# Did my 510 just die?



## catnap1972 (May 31, 2003)

Put the unit on "standby" last night before I went to bed. This morning, I turned it back on and everything seemed to be ok, but when I change the channel, all I get is the title/info for a couple of seconds, then nothing (black screen). Same deal if I change the channel to something else. If I either power off for a few seconds, browse through the DVR selections (whatever's recorded still works), or through the VOD menu (still nothing downloaded and it's dog slow in downloading the app), then cancel out and go back to "live TV", the picture/sound will come back for the channel that's there, but if I change channels again, back to black it goes (sometimes I get the audio/captioning with just the black screen).

Tried switch test as well as verifying signal, but everything there is OK, so it sounds like the problem is with the receiver itself. Anything I can try (aside from x-ferring anything off the HD that I still want) before I call Dish?


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## catnap1972 (May 31, 2003)

I found that DishHOME also only partially works, but when I cancelled out (back to "live TV"), it fixed the other problem. Is it possible that the stupid thing tried to download a VOD movie overnight (still nothing available), which screwed the receiver up entirely?


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## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

Try unplugging it from the wall. Wait a couple of minutes and plug it back in. This MIGHT solve the problem as it resets the CPU.


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## robert koerner (Aug 20, 2005)

The only thing that solved the daily crashes of my 510 was to replace it with a 522; had to change the LNB also.

Durring the past month, only one crash, plus, it is much more flexiable. I'm still amazed at how much more use I get out of it.

Plus, it doesn't not CRASH every day.The only thing that solved the daily crashes of my 510 was to replace it with a 522/625; had to change the LNB also.

During the past month, only one crash, plus, it is much more flexible. I'm still amazed at how much more use I get out of it.

Plus, it doesn't not CRASH every day.

I think Dish gave me every conceivable excuse as to why the 510s I've had here were unreliable, all pure BS, some plain preposterous.

Unfortunately, when I asked if the 522/625 were more reliable, they always answered that both were highly reliable machines--another lie.

When I think of all the time I wasted checking electrical reasons they said was causing the uncommon crashes, I get pissed at my wasted time. PLUS, all the wasted time I spent on hold getting thru to many different levels of tech support, endless hours spent talking with tech support people, trying to fix what appears to me to be a software problem.

Simple solution to crashing 510s, software problems, that Dish will not admit.

If your 510 crashes a lot, they only solution is to replace it with a dependable DVR.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

catnap1972 said:


> I turned it back on and everything seemed to be ok, but when I change the channel, all I get is the title/info for a couple of seconds, then nothing (black screen). Same deal if I change the channel to something else.


Contrary to Robert K's rant, the 510 should be a very reliable unit. It is possible that something has gone south with it or with your antenna. Do you have any storms around?


> If I either power off for a few seconds, browse through the DVR selections (whatever's recorded still works), or through the VOD menu (still nothing downloaded and it's dog slow in downloading the app), then cancel out and go back to "live TV", the picture/sound will come back for the channel that's there, but if I change channels again, back to black it goes (sometimes I get the audio/captioning with just the black screen).


What channel numbers are you changing to and from?[/quote]Tried switch test as well as verifying signal, but everything there is OK, so it sounds like the problem is with the receiver itself. Anything I can try (aside from x-ferring anything off the HD that I still want) before I call Dish?[/QUOTE]Before you call, make sure you're sitting in front of the TV with the Dish remote in hand and are prepared to go through a bunch of diagnostic tests. Try not to get carried away telling them what you've already tried as they are reading from a script and it will almost certainly confuse them.


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## foots31014 (Jun 18, 2006)

I'm having some of the same problems as well. My 510 will drop my locals and dish home from about 1100-2000. I spoke with dish and they said to try to swap the reciever with my 311 and see if the 311 didn't drop the channels as well. The 311 in my bedroom never drops the 110 sat channels. My next door neighbor had dish installed friday and I asked the installer what he thought and he said to try and swap the lines coming from the switch to see if that changed anything....it didn't. I don't know what to do other than to see if they won't swap recievers with me. If anybody has any thing to add please help me out. Thanks in advance.


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## Scott H (Jan 25, 2003)

catnip1972,

I found this thread to be very interesting when I read about your 510 problem. I started to have this same problem on both of my 508's after I received the 3.09 software upgrade. The only work around that I have found is to reboot the 508 with the front panel button, or to unplug the unit for about 10 seconds. This past Saturday I called Dish and spent about 30 minutes on the phone with a very nice customer rep. I was offered a pair of replacement 508's, but I declined as I did not want to get a really bad unit as they have sent me in the past. Because of my black screen with the banner information the rep did a reauthorization to my receivers. The customer rep filled out a report to send to software engineering. It took us about 5 minutes to fill out the report. In addition to the problems that you reported I have also noticed that both of my 508's cycle on about once an hour and download something. The units stay on for about 4 minutes and then cycle back down. The customer rep thought that this was very odd to be happening on both units. My hope at this point is that Dish will find a software bug and repair the issues with another software update. I will call Dish back in a day or so and see if any information from software engineering is noted in my account.


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## MDRNHL (Jan 9, 2006)

catnap1972 said:


> Put the unit on "standby" last night before I went to bed. This morning, I turned it back on and everything seemed to be ok, but when I change the channel, all I get is the title/info for a couple of seconds, then nothing (black screen). Same deal if I change the channel to something else. If I either power off for a few seconds, browse through the DVR selections (whatever's recorded still works), or through the VOD menu (still nothing downloaded and it's dog slow in downloading the app), then cancel out and go back to "live TV", the picture/sound will come back for the channel that's there, but if I change channels again, back to black it goes (sometimes I get the audio/captioning with just the black screen).


The black screen with channel info was the problem I had my 510 the day after the 309 patch. I had to reset the box twice and do a switch test before I could get back to normal functionality.

Good luck!

I'd like to add that other than this particular issue, seemingly brought on by the patch, has been the only glitch I've encountered with my 510 in a year+. I've been pretty pleased with its performance. Now if I could get rid of the audio delay when using the optical output w/my particular AV receiver, I'd be set


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## ronfelder (Jan 10, 2006)

robert koerner said:


> The only thing that solved the daily crashes of my 510 was to replace it with a 522; had to change the LNB also.
> 
> Durring the past month, only one crash, plus, it is much more flexiable. I'm still amazed at how much more use I get out of it.
> 
> ...


Between me and my ex our 510 has woked perfectly for three years. might have to do a cold boot every once in awhile, but that's all. More reliable than my 522. I've been through two of them.

Ron


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## robert koerner (Aug 20, 2005)

All of the 510s Dish sent to me crashed under the exact same circumstances:

the unit is recording, I'm watching something I've recorded, and I'm going thru the guide, programming it to record later on

I can do the exact same thing with my 522, with no problems.

My conclusion, 510 software problems.

To restore functioning, I'd have to run a check switch, unplug the unit, plug it back in, reacquire the sat signals.

I got so used to the drill that sometimes I'd wait until a commercial came on what I was recording, before I programmed what I wanted it to record in the future. That way, if the unit crashed, I lost mostly a commercial, and not part of the show it was recording.

One harbinger of a crash was when I go through the Guide, and channel information would dissappear. The other tip that it was going to crash came at the end of a show I had watched, the colors of the menu would change.

With either of those, I'd have to unplug to force a reboot.

I had to unplug it so often, I put it on an extension cord so that it was easier to get to the units AC cord.


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## rustamust (Feb 22, 2006)

My 510 has never crashed and the only time I reboot is to reset ths caller ID when it stops working. Have had 309 for three weeks now and no problems there are 2-4 movies on the HD which is silent when not recording. Downloads must take place after 12pm or so. Very pleased with 510.


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

MDRNHL said:


> Now if I could get rid of the audio delay when using the optical output w/my particular AV receiver, I'd be set


Back when the 501 was my primary receiver I fixed that problem by replacing my crippled band-aids and baling wire AV set-up (broken DPL receiver, old stereo receiver to power the surrounds, 2nd hand cheapie amp for the center, add-on digital processor) with a new AV receiver. That receiver has since died and its replacement also has no delay though it's connected to a 921. Picture and sound start together.


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## ThomasTrain (Aug 9, 2005)

robert koerner said:


> All of the 510s Dish sent to me crashed under the exact same circumstances:
> 
> the unit is recording, I'm watching something I've recorded, and I'm going thru the guide, programming it to record later on
> 
> ...


I can't help but assume that you are blaming the unreliability issues with your 510 on the wrong thing. You stated in your first post that you also had to replace the LNB. Might that have been the actual cause all along? I will assume that you replaced the LNB with a DPP Twin for the single feed capability to your 522/625. Anyway, there are many factors that could have caused your problems with the 510, but once they replaced it with another unit and you were having the exact same problems; the 510 was no longer the issue.. something else was. I have a 508 and a 510 and both have been rock solid stable for years so I have to disagree with you. I personally think the 501/508/510 series were pretty rock solid units.


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## robert koerner (Aug 20, 2005)

Disagree as much as you like to.

<All of the 510s Dish sent to me crashed under the exact same circumstances:

the unit is recording, I'm watching something I've recorded, and I'm going thru the guide, programming it to record later on>

That was they only time they crashed. Watching something that has been recorded and programming it to record do not place an additional strain on the LNB.

I doubt if the malfunction at the end of watching a recorded program had anything to do with the LNB.

I changed the LNB so I wouldn't have to run a second cable.

The different LNB arrived before the 522. I changed LNBs before changing the units, same crash with the 510.

One can assume the 510s weren't malfunctioning. One can even claim, as Dish did, that I have a unknown household electricity problem, that doesn't effect any other electrical device in my house, so I should hire an electrician to check for the reason why the 510s crash.

Since I stopped using 510s, I no longer have the problem.

It was probably cheaper to buy the 522 and LNB than it would have been to hire an electrician to come out to find an electrical problem causing my 510 to crash once or twice a day.


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## MDRNHL (Jan 9, 2006)

BobaBird said:


> Back when the 501 was my primary receiver I fixed that problem by replacing my crippled band-aids and baling wire AV set-up (broken DPL receiver, old stereo receiver to power the surrounds, 2nd hand cheapie amp for the center, add-on digital processor) with a new AV receiver. That receiver has since died and its replacement also has no delay though it's connected to a 921. Picture and sound start together.


Resolved the problem last night. Was a typical case of 'didn't RTFM' 
There is a setting on my Onkyo receiver that toggles the digital input between PCM, DD, and Auto...well, when its on Auto, theres just enough lag while receiver figures out the signal to cause that audio to drop for a second or two.


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## carolatrp (Jun 30, 2006)

Since the 3.09 downloads, both my 510 DVRs are giving error mesages and cannot find channels or have a blank screen. Sometimes this is resolved by going to the guide and selcting a channel. My 311 receiver is fine. All the switch and signal tests are normal. My error messages say they cannot find any of the even number Transponders, though the individual transponders have great signals. Dish do not know why this problem is occurring. Anyone else getting the same error messages? We have tried powering off and holding the power button to reboot, many times. I have been told my only solution left is to buy two new DVRs. These two are only 9 months old and should not need replacing so soon. Who is to say the same problem will not occur with new ones.


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## kea2fla (Jul 2, 2006)

Scott H said:


> catnip1972,
> 
> I found this thread to be very interesting when I read about your 510 problem. I started to have this same problem on both of my 508's after I received the 3.09 software upgrade. The only work around that I have found is to reboot the 508 with the front panel button, or to unplug the unit for about 10 seconds. This past Saturday I called Dish and spent about 30 minutes on the phone with a very nice customer rep. I was offered a pair of replacement 508's, but I declined as I did not want to get a really bad unit as they have sent me in the past. Because of my black screen with the banner information the rep did a reauthorization to my receivers. The customer rep filled out a report to send to software engineering. It took us about 5 minutes to fill out the report. In addition to the problems that you reported I have also noticed that both of my 508's cycle on about once an hour and download something. The units stay on for about 4 minutes and then cycle back down. The customer rep thought that this was very odd to be happening on both units. My hope at this point is that Dish will find a software bug and repair the issues with another software update. I will call Dish back in a day or so and see if any information from software engineering is noted in my account.


I don't know if Dish solved your problem but I was having the black screen with the program info banner and also missing channels on program guide on both my 4900 and 508. The problem was that I had didn't have the latest DNASP #. Originally I had 102 Rev107, the latest is 102 Rev109. They sent the 109 update and no more black screens or missing channels.


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