# VIP 922 "Starting Up" yet again



## BobbyCO

Was on my second VIP 922 - the last one died almost exactly a year ago stuck on the "Starting Up" cycle and was replaced. Now this one has the same issue and so I am waiting for another one. This one wasn't even turned on when it died - just got an update in the middle of the night and the next morning turned it on and it was stuck in the cycle. Unplugged for a few hours and same thing.I had nothing on top or to the sides so it gets plenty of ventilation.

So I asked Dish if they were reliable and got two different answers from different reps. One said that they were the best other than the Hopper/Joey combo and that they almost never fail. The other said they had many problems so don't offer them for sale anymore. Seems like the second person was a bit more accurate.

But I did notice a curious coincidence between the two failures. When my first one failed, I had just started to use the SlingBox features. Had the internet dongle thing and two days after I tried watching remotely the receiver died. So I've had the replacement for a year hooked to the internet but never used the SlingBox there, either. Thought I'd check it out and see if it had any new features I could use and two days later this one died with the same issue. I wonder if they have some strange software issue that kills it.


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## P Smith

less likely it's FW related ...

just the design, components, bad airflow design - all that reasons piling up; it's a matter of time when the mf will die


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## Rduce

They do not like heat, you might want to put an exhaust fan on it to keep airflow moving to help it.


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## Mike.H_DISHNetwork

I know this can be frustrating when the receiver quits on you. I see you received some good answers on this thread, when you receive your replacement receiver please set it in an open area to allow it to breathe better. If you have any questions about the replacement or any DISH questions please let me know and I am happy to help! 

Thanks


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## BobbyCO

Finally received my replacement receiver and got it activated. Took a week to arrive, even though it was supposed to be sent "priority overnight". But to Dish's credit they did not charge me for shipping, at least not yet. As to the heat issue, the receiver is on a shelf below my TV with nothing below, above, or to the sides and there are no door blocking air flow. Not sure how much more air flow I can give other than to buy an extra fan as suggested, but if it can't keep itself cool enough without needing to buy a fan then it seems like a major flaw in the design.

I'm usually a pretty supportive and positive person, but this whole experience was so frustrating in dealing with Dish. My first call had the agent saying she'd ship one out right away, priority overnight at no charge to me (fantastic) and since it was the weekend it wouldn't arrive until Tuesday She said I would need to have someone home to sign for it. So I took off work and no box arrived. Called Dish again and they said it never shipped but they'd send one overnight for Wednesday delivery, butI wouldn't need to sign. She said I should let a neighbor know to be on the lookout. No box on Wednesday since it didn't actually end up shipping until Wednesday evening. Called Dish again and they said it would arrive as late as midnight even though UPS showed it as just picked up by UPS in SC (I'm in CO). Then the agent/supervisor said she called UPS and expedited for 8AM delivery Thursday. Not true says UPS and it would arrive by 8PM Thursday. Then to top it off, UPS lost the box and didn't deliver until Friday (not Dish's fault). On one of the calls, the CS rep suggested I buy an external hard drive and continually back up my shows so I don't lose them in case this one dies as well.

So what started as me being frustrated that my 922 died again ended with me being really frustrated with Dish overall. They didn't live up to the replacement promised on time (but did eventually deliver) and they flat out lied when I'd call for status. It seemed like a good company and a good receiver, but I have changed my mind on both if they can't deliver, lie a bit, and have receivers that need backup drives and external fans to keep safe.

People at work have been suggesting I take a look at XFinity, but I don't know anything about them or their boxes.


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## P Smith

> but if it can't keep itself cool enough without needing to buy a fan then it seems like a major flaw in the design.


I did analysis of airflow of the DVRs starting from 622, I did post a solution (pretty easy for DYI), but someone who did design of mechanical part [a case] of the line [ViP] seems to me wasn't experienced in air circulation, calories balance and made it plain simple and cheap. So, no one is willing issue ECO and change the flawed design ... now *customers* taking the burden ...


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## Stewart Vernon

I don't know what to say about the overheating problems... because I live in a home in NC without air conditioning... so it is basically 90 degrees in the house during the day... and my 922 hasn't been overheating.


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## Rduce

I live in an house with AC and in the summer leave it parked at 78 all the time. At that temp my 922 would show a high of 127 degrees with an average of 105 and at that temp it would act very unstable. I picked up a purpose built exhaust fan for the VIP series off of EBay and it brought my high temp down to 112 with an average of 98. It acts more stable with lower temps has been my findings.


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## shadough

The external HD is just good common sense. Makes for a great place to keep your recordings safe and move them from 1 rcvr to another, plus it covers your a$$ when a recvr fails. Sure its an added expense but I think most ppl find it very usefull. As P Smith was saying, the 922 is not a well designed recvr. I think its a nice recvr, just not well designed which explains y its not available anymore. I've already had 1 replaced an I keep mine in a cabinet stacked w/ other recvrs. I use the sling feature quite often and like the interface as well as all the drive space. Of course I keep the recordings I dont want to lose on the external.


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## shadough

Looks like my 2nd 922 has bit the dust. Its now doing the same thing your reciever was doing, just keeps cycling back to the 'starting up' screen.


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## P Smith

so, don't repeat mistakes, do not replace for same model - ask for 722k at least if not H


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## Rduce

P Smith said:


> so, don't repeat mistakes, do not replace for same model - ask for 722k at least if not H


From what I've been reading Hopper has just as many, if not more, problems than a 922 has. I have had pretty good luck with a China built one with an exhaust fan installed on it. From what I've read about the 722K you want a China built one as well, as those from Mexico and India use substandard capacitors and prone to failure.


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## P Smith

let see what TS will choose ...


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## some guy

The Hopper may have some outstanding issues that are constantly being worked on, but overall the 922 doesn't even come close to the Hopper. The bugs that people are talking about on forums, do not affect most users because most aren't power users or even know about half of the functions the Hopper is capable of. 

I went through 5 922's back when I had one, and it was a terrible experience. I had a 222k and a 722k at the same time, and I installed in the same location as the 922 and I never had issues with them, yet the 922 failed over and over for multiple reasons.


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## shadough

Well, obviously Dish allows replacement of recvrs w/ the same model rcvr. So thus I got a 3rd 922. Glutton for punishment? Perhaps. I do like the 922.


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