# Ask Dish Network Why?: 1.46 push PI** poor timing!!!



## anderdea (Jan 13, 2004)

It was very POOR TIMING on DN part to send a SOFTWARE PUSH at any time other than the early AM. I (Guess) got mine at 7:00 PM,ish on Thursday while watching a recorded HD program that I had recorded from 6 to 7 PM. I started watching the show (no indication that a software update was in progress) and about 15 minutes into it I got the “X” screen and it crashed. When it came back up the message said downloading new software. It only downloaded for about 7 minutes which tells me that it had probably been downloading during the time I was recording/watching the program and picked up again when it started to come back up. When the system crashed I’m pretty sure it probably corrupted the 1.46 version although the software update shows 1.46. The reason I suspect this is one of the fixes was suppose to be the gray bar problem in 16 X 9, 1080i. I still get the gray bars on ether side of a the 16 X 9 screen watching a 3 X 4 “Normal” image, (CBS HD) watching survivor. The “*” button doesn’t eliminate the problem. I also saw it on other channels. Now I don’t know what took (on my 3rd receiver) and what didn’t.  :nono2: 

My main ***** is that I have been involved with “C” large dish TV since the early 80’s and small dish for 4 years. Whenever a software update or programming guide update was needed to my “C” band receiver (now a GI 4DTV) it was scheduled for early morning usually around 2:00 AM. This way there was a lot less probability of anything screwing up the download and the receiver had to be OFF for it to happen. Most of the people on this forum expected the update to happen on Friday so I was taken very unawares when this one occurred. I have had nothing but problems with my multiple 921’s and now I’m not confident in the 1.46 upgrade and as far as I know, there is no way to force a reissue of the 1.46 push.  

Don


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## Slordak (Dec 17, 2003)

If the software really was corrupted, it would be far more likely to show up in a manner such as "I can't boot my receiver", "I can't watch any channels", or "It reboots every 15 seconds".

Just so you know, some CBS stations are now experimenting with airing 4x3 content with grey bars in the image. That is to say that they are adding the gray bars before they send the signal out, so this would have nothing to do with the receiver at all. In fact, in this case, the receiver is powerless to prevent the gray bars from being shown, since the signal looks like a regular (full) 16x9 signal.

You may also want to see one of the other threads, where another poster noted that he didn't feel that gray bars had been fixed with L146. Hence, I doubt there is anything wrong with your receiver.


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## DVDDAD (Dec 21, 2002)

One of the fixes of this version was that it would check if there were any timers scheduled and if so to wait on the download. This doesn't do anything for last night, but might help next time around.


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## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

I flipped through Survivor last night - I think the grey bars came from the source (Denver). Are the grey bars added locally or nationally?

Personally, I hate watching distorted 4:3 so I'm satisfied this this solution.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Gray bars are added locally on the Denver CBS station (and the local Denver NBC station for that matter). 

Don, check your system information page. If at anytime your 921 software version reads L146HECD-F, you've software is corrupted. If it reads L146HECD-N, you're fine.


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## wcswett (Jan 7, 2003)

Slordak said:


> Just so you know, some CBS stations are now experimenting with airing 4x3 content with grey bars in the image. That is to say that they are adding the gray bars before they send the signal out, so this would have nothing to do with the receiver at all. In fact, in this case, the receiver is powerless to prevent the gray bars from being shown, since the signal looks like a regular (full) 16x9 signal.


WCBS-DT is one of those stations, unfortunately for me, since that's the HD one I get from DISH.

--- WCS


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

anderdea said:


> It was very POOR TIMING on DN part to send a SOFTWARE PUSH at any time other than the early AM. I (Guess) got mine at 7:00 PM,ish on Thursday while watching a recorded HD program that I had recorded from 6 to 7 PM. I started watching the show (no indication that a software update was in progress) and about 15 minutes into it I got the "X" screen and it crashed. When it came back up the message said downloading new software. It only downloaded for about 7 minutes which tells me that it had probably been downloading during the time I was recording/watching the program and picked up again when it started to come back up. When the system crashed I'm pretty sure it probably corrupted the 1.46 version although the software update shows 1.46.
> Don


Hmmm. Sounds to me like you got a random crash while the software was spooling. Considering the 921 downloads in background (great idea!  ) I would think the only valid complaint might be that it 'forced' the rest of the download when it came back up from a hard boot. Of course, that just might be by design - to help a sick box get new software. Yup, I'll bet a donut that's the reason. Mmmmm, donut. :lol:

P.S. How many other old-timers out there know the origin of the term "spool" as it applies to this sort of thing?   :eek2:


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## guruka (Dec 27, 2003)

I, for one, am simply glad E* gave us the new software a day ahead of schedule. I appreciate getting the new software as soon as possible and it doesn't matter what time it came down.

Thanks E*.

.....G

Oh yeah, spooling. . . I remember those old upright IBM tape transports. I remember those 10 MB (yes MB) hard drives with the big handle on top to lift them off the floor pedestal too! I guess that makes me an old-timer


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

guruka said:


> I, for one, am simply glad E* gave us the new software a day ahead of schedule. I appreciate getting the new software as soon as possible and it doesn't matter what time it came down.
> 
> Thanks E*.
> 
> ...


Maybe it wasn't a day early - from the posts, it appears to have started spooling @ about 00:00GMT on Friday.

You mean the 13MB 2311's? Then they doubled the number of platters to create the 26MB 2314.  I was always scared to carry them around - they didn't shatter if dropped, but sure got bent. :eek2:

But still no takers on what SPOOLing really means? (that's the correct way to type it - hint, hint  )


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## anderdea (Jan 13, 2004)

Thanks for the info guys. I was away for the weekend and didn't have access to a computer. I will check the 1.46 letter designator tonight. So far however it seems to be functioning normally and recorded a bunch of stuff I had set up for the weekend. The gray bar fix does seem to be working on other channels, like SciFi. 

Buy the way, anyone that has been RA'ing 921's back to DN, check your monthly bill carefully. Document and date any conversations you had with Teck Support as a reference. My normal bill is about $80 (HD, HBO/SHOWTIME, CBSHD, Top 100 and 3 receivers) . The one I received through 2/16 was $221.00. There were multiple S/H charges (was not suppose to be charged), double billing for the VOB (921 guide service), charge for a Dish 300 LNB $87, I specifically said not to send me as I already had one and other FUBAR's. One more GOOD reason not to use Autopay.

Don


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## peterd (Dec 17, 2003)

SPOOL:
Simultaneous Peripheral Operation On Line

But, I cannot tell a lie... I got into the biz just a bit too late for this one.

Credit goes to Carnegie Mellons' Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Initialisms.

Thanks for the brain teaser, Simon. I always like to pick up some useful knowledge.


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

peterd said:


> SPOOL:
> Simultaneous Peripheral Operation On Line
> 
> But, I cannot tell a lie... I got into the biz just a bit too late for this one.
> ...


:goodjob: :blowout: :balloons: :biggthump

SPOOLing was one of the biggest advances in computing history.
The economic difference it made led to a more general acceptance of the expensive machines, which eventually led us to the machine you're reading this on.

And now, :backtotop:


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