# BUG REPORT L146: 921 answers the phone



## wcswett (Jan 7, 2003)

Ok, now this is weird. My 921 took the software upgrade automatically last night and shows L146 in the system info screen. This morning I got a series of one-ring phone call hang-ups. I was expecting a call from my sister, so I called her to ask if she was trying to call me. She was, and was getting a modem answering on the first ring. I used my cell phone and confirmed the modem answering. All of my five DISH receivers are plugged into phone jacks but for some reason I knew to check the 921 first. I don't know why, but it answers the phone every time someone calls now. This has only happened since L146. It's now lost its phone privileges.

--- WCS

Boot version: 120B
Flash version: F051
SW version: L146HECD-N


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

That's bizarre. I have my 921 connected to a phone line for testing purposes. It did not answer my phone when I just called home to test. I don't have caller id activated on my 921.


----------



## jsanders (Jan 21, 2004)

wcswett said:


> it answers the phone every time someone calls now. This has only happened since L146. It's now lost its phone privileges.


That is weird, and bad all rolled together. I can just see it now, an extra charge on your bill because you didn't have it plugged into the phone line! Are they doing that yet??


----------



## bytre (Sep 10, 2003)

Try calling it with a modem and see what you get!


----------



## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

bytre said:


> Try calling it with a modem and see what you get!


Now that would be interesting (how many people still have modems)?

A reboot would hopefully clear this problem up.


----------



## wcswett (Jan 7, 2003)

Mark Lamutt said:


> That's bizarre. I have my 921 connected to a phone line for testing purposes. It did not answer my phone when I just called home to test. I don't have caller id activated on my 921.


I don't know if I have caller ID activated. It wouldn't work anyway because the 921 is on a wireless repeater that doesn't transmit caller ID. I guess I should check and post test results.

--- WCS


----------



## wcswett (Jan 7, 2003)

jsanders said:


> That is weird, and bad all rolled together. I can just see it now, an extra charge on your bill because you didn't have it plugged into the phone line! Are they doing that yet??


I don't think they will do that to me. My other four receivers are all plugged into the phone and I can plug the 921 in and instruct it to phone home if I need to. What scares me is if they screw up and send out instructions for the 921's to call England to check in every 5 minutes or so... or something like that. I really hate giving this thing phone access right now.

--- WCS


----------



## wcswett (Jan 7, 2003)

bytre said:


> Try calling it with a modem and see what you get!


It was just sending a tone, then about a 1/4 second warble. After that it cuts off. My computer is DSL connected and isn't compatible with my cell phone, so I don't have a second line to call the 921 on.

--- WCS


----------



## wcswett (Jan 7, 2003)

David_Levin said:


> Now that would be interesting (how many people still have modems)? A reboot would hopefully clear this problem up.


I will reboot it this evening, though it took the software download last night without me having to do a manual reboot.

--- WCS


----------



## jsanders (Jan 21, 2004)

wcswett said:


> It was just sending a tone, then about a 1/4 second warble. After that it cuts off. My computer is DSL connected and isn't compatible with my cell phone, so I don't have a second line to call the 921 on.
> 
> --- WCS


He was suggesting to call with a modem, connected to a computer to see what would happen. If you tried a telnet session, would you get "Welcome to DishLinux...." or something. It would be very interesting to see if it gave you a Linux command line. So many things you could explore with it.... That's all.


----------



## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

But what's the username and password? Given the state of the software, the root pw is probably just "password". 

-Chris


----------



## wcswett (Jan 7, 2003)

Mark Lamutt said:


> That's bizarre. I have my 921 connected to a phone line for testing purposes. It did not answer my phone when I just called home to test. I don't have caller id activated on my 921.


I've rebooted the 921 manually and checked the caller ID setting, which has the popup turned off. The machine still answers the phone, whether it's on or in standby. I guess the phone stays disconnected.

--- WCS


----------



## lex61564 (Feb 10, 2004)

I just call from a cell to my home and the id came up and the answering machine picked up also, It seems to be normal.

Alex


----------



## jtp1947 (Feb 13, 2004)

wcswett said:


> Ok, now this is weird. My 921 took the software upgrade automatically last night and shows L146 in the system info screen. This morning I got a series of one-ring phone call hang-ups. I was expecting a call from my sister, so I called her to ask if she was trying to call me. She was, and was getting a modem answering on the first ring. I used my cell phone and confirmed the modem answering. All of my five DISH receivers are plugged into phone jacks but for some reason I knew to check the 921 first. I don't know why, but it answers the phone every time someone calls now. This has only happened since L146. It's now lost its phone privileges.
> 
> --- WCS
> 
> ...


WCS, same problem on my system. I finally had to unplug the phone line into my 921 so my phone would work. Mine is a wireless phone jack and caller I.D. wouldn't work anyway. Any suggestions from anyone as to the cause or cure? Jim


----------



## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

Look's like mine is picking up the phone too (but not every time) -
I'll try a reboot and/or disabling caller id, but it might have to stay disconnected.


----------



## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

David, is yours also on a wireless jack?


----------



## John Corn (Mar 21, 2002)

wcswett said:


> Ok, now this is weird. My 921 took the software upgrade automatically last night and shows L146 in the system info screen. This morning I got a series of one-ring phone call hang-ups. I was expecting a call from my sister, so I called her to ask if she was trying to call me. She was, and was getting a modem answering on the first ring. I used my cell phone and confirmed the modem answering. All of my five DISH receivers are plugged into phone jacks but for some reason I knew to check the 921 first. I don't know why, but it answers the phone every time someone calls now. This has only happened since L146. It's now lost its phone privileges.
> 
> --- WCS
> 
> ...


Haven't noticed that on mine, thanks for the heads up, I'll keep an eye on it.
921 answering the phone?......thats just plain crazy.


----------



## Orcatek (May 1, 2003)

This is not completely new as my reciever answers the phone. Luckily not on the first ring like yours. If I get a call that hangs up while ring, and then a call right away, the reciever has answered. Now mines not a 921, I have both a 501 and a 6000 on the phone line, not sure which one is the one. In any case, they should never answer. Modem should be for out going only!


----------



## mcowher (Jan 27, 2003)

My 921 is answering the phone intermittantly as well starting with the new version...


----------



## wcswett (Jan 7, 2003)

jtp1947 said:


> WCS, same problem on my system. I finally had to unplug the phone line into my 921 so my phone would work. Mine is a wireless phone jack and caller I.D. wouldn't work anyway. Any suggestions from anyone as to the cause or cure? Jim


Can't remember if I mentioned it but mine is a wireless phone jack.

--- WCS


----------



## wcswett (Jan 7, 2003)

David_Levin said:


> Look's like mine is picking up the phone too (but not every time) - I'll try a reboot and/or disabling caller id, but it might have to stay disconnected.


I've documented one case out of about 7 in which my 921 didn't answer, but that was before I unplugged it from the wireless jack.

--- WCS


----------



## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

Mine is hard wired...

It hasn't happened in awhile now. I've turned off Caller-ID pop-up, but can't say for sure if that has had any effect (but it hasn't happened since).


----------



## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

(caller id now disabled)
Another 921 phone pickup last night.
Also, took away it's phone privledges.


----------



## mcowher (Jan 27, 2003)

I'm unhooking my 921 from the phone line until this bug is fixed.


----------



## mwgiii (Jul 19, 2002)

The 921 may be answering the phone, hoping it is Dish calling, to say "Please fix my software". :grin:


----------



## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

Mark, any updates on this? It seems to have affected only a small number of people. Could it be a 921 hardware or phone line problem?

(Thought it seems to have started with L146).

Isn't telephone off-hook status determined by the drop in standby voltage? I wonder if the 921 could be too low a resistance on the phone line makeing the phone co 'think' the line was picked up. Hmmm, I could probably grab my DVM and experiment a bit.


----------



## jsanders (Jan 21, 2004)

I can't imagine that is it. Think about what you are saying. You think it started with L1.46, but you think it is a hardware problem? Did the modem hardware suddenly change since 1.46?

The DC voltage (tip to ring voltage?) for the phone is 48V. When the phone rings, it is a huge voltage (hundreds of volts AC), so they could physically get the little hammer to hit the bell on the old phones. The DC bias goes to nothing when the phone is off the hook.


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

I haven't heard anything about this.


----------



## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

jsanders said:


> I can't imagine that is it. Think about what you are saying. You think it started with L1.46, but you think it is a hardware problem? Did the modem hardware suddenly change since 1.46?


I'm not sure what your saying. I have thought about it. I would have certainly assumed software, except not many people seem to be having the problem (if it was software I'd expect more people to be complaining).

Thanks for the info on the phone line voltages. I'll try some measurements next weekend (without and w/o the 921 plugged in).


----------



## akll (Apr 22, 2002)

I also have had the 921 answer the phone since 146, and continuing with 147. It picks up the line after the very first ring. I've also unplugged it for normal use and plug it in long enough to download ppv charges after it complains (refuses to allow ppv). 

Low tech fix for now, for a low priority needed fix, from the other issues raised here.
Otherwise, I've had no problems, although no OTA in rural Alaska.

Thanks to all for all the feedback and tips.


----------

