out, when my 508 works fine. Smart guy on this, and he said he was advanced tech support..
I have a DP34 switch 61.5, 110,119 all solid. I may disconect the 61.5 feed and see if the 721 can figure out that the requested channel is not on 61.5. Something must have changed in the program guide donwload that was not tested on the 721,, anyone????


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## klyon (Jan 25, 2003)

Is it happening on both tuners? When I had the problem, it was only 1 tuner, the check switch fixed it. Maybe swap sat1 and sat2 cables?


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