Dish Network DVR Problems

Check to see if you are recording other content at the same time. With Dish DVRs, you are able to record either two programs at once, or record one program while watching another. You cannot watch or record three programs or movies at the same time. Press the "Guide" button and navigate through your programming. A red circle next to the title of the program indicates that it is being recorded. You can also change the priority of your recordings on each timer's information screen. Unplug the Dish receiver for 10 seconds then plug it back in if the problem persists. Allow the receiver to reset for five minutes and then check for recording conflicts.

Clear the dish of any debris, if you can safely do so. Check that all cable connections are fastened securely to each receiver. Most of the time, a lost signal or power failure while recording is because of bad weather or loose cables. Unplug the DVR and leave it unplugged for a three to five minutes if the problem persists. This creates a hard shut down and can correct the underlying problem. Plug the receiver back into the outlet and turn it back on.

Prevent other people from deleting recordings; lost recordings are usually deleted by a user. Program locks on your DVR with a strong password to prevent others from accessing your recordings. You can also navigate to the recorded show's information screen and select "Protect" to protect your recording.

Check the cable connection running in and out of the DVR, and make sure they are inserted into the correct in/out ports. Otherwise, the signal will not reach the DVR and you will not be able to record content. Check your stored programs if your connections are secure and you are still not able to record; a full hard drive will prevent you from record content. Delete any shows or movies you are done with to make room for new programs.

Scroll through your recordings and delete any duplicate programs or movies. Dish DVRs feature a copy protection that will delete the original recording of any duplicates on your receiver's memory. It will also delete the original recording if you attempt to move a copy to an external hard drive. Recordings may also be deleted if your hard drive is full. Remove the programs you no longer want by pressing the "Menu" button and selecting the recorded content you have on your hard drive. Select a show you wish to remove and select "Delete." This will delete the programs from your hard drive and make additional room for ones.