# Screen Saver kicks in while recording



## jeslevine

I have a 211VIP. Under Preferences, I disabled the inactivity timer, then started to record a program to TIVO. When I checked later, the receiver went into inactivity mode with the screen saver saying to press select to continue. Half of my recording had the stupid screen saver

Is there anyway to disable this screen saver?


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## jerryez

I disabled mine too, but I does not work. My 211 get the same stupid "select to Continue" notice. Come Dish FIX this. I did set the timer to the max of 8 hours, this helps.


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## jeslevine

When I called dish tech support they told me to write an email describing the problem which I thought was a little lame. I did it though, but so far haven't had a response


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## kevthornberry

Approximately what time of day did your box show the screensaver?


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## jeslevine

kevthornberry said:


> Approximately what time of day did your box show the screensaver?


I will need to try it again


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## kevthornberry

Has anyone else experienced this problem?

Also, are you absolutely sure your box went into standby due to inactivity and not for a scheduled nightly update (ie can you confirm seeing the message "The receiver is about to be turned off due to inactivity..." prior to the box going into standby)? I do not mean to sound patronising, I would just like to confirm that is definitely what we are seeing here.

Thanks


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## jeslevine

kevthornberry said:


> Has anyone else experienced this problem?
> 
> Also, are you absolutely sure your box went into standby due to inactivity and not for a scheduled nightly update (ie can you confirm seeing the message "The receiver is about to be turned off due to inactivity..." prior to the box going into standby)? I do not mean to sound patronising, I would just like to confirm that is definitely what we are seeing here.
> 
> Thanks


The recording was started in the afternoon, and the scheduled update is set to 
3am


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## James Long

Have you tried setting a timer event (auto tune) for the content you wish to record?


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## jeslevine

James Long said:


> Have you tried setting a timer event (auto tune) for the content you wish to record?


What I did was start recording a show in the afternoon, went out for the day, came back, and half the recording was the screen saver

Thanks for the suggestion


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## jeslevine

just received this from dish technical support:
"

Thank you for your e-mail. I apologize that it took so long to respond. We’ve received an unexpected amount of e-mails this month. Our normal response time is 24-48 hours. 



The receiver automatically goes into standby mode after 3-4 hours of inactivity (this is when the screen saver or floating DISH logo appears). At this time, there is no way to disable this feature. However, there is a work-around if you have set your VCR (or other recording device) to record during this time. You can setup an “auto tune” timer on the receiver. This tells the receiver it is in use and will “wake” the receiver up if it has gone into standby. 



We are always looking for ways to improve our service, and we appreciate your input. We will forward your comments and concerns to the proper department; however, we can not promise this will be implemented. Thank you again for choosing Dish Network and please feel free to contact us again with any future concerns.

"


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## Phil Monty

jeslevine said:


> just received this from dish technical support:
> "
> 
> Thank you for your e-mail. I apologize that it took so long to respond. We've received an unexpected amount of e-mails this month. Our normal response time is 24-48 hours.
> 
> The receiver automatically goes into standby mode after 3-4 hours of inactivity (this is when the screen saver or floating DISH logo appears). At this time, there is no way to disable this feature. However, there is a work-around if you have set your VCR (or other recording device) to record during this time. You can setup an "auto tune" timer on the receiver. This tells the receiver it is in use and will "wake" the receiver up if it has gone into standby.
> 
> We are always looking for ways to improve our service, and we appreciate your input. We will forward your comments and concerns to the proper department; however, we can not promise this will be implemented. Thank you again for choosing Dish Network and please feel free to contact us again with any future concerns.
> 
> "


Another problem I found is that the receiver will automatically kick off at 3am unless you tell it not to. I found this out the last few nights feeding my baby at that time. Thank God I haven't been recording anything at that time. In any event, a box will appear on the screen telling you that it is shutting down unless you tell it not to.

Phil


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## James Long

You can move or disable the 3am shutdown. I have mine set for 7am.


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## kevthornberry

I still need to establish if this is an isolated case or if other people are experiencing similar problems. Have you encountered this before James? I am running L261 and as far as I can make out the inactivity standby on my box can be disabled successfully.


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## LUNASDUDE

Ok a variation on the question if I set my DVD recorder to change the channel will that "wake up" the receiver or will I have to set an auto tune?


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## James Long

Use an auto tune. When the box is asleep you need to press select to wake it up. Unless you can program your DVD recorder to send select before the channel change.

Mine is set to do the EPG update at 7am so it goes to sleep every morning until I wake it up. I'll have to test and see if it stays awake.


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## jerryez

James Long said:


> Have you tried setting a timer event (auto tune) for the content you wish to record?


That is why I have a TiVo to record without setting timer events. All we are asking is for the Damn 211 receiver to work as it is susposed tooo!


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## jerryez

kevthornberry said:


> I still need to establish if this is an isolated case or if other people are experiencing similar problems. Have you encountered this before James? I am running L261 and as far as I can make out the inactivity standby on my box can be disabled successfully.


The first three people in this thread are having the same problem. How many have to have the problem for it not to be isolated.


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## James Long

It is working exactly as it is supposed to. I tested mine the other day and the inactivity time out can be disabled (I turned it on and left it for 10 hours with no screen saver interruption). The 3am EPG update can be moved if that interrupts an overnight recording (important to keep your guide intact).

The auto-tune feature was put there just for people who wanted no interruptions during a specific program. That's the way the receiver is designed.


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## jerryez

Your's may be working, but mine isn't whether you believe me or not. Also, there are many other posters who's doesn't work. Mine is set to disabled and the screen saver comes on every night while I am asleep and every day while I am at work. 
James, are you calling me a liar.


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## jeslevine

jerryez said:


> Your's may be working, but mine isn't whether you believe me or not. Also, there are many other posters who's doesn't work. Mine is set to disabled and the screen saver comes on every night while I am asleep and every day while I am at work.
> James, are you calling me a liar.


I will second that. Mine does NOT work either


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## James Long

jerryez said:


> James, are you calling me a liar.


No. I just believe that you're missing something in your setup.
1) Menu - 8 - 4 "Updates" This is where you can set the time that the unit does the EPG update. When the system does this update it puts the unit into standby. This update is default "Enabled" at 3am (local time).
2) Menu - 8 - 7 "Inactivity Standby' This is where you can tell the unit to shut off after a selectable number of hours ... or not. You can select 4,5,6,7 or 8 hours or disable.

This thread started when L261 was still the current version. L262 is now current. Perhaps the behavior has changed. But I did test my box and it went a good 10 hours without going to screen saver. (Then I decided to watch TV instead of waiting for the receiver to go into screen saver.) I'll test it again tomorrow.


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## jerryez

I have L262 and the disable still does not work. I set three auto timers for 6AM, noon and 6PM. I just hope that my TiVo is not recotrding something when the timer kicks in and changes channels to kill the screen saver. This is a work around., not a FIX. Dish should fix the disable switch on the inactivity screen, so that it works.

What happens if you are watching something at 3AM. Does the receiver go into standby.


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## James Long

The point of the auto tune timer is to change it to the program you want to watch (or record in this case) and override the 'screen saver' for the duration of the program.

Menu - 8 -7 "Inactivity Timer" disabled is working for me. I don't know why it isn't working for you. I have L262 as well.


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## jerryez

Typical Dish software. No two receivers work alike.


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## SHS

Well after reading all this maybe it not good idea to waste any time and money on new receiver which are become a bigger joke then all other receiver.
There really no reason to have Updates and Inactivity go in to Standby.
What the the point of have 'screen saver' in first place when TV boardcast dose the same thing.
I wonder who come up with dumb idea in first place to add 'screen saver' after all this not a PC or Media Device which dose need thing like 'screen saver' in order to keep the menu screen from being burn in to TVset.


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## James Long

I let mine run 18 hours yesterday without touching it. No screen saver came on.
(Fortunately I have a 501 to watch while I'm letting my 211 sit for you guys.)

There has to be something else to this ... perhaps the TiVo is sending a non descrete on code and turning off the receiver? Perhaps something was missed in the user setups? L262 should work the same on all 211s.

I do like the idea of updates returning to 'last channel' instead of standby.


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## LUNASDUDE

I ordered the VIP 211 and they brought the 411 instead said they couldn't get the 211 yet? oh well tried it for a couple of days and sure enough it screwed up my DVD recording took your advice and disabled the screen saver AND disabled the update.
My question is what will happen if I keep the update disabled? Can I do the update manually?
Will is update the program data when I go further in the guide than it has information for like my 811 used to do?
Any downside to doing this? 
I record stuff off my 411 every day so I would really like to know if im ok or really going to screw things up?
BTW the 411 is very nice so far other than the screen saver issue I can report no major problems!
Thanks


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## Mavrick

SHS said:


> Well after reading all this maybe it not good idea to waste any time and money on new receiver which are become a bigger joke then all other receiver.
> There really no reason to have Updates and Inactivity go in to Standby.
> What the the point of have 'screen saver' in first place when TV boardcast dose the same thing.
> I wonder who come up with dumb idea in first place to add 'screen saver' after all this not a PC or Media Device which dose need thing like 'screen saver' in order to keep the menu screen from being burn in to TVset.


From what I have been told from sources the reason that they are placing the screensavers in the recivers is for actually what you mentioned because of screen burn this has been a major problem on alot of older and some new lower end plasma tv's.

I know for a fact that Directv is now also placing a screensaver in there recivers and have been told that some new cable boxes also have the screensaver feature in them. I know that with Directv there is no way at all to disable the screensaver and dont know about the cable boxs for I have yet to see one.


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## James Long

LUNASDUDE said:


> My question is what will happen if I keep the update disabled? ...
> Will is update the program data when I go further in the guide than it has information for like my 811 used to do?


Yes. The EPG will update if you try to go beyond the data loaded (up to the 44hr limit of the EPG on the 211). I don't see any problem with that other than it stops you from watching TV for a couple of minutes for the download.


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## sarbear81

James Long said:


> Use an auto tune. When the box is asleep you need to press select to wake it up. Unless you can program your DVD recorder to send select before the channel change.
> 
> Mine is set to do the EPG update at 7am so it goes to sleep every morning until I wake it up. I'll have to test and see if it stays awake.


Newbie here, so please bear with me --

Am I to understand that when the receiver does its 3 am update, it stays in "Sleep" mode until I press Select? Like others have said, my box went into sleep mode when I had a TiVo recording scheduled, so I went in and disabled the inactivity shut-off feature. This morning, I woke up to find it once again in sleep mode. Is this due to the 3 am update, or is the "disable" feature just not working properly?

Also, when setting up the channel-changing options on my TiVo, there is an option you can use if "enter" has to be pressed before changing a channel. If I set it up to change channels this way, would it wake up the receiver? I understand that I can set an auto-tune to get the same results, but I'd rather not have to do that, since it defeats the purpose of having a TiVo.

Thanks!


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## SHS

plasma screen have alway been very bad about that even when they come out back in 1987 dose any one here recall the IBM P-70 Model 5573.
Must comm problem with plasma tv is people leave it on channel like the weather channel, DVD Player, Network Logos there Computer like Computer Icons, Internet browser frames where the screen not moving or in static image area.
1: Do not pause DVDs for more than a few minutes at a time
2: Do not used Console Box or Computer.
3: Do not stay on channel that have still patten for more then a few minutes at a time which are channel like Weather, Music (Dish, Sirius), etc.
In my book people who buy Plasma TV are fool there would be off getting LCD.


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## LUNASDUDE

sarbear81 said:


> Newbie here, so please bear with me --
> 
> Am I to understand that when the receiver does its 3 am update, it stays in "Sleep" mode until I press Select? Like others have said, my box went into sleep mode when I had a TiVo recording scheduled, so I went in and disabled the inactivity shut-off feature. This morning, I woke up to find it once again in sleep mode. Is this due to the 3 am update, or is the "disable" feature just not working properly?
> 
> Also, when setting up the channel-changing options on my TiVo, there is an option you can use if "enter" has to be pressed before changing a channel. If I set it up to change channels this way, would it wake up the receiver? I understand that I can set an auto-tune to get the same results, but I'd rather not have to do that, since it defeats the purpose of having a TiVo.
> 
> Thanks!


I can answer on for sure.
You need to disable the update feature, that's why it's going to sleep.
Apparently after it updates then it goes in to standby (sleep) mode.
I disabled my update & the screen saver and now no problem!
As for the Tivo let me check mine and I will post back if no one beats me to it.
Oh and do you have a series one Tivo or series 2?
Not sure that it matters I have both.


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## LUNASDUDE

James Long said:


> Yes. The EPG will update if you try to go beyond the data loaded (up to the 44hr limit of the EPG on the 211). I don't see any problem with that other than it stops you from watching TV for a couple of minutes for the download.


Thanks James!
I will leave the update off! Since I would much rather have it interrupt my channel flipping / searching, where I can cancel it if I want than screw up a recording!:nono:


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## sarbear81

LUNASDUDE said:


> I can answer on for sure.
> You need to disable the update feature, that's why it's going to sleep.
> Apparently after it updates then it goes in to standby (sleep) mode.
> I disabled my update & the screen saver and now no problem!
> As for the Tivo let me check mine and I will post back if no one beats me to it.
> Oh and do you have a series one Tivo or series 2?
> Not sure that it matters I have both.


Thank you so much! I think I will also disable the update feature. I'd rather sacrifice a few seconds to let the guide load than have it screw up yet another recording.

Re: the Tivo thing -- I have a Series 2 (the 40-hour version).


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## LUNASDUDE

sarbear81 said:


> Thank you so much! I think I will also disable the update feature. I'd rather sacrifice a few seconds to let the guide load than have it screw up yet another recording.
> 
> Re: the Tivo thing -- I have a Series 2 (the 40-hour version).


Ok got an answer on the Tivo forum, but it's not good news! 
Apparently there is no way to program Tivo to send out a enter code before it sends out the channel selection and someone brought up an interesting point that Tivo would not no when it was ok to send enter code and when not to.
Because on some Satt receivers if you send an enter or select code when the unit is in normal operation mode it can put on a guide or some other screen prompt that would still screw up your recording!
But if you disable both of the thing I told you about there should be no problem!
Also another work around occurred to me!
If you have a universal remote capable of doing macros meaning pressing one button to do several things, then you can leave your update on say for 3am then program your uni remote to send the select command at 4am and your set! It's a weird work around but I believe it should work.:hurah:


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## James Long

sarbear81 said:


> Newbie here, so please bear with me --
> 
> Am I to understand that when the receiver does its 3 am update, it stays in "Sleep" mode until I press Select? Like others have said, my box went into sleep mode when I had a TiVo recording scheduled, so I went in and disabled the inactivity shut-off feature. This morning, I woke up to find it once again in sleep mode. Is this due to the 3 am update, or is the "disable" feature just not working properly?


It's possible the overnight update disable isn't working right. I have not tested that one specifically. I did change the time to 7am because a later update better suits my life.

Yes, after update the receiver sleeps. But the autotune will wake it up. It's an extra step but you can set an autotune to let the ViP-211 handle the tuning - if you do this the receiver will be awake.


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## LUNASDUDE

Just an update on my 411.
Since I disabled the update function & the inactivity screen saver I have been up and running consistently for almost a week with no problems.
Also as James Long said, when I went to far for the program data I had on hand it loaded the new data in to the receiver, took about 2min for the download, BUT the point is I was in control and no recording has been harmed!


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## SHS

That good news LUNASDUDE.


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## ashu

Whew - thanks for a half-decent Search feature 

I am considering upgrading to this unit from my 811 (for the new MPEG4 shows), but lack of TiVo support would be a big enough no-no for me to dump Dish for Cable. Seems this won't be necessary. 

I hope Dish realizes they should NOT attempt to 'gently coerce' TiVo subscribers to get Dish PVRs. That'll never happen ... lack of HD TiVos notwithstanding. Simple fact  I'd sooner switch providers than DVRs!


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## jallison86

I just got a 211. Longtime dish network subscriber, new to HD. I too had the wonderful experience of seeing my TiVo record the bouncing Dish Network logo. So *thanks* to those who posted directions for the menu settings that disable the guide (I have my TiVo guide, thank you) and the inactivity nonsense. The receiver's user manual is totally useless in this regard. I just set the new values, so we'll so how we're doing tomorrow.



ashu said:


> I hope Dish realizes they should NOT attempt to 'gently coerce' TiVo subscribers to get Dish PVRs. That'll never happen ... lack of HD TiVos notwithstanding. Simple fact  I'd sooner switch providers than DVRs!


I could not agree more. TiVo's got the best UI and the best network capabilities.

-Jeff


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## mohanram

I have a Tivo and I find that even after disabling the inactivity standby and Updates, the Vip211 still goes into sleep mode. This is extremely annoying. If I do not watch TV for a few days and switch on my Tivo & TV, I find my Tivo has only been recording a blank screen. Extremely annoying. Disable should disable it. Disable is not working on this box. I just want to cancel my Dish service but damn the 18 month contract!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## nimzo

i have the same issue....freaking annoying....!..I am going to set auto tune for some channel for every eight hours .....lets see if it works


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