New Software Spooling For DISH Model 301 Receivers

[Bill R]

I just noticed on DISH's Web Site, http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/customerCare/technical/software_versions/index.asp that version P1.84 is now spooling for DISH model 301 receivers. I have no idea of what changes it has.

[Jacob S]

If you do not notice any changes then it was an upgrade for maintenance or small unnoticable fixes, or to stop hackers.

[Bill R]

Jacob,

I don't own a model 301. I just posted the information as a FYI for those that do.

[Evil Capserian]

I got a 301. So if I notice any changes and I don't like them, can I call and tell dish to switch me back to the previous version?
I hate upgrades honestly. Dish never bothers to fully check out the new software they put on the receivers and we end up doing the work for them and calling them about the problems. In my opinion, I think we should get paid for that.

[Darkman]

hehe - ya...
But if they pay us for Club Dish, and for what you suggested, pretty soon the bill might become at Zero, or even worse - They'll owe us...

And then i woke up - all sweaty somehow :)

[xgrep]

I just noticed on DISH's Web Site, http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/customerCare/technical/software_versions/index.asp that version P1.84 is now spooling for DISH model 301 receivers. I have no idea of what changes it has.You might also notice that they're at 2.10, but at an earlier date! No idea what the story is. My DP301 is at 2.10, and I haven't found any visible change since last rev.

x

[Mark Lamutt]

Take a look at the dish pointing screens - I'm wondering if this is the version that Dish put in the software for the superdish.

[Darkman]

184 and 210 are completly different i hear...
i think there are 2 types of 301s - some's current is 2.10 and others 1.83 (and obviously currently rolling to 1.84)

[newsub]

184 and 210 are completly different i hear...
i think there are 2 types of 301s - some's current is 2.10 and others 1.83 (and obviously currently rolling to 1.84)
any idea which revision will have the longer program guide(7 days) or allow you to use the picture in guide screen without seeing the infamous "please wait while we acquire the guide" message?

[Mark Lamutt]

newsub, neither version will have a 7 day guide and no delay pulling up the video - only the dvr units can do that because the guide and video are buffered on the hard drive.

[Bill R]

184 and 210 are completly different i hear...
i think there are 2 types of 301s - some's current is 2.10 and others 1.83 (and obviously currently rolling to 1.84)
Yes, according to Claude Greiner (a DISH dealer who posts here), there are two models of the 301, the 301-010 and the 301-013.

[Jacob S]

Since there is an updated version of the 301 then what would be the difference between the two? The smart card?

Also I heard that they were going to have software to fix the 'acquiring info from satellite" message in the pip EPG.

You cannot be switched back to a previous version of software. To prevent from going to the next version of software on the 301 you would have to press:

> Menu - to get to the main menu then
> 6 - System Setup - to get to the System Setup screen
> 1 - Installation - to get to the Installation/Setup screen
> 5 - System Upgrades - to get to the System Upgrade Mode screen
> Ask before downloading - to prevent receiver from upgrading software w/out permission

[Evil Capserian]

Hey, I got to tell you that I currently get dish network and am not paying one penny for it? Actually every month, dish gives me money? How you ask? Well with Club Dish. I had roughly 9 friends who signed up with dish network and I was their referrer. So now I get a monthly credit of 45 dollars which is more than what I actually pay. So Club Dish is wonderful.

[HumpMan]

Also I heard that they were going to have software to fix the 'acquiring info from satellite" message in the pip EPG.


IIRC, sometime this month (September) the 301 will have the EPG improved to cache 4 hours of guide. Right now the guide often has to go wait for the info to spool again as only the current and next shows are readily available from any transponder. (or something like that).

By caching 4 hours of guide, it should avoid much of the waiting for the full guide to spool by and should avoid having to blank out the PIP. Of course if you want to scan ahead more than 4 hours, as I do often, you might still run into the inconvenient delay, but I can live with that. Truth be told, things have gone much better since they started compressing the guide and with the 4 hour caching it should get a little bit better. For many it may be change that makes the guide "acceptable."

the HumpMan

[Jacob S]

I used to be able to go a bit farther in the EPG than you can right now without it having to retrieve additional information from the satellite. All of these extra channels they have added such as for locals has not helped the situation. At least they are going to address the issue and I hope sometime soon as well.

[Mike D-CO5]

You can go in to the guide and push 4 or 12 or 24 and the right arrow on the remote and the guide will go out that many hours so you can see what is coming on . It still has to inquire info, but you can go ahead in the guide to what time you are interested in. I can do the same on my 508 or 721.

[Jacob S]

I know about that feature of pressing a number in the EPG and then it goes that many hours ahead, but it used to go a little further than it does now without having to acquire the information from the satellite, if I remember correctly. Once you go ahead in the EPG you can even press a number and go back that many hours..

[HumpMan]

It sure would be nice to be able to jump back and forth 24 hours at a time without having to blank the PIP and wait on the satellite, info, but maybe that is asking a bit much of the 301.

OTOH, the more I think about it, am I right that they are going to cache 4 hours, or are they trying to cache the whole 44 hours of program guide that is spooled. I forget now which it is. I'd sure love it if they cache the 44 hours and update every 4 hours with a new block of data. The only downside might be last minute schedule changes, but there may be some strategy to handle that.

As one that loves to scan the EPG, I'm eager to see what the latest 301 upgrade will bring.

the HumpMan
...whose DP301 is at rev 2.10...

[Mike Richardson]

It sure would be nice to be able to jump back and forth 24 hours at a time without having to blank the PIP and wait on the satellite, info, but maybe that is asking a bit much of the 301.

Actually if you hold down the arrow button to go forward or back and do not release it until you get to the time you want it will let you scroll without interruption. It might scroll too fast for some people but at least the functionality is there. Example: You want times for 3 PM tomorrow, hold down the right button until you get to 3 PM, release it and it will get the data block.

[Jacob S]

The PVR receivers can go 24 hours ahead (and 24 hours backwards if you are already an xx amount of hours in the guide) by pressing the skip ahead and skip back buttons. I am guessing that the 301 does not have this because it does not have anywhere to hold the EGP info.

I have heard that the new DirecTv receivers can go about a week in advance.