DISH 6000 Upgrade Kills TiVo

Sunday, November 02, 2003

Updated November 14th DISH Network has released a new software upgrade that fixes this issue! To force your DISH6000 receiver to download the update, turn it off with the remote. After a short pause, the download will begin and progress dialog will appear onscreen (yes, even though you turned it off). Thanks to the alert reader who noticed the upgrade. It is nice to see that Dish responded to this issue so quickly. Nice work.  Now I can return the model 300 I ordered to use in the meantime.

Last week my TiVo stopped working.  As anyone with TiVo can attest, this can be traumatic.

Specifically, TiVo could no longer reliably change channels using the Ir transmitter.  It wasn't completely broken, just totally unreliable.  It would pick up one out of every three or four Ir codes.  After testing with my own transmitter, I spent some time in the phone support trees for DISH Network and TiVo before discovering this is a known issue. Not only that, but DISH would not say if they had a fix nor when they would release the next software update.  I called TiVo back after learning about this issue and the tech rep indicated that they not only knew about the problem, but, that, off the record, there is some suspicion that this change was intentional.

Here's the (slightly facetious) letter I sent to the DISH support staff:

Dear Dish Software Engineer, As a fellow programmer, I understand the pain you must feel as your efforts to improve the user experience actually result in anger and frustration as the bugs you introduced disable key components of the hardware. The issue is exacerbated by your inability to back patch units to the previous version of the software. As you know, the latest software update, 7.81p has broken the infrared receiver on the Dish Model 6000. The upshot is that TiVo no longer works. Perhaps you own a TiVo, or, perhaps a Dish branded DVR and understand how such a device can literally change your life? If so, I'm confident that you understand why I am so upset. After spending hundreds of dollars on the most expensive Dish receiver and the top-of-the-line service policy, the only response I get from the first line and tech support managers is: "This is a known problem and there is nothing I can do for you." Not only can they not retrograde my software to the previous working version, they refuse to send me a working replacement unit as specified in my expensive service contract because, as they say, "your unit is working correctly, and this is a known problem." Ha! Can you send me a lower-priced unit while this bug is being fixed? "No, you would have to purchase the new unit. We can only replace the unit you currently have." Can you tell me when this problem will be fixed? "No." Any idea at all? "No, it might be next week, next month or even next year" said tech support manager A0T, aka Eric (they won't give out their last names). Previously, tech support staff member 20B told me he was "pretty sure that it wouldn't be ready in a week -- it would probably be a month or so." Do you feel my frustration yet? I certainly understand your pain. It must be doubly frustrating to have such unhelpful people doing your frontline support. I know I spend lots of time trying to explain technical issues to our support staff so they can explain the root causes of the issue to the clients rather than just saying "No, I can't help you." I know you schedule your work, so you really do know when you will be releasing the next upgrade. It must be frustrating that this information isn't communicated well within your company. I really had to focus to hear what they were trying to say: "You must purchase a lower priced unit." Hmmm. I asked "Do you have a buyer's remorse policy?" They answered "Yes. There is a 30-day return policy after activation." Great! Okay, I'll buy a new unit and return it in a month and hopefully by that time you will have fixed the bug in 7.81 that breaks the infrared receiver so my TiVo doesn't work. No problem. The new unit will be here in a couple of days and I only have to pay for S&H when I return the unit. So, I urge you to work with most rapid haste to fix the bugs in 7.81 so you can distribute new software to fix this issue. I also urge you to speak with your management so you can provide a method to revert the software on client hardware when an upgrade fails to work properly. Finally, since this is a known issue with TiVo, I urge you to contact the TiVo folks since it may be quite possible for them to work around your problem if they can replicate it. I know there is nothing you can do to help the poor idiots in tech support, nor the fools in marketing and legal who work hard to alienate even the few most avid of Dish network customers who, after much research, end up purchasing the most expensive Dish (and Starband) units. But, as a programmer, I know you can fix bugs and it will make you feel good to fix this one and get that fix out quickly so that you make this one appreciative and understanding client once again a happy Dish customer. I look forward to hearing your response. I would appreciate any explanation you can offer to a fellow programmer describing the details of the problem. Thanks, Daniel Wexler wex@flarg.com http://www.flarg.com