# Blinking Green LED



## welchwarlock (Jan 5, 2005)

Received replacement 921 receiver today (Old receiver was getting so loud you could hear it whine throughout the house), and it got stuck where it would not obey the remote....rebooted...

Got receiver running, and appeared to be working.

Now receiver's green LED blinks on and off, and receiver will not reboot.

Please Advise,

Robert Cook


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## Allen Noland (Apr 23, 2002)

Most likely receiving the latest software. Let it finish.


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## welchwarlock (Jan 5, 2005)

Allen Noland said:


> Most likely receiving the latest software. Let it finish.


Nope, I had already updated it to the latest. 2.72


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## welchwarlock (Jan 5, 2005)

Help!

Called Tech support, and after an hour of resetting and rebooting, all I am left with is "Someone from GPS will call you back in 24-72 hours". This is TOTAL CRAP having to wait up to 3 days to get a call back so I can get them to fix the problem... which ultimately will be a new receiver which will take 3-5 days after they get hold of me.

My wife is pissed off, and she is pissed off at ME. The CSRs don't have to take the abuse.

WW


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## Ken Green (Oct 6, 2005)

Try leaving it unplugged for 30 minutes. Before plugging it back in, remove the smartcard, then plug it in and wait for the insert smartcard message. Insert the card, and see if it boots back up.


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## welchwarlock (Jan 5, 2005)

kdg454 said:


> Try leaving it unplugged for 30 minutes. Before plugging it back in, remove the smartcard, then plug it in and wait for the insert smartcard message. Insert the card, and see if it boots back up.


Same effect...Power on without card...says "getting data from satellite"....then it says...insert smartcard...I insert card....it reboots....goes back to getting data from satellite...then goes blank.

I was able to get it up by disconnecting the satellite antenna inputs, then re-connecting them. Had tv for a few minutes, then it just locked up again.

Help!

R.C.


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## Ken Green (Oct 6, 2005)

Sorry...I had the blinking green LED when the unit was first installed. The 921 was fairly new then, and the dealer who came out to install it didn't even know it had to have both SAT feeds connected.
Anyway, once I sent Frick and Fratt on their merry way, and finally got it set up correctly, I called the HD tech back when I had the blinking green LED. She told me it was because the latest version of software was either, not installed, or had not installed properly.
The way she had me "force" the download was the steps I described. I also remember she had asked if I had ran a check-switch after I connected both SAT feeds. I had, so she talked me though that boot process.
Much past that, I'm as lost as the next person, sorry couldn't be of more help.


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## AVJohnnie (Jul 27, 2004)

Robert,

A while back I had this problem occur after a series of storm/weather related AC power fluctuations. Because of that, I've since put everything on a relatively large capacity APC Smart series UPS and haven't had a reoccurrence of the issue. Anyway - If your setup uses a switch that requires a power injector (like the DPP44 in my setup), you might try power cycling it too. In my case it was the DPP44's little brain that the storm's shenanigans managed to put into la-la land - power cycling the thing set it right again.

Good luck!

_-Edit-_

I don't recall the exact circumstances (Simon or Don might), but there was a compatibility issue between the early SW releases (which I suppose Dish may still be IPLing the 921 refurbs with) and the newer series switches like the DPP44. If they are still sending out 921 rebuilds with that early (like ~L185) SW IPL, then I suppose that could be your problem too. I'd think that by now Dish would be well aware of that old problem and would at least be putting an initial SW set on there that can understand the newer HW. Hmmm&#8230; Well, it was just another thought&#8230;

Again, Good Luck!


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## welchwarlock (Jan 5, 2005)

I run my equipment on UPS's, I don't think the switch / power injector is an issue because my 821 works fine and it is hooked to the same switch. 

It is just frustrating having to wait up to 3 days for someone to call to approve the replacement (and I predict this will be after one more round of obligatory running me through hoops ... Unplug this, check this, hold down this button, check the remote antenna, etc, etc.)

My guess is that one of the satellite tuner boards is TU. 

WW


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## welchwarlock (Jan 5, 2005)

Update: My wife informs me that Customer service called back and left a message on my phone to call them. They did not follow the explicit instructions that I left yesterday that 1) My cell phone be called first, 2) My work phone be called second, and lastly 3) Call my home phone. 

After having the message relayed to me, I called them back...and was graciously allowed to leave a message that they will answer in the order received...


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## welchwarlock (Jan 5, 2005)

Update: Finally got on phone with 921 specialist.

Spent 1 hour performing obligatory reboots, power cycles, button pressing.

921 Specialist concluded that problem is in my wiring. A grounding problem is causing the 921's ill behaivor. I explained that my previous unit had been working (as best a 921 can) since november of last year, and that I only asked to replace it because it had become so loud.

921 Specialist then explained to me how the grounding problem that I obviously have could have slowly degraded the HDD in the old unit causing it to become loud, and that if I ever have any future problems with the 921, that I will have to pay for a technician to come out and fix the grounding problem. Be grudgingly, they will send me a replacement unit.

All I can say is a big Thank You to dish network for pointing out the grounding problem to me, and explaining how that can lead to premature bearing wear. Having a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, I had never thought about the consequence of bearing wear as it relates to ground loops. I guess I should go get a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Cheers & Beers,

Robert Cook


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## mwsmith2 (Nov 15, 2004)

Upon reading the reason that the 921 specialist gave you for the failure of your unit, my head asplode.

Michael


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## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

welchwarlock said:


> Update: Finally got on phone with 921 specialist.


Wow, I didn't know that much smoke could fit in such a small place.


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## ntexasdude (Jan 23, 2005)

Well I am a mechanical engineer with a heavy dose of micro electronics experience dating back to the 1980's. After reading your post my head exploded too! I never knew a faulty ground could cause a bearing failure either. I wonder if it's like that on a car? You know, a loose negative cable on the battery causes one of the front wheel bearings to fail. 

These CSR's must've went to better schools than we did.



That's a shipload of horse crap! :nono2:


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## bytre (Sep 10, 2003)

I had that problem once. The machine was toast, I had to wait 6 days (!) to get the call back (they too, didn't follow the call back instructions and were calling who knows where - I had to call them multiple times with extra instructions) for them to call me back and help me through rebooting, powering off, and otherwise wasting another hour of time before they'd send me a new one.

The grounding problem is a pretty good one though. I bet that's the reason they can't follow your call back instructions.


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## SummitAdvantageRetailer (Feb 20, 2005)

Well, a grounding problem isn't something an average Joe can figure out and/or fix so it's probably used as the panacea excuse they use for not explaining to you why your unit is failing. Have you tried to hook the old 921 back up or did you ship it back already? 

If there IS a minor grounding problem, I guess the power supply circuitry on the 921 isn't adequate to adjust for it, huh? And if it isn't, couldn't the power supply or the hard drive (moving parts) indeed fail before the other parts, like chipsets and what not?


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## Michael P (Oct 27, 2004)

The grounding issue - I've been there. The only rational explanation is that static builds up on the hard drive causing it to fail. It has nothing to do with the bearings, it has to do with the surface of the hard disk. I'm currently on my 5th 921. Only the first one was properly grounded, it was replaced due to the old "ZSR of Death" bug. The second one started out properly grounded until I moved. I did my own install (as I did onthe first house). In the new house I used existing cable wiring with a very short lenght from the dish to the receiver. I did not bother to put in a static discharge at the time, I was waiting until I installed an outdoor antenna for my OTA stations (using an indoor Silver Sensor for now). S/W version 215 was spooling the day I moved. My 921 got the download at the new house (remember I had no ground). I started experiencing hard drive crashes that I initially blamed on the new software. 

Anyway to make a long story short I had 3 replacements since the move and I only put in the ground before the last one arrived. So far so good (although the 921 is still buggy at least the hard drive seems to be stable). If my current 921 holds up there just may be something to the grounding issue. 

Those of you who may still scoff at the grounding issue due to you having no ground and no problem - be sure to compair apples to apples. Improper or no grounding may not affect a non DVR receiver the same way it does to one with a hard drive.


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## ntexasdude (Jan 23, 2005)

Okay, I need clarification. Are we talking about properly grounding the OTA antenna or the house ground on the 110V wall plug?

Either way, I can see how it could affect the electronics on the 921 but not not the bearings in the hard drive.


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## Michael P (Oct 27, 2004)

I'm talking about grounding the coax from the dish to the receiver using a static discharge device. You can ground the coax using a cold water pipe or a grounding rod buried in the ground. If you use a cold water pipe you have to also put a jumper around the water meter so that you have a true earth ground.

Check out this link: http://www.reade.com/Safety/esd.html


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

Coax grounding has NOTHING to do with "static buildup on the HDD".

In fact, said buildup does not exist, and can not exist. Even with a faulty 120VAC ground, all internal components are sharing chassis ground, and so any buildup that might occur - which is near impossible anyway) will be even across the whole box.

Finally, electrical issues are NOT, NO WAY, NO HOW, going to cause a bearing to fail.

It looks like too many E* CSRs are breathing the magic blue smoke.


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