# new software update?



## gmitchell

I was over at the satelliteguys web forum and they are saying that the 211 will have a new software update 1st of August (3.49) any word on this from the experts here at DBSTalk? :grin:


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## Mikey

From the Dish Tech Portal today:



> 8/1/2007: 1000 Software Version L3.49 for ViP211
> 
> Effective Wednesday, August 1st, Engineering plans to spool a PARTIAL PHASE of software version L3.49 for the ViP211 receiver. This is primarily a non-forced maintenance release available at ALL satellite locations.
> 
> At this time L3.45, L3.49 will be the valid software version for the ViP211.


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## BobaBird

You can expect a mention after it hits the satellites, followed by discussion and (hopefully) release notes here in the 211 Support Forum.


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## howie14

I got the download...and it took out my HDMI again!


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## dennispap

howie14 said:


> I got the download...and it took out my HDMI again!


When you call dish, let us know what they say! That was one of the reasons they undid the last update. Seems they would have really checked this one before sending it out!


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## khearrean

I just checked & I'm still at L3.45. If the new update (3.49) is affecting the HDMI connection, is it recommended that I keep the new one from updating?

Ken


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## Mikey

khearrean said:


> I just checked & I'm still at L3.45. If the new update (3.49) is affecting the HDMI connection, is it recommended that I keep the new one from updating?
> 
> Ken


I couldn't say, but when I had L3.46, it didn't affect my HDMI->DVI connection.


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## Jim5506

khearrean said:


> I just checked & I'm still at L3.45. If the new update (3.49) is affecting the HDMI connection, is it recommended that I keep the new one from updating?
> 
> Ken


The only way to prevent an update is to unplug the satellite cable.


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## gjh3260

Checked this morning and I still have L3.45


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## CoriBright

I'm at 3.49 but don't use the HDMI port so I have no idea whether it's working or not. Everything else seems fine.


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## dennispap

gjh3260 said:


> Checked this morning and I still have L3.45


I have 2 - vip 211 and they both are still L3.45.
Both of them are connected by HDMI so i hope when i get the update, that isnt affected!:eek2:


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## khearrean

Jim5506 said:


> The only way to prevent an update is to unplug the satellite cable.


You used to be able to change the selection in the 211's menu to "ask my permission before updating." I didn't realize that was no longer an option.

Ken


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## James Long

howie14 said:


> I got the download...and it took out my HDMI again!


Are you still using a Hitachi 42HDT79?


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## howie14

James Long said:


> Are you still using a Hitachi 42HDT79?


Yes, I am...and don't get me started on it, either!  Seriously, do you know something pertaining to this problem and that unit? Hitachi has been working to fix the sync issues I had that seemed to be caused by how the set interacts with the 211 when it's set for HD, but I haven't heard anything about HDMI problems.

So far, the HDMI worked fine with L3.45 and lost HDMI with both of the recent software updates. With L3.49, it does still work occasionally.

Someone over a Sat Guys thought that I might need to hard reboot to get the HDMI to work properly. I'll check that out later.

_*update:*No change after reboot. Still intermittent snow._


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## Grandude

I got the 349 update today and HDMI is still working.


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## dennispap

Grandude said:


> I got the 349 update today and HDMI is still working.


I have 2 -211's and still didnt receive the update


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## howie14

Tech Support is swapping out my receiver. I was sure it was a software, not hardware issue, but I'll try it.


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## gjh3260

I noticed I got my 3.49 update this morning. I use HDMI and everything is working fine. One thing i did notice was that my channel changes seemed slow for the past few weeks but they seem to be faster now with 3.49.


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## Suomi

I got the update today, and my HDMI is busted  I do still get a picture, but the sound drops out about one second after changing channels. Luckily I've always had component video connected as a backup because certain menu options have never worked with HDMI for me.

PS- Just for the sake of documentation: My TV is a Toshiba 52HM84 DLP set.


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## khearrean

Suomi said:


> I got the update today, and my HDMI is busted  I do still get a picture, but the sound drops out about one second after changing channels. Luckily I've always had component video connected as a backup because certain menu options have never worked with HDMI for me.
> 
> PS- Just for the sake of documentation: My TV is a Toshiba 52HM84 DLP set.


When you say the "sound drops out", exactly what are you referring to? Do you mean the "audio drops" glitch that several of us have had or do you mean you lose audio totally & it remains off? Just wondering because if it is just a brief loss of audio sporatically throughout, I've had this issue ever since I've had the 211 & there's never been an attempted (or successful) fix to my knowledge.

Ken


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## gjh3260

gjh3260 said:


> I noticed I got my 3.49 update this morning. I use HDMI and everything is working fine. One thing i did notice was that my channel changes seemed slow for the past few weeks but they seem to be faster now with 3.49.


When I got home last night and turned on the TV i got sound but the screen was all snow. I knew that the software caused the problem from reading the other forum where others have had this same snow issue. I did a reboot of the receiver and the picture was fine again. I did not check this morning before work to see if my pic was still OK.


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## Suomi

khearrean said:


> When you say the "sound drops out", exactly what are you referring to? Do you mean the "audio drops" glitch that several of us have had or do you mean you lose audio totally & it remains off? Just wondering because if it is just a brief loss of audio sporatically throughout, I've had this issue ever since I've had the 211 & there's never been an attempted (or successful) fix to my knowledge.
> 
> Ken


When I first change the channel I will have full audio for less than one second. Then it is as if the mute button is pressed. No audio at all.


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## billoh

gjh3260 said:


> When I got home last night and turned on the TV i got sound but the screen was all snow. I knew that the software caused the problem from reading the other forum where others have had this same snow issue. I did a reboot of the receiver and the picture was fine again. I did not check this morning before work to see if my pic was still OK.


I just added a 211 yesterday, and the software on initial download is 430. Everything seemed fine after authorization, and I'm using HDMI into a Samsung HD LCD. After turning off the TV and 211 (via remote) and later turning them back on, all I received was snow.

I've since played around and learned 2 things.

1.Fully power down/power up with the 211 makes everything work, but turning off the TV then turning it back on results in snow.

2. Adding an AV connection (I don't have any spare component cables) from the 211 to the Samsung keeps the HDMI port alive even after powering the TV on/off.

Any ideas if this is hardware or software related? The HDMI cable and TV have been working for over a year with a 622 (moved to another room and working fine through all of this).

Thanks for any suggestions.

Bill


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## howie14

I just installed my replacement receiver with L430 and the HDMI worked fine in the intial usage. Based on Billoh's comments, however, I'm now a little worried.


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## howie14

After two days with L4.30, no HDMI problems. I did, however, keep getting the "sat signal lost" screen last night even though it hadn't been. Channel up channel down would restore it. I haven't seen again it since a reset, though.


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## khearrean

Does anyone know if L4.30 is supposed to be released to all 211 receivers? I still am at L3.45 & never received 3.49. Now I see there's a L4.30...Does anyone know what 4.30 is suppose to address?

Ken


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## JSFLYRV

howie14 said:


> After two days with L4.30, no HDMI problems. I did, however, keep getting the "sat signal lost" screen last night even though it hadn't been. Channel up channel down would restore it. I haven't seen again it since a reset, though.


I've had HD for one week and am now on my secon 211, the first one just stopped working after three day and would just reboot over and over and tech could not fix it.
I got the replacement today and it is loaded with L430 software and works fine EXCEPT now the HDMI well not hook up. I called customer service again and they said it is a known issue, when do they fix their known issues? they are going to send me a third 211 receiver but made no promises that it would work. This is not good customer service to put out equipment with defects. I can still watch tv using S-video but am not happy as i have spent a good deal of money on HDMI equippent.


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## khearrean

Mine on 3.45 works as well as can be expected! I have no particular problems anyway (other than audio drops & that's a dead issue which I don't expect to ever see get fixed). Now I hear there's 3.49 & now 4.30. I hate to see something that ain't broke, try to be fixed! And when Dish trys to fix something, they invariably screw something else up as has been reported here repeatedly. Besides, from the lack of response to my last post, it seems that noone even knows what either software update addresses anyway. 

Ken


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## Yes616

I have had L349 for about a week and I have a little trouble with this one.

Ever since this update, sometimes when I power up the receiver I get a screen filled with snow for 5 seconds, then a black screen for 5 seconds, then the snow comes back to stay.

Not a real big deal since I figured out that all I needed to do was change the TV input from satellite (via HDMI) to anything else like DVD and then go right back to satellite and the picture is back.

Strange.


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## howie14

JSFLYRV said:


> I've had HD for one week and am now on my secon 211, the first one just stopped working after three day and would just reboot over and over and tech could not fix it.
> I got the replacement today and it is loaded with L430 software and works fine EXCEPT now the HDMI well not hook up. I called customer service again and they said it is a known issue, when do they fix their known issues? they are going to send me a third 211 receiver but made no promises that it would work. This is not good customer service to put out equipment with defects. I can still watch tv using S-video but am not happy as i have spent a good deal of money on HDMI equippent.


Obviously, the HDMI problem needs fixing. I've been lucky that L4.30 seems to have corrected my HDMI problem caused by an earlier download.

You stated that you're watching via S-video. Do you have component hookup capability? At least that would still be HD until DISH fixes the problem.


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## JSFLYRV

howie14 said:


> Obviously, the HDMI problem needs fixing. I've been lucky that L4.30 seems to have corrected my HDMI problem caused by an earlier download.
> 
> You stated that you're watching via S-video. Do you have component hookup capability? At least that would still be HD until DISH fixes the problem.


Yes I did hook up component and it was a better picture but still not as good as HDMI.
I received the third 211 today and so far all is well, hoping it stays that way for a while.


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## DishTSR3Mentor

has anyone ever actually tried to do an HDMI test? *MENU-Sys Setup- Diag-Analysis-HDMI Test*... Do you even KNOW what it's there for? It's because the HDMI cables have bugs built into them... and Dish wants you to know if its your receiver or if its the cable before you go ballistic on their TSR's....

ask anyone with a HDDVD or BlueRay... HDMI while it is awesome when it works is an expensive gamble.... I've gone through 5 cables on my 622 finally found one that works and has worked for over 8 months with no problem.. if I swap it out for any other... (example my friend's HDMI he uses with his PS3) it goes crazy...

HDMI is not a standard cable and will cause issues until everyone has a pow wow to make a standardization of the cable and its firmware.


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## khearrean

There still seems to be (3) different software ver. for the 211. L3.45, 3.49 & 4.30. Does anyone know if all 211's will be going to the same ver. or when? I'm still at L3.45 & was just wondering what the plan is supposed to be..Isn't it somewhat unusual to have this many sw. versions active/streaming at one time for (1) receiver? Although I'm not complaining since I seem to be having no real issues at this time w/L3.45.

Ken


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## khearrean

khearrean said:


> There still seems to be (3) different software ver. for the 211. L3.45, 3.49 & 4.30. Does anyone know if all 211's will be going to the same ver. or when? I'm still at L3.45 & was just wondering what the plan is supposed to be..Isn't it somewhat unusual to have this many sw. versions active/streaming at one time for (1) receiver? Although I'm not complaining since I seem to be having no real issues at this time w/L3.45.
> 
> Ken


Since I received no response, let me put this another way...What criteria (if any) tells Dish which same-model receivers out here get which software versions?

Ken


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## Mikey

khearrean said:


> Since I received no response, let me put this another way...What criteria (if any) tells Dish which same-model receivers out here get which software versions?
> 
> Ken


I received two brand-new 211 receivers a couple of weeks ago, and they both downloaded L4.30 at installation time. I also have one that was at L3.46, got rolled back to L3.45, and it's still there. I'm guessing that any receiver with firmware older than L3.45 will get L4.30 automatically. I'm also guessing that any receiver that has L3.45 or L3.49 will stay as they are, since L3.49 and L4.30 have never gone widespread to the entire receiver populace.

The only way those receivers will get updated is when new firmware is released, and their turn in the queue comes up. As far as I can tell, the selection of receivers for a partial firmware release is random.


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## khearrean

Mikey said:


> I received two brand-new 211 receivers a couple of weeks ago, and they both downloaded L4.30 at installation time. I also have one that was at L3.46, got rolled back to L3.45, and it's still there. I'm guessing that any receiver with firmware older than L3.45 will get L4.30 automatically. I'm also guessing that any receiver that has L3.45 or L3.49 will stay as they are, since L3.49 and L4.30 have never gone widespread to the entire receiver populace.
> 
> The only way those receivers will get updated is when new firmware is released, and their turn in the queue comes up. As far as I can tell, the selection of receivers for a partial firmware release is random.


Thanks...


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## James Long

khearrean said:


> Since I received no response, let me put this another way...What criteria (if any) tells Dish which same-model receivers out here get which software versions?


E* can address receivers down to the individual level. They will target batches of receivers with software and (eventually) target national releases to all receivers that fit a criteria. The most common criteria between identical receivers is the serial number. After beta, E* opens up ranges of serial numbers so more and more customers get the new software.


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## P Smith

khearrean said:


> Since I received no response, let me put this another way...What criteria (if any) tells Dish which same-model receivers out here get which software versions?
> 
> Ken


Things to learn are there http://dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=46143


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## howie14

I got my Hitachi TV back from the shop for its many issues, and I don't have consistent HDMI through the ViP211 and L4.30. I'll be using component until DISH fixes the software, if ever.


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## Jim5506

howie14 said:


> I got my Hitachi TV back from the shop for its many issues, and I don't have consistent HDMI through the ViP211 and L4.30. I'll be using component until DISH fixes the software, if ever.


Have you checked the AVSForum.

Certain Hitachi TV's have a setting that needs to be tweaked to work better with HDMI.

I tweaked mine and have had no further problems.

Why do we assume that Dish software is always the problem when there are documented instances of it being receiver software that is the problem?


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## Curmudgeon

DishTSR3Mentor said:


> has anyone ever actually tried to do an HDMI test? *MENU-Sys Setup- Diag-Analysis-HDMI Test*... Do you even KNOW what it's there for? It's because the HDMI cables have bugs built into them... and Dish wants you to know if its your receiver or if its the cable before you go ballistic on their TSR's....
> 
> No such menu/test on MY 211!!


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## Jim5506

Mine does - Menu, 6, 2, Analysis, HDMI Test.


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## khearrean

Curmudgeon said:


> No such menu/test on MY 211!!


I won't guarantee this because I'm not at home to double-check, but I believe this capability is effective with software vers. L3.49 & higher. If you're still at L3.45 as I am, you don't have this capability. I believe I remember reading that in another post..I haven't seen any release notes on the 211 in a good while so I really can't be sure of that..

Ken


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## dkjohn

Grandude said:


> I got the 349 update today and HDMI is still working.


Mine too.


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## howie14

My HDMI is working more often than not. When it doesn't I simply flip over to component.

I'm lucky there are so many different inputs available on my set.


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## EdN

Jim5506 said:


> Mine does - Menu, 6, 2, Analysis, HDMI Test.


My VIP211 has software version L431.
When I do the - Menu, 6, 2
I don't get an "Analysis" choice!


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