[DoubleT]

I have two ViP722 DVR's with a Sling Adapter that is no longer working but with a different error message.

To date, I've done the following:

• DISH has replaced both of the receivers.
• I have purchased a new Sling Adapter
• I have purchased new ethernet cables
• I have purchased a new modem and router
• I have upgraded my internet service to 6 Mbps (The highest speed available in my area with Windstream Communications DSL)
• I have spoken to DISH techs on the phone and chatted with one online who took all of the information from my ViP722 that is currently connected to my router.

The problem still persists. The Sling Adapter worked flawlessly when I first purchased it in 2012 with only a 1.5 Mbps internet connection. It suddenly stopped working on both of the 722's and that's when DISH replaced the receivers and I then took all of the above steps.

I can log on to dishanywhere.com and see my connected receiver. It even has a green light and says it's connected. I can see the live TV guide and I can send it a reboot command and it reboots the receiver.

However, when I go to "Live TV" it get the following error: "Your Slingbox is not compatible with Dish Anywhere (Error 1) or "Either your receiver or viewing device is not connected to the internet"

The second error is normally what I get when trying to connect from my phone.

In the chat I had with a DISH representative two weeks ago, they said I had the proper hardware updates on my 722 and the proper Sling Adapter version (ADEECAAR) and that they would forward the issue to their engineers and I should either be up and running in 24 to 72 hours or they would contact me. Neither has happened and I'm at my wits end with DISH Network.

Any help with this issue would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bill8198]

I have the same issue, mine has been going on for 4 months. 6 engineering tickets, multiple yelling matches with customer service, replaced the sling adapter 2 weeks ago at a cost of $70 and no fix.

My guess is there is a compatibility issue with new 722's and sling. Saw on sling message board the two companies were arguing over a firmware update. They keep saying it works, but it does not.

This is my 5th message board looking for an answer and same result - no solution, just frustrated customers.

Dish may claim they are cheaper, but sometimes, you get what you pay for.

 

[Stewart Vernon]

Multiple things... Are your ViP 722s connected to your router by ethernet? Is it possible the router's firewall could be blocking or limiting access?

Other problems aside... sometimes when you swap Dish receivers, I've seen where Dish Anywhere still "sees" old receivers that shouldn't be on your account anymore. Sometimes it is trying to connect to a receiver you no longer have, instead of the one you actually have. It's worth comparing the R00xxx numbers on the Web/app interface with your actual DVR just to be sure. Don't post them here, compare them yourself I mean.

Dish owns Sling... so there shouldn't be any finger-pointing here... IF it is a firmware issue, it's a Dish problem no matter how you slice it.

 

[DoubleT]

Thanks for the reply Stewart. I've worked through all of that with DISH and my ISP to make sure I didn't need to forward any ports or that it was being blocked. It worked flawlessly for over a year and just suddenly stopped. Netflix, hulu, YouTube and all other streaming services, work fine.

The receiver numbers match. No matter which one I connect the ethernet cable to, it shows the correct receiver number and shows it connected with a green light. I can even click on the "reboot receiver" button online or on the DISH Anywhere app on my phone, and reboot the receiver. I can see all of my recordings as well. But when I try to watch one of those recordings or view live TV, I get the "incompatible" error that I posted above.

DISH has been absolutely zero help as far as following up. This error still persists and I'm coming to the end of my rope with them.

 

[DoubleT]

I tried logging in straight to Sling's site and get the same thing. There is obviously a disconnect between the Sling adapter and the ViP722's that DISH isn't addressing.

 

[Stewart Vernon]

I don't honestly use Sling that much... but I have used it with my 922, and I used to have intermittent issues where sometimes it just wouldn't connect for Sling, even if it would let me set timers and see the content of the DVR. Your problem sounds different though. IF it is a firmware incompatibility between what is on the Sling adapter and what is on the 722, Dish can't point any fingers except to itself. I wonder, though, if they will be really motivated to fix it OR will want to move you to a Hopper 3 or Hopper w/Sling instead. My gut says they probably don't want to keep supporting the older receivers any more than they have to... so I'm not surprised if they are less than helpful on fixing this, unfortunately.

 

[Bill8198]

Good to know that Dish and Sling are the same company. Now the question is when will they fix the issue.

I have tried all you suggested to try - on multiple occasions with Dish Customer Support.

This is not an isolated issue to two users - check the other message boards.

Now when will Dish take this issue seriously enough to actually deploy engineering resources to fix it instead of the Customer Support BS of try this / try that.

 

[DoubleT]

Well, I tried once again on April 3rd, to get this resolved. I spoke to a DISH tech through their Facebook page this time. I was hopeful after an hour and a half with the tech because I actually was given a case number. I gave them all of the info and screenshots asked for and waited the requested 7-10 business days for their "engineers" to look at the issue.

I tried it again this evening and I'm still getting the same error. So, I went to the DISH website and opened a chat with a tech and sent him the entire conversation that I saved from the Facebook chat with "Matt H." the DISH tech and gave him the reference number that was given to me.

The tech tonight said no notes had been added to my account. The only notes were from when I first made my post here after talking with them back in Feb.

Stuart was absolutely correct, the solution tonight was to offer me a "free" upgrade to the Hopper and three Joey's, in exchange for a two year contract and $95 installation fee. I told him no thanks. I've been a customer for 12 years. You're not locking me down to a 2 year contract on a Hopper that I have no idea would even work. Plus, it would substantially increase my monthly cost over what I pay now and I just don't need a Hopper.

As a last resort, I just sent an email to Charlie Ergen, the CEO of DISH and attached the conversation with Matt H. and the screenshots that I posted above. Maybe I'll get a reply but I'm not going to hold my breath.

 

[DoubleT]

Well, I actually received a reply from Mr. Ergen within two hours of emailing him. He said he would have someone call me on the following Monday. I got a call on the following Monday from the head of their tech department in Colorado. He asked that I give them the time to research my issue. Something I had heard before but had nothing to lose by giving it one more shot.

The guy called me every other day to let me know if they had found anything. After two weeks, he told me that they had found the issue but that the fix would require some considerable changes to the ViP722's and even that may not fix it. He said he could send me two new ViP722's but there was only a 10% chance it would fix the issue and a 90% chance that it wouldn't.

So instead, since I've been with them for 12 years, they upgraded me to two Hoppers and two Joey's to cover my 4 TV's, with no installation fee's, no two year agreement and no increase in my monthly bill for the Hoppers and Joey's. The built in Sling works flawlessly on the Hoppers.

While I do wish they could have solved the issue on the 722's, I appreciate the offer extended to me and will remain a customer because of it.

However, I hope they discontinue the 722's and replace them with receivers that will work with the Sling adapter for those who do not wish to take on the extra cost of the Hopper/Joey combo. Or at the very least, let 722's users know about the issue with the Sling, for those that use it.

 

[Stewart Vernon]

Sounds like they did right by you. I doubt they will provide any direct equivalent replacement for the 722 that isn't part of a Hopper/Joey ecosystem at this point though. It seems pretty clear that they want to move everyone to that platform and it kind of makes sense from their perspective. The problem is the increased cost for people who don't want/need all the extra bells and whistles.

 

[DavidZ]

I just ordered an upgrade from my 622 to a 722 so that I can add the sling adapter. They're scheduled to install it next Saturday (7/16).

This thread concerns me. According to the OP, it worked fine for over a year before getting the incompatibility error. Also, I presume a lot of people are using the 722 with the sling adapter without any problems.

What are the chances that my new 722 with the sling adapter won't work?

 

[DoubleT]

Hopefully yours will work just fine David. When I asked if they wanted to try sending me another set of 722's before installing the Hoppers, he said that since we had already tried that and it didn't work, the chances of it working this time were about 10%. So we went with the Hopper.

However, not all 722's are having this issue. But they will eventually go away. He just didn't say how long that would be.

 

[DavidZ]

Hopefully yours will work just fine David. When I asked if they wanted to try sending me another set of 722's before installing the Hoppers, he said that since we had already tried that and it didn't work, the chances of it working this time were about 10%. So we went with the Hopper.

However, not all 722's are having this issue. But they will eventually go away. He just didn't say how long that would be.

DoubleT,

There are 2 things you experienced that I can't reconcile. The first thing is that it worked fine for you for over a year. The second thing is that you subsequently got an "incompatibility error," and that a very senior technician at Dish says that this error is probably not fixable. If it worked for you for a year, how is it that they can't fix it?

I realize that you probably can't answer this, but it doesn't make any sense to me.