# Finally got my 921...but there was a problem during shipment



## dreamer (Jan 21, 2004)

Well after winning an ebaY auction for a DVR 921 the unit was sent out to me in the original DN packaging...The only problem was that when it arrived via UPS ground it was in a plain brown box. Obviously somewhere along the way my DVR had been removed from its original packaging, re-boxed and then continued along it way to my home.

Upon receiving my 921 I just figured that the shipper packaged the DN box inside a brown box to "disguise" the 921 since it is in such high demand right now. Well that was not the case. The shipper was as surprised (and pissed off) as I was and he said that it was sent out completely sealed in the original DN packaging. 

All the necessary components/accessories were in the re-packed box and nothing "looked" damaged or scratched. The serial numbers matched according to the shipper’s records and UPS had no record of any damage being done to it in transit that would've required it to be re-packed. UPS also said that sometimes if boxes are damaged during shipment that they will be re-packed, sometimes with record of the repacking, other times with no record.

I am now in a quandary...I really want to keep and use this 921 but there is a part of me that is very suspicious and would rather wait to have a BRAND NEW one delivered...Well of course there are no other ones available right now so I am basically SOL. The person I bought it from is a satellite distributor and is working hard to keep me happy, but he cannot get his hands on a new 921 (just like the rest of the country). 

I am trying to be patient…but really want to test out the HD part of my new Sony 60" LCD HDTV...and this 921 is the gateway to that. I haven't plugged it in at all and have only read the manual. UPS is coming out to take pictures of the box and labeling that it arrived in and with.

What would you guys do in this situation ? Would you keep it and see if it works or would you feel better (after having spent $1100+) to have a 921 that showed up in the packaging the manufacturer meant it to arrive in ?


----------



## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

As long as it wasn't physically damaged - I'd go ahead and use (especially considering the lack of alternatives at the moment)...


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

I agree. If it's not damaged, by all means use it.


----------



## Capmeister (Sep 16, 2003)

Occasionally, if a box is damaged in shipment, the service reboxes it. But they're obligated to tell you.


----------



## Scott Greczkowski (Mar 21, 2002)

The 921 is shipped in a box with red graphics on it.

However if its working no big deal.

The Red Box is a shipping problem because it is considered oversize (and thus costs more to ship)

A smaller box is fine if the unit is protected enough.

We we have been shipping out 921's we have actually be double boxing most of them, with a $1000 item we dont want a 2 or 3 month wait to get a check from UPS because of a shipping screwup. Since all dealers pay for the 921's upfront that is a long time to be out that much money.


----------



## dreamer (Jan 21, 2004)

Well my major concern was this...

You know how the 921 has 2 pieces of pre-formed styrofoam ? Well the box that my 921 was repacked in didn't allow a "perfect fit" of the foam to the 921 thus when I opened up the box it was repacked in I saw the 921 sitting at an angle since the width and length of the box didn't allow for the foam to sit flat inside the box and the 921 was sort of "wedged" in between the 2 pieces of foam, but it still was "floating" between the 2 pieces a little. 

This is my main concern...That after the repacking (which we don't know if it was done at the beginning of the trip or towards the end) the 921 could have been jostled around quite a bit inside the box, even though there is no obvious physical damage to the unit.

My gut tells me to be patient and wait until a new one arrives...


----------



## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

Ask the dealer if it's ok to fire it up.

There's a lot you can do without activating the box:

Let the hard drive spin up and listen carefully for any strange sounds.
Do a switch check then turn it off and let it take the software download.

After the download, make sure you should be able to receive 101, NASA, and PPV Preview. I believe you can also try the pause functions here (unless someone says they are disabled when the box isn't activated).

If all is good, I'd keep it. Shoot, if a problem comes up down the road, you still have the 1 year warranty.


----------



## dreamer (Jan 21, 2004)

Yeah...that is what the company that sold it to me was saying....the 1 year warranty is still in place no matter if it was repacked or not. They are just trying to make me a satisfied customer, which is nice to see for once.

I will ask him if it is ok for me to plug it in.

Is there any SPECIFIC procedure I should follow once it is plugged in so that I do not screw anything up ? Will it need to be authorized be4 it will take the software download ?

Thanks for all your feedback guys !


----------



## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

No, you'll be able to take the software download before activation. Connect up the two satellite tuners, do a check switch, and then turn it off. The software will download and install. The process will take about 45 minutes to an hour to complete.


----------



## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

Yea, I forgot to mention that the download takes up to an hour. The green power light will flash during the download. It might take 15 minutes to get started.


----------



## sleepy hollow (Aug 25, 2003)

dreamer said:


> Well my major concern was this...
> 
> You know how the 921 has 2 pieces of pre-formed styrofoam ? Well the box that my 921 was repacked in didn't allow a "perfect fit" of the foam to the 921 thus when I opened up the box it was repacked in I saw the 921 sitting at an angle since the width and length of the box didn't allow for the foam to sit flat inside the box and the 921 was sort of "wedged" in between the 2 pieces of foam, but it still was "floating" between the 2 pieces a little.
> 
> ...


I have a 921 that has not been installed yet. I am waiting for a second drop to the 921 location which is scheduled for tomorrow (yipee - I hope) Bought it from a local dealer in VA 3 weeks ago. When I found out about the blue line problem and talked to Dish about the dead time for my 921 until the install, and that I'd hate to fire it up and see the problem when it could have been fixed during the dead time, they had me send it back to check it. Took two days to get it back. Amazing.

The point of all of this is that the unit was shipped and returned in the original red Dish 921 box. I packed it very carefully. But when it was returned, the foam had gotten a bit skewed and the 921 clearly was moving about a bit during transit. When I opend the box, it was about like you described yours. I really was not concerned. I doubt seriously that it caused any problems. But I should know tomorrow for sure, assuming the installer shows.

I agree with all of the other posters. Why not fire it up and see what happens? Worst case, you ship it to Dish and they repair it within a couple of days. It is not a dozen eggs or a piece of exquisite crustal. If it were, the shipping container would be designed qute differently.

Life's an adventure. Give it a whirl. There is no risk that I can see. Now bugee jumping is another story. There's some serious risk, my friend. And you won't ever see me doing that.


----------



## Kagato (Jul 1, 2002)

You should report to the shipper that the shippment was obviously repackaged and you suspect damage. If you need to make a claim at some point it works in your best interest.


----------



## dreamer (Jan 21, 2004)

Kagato, I have already done that and UPS are coming out to take pictures of the box and labeling that it was repacked in.


----------



## Scooters (Mar 15, 2003)

Any chance that it came from the shipper that way? 

He may have packaged it like that, thinking that no one would notice and is now "covering" himself by saying that it happened in transit??


----------



## dreamer (Jan 21, 2004)

Well as I said in my original post, the shipper "said" he shipped it in the original red Dish Network DVR 921 box. I have no reason to doubt him since all the accessories, manuals, remotes and styrofoam was in the box it arrived in. All of his ebaY feedback is positive and is in the hundreds, and it was pictured in the red box on ebaY. 

He is trying very hard to make me happy and says that as soon as he gets more 921's in that I will be the 1st to get one, even before thos who have pre-paid to be on his waiting list.

I don't even have my 2nd cable run from my sat for my 921 yet so this is all no big deal as of yet. I just want the situation resolved by that time my 2nd line is ran.

I have learned in life that patience "is truely a virtue" and that to act hastily now would not produce the best results.


----------

