Ability to Disable Automatic Updates Removed?

[dennisdt]

I used to disable automatic updates on the 625 because I work completely random hours and also because I don't like the idea of something automatically updating itself without me knowing exactly what it's doing and when. The fact that most of Dish's updates degrade the service and device didn't help those feelings.

Now it seems the ability to disable automatic updates has been removed. I can still set a time, which is useless in my case, but can't completely disable it. Not only that but when it does go to shutdown for the update it pops up the cancel box for only a few seconds, so if you blink you miss it. Also I've experienced crashes shortly after canceling the shutdown many times.

Then you have times like last night; I set an alarm to go off at 3 AM to remind me to look at the television for the shutdown dialog. 3 AM came and went with no dialog popping up. Instead the red record light came on to record a stupid advertisement for NBA League Pass. The shutdown time was automatically moved to 4 AM instead; luckily I was looking at the screen the few seconds the shutdown box came up at the new time.

Does anyone know a way around this, or at least have similar complaints?

Thanks.

[Stewart Vernon]

There have been lots of threads about this... The Dish receivers need to update their EPG data nightly, as well as some other memory/hard drive stuff + potentially firmware updates.

You can abort this nightly update if you are watching when it prompts... but you'll quickly find that your EPG is out of date in terms of future programming... so there's really no advantage in trying to bypass this.

[P Smith]

Main reason for the reboots is sloppy code what has 'memory leak'; many notes ppl did send to dish when first Linux based [721] DVR came to market regarding the issue. But their coders/mgmt did decide go to implement 'real' solution - overnight reboots. :( Perhaps that team was at Eldon, UK but the idea live up today.

[dennisdt]

The box downloads the current and next hour or two of program data live as you watch if you don't do a mass update, that was enough for me for schedules (which I rarely use anyway), for long term TV listings I used online sources instead, which I'd do regardless, don't like their on screen program guide at all. Worse case, I'd just scroll beyond what I have available and it'd pop up a dialog allowing me to download the guide data on demand.

One of the reasons I disabled updates was to avoid those firmware updates, etc. Never ran into trouble in doing so, in fact usually the opposite, the boxes became less stable when I allowed updates to come in many times. The only update I've ever made sure to get was when they unlocked the extra 50 hours of space, and a select few others.

It's pretty annoying when you buy something with a "2 hour buffer", put on a channel, turn away to work on the computer for a little bit, only to turn back around and find the box shut itself off to do a useless update. If there's no workaround I'll probably switch to a homebrew DVR setup.

[Slamminc11]

wow...

[Blowgun]

I know what you mean about how firmware updates often make matters worse. In a different forum I listed nearly 30 bugs and 10 things that could be improved with P4.08. Some are very long standing problems. None will ever get fixed leaving millions of users with varying degrees of problems as they add useless features and concentrate on newer receivers with fewer users.

The 508 that I have still has the option to disable updates, which I take advantage of. I also leave the box on 24/7. The difference between power on and power off in terms of wattage is minimal, since the box never really powers completely off. Every couple of days I do a manual EPG update and then cycle the power. With the exception of poorly written code, I've been doing this for years without any problems. Turning a receiver off is overrated. ;)

[SaltiDawg]

....

Then you have times like last night; I set an alarm to go off at 3 AM to remind me to look at the television for the shutdown dialog. ....
I hope that a moderator will move this thread to the Paranoia Forum. :rolleyes:

Anyone else ever set an alarm for 3:00AM to prevent an update? lol (Any thought to just setting the update time to a few minutes after reveille?)

He's absolutely got to be kidding, right? :rolleyes:

[chainblu]

I thought the receivers had to have new software in order to "see" the new sats when they were launched. I distinctly remember this was the case when they sent up the new 110 a few years ago. If that's the case, I would assume your receiver would eventually stop functioning.

[P Smith]

I thought the receivers had to have new software in order to "see" the new sats when they were launched. I distinctly remember this was the case when they sent up the new 110 a few years ago. If that's the case, I would assume your receiver would eventually stop functioning.

That's correct only for new installation when old satellites are unavailable.
[When you saw that last time ? ;)]

All other time ( as you can imagine it's happening 99.9999999% of time ) all receivers getting the info (sats/tpns/channels/EPG/EEPG/etc) from every satellite on-line !

[phrelin]

Hmmm. Well I always knew there must be somebody who watches TV 24/7 and therefore could find no possible available time slot for a regular update every day. :rolleyes: :nono:

[P Smith]

This is not an update per se, but "house cleaning" requirement. All necessary updates happening WITHOUT reboots at least each 4 hours.

[dennisdt]

Anyone else ever set an alarm for 3:00AM to prevent an update? lol (Any thought to just setting the update time to a few minutes after reveille?)

Hmmm. Well I always knew there must be somebody who watches TV 24/7 and therefore could find no possible available time slot for a regular update every day. :rolleyes: :nono:

Hmmm. Some poor readers here it seems? In the very first sentence I said I work completely randomly hours, it's not simply I can't find a time because I watch TV 24 hours a day...

I used to disable automatic updates on the 625 because I work completely random hours .... I can still set a time, which is useless in my case...

I do programming and server administration, one day I can be writing code at 3 PM and the next day doing updates on some servers at 3 AM.

[phrelin]

This is not an update per se, but "house cleaning" requirement. All necessary updates happening WITHOUT reboots at least each 4 hours.I just base things on what is communicated by the box's screen which seems pretty straightforward to me and I do change the time when I plan to record something that could interfere or be interfered with by an "update":

http://www.phrelin.com/Dish/updates.jpg

[GrumpyBear]

I do programming and server administration, one day I can be writing code at 3 PM and the next day doing updates on some servers at 3 AM.

I work the same strange hrs, and travel about 110k miles a year as well.
I have the update set to 12am, as I am on the west coast.
When I am working the late hrs and have the TV on for background noise, I have no problems hitting the cancel button when I see the flashing countdown.
If your sitting there, watching it, hit the cancel button, if your not watching , then the show really isn't that important, and when everthing goes quiet, which does happen, when you working, you can't rewind a show, but you only lose a minute of your background noise.

[Jhon69]

The box downloads the current and next hour or two of program data live as you watch if you don't do a mass update, that was enough for me for schedules (which I rarely use anyway), for long term TV listings I used online sources instead, which I'd do regardless, don't like their on screen program guide at all. Worse case, I'd just scroll beyond what I have available and it'd pop up a dialog allowing me to download the guide data on demand.

One of the reasons I disabled updates was to avoid those firmware updates, etc. Never ran into trouble in doing so, in fact usually the opposite, the boxes became less stable when I allowed updates to come in many times. The only update I've ever made sure to get was when they unlocked the extra 50 hours of space, and a select few others.

It's pretty annoying when you buy something with a "2 hour buffer", put on a channel, turn away to work on the computer for a little bit, only to turn back around and find the box shut itself off to do a useless update. If there's no workaround I'll probably switch to a homebrew DVR setup.


Look on the bright side if you had one of Dish's ViP DVRs you would only have a 1 hour buffer.:eek2::confused:

[GrumpyBear]

Look on the bright side if you had one of Dish's ViP DVRs you would only have a 1 hour buffer.:eek2::confused:
I really enjoy my 2 1hr hour buffers, on the ViP. Much more function and flexible to have 2 instead of 1 buffer

[dennisdt]

When I am working the late hrs and have the TV on for background noise, I have no problems hitting the cancel button when I see the flashing countdown.
If your sitting there, watching it, hit the cancel button, if your not watching , then the show really isn't that important, and when everthing goes quiet, which does happen, when you working, you can't rewind a show, but you only lose a minute of your background noise.

Sounds like we might have a different shutdown box come up, since mine isn't a "flashing countdown", it's simply a box that pops up with a Yes/No/Cancel option, no countdown, no flashing, no audible tone alerting its on screen, and is literally only on screen for a few seconds. If you turn away for just 1 minute, the box would be long gone.

Whats the point of having a live buffer if you have to constantly be watching to look out for the box? Remember when DVR's first came out the marketing behind them was "pause live TV", this is an extremely common use of them.

[DNSFSS]

Sounds like we might have a different shutdown box come up, since mine isn't a "flashing countdown", it's simply a box that pops up with a Yes/No/Cancel option, no countdown, no flashing, no audible tone alerting its on screen, and is literally only on screen for a few seconds. If you turn away for just 1 minute, the box would be long gone.

Whats the point of having a live buffer if you have to constantly be watching to look out for the box? Remember when DVR's first came out the marketing behind them was "pause live TV", this is an extremely common use of them.

Whoa...deja vu.... The updates at most take about 7 minutes, maybe you should call E* and tell them that they "owe" you for that time that you're paying for service and not getting to watch what you're paying for! :hurah: But at least I guess you're not arguing that E* "broke* your receiver.. :lol: again...

[GrumpyBear]

Sounds like we might have a different shutdown box come up, since mine isn't a "flashing countdown", it's simply a box that pops up with a Yes/No/Cancel option, no countdown, no flashing, no audible tone alerting its on screen, and is literally only on screen for a few seconds. If you turn away for just 1 minute, the box would be long gone.

Whats the point of having a live buffer if you have to constantly be watching to look out for the box? Remember when DVR's first came out the marketing behind them was "pause live TV", this is an extremely common use of them.
Very different popup's then.
Mine is there for 2 minutes. I understand the idea of Pausing live TV, do it all the time. Even do it across 2 tuners at the sametime, multiple times a day.

[dennisdt]

Whoa...deja vu.... The updates at most take about 7 minutes, maybe you should call E* and tell them that they "owe" you for that time that you're paying for service and not getting to watch what you're paying for! :hurah: But at least I guess you're not arguing that E* "broke* your receiver.. :lol: again...
I don't care how long the updates take, I'm talking about the fact it shuts the box off and the option to cancel the shutdown is on the screen for literally seconds. It'd be a lot better if they had the option to do updates after inactivity rather than a set time (since as I stated prior, the time of day I'm watching is completely random due to work). Or at least put the pop up on screen for longer than just a few seconds, and maybe make an alert sound when it pops up.

Wow, I was going to say what did I walk into a Echostar shareholders forum or something? Guess not, apparently I walked into their employees forum though. I guess I've offended some of their developers when I said I don't want your updates that make the box less stable.

Adios.

[DNSFSS]

...Guess not, apparently I walked into their employees forum though. I guess I've offended some of their developers when I said I don't want your updates that make the box less stable.

Adios.


Yes, the E* employees forum *heavy sarcasm*...I'm the only one that posted that is an E* employee.

I would hate to give the suggestion that you take less than one minute of your precious time to change your update time to make it more convenient for you. That just doesn't seem to be an option for you. You want E* to make things work at a time that'll work for you and who cares about everyone else? Sounds like your alarm clock may be off if you are missing the updates, because if you set it for 3am, that's when it happens DAILY.

Then again, you'd probably complain when you couldn't go as far ahead in the guide as you used to be able to if you disabled the updates, and then would complain about having to wait the 5 minutes for the guide to download.

Farewell to you as well, I'm sorry that the logical answers and extra steps that you might have to take to customize your update time is too much for you.

[jballard]

I see this update stupidity is affecting other customers too. It's not just us Tivo users who are complaining!
Fix It!

[dennisdt]

Did you even read my posts or just replied based on the thread title, I'm just going to quote my prior posts here...

I would hate to give the suggestion that you take less than one minute of your precious time to change your update time to make it more convenient for you ... I'm sorry that the logical answers and extra steps that you might have to take to customize your update time is too much for you.

I used to disable automatic updates on the 625 because I work completely random hours ... I can still set a time, which is useless in my case...

Then again, you'd probably complain when you couldn't go as far ahead in the guide as you used to be able to if you disabled the updates, and then would complain about having to wait the 5 minutes for the guide to download.

The box downloads the current and next hour or two of program data live as you watch if you don't do a mass update, that was enough for me for schedules (which I rarely use anyway), for long term TV listings I used online sources instead, which I'd do regardless, don't like their on screen program guide at all. Worse case, I'd just scroll beyond what I have available and it'd pop up a dialog allowing me to download the guide data on demand.

...Yup, certainly sounds like I'd complain about that, huh?

I don't know where you got the idea I have a problem with the time it takes to download the data itself. I suggest you re-read (or read for the first time?) my posts because you apparently completely misunderstood what my complaint was.

[Stewart Vernon]

I think everybody should take a few steps back before this thread gets out of hand.

Let's not turn this into a war session that closes the thread. Thanks.

[SaltiDawg]

...I guess I've offended some of their developers when I said I don't want your updates that make the box less stable. ...Now you're simply trolling.... or did I "mis-read" you? lol :rolleyes:

[GrumpyBear]

I don't care how long the updates take, I'm talking about the fact it shuts the box off and the option to cancel the shutdown is on the screen for literally seconds. It'd be a lot better if they had the option to do updates after inactivity rather than a set time (since as I stated prior, the time of day I'm watching is completely random due to work). Or at least put the pop up on screen for longer than just a few seconds, and maybe make an alert sound when it pops up.

Wow, I was going to say what did I walk into a Echostar shareholders forum or something? Guess not, apparently I walked into their employees forum though. I guess I've offended some of their developers when I said I don't want your updates that make the box less stable.

Adios.
I agree that the Popup needs to be longer on the screen for 625 users. Strange that its so short in comparison to other recievers. I think you should write and complain about that. This should be an easy fix, and should be the same across the board anyways.

I know you think that updates make your box unstable(hmm, Tivo users creates a new account?) Somebody has issued a update to fix a problem, or upgrade a feature. I know you think that a 2 hour guide is ok, there are plenty of other users, and even Hardware review sites, that think 9 days is barely enough.
Just how far behind, is Dish supposed to allow users, to be on firmware?

Maybe its my tech support background, and I know for a fact, that a large percentage of calls were fixed, or couldn't even be worked on until client had upgraded either our software, or the firmware on the device connected to it. This was an across the board, Didn't matter if was CA, HP, SUN, Microsoft, or Novell. Just how many calls, does tech support have to deal with, were the fix was as simple as a reboot that forced a update? I know every call center I setup nowadays, call resolution, is tracked for these kind of things to generate reports.

Granted Dish could create a superuser feature, that would allow a user to update at there convience, but how does one qualify as a superuser?

As somebody that works odd hours, and on call for all sorts of people, that have no clue to timezones, or even when work hours really are. I do understand were you are coming from, problem is we are a minority in this world, and we will always have to make adjustments.

Not trying to say this isn't a issue, its just that, its the mass's vs the few type of thing.

[P Smith]

And again for some not listening persons here: the daily reboots introduced during developing first Linux based DishDVR [721]. SW coders did not came with any solution to eliminate their own SW problems , but reboots.
That Linux version still running for weeks/months without any reboot on other computers.
If you know names who wrote the Dish addintions for the DishLinux flavor - ask them why such reboots need to happen daily ?
[Also you could ask them why many of those bright guys quit from Dish ?]

[Blowgun]

Dennisdt; I think you're making a valid point. I often chase live while I'm working and there are moments when I can only listen to the TV audio. If you are only getting a couple seconds to decide whether the update should continue and lose your buffer or not, that doesn't seem right. Much like warning that appears when a timer is about to fire, it went from a pleasant 5 minutes to an impatient 3 minutes. Obviously for reasons I already mentioned my receiver doesn't have update issues, but I can understand your frustration.

[GrumpyBear]

Dennisdt; I think you're making a valid point. I often chase live while I'm working and there are moments when I can only listen to the TV audio. If you are only getting a couple seconds to decide whether the update should continue and lose your buffer or not, that doesn't seem right. Much like warning that appears when a timer is about to fire, it went from a pleasant 5 minutes to an impatient 3 minutes.Obviously for reasons I already mentioned my receiver doesn't have update issues, but I can understand your frustration.
Now I could get behind an effort to move the warnings back out to 5min's vs the 2 minutes I have now. 522 is still 5min's, as well as parents 311 has a 5 minute warning/countdown.
Now a poll/movement to restore the 5min warning would get some support.

[dennisdt]

Ultimately I don't really care about the updates themselves (nor any time it takes for them to transfer as some thought), I would prefer greater control over them, but if they want to force them, that's fine. The main thing I'm concerned with is the shutdown itself. Like I said before, I think the best solution would be to allow updates to occur after a certain amount of inactivity rather than at a particular time. They already have an inactivity shut off feature, so it shouldn't be too difficult to add.

In the mean time one solution I'm thinking about doing is setting up my computer's IR blaster to pulse the Cancel button at the update time.

Side note, I'm not a Tivo user creating a new account, I think some of the negative comments directed towards me are because some people think I am. I guess we just share the same complaint but for different reasons.

[DNSFSS]

Ultimately I don't really care about the updates themselves (nor any time it takes for them to transfer as some thought), I would prefer greater control over them, but if they want to force them, that's fine. The main thing I'm concerned with is the shutdown itself. Like I said before, I think the best solution would be to allow updates to occur after a certain amount of inactivity rather than at a particular time. They already have an inactivity shut off feature, so it shouldn't be too difficult to add.

In the mean time one solution I'm thinking about doing is setting up my computer's IR blaster to pulse the Cancel button at the update time.

Side note, I'm not a Tivo user creating a new account, I think some of the negative comments directed towards me are because some people think I am. I guess we just share the same complaint but for different reasons.

Apologies for any misunderstanding. I've just learned to accept that everything with E* changes at the drop of a hat and that most things they "fix" are beyond any control. All I wanted to do was suggest a different way of doing what I thought you were trying to do.

[GrumpyBear]

I think the best solution would be to allow updates to occur after a certain amount of inactivity rather than at a particular time. They already have an inactivity shut off feature, so it shouldn't be too difficult to add.

Now that is a Big +1 idea, and a great resolution to the problem

[dennisdt]

Apologies for any misunderstanding. I've just learned to accept that everything with E* changes at the drop of a hat and that most things they "fix" are beyond any control. All I wanted to do was suggest a different way of doing what I thought you were trying to do.

Apology completely accepted, and I apologize if I came off hostile at all. Thank you for providing the suggestions you had.

[James Long]

I think the best solution would be to allow updates to occur after a certain amount of inactivity rather than at a particular time. They already have an inactivity shut off feature, so it shouldn't be too difficult to add.
I've got that inactivity shut off disabled ... the receiver will shut itself off at the appointed time. I don't need it off any earlier.

Folks, don't forget that you set the time. Set it for some time that you don't mind a reset. I have my 622 set for 4:05am ... my 211 is set for 7:00am. I've never bought into the paranoia of "never allow updates". I trust that by the time firmware is sent to my receiver someone else has taken any serious bugs out of it ... other changes are just part of the adventure.

If you can find bug free TV go subscribe to it. I have not found it yet. Cable outages for no particular reason ... OTA stations that can't get good signal coverage. It is all part of the viewing experience.

[Jhon69]

I really enjoy my 2 1hr hour buffers, on the ViP. Much more function and flexible to have 2 instead of 1 buffer

Oh I agree imagine my shock when after the Dish installer installed my Dish 625 and I found out it has 2-2 hour buffers?.:D

[Blowgun]

I've got that inactivity shut off disabled ... the receiver will shut itself off at the appointed time. I don't need it off any earlier.

I too have the inactivity shut off disabled. I don't want the receiver in standby at all.

I have my 622.... my 211.... I've never bought into the paranoia of "never allow updates". I trust that by the time firmware is sent to my receiver someone else has taken any serious bugs out of it....

That sounds a bit naive. Trusting that by the time the firmware gets sent out that the fine programmers at DISH have taken any serious bugs out of it. I guess updates for the 622 and 211 are only for adding new features. Must be great owning those receivers.

In that case, I suspect that you would be of a different opinion if you used a 5xx receiver these days. As soon as I can afford to upgrade I will be doing so, but in the meantime we're stuck with buggy 5xx receivers and DISH doesn't seem to be all too concerned that some of the serious and long standing bugs ever get fixed.

If you were to see firmware updates add useless features and introduce new problems, you might get a little tired of it. IF you see that happen time after time, you might get to the point that you don't want to update the receiver until you absolutely have no other choice. Having the ability to disable automatic updates is a nice feature that should be availble on all receivers, and not just the select few.

The EKB software upgrade page for the 5xx receivers would look much different if I had the individual firmware versions for when the bugs I found were first introduced.

If you can find bug free TV go subscribe to it. I have not found it yet. Cable outages for no particular reason ... OTA stations that can't get good signal coverage. It is all part of the viewing experience.

You're correct that there are other problems, but I don't see that invalidating DISH problems. I don't understand why some people find it perfectly acceptable to pay over $100 a month and sit on their hands and make excuses. Things like; pink screen lockups, none live guide data wrong, FF and Rew not working properly, Today button failing to take you to Today, cut off descriptions, broken lock icons, Right button shows wrong information at times, out of the blue lockups, progression gauge not always appearing, pause getting stuck, timers that can eat up all available space, switching between search and events lockups, timers that won't fire. Those and much more have been going on for years. It's not paranoia, it's the reality for some of us and I wouldn't mind it if I had less of that part of the viewing experience. :)

[SaltiDawg]

....Having the ability to disable automatic updates is a nice feature that should be availble on all receivers, and not just the select few. ....
Virtually every on-line device in my home requires that updates be installed on a mandatory basis. X-box 360 and Play Station 3 are like this. Heck, even individual games require updates be installed before continued usage. In order to allow addressing fixes to specific problems it would seem entirely reasonable that the software be seen on a fixed and common basis.

I've been a E* for many years with many different receivers and I have never came downstairs to find a newly updated receiver failing to work.

[Blowgun]

Virtually every on-line device in my home requires that updates be installed on a mandatory basis. X-box 360 and Play Station 3 are like this. Heck, even individual games require updates be installed before continued usage. In order to allow addressing fixes to specific problems it would seem entirely reasonable that the software be seen on a fixed and common basis.

Can't speak to the XBox. However, the latest PS3 firmware was not mandatory, although most are. Those that are mandatory cripple various aspects of the PS3 unnecessarily until updated. The recent update, for example that redesigned the XMB, has angered many people. Heck, you can't even log into your PSN account without swallowing the pill. Some folks have reported that their PS3 was bricked after updating. The latest update to Home has cause problems and angered many. The lack of any communication from the team only adding fuel to the firestorm. Or, that games that weren't crashing before with the earlier firmware, now crash. Going so far as to take their updated Slims back to the store of purchase and exchanging it for one with an older firmware version and then not updating the replacement, which results in the game now working again. The PS3 isn't a good example of updates.

Since emergency fixes aren't released, nor are reverts, your stuck. Although you do have one option with the PS3 that you don't have with a DISH receiver, I'm told that you can kludge back to an earlier version.

Both my receiver and TV have firmware updating capabilities. Imagine coming home and powering up the TV only to find that it's locked up due to a poorly written and mandatory update. Or, pressing a button on the remote too many times causes the TV to lockup. If there was an option, once I got a relatively stable version, I'd disable updates. I could careless what new bells and whistles were added in future updates.

Just because something can be updated with something newer doesn't mean you should. I wouldn't update the BIOS on a fully functioning motherboard anymore then I should have to update the firmware on any other device that I deem working good, unless given no choice or I knew that the update fixed a particular problem. True with most drivers. Newer is not always better.

I've been a E* for many years with many different receivers and I have never came downstairs to find a newly updated receiver failing to work.

The fact remains that the 5xx receivers have many problems that are not being addressed with updates.

Back to the topic; I don't think the solution should be to set up a computer to pulse the cancel button repeatedly. The option to disable updates should be made available on all receivers.

Why include the option to disable updates on a receiver that, if anything, needs updating badly and remove the option on receivers that, supposedly, don't need them?

[SaltiDawg]

...

The fact remains that the 5xx receivers have many problems that are not being addressed with updates. ...
I had two 508 receivers years ago. They were long ago hauled to the dump for recycling. I can't believe that Dish is still issuing updates for thos receivers.

I get the impression that you believe that you are in a position to know the contents/problems addressed in a given update. I doubt it. :nono2:

[Blowgun]

They haven't issued an update in about a year. Never the less, millions are still used by DISH.

No, I'm in the unfortunate position of knowing which problems haven't been addressed in a given update.

[jballard]

My iPhone requires updates but they let me choose when to install them. They simply notify me that they are available and let me choose when it is convienent for me to install them. My PC does the same.

[DNSFSS]

My iPhone requires updates but they let me choose when to install them. They simply notify me that they are available and let me choose when it is convienent for me to install them. My PC does the same.

Do any of those updates "break" your phone?

[jballard]

Do any of those updates "break" your phone?

If I fall too far behind or fail to install a critical update then the apps on the iPhone stop working. The basic phone keeps working.

In 10 years as a Dish customer the only time my receiver ever stopped working was when I unplugged the receiver in the guest bedroom for 4 months and then plugged it back in. I assume that auto updates will not solve this problem.

If any thought had gone into the auto update change I am sure you bright people at Dish could have come up with a way to update the receivers without acting like Big Brother!

[GrumpyBear]

I still have a 510D, and a 301d, have had both since they came out, bought them outright, and never had a problem with any updates on either one of them, and use them both EVERY DAY.
Wish the guide was more like the ViP series, and I wish the ViP series had a 5 minute warning like the 510 and 301, but you can only expect so much. No firmware update has caused a loss of function, or caused either one to become a brick.

I agree with the OP, that the updates could be more flexible in how they get applied. Like the OP, I work very odd hours, and dream of the day, I only have a 40hr work week, and work the exact same hours Monday thru Friday but, I understand I am a minorty when it comes to setting my reciever for updates, that work for me.
OP and people like us, are a very small minorty, I would like to see away for updates to happen as an either or setting. At a schedule time, or after so many hrs of inactivity. Chances of that happening though, slim, and just like so many other things I will just have to punt and deal with, because of my work schedule.

[Jim5506]

Never had an update mess up one of my receivers.

Been on Dish for 6 years.

301, 510, 622, 211, 211k, 722k; all updates done without loss of service or recordings.

Ability to refuse updates was removed several years ago.

[Blowgun]

Can't speak for others, but I never said anything about an update bricking a receiver. OTOH, bugs of various types and useless features, well, that's different.

[CABill]

Updates have bricked receivers several times, but never any great quantity / percentage. I recall a 4000 update that introduced black screens periodically that continued until the next update. That update that fixed some peoples black screens and also required RMAs of others that hadn't had black screens.

The 50x update that introduced NBR didn't do at all well when DST change hit. It subtracted an hour from all existing timers every day until they could put out a quick update. NBR update is also when my 508s lost the ability to disable updates (except those forced to override the selection).

Anything that changes the memory footprint and timing of the application can introduce annoying, and some times fatal, problems for a receiver with the right (/wrong) combination of components with specific date codes or revision levels. Not just DBS receivers either.

[SaltiDawg]

Never had an update mess up one of my receivers.

Been on Dish for 6 years.
...
+1

[Blowgun]

Wow, all one has to do is remember P3.09 to know that's incorrect. :lol:

-1

Regardless of all this other stuff, the receiver should warn the user with more than a few seconds to cancel.