# VIP612 rebooting



## beandaddy (Oct 11, 2007)

I've been through several 612 boxes but they all reboot on their own. Some more than others. The first one was the worst and oddest. It would reboot watching the playback of SNL opening skit. Did it everytime. I'd have to ffwd past the point. 
They tell me there is no hardware or software issue with the 612 so I guess they want me to accept I'm just unlucky. It's not overheating unless room temperature is too hot. 
Anyone else have this issue? Better yet a solution?
Right now I'm just planning to coast then switch providers next year.


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## [email protected] (Jan 19, 2011)

beandaddy said:


> I've been through several 612 boxes but they all reboot on their own. Some more than others. The first one was the worst and oddest. It would reboot watching the playback of SNL opening skit. Did it everytime. I'd have to ffwd past the point.
> They tell me there is no hardware or software issue with the 612 so I guess they want me to accept I'm just unlucky. It's not overheating unless room temperature is too hot.
> Anyone else have this issue? Better yet a solution?
> Right now I'm just planning to coast then switch providers next year.


This is not the normal operation of the VIP612. I would like to help if I can. When you say that the receiver reboot, it is happening randomly with the exception of the SNL skit. About how often does this occur? Is the receiver plugged into a surge protector? If you could PM me your account information, I would like to review you account if that is OK! Thank you!


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## beandaddy (Oct 11, 2007)

I tried to pm but don't have enough "points"


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

beandaddy said:


> I tried to pm but don't have enough "points"


Now you do.


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

You beat me.


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## [email protected] (Jan 19, 2011)

James Long said:


> Now you do.





Kent Taylor said:


> You beat me.


Thank you Both!! You guys rock!! Happy 4th of July!!


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## beandaddy (Oct 11, 2007)

Thanks y'all.


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## gtal98 (Jan 30, 2011)

How often is the receiver rebooting? If it's rebooting fairly regularly that is a symptom of a short in the cabling from receiver to dish somewhere. Typical causes are an improperly installed connector where the braid is touching the center conductor, or water in the lines outside.


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## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

OR - a power grounding issue either in the house or with that outlet. The VIP612 has become a very solid reliable receiver. My three are great. But I do think I notice posts that might suggest they are more sensitive to grounding issues.


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## beandaddy (Oct 11, 2007)

A Sr tech came and tested those things, outlets, grounding, cabling. I have two cables run to every TV and four outlets. They were all ok. This is (I think ) the fourth unit. 
It does it several times a week. Enough that I quit having to apologize to my wife every time for switching to dish in our new house.


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## beandaddy (Oct 11, 2007)

The first two techs said it was bad HDDs


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## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

Then I guess you have your answer.


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## beandaddy (Oct 11, 2007)

Four bad HDDs in a row, so it's just my bad luck. 
After decades in IT and thousands of HDDs I've never had this much bad luck.


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## gtal98 (Jan 30, 2011)

No - going through that many is a sign of something incorrect in your setup. How long did it take this senior tech to say everything is OK? A complete system check of every connector in typical system would take at least 45min - probably closer to an hour. I've had to go to many jobs that techs keep telling people it's the receivers, and when I do a check I always find something wrong. Unfortunately not all techs care as much as I do.


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## beandaddy (Oct 11, 2007)

The sr tech was here over an hour. Maybe two. Was inside and outside


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## gtal98 (Jan 30, 2011)

Well, at least it sounds like he did a thorough job. I still say somethings wrong if you've gone through 4 receivers though. Do you have any USB devices connected to it? A Google TV? AV receiver? Does it reboot when some other device kicks in? AC? Washer/Dryer? Microwave?

A short would cause it to reboot more and more often to the point it does it every 30sec to 1 min. A couple times a week is probably something more environmental. Try to make sure you pay attention to anything that happens when the reboots happen. 

Also - just to not overlook the obvious, you're not watching at 3AM on a consistent basis are you? Because that is when the receiver does it's daily reset.


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

Using any surge protection or UPS?


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## beandaddy (Oct 11, 2007)

No surge protection. Plugged straight into the wall. 
Happens at anytime of the day. Mornings, during prez telling us they got bin laden, academy awards for the best picture "and the award goes to..." 
It happens when no one is home, I get split recordings. Usually just two parts. 
The A/C is the only thing that might be coming on. This is Texas. Except it happens in the winter too. 
No USB or other goodies connected. There are other devices near it; Mac mini, clock, blu-ray and of course a big TV is connected.


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

Would you consider installing a UPS? They're very reasonably priced. I have five APC UPS's on my computers, which includes my modem, router, switch and Ooma, and DVR's including the TV's. If the power goes off the computers shut themselves down and it gives me the opportunity to gracefully power down the DVR's and the TV's. Pretty cheap insurance for under $50 each.


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## gtal98 (Jan 30, 2011)

Alright, check something for me please. Go outside and follow the cables coming from the dish back to wherever they penetrate the house. You will eventually find a ground block (connection point). There should be a wire (usually green, sometimes black) coming from that ground block going to a ground source. What is the ground source that it is attached too? If it is the AC unit itself, or the AC power box on the side of your house try unhooking this wire from the ground block and see what happens. It's extremely rare, but I have known of instances where the ground block was grounded to the AC system and it causes intermittent problems.


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

Or you could try a UPS.


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## beandaddy (Oct 11, 2007)

What specs for the UPS? I had considered one before we moved to the country because in Austin power would just flicker very often. Only went once for a week without power, that's neither here nor there. 
A/C is on the other end of the house. I believe the tech drove a copper rod into the ground. Dish is on a low pole because I have a metal roof. 
I haven't heard from the dish lady I sent my info to in a PM so maybe they'll come up with something. 
Thanks everyone.


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## Ortho Stice (Jul 5, 2011)

I am on my fourth vip612 in the last two months...every receiver reboots at least once while I watch the Seattle Mariners on ROOT Sports, ch. 426HD. I have not seen this happen on any other channel since this problem has began (other than the 4 am update check). I'm not claiming that it is due to the channel and not a receiver or a grounding problem, but it is weird. 

After the second receiver came and had the same issue, a tech came out...I was told that he checked the outlet and it tested fine. He left us with our third receiver...which had the same problem. A tech I spoke to on the phone said we should buy a "good" ($20+) surge protector because the relationship between the outlet and the receiver had been corrupted and this would fix the problem...Um, no. The following week another tech ordered us yet another 612, after which I asked to be let out of my contract if this one was faulty too. He transferred me to the next tier tech guy, who explained that the tech who came to my house should not have tested the outlet because "they're not electricians". He told me the problem had to be with the outlet and to try a different one. He also said the surge protector advice was no good either. I asked if since the problem was not the receiver I could cancel the one that was just ordered for me 5 minutes ago and he said that was not possible.

Anyway the other outlets don't work either, but the new tech they sent to my house is bringing a 622 to see if it will work. Thanks Dish Network!


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## beandaddy (Oct 11, 2007)

There are 4 outlets these have been plugged into. There is one on either side of the TV area and two behind the TV. 
I'd like to hear what they tell you. 
I just heard from the dish lady, they're talking to techs there on mine.


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

beandaddy said:


> What specs for the UPS?


APC Back-UPS 550.


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## beandaddy (Oct 11, 2007)

Thanks.
No more word from dish lady


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## Ortho Stice (Jul 5, 2011)

beandaddy said:


> There are 4 outlets these have been plugged into. There is one on either side of the TV area and two behind the TV.
> I'd like to hear what they tell you.
> I just heard from the dish lady, they're talking to techs there on mine.


Sorry for the delay...after I talked to the tech on the 5th, I had to call him back on the 14th to ask when they were coming out. He said his boss was supposed to have come out the week before to check it out. The boss called me back at 5 that night, and put me through to customer service while he stayed on the line. He told the customer service lady, to paraphase, "I've got an extremely disgruntled longtime customer here...we've been out to his house numerous times and found no problems. I know the 622 has some issues...is there anyway we can get this guy a 722?" No problem! ...Of course I had to re-up for another 24 months of service. But what's another contract with Dish Network?

A new guy came out on Sunday and hooked the 722. He said "the outlet tested fine." Pretty good for someone who's "not an electrician" (see previous post). I've watched 3 Mariner games since then with nary a flicker. I'm prepared to call this case closed. If anybody has any theories as to why a certain channel could cause random reboots I would love to hear them. West coast bias? Poltergeist? Good luck to anybody with these issues!


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## beandaddy (Oct 11, 2007)

Dish replaced it with a 722. The 612 always seemed to do it at the worst times. Oscars best picture goes to... penalty kicks for women's world cup. Announcing bin laden was dead. Etc.


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## SparkynMS (May 31, 2011)

I had the same issue for 8 months. Went thru 4 612's. Finally got them to replace it with a 722 with no contract extension and no $10/mo price increase for the 1st year.


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## beandaddy (Oct 11, 2007)

"SparkynMS" said:


> I had the same issue for 8 months. Went thru 4 612's. Finally got them to replace it with a 722 with no contract extension and no $10/mo price increase for the 1st year.


I thought I had a similar agreement. Just got my bill and it is almost 4x normal.


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