# Ask DBSTalk: The "X"



## anderdea (Jan 13, 2004)

Flash: F051
Boot: 120B
Software Version: L124HECD-N
SW-64 Multiswitch
Two Dual LNB's at 110 and 119 and a single dual LNB at 61.5. (for CBSHD)

I'm working with my 2nd 921, I installed Sunday 2/7/04. In all accounts it seems to be a lot more stable in NORMAL use (and OTA works) than my first unit with SW vsn 1.42. I had the first unit for 2 weeks and had never experienced the "X" screen reboot although the unit was very unstable.

I had recorded "CSI Miami" from CBSHD out of New York and was watching it last night. The 921 had been on for about 4 hours before I started watching the recorded show. About 15 minutes into it I got the dreaded "X" screen, logo, acquiring satellite and then it came back up. Coincidently I was using my JVC projector in 1080i and it came back to the correct resolution and aspect which surprised me. When I selected "Resume" it started back at the beginning. I had to push the forward jump key about 30 times to get back to where I was. It then remained stable until shut off 2 hours later.

Is there any way to jump forward in larger than 30 second increments? 
Has anyone got the X while just viewing a recorded program and not touching any functions?

Also I found that the recorded HD program was substantially darker than live viewing and didn't seem to be as sharp as I would have expected. I didn't notice this difference with the first 921 I had. Could the new software be affecting this? Also the first unit seemed to have a much better and brighter overall picture. Nothing else was changes in my system other than going from a SW-44 multiswitch to an SW-64.

Don


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Definitely have had the reboot happen to me when watching a recorded event. The next software version is supposed to be MUCH more stable in the area of random reboots.

No way to jump forward in more than 30 second increments, but you do have the FF function that goes 4x speed, 15x, 60x and 300x.

I've never seen your other issue with the darker playback over live. It makes no sense because "live" playback is also coming from the disk - the only difference is live is from the disk buffer, while recorded is from a saved disk file.


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## anderdea (Jan 13, 2004)

Mark Lamutt said:


> Definitely have had the reboot happen to me when watching a recorded event. The next software version is supposed to be MUCH more stable in the area of random reboots.
> 
> No way to jump forward in more than 30 second increments, but you do have the FF function that goes 4x speed, 15x, 60x and 300x.
> 
> I've never seen your other issue with the darker playback over live. It makes no sense because "live" playback is also coming from the disk - the only difference is live is from the disk buffer, while recorded is from a saved disk file.


Mark,
I was commenting to my S.O. when I had the first 921 on how good the HD and even SD image was using my projector and 100" diagonal 3X4 screen. This replacement unit seems to produce an overly dark image and far more color saturation with no setting changes on my D-ILA projector (new Xenon bulb with only 100 hrs on it) Also it doesn't seem to be as sharp. Could the SW-64 switch have any impact? I was using an SW-44 previously.

Also I say it's more stable but in all honesty, I haven't really played in to many of the areas that could cause problems like PIP, Recording OTA etc. I've already gone through one unit, I don't want to have to set myself up for a 3rd. :nono2:

Don


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

I have no idea why or how the SW64 switch could possibly cause picture darkness.


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## Slordak (Dec 17, 2003)

The switch is not responsible; you can't darken an MPEG stream by weakening, distorting, or attenuating the signal. You just lose data, and in the case of MPEG, this introduces pixelation, blobs of color, and the image freezing, rather than any sort of color or brightness skew.

It's much more likely to be an issue with the quality of the outputs on the 921; consider the "blue lines" issue with the component output. In this case, there was something physically wrong with the output. It's quite possible that there are further hardware defects on some units in the area of output hardware.


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## anderdea (Jan 13, 2004)

Slordak said:


> The switch is not responsible; you can't darken an MPEG stream by weakening, distorting, or attenuating the signal. You just lose data, and in the case of MPEG, this introduces pixelation, blobs of color, and the image freezing, rather than any sort of color or brightness skew.
> 
> It's much more likely to be an issue with the quality of the outputs on the 921; consider the "blue lines" issue with the component output. In this case, there was something physically wrong with the output. It's quite possible that there are further hardware defects on some units in the area of output hardware.


Great!!  and the 921 saga continues


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## anderdea (Jan 13, 2004)

I had a long talk with E* ATC yesterday afternoon regarding the darker screen, loss of detail and deeper color saturation in the HD mode. I was told that because different 921’s use different video cards that I need to adjust the color temperature of my projector – NOT!! I had two 6000’s and my original 921 and I didn’t have to adjust my projector one iota. The video was perfect. This replacement 921 (refurbished – and that’s another story since I originally paid for a new unit), the component video HD output is not right. See above post. The different video cards theory doesn’t cut it. Each 921 has a specification I’m sure that must be met. The video card shouldn’t matter and changing the color temp of my projector, PLEASE, give me a break. Iv'e been in the Home Theater arena for a lot of years and know what I'm doing. The next recommendation was to disconnect the unit and take it to an authorized dealer and have them set it up using the component outputs to a different HD monitor. Yah, I’m sure that’s going to happen since I purchased the original unit via the net and I live in Direct TV country. I’m not happy with having paid $1000+ to be DN’s beta tester. My time is worth money as well as every one else that is having trouble (as noted on this forum). They finally agreed to RA the unit if the next software update didn’t take care of the problem. I’m done ranting!  

Don


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Don, I can say with almost complete certainty that the next software update won't fix your problem. I'd bet good money that something was screwed up on Dish's end with your fix that caused the additional problem.


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## anderdea (Jan 13, 2004)

Mark,
The ATS tech agreed with me, however the color temp thing and check 921 using a different monitor came from his supervisor. I talked to the tech who was very supportive. He gave me his tag number for identification if I call in at a later date. He also documented our conversation. I just don't like the Idea of initially paying for a new unit at list price and two weeks later I get a "refurbished" replacement that aparrently doesn't function properly. :nono2: 

Don


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## ggw2000 (Dec 22, 2003)

anderdea said:


> Mark,
> The ATS tech agreed with me, however the color temp thing and check 921 using a different monitor came from his supervisor. I talked to the tech who was very supportive. He gave me his tag number for identification if I call in at a later date. He also documented our conversation. I just don't like the Idea of initially paying for a new unit at list price and two weeks later I get a "refurbished" replacement that aparrently doesn't function properly. :nono2:
> 
> Don, how did you determine the unit was a refurb? I am finally getting delivery of my replacement 921 from Dish today after two weeks. I also paid for a new unit from the net.. Gerry


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## anderdea (Jan 13, 2004)

ggw2000 said:


> anderdea said:
> 
> 
> > Mark,
> ...


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## ggw2000 (Dec 22, 2003)

anderdea said:


> Jerry,
> No remote, antenna, manual or paperwork and the power chord was just tied up in a bunch, not neatly twist tied as on my first unit. Also it was very obvious that the plastic bag the unit was in, had been repackaged!  :nono2:
> 
> Don


Ha Ha!!! I guess that would be a sure fire method of telling  . UPS has mine on the truck for delivery as we speak, will have to have the wife open the box when she gets home from work and see what's up. That would not impress me needless to say  . Will post results... Gerry


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## ggw2000 (Dec 22, 2003)

ggw2000 said:


> Ha Ha!!! I guess that would be a sure fire method of telling  . UPS has mine on the truck for delivery as we speak, will have to have the wife open the box when she gets home from work and see what's up. That would not impress me needless to say  . Will post results... Gerry


Don, wife just called, had her open box, same situation- unit only! No cables, books, etc.... This sucker better work  . Maybe it's better that it is a refurb because "maybe" someone checked it out from one end to the other- HO HO HO.... Gerry


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## Mike Richardson (Jun 12, 2003)

Remember so few people have 921s that the refurb pool is pretty small (someone here could have had your refurbed model). And I think they are fixing blue line bugs on the 921s but shipping people an already fixed model which would have to be considered refurbished.


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## Schaefling (Jan 4, 2004)

In my opinion, there is a real serious customer service issue here. If you paid for a brand new 921 you should get a replacement 921 that is also brand new. You should consider the replacement 921s loaners and insist on being given a brand new 921 replacement at the earliest possible date.

Who ever heard of going to Good Guys or Circuit City or Sears or any major retailer and getting a refurbished replacement after buying a brand new product? I don't know of anyone who ever received a refurbished replacement product after returning a brand new product that was determined to be defective to a major retailer within the first 30 days of purchase.

Dish also should be aware that such a policy could be actionable. No malice intended towards Dish which is a company I really like but they are standing on very shaky ground if they are truly sending refurbished units to customers who have recently purchased brand new 921s.


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## anderdea (Jan 13, 2004)

An update.
I talked DN AVTS into replacing my 2nd refurbished unit with a new on (on it's way). I was very insistant on it being new, time will tell. They pretty well agreed with me that I had a video card problem (HD component) on my 2nd refurbished unit. It's a double edged sword here. If new it may have the blue line problem Ugh! :nono2: I have to admit however this unit has been real stable and recorded everything I selected. Excelpt for the ocassional "X" reboot (3 so far) it's been pretty solid. It was strange, It "X" rebooted on me about 1/2 hour into taping the CBS HD Sunday night movie. We were watching Alias on the OTA ABC Local feed at the time. When we went watch the recored movie last night, it started at the point it had come back up after the reboot. I know it had been recording prior to the reboot because the red light was on.

Don


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## guruka (Dec 27, 2003)

anderdea said:


> It was strange, It "X" rebooted on me about 1/2 hour into taping the CBS HD Sunday night movie.
> Don


That's truly weird. My 921 x rebooted at exactly the same time watching the same program. Synchronicity.

.....G


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## anderdea (Jan 13, 2004)

I hooked up my 3rd 921 last night. Although I demanded a new unit and was promissed by the DN AVTS person that it would be new, NOT!  Another refurbished unit. I was getting somewhat livid because it was taking for ever to do a switch check and then the message said that I had no tuner 1 input. Finally I performed a hard power switch reset and the switch check (SW-64) went fine. The HD image does seem brighter and better than my second unit. Also no blue lines in HD. I was real afraid on a refurbished unit I would finally be saddled with that problem. Software update to 145 took about 43 minutes. The version it came with was 045.

Don


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## ggw2000 (Dec 22, 2003)

anderdea said:


> I hooked up my 3rd 921 last night. Although I demanded a new unit and was promissed by the DN AVTS person that it would be new, NOT!  Another refurbished unit. I was getting somewhat livid because it was taking for ever to do a switch check and then the message said that I had no tuner 1 input. Finally I performed a hard power switch reset and the switch check (SW-64) went fine. The HD image does seem brighter and better than my second unit. Also no blue lines in HD. I was real afraid on a refurbished unit I would finally be saddled with that problem. Software update to 145 took about 43 minutes. The version it came with was 045.
> 
> Don


Don, as I posted earlier (above) my replacement was a refurb. For the most part I really can't complain ie: no blue line problem, timers have fired perfectly, etc.. Only problem I have is that it reboots every couple days or yesterday it got confused when trying to delete a program that we had just watched and froze and I had to do a smartcard reboot to get it. Gerry


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