# Why the 721 is going to get little attention



## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

Imagine your Dish. You sold a small number of 721s, it was never very popular
no doubt because of its high price. Now the software was never really polished,
and the latest software release sadly introduced some new problems too. Its now
out of production and your selling whats left in inventory.

At this time your introducing a entire new line of receivers, includuing the
322, 522, 811, and 921. The DVRs are fee based a new revenue source.

If YOU were charlie would you use your limited resources to fix the 721 or care
for all your new boxes, and get to the 721 when your group gets time?


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## Guest (Oct 25, 2003)

Bob Haller said:


> If YOU were charlie would you use your limited resources to fix the 721 or care for all your new boxes, and get to the 721 when your group gets time?


I'd make good on my software and feature promises for the 721 if I expect my current subscribers to buy 322s, 522s, 811s, and most important of all *$$$* 921s *$$$*.

On another note ... I was told by a (so far) reliable source that the 721 is NOT discontinued and is NOT being replaced by the 522. It was explained to me (by the same source) that the 522 is designed to be a 2 room solution (2 outputs show 1 tuner each to 2 TVs) where the 721 and 921 are a 2 tuner to 1 TV solution (1 output shows 2 tuners to 1 TV). That makes sense to me as most TVs don't have enough inputs as it is and the 522 would suck up 1 extra input to do the same job as a 721 (or 921).

Either way, Dish needs to make good on its 721 software and feature promises. If Dish expects people to shell out $1000 bucks for a 921 they NEED to get the 921 VERY close to right the day it comes out of the box.


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## TomCat (Aug 31, 2002)

It wouldn't surprise me to see the 721 resurface with a new model number (and VOD fees, of course).


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## Mike D-CO5 (Mar 12, 2003)

The 722 receiver perhaps? two tuner/ two outputs.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

721 is not on any E literatrure and even Scott admitted its really close to discontinued. I HOPE I AM WRONG, only time will tell.....


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## jcrash (Jul 22, 2002)

Bob Haller said:


> Imagine your Dish. You sold a small number of 721s, it was never very popular
> no doubt because of its high price. Now the software was never really polished,
> and the latest software release sadly introduced some new problems too. Its now
> out of production and your selling whats left in inventory.
> ...


it aint that broke...


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

jcrash said:


> it aint that broke...


Ahh do you still say that given the latest software bugs?


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

Bob, 

Based on a number of your posts and that I am under the impression the 921 is based off the 721 software, I thought I would poll the group to see if the 721 is reliable. So far most people have said yes it is reliable. 

As for fixing 721 problems. Dish has been known to update software even on ther 4900 models long after they have moved on to new versions. If the 921 is based off the 721, I would expect defects common to both platforms to be fixed and usually there is a sustaining team that will continue to clean things up. Maybe no new features will get added, but I am sure dish will fix any nasty bugs contained in the 721. If there are any.

Based on all the posts I have seen from you, I was under the impression that this product was bug ridden and useless. If this was the case, the 921 would have not hope in my eyes. I have personally come to the conclusion that is not the case.. I am sure there are issues, but not to the level that you seem to indicate. 

Since you seem to be considering the jump to D*, I am suprised at your continue effort to drive the point home over and over again. I think it is safe to say, you are not happy with your 721. You have had a lot of issues with E* and maybe D* would be a better place for you. 

So my take is that the 721 will get less attention, but they will not stop working at stablizing the software. Also, if I recall you have a huge number of timers... My suggestiong is drop the number down and see if stability is acheived. Maybe you have already done this, but I thought I would through it out. 

My 2 cents.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

Honestly once my dishpro problems and lost tuner issues were settled we were complacent. Then almost immediately the downloaded this latest buggy software. Most posters here admit they prefer the old one. It was pretty stable and had few bugs.

Now the only question is how long will it take for E to fix this software? After all it took a year for its release. With all the new boxes coming out how much of a priority will the discontinued 721 have?

My bad attitude is partially from personal experience and partial;ly from some E insiders who are very concerned at the direction their company as taken. Workers wonder why things have changed just like some of us do. 

As soon as I get the bucks were converted. I really wanted to wait for the D high Def tivo. I guess theres always the hope that E will fix this latest software. My 508s are running good at this time.

SAD that we dumped the Dishplayers and spent big bucks on the 721 only to run into the same sort of problems. This time they cant blame microsoft.....


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## dbronstein (Oct 21, 2002)

WeeJavaDude said:


> Bob,
> 
> .....
> 
> Based on all the posts I have seen from you, I was under the impression that this product was bug ridden and useless. If this was the case, the 921 would have not hope in my eyes. I have personally come to the conclusion that is not the case.. I am sure there are issues, but not to the level that you seem to indicate.


Yes, if you only read what Bob wrote, you'd think the 721 never recorded anything it was supposed to, had to be rebooted every time you changed the channel, and didn't have any audio.

I have had mine for almost a year now and have very few complaints. There are some bugs - including ones that seem to have been introduced with the new software - but I have never missed a recording. Maybe I've just been lucky, I don't know. But it's not the evil monster that Bob makes it out to be.

Dennis


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

dbronstein said:


> But it's not the evil monster that Bob makes it out to be.
> 
> Dennis


Its not what I expected from what was the top of the line box and right now its more like my old dishplayer, works good somnetimes with issues from software.

Why did I pay $500+ bucks for that?


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## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

Bob Haller said:


> Imagine your Dish.


Darn Bob, I sure wish you would get some elementary grasp of the English language. You can say "you are" or "you're" but "your" is a pronoun and can not be used the way you continually use it. An example of correct usage would be "your grammar is atrocious".

Getting back to the subject at hand, the 721 is not nearly as bad as Bob makes it out to be nor is it as good as it should be. It has a couple of annoying bugs that should be fixed as soon as possible but nothing that makes it unusable.


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