All,

I've discovered the reason that the new Dish 811 and 921 sat receivers do not respond to the Universal Remote Control, Inc. database entry. Since they ship with an RF ONLY remote control, installers are forced to only use the Database code entry, they cannot learn IR commands unless they have an old Dish remote control from a previous years Satellite receiver remote.

Universal Remote Control's Database code set SAT 122 is the correct code set for an 811 or a 921. However, Dish designed the product with a preamble to the IR code that can be changed by the installer in systems with more than one sat receiver (like our RF address scheme but works with either RF or IR). SAT 122 is set to the Dish address of 01. Many 811 and 921 sat receivers are shipping with address 11.

To change a DISH 811 or 921 Sat receiver to the address 01, so that our database codes will work, requires that the installer follow this procedure:

1. Program the Universal remote control to SAT 122. Put the Universal remote control aside for a minute.

2. Using the Dish RF remote, navigate the Sat receivers SETUP menus to the System ID screen. With this screen visible on the TV, you should see that the system address is currently set to 11 (or possibly some other address other than 01).

3. Now, pick up the Universal remote control and navigate to the Satellite device you programmed with SAT 122. Point it at the front panel of the Dish satellite receiver. Press and hold the Power On button (the SAT command) for at least three seconds.

4. Press the number keys 0, then 1.

5. Now, press the REC button on page 2 of the SAT device.

You have now set the Dish sat receiver to the Dish address of 01. Now the Universal Remote Control will operate the Dish satellite receiver.

If you have an old Dish remote control you can teach the Universal Remote Control discrete ON and OFF commands.

Remotes 3.0, 3.1, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 support transmitting discrete receiver power on and off codes.

Remotes 4.0 and 6.0 must be converted to IR operation – see remote user’s guide for instructions.

The process for setting a remote to SEND power on and off discrete codes:
1. Press and hold SAT mode button until all mode lights are on.

2. Press POWER button.

3. Press Volume Up to transmit discrete on code.

4. Press Volume Down to transmit discrete off code.

Hope this is useful to other installers. Thanks to Todd for his kindly help! URC owes you a very big favor.

Best Regards,

-Eric

Eric Johnson
VP of Technology
Universal Remote Control

Phone 1-800-247-7001

Eric, you can also have the IR signals echoed back from 811 receiver itself, so a learning remote can capture it, similar to bose LS 28 & 35.

Hi Edmund,

If you have the Dish Tech Bulletin that describes this please email it to me and I will post the process here.

-Eric

Bump

From what I've heard, there is a Learn IR mode in the menu. When you put the 811 in that mode, commands sent from the Dish remote are emitted as IR out the front of the 811, where they can be learned.

Mike
www.SurfRemoteControl.com

Eric,

The tech bulletin can be downloaded here.

Thanks Mike.

Wow, Thanks. That's incredibly useful information!

I can't find the "System ID" screen on a 921. How do I get to it?

Go to menu, then System Setup, Then System Info.

for anybody who has this same problem, go to Menu>System Setup> System Info. Press and hold "SAT" until all the source buttons light up. Then on the sat remote number pad press "01", then press # (pound). If correct, the SAT button will flash 3 times. then hit RECORD, press OK. now it should be listed as Address 1, and your mx remote will work! Yaaaa!!!!

Does this info apply to Dish 522 as well? I cannot get my Harmony 880 to work with Dish 522.

Bump.

Mike can you send me the info. I am trying to connect the dish 811 to a harmony 880 with no success.