# Got my New 721, Any Tips, Gotchas for me?



## Guest (Feb 20, 2004)

Well I got my new 721 (Local Dealer) Wednesday :hurah: . Unhooked feeds to a Dishplayer & 501 until he could run the extra feed from SW64 on thursday. 

Had some problems getting it going, could have been me, Took working with tech support to get it going. Seemed to take a day or so to remap Locals.

Pros: Nice interface. Good speed using features. Two Tuners with PIP, good timer conflict resolution. 

Cons: None so far.

Any Tips, workarounds I need to know?

Dishplayer = Verynice but slow as molasses.
501s = Fast, simple interface
Tivo Standalone = Ok interface but slow
VCRs, Well They were better than nothing.

Thanks for any Tips
Cheers


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## AppliedAggression (Aug 16, 2003)

721 = Verynice and fast interface?


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## Randy_B (Apr 23, 2002)

Turn it off everynight after your done with it. Do not leave it on 24/7.

Ocassionally you will notice the sound disappears when jumping ahead several times. In this event skip back once and sound will return.

Our 721 has needed a reboot every once in awhile.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

Reboot weekly at least. Keep it on a UPS./ Reboot time is 4 minutes thats no good if a power bump occurs during survivor

Dont archive stuff on the hard drive if you cant live without it. One day a hard drive failure may erase all your recordings. Be espically alert if its telling you theres a software upgrade/ Some folks have lost it all at that time

721 runs best on legacy LNBs. Avoid upgrading to dishpro equiptement


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

If you want to have a cool" Folders option" for your recordings then set manual timers for recording blocks of say network shows. Example : You like the nbc Thursday night shows from say 7:00 to 9:00 pm. If you will go into the timers create screen and set up a weekly timer for that time period , it will record all the shows with individual start points complete with info for each show. You can then watch those shows in any order you want. This is a cool feature and is very usable since the 721 is only going to allow you to record up to 65 timers at a time. This will eliminate the need for individual timers for each show and it will prevent the show from missing the ending . This is especially good feature since NBC will super size their programs randomly. Now the tech geeks promised name based recording features by the middle of the year on the last tech chat. I don't know how this will work, or if it will cause bugs to surface, but I hope they leave the ability to do manual timers like we presently have.


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## thevoice (Sep 24, 2002)

Bob Haller said:


> 721 runs best on legacy LNBs. Avoid upgrading to dishpro equiptement


In my opinion, I find this completely incorrect..


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## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

Bob Haller said:


> Reboot weekly at least.
> 
> 721 runs best on legacy LNBs. Avoid upgrading to dishpro equiptement


As usual, Haller has posted a lot of misinformation. The 721 does NOT need to re-booted weekly. Mine hasn't needed to be re-booted since the last software upgrade (in December).

As for DishPro LNBs and switches, they work fine with the 721.


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## angiodan (Sep 2, 2002)

My 721 has been flawless since I purchased over 5 months ago. Have it on a UPS due to the amount of power bumps we have in Florida, turn it off every night, and have never missed a recording.

With a 508, 721 and 921 in the house, I'm in heaven. 

Well, I have been thinking of replacing the 508 with another 721! Once the DP44 switch comes out, I'll probably do it. I don't want to run another line or buy another 34 switch.


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## TomCat (Aug 31, 2002)

I reboot mine only whenever I notice sluggishness. Have only lost one show in 18 months. I leave mine on overnight, but not when leaving the house.

Originally there was a quirk where if you had simultaneous timers set and the unit was left on it would assume that you wanted to continue watching and threw a dialog that truncated about 45 seconds off the beginning of the recording. I don't know if that's been addressed, but consequently I always leave mine off when timers are pending.

Sure wish they'd fix the slo-mo.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

Some posters here with lost tuner 2s like I had found the REAL problem was the 721 slight instability on dishpro. Look back I had repeated lost tuner 2s and finally put 508s on the 721 sat leads at the 721 and the 508s ran fine

Dish advanced tech said the only true signal test for a 721 is another 721 some lost tuners are were software related.

As a last ditch troubleshootinmg attempt I put my 721 on a new dishpro twin, ran the coax in the doggie door and my 721 ran fine.

Bill my advanced tech contact on that was the same one you use.

Why fight rebooting dish in a effort to improve the 508 stability and guide refresh commands every inactive 508 to reboot nightly.

Besides bill unless your 721 is on a UPS it involuntarily reboots any time the poer line burps. Since mine is on a APC UPS it doesnt get that chance
So my weekly reboot is a good preventive matter.


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## Jacob S (Apr 14, 2002)

When I lost tuner 2 on the 721 and had to RMA it, it was connected to a legacy lnbf. I since then used a DishPro Dish 500 and now a DishPro SuperDish with a DishPro 34 switch and it has not failed since.


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## Guest (Feb 21, 2004)

I love hearing about people who reboot their 721 once a week - as long as its powered off it will reboot itself everynight at 4am local time.

From my testing it won't reboot if its powered on, if a timer will fire or if it was only turned off minutes before.

If you don't believe it - try it...

and dishpro works great with the 721, I'd recommend it over legacy equipment anyday.

The software "bug" that causes the tuners to appear dead can be fixed with an nvm reset from the debug menu.


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

I wonder why the dish tech csrs don't tell people of the nvm reset when they call to complain of the tuner issue. I had a tuner problem on my second 721 recently, and the advanced tech just rmad it . Now back a year and a half ago I had a csr tell me to do the nvm reset when I had a problem. It wiped my favorite guides and all my timers if I remember correctly. If this reset fixes the tuner problem they should be recommending this instead of rmas on all the failed tuners.


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## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

Bob Haller said:


> Bill, my advanced tech contact on that was the same one you use.


My contact has said that he has never talked or exchanged e-mail with you.


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## SDiego (May 19, 2003)

nvm reset from the debut menu? hmm, well I am about to buy a 721 today and hope it tells how to do that reset. I am still trying to figure out if I should install the 721 in the current legacy twin, then install the dp quad afterwards? Dish said the 721 dont like the dp quads much. should I stick with the legacy twin and buy a switch instead, so I can have two recievers?

thanks 

Ron


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## jerryyyyy (Jul 19, 2002)

Best advice- make sure you have the service contract to replace it when tuner 2 goes. Otherwise I have pretty much flawless performance.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

I have the fellows name and direct phone number confirnmed advance tech. legacys get lost tuner 2s too but its more commobn for dishpro. my 508s ran perfectly on the same connections my 721 spazed on.....


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## fr8flyr (May 4, 2003)

I have had my 721 about 3 months now and it has worked perfectly. It worked fine with my legacy switches and works with the DP switches I now have with the SuperDish install last month. I have not had any reboots or timers fail to fire. I currently have 921, 721, 522, and 510 receivers in my house and they all work great. I also haven’t had any of the posted problems with my 921.

Earl


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## TruePlayer (Nov 13, 2002)

I don't think the lnbf makes any difference. I have a DishPro system and my second tuner is out. looks like i need to RMA it. Looks like this will be my third unrelated replacement.



Jacob S said:


> When I lost tuner 2 on the 721 and had to RMA it, it was connected to a legacy lnbf. I since then used a DishPro Dish 500 and now a DishPro SuperDish with a DishPro 34 switch and it has not failed since.


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## Jacob S (Apr 14, 2002)

I was not trying to say that DishPro or Legacy makes a difference but trying to state just the opposite that either one could cause a failure.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

I stand by whatr advance tech told me. Dishpro has more trouble. It doesnt matter if you believe me or not. just remember this discussion when your tuner 2 fails and you have to return the box. it MAY not have been necessary on a legacy box


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## John Corn (Mar 21, 2002)

Personally.....I never had any problems with my 721 on DishPro.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

well some peoples DP has worjked flawless from day one. That doesnt mean DPS are stable on a historical basis


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## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

I was told that the DishPro problem with the 721 receivers has been fixed.


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

In defense of Bob, I had a dish advanced tech tell me that the dishpro quad wouldn't work for the initial software update you have to take for a new 721. Now he also said that once you have the initial software update you could use the dishpro quad or twin etc. I was also told this was a known software bug that they never fixed. He also said that the second tuner flaking out is a known problem with the 721 . Although he didn't specify that there were more problems with the dishpro with the second tuner vs a legacy lnb. But I had a problem with both issues when I added my second 721 a couple of months ago. Had problems with the initial software update since I had upgraded to a dishpro quad since I added my first 721 a couple of years ago. Then when I got a new dishpro twin dish hooked up I had the second tuner issue and had to rma it . I just wonder if the 921 dvr is having the same problem with the dishpro quad and the second tuner problem?


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

Well Bill R why not try a experiment and report back here. Try running a switch test with the 721s sat feed not connected to anything.... what happens? mine wouldnt run the test just report a problem has been found. 

So you say they fixed it. OK try the test and let us know.

I have never seen anyone do a 721 successful initial download on a dishpro quad.

How long has the 721 been out? It went from new endlessely delayed product, to available with software issues, to supposedly mature product to discontinued.... All without fixing stuff like this Now they are busy with their LATEST top end box based on this platform. 

Admittely my info is from last september. But I dont believe these issues have been addressed. Just as the owners manual says they will shorten the 4 minute reboot time and never did. Unlike all the other boxes they never bothered to provide abort guide download when rebooting. A real PIA if the box freezes for some reason while watching a show.


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## SDiego (May 19, 2003)

Tech support told me this morning that the 721 probably won't take the initial software download with a dp quad. first use a legacy lnb then you can install a dp quad. 
I do have the oportunity to get a 522 but tech support says the 522 and the 322 requires a phone line. Thats to bad.


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## thevoice (Sep 24, 2002)

SDiego said:


> Tech support told me this morning that the 721 probably won't take the initial software download with a dp quad. first use a legacy lnb then you can install a dp quad.
> I do have the oportunity to get a 522 but tech support says the 522 and the 322 requires a phone line. Thats to bad.


Yes, the initial software doesn't support the quad, after you take a download it runs w/ all current DP fine...


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

Si\o this confirms the 721 has troubles with dishpro installs.

Kinda sad the what was the top of the line box never got the needed software upgrades.....


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## wcswett (Jan 7, 2003)

Bob Haller said:


> 721 runs best on legacy LNBs. Avoid upgrading to dishpro equiptement


My 721 runs fine on DishPro LNBs and has been running fine for about a year, ever since I upgraded to DP.

--- WCS


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## Jacob S (Apr 14, 2002)

I dont see why a receiver would have such problems such as tuner 2 failing just because it had DishPro lnbf's and DishPro switches attached to it instead of Legacy. I have had better luck with DishPro than Legacy with the 721.


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## Roger Tee (Feb 22, 2004)

AppliedAggression said:


> 721 = Verynice and fast interface?


To me much faster than the Dishplayer, Slower than the 501. I suspect the speed difference vs the 501 is that the hard drive is working harder with the two tuners feeding it and may be slowing down the data read when getting program info etc.

The interface seems very Dp-like with the necessary changes for two tuners. Much nicer than the 501 if somewhat slower. Example DP & 721 both show already recorded and timers on the same screen when I go to selct a previously recorded show to watch. Unfortunately they seem to show in the order they were set. Any way to change that?

And Timer conflicts seem to be the weak point on 501s, if I get a timer conflict on the 501 I better reboot it soon. 721 & Dp seem to handle timer conflicts much better.

Cheers


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## Mike Richardson (Jun 12, 2003)

Roger T said:


> Well I got my new 721 (Local Dealer) Wednesday :hurah: . Unhooked feeds to a Dishplayer & 501 until he could run the extra feed from SW64 on thursday.


You've got every style of PVR that Echostar has made: Linux, Opentv, and Microsoft.


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## Roger Tee (Feb 22, 2004)

My Bad on the timers.  

Looking at them further it appears that they are sorted by channel rather than date? Hard to be sure as I tend to enter a channel's timers at one session. Any way to have them sort by date and time that I've missed?

RE: the message above, I wonder what operating system Dish can try next? Maybe they can license Next or the old Amiga or TRS-DOS or OS-9 (Ran on the 6809 CPU) or wait, I've got, CP/M! :sure: Actually I do like Dish or I wouldn't have switched from DirecTV back when the 2700 came out. Of course the DP AKA 7100 was also a compelling reason, I mean, WOW a integrated IRD/Recorder! And for those wondering (all 2 of you) I ran them both in an A-B comparison for over 6 months before deciding to switch. 

It's gotta be tough supporting more than one OS. 

Cheers


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

They should select one and standarize on it. at lest that way lessons learned would apply to all future boxes. This must cost bucks and cause bugs


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