# DVR 721 Freezes Black Screen Wrong Time



## Suttung (Sep 22, 2007)

Hi all-

I have the DVR PVR 721 and have had it for a while... it started having problems and finally automatically reformatted the hard drive and did it's own image reinstall... well now this is happening:

I do a check switch and see that it's receiving a good signal from 3 sources... I hold the power button down and the system resets and ultimately says it's getting the satellite stuff... sometimes it does, most of the time it doesn't (it's just locking up).

When it does work, everything is cool for days, then it freezes. The time locks in and doesn't advance, the screen is "black" and no channel sound comes through, it's just frozen in time with a black screen.

Any clues as to what's going on and more importantly- how do I fix it?

Thanks!

RJ


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## BNUMM (Dec 24, 2006)

I get a smart card error message (005). And the time in the guide is wrong. Dish said it was the receiver and sent me a replacement. Replacement does the same thing. Sometimes it will work fine for a few days and then it starts acting goofy again. I don't think Dish cares.


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## neljtorres (Jul 15, 2004)

Mine has been doing the same lately! But today it has been okay, Maybe a bug?


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## Suttung (Sep 22, 2007)

Suttung said:


> Hi all-
> 
> I have the DVR PVR 721 and have had it for a while... it started having problems and finally automatically reformatted the hard drive and did it's own image reinstall... well now this is happening:
> 
> ...


Now it's not finding the switch (the other receiver in the other room is doing fine)...

test 1 of 28...

HELP!


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## retiredTech (Oct 27, 2003)

have you tried unpluging the AC plug for 10 minutes, then allowing to reboot?

also, have you tried "restore factory defaults"?


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## Suttung (Sep 22, 2007)

I sure have... it goes through the whole thing then stays at, " Acquiring data from satellite." ... and there it stays...

after a while, the menu button won't work... when I hold down the power button on the unit, I see the menu flash up for a second then it powers off...

I did get it to work a week ago after leaving it unplugged for over 24 hours...


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## subeluvr (Jan 14, 2007)

Suttung said:


> I sure have... it goes through the whole thing then stays at, " Acquiring data from satellite." ... and there it stays...
> 
> after a while, the menu button won't work... when I hold down the power button on the unit, I see the menu flash up for a second then it powers off...
> 
> I did get it to work a week ago after leaving it unplugged for over 24 hours...


Living with a couple 721s for 3+ years I experienced the same and similar "mad cow" behavior from my 721s.

If you have the Dish warranty you need to get the 721 replaced and hope the replacement doesn't have the same, or different problems *OR* take a long hard look at DirecTV. That's what I did and I'm much happier than I was during my last 3 years (of 8 1/2) with Dish.

JMO YMMV


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## Suttung (Sep 22, 2007)

subeluvr said:


> Living with a couple 721s for 3+ years I experienced the same and similar "mad cow" behavior from my 721s.
> 
> If you have the Dish warranty you need to get the 721 replaced and hope the replacement doesn't have the same, or different problems *OR* take a long hard look at DirecTV. That's what I did and I'm much happier than I was during my last 3 years (of 8 1/2) with Dish.
> 
> JMO YMMV


This is one I bought off of ebay about 3 years ago... so no warranty. :-(

Looks like it's time to check out eBay again...


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## BNUMM (Dec 24, 2006)

Suttung said:


> This is one I bought off of ebay about 3 years ago... so no warranty. :-(
> 
> Looks like it's time to check out eBay again...


I bought mine from a private owner for $50.00. I have no protection plan and Dish has replaced it twice for free. They even paid shipping. I didn't even ask for a free replacement and I didn't threaten to switch to Directv. I am beginning to wonder about Dish's equipment. I had my 501 replaced 6 times and I am on my 3rd 721.


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## Suttung (Sep 22, 2007)

hmmmmm....

Maybe I need to put a call in to Dish...


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## subeluvr (Jan 14, 2007)

Suttung said:


> This is one I bought off of ebay about 3 years ago... so no warranty. :-(
> 
> Looks like it's time to check out eBay again...


If you don't want to get off the 721 merry-go-round you can call Dish and add the warranty, wait 30 days, then call them up and tell them your 721 is acting goofy.

They'll send you a replacement and then wait 30 days and cancel the warranty.


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## subeluvr (Jan 14, 2007)

BNUMM said:


> I am beginning to wonder about Dish's equipment. I had my 501 replaced 6 times and I am on my 3rd 721.


Another of Dish's paying beta testers... I was one for over 8 years and then I'd had enough.


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## Suttung (Sep 22, 2007)

Did you move to DirectTV?


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## subeluvr (Jan 14, 2007)

Suttung said:


> Did you move to DirectTV?


Yup, and so far DTV has been as good as Dish was way back in the day (before Charlie rose too high on the Forbes list). It's been almost a year and both (free) DVRs are working fine, PQ is as good as Dish, english speaking CSRs, and the programming is a little less expensive for me.

I was happy with Dish and gave them ample opportunity to resolve problems until it was made clear to me that they couldn't care less whether I remained a customer or not. So I left.


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## BNUMM (Dec 24, 2006)

I dropped Dish and subscribed to Sky Angel 2 years ago because all I ever watched were Fox News and Home & Garden TV. I use Dish equipment to get Sky Angel. The strange thing is that Dish CSRs treat me better now than when I had Dish programming. The Main reason I don't go back to DirecTv is because I install DishNetwork.


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## subeluvr (Jan 14, 2007)

BNUMM said:


> The Main reason I don't go back to DirecTv is because I install DishNetwork.


After the way Dish treated me I wouldn't go back if it were free.


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## Suttung (Sep 22, 2007)

I put a call in to Dish tonight... I upgraded to HD and they're throwing in 2 722s ($100 rebate and $99 instant credit on each)... there was some DVR advantage thing that they dropped the cost another $3 a month... and they're running some $120 credit on the HD programming which they say is 6 months credit... First install is coming Tuesday afternoon...

All in all a good phone call... the first guy was not helpful and after about 2 minutes of talking to him I asked to speak to his supervisor... I got transferred to a "specialist" named Marsha and she was extremely helpful, taking time to explain the differences between the 622 and 722 and letting me know right away, there would be enough rebates and credits to make those at no charge. She took the time to explain the different shows available on HD... 

Not bad at all, so as long as the install goes as smoothly as the call to Dish, I'm more than happy...


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## subeluvr (Jan 14, 2007)

Suttung said:


> I put a call in to Dish tonight... I upgraded to HD and they're throwing in 2 722s ($100 rebate and $99 instant credit on each)... there was some DVR advantage thing that they dropped the cost another $3 a month... and they're running some $120 credit on the HD programming which they say is 6 months credit... First install is coming Tuesday afternoon...
> 
> All in all a good phone call... the first guy was not helpful and after about 2 minutes of talking to him I asked to speak to his supervisor... I got transferred to a "specialist" named Marsha and she was extremely helpful, taking time to explain the differences between the 622 and 722 and letting me know right away, there would be enough rebates and credits to make those at no charge. She took the time to explain the different shows available on HD...
> 
> Not bad at all, so as long as the install goes as smoothly as the call to Dish, I'm more than happy...


Did they explain to you that in addition to your programming charges there will now be a monthly DVR charge for each of those two 722s (that your 721 was exempt from) and that the second 722 will add a monthly charge for an "additional" receiver plus the HD charges? AND, if you don't plug the 722s into a phone line there will be additional charges on each 722

You do realize that you won't own the 722s, right? You are leasing them and they belong to Dish.


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## Suttung (Sep 22, 2007)

subeluvr said:


> Did they explain to you that in addition to your programming charges there will now be a monthly DVR charge for each of those two 722s (that your 721 was exempt from) and that the second 722 will add a monthly charge for an "additional" receiver plus the HD charges? AND, if you don't plug the 722s into a phone line there will be additional charges on each 722
> 
> You do realize that you won't own the 722s, right? You are leasing them and they belong to Dish.


I looked at buying a 721 on eBay and the one I bid on yesterday went to $191 plus shipping... so I figured the $5.98 charge to do dvr for 1 would last almost 3 years to cover that cost.

I already was paying $5 for an extra receiver at the house, and for the additional HD receiver to replace it, it's $6 instead of $5, so that's a $1 extra... but the dvr advantage discount takes care of that and a lil more...

They didn't say anything about not plugging the receivers to a phone line, but since I'm not using any kind hacked card or anything like that, I don't mind (the 2 receivers I have now are hooked up to a phone line).

They didn't say anyting about the 722 being leased- but I figured as such since the receivers on eBay were $400-$500 each. So pay $400 each plus shipping for something I might be able to sell for $100 each in 3 years (with HD being a newer technology, I'd expect there'd be more advances over he next couple of years, so they may actually be worth less in 3 years time) vs no cash outlay and have something that will be up to Dish to replace if there's a problem...

I'm cool with the decision.

Thanks!


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## BNUMM (Dec 24, 2006)

A lease means you maintain it. If something goes wrong you will be charged to replace it unless you buy the protection plan.


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## Suttung (Sep 22, 2007)

BNUMM said:


> A lease means you maintain it. If something goes wrong you will be charged to replace it unless you buy the protection plan.


Thanks for clarifying- they give an auto 1 year with it...

... but then we all know that if you make enough noise, you can get your way at minimal or even no cost...


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## subeluvr (Jan 14, 2007)

Suttung said:


> but then we all know that if you make enough noise, you can get your way at minimal or even no cost...


You'll find that Dish's "noise tolerance level" is dramatically lower than it used to be. Once a new customer or a current customer commits to a term of service Dish is a lot less accomodating than the old days and will show you the door even when you have a legitimate complaint that they acknowledge but won't resolve.


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## Suttung (Sep 22, 2007)

subeluvr said:


> You'll find that Dish's "noise tolerance level" is dramatically lower than it used to be. Once a new customer or a current customer commits to a term of service Dish is a lot less accomodating than the old days and will show you the door even when you have a legitimate complaint that they acknowledge but won't resolve.


That may be true... if they have ya in a contract, they've got ya over a barrell...

This is an 18 month contract and hopefully my experience will better than expected...


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## boy654 (Dec 21, 2006)

Suttung said:


> Hi all-
> 
> I have the DVR PVR 721 and have had it for a while... it started having problems and finally automatically reformatted the hard drive and did it's own image reinstall... well now this is happening:
> 
> ...


You can try a factory reset from the menu, or try this http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=1011407&postcount=11 But if it's the drive that's going bad, you can replace it if you can still read the partitions off the old one to image a new one.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

He need to have only one partiton copied. Fist one with compressed SW: Download.tar.


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## Suttung (Sep 22, 2007)

boy654 said:


> You can try a factory reset from the menu, or try this http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=1011407&postcount=11 But if it's the drive that's going bad, you can replace it if you can still read the partitions off the old one to image a new one.


After leaving it unplugged for a day or so, I plugged it back in and set it up in another room... it recognized the switches and brought everthing up... the next morning it wouldn't recognize any of the channels other than 100 &101...

Looks like I'll be selling this one "as is" on eBay...


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## Suttung (Sep 22, 2007)

as for my new 722, I got up this morning and the sound was going in and out (kinda like when you were a kid sticking your fingers in and out of your ears)... it was happening on every channel and on the dvr... I started a dvd and the sound was fine (so I knew it wasn't my Denon sound system)

unplugging the 722 receiver fixed it, but I hope this is not the beginning of what's to come...


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