301 question?

[atrautweiler]

I have a 301 and a DVR. When I use the guide on the 301 with picture it always says retrieving information for quite a while (1 minute). It is not hooked up to the phone and is turned off during the day. Is this normal?

[scooper]

Yes.

[boba]

Dish requires the tuner to go to the transponder the data stream is on then when it has picked up it's information it will display the inset picture. Directv receivers seem to store at least three days data so the Picture In Guide (PIG) works on their systems.

[jeffwtux]

Are they never going to be able to make a software fix for this. Last year on a Charlie Chat, they said the fix was coming. Has it not worked? Is that why the 311 was announced? Have they now given up try to fix the guide on the 301s? I don't think thats a good idea marketing-wise. 70% of their customers will have a receiver that doesn't run one of their primary features properly. They need to offer some sort of a mass free upgrade when the 311 is released(kind of like all those DirecTV card swaps). I don't know how they would do this. It would have to be a chip upgrade, and the board in the receiver would have to be compatible. Plus, either they would have to send an installer out to all the 301 owners who requested this(millions) and train the installer(big cost also), or have the customer unscrew the receiver(highly unlikely).

[scooper]

jeffwtux - the ONLY receivers for which this "feature" works (as far as I know) is the PVR's - only because they store the EPG on their harddrive.

As far as swapping out - I don't think that will happen. MAYBE E* software engineers will get it right and start saving more of the guide in memory / get the compression to start working.

[jeffwtux]

Scooper: one of the upcoming receivers is the 311 which will have memory to store 3 days of programming. Clearly, they had it with trying the software fixes. This will replace the 301 completel the instant it is released. At that point I would say how can you discontinue the 301 without replacing or offering upgrades to the 311.

[scooper]

MY point is that you will NOT be seeing E* offering to replace all the older IRD's just to deliver the PIP in the EPG. Eventually - yes they will discontinue the 301.

[HTguy]

Well, supposedly there will be a software download starting around the end of Sept. that will take care of this. Rumor has it that the DISH channels and all the local channels will be put in separate compressed data streams.