The following was posted on https://www.dbstalk.com/community/index.php?threads/ota-adapter-and-prime-video-conflict.230121/ . I don't expect any reasonable answer to the problems. It is here because it clearly documents the problem and probable solution to fix it. However, I don't see DishNetwork caring about an OTA error or a Prime Video disruption when it can be remedied by a HOPPER 3 RESTART periodically. It does explain why so many users of the Hopper 3 and OTA are having either temporary lockouts to OTA channels, or occasional pixilation issues, or Internet Connectivity errors when trying to start Prime Video on the Hopper 3 box.
I constantly have OTA service issues, e.g., presents error message offering GUIDE or TROUBLESHOOTING buttons. After dozens of occurrences I have debugged the issues to the following and wonder if others are having same issue:
First, I have a new HOPPER 3 with the OTA Adapter attached
Second I also use the Prime Video APP with my Dish Hopper to view the Prime Video programming.
The Issue: OTA and Prime Video do not "play" together nicely on the Hopper 3. After using the Prime Video APP successively, like daily, eventually within 4-5 days the OTA starts to fail getting to an Over-the Air channel and displays the error message which give you a choice the go to GUIDE or to TROUBLESHOOTING.
Debugging and solutions:
1. TROUBLESHOOTING was useless and discovered nothing
2. Going to GUIDE can be done and selecting the same channel usually fails the same way.
3. Going to GUIDE and selecting a different OTA channel sometimes works and sometimes fails the same way
4. Going to GUIDE and selecting a channel other than an OTA one works and then returning to guide and selecting the failed OTA sometimes works and sometimes doesn't
5. The issue increases in frequency the more you use Prime Video
6. A solution that works, with the exception discussed below, is to hit HOME key on the remote appropriately to get to DIAGNOSTICS. From there go to TOOLS, then select RESTART HOPPER 3. This always clears the issue and things are again good until PRIME VIDEO is used again. Then the issue is repeated as described over 4-5 days before another RESET needs to be done. Now the EXCEPTION which is key: When you do the process to get to the RESTART, if you begin with the error message, i.e., the one giving you the choice to GUIDE or TROUBLESHOOTING, the RESTART will be done successfully, BUT, the Hopper 3 REMEMBERS the current state you are in. That is, after the RESTART, if you try to get to OTA channel you won't! The error will persist! So, ALWAYS get off the error message screen BEFORE you do the RESTART!
7. My conclusion is that memory area are being shared between Prime Video and OTA Adapter code. Two coding problem that are suspect is (1) one of the buggers writes over the others memory. OTA has always been the victim that fails; or (2) memory that is commonly used is NOT being released by one or the other and OTA seems to be one that trips into the rabbit hole every time. That does not mean the Prime Video never fails. One symptom of failing could have been one I had this morning where instead of presenting Prime Video an error came up that indicated that Internet Connectivity failed. Well, wrong, no problem was there and next try at Prome Video worked.
8. I forgot to mention that, yes, instead of the error message, GUIDE/TROUBLESHOOTING, the OTA channel does come up but has the other problems noted on this boar where it randomly pixelates a second or two even up to several times before it is steady OR never. Again, RESTART cleans everything up.
So, Having dealt with operating and other software systems for a quarter century, it was very common for a programmer to either fail to clean up used memory [(2 )above] cluttering the shared memory available to other APPs, or the programmer fails to isolate the memory used for an APP [(1) above] and it gets overwritten by the other APP.
Since there is not one sequence that causes the problem, i.e., nothing repeatable, DISH cannot discover the memory conflicts WITHOUT a DUMP of memory. I invite DISH to contact me here to set up a procedure where I can get a memory dump at the time it is in failure state. Without it, the problem will continue and we users will be forced to work around the issue by doing RESTARTS.
May I add that many OTA issues that cause pixilation or channel lockout as described may happen WITHOUT Prime Video. Prime Video definitely increases to problem frequency. My VIP722 NEVER had an OTA issue, and switching to TV mode instead of Dish Satellite mode also caused NO issues
Can anyone with Prime Video please confirm or not confirm what I discussed above. Thank you.
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