721 - L1.77 Software Release Notes and Discussion

[Jason Nipp]

Software Version L1.77 for DVR 721:

• A fix for the 129-degree satellite detection
• Interactive application performance improvement and tuning to Audio/Video support
• Switch support improvement for DPPTwin
• Audio improvement on DVR skip back
• DVR fast forward at 4X speed correction
• Caller ID enhancement

[larrystotler]

Thanx Jason......

[MikeW]

I have two 721s. One box is having trouble with the extended guide on channels from 110, the other is not. Could this have been introduced in 1.77?

[Bogey62]

Originally Posted by larrystotler

Thanx Jason......

I second that!

I question these "improvments, though:

* Audio improvement on DVR skip back

My 721 still loses audio upon using the 30 second skip ahead (never on the skip back).

* DVR fast forward at 4X speed correction

LOL, correction? I'd call it choppy and crappy now -- I saw nothing that was wrong with the 4x that needed "fixing".

[rcwilcox]

Originally Posted by Jason Nipp

Software Version L1.77 for DVR 721:

• A fix for the 129-degree satellite detection
• Interactive application performance improvement and tuning to Audio/Video support
• Switch support improvement for DPPTwin
• Audio improvement on DVR skip back
• DVR fast forward at 4X speed correction
• Caller ID enhancement

Has anybody verified that the DPP Twin now works with the 721 using a seperator?

[larrystotler]

Yes

[Rob Glasser]

Originally Posted by rcwilcox

Has anybody verified that the DPP Twin now works with the 721 using a seperator?

My Dish1000 arrives with a DPP Twin tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes when I get it installed.

[DishDude1]

skip back doesn't seem to work very well with 1.77

[rcwilcox]

Roger that!

[Major-V]

Originally Posted by rcwilcox

Has anybody verified that the DPP Twin now works with the 721 using a seperator?

Yes. It is recognized by my PVR 721 and it works with the DPP Twin and separator. I sold my DPP44 and bought a DPP Twin (much cleaner on the outside now that I lost the switch and extra cable run from my 61.5 satellite to the switch).

Way to go. Finally, we have success with the DPP Twin and separator !!!

[Rob Glasser]

Originally Posted by Major-V

Yes. It is recognized by my PVR 721 and it works with the DPP Twin and separator. I sold my DPP44 and bought a DPP Twin (much cleaner on the outside now that I lost the switch and extra cable run from my 61.5 satellite to the switch).

Way to go. Finally, we have success with the DPP Twin and separator !!!

Installed a DPPTwin with a Dish1000 to my 721 and 942 last weekend. At first it would only detect the DPPTwin on the second tuner. I soft reset the receiver ran check switch again and all was well. Being running great since.

[jrbdmb]

For my (recently purchased) 721, the skip back is flaky, and the frame advance should be more prperly termed "10 frame advance". I also see quite a delay sometimes when turning on the 721 and when doing certain commands (pause, unpause, power on can take 5 to 10 seconds to work).

Have these features ever worked as expected? I'd say I wish the 721 would work as well as my 508s, but with the latest SW upgrade the 508s are now unstable and lock up regularly with Black Screens of Death.

[Bogey62]

Originally Posted by jrbdmb

For my (recently purchased) 721, the skip back is flaky, and the frame advance should be more prperly termed "10 frame advance". I also see quite a delay sometimes when turning on the 721 and when doing certain commands (pause, unpause, power on can take 5 to 10 seconds to work).

Have these features ever worked as expected? I'd say I wish the 721 would work as well as my 508s, but with the latest SW upgrade the 508s are now unstable and lock up regularly with Black Screens of Death.

Yes, the 4x used to be smooth too. The frame advance was quite accurate before the latest "upgrade". My unit seems a bit sluggish with some button presses (yes, the remote batteries are new and the unit has been rebooted recently).

[Jupiter]

Ever since my 721 got this "upgrade" I have had nothing but problems..... If it starts to record a program, the screen goes BLACK. I can't do a thing. I have to hit the PVR button, find the program it is recording, view it.... Then hit the PIP, to get back to what I was watching. After a few minutes, there are time when the PIP button no longer works. I have had to hit the Position button in order to get the PIP screen to work......

Even after a recording is over, I still need to go through a similar process to get off the BLACK screen. So usually when I get home, I turn on the TV.... The screen is BLACK. I start a recorded event. Hit stop and work my way out. Then the black screen is gone.

What are they doing over there at DISH???? I really hope everyone is telling them that this new "upgrade" is by far the worst of all time from Dish. I would give anything to be able to go back to the previous version that actually WORKED!!!!!

[Bogey62]

Originally Posted by Jupiter

What are they doing over there at DISH???? I really hope everyone is telling them that this new "upgrade" is by far the worst of all time from Dish. I would give anything to be able to go back to the previous version that actually WORKED!!!!!

What I find aazing is that not all of us have the same problems, even though we have the same receivers and the same software version.

I've been a 721 beta tester for 3+ years now. I'm also on my 6th or 7th (I lost count) unit due to various problems.

[Jupiter]

Is there any word out there for when the software may be upgraded again? As I described above, ever since my system upgraded to L1.77, I have had nothing but trouble. Dish is supposed to "get back" to me with my problems. Yeah!!! Can't wait!

Is anyone else having major issues with L1.77?

All of my problems are mostly related to recording.

#1 - So let’s say that I have a timer set to record. When that timer fires automatically on the other tuner, my screen goes black. No sound no nothing. The only way to get control back is for me to hit the DVR button and view the program that is being recorded. When I do that, it switches me over to the other tuner that is currently recording.... So I am forced to watch what is being recorded. If I hit the PIP button, and swap back to the other tuner that is not recording, I am able to watch that tuner for about 1 minute before the screen goes black again and I have to follow the same process to see anything again.

#2 – If I have two programs set to record during the same period of time, only one of them will record. Once the other tuner starts to record, the other program stops recording. I am guessing this is because the tuner went black like it did above causing the recording to stop.

Yikes.... I never had 1 problem with my system until it was upgraded to L1.77, now nothing works right.

I have rebooted via holding the power button many times. I have even unplugged the unit for 60 seconds for a more robust reboot. Nothing has changed or been fixed. I am not getting any error messages on the screen. Just Black Screens of death and missed recordings. When nothing is recording, the system seems to run normally. I can use the PIP and swap between them with no problems. The problems only happen when something is recording.

[Bogey62]

Originally Posted by Jupiter

Is there any word out there for when the software may be upgraded again? As I described above, ever since my system upgraded to L1.77, I have had nothing but trouble. Dish is supposed to "get back" to me with my problems. Yeah!!! Can't wait!

Don't hold your breath!

Is anyone else having major issues with L1.77?

I always have issues with the 721, some major and some minor.

All of my problems are mostly related to recording.

#1 - So let’s say that I have a timer set to record. When that timer fires automatically on the other tuner, my screen goes black. No sound no nothing. The only way to get control back is for me to hit the DVR button and view the program that is being recorded. When I do that, it switches me over to the other tuner that is currently recording.... So I am forced to watch what is being recorded. If I hit the PIP button, and swap back to the other tuner that is not recording, I am able to watch that tuner for about 1 minute before the screen goes black again and I have to follow the same process to see anything again.

I have never seen this once on any of my 721s, and I thought I had seen just about everything at one time or another. I know this doesn't help you, but thought I would comment on each of your issues anyways.

#2 – If I have two programs set to record during the same period of time, only one of them will record. Once the other tuner starts to record, the other program stops recording. I am guessing this is because the tuner went black like it did above causing the recording to stop.

That could very well be. I have issues with timers not firing at all or actually disappearing from my list of set timers altogether.

Yikes.... I never had 1 problem with my system until it was upgraded to L1.77, now nothing works right.

Consider yourself lucky then.

I have rebooted via holding the power button many times. I have even unplugged the unit for 60 seconds for a more robust reboot. Nothing has changed or been fixed. I am not getting any error messages on the screen. Just Black Screens of death and missed recordings. When nothing is recording, the system seems to run normally. I can use the PIP and swap between them with no problems. The problems only happen when something is recording.

All I can suggest is that you submit all of your issues to an advanced tech and have them submit an uncommon trend report -- don't waste your time with low level techs, they are programmed to spew nonsense (one of them told me my 721 was a hi-def unit!) When you get in the phone menu system just hit the button for hi-def receivers and that will bump you up to advanced tech support.

Good luck, in about 4-6 months you'll get a new software version, maybe...

[Inaba]

With this latest release, an "improvement" that I've seen that is about to drive me insane and make me switch to cable is where when a recorded show ends or you stop it, it goes back to the recorded program listings.

Previously, it would go back to the info screen of the program you had just been watching, giving you the option to erase it.

Now, when the program stops, it goes back to the listing screen, AT THE TOP. So if I'm watching a show somewhere in the middle or at the end of the list, I have to scroll down, find it again and delete it.

This is especially problematical when you have multiple shows named the same thing and accidentally delete the wrong one.

Why on earth would you change this behavior to begin with, and are they going to change it back?

[Bogey62]

Originally Posted by Inaba

Now, when the program stops, it goes back to the listing screen, AT THE TOP. So if I'm watching a show somewhere in the middle or at the end of the list, I have to scroll down, find it again and delete it.

This is especially problematical when you have multiple shows named the same thing and accidentally delete the wrong one.

Why on earth would you change this behavior to begin with, and are they going to change it back?

The pointer still stays by the show you were watching making it easy to identify in the list -- I agree it is annoying, though.

[Jupiter]

Originally Posted by Jupiter

Ever since my 721 got this "upgrade" I have had nothing but problems..... If it starts to record a program, the screen goes BLACK. I can't do a thing. I have to hit the PVR button, find the program it is recording, view it.... Then hit the PIP, to get back to what I was watching. After a few minutes, there are time when the PIP button no longer works. I have had to hit the Position button in order to get the PIP screen to work......

Even after a recording is over, I still need to go through a similar process to get off the BLACK screen. So usually when I get home, I turn on the TV.... The screen is BLACK. I start a recorded event. Hit stop and work my way out. Then the black screen is gone.

What are they doing over there at DISH???? I really hope everyone is telling them that this new "upgrade" is by far the worst of all time from Dish. I would give anything to be able to go back to the previous version that actually WORKED!!!!!

Originally Posted by Jupiter

Is there any word out there for when the software may be upgraded again? As I described above, ever since my system upgraded to L1.77, I have had nothing but trouble. Dish is supposed to "get back" to me with my problems. Yeah!!! Can't wait!

Is anyone else having major issues with L1.77?

All of my problems are mostly related to recording.

#1 - So let’s say that I have a timer set to record. When that timer fires automatically on the other tuner, my screen goes black. No sound no nothing. The only way to get control back is for me to hit the DVR button and view the program that is being recorded. When I do that, it switches me over to the other tuner that is currently recording.... So I am forced to watch what is being recorded. If I hit the PIP button, and swap back to the other tuner that is not recording, I am able to watch that tuner for about 1 minute before the screen goes black again and I have to follow the same process to see anything again.

#2 – If I have two programs set to record during the same period of time, only one of them will record. Once the other tuner starts to record, the other program stops recording. I am guessing this is because the tuner went black like it did above causing the recording to stop.

Yikes.... I never had 1 problem with my system until it was upgraded to L1.77, now nothing works right.

I have rebooted via holding the power button many times. I have even unplugged the unit for 60 seconds for a more robust reboot. Nothing has changed or been fixed. I am not getting any error messages on the screen. Just Black Screens of death and missed recordings. When nothing is recording, the system seems to run normally. I can use the PIP and swap between them with no problems. The problems only happen when something is recording.

Just an update on the issues that I was having. (listed above)

A few weeks ago, out of NOWHERE, my 721 started acting normal again. All of the problems listed above where gone. I had pretty much given up on my 721 and was hoping that new software would eventually come out. I was litterally shocked!! Now my system was upgraded to the newest version in the last few days and beyond a small problem with my menu, it seems to be working fine.

One thought that keeps coming back to me is...... What was the problem? Why did no one else have the same issues when they had the same software/hardware combination? I guess I will just keep my fingers crossed and hope that is keeps running fine. Essentially I had a 508 on my hands since October... Now that my 721 is back, I am glad that I kept patient and did not shell out more money for a new machine!

[Bogey62]

Originally Posted by Jupiter

Just an update on the issues that I was having. (listed above)

A few weeks ago, out of NOWHERE, my 721 started acting normal again. All of the problems listed above where gone. I had pretty much given up on my 721 and was hoping that new software would eventually come out. I was litterally shocked!! Now my system was upgraded to the newest version in the last few days and beyond a small problem with my menu, it seems to be working fine.

One thought that keeps coming back to me is...... What was the problem? Why did no one else have the same issues when they had the same software/hardware combination? I guess I will just keep my fingers crossed and hope that is keeps running fine. Essentially I had a 508 on my hands since October... Now that my 721 is back, I am glad that I kept patient and did not shell out more money for a new machine!

I have had problems with my 721 that no one else seemed to have -- it's quirky stuff.

Since the newest software, I have noticed two problems/features:

1) Sorting your timers by any of the 4 methods available does absolutely nothing at all.

2) You can now select info and title at the same time in the Search area.