# VIP222 receiver or switch problem?



## dmccor1 (Dec 28, 2007)

Hi all!

I recently decided to have a HD upgrade done to my existing Dish network system. I decided on the VIP222 HD receiver. The Dish technician installed a Dish 1000 plus dish. The technician did not seem to have much training on how to install HD receivers. He insisted that a HDMI cable did not supply audio and hooked up a analog audio cable along with the HDMI cable. He also left my HD settings to just 480P. What a joke!

From the get go I have had nothing but problems with the unit. Every morning when the unit is first turned on the system has to do a switch check, acquire satellite signal, and download the program guide. Sometimes it locks up during the process and I have to reset the system all together.

Every now and again the video will lock up and sound will continue. I have to do a reset or unplug the system to get it up and working again.
I have noticed that in the setup menu that there is a listing for signal loss errors. Some of the signal loss errors are quite high.

I called Dish and they had another installer come by for repairs. The installer thought that the receiver was defective. He said that my unit was on a list of receivers that had reported errors back to Dish. But instead of replacing the unit, after a conversation with his dispatcher, he just did what he called "a forced memory dump". I asked why my signal level was only at about 52% on sat 129 and he said that there was a problem with the satellite itself and that Dish would be launching a new satellite to replace it after the first of the year.

My question is does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do next? It doesn't seem that the Dish installers are very well trained in the new HD equipment or on how to troubleshoot errors. Has anyone else ran into the same problems?

Thanks for the help!!


----------



## Sandman (Sep 23, 2002)

dmccor1 said:


> From the get go I have had nothing but problems with the unit. Every morning when the unit is first turned on the system has to do a switch check, acquire satellite signal, and download the program guide. Sometimes it locks up during the process and I have to reset the system all together.
> 
> Every now and again the video will lock up and sound will continue. I have to do a reset or unplug the system to get it up and working again.
> I have noticed that in the setup menu that there is a listing for signal loss errors. Some of the signal loss errors are quite high.


Unfortunately these and many others are known problems with the 222 and Dish does not appear to be doing anything about the issues

Bob


----------



## BNUMM (Dec 24, 2006)

The 129 sat. is a weaker signal. As for the 222, I have only installed 1 and it was bad from the start.


----------



## DishSubLA (Apr 9, 2006)

I must have the lucky stars because this second 222 performs _fairly_ well. The only problem I have is that when the remote is used a lot, such as channel surfing or PIP swaps or checking the guide, the picture from the HDMI will flicker and drop out a few times. If no commands are sent to the box, this problem ceases and all is well. I have no other problems with the 222.

It seems clear to me that Dish is working overtime on 622/722 SW and features and has put the 222 on the back burner, especially after hearing ol' Dan say that the external HDD feature for the 222 won't be coming until some time in February. HEY, they had said by December of this year a few months ago! Yeah, I expect the 222 to have SW fixes and external HDD by April, right?


----------



## yoyo1010 (Jul 19, 2007)

DishSubLA said:


> I expect the 222 to have SW fixes and external HDD by April, right?


If at all.


----------



## cthip (Dec 14, 2007)

dmccor1 said:


> \The technician did not seem to have much training on how to install HD receivers. He insisted that a HDMI cable did not supply audio and hooked up a analog audio cable along with the HDMI cable.


this bothered me too--mine was set up with component cables (fine by me) and analog audio. i went ahead and got an HDMI cable and connected it. interestingly--many channels (non-HD channels in particular) did not have sound when connected via HDMI.

didn't do extensive testing, i just went back to analog audio. i just realized today that there's a toslink out, which should solve my problems, just wanted to note that maybe the installer isn't a complete idiot--for whatever reason, some channels do not appear to transmit sound via HDMI.


----------



## gh0st (Feb 5, 2008)

I had to install my receiver myself as the installer didn't even know how to do it. He left every thing stock, didn't know how to plug in any of the cables, and took about four hours to do every thing.

The best part was when he couldn't figure out the cables to the TV or how to get the TV2 part to work. I had to show him everything.


----------



## 585960 (Feb 4, 2007)

gh0st said:


> I had to install my receiver myself as the installer didn't even know how to do it. He left every thing stock, didn't know how to plug in any of the cables, and took about four hours to do every thing.
> 
> The best part was when he couldn't figure out the cables to the TV or how to get the TV2 part to work. I had to show him everything.


Well, I wish I could feel your pain. But don't. You might have gotten a tech right out of the box. My advice would be, take it with a grain of salt, most likely your next experience will be better.:lol:


----------

