# 721 & L175 new problems abound



## Bogey62 (Dec 1, 2002)

Ever since getting the L175 "update" my 721 started doing the following:

- Spontaneous reboots anytime it feels like it (even during recordings).

- If I scroll through the guide at around 6:30 - 7:00 am the unit will reboot! 100% reproduceable.

- The skip back button refuses to go back any further than the first 10 seconds -- this is usually happening during playback of recorded events.

- The audio and video go out-of-sync on recorded shows if you skip ahead. The only fix I have found for this is to totally exit out of the recording and then go back in and resume where I left off.

These are just "new" problems with the 721, I have others that have been long-standing and as yet unresolved by Dish.

I am on my 6th 721 since 8/02 -- I considered the 522 "upgrade" but I see that has its own share of problems, not to mention the upfront expense to me.


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## rlegan (Dec 31, 2004)

Not exactly a new problem, but one that was rumored to be fixed was support of DPP LNBF with single coax and separator. My results in seeing only the 44 hour guide which doesn't seem to get updated frequently. I've had reboots when trying to access the guide when it is has lots of no information or just refuses to scroll to the future. I was promised that they were working on it and new software would be down loading last week. I sure hope it's not going to be six months....


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## Lyle_JP (Apr 22, 2002)

> - The skip back button refuses to go back any further than the first 10 seconds -- this is usually happening during playback of recorded events.


I haven't seen the other issues you mention, but this one has been driving me utterly bat****! I have called Echostar to complain. I suggest that every 721 owner do the same. Let's get this stuff *fixed!*


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## garypen (Feb 1, 2004)

I recently sold my 721. But, I did not have any of these issues running L175. I found it to be a pretty good receiver, especially by Dish standards. 

OTOH, the guy I sold it to is having a helluva time upgrading the smartcard. I'm glad I never attempted it despite repeated assurances from the Dish faithful that there was nothing to worry about.


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## larrystotler (Jun 6, 2004)

Bogey62 said:


> Ever since getting the L175 "update" my 721 started doing the following:
> - The skip back button refuses to go back any further than the first 10 seconds -- this is usually happening during playback of recorded events.
> I am on my 6th 721 since 8/02 -- I considered the 522 "upgrade" but I see that has its own share of problems, not to mention the upfront expense to me.


I have noticed the skip back problem, but it does it anytime I have it buffered. However, it is not consistant. It did it a few times earlier, but didn't do it just now when I did it while watching family guy.


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## Jacob S (Apr 14, 2002)

I have also been experiencing the skip back problem. What a pain. Definitely a bug because I never had this issue before.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

Bill R would try to convince folks its me.....

While my only post on this....

the DST software was so bad I put my 721 on the shelf, and upgraded to a 522...

such software should never see a paying subs box


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## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

Bob Haller said:


> Bill R would try to convince folks its me.....


Haller,

I have NEVER said that you are the only person that has had 721 problems and you know that. Twisting the truth (like you did in this post only to try to make me look bad) is why a lot of people no longer trust you.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

Bill R said:


> Haller,
> 
> I have NEVER said that you are the only person that has had 721 problems and you know that. Twisting the truth (like you did in this post only to try to make me look bad) is why a lot of people no longer trust you.


I will let others be the judge of your posts, you do your best to diminish their lack of QC :nono2:

Your post from another thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Haller
sadly E DVRs have bugs that vary over time.

*
Bills response*
Speak for yourself but don't try to make that a general statement because MANY of us never see those major bugs you always seem to be having. More and more I think your problems stem from a faulty installation (I bet you did it yourself) or some other problem (electrical?) caused by something YOU done.

As I have said MANY times before, you are too studid to cut your loses and switch to another service (even cable might be better for you). Instead you would rather hang around this board and other DBS boards and ***** to new users about how extremely bad DISH equipment is (which it really isn't ).
__________________
Bill R


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

I think most effected by this layest 721 software would agree its bad...

E QC just is lacking in the software group. My experiences with tech support have been very good for the last several years. E programming suits me just fine. 

Their bug ridden DVRs can be very frustrating at times.

Oddly enough I never needed a 7100 replced but have churned thru many 721 and 508s, the vast majority from hard drive failures....

Sadly we have lived with lots of software troubles that vary over time, from minor to major glitches.

Many posters here report similiar. I think one poster is on his 6th 721


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## musicmaker2020 (Apr 19, 2004)

I hate to say this as I have been a 721 promoter forever but after this release my reciever which has never seen any major flaws at all has gone nuts. I noticed the audio sync issue several times, went to the software guide and sure enough I have 175.

Glad to see others are having the same issue because i honestly began thinking I might be having a hardware issue.


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## boylehome (Jul 16, 2004)

Is there a remote possibility that they had Eldon do the lastest software update?


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## astrotrf (Apr 5, 2004)

Bill R said:


> ... you would rather hang around this board and other DBS boards and ***** to new users about how extremely bad DISH equipment is (which it really isn't ).


Actually, from what little I've seen, Dish equipment is, as you say, not all that bad. However, Dish *software* runs from "below average" to "execrable". And Eldon-bashing (where relevant) is one of life's simple pleasures; Eldon provides such a rich and abundant variety of material.

Some folks would rather fight than switch (with apologies to an old cigarette commercial); in fact, I fought for a long time with Dish's "fix one bug, create two more" software releases. I didn't want to switch, as I was happy with the programming, if not the quality of the DVR service. I don't believe that attitude at all diminishes one's right to gripe about bugs.

But, Eldon comedy aside, I've finally given up. I'm in the process of switching over from Dish to DirecTV. The difference is simply night and day in the forums: Dish forums are *all about* bugs (and lack of NBR), while bug discussions in the DirecTV forums are few and far between.

I've been living with a DirecTV SD TiVo box for several months now; they're much more user-friendly (according to my wife, who is a Windows user and therefore an expert on "user-friendly" ) and I have yet to spot so much as _one_ bug. One or another of Dish's bugs smacks me in the face every single night I use the machines.

I think new Dish customers *need* to hear that if their shiny new 921 craps out and Dish ships them a replacement (which will, of course be a refurb unit that has been checked out for bug compatibility at the factory), it is quite possible that it comes preloaded with the ZSR bug as an extra added "thank you" from Charlie. They deserve to know that if they use the Dish DVR for anything other than light and limited use, they're likely to be joining the ranks of those waiting, often in vain, to see if the _next_ software release fixes the bugs that are driving them nuts about their DVR.

Terry (astrotrf)


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## steveo70 (Feb 9, 2004)

I never had a problem with my 721 in the 2 years I've had it except from the occasional reboots and slowdowns. This software update has changed all of that. I am getting the skip back problem along with missed recordings. What is with QC? do they fully test their updates before they release them to the public? Sounds like they rush it out.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

Who is Es latest partner for future DVR boxes?

In Es case its always BEST to have someone else to blame...

Its Microsofts fault....

Its Eldons fault......

Its XXX fault.....

We are heavy users... Heavy users tend to find the bugs faster and more often. 

Such is life. Nearly EVERY bug I EVER reported here has over time been identified as repeatable, and fixed eventually by E, only to be replaced by a new one


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## garypen (Feb 1, 2004)

The big question is WHY did they release a SW update to a relatively stable DVR? I guess they never heard of the old expression, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." 

Of course, with Dish, it's "If it ain't broke, break it."


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## Jacob S (Apr 14, 2002)

I have to agree with Gary.

The 7100/7200 had software issues, the others had more in the way of hardware issues than the 7100/7200 but still has its fair share of software issues.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

garypen said:


> The big question is WHY did they release a SW update to a relatively stable DVR? I guess they never heard of the old expression, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
> 
> Of course, with Dish, it's "If it ain't broke, break it."


I suspect DST with the old software would of been a BIG problem.

Note: E forced lots of software just before DST change.


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## JohnMI (Apr 2, 2002)

Bogey62 said:


> - The skip back button refuses to go back any further than the first 10 seconds -- this is usually happening during playback of recorded events.


Heh. I'm suddenly having this problem -- after running 175 for weeks without it ever happening to me at all. Within the last two days or so, my 721 pretty much has this problem on ALL recorded content.

Actually, now that I think about it, I had been catching up and watching old recorded events and just started watching some recent stuff.

I wonder if it only affects recordings that were MADE after the 175 update. In other words, the recording itself is different and the problems are related to that in some way?

Anyone know that they have pre-175 recordings tested this a bit? Do you get the unable-to-skip-back problem with pre-175 recorded events?

Just curious -- now that I'm suddenly seeing this problem on ALL of my recordings...

- John...


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## larrystotler (Jun 6, 2004)

The skip back problem seems to be intermitent on mine. However, I'm beginning to think the skip forward has been affected as well. It seems to only go 10 seconds instead of 30.


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## SteveinDanville (Jun 26, 2002)

larrystotler said:


> The skip back problem seems to be intermitent on mine. However, I'm beginning to think the skip forward has been affected as well. It seems to only go 10 seconds instead of 30.


I agree. I think I said something to that effect a month ago. It can take 10-12 clicks of the 30 second jump button to get past all the commercials, and even though ads seem to be longer these days, I KNOW that they don't last 5-6 minutes!!! Just watched last weeks The Shield, and the 10 second skip back problem is still there, so no fix yet.


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## hdtv4me (May 10, 2005)

After being an E* customer for 7+ years I bailed around a year ago now and switched to the evil empire. I personally like Mike Dugan and think he is a class act. But Charlie is a used-car salesman that has just plain lied about so many things over the years - coupled with endless bugs and general over-promise and under-deliver mentality just finally got to me. The advent of the HD TiVo made my switch a no-brainer. I now have networked DirecTivos and even these hacked boxes are 90% more stable than the 721,921, 6000, etc. I owned while I was an E* sub. In the end, I still have no regrets switching since I can now watch TV when and where I want (literally...with Tytools I can download content to my laptop and take it with me for my long coast-to-coast flights) and my sheduled events ALWAYS fire and I have complete control. I do miss some things about E* though....despite how large they have become they still have a bit of a startup so of mentality whereby they always seem to land first (Sirius, Voom, the Archos stuff, etc.). But unlike a startup I think E* has long forgotten the leading edge guys like us that once was the engine of excitement helping it grow. These days (and for quite some time) its about adding new subscribers in droves and joe-six-pack just doesn't know the things that you guys up here know and notice....so why bother fixing it?


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