811 Receiver Issue

I contacted DN tech support because my leased 811 receiver is not holding the program guide information. I also have the most current software (P289); I also noticed an intermittent loss of audio which is easily corrected by switching channels. Tonite I had to reset the receiver twice to get the current program guide. DN said that if it happens again they would send me another receiver (this is my second one already).

Also, I asked about the MPEG-4 update; the advanced tech said that the upgrade to MPEG-4 would be done with a software change to the receivers we currently have. Only older receiver models would have to be changed (whatever that means).

I contacted DN tech support because my leased 811 receiver is not holding the program guide information. I also have the most current software (P289); I also noticed an intermittent loss of audio which is easily corrected by switching channels. Tonite I had to reset the receiver twice to get the current program guide. DN said that if it happens again they would send me another receiver (this is my second one already).

Also, I asked about the MPEG-4 update; the advanced tech said that the upgrade to MPEG-4 would be done with a software change to the receivers we currently have. Only older receiver models would have to be changed (whatever that means).

Not to dampen any spirits, but if MPEG-4 is very important to you, I would not count on a software update.
Reading other forums specifically discussing chipsets in receivers, including the latest 942, these are most likely NOT for MPEG-4, and no amount of software will make them so.
Besides doing nothing, the second best thing to do is lease only. Then worst case you will only be out half the money needed to purchase.
On the plus side, I don't think MPEG-4 is 'right around the corner'.

I contacted DN tech support because my leased 811 receiver is not holding the program guide information. I also have the most current software (P289); I also noticed an intermittent loss of audio which is easily corrected by switching channels. Tonite I had to reset the receiver twice to get the current program guide. DN said that if it happens again they would send me another receiver (this is my second one already).

Are you turning the 811 off at night. This is when guide info is updated.

Are you turning the 811 off at night. This is when guide info is updated.
Yes, I turn the receiver off every night. This morning, I checked the program guide around 8:30am and the information was there. At about 12 noon, I checked and it said, no info...I called DN again to tell them about the problem; since my receiver is leased, they are sending me my second replacement. Let's see if this works?

The 811 sucks. Why can't this box update without turning it off? The 301's don't need to be turned off and they never bother you like this box does. What bothers me also is that I'll turn the tv on, switch channels and then have to wait through the satellite check 1-5, then after that iit will update channels. 2-3 minutes every time.

Funny,
I rarely turn my 811 off (I know I should!!).
The newest sw version fixed most of the older bugs. I think each 811 is like a different Personal Confuser.

fred

I agree each 811 has it's own personality. I think you have to yell at it, throw beer bottles at it (empty of course), and turn it off each night, then it will behave!

Mine has been fine,......I also notice that I seem to get software upgrades before others mention them on here, not sure why.

My 811 has a favorites bug, it cleared my favorites and I can't edit the lists anymore. It often freezes up and I have to reset it and if I don't turn it off at night I have to wait while it downloads the guide. Is there a way to go from owning the box to leasing so I can get a new box? Or should I start paying the monthly insurace fee for it and then report the problems.

I know this is boring stuff but, I received my replacement 811 receiver on Thursday, hooked it up, authorized it, and received the latest P289 software update. Guess what, there is still a problem with the program guide not updating properly. The only way I can get the program guide is to do a reset at the receiver. The guide updates but, several hours later, the information is gone. I called DN, again...they informed me that there is still a software issue with the guide and that they are working on it. If this was the case, why did an advanced tech send me a replacement receiver? They were unable to tell me when it will be fixed. I vented my concerns as always. I truly believe there is a quality control issue at DN. The right hand doesn't communicate with the left. I give up!!!

Hello,

Regarding the program guide missing data, please check out this thread.

http://www.highdefforum.com/showthread.php?t=10427

I'm not sure if my latest problem is a 811 issue, but it's a new one for me. I'll lose a channel (getting an 002 error) but if I go to the guide, the channel shows up in the preview window. I can then cancel out of the guide and receive the channel with no problem.

Has anyone run into this one before? It feels like a receiver problem to me, but before I call Dish, I figured I'd check with the experts here.

I'm not exactly an expert but I could go back and forth asking a bunch of questions or you can try troubleshhoting yourself by using this link :http://rweb.echostar.com/departmental_content/TechPortal/index.shtml

See how far you can get then if you havent found an answer post with your findings and we will have a better idea as to which direction you should go..

Thanks, I'll take a look at it. Though an 002 error is signal strength and the answer is to move the dish, which I don't have permission from the landlord to do.

The problem with that FAQ troubleshooter is that there is no choice for "signal comes back when you go to the EPG." If it stayed out, it would make sense to me. The fact that I get reception back by going to the guide and then cancelling out is something I don't think I'll find from that link. But I'll take a look anyhow.

Yes,thats one of the problems I found with the link in trying to troubleshoot your problem.But not knowing the answers to all the quetions dealing with your setup,I had no idea if the EPG thing would come up at some point.

I have been dishnetwork subscriber for over 9 yrs. I honestly believe that every reciever that I have owned/leased, except for the pvr,(it has a hard drive) had to be shut down every night and connected to a phone line to get the epg updates properly. I had the same problem with my 811 showing no-info in the epg right after i got it. That was because i was using a pvr as my main reciever before this and I had forgotten about having to shut it down EVERY night. No problems with that since then. Now the HD channels picture freezes for a few seconds every now and then, go figure, lol

Within the past week I received a software update to my 811 receiver. The latest software is version P333. Hopefully, this update was a fix for alot of the problems we were experiencing with this receiver. Time will tell.

Has someone on here said HOW to get software updates for our recievers?
Is it automatically downloaded?

Has someone on here said HOW to get software updates for our recievers?
Is it automatically downloaded?

i held down my power button for 7 seconds, let it come back on by itself, then it takes about 20 minutes to down load.. don't touch the tv while it's downloading, but you'll see the message

I had that error message on my Dish 811 many times.Dish technical told me its a problem from their place that is causing that to happen on the 811's.A transmitting problem.It's a glitch that will eventually be fixed.
I plan to buy the Dish 211 soon.Hopefully that will have no glitches.

I've had an 811 for about a year now with no significant problems. The problem under discussion has occurred 3-4 times. It happened once with a 311 I've also had for a year. A hard reset fixed the problem each time.

I've also had the black screen problem on occasion, more in the beginning than lately. I noticed that it happened most often when I switched from a local channel to a satellite channel using the up and down buttons, so I rely on the guide exclusively now.

All in all, I've been very happy with Dish and the 811. But then I'm old enough to remember when the very idea of receiving TV channels with a small-dish antenna was inconceivable.

Ain't technology wonderful?

Well, I was hoping that the program guide issue was fixed in the P333 software update. Guess what, my 811 just dumped all the program information and I had to reset the panel. I called DN tech support to report the problem, once again, and asked if he had info on what issues were supposedly fixed in the latest software update. The tech said that info isn't given to him. Why am I not surprised. The saga continues.

numbskully,

The epg comes down via satellite, the phone connection makes no difference at all. The phone line is a marketing tool only.

In order to receive sw updates on a timely basis, the receiver s/be turned off at night.

fred

It seems since the last software upgrade that my guide has gone wonky. By wonky, I mean that many letters are gibberish. Makes it fun to figure out which hockey game is on next... ;)

Anyone else having the same problem, or is it just my lovely 811 acting up?

It seems since the last software upgrade that my guide has gone wonky. By wonky, I mean that many letters are gibberish. Makes it fun to figure out which hockey game is on next... ;)

Anyone else having the same problem, or is it just my lovely 811 acting up?

Had a problem where 'V's' and 'W's' were screwed up on the menu for a couple of weeks. Seems to have been corrected.

Had to do a reset on the box, which fixed the problem.

I just hope when they make the switch to MPEG4, they take my box back and give me one that works better. Though I suppose I shouldn't hold my breath on that last part....