# VIP922 still viable?



## FBinColo

This board's been quiet for a long time. I hope knowledgeable people are still watching it.

I got a call from Dish stating that they were making changes that might (will?) cause me to lose service "in the next seven to ten days" and that they wanted to send a tech around to make changes to our equipment. I haven't found anything online about impending changes, though. I'm worried that this may be something of a scam to try to get me under contract. I'm currently running a VIP922 that I own, like it just fine and don't want to be on contract.

So how about it? Anyone have any info on changes that would make my 922 stop working? Or not?


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## JamesRJr

A few years ago that did that to me with one of our oldest DVR units, that one they really followed through on, they shut down remotely, I have not had them try to do anything with our VIP722 or VIP922 units yet. Sometimes when you get a call like that it is a scam to get your unit info, do not give any information in case it is a scam, then tell them you will call customer service later when you have some free time, follow up and see if it was a real call.


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## P Smith

FBinColo said:


> Anyone have any info on changes that would make my 922 stop working? Or not?


it's the company motto last years - keep own customers in a dark

I would accept the offer, counting two big advantages: sending a tech (scammers never did that!) and they are proactively changing old equipment (it always been a case of not touching a contract, as it is not at your will or wasn't your fault);
also, keep in mind, the company did a nasty trick with most expensive HD model 6000 "Havana" in a past when begin(!) planning switch to MPEG-4, they did cut HD functionality of the receiver in advance to force customers switch to 622 and lost they own money (that time IRDs never been on lease) ~$1000 !


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## FBinColo

This post is a couple years old but I'm hoping for an update. As I originally reported over 2 1/2 years ago, Dish threatened an end to support for the VIP922 and wanted to upgrade me and put me on contract. I ended up ignoring their suggestion and the box has served me faithfully ever since... until now.

I use it in a part-time residence and frequently pause my programming services. Upon removing the pause yesterday, the box didn't reactivate as usual. I used the "Dish Outdoors" support services to resend the activation signal several times, to no avail. When I called to see if they could help, they once again said that the VIP922 is no longer supported and I'd have to upgrade.

To be blunt, absent independent verification, I don't trust them. I don't know if they've done something to specifically impair my box (like claim to remove the pause without actually having done so) or whether there's something more general going on, but it's noteworthy that I haven't found anything online that states that the VIP922 is no longer supported -- I have only their verbal statement to that effect.

Because of my usage patterns, going on contract would commit me for many years, and with everything transitioning to streaming, that seems imprudent. The Dish subscription gets me the locals and a degree of familiarity and convenience that are worth it to me on a non-contract basis, but not if I have to make a long-term commitment.

Can anyone shed any light on this? Does the VIP922 still work for anyone on this board? Has anyone else experienced an uncorrectable loss of service?

Thanks for your input.


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## AZ.

FBinColo said:


> This post is a couple years old but I'm hoping for an update. As I originally reported over 2 1/2 years ago, Dish threatened an end to support for the VIP922 and wanted to upgrade me and put me on contract. I ended up ignoring their suggestion and the box has served me faithfully ever since... until now.
> 
> I use it in a part-time residence and frequently pause my programming services. Upon removing the pause yesterday, the box didn't reactivate as usual. I used the "Dish Outdoors" support services to resend the activation signal several times, to no avail. When I called to see if they could help, they once again said that the VIP922 is no longer supported and I'd have to upgrade.
> 
> To be blunt, absent independent verification, I don't trust them. I don't know if they've done something to specifically impair my box (like claim to remove the pause without actually having done so) or whether there's something more general going on, but it's noteworthy that I haven't found anything online that states that the VIP922 is no longer supported -- I have only their verbal statement to that effect.
> 
> Because of my usage patterns, going on contract would commit me for many years, and with everything transitioning to streaming, that seems imprudent. The Dish subscription gets me the locals and a degree of familiarity and convenience that are worth it to me on a non-contract basis, but not if I have to make a long-term commitment.
> 
> Can anyone shed any light on this? Does the VIP922 still work for anyone on this board? Has anyone else experienced an uncorrectable loss of service?
> 
> Thanks for your input.


The 922 was very unreliable, I am shocked yours worked so well. I went through 5 in like 6 years.


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## James Long

FBinColo said:


> I use it in a part-time residence and frequently pause my programming services. Upon removing the pause yesterday, the box didn't reactivate as usual.


When was the last time that your 922 worked? When did you put it on pause? Did it remain connected to the satellite feed during the pause? Can you receive any channels on your 922?


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## harsh

There really isn't much to recommend sticking with the ViP922. A Hopper Duo would probably serve you well and I don't think there would be any additional monthly fees.

Solid Signal is currently listing the Hopper Duo for $129.99+S&H. Amazon offers the Duo at $155.


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## FBinColo

I had to have my 922 recapped a number of years ago, but apart from that it's been a solid performer.

It was last off pause in early June. Startup at that time worked just fine -- call 'em up, have them remove the pause, send the activation signal once or twice (via the Dish Outdoors support page) and it's up. Loading the full channel guide generally takes overnight, but it gets an hour or two promptly after a reboot, and both the national and local channels worked fine. (I always run a switch test and check satellite signal strengths before bothering with any of this.)

The receiver was unplugged from both power and the antenna when it was last shut down.

This time, the sats look good and the initial telecon went normally, but nothing came up except the channel guide, which took overnight. The channel guide shows some On Demand channels available, but everything else is in red, as if it's not part of my subscription. On the system status page, everything looks normal. And in My Account on the website, it properly identifies my receiver as an "owned" VIP922, with no warning that it's unsupported or any such. Other than the fact that the 922 isn't shown on Dish's site as a currently available receiver, there doesn't appear to be anything in writing anywhere, from them or from anyone else, that says it's now dead. I would think someone would have noticed.

There's no way I'm getting on contract. My only two options are to get this working (by calling them back and telling them I think the first representative was feeding me a load of bull) or buying something newer. As long as this box works, I don't see any reason to buy a new one... hence, the question.

Thanks for your replies. I hope someone knows something more.


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## scooper

If you don't want to be on contract - either bring your main unit from home (and get an identical dish/ LNB setup) or simply BUY the replacement.


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## FBinColo

Simple question: Is anyone still running a Dish VIP922? I recently un-paused my programming and my receiver won't properly activate. Dish is telling me it's no longer supported and I have to upgrade. I'm willing to do that (with owned equipment, not on contract), but my 922 works perfectly and I'd rather not go through the expense and trouble of upgrading if it's not really necessary. So far, I haven't found _anything_ online that would indicate that 922s are totally shut down, which strikes me as odd if that's really the case.


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## AZ.

FBinColo said:


> Simple question: Is anyone still running a Dish VIP922? I recently un-paused my programming and my receiver won't properly activate. Dish is telling me it's no longer supported and I have to upgrade. I'm willing to do that (with owned equipment, not on contract), but my 922 works perfectly and I'd rather not go through the expense and trouble of upgrading if it's not really necessary. So far, I haven't found _anything_ online that would indicate that 922s are totally shut down, which strikes me as odd if that's really the case.


I personally found the 922 pure junk, and look back 10 years and hear all the complaints! Was a totally cool idea with the Sling box built in, thats about as far as it went...I had 5 replaced in 6 years.


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## harsh

FBinColo said:


> So far, I haven't found _anything_ online that would indicate that 922s are totally shut down, which strikes me as odd if that's really the case.


If you aren't hearing complaints of any kind, it is surely because the ViP922 is no longer in use. The ViP922 hit the market more than 12 years ago and had a relatively short lifetime (around three years) before the Hopper w/Sling came along. Firmware updates stopped coming a looooong time ago.

You can try CSR roulette, but I'm betting the scripts tell them that the ViP922 is _not to be activated_ and reasoning otherwise isn't going to change the business decision made long ago.


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## FBinColo

FYI, I just called tech support again. After the usual drill (20 questions and a reset), it's all working. Conclusion: the 922 is not dead except in the minds of the ignorant.


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## harsh

FBinColo said:


> Conclusion: the 922 is not dead except in the minds of the ignorant.


Viable is in the eye of the beholder. The new DVRs are arguably a step up in many ways. If you have to spend the better part of an hour getting the DVR reactivated, there's a cost there.


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## FBinColo

I certainly wouldn't suggest that anyone buy one, new or used, even to replace a broken one. But there's no reason not to continue using one that works, assuming it provides all the services the owner requires. And if I had known for sure that the first CSR's claim that it cannot work were BS, reactivating it would have taken me much, much less time. (It's _always_ the better part of an hour, but that's just the nature of the pause/resume drill at a part-time residence. The only part of it that's the fault of the 922 is that the box is very slow to start up and acquire the satellites. I can live with that.)


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## AZ.

FBinColo said:


> I certainly wouldn't suggest that anyone buy one, new or used, even to replace a broken one. But there's no reason not to continue using one that works, assuming it provides all the services the owner requires. And if I had known for sure that the first CSR's claim that it cannot work were BS, reactivating it would have taken me much, much less time. (It's _always_ the better part of an hour, but that's just the nature of the pause/resume drill at a part-time residence. The only part of it that's the fault of the 922 is that the box is very slow to start up and acquire the satellites. I can live with that.)


I guess my point is why has it been discontinued? You will get no help as soon as a problem arises? Best of luck, as I know how bad it was...


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## scooper

FBinColo said:


> I certainly wouldn't suggest that anyone buy one, new or used, even to replace a broken one. But there's no reason not to continue using one that works, assuming it provides all the services the owner requires. And if I had known for sure that the first CSR's claim that it cannot work were BS, reactivating it would have taken me much, much less time. (It's _always_ the better part of an hour, but that's just the nature of the pause/resume drill at a part-time residence. The only part of it that's the fault of the 922 is that the box is very slow to start up and acquire the satellites. I can live with that.)


#1 reason to put your Dish equipment on an UPS if possible....


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