# UHF Remote problems



## cebbigh (Feb 27, 2005)

Have had the 921 for approx 2 weeks. The remote worked when the installers were out. It stopped working the next day. After a lot of time on the phone with DISH they sent me a replacement UHF remote. It also did not work the receiver.
Fortunately the IR part of the old 510 remote worked most of the apps on the receiver so I could at least use it. Then after about 3 hours I tried the 921 remote again and like a miracle it worked. 3 hours later it stopped working again. Last night I picked up a 6db attenuator from radio shack and plugged the uhf antenna into it. So far it seems to be working.


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

If it stops working again, email me a phone number where you can be contacted, your receiver CAID number, smartcard id number, and your description above about what you've done to troubleshoot. There are a couple of things that can wrong with the remote receiver inside the case that the 921 support team can help you with.


----------



## cebbigh (Feb 27, 2005)

Thanks, I will do so. In the meantime, Dish is sending me another remote. This time it will be IR based for the 921 instead of UHF. I really cannot complain about the Dish support people. Once you get through the hold period and get transferred to one of their advanced techs they are very helpful. I was told the last time I called, if the IR doesn't work or if the receiver causes me more trouble they would send me a replacement receiver.


----------



## Indydave (Nov 28, 2004)

Mark,

My original remote is in the field behind the house somewhere. I just received a new replacement and still have all the same problems. Like Cebbigh, mine works fantastic one minute and not at all the next. The new remote worked for hours the day I received it, but the next day it takes 7-9 button depressions for anything to happen. I can not even start to tell you how upsetting this is. I asked for the newer version (8.1 ???), with IR output, but received the same, version 8 that I had.

I just tried the 6db terminator mentioned above, it had no effect. I’ve tried moving the antenna all around the receiver including the front, just 6’ away from the remote, and still one minute it works great and dead the next. I’ve tried moving my arm and remote to all over the place to get it to work…..it just does not care, it works when it wants too. Oh yea, changed the batteries and channel 100 times….no effect. I’ve been working this problem for months now. 

And it makes FF impossible, it takes longer to backup, then move forward, then back again, after overshooting the point you want to view, than just watching the commercial in the first place.

I would like to just replace the RF receiver, but do not believe Dish will send me one, so once again I will lose all the recorded shows to get a new receiver. This will be the first time on the 921, I am on my third 510…

Maybe I should crack the case and put a scope on the RF receiver output to see if in fact it is receiving the signal and passing it on the to computer. At least then we would know if it is in the remote, RF receiver, or the computer.

I have been building computers for 30 years now, and if there is anything I can do to help you with the 921, please just ask.

Thanks,
David


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

David, email that to me along with your contact information and receiver information. There is something that the 921 team is talking some users though that may fix this problem.


----------



## jmichaeld (Mar 26, 2005)

I have the same problem. Did we find a solution for this?


----------



## jsanders (Jan 21, 2004)

What? I thought this was just normal pain of using a 921. I can press the button 15 times sometimes before it will respond. Who knows why. I always thought it was software. I've tried the 6dB attenuator, and I've tried rotating the antenna around without any success. I tend to get upset after having to press the same button a few times, especially when typing a channel number because it always switches to the wrong channel before I'm done hitting the buttons! I can tell you that it ain't the remote. I've got two of them, and they both do it.

If there is a work-around, what is it? I would love to have a remote that works on the 921 the same as any other remote in my house.


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

There are a couple of hardware issues that can cause the remote sluggishness. Some of the time, the 921 team will walk you through a procedure that may solve the problem.


----------



## anderdea (Jan 13, 2004)

I've had this problem on and off for as long as I've owned my 921 (14 months). I have two remotes, an original and a replacement. The original, after about the 3rd software update started getting sluggish. Received a replacement remote. It was better but still has it's moments of real sluggish responce. One day it's fine, the next, well you know, just read above.

Mark, with all due respect, giving you the 921 info so Dish will return the call just DOESN'T get the job done!! I've given up after supplying you with my info on three different occasions over the last 3 to 4 months regarding a "no audio" problem I've had on OTA analog channels. No one higher up at dish has ever gotten back to me regarding the problem and I have notified them three times over the last six months. I hope new software updates will solve it but each time we get a release and it's the same status I give them a call with no satisfactory resolution!

It's really sad :nono2: the way the early adapters of the 921 have been treated by Dish. They screwed up big time releasing this unit before it was ready and we have paid the price. 

Don


----------



## gboot (Oct 11, 2004)

Don't give up on Mark, and don't give up on the 921 Support Team. I had the same problem with my UHF remote. After sending Mark the information he requested, the support team contacted me and walked me through a fix. In my case the fix didn't work but they promptly sent me out a replacement 921, which now works just fine.


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Don, I don't recall you ever sending me anything. If you did, then I apologize, as I deal with about 15-20 people a day on an average day. I lose track very easily, and often don't follow up on contacts, because that's not my job. 

If you're having a problem with your UHF, there is a potential field fix, but you must be contacted by the 921 team to get the information. And the only way that you will be contacted by them to get this fix is if I initiate it. The normal level CSRs don't know anything about this. And it only works for about half of the users that try it. 

So, if you have a problem with sending me your information, then quit complaining about it here because there's nothing more that I can or will do for you. I'm getting really fed up with the grief I'm getting from users that I'm trying to help.


----------



## LASooner (Jan 24, 2005)

When I have problems with the remote cutting out, I just hit the SAT button again and everything works fine. It's almost as if the remote goes into 'sleep' mode if it's idle for a while.


----------



## anderdea (Jan 13, 2004)

Mark Lamutt said:


> Don, I don't recall you ever sending me anything. If you did, then I apologize, as I deal with about 15-20 people a day on an average day. I lose track very easily, and often don't follow up on contacts, because that's not my job.
> 
> If you're having a problem with your UHF, there is a potential field fix, but you must be contacted by the 921 team to get the information. And the only way that you will be contacted by them to get this fix is if I initiate it. The normal level CSRs don't know anything about this. And it only works for about half of the users that try it.
> 
> So, if you have a problem with sending me your information, then quit complaining about it here because there's nothing more that I can or will do for you. I'm getting really fed up with the grief I'm getting from users that I'm trying to help.


MARK,
NOTHING in my last statement pointed a finger at you. I assumed that you had given the info to DN since after the first time when they didn't get back to me I contacted you and you said to send you the info again, which I did! You're fed up, and I'm fed up with DN. There was no malicious intent toward you in my last post. DN on the other hand, well that's a different story. After screwing around with the not ready for prime time 921 for 14 months +, (and 2 replacement units) now the new 942 coming out. I read you're review on the 942, which is all the 921 was suppose to be. It's obvious that all we are considered to be by DN is pawn (We did the testing) in their game in developing a better DVR receiver at our expense and who else are they going to sucker in when the 942 gets replaced because it won't support MPEG 4. The problem here and I assume with others is we all have to much time and money tied up in our current DN setups to simply walk away. I have been a member of this forum since it's beginning and am tired of software changes that still haven't made this unit totally stable. Many of people like myself, I'm sure just live with the shortcomings of the 921. Just visit the never ending bug report. So don't tell me about being fed up!

Sincerely, Don


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Apologies, Don. I've been very under the weather the last few days and have been letting things get to me that I shouldn't.

I have no idea why they never contacted you. I had assumed that they did because I don't remember hearing anything back from you. I don't know if I heard anything back from them or not about your case. If you want to try again, so will I. If not, then I understand.


----------



## ckinninger (Jul 23, 2005)

Hello,

First... a 921 forum? Nice!

I have two brand new 921 that are bothing having remote control problems. 

Both have 2.16. Both will accept IR remote controlling. 

However, Now in UHF... when you change the address on the 8.00 remote to say “7” the remote does accept the new remote address but neither receiver updates the remote address in the SYS INFO screen once you hit “record”. These two 921 never worked with UHF.

I have rebooted, change uhf antenna, took off uhf antenna and shot directly into the whole and still no controlling via the UHF remote. Again, the IR remote does work the 921 fine.

At first I though it was the address, but I move the address around fine using an IR remote. Then I thought I was some hidden configuration in the 921's to use IR only but no such thing. Then I found this thread. Now I am 99% something needs to be done with the receivers.

Can anyone help out? It would be nice if someone could post the steps that the 921 team gives for this problem. 

Thanks,

CK


----------



## Jon Spackman (Feb 7, 2005)

do a search someone did post the steps a month ago or so


----------



## ckinninger (Jul 23, 2005)

=============
remove the small access cover on the rear of the 921. There is a black cable with a brown connector. Make sure it is firmly plugged into the white connector on the motherboard (closest to the back edge of the board). Mine was completely off. Made a big difference in RF remote operation.
=============
j5races,

is that the one you're talking about?

going to give it a shot but wondered if there was another.

thanks, 

ck


----------



## gbez (Jan 30, 2004)

I had the same problem. removing the back panel was not the solution for me.

This was ....... Remove the RF antenna from the back of the unit and insert an approx 4 foot coax cable, and position this antenna somewhere away from the rest of my metal theater components. UHF Works perfectly now.


----------



## lpickup (Jul 12, 2005)

gbez said:


> I had the same problem. removing the back panel was not the solution for me.
> 
> This was ....... Remove the RF antenna from the back of the unit and insert an approx 4 foot coax cable, and position this antenna somewhere away from the rest of my metal theater components. UHF Works perfectly now.


 Yeah, being anywhere near home theatre components seems to really cut down the signal. My solution in my last house? I put a splitter on the coax coming from OTA attic antenna and fed half into the UHF remote antenna input on my 501. Worked great! 

In my new house, I don't have an OTA antenna, but I really like your coax + original antenna idea. I will try this tonight! Thanks!

...Lance


----------



## ckinninger (Jul 23, 2005)

hello guys,

i checked the black cable with the brown connector coming from the uhf card (where the L shaped antenna is connected) that goes to the mother board of the receiver. it was nicely connected already to the mother board. i pulled the whole top off the reciever actually. 

remember i had two of these 921 with the same problem. i also had a 3rd as i sell dish equipment as well. the third's uhf worked fine.

my first test was to take the small uhf card out of the receiver #3 and put it into receiver #1. it worked. i also tried the uhf card from receiver #3 in receiver #2 and that worked. so 2 for 2 with a proven good uhf card made both 921 work fine using the uhf remote.

i don't recommend any of this because you could technically break something on your 921 and get it out of warranty.

now on to trying to see if there was anything wrong with the two bad uhf cards. something obvious. there wasn't. what i did was take a soldering iron and hold it to each contact on the uhf card from receiver #1. it's a heat controled soldering iron that won't burn up your card or the components on them. anyway after about 30 minutes of pushing all the contacts, i put the uhf card from receiver #1 back into receiver #1. bam. uhf works now. been working for 2 days now. i tried the same thing on uhf card from receiver #2 and it did not work. i even tried the card in receiver #1 and #3 and it still didn't work. i couldn't get that one working.

i called the dish engineering department and the guy basically admitted that he understands that card (about 2"x2") has been the problem. i asked if i could order a few and he said to talk to the distributor. by distributor he means the middle man between dish and the retailer. i haven't called them yet. however, i do want to do that to see if they can maybe order those cards when a problem arrises like this. i will let you guys know if i ever get anywhere.

ck


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

ck - send me that receiver's info if you want, and I'll send it to the 921 support team, who can get it replaced for you.


----------



## socceteer (Apr 22, 2005)

WOW...I have been appending on this forum about this problem for about 4 months and no one seamed to be having the same problem, I am glad to see that I am not alone.

Mark...can I also send you my information and see if you can also help me resolve my problem...?


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

You bet, socceteer. I also need names and phone numbers from you guys, so that the team can call you back.


----------



## socceteer (Apr 22, 2005)

Excellent

Thank you Mark ....I will send the information to you as soon as I get home


----------



## socceteer (Apr 22, 2005)

Mark Lamutt said:


> You bet, socceteer. I also need names and phone numbers from you guys, so that the team can call you back.


Mark

Thanks for your help..!

Dish called me and they shipped me a new UHF/IR remote, I am using it as IR and I have not had any problems.


----------



## mistawheat (Aug 29, 2005)

I have had similar problems since the machine was installed. I complained during the installation, and the installer said: "You live near Sutro Tower [SF], so there's UHF interference. We don't expect this remote to work here." Totally unsatisfactory.

I have the problem with two 921's in different locations in the house; one is almost acceptable, the other totally unusable.

I followed up with DN tech support, and they advised:
1.) try different antenna positions
2.) try relocating the UHF antenna a few feet away by connecting coax segment
3.) insert attenuator
4.) try different addresses (they claimed they're at different frequencies; thus, by changing, you might work around interference at specific frequencies)

I tried all of the above with absolutely no change in behavior. I called DN support back and, after about an hour, got back to people who finally said: "sorry, nothing else we can do."

Just doesn't make sense; they advertised, and I bought UHF feature (especially important, as I need 921 remotely located for one TV), and now they say "well, it may not work." Sounds to me like (at that time) they just didn't want to deal with this.


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Anyone with remote problems that feels comfortable removing the back panel plate from your 921, email me what problems you're having, your 921 receiver CAID, smartcard ID number, name and phone number. I'll send the info to the 921 support team, who will call you with instructions on a connection to check. If this conenction is not making good contact, your UHF remote won't work.

Email address is in my signature.


----------

