DVR 510 recording problem/software issue?

[HarveyLA]

Right after the release of the P309 software upgrade, I began experiencing the following problem about 10-15% of the time:
1. After viewing a recorded program, the screen goes black when you return to live TV.
2. You can restore the live TV by accessing the on screen program guide and selecting a channel
3. However, the recording function has now been lost. If you click on the "record" button on the remote, nothing happens. There is no menu. Future record timer events will not be recorded.
4. The only way to restore record capability is a reboot by holding the front panel power button down several seconds.

I called Dish Network tech support. Their only solution was to send me a replacement DVR. After several hours of work to reinstall and reconfigure the new DVR, I find that I still have the very same problem. I use the standard remote and also an advanced Sony programmable remote and it happens with both remotes. I also determined that it's not related to how fast you push the buttons. I tried doing it rather slow and the same thing happened, again after about ten tries.

Nobody else seems to be reporting this problem on dbstalk, so I'm completely baffled. Any clues??

[langlin]

Harvey, I have a 510 with 3.09 and have never seen this problem, hope this helps.

[robert koerner]

The only was I was able to solve my 510 crashing daily, similar to yours, was to buy a 522; had to replace the LNB, I didn't want to run a second run from the LNB into the house.

[James P]

I've experienced exactly the same problem with my 510 dvr. I've called Dish twice,
and was also offered only a replacement dvr. Obviously the solution is debugging their software. I sent email to their "technical advisors" and have heard nothing.

If this keeps up I plan to view all my recordings and take them up on a replacement (as long as it isn't another 510).

james p.

Right after the release of the P309 software upgrade, I began experiencing the following problem about 10-15% of the time:
1. After viewing a recorded program, the screen goes black when you return to live TV.
2. You can restore the live TV by accessing the on screen program guide and selecting a channel
3. However, the recording function has now been lost. If you click on the "record" button on the remote, nothing happens. There is no menu. Future record timer events will not be recorded.
4. The only way to restore record capability is a reboot by holding the front panel power button down several seconds.

I called Dish Network tech support. Their only solution was to send me a replacement DVR. After several hours of work to reinstall and reconfigure the new DVR, I find that I still have the very same problem. I use the standard remote and also an advanced Sony programmable remote and it happens with both remotes. I also determined that it's not related to how fast you push the buttons. I tried doing it rather slow and the same thing happened, again after about ten tries.

Nobody else seems to be reporting this problem on dbstalk, so I'm completely baffled. Any clues??

[HarveyLA]

I've experienced exactly the same problem with my 510 dvr. I've called Dish twice,
and was also offered only a replacement dvr. Obviously the solution is debugging their software. I sent email to their "technical advisors" and have heard nothing.

If this keeps up I plan to view all my recordings and take them up on a replacement (as long as it isn't another 510).

james p.

James, I am much relieved to find out I'm not alone with this vexing problem.
I have since discovered if you exit a recorded program (after you have finished viewing and stopping it) by pressing the "view TV" button instead of using the "cancel" menus to return to live TV, the hangup happens much less often. But even if live TV appears, you might still have a problem. So...

I have also gotten into the habit of pushing the "record" button on the remote when I have finished viewing for the day, to be sure the instant record menu pops up. If it appears, that is a good sign that everything is still working properly. Then you can just cancel that menu. If it does not appear, chances are your future timer recordings will not record. In that case, just reboot by holding the front panel power button down for several seconds.

And perhaps there is no rational reason for doing this, but I also power the DVR off at night, then turn it on again in the morning, which I wasn't doing before. Don't know if somehow this is helping things. There haven't been any new software upgrades. I am limping along for the next few months.. until around November when I plan to upgrade to the VIP 622. Hope they get all the bugs out of it by then! I could be going from the frying pan into the fire.

[robert koerner]

It also helps if you can hit stop before the the end of what you are watching.

[CornChex]

I'm so glad to read all of your comments. I am having the same problem with my 510, and it started when I got a new software download--the one that adds the DISH on demand movie feature. (Which, IMHO, is a monumental ripoff. Paying extra money for stale movies that you can watch only once!)

I don't really think that debugging his software is any huge priority with E*. They have their money from loyal folks like us, and if we want it to work right we will have to pay out of the nose by buying their newest hardware.

It is sad when a company leaves their loyal customers behind because they have bigger fish to fry.... :nono2:

[HarveyLA]

I'm so glad to read all of your comments. I am having the same problem with my 510, and it started when I got a new software download--the one that adds the DISH on demand movie feature. (Which, IMHO, is a monumental ripoff. Paying extra money for stale movies that you can watch only once!)

I don't really think that debugging his software is any huge priority with E*. They have their money from loyal folks like us, and if we want it to work right we will have to pay out of the nose by buying their newest hardware.

It is sad when a company leaves their loyal customers behind because they have bigger fish to fry.... :nono2:

Thank you CornChex. Let's hope that everyone with a similar problem who reads this will add to this thread and also REPORT THE PROBLEM TO DISH, asking that it be sent to the software debuggers. Maybe if there are enough of us, it will get their attention.

[robert koerner]

Dish will probably become aware of the problem from people calling them vrs people on this site.

Since I had that problem before the software down load, it seems as if this has been a looooooong time problem.

My 510 would crash when I was watching a recording, while it was recording something else, and I'd be programming it to record a future event. Sometime it would crash at the end of play back when it was just recording something else, and I wasn't in guide.

It crashed so often, under identical circumstances, that I'd only program it to record during a commercial.

The way I solved my 510 crashing was to replace it with a 522. In addition to recording two programs at once, it is much easier to program.

[James P]

Thank you CornChex. Let's hope that everyone with a similar problem who reads this will add to this thread and also REPORT THE PROBLEM TO DISH, asking that it be sent to the software debuggers. Maybe if there are enough of us, it will get their attention.

I received email from the Dish technical folks (to whom I sent a complaint days ago) telling me that they were aware of the problem with the P309 software upgrade on the 510 dvr and that they were working on a software fix.

james p

[HarveyLA]

That's good news. And it tends to reduce the frustration factor when we find out they admit there's a software problem and they're trying to fix it.

I'd like to think we had something to do with it, but chances are they were bombarded by similar complaints with a big spike in DVR returns, since the lower level tech people answering the phones did not have a clue as to the real problem.

In the meantime, my "band-aid solution" outlined above, seems to be working.

[Frostwolf]

I received email from the Dish technical folks (to whom I sent a complaint days ago) telling me that they were aware of the problem with the P309 software upgrade on the 510 dvr and that they were working on a software fix.

james p

So when are we going to get this fix? 3.60 didn't fix it for me.