# Tech support: "Vip722 can only record one HD program at a time."



## E91 (Oct 7, 2008)

Three seperate times I've called tech support (for various issues). Three different times I was told that Vip722 can only record one HD program at a time (even when running in single mode). Last night, I corrected the tech support person and said that it could only OUTPUT one HD show. IN dual mode, it can OUTPUT one SD and one HD. In single mode, it can of course only OUTPUT one type of show. She continued to insist I was wrong and told me that the official word from Dish's "engineers" was that the Vip722/VIP622 series was designed to record only one HD at a time in both dual and single mode.

I'd write this off as just a dumb tech, but have heard it enough times to see that it is the official line. 

What gives?


----------



## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

I wish that there was a place to report bad information that we are given. I don't know if your answer was a training issue, bad information provided by DISH to the CSR or just dumb CSRs but DISH has to do something about poor (and often wrong) support.


----------



## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

It's not the official line. Look at:

http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/pdf/product_brochures/722_brochure.pdf

It says:

• Two satellite tuners allow you to select from two viewing options
• Single Mode: Picture-In-Picture (PIP) available on any TV, watch/record two live programs, record two live programs, record two live programs while watching a pre-recorded program

This document does not seem to talk about OTA which gives you the third tuner. I'm sure there are plenty of other places on their web site that describes the tuners available on the 622/722. This is just the first I found.


----------



## E91 (Oct 7, 2008)

Bill R said:


> I wish that there was a place to report bad information that we are given. I don't know if your answer was a training issue, bad information provided by DISH to the CSR or just dumb CSRs but DISH has to do something about poor (and often wrong) support.


It wasn't a CSR that gave me this information. I called DISH and asked to be transfered to tech support. Each time, tech support has said the same thing. In fact, I almost did not install DISH because I couldn't see having only one HD tunner. Fortunately, I was persistent enough to come to this forum and search on the issue. But, I'm quite sure DISH has cost themselves some buisness as a result of this inaccurate information.


----------



## E91 (Oct 7, 2008)

ChuckA said:


> It's not the official line. Look at:
> 
> http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/pdf/product_brochures/722_brochure.pdf
> 
> ...


Actually, this document acknowledges that there are two tuners but doens't say anything about recording two HD shows at once. According to DISH tech support, one tuner is HD and one is SD.


----------



## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

E91 said:


> According to DISH tech support, one tuner is HD and one is SD.


In any event, they are wrong and need to update their scripts.

I regularly record three HD programs simultaneously on Monday nights. If I had a second OTA tuner and it were possible, I'd record four.


----------



## E91 (Oct 7, 2008)

harsh said:


> In any event, they are wrong and need to update their scripts.
> 
> I regularly record three HD programs simultaneously on Monday nights. If I had a second OTA tuner and it were possible, I'd record four.


Sometimes, I record three HD programs at a time, and then watch a fourth on live TV. So, yeah, they are clearly wrong.

this just means that all the tech people have the wrong info and are providing that info to potential new customers.


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

E91 said:


> Three seperate times I've called tech support (for various issues). Three different times I was told that Vip722 can only record one HD program at a time (even when running in single mode). Last night, I corrected the tech support person and said that it could only OUTPUT one HD show. IN dual mode, it can OUTPUT one SD and one HD. In single mode, it can of course only OUTPUT one type of show. She continued to insist I was wrong and told me that the official word from Dish's "engineers" was that the Vip722/VIP622 series was designed to record only one HD at a time in both dual and single mode.
> 
> I'd write this off as just a dumb tech, but have heard it enough times to see that it is the official line.
> 
> What gives?


Just to clarify, this was tech support and not just a billing/programming CSR type? If so, there is no point in having tech support even if there is a 1-in-10 chance that a customer is going to get one that doesn't understand the basics of a ViP622/722/612.


----------



## E91 (Oct 7, 2008)

phrelin said:


> Just to clarify, this was tech support and not just a billing/programming CSR type? If so, there is no point in having tech support even if there is a 1-in-10 chance that a customer is going to get one that doesn't understand the basics of a ViP622/722/612.


Yes, this was tech support - not a CSR . And, I've gotten the exact same answer from tech support each time I call.


----------



## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

E91 said:


> Sometimes, I record three HD programs at a time, and then watch a fourth on live TV. So, yeah, they are clearly wrong.


So, tell me how you do this with only 3 tuners. You can record 3 and watch a pre-recorded program, but not a 4th live program. At least thru the same receiver.


----------



## E91 (Oct 7, 2008)

ChuckA said:


> So, tell me how you do this with only 3 tuners. You can record 3 and watch a pre-recorded program, but not a 4th live program. At least thru the same receiver.


I actually have four tuners. Two sat, one OTA, and then my Samsung TV's built-in OTA tuner. I haven't done it often, but every once in a while, I watch live TV using the Samsung's tuner while the VIP722 is recording.

And, btw, with both the OTA and Samung tuner, I'm getting crystal clear signal with just rabbit ears.


----------



## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

Okay, that's why I threw in the "At least thru the same receiver" part. So what you do is use the reciever to record 3 program at once. Then you switch to a different TV input and don't use the receiver to watch TV. Just being clear for the record since everyone new to the receivers get confused about what it can do!


----------



## E91 (Oct 7, 2008)

ChuckA said:


> Okay, that's why I threw in the "At least thru the same receiver" part. So what you do is use the reciever to record 3 program at once. Then you switch to a different TV input and don't use the receiver to watch TV. Just being clear for the record since everyone new to the receivers get confused about what it can do!


Sorry for the confusion! With guys as informed as you, I have to pay closer attention to the posts!

My bad.


----------



## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

No problem. I just wanted the record straight for any new users that come along later and read the thread. As you found, there is too much mis-information out there already.


----------



## SaltiDawg (Aug 30, 2004)

E91 said:


> ... In single mode, it can of course only OUTPUT one type of show. ...


This is not correct. In Single Mode all outputs are live and the 622/722 OUTPUTS *both* HD and SD.

I've never talked to a Tech Support person that was confused as to recording ability. :nono2:


----------



## E91 (Oct 7, 2008)

SaltiDawg said:


> This is not correct. In Single Mode all outputs are live and the 622/722 OUTPUTS *both* HD and SD.:


Yup. I stand corrected. I should have been clear about that becaues I am currently using Single mode with outputs to both a SD and HD set.



SaltiDawg said:


> I've never talked to a Tech Support person that was confused as to recording ability. :nono2:


Did you ever ask a tech person if the 722 can record two HD shows at once? Every one I've asked has said "no."


----------



## Allen Noland (Apr 23, 2002)

The 622/722 can record 3 HD/SD streams at the same time, 1 OTA, 2 satellite (SD and/or HD).


----------



## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

phrelin said:


> Just to clarify, this was tech support and not just a billing/programming CSR type? If so, there is no point in having tech support even if there is a 1-in-10 chance that a customer is going to get one that doesn't understand the basics of a ViP622/722/612.


I've gotten some really bad TSR's lately. In the past, tech support has been very good but now they're just as bad as a CSR.


----------



## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

Allen Noland said:


> The 622/722 can record 3 HD/SD streams at the same time, 1 OTA, 2 satellite (SD and/or HD).


We know that, but apparently a few of the folks at Dish don't. Their support staff has really gone downhill this past year. Maybe DBSTalk should advertise.


----------



## SaltiDawg (Aug 30, 2004)

E91 said:


> Did you ever ask a tech person if the 722 can record two HD shows at once? Every one I've asked has said "no."


Er, no. And I've never asked my auto mechanic if I really need all eight spark plugs.


----------



## E91 (Oct 7, 2008)

SaltiDawg said:


> Er, no. And I've never asked my auto mechanic if I really need all eight spark plugs.


If your mechanic worked for Dish, I wouldn't be all that confident about the outcome. 

If you are in an experimental mood, give tech support a ring and ask them yourself. I think you'll be surprised by the answer.


----------



## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

While I agree misinformation is bad and should be dealt with by Dish... I also don't tempt fate and create situations by calling and asking them questions I already know the answer to. I could call lots of Tech Support lines and ask stuff that I know and suspect they might not know, but in the end I'd just be wasting time.

The legitimate confused folks need help that they are sometimes not getting... and this is why Dish does need to really improve things with CSRs and TSRs giving out incorrect information, especially when it adversely affects Dish by undervaluing their service and equipment.


----------



## E91 (Oct 7, 2008)

HDMe said:


> While I agree misinformation is bad and should be dealt with by Dish... I also don't tempt fate and create situations by calling and asking them questions I already know the answer to. I could call lots of Tech Support lines and ask stuff that I know and suspect they might not know, but in the end I'd just be wasting time.
> 
> The legitimate confused folks need help that they are sometimes not getting... and this is why Dish does need to really improve things with CSRs and TSRs giving out incorrect information, especially when it adversely affects Dish by undervaluing their service and equipment.


I think that final paragraph is the point that DISH needs to attend to (for their own bottom line). I almost did not get DISH because I was told that the VIP722 could only record one HD show at a time. They've probably lost a few customers along the way because of such misinformation.

BTW, the reason I started this thread was NOT to get lots of you to call tech and test them. The point is that I think the tech people were given some bad information at some time or another and it has just stayed in the system.


----------



## puckwithahalo (Sep 3, 2007)

Can I call myself on my cell phone and tell you the answer I give myself?


----------



## puckwithahalo (Sep 3, 2007)

...


----------



## madwest (Apr 3, 2008)

The way I understand it (I could be completely wrong, just let me know), is that you can indeed record from 3 sources that are all "HD." However, only one (maybe 2) of those will be available to play back in HD - the HD tuner source (and maybe the OTA source). That is a result of the signal being down-converted on the non-HD tuner source and the down-converted signal is actually what is being recorded.

Does that make sense?


----------



## HobbyTalk (Jul 14, 2007)

You can record 3 HD channels at once (2 sat - 1 OTA) and ALL of them will be in HD on playback.


----------



## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

When the program is broadcast in HD it will be recorded in HD by all three tuners. The only time it is down converted is when you watch it on a non-HD connection such as TV2 or S-Video.


----------



## E91 (Oct 7, 2008)

I emailed tech support last week and asked about this. They admitted that they'd given some false information in phone calls, apologized, and promised to correct the situation. I was totally satistifed with this response and found it to be quite classy.


----------

