grrr... snagged on of these @ abc warehouse for $200 and they threw in a 5yr fix or replace warranty!

however, i have searched this sweet thread over and over and have not come up with a solution to my only problem, resulting from ABC having lost the remote.

i have a sony VL-600, and a harmony 550 remote. both are currently controlling my pvr, however, WITHOUT the function of the dang "." key!!! i even have the 550 * key manually mapped to the decimal signal with no go!

GRRRRRR! you all know that means that my clear QAM channels (22.1, 62.8, etc etc) all use the decimal key in the channel # and I can't map them manually to their respective GUIDE channels! GRRR!

short of buying a replacement remote, anyone have a solution????

grrr... snagged on of these @ abc warehouse for $200 and they threw in a 5yr fix or replace warranty!

however, i have searched this sweet thread over and over and have not come up with a solution to my only problem, resulting from ABC having lost the remote.

i have a sony VL-600, and a harmony 550 remote. both are currently controlling my pvr, however, WITHOUT the function of the dang "." key!!! i even have the 550 * key manually mapped to the decimal signal with no go!

GRRRRRR! you all know that means that my clear QAM channels (22.1, 62.8, etc etc) all use the decimal key in the channel # and I can't map them manually to their respective GUIDE channels! GRRR!

short of buying a replacement remote, anyone have a solution????
The 550 should have the "." or a "-" not sure why its not working. You may want to give Harmony a call.

Heres a link (http://www.dvdremotecontrols.com/Mfrs/Sony/SonyDSS/RM-Y823.htm) to the original remote if you can't get your 550 to work.

grrr... snagged on of these @ abc warehouse for $200 and they threw in a 5yr fix or replace warranty!

however, i have searched this sweet thread over and over and have not come up with a solution to my only problem, resulting from ABC having lost the remote.

i have a sony VL-600, and a harmony 550 remote. both are currently controlling my pvr, however, WITHOUT the function of the dang "." key!!! i even have the 550 * key manually mapped to the decimal signal with no go!

GRRRRRR! you all know that means that my clear QAM channels (22.1, 62.8, etc etc) all use the decimal key in the channel # and I can't map them manually to their respective GUIDE channels! GRRR!

short of buying a replacement remote, anyone have a solution????

Try the HDD250. I have the Harmony 676 and the "." works for me. I owned the 250 before I bought a HDD500 so I am still using the 250 device in my Harmony.

finally... loaded the harmony 550 with DGH-HDD500 (rather than hdd 250), then manually programmed "*" key to the "." key, and BINGO!

WHEW!

Now i can teach that command to my VL-600 and have a $15 fully functioning remote rather than keep fumbling with this overpriced logitech.

dont get me wrong, the concept is cool on these harmonys, but i haven't seen a key layout that doesn't axe the coolness of the PC-interface. thats another story though.

Now i can teach that command to my VL-600 and have a $15 fully functioning remote rather than keep fumbling with this overpriced logitech.

dont get me wrong, the concept is cool on these harmonys, but i haven't seen a key layout that doesn't axe the coolness of the PC-interface. thats another story though.
Check out the Harmony 676 and the 670 button layouts. I find those two very effective. I operate the 676 by feel alone and the PVR trick buttons are easy to use.

I put away the OEM remotes after I get my Harmony programmed. I setup the Harmony to do all OEM remote functions and other functions that the OEM remotes don't provide. (You can email Logitech with pronto codes and they will add them for you.)

a digital feed has no vertical blanking interval (VBI) lines like an analog feed does.

That's true. However, an ATSC data stream does have a section for what is called legacy VBI data. Stations are required to transmit closed-caption data via legacy VBI in addition to transmitting them via the newfangled method that ATSC includes (sorry, I've forgotten the proper jargon for it). The Sony DVRs call the first kind "basic" captions and the second kind "advanced" captions (look in the menus).

As I understand it, the ATSC version of TVGOS puts its data in the legacy VBI data stream along with the "basic" closed captions. An ATSC receiver that copies the legacy VBI data into its analog output's VBI in order to support closed captions should also copy the TVGOS data. Somewhere earlier in this thread, someone reported that a Gemstar engineer told him that he had tested (at least some of) the new government-coupon ATSC converters, and that they passed along the TVGOS data properly.

Similarly, if a cable company converts a digital signal's legacy VBI to real VBI for its analog customers (as it should, in order to support closed captions), it should include the TVGOS data.

Similarly, if a cable company converts a digital signal's legacy VBI to real VBI for its analog customers (as it should, in order to support closed captions), it should include the TVGOS data.

But this only works if the cable systems broadcasts the channel on the same 8VSB ATSC modulation as the host network. But for the vast majority (or at least Comcast), they braodcast the channel using QAM 256 modulation whcih contains no VBI data what so ever except CC data. But to solve this, my solution has been to plug standard rabbit ears into the "ANT IN" port on the DHG-HDD250 to recieve guide data on the ATSC feed OTA while using the "CABLE IN" port for your cable TV. AFAIK, I don't know whether or not I get guide data from any ATSC channel since my device always picks ups the TVGOS data from the analog PBS station by default, I do know I can get the clock data from the ATSC channel though.

You're probably right about the ATSC versus QAM issue. I don't remember ever seeing anything about the Sony units possibly getting the TVGOS data via QAM, only via ATSC (and of course NTSC).

As long as a cable company carries the TVGOS host channel in analog form, and it passes the legacy VBI data correctly, that should work. After it finally drops all the analog channels, you'd have to use the corresponding OTA ATSC broadcast channel, assuming that the transition to ATSC TVGOS works out OK as far as these units are concerned.

You're probably right about the ATSC versus QAM issue. I don't remember ever seeing anything about the Sony units possibly getting the TVGOS data via QAM, only via ATSC (and of course NTSC).

As long as a cable company carries the TVGOS host channel in analog form, and it passes the legacy VBI data correctly, that should work. After it finally drops all the analog channels, you'd have to use the corresponding OTA ATSC broadcast channel, assuming that the transition to ATSC TVGOS works out OK as far as these units are concerned.


Like I said, I've tried it via PBS digital on Comcast's network (which is QAM 256) and I've gotten no clock when I tried the "Force VBI" code and when I try PBS digital from my rabbit ears (ATSC 8VSB), I can get the clock on the "Force VBI" code.

Again, I don't know if getting the clock means I'll get guide data since my unit picks up the guide data from the PBS analog channel.

I asked in a previous post with some other info, but didn't get any bites: When performing the Force Host Channel setting, do you have to do the G* Factory Reset as described on SpiffSpace's web site or can you just perform the setting without resetting anything?

I only ask because I haven't seen it specifically stated here, other than a few folks who have accidentally done the reset instead of the G* Test.

Thanks in advance.

jtbell and cmc1002001:

Thank you both for further clarifying things. Sounds like many us with cable-only connections and lousy OTA reception will be in a "wait and see" mode depending on how local cable head-ends decide to handle this.

DOES ANYBODY READ THE POSTS????

I HAVE RECEIVED GUIDE AND CLOCK DATA FROM A QAM256 CABLE RE-BROADCAST OF THE OTA ATSC CHANNEL.

My cable company Mediacom as I have stated before doesn't recompress the MPEG channels and sends two OTA ATSC channels down 1 QAM256 channel. The SONY DVR works with this channel's data the same as the OTA ATSC version. If your provider is giving you HD-lite by recompressing the MPEG stream then all bets are off and it will depend on the recompressor used if it preserves the guide data.

I asked in a previous post with some other info, but didn't get any bites: When performing the Force Host Channel setting, do you have to do the G* Factory Reset as described on SpiffSpace's web site or can you just perform the setting without resetting anything?

I only ask because I haven't seen it specifically stated here, other than a few folks who have accidentally done the reset instead of the G* Test.

Thanks in advance.

No Reset needed.
The Force Host is more like a suggestion that you desire to make the host the current tuned channel. The TVGOS software starts decoding VBI on the current channel and if it finds the right data it will make the current channel the host. I have had this work without a G* Factory Reset. I suppose the G* Factory Reset will get rid of its known fall-back host channel if its first attempt on the desired channel fails to find VBI data. You might have to try the force host channel during a known guide download period. You can verify this by the type of packet being received in the guide diagnostics screens (Note you have to do a G* Factory Test to get the unit to start receiving VBI data on the current channel to monitor the diag screens.)

Searched this site (to no avail) for a problem that just
came up on my Sony 250.
Everything work as it should but the unit no longer shows
the time when turned off. It does show AM or PM and when
turned on all of the characters seem to work.
Anybody seen this before?

Thanks
Did soft reset, time came back in less than 5 min.

If your provider is giving you HD-lite by recompressing the MPEG stream then all bets are off....

I have Comcast :D

If your provider is giving you HD-lite by recompressing the MPEG stream then all bets are off and it will depend on the recompressor used if it preserves the guide data.

Oh boy, another variable to gum up the works. :p I'm glad I get decent OTA reception so I don't have to wonder what a cable company may or may not be doing to my feed. But thanks for the correction... with all the rumors and guesswork and user reports flying around, it's hard to keep all the details straight. :o

Perhaps this is an asinine question but I'll post it anyway. I remain curious as to why Sony produced these DVRs and why they stopped production with such a short life cycle - manufactured for only a brief period in 2005, correct? Were they thought too demanding to setup and use? All the open box returns back then suggested that. Certainly another issue is their dependency on Gemstar for reliable function. Did Sony just sour on that arrangement? If they were inclined to do so, new parts could have been sourced from vendors.

Sony got most things right; especially their cablecard enabled tuners and the features, recording and playback, of the DVRs; their support for discontinued models also. The $3000 HT media center PC is intended for a narrow market. They abandoned potential for a much larger market, one without direct competitors. Does anybody know what all factored into Sony's decisions?

---Questions asked out of some frustration with other familiar manufacturers who didn't get, & still haven't gotten, their CC tuners, DVR features, and reliability right.

Has been discussed extensively here a while back anyway.
Too expensive, very small pool of HDTV owners/channels in 2005, not plug'n'play like people expect from cableboxes. Guide takes a few days to a week to load, people want instant satisfaction for the high price they paid. cablecard not supported by cablecos, (hated and despised more like it).
I think Sony also has business concerns related to other video media competition, cable/satellite boxes etc.

I love my 2 500s, nothing fits my needs better.

DOES ANYBODY READ THE POSTS????


Of course, but please keep in mind that this has become a very long thread with a wealth of information. Some new-comers to the thread or occasional readers may ask questions on topics which were discussed fairly far down.

I said:

Sounds like many us with cable-only connections and lousy OTA reception will be in a "wait and see" mode depending on how local cable head-ends decide to handle this.

Then you said:

If your provider is giving you HD-lite by recompressing the MPEG stream then all bets are off and it will depend on the recompressor used if it preserves the guide data.

Are we not saying essentially the same thing?

Has been discussed extensively here a while back anyway.
Too expensive, very small pool of HDTV owners/channels in 2005, not plug'n'play like people expect from cableboxes. Guide takes a few days to a week to load, people want instant satisfaction for the high price they paid. cablecard not supported by cablecos, (hated and despised more like it).
I think Sony also has business concerns related to other video media competition, cable/satellite boxes etc.

I love my 2 500s, nothing fits my needs better.

The pool has to be much larger now than in '05. Yet despite subscription fees & marketing deals, TiVo Inc. hasn't turned a profit in the last 3 years. Not all certainly, but part of the reason providers despise cards has to be for the poor engineering of tuners - Mitsubishi, Toshiba, TiVo & others. In over 2 years with 3 Sony tuners the only service calls I've made to Comcast/Verizon were once when the signal was way, way out of bounds (mild tiling) and when 1 card flatlined 2 weeks ago.

What are the prospects of guide data being acquired more quickly in the digital stream?

Are 250/500 owners still concerned, as some were, about Macrovision's buyout of Gemstar?

So I was just relaxing yesterday, watching Boston Legal in HD on live TV on my HDD250, when the unit without warning turned itself off, then back on again. This phenomenon had occurred before, usually with no major consequences, but one time I got a hard disk error message, which reset itself once the unit was unplugged and replugged.

This time, the unit got to the Welcome display, and stuck there with the counter at "06". Despite several re-boots, warm, cold and otherwise, it would not move past that point. I tried the hidden menu option, first to clear the NVM. Still stuck at the welcome screen. So I went with the nuclear option, i.e. Wipe Unit. Got to the Welcome message again, then it says "Format" in the window of the unit. It starts to count up again, gets to 04, and then stopped. After 20 minutes, I unplugged the unit, and it started up again, but went to Format and stuck at 04 on the counter again. I tried over and over by re-booting, and even running wipe unit again, all to no avail. Left the unit on for an hour this morning on Format...still stuck at 04. Left in on for over 8 hours while I was at work. Came home to Format 04 still displayed.

I am guessing it is a bad hard drive. The unit is well out of warranty. Sony website says it will be $150.72 to fix. Add in shipping to them puts it at about 170 to fix. I love this unit. Really and truly, despite all the glitches, and problems, its been awesome, and the picture and reception were great. I am back to my Hisense USD receiver for HD and miss the Sony. But I am still worried about Feb 2009. That 170 might be better spent on the TR-50 since I only do OTA....

Suggestions for a fix welcome....

Also, the Wipe Unit1 seems to try format the hard drive. Has anyone used that command to try and "bless" a new drive?

Darren

Are we not saying essentially the same thing?
Not when you add the line with the two posters that you thanked for the incorrect information before you said that line. Here was the content of the posts that have miss-information that you are acknowleding with your post.

You're probably right about the ATSC versus QAM issue. I don't remember ever seeing anything about the Sony units possibly getting the TVGOS data via QAM, only via ATSC (and of course NTSC).

As long as a cable company carries the TVGOS host channel in analog form, and it passes the legacy VBI data correctly, that should work. After it finally drops all the analog channels, you'd have to use the corresponding OTA ATSC broadcast channel, assuming that the transition to ATSC TVGOS works out OK as far as these units are concerned.

But this only works if the cable systems broadcasts the channel on the same 8VSB ATSC modulation as the host network. But for the vast majority (or at least Comcast), they braodcast the channel using QAM 256 modulation whcih contains no VBI data what so ever except CC data. But to solve this, my solution has been to plug standard rabbit ears into the "ANT IN" port on the DHG-HDD250 to recieve guide data on the ATSC feed OTA while using the "CABLE IN" port for your cable TV. AFAIK, I don't know whether or not I get guide data from any ATSC channel since my device always picks ups the TVGOS data from the analog PBS station by default, I do know I can get the clock data from the ATSC channel though.

Just discovered that direct RF channel entry is possible on this unit. For example, to direct tune digital RF channel 14 WUTV-DT Buffalo directly (whose virtual channel is 29.1), enter 14.3 in the keypad. For stations with subchannels, enter XX.4 for XX.2, XX.5 for XX.3, etc.

This is handy if you're searching for fringe channels that won't get picked up during those lengthy channel scans.

Not sure what to do if a virtual .3 subchannel already exists for a particular channel number - maybe using the next unused decimal works (i.e.- XX.4 if .3 is already assigned).

Just discovered that direct RF channel entry is possible on this unit. For example, to direct tune digital RF channel 14 WUTV-DT Buffalo directly (whose virtual channel is 29.1), enter 14.3 in the keypad. For stations with subchannels, enter XX.4 for XX.2, XX.5 for XX.3, etc.

Note that the offset may be different for certain channels. Although the latest ATSC spec requires that physical (non-virtual) subchannels start with .3, many stations do not conform to that - some start at .2 or even .1. Also the order may be different - .1, .2, .3, .4 virtual may end up as .3, .4, .6, .5 physical.

Not sure what to do if a virtual .3 subchannel already exists for a particular channel number - maybe using the next unused decimal works (i.e.- XX.4 if .3 is already assigned).

This should only be a problem if the virtual and physical channels are the same. This is very uncommon (although channel 8 in LA falls in this category - it has no analog equivalent). If there are only 2 subchannels it probably wouldn't be a problem since they usually wouldn't overlap. Beyond that, I don't know.

For the great majority of stations the virtual major channel number relates to the corresponding analog channel so it would not overlap a digital channel.

[QUOTE=jmonier;13614403]Note that the offset may be different for certain channels. Although the latest ATSC spec requires that physical (non-virtual) subchannels start with .3, many stations do not conform to that - some start at .2 or even .1. Also the order may be different - .1, .2, .3, .4 virtual may end up as .3, .4, .6, .5 physical. QUOTE]

Thanks for the extra insight. I did notice several Canadian stations working with .2 instead of .3.

grrr... snagged on of these @ abc warehouse for $200 and they threw in a 5yr fix or replace warranty!

however, i have searched this sweet thread over and over and have not come up with a solution to my only problem, resulting from ABC having lost the remote.

i have a sony VL-600, and a harmony 550 remote. both are currently controlling my pvr, however, WITHOUT the function of the dang "." key!!! i even have the 550 * key manually mapped to the decimal signal with no go!

GRRRRRR! you all know that means that my clear QAM channels (22.1, 62.8, etc etc) all use the decimal key in the channel # and I can't map them manually to their respective GUIDE channels! GRRR!

short of buying a replacement remote, anyone have a solution????

I have been using the * key on my Harmony 520 as the "." key for the Sony HDD250, and as the "-" key for my Panasonic Plasma. I don't see why it shouldn't work for you. Are you sure you are mapping the correct command?

Dan (Woj...)

grrr... snagged on of these @ abc warehouse for $200 and they threw in a 5yr fix or replace warranty!

however, i have searched this sweet thread over and over and have not come up with a solution to my only problem, resulting from ABC having lost the remote.

i have a sony VL-600, and a harmony 550 remote. both are currently controlling my pvr, however, WITHOUT the function of the dang "." key!!! i even have the 550 * key manually mapped to the decimal signal with no go!

GRRRRRR! you all know that means that my clear QAM channels (22.1, 62.8, etc etc) all use the decimal key in the channel # and I can't map them manually to their respective GUIDE channels! GRRR!

short of buying a replacement remote, anyone have a solution????

I use the el-cheapo Sony RM-VL600 remote and the "." works perfect. It runs both the Samsung (which has been sold) and the Sony HDD500 with no problems.

I did map the four buttons across the bottom for "picture" "sound" "freeze" and "format" for the Samsung TV part.

Hi All

HDD250 is back from the "electrical service". The turnaround from the Pittsburgh service center was fantastic.

The unit is working great - much faster response and no more 161-6 errors from the cablecard (SA PKM600) - but I'm still unable to record encrypted channels because I'm stuck on "Waiting for CP Auth" and can't get to "CP Auth Recd".

Tried several times to get Comcast to remotely "Hit" the cablecard with the CP authorization, but no luck. Anything I can do, or does a tech have to come out and redo the pairing with the headend?

Thanks again for the excellent tips on this board.

WFX

Hi All

HDD250 is back from the "electrical service". The turnaround from the Pittsburgh service center was fantastic.

WFX

Was that the only work you needed done?

What did they charge you?

I use the el-cheapo Sony RM-VL600 remote and the "." works perfect.

Yeah. Really good for a cheapo remote. Like you say, it does the "." natively and it can easily learn/copy what it doesn't know.

Best part, it has a "recall" key that the original remote- for some strange reason- does not.

And that "recall" button works on the Sony DVR?

And that "recall" button works on the Sony DVR?

Yes, I have the same sony universal remote and had my Harmony 'learn' the recall (previous channel) button :)

So you're saying that the recall button on the Sony is pre-programmed, and doesn't have to be learned from the Harmony, right?

Now if only that remote had separate skip and FF & RW buttons it's be a perfect replacement. (I don't believe it had that when I looked at it, because I seem to remember that's why I didn't originally want it. After trying similar learning remotes, I found that I couldn't live without that. Not for the Sony, of course, but for one of my HDD/DVD recorders that I also use on my main TV.)

If I remember right, you could've learned that task with your Harmony from their website. I hope you didn't buy the Sony just for that.

The Sony already knows the recall command and at the time (2006) I had to teach it to my Harmony. I actually had the Sony before the Harmony and it now resides in the bedroom with an old Tube TV and RCA Digital OTA converter box :)

Yes, I have the same sony universal remote and had my Harmony 'learn' the recall (previous channel) button :)

Is there any way for us with harmony remotes to program our remote for the previous channel button without a Sony Universal Remote

It's called "favorite" when you're setting up in the logitech software. This button doesn't exist on the Sony remote that comes with the unit.

It seems that WWME and WFBT (26.2 and 26.3 respectively) have stopped sending program data to TVGOS. Recently a channel called ME appeared in the off channels, so I turned it on pointed to 26.2 in channel setup, and it filled in with program listings. Has anyone had 26.3 (METOO?) pop up in the channel listings? Before I do a rescan for channels and all the associated setup work, I'd like to know that the channel is there.

It seems that WWME and WFBT (26.2 and 26.3 respectively) have stopped sending program data to TVGOS. Recently a channel called ME appeared in the off channels, so I turned it on pointed to 26.2 in channel setup, and it filled in with program listings. Has anyone had 26.3 (METOO?) pop up in the channel listings? Before I do a rescan for channels and all the associated setup work, I'd like to know that the channel is there.

I had been using the listings for WFBTDT (26.3) for WFBT before they made the switch to MeToo. When the switch occured, the listings were for MeToo. A couple of days ago I noticed that it changed to "No Listings". I have not found a replacement. We would be looking for WMEV.

On a side note, currently I can not find a listing for the new location of WFBT or WCIUDT-6 (26.6)

So no one responded with any kind of advice for my apparently bricked unit...I am not surprised. I don't think many people have played around with these units.

So does anyone want to buy a (currently) non-functioning HDD-250? It can be fixed by Sony for $153.:D

Darren

$153, damn, does Sony or any other company offer a warranty to cover bricked units? Knocking on wood, mine is working smoothly but I would like to be prepared

Were you under warranty? If not, would you mind saying what the repair cost?


Again if you go through the past 20 pages, the cost people have been getting is in the $150 range for bricked units

Actually there have been a few people here "playing around" with these DVR's. But I think that the general conclusion was that the only replacement hard drives that work are those that are individually "blessed" by Sony and matched specifically to a given DVR. :(

Actually there have been a few people here "playing around" with these DVR's. But I think that the general conclusion was that the only replacement hard drives that work are those that are individually "blessed" by Sony and matched specifically to a given DVR. :(

I was wondering about buying a bricked unit off e-bay and swapping out the hard drive, but now that I think about it, I seem to recall someone trying something similar, and it not working, as each hard drive is tied to the unit it is in somehow.

I was wondering about buying a briocked unit off e-bay and swapping out the hard drive, but now that I think about it, I seem to recall someone trying something similar, and it not working, as each hard drive is tied to the unit it is in somehow.

I'm one of the people who has tried replacing drives (DHG-HDD500), but gave up on it. It's one of those projects that was fun for a while, but ended up not fitting into my personal time&cost-to-benefit ratio. ;)

I'm one of the people who has tried replacing drives (DHG-HDD500), but gave up on it. It's one of those projects that was fun for a while, but ended up not fitting into my personal time&cost-to-benefit ratio. ;)

LOL, that would have been perfect. Is there any other HD DVR's out there that uses Cablecard's to record encrypted channels but don't require a monthly fee?

I'm one of the people who has tried replacing drives (DHG-HDD500), but gave up on it. It's one of those projects that was fun for a while, but ended up not fitting into my personal time&cost-to-benefit ratio. ;)

Did you try it with a drive from another Sony unit? Did you try the format drive command on the hidden front panel menu?

Per the "Houston, TX - OTA" thread
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=13655817&postcount=4092
KHOU has added TVGOS to the digital broadcast. KHOU is a non-CBS O&O.

I have checked the "G* Factory Test" and the VBI count increments about 1 per second for channel 11.1.

So what is my next step?
Try "VBI Search Current Channel" code 963214785?

I think I'll wait a few days since KHOU just added it this week...

Per the "Houston, TX - OTA" thread
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=13655817&postcount=4092
KHOU has added TVGOS to the digital broadcast. KHOU is a non-CBS O&O.

I have checked the "G* Factory Test" and the VBI count increments about 1 per second for channel 11.1.

So what is my next step?
Try "VBI Search Current Channel" code 963214785?

I think I'll wait a few days since KHOU just added it this week...
Your next step for what??
The digital host will not stick and the box will go back to analog host after a while.
If you want to play around for your own interest, review the FAQ site and my posts on this and let us know of any new discoveries.

The listing should included HD channels with correct channel numbers if a cable card is installed. Without that card, channel numbers must be edited in, as you did. Perhaps you chose the wrong cable company option in setup. I suggest you revisit that setup. Also, I suggest investigate the cost of a cable card. According to recent call with TW, cost is only $1.75 per month and you can install it yourself. In my area, without that card you can't get any of the cable channels only OTA.

Ray

Believe it or not - I have another issue with this *&^% cablecard in my 250. Brighthouse in Orlando is driving me absolutely crazy! A month ago, a few new HD channels were added to the lineup. I stopped getting many of them that I had been and didn't get any of the new ones. When I called them (I have resorted to the fact that they're idiots), I was told that I wouldn't be able to get the channels now....on my cablecard. I had decided to accept that fact, however, a few weeks later - Voila! They appeared, all but two.

Now, one week later - I have lost all but basic and standard channels. :mad: No digital tier, no HD, no premium. Do you think this is an issue with the unit that I can possibly resolve somehow (hopefully without losing all of my guide settings)? Or do you think the card itself is toast and needs replacement? If so....any ideas as to which card is best? I think the card that's worked for me is Scientific Atlanta (blue).....they tried the (supposedly) newer green before and it wouldn't work. Thanks for any help !

Believe it or not - I have another issue with this *&^% cablecard in my 250. Brighthouse in Orlando is driving me absolutely crazy! A month ago, a few new HD channels were added to the lineup. I stopped getting many of them that I had been and didn't get any of the new ones. When I called them (I have resorted to the fact that they're idiots), I was told that I wouldn't be able to get the channels now....on my cablecard. I had decided to accept that fact, however, a few weeks later - Voila! They appeared, all but two.

Now, one week later - I have lost all but basic and standard channels. :mad: No digital tier, no HD, no premium. Do you think this is an issue with the unit that I can possibly resolve somehow (hopefully without losing all of my guide settings)? Or do you think the card itself is toast and needs replacement? If so....any ideas as to which card is best? I think the card that's worked for me is Scientific Atlanta (blue).....they tried the (supposedly) newer green before and it wouldn't work. Thanks for any help !

Sorry to say this, but after I switched to a green SA card (from the blue card) in my 250 all my problems with missing digital and HD channels from Comacast disappeared. It took a couple of days after the new card was authorized from the head-end for everything to work OK - I have no idea why - but since then everything works fine.

Do you get occasional 161-6 error messages popping up on screen? If so you should send it to Sony for the $150+ fix. I did that before I switched to the green card, and doing so didn't solve the problems I had with the blue card. However, I can't say for sure that the two issues aren't related.

A few weeks ago I tuned to the channel and found that there was no sound on the digital channel. I flipped to the analog channel and had no problems. I thought it was a temporary glitch and gave it no further thought. Last night was the first time that I returned to WPWR Digital and had the same problem. I do not have this problem with any other channels, and do not recall having this problem in the past. Is anyone else experiencing this problem?

I receive WPWR Digital OTA with a Sony DHG-HDD500 and a roof mounted antenna. The settings in the Sony are the same for all Digital channels.

Hello All:

I purchased my 500 - new about a year ago. Registered unit with Sony - and received acknowledgement of my purchase. Use it entirely for receiving and recording over the air digital broadcasts. Have been completely satisfied with performance / functionality of recorder. As question of whether these recorders will work following change over next year - has assumed greater urgency - I contacted Sony Customer Service.


They advise these recorders have the ability to receive the electronic programming and time set information from digital broadcast - should analog not be available. Have kept copies of correspondence - including there acknowledgement they were happy to be able to resolve my question re viability of HDD-500 following change to all digital broadcasting.

Now - although the tech support person I spoke with identified himself as "Joey" there is a chance he may have been speaking to me from Sumatra or Rawalpindi. Anyway - that doesn't make him a bad person - just hope Joey knows what he is talking about.

Barry

I tried replacing drives a while back in this thread. I invested quite a lot of time. I tried identical new drives as well as swapping existing drives between an HDD250 and an HDD500. I tried cloning drives using dd and Ghost as well as trying to initialize drives from the front panel menu. In every case, a non-original configuration caused booting to fail and produced a message on the display like ERR 8xxxxxx. I did manage to email an engineer at Sony who insisted that a special jig is required to bless replacement drives for these units. They have this equipment at their manufacturing facilities and there is one at the service center in Pennsylvania. I am confident that someone with enough time and the right tools could figure out how to do the job independently, but after the time I put into it already, $150 for a guaranteed fix sounds like a bargain.

You are right, and before I even read your response, I packed up my HDD250 and shipped it back to Sony this morning. This past week without my DVR was sheer torture! I did not realize how much I loved this machine until it was gone! I am upset at losing everything I had archived, but I was more upset at the picture quality I was getting from my HiSense box. It was just no comparison to the Sony. Maybe I am crazy, but the Sony produced picture seemed a lot better that the HiSense one. Brighter. Crisper. better colors, everything. And I was using the same cable and everything. Plus the PSIP guide sucks. I did the math, and even if I lose the Guide next February, with shipping it comes to about $16 a month for the repair and shipping (which turned out to be only $9 and change Fedex Ground) because of where I live. that plus an unexpected refund from the city for overbilling my water bill encouraged me to spend the money. Plus I saw how much these things are still going for on Ebay. Fixed, it is probably worth $500 or more.

I just wish I had come to this realization sooner so I could have my unit back to tape next week's "Lost", as I am always out on Thursday nights. Well, I hope they just slap a new hard drive in, and ship it back on Monday!

Darren

Sorry to say this, but after I switched to a green SA card (from the blue card) in my 250 all my problems with missing digital and HD channels from Comacast disappeared. It took a couple of days after the new card was authorized from the head-end for everything to work OK - I have no idea why - but since then everything works fine.

Do you get occasional 161-6 error messages popping up on screen? If so you should send it to Sony for the $150+ fix. I did that before I switched to the green card, and doing so didn't solve the problems I had with the blue card. However, I can't say for sure that the two issues aren't related.
The only time I ever received the 161-6 error was when I first hooked up the unit, almost 2 years ago......new and under warranty, I packed her up, shipped her off to them and problem solved. I've never seen it since.

Do you think the card needs replacing? Or will a reboot solve the problem? Any ideas?

Was that the only work you needed done?

What did they charge you?

The electrical service was supposed to be $150 because the unit was out of warranty, but they haven't charged me. I'm hoping they forgot :)

Interesting that my HDD250 (SA cablecard) can decrypt and record the digital music channels on Comcast, but the FF/RW function is somehow disabled.

I can play back the recording just fine, but I get the (X) whenever I try to skip ahead or back.

I'm thinking it must be a MPAA copyright "solution". Any ideas how to bypass? FF/RW is kind of a useful feature.

WFX

The only time I ever received the 161-6 error was when I first hooked up the unit, almost 2 years ago......new and under warranty, I packed her up, shipped her off to them and problem solved. I've never seen it since.

Do you think the card needs replacing? Or will a reboot solve the problem? Any ideas?

Well, you originally said the green card wouldn't work, but you didn't give specifics, so I assume you had the same issues as with the blue card. All I can suggest is that you try another green card, but patiently give it a day or two to "lock in" after it's authorized. Maybe try a warm reboot after it's installed; that won't hurt and may help. Like I said, for some unknown reason it took a little while for mine to suddenly find all my digital and HD channels. Recently, my local Comcast added new HD channels, and they showed up right away.

The electrical service was supposed to be $150 because the unit was out of warranty, but they haven't charged me. I'm hoping they forgot :)

Curious. When I called the Sony 800 number to request out-of-warranty service, I had to give them credit card info before they would assign a case number, and the Service Center won't do anything without that. They dinged my card right away. Maybe you just got lucky.

I had been using the listings for WFBTDT (26.3) for WFBT before they made the switch to MeToo. When the switch occured, the listings were for MeToo. A couple of days ago I noticed that it changed to "No Listings". I have not found a replacement. We would be looking for WMEV.

On a side note, currently I can not find a listing for the new location of WFBT or WCIUDT-6 (26.6)

ME-TOO and FBT appeared in last night's download (although ME-TOO was listed as 23.3) at the bottom of all the channels. I have activated both, changing ME-TOO to 26.3. I hope listings arrive in tonight's download.

Oddly, I have not seen a WMEU analog (48) appear.

A few weeks ago I tuned to the channel and found that there was no sound on the digital channel. I flipped to the analog channel and had no problems. I thought it was a temporary glitch and gave it no further thought. Last night was the first time that I returned to WPWR Digital and had the same problem. I do not have this problem with any other channels, and do not recall having this problem in the past. Is anyone else experiencing this problem?

I receive WPWR Digital OTA with a Sony DHG-HDD500 and a roof mounted antenna. The settings in the Sony are the same for all Digital channels.

I have had this problem in the past. I receive OTA via roof-mounted attenna same as you. WPWR 50.1 seems to be playing around with multiple sound tracks, because sometimes instead of no sound I get the Spanish track. This is purely a broadcast problem as far as I can tell.

ME-TOO and FBT appeared in last night's download (although ME-TOO was listed as 23.3) at the bottom of all the channels. I have activated both, changing ME-TOO to 26.3. I hope listings arrive in tonight's download.Thanks for the heads up on MeToo. I also turned on WWME (analog), and entered in 26.2, and I'll just use that if it fills in until the other one does.

On a side note, this probably wouldn't affect you where your at, but they also finally added WQRF-DT (FOX - Rockford) here. About time.

Thanks for the heads up on MeToo. I also turned on WWME (analog), and entered in 26.2, and I'll just use that if it fills in until the other one does.

On a side note, this probably wouldn't affect you where your at, but they also finally added WQRF-DT (FOX - Rockford) here. About time.

Now if we can only get them to add Mhz Worldview on 21.3 (WYCC in Chicago)

I have had this problem in the past. I receive OTA via roof-mounted attenna same as you. WPWR 50.1 seems to be playing around with multiple sound tracks, because sometimes instead of no sound I get the Spanish track. This is purely a broadcast problem as far as I can tell.


I did a rescan of the channels and it seemed to take care of the problem. But, of course it could have been coincidental timing.

Thanks for the input.

In our area our local PBS station that broadcasts the programming data for TVGOS had a recent equipment failure. Just got an email from TVGOS that stated: "We are aware of an equipment failure at KAFT, your local host station. Replacement equipment was shipped on 4/18/08. This may or may not be the problem you have."

My father and I both have a Sony HDD-250 (he lives about 10 miles away) and not only did we lose programming data but we both lost the ability to get any signal from any HD sources. That included over the air, via QAM cable and Cable Card. I had to reset my box and told him how to reset his as well. This fixed the problem, but my question is this, has anyone else experienced this? Does a loss of the TVGOS signal cause these units to temporarily lose the ability to receive any HD signal? (regular analog cable channels still worked before I reset the unit).

Mark Fontana,
I tried your firmware update on a 1gb Sandisk flash drive, and it worked like a champion! My HDD-250 now has firmware v 1.2.13. Those of you using Cable Cards as I do need this firmware update (on page 315) to stop losing your TVGuide and digital channels. I was re-setting mine every 3 weeks or so with the old firmware. Hopefully, never again.
Has anyone tried plugging in such a flash drive with a new hard drive in place, to see if it also has the magic file to 'bless' hard drives in the Sony? If not - Mark Fontana - can you help us out again? I'd LOVE to have more hard drive space in my HDD-250.

bggale: I believe the prevailing theory about replacement hard drives for the DHGs is that the original drives have had modifications to their own, onboard firmware, which has tended to be flashable only by a drive manufacturer's own software.

We might be having better luck checking out a SCSI drive for such modifications (and transferring them to a replacement drive of that model's family). But the drive isn't SCSI.

I too flashed the latest firmware to my DHG-HDD250; I used a digicam as my card reader. If anyone's interested, the card was a Sandisk 256M SD, ARO5135040598 MADE IN CHINA printed on its back face. The camera was a Pentax Optio 60, with its included USB cable.

I lost three out of the four network affilates 2 weeks ago. These were on cable. IThe OTA versions were still there. Out of the blue these channels were gone. I went into the menu and they weren't there either,
After searching throught the whole 500+ channels I finally found them towards the end of the list. I moved and re-enabled them. The other strange thing, they fully repopulated for the whole 8 days in less than one day instead of three.

Some CATV headend glitch?? Anyone else have this happen to them??

Yes - this happened to me a while ago. One day, Sci-Fi and another channel I watch a lot disappeared. I re-added them to my lineup, and they disappeared again! After a lot of checking, here's what I found.
Apparently, there is a limit to the number of channels the DDH-250 can have programmed. I found an error message to that effect in the settings. My cable company evidently added some new channels, and for whatever reason, these 2 (and several others) were removed to make room. I went through my channel listing and removed some foreign language channels, and I was able to re-add the ones I had lost. This time, they stayed.
Note that I had previously removed unwanted and redundant channels, and re-ordered the remaining ones to my liking, but I use a Cable Card, and until my recent firmware update, I was forced to do a soft reset every 3 or 4 weeks to restore my TVGuide and hi-def channels. When I did so, all of my channel edits went away (grrr).

You say you use CC, but TVGOS doesn't work with CC AFAIK.
I don't have that many active listings. What then is the limit of the number of active channels? Where/what were the error messages?

Trivial,
If these drive only need their firmware updated by their manufacturer's app, why won't a drive from one DDH-250 work in another DDH-250? Granted, it's possible the drives need a certain firmware to be recognized, but they apparently also need to be somehow linked to the DDH-250 they are installed in. How would you run the manufacturer's firmware updater inside the DDH-250 to do this? As far as I know, the only way to run any software on these things is via USB. Wouldn't it make sense for Sony to minimize the work and specialized tools for it's repair techs? Also - with drive supplies and prices constantly fluctuating, I can't imagine Sony tying themselves to a single drive model and manufacturer. The supply dries up, or the manufacturer decides to double the price to Sony, and then what? Re-write the system software for their DVRs? I doubt it.
Have you tried re-inserting the firmware updater in your DDR-250 to see if it gives any message other than 'A newer firmware revision is available, do you want to install it' or whatever it said when we updated our firmware? Mine is buried in a heavy, hard to access component cabinet, but I will try it when I get a chance. What I'd really like to see is someone with a new drive in the second bay insert this updater. It might not do anything unless it 'sees' a new drive.
The updater has 3 files in it: MSDDF.BIN, which I'd guess is the autorun app, SIGN.DAT, which I can only guess the purpose of, and the largest file TARGET.CFS, which must be the firmware. Maybe SIGN.DAT blesses any new hard drive it encounters.
Anyone out there want to give this a try?

I don't remember where I found the error message, or how many channels it said was the max (I don't think it gave a number, only told me the max had been exceeded). TVGuide works fine with a Cable Card. If it didn't, how would you record with these things?

Oops - I just realized I keep typing DDH-250 instead of HDD-250. My dyslexia showing again.

I had an interesting thing happen to all three of my Sonys over the weekend. I have all of my local HD channels sorted in the channel list at the top. For some reason all of them had the channels re-ordered where all of my locals ended up at the bottom of the list. I was able to resort them but doing it on all three when you need to scroll up like 500 lines for each reshuffle was a PITA. Anyone see this before?

I had an interesting thing happen to all three of my Sonys over the weekend. I have all of my local HD channels sorted in the channel list at the top. For some reason all of them had the channels re-ordered where all of my locals ended up at the bottom of the list. I was able to resort them but doing it on all three when you need to scroll up like 500 lines for each reshuffle was a PITA. Anyone see this before?


Yep, it happens when TVGOS updates the channel guide lineup. Go to channel settings and see if any listings for addtional channels were added

Yep, it happens when TVGOS updates the channel guide lineup. Go to channel settings and see if any listings for addtional channels were added

There were channels added but channels have popped up in the past without the re-ordering phenomenon. Oh well, hoping it's not gonna be a regular event.

TVGuide works fine with a Cable Card. If it didn't, how would you record with these things?I was thinking of the MSO supplied box that uses their own guide/data to program recordings.

To get a cablecard working is necessary to have both the firmware v 1.2.13 and the $150 fix or will updating the firmware alone do the trick. I ask, because I'm getting tired of my cable provider changing the QAM lineup once a month and then having to re-program my channel listing to point to the correct channels.

I had an interesting thing happen to all three of my Sonys over the weekend. I have all of my local HD channels sorted in the channel list at the top. For some reason all of them had the channels re-ordered where all of my locals ended up at the bottom of the list. I was able to resort them but doing it on all three when you need to scroll up like 500 lines for each reshuffle was a PITA. Anyone see this before?

Did you really scroll up 500 lines? I move stuff from bottom to top by entering order number in edit menu. To go the other way, I find an unused channel near the top of the list and move it to the bottom the same way, using the edit menu.
Ray

Did you really scroll up 500 lines? I move stuff from bottom to top by entering order number in edit menu. To go the other way, I find an unused channel near the top of the list and move it to the bottom the same way, using the edit menu.
Ray

That's a nice tip. I have moved stuff to the bottom this way but never thought to use a dummy channel to get back to the top. It will make moving stuff around a little faster next time.

Has anyone with an HDD500 tried using only one drive, and then only the other, in the same machine, with or without performing the format sequence? There isn't any kind of RAID strategy going on inside; one drive is written to until it's full. I also haven't noticed anyone exchanging the two drives in the same machine, with or without formatting. Correct me if you remember otherwise!


If these drive only need their firmware updated by their manufacturer's app, why won't a drive from one DDH-250 work in another DDH-250? Granted, it's possible the drives need a certain firmware to be recognized, but they apparently also need to be somehow linked to the DDH-250 they are installed in. How would you run the manufacturer's firmware updater inside the DDH-250 to do this?
You wouldn't. You'd take the cover off, pull the drive's data cable, and attach a proprietary connector to the drive's circuit board. I don't know whether the flashing computer would also need to be connected through the IDE bus. Then you'd download the firmware from the drive, disconnect it from the computer, reconnect another, and upload that same firmware to a new drive.

In a SCSI drive firmware updates are often handled right through the SCSI interface. Unfortunately we lusers are too stupid to be allowed to low-level format our IDE drives. We get to "zero them out". We're safe in the arms of corporations that care, with only the coarsest functionality exposing or subjecting itself to us.
Also - with drive supplies and prices constantly fluctuating, I can't imagine Sony tying themselves to a single drive model and manufacturer.
All I've read about in this thread is the WD-2500JB. Admittedly there are several PCB revisions on this drive; I don't know whether they require individualized firmware.

I've been using a Cable Card for almost 2 years now, and I only updated my firmware yesterday. It worked before, but every 3 - 4 weeks, I had to do a soft re-set to get my TVGuide and hi-def channels back (the Guide would stop populating, and eventually be empty).
I believe the $150 'fix' IS the firmware update, but you can do it yourself now. I have never had my HDD-250 serviced by Sony.

PATA hard drives get their firmware updated through the IDE cable. It's done fairly rarely.
I'd still like to know where this notion of proprietary firmware tying these drives to Sony's DVRs came from. It still seems to me if that was the case, a drive from one HDD-250 (or HDD-500) would work in any other. As for all the drives being the same model of Western Digital, that doesn't mean a thing, considering how short a time Sony made and sold these things. What was it, a year? I think it's much more likely the 'blessing' of a given drive is done on the DVR side. That data is much more accessable to a Sony tech. If it's not done via the flash drives we used to update firmware, it is probably done another way through usb.
Didn't I read somewhere early in this forum someone claiming to have taken their HDD-25 in for service with a bad drive, and when the tech confirmed the drive needed replacing, the customer asked him to use a drive he already had with him, and the tech did? It seems to me the drive wasn't even a Western Digital. Of course this story might be a fabrication, but only a Sony tech could say for sure. Any Sony techs out there (Mark?)

You wouldn't. You'd take the cover off, pull the drive's data cable, and attach a proprietary connector to the drive's circuit board. I don't know whether the flashing computer would also need to be connected through the IDE bus. Then you'd download the firmware from the drive, disconnect it from the computer, reconnect another, and upload that same firmware to a new drive.

In a SCSI drive firmware updates are often handled right through the SCSI interface. Unfortunately we lusers are too stupid to be allowed to low-level format our IDE drives. We get to "zero them out". We're safe in the arms of corporations that care, with only the coarsest functionality exposing or subjecting itself to us.


So your theory is that in order to replace a drive, a tech needs the firmware from a drive previously installed in a given DVR? You really think each DVR has it's own, proprietary, unique firmware? If that is true, it is the most ridiculous scheme I've ever heard of. Since the firmware is only accessible through IDE, what happens if the board on a drive is damaged? Toss the DVR? RIGHT!
I further gather from your comment about not being 'allowed' to low - level format your drives that you are a Windoze user. We Mac users can low - level format any drive we choose, without the help of aftermarket software. As for SCSI - that technology is a bit old to be mixed into this discussion, isn't it?

The firmware required could differ in a way that is procedurally derived from the DVR's serial number, so a Sony tech wouldn't have to download anything from the drive. We don't have the knowledge yet to make the right hex edits. If sector-by-sector copies of these drives' contents don't work to make them interchangable, I'm just trying to think how that was done. Sony had a motivation to make difficult the turning of an HDD-250 into an HDD-500 when they were being sold, especially at the rate hard drives drop in price as their family ages.

Writing zeros all over the place is not the same as a low-level format. The drives cannot just be commanded to execute the LLF, either, as in SCSI/SAS.

You are not approaching the "blessing" procedure from the standpoint of a user, you're trying to get in Sony's head too much. If the DHG thinks a drive is allowed to work, and we don't know why, it seems to me that
1) a sector copy should make a new drive work, OR
2) Identical firmware on both drives will work.

What thing do you think a DHG can do that doesn't meet one of those conditions, whether or not the the drive is updatable via its PATA connector? I may have been wrong about that, but I can't find a free Caviar SE flashing proggie after several hours searching. Serious data-recovery software can do it; perhaps it's only sold with a boxful of proprietary dongles to help justify the high cost of an extensive but compact database easily fit on a single CD.

That's a nice tip. I have moved stuff to the bottom this way but never thought to use a dummy channel to get back to the top. It will make moving stuff around a little faster next time.Don't forget that you can use the channel up/down buttons to scroll through the channels one SCREEN at a time instead of one LINE at a time. Works both in setup and normal guide modes. So you can use this to quickly scroll down to a listing you want near the top, and edit its position. Repeat ad-nauseam.

Has it occurred to anyone that the reason no one has figured out how to swap, add or change the hard drive in a HHD-250 or 500 might be due to HDCP?

"HDMI also has the ability to protect data from piracy. It uses high-bandwidth digital copy protection (HDCP) to accomplish this. HDCP is an authentication protocol. Basically, each home-theater device has identification data and encryption data stored on its extended display identification data (EDID) chip. The source device checks the authentication key of the receiving device. If both keys check out, the sending device moves on to the next step. It generates a new key and shares it with the receiving device. In other words, it creates a shared secret. Ideally, this whole process, known as a handshake, takes place almost instantaneously.

The source device encodes its information using the key it generated it. The receiving device decodes it using the same information. If an unauthorized device tries to intercept the data, the source device stops transmitting. It also makes sure that the key hasn't changed and that the system is still secure every few minutes. All HDMI-compatible devices are required to support HDCP."

Did you really scroll up 500 lines? I move stuff from bottom to top by entering order number in edit menu. To go the other way, I find an unused channel near the top of the list and move it to the bottom the same way, using the edit menu.
Ray

Nice one, Ray. And, yes, I myself have laboriously scrolled all 500 lines looking for lost channels because even though I knew how to do editing it never occurred to me to drop a channel to the bottom to get to the bottom quicker. :o :o :o

I had an interesting thing happen to all three of my Sonys over the weekend. I have all of my local HD channels sorted in the channel list at the top. For some reason all of them had the channels re-ordered where all of my locals ended up at the bottom of the list. I was able to resort them but doing it on all three when you need to scroll up like 500 lines for each reshuffle was a PITA. Anyone see this before?

Exactly the same thing happened to me. But strangely, only on my 250. The 500 was not affected.

Don't forget that you can use the channel up/down buttons to scroll through the channels one SCREEN at a time instead of one LINE at a time. Works both in setup and normal guide modes. So you can use this to quickly scroll down to a listing you want near the top, and edit its position. Repeat ad-nauseam.

Have had the devices for well over two years and never knew that fact. Handy to know. Thanks.

Don't forget that you can use the channel up/down buttons to scroll through the channels one SCREEN at a time instead of one LINE at a time. Works both in setup and normal guide modes. So you can use this to quickly scroll down to a listing you want near the top, and edit its position. Repeat ad-nauseam.

Yeah that's the way I had been doing it, but even then it does take some time.

I sent my Sony HDD250 back last Friday after the hard drive apparently developed a fatal glitch. It was received by Sony yesterday morning according to FedEx. I heard nothing from Sony, not even an acknowledgement of receipt or "we are working on it" e-mail. Then today around 4 p.m. EST I got an e-mail from UPS that a package was on its way to me. I had not ordered anything, but when I saw the package weighed 15 pds., I realized it was my Sony box already on its way back! Incredibly fast turnaround time. So cheers for Sony, I may get to record LOST tomorrow after all...Jeers however for giving me no clue as to the status of my box...

On a side note, since I paid for the repair, when I sent in my form, I checked off the "return replaced parts" box on my sheet. So if my drive was replaced instead of repaired, Sony should be sending my old drive back right? We will see if they send it. It might be fun to play around with...

Darren

So if my drive was replaced instead of repaired, Sony should be sending my old drive back right? We will see if they send it. It might be fun to play around with...

Darren

If they send the drive back, an interesting experiment (if you're technically inclined) would be to remove the PCB from the old drive and connect it to the new drive. See if it works. It's my guess that the blessing is done to the firmware of hard drive...

Also, please let us know if they're still using Western Digital drives. The model number and revision would be helpful to know as well.

If they send the drive back, an interesting experiment (if you're technically inclined) would be to remove the PCB from the old drive and connect it to the new drive. See if it works. It's my guess that the blessing is done to the firmware of hard drive...

Also, please let us know if they're still using Western Digital drives. The model number and revision would be helpful to know as well.

Well, I was not planning on opening up the box, as I am worried that I would not be able to get future repair work. The Sony Service website seems to indicate ther reserve the right to refuse to work on units that have been tampered with. It does not state that explicitly, but it seems implicit in their disclaimers. The drive appeared to be failing on boot up. If I could repair it with a software fix, I would be tempted to put it back in the unit and see if it allowed it to become a 500. My guess would be they won't send it back, and that if they do, it will be wiped. I will find out tomorrow I guess.

I have replaced the hard drives in my pioneer DVRs. They require a special service disk and a special service remote that has commands the normal remote does not. Basically, you have to use the service disk/special remote to write your machines unique serial number to the new hard drive before the hard drive will function correctly in the DVR. I wouldn't be surprised if the Sony's have a similar system.
Ray, thanks for the channel order tip in moving the unused channel to the bottom. Like many others i have page downed endlessly resorting the channel order after they have gone haywire. Didn't you detail how to put in the backup recordings to cover yourself against the ol' disappearing from the schedule problem as well? May have been someone else but both of those suggestions are top hat.

Didn't you detail how to put in the backup recordings to cover yourself against the ol' disappearing from the schedule problem as well? May have been someone else but both of those suggestions are top hat.

For must have recordings, I did suggest to first schedule the recording manually, and then with the guide.
I just had a thought about a cause for dropped recordings: when you program a channel from the guide, and later the guide changes the start time, for example from 9pm to 9:01pm, the program is dropped from your schedule.

Ray

With the "W" option, I don't lose recordings if they are time shifted in the guide like that. It seems to update my scheduled recording for the changed time.

For must have recordings, I did suggest to first schedule the recording manually, and then with the guide.
I just had a thought about a cause for dropped recordings: when you program a channel from the guide, and later the guide changes the start time, for example from 9pm to 9:01pm, the program is dropped from your schedule.

Ray

I have replaced the hard drives in my pioneer DVRs. They require a special service disk and a special service remote that has commands the normal remote does not. Basically, you have to use the service disk/special remote to write your machines unique serial number to the new hard drive before the hard drive will function correctly in the DVR. I wouldn't be surprised if the Sony's have a similar system.A couple of years ago, in this thread :eek:, it was speculated that the drive serial number was copied into flash memory on the cpu board, as the means of validating the drive(s). I doubt that the drive firmware has anything to do with it.

With the "W" option, I don't lose recordings if they are time shifted in the guide like that. It seems to update my scheduled recording for the changed time.

mine, unfortunately, has a tendency to drop a portion of the w recordings on the actual day that they are supposed to record...nobody's figured out what that's about, but it's ironic that the final update of that day seems to cause this...

A couple of years ago, in this thread :eek:, it was speculated that the drive serial number was copied into flash memory on the cpu board, as the means of validating the drive(s). I doubt that the drive firmware has anything to do with it.
Okay; where is that un-rewritable serial number stored on the drive? Even a PC's mainboard's serial # is alterable by flashing . . .

I got an e-mail today at 11:05 a.m. from Sony that they had received my HDD250. Of course the UPS tracking site says it is out for delivery to me. :D

I guess if it comes before lunch I will have to run home and set it up so I can record LOST tonight. I will let you all know about the hard drive.

Darren

I got an e-mail today at 11:05 a.m. from Sony that they had received my HDD250. Of course the UPS tracking site says it is out for delivery to me. :D

I guess if it comes before lunch I will have to run home and set it up so I can record LOST tonight. I will let you all know about the hard drive.

Darren

You won't be able to record LOST unless you do it manually ;)

You won't be able to record LOST unless you do it manually ;)

I already know that. I have had this unit for quite some time. But thanks for chiming in on the obvious. :rolleyes:

Is that how one gets to 3000+ posts on here? lol j/k :D

My unit arrived about 2 p.m. today. Not in my original box and packing, but instead in a larger box filled with Styrofoam peanuts. Somebody should tell Sony about this whole green movement...lol.

Anyway, attached to the bubble wrap was a box with my old hard drive in it, or at least a box labeled "broken hard drive" in hand written lettering. I took the unit home and set it up. The unit had to be set up from scratch. I did note that they listed on the invoice that they had upgraded the firmware, and done the electrical modification at no charge. Since I had no cable card problems, and no firmware issues (my unit was mostly flawless other than the occassional harddrive glitch), I have some concerns about performing that unneccesary work, but only time will tell. I manually set the box to record the local digital ABC affiliate tonight from 8-11. Then I realized that if the clock corrected itself while I was out, I would wind up with the wrong recordings, so I set it to record a six hour block, broken into two parts, which should cover the whole kit and kaboodle. I did force the VBI, so we will see if I get a channel lineup any sooner.

As for the hard drive, I am in a little quandry, as I seem to recall these drives are setup as Linux drives, which is Greek to me. I am not sure my Windows XP machine will even see this drive. I may play around with it over the weekend. If I get really brave I might just plug it into the Sony and see what happens, although the Unit may not look for a second drive since it is a 250, and that seems embedded in the firmware (a la the system info screen). If the problem with the disk was in the boot sectors, then perhaps the data may still be there, or at least the data portions of the disk may be usable. I am not a computer guy, so I do not know. I'm just glad to have it back!

Darren

Before sending a unit in for repair, it would be advisable to write
down the unit's serial # and the drive serial #(s).

To get this info use the "1234" system menu:
http://www.spiffspace.com/sonydvr.html#Section1217

"Main"
unit Serial Number

"HDD"
drive Serial Number

Western Digital drives will have a value with the following format:
WD-WCALxxxxxxxx

WD = Western Digital
WCALxxxxxxxx = serial # (& model #)

For example: (from below)
Serial No Model No
WCAL75267349 WD2500JB


http://www.wdc.com/en/products/productspecs.asp?driveid=42
WD Caviar SE Hard Drives (WD2500JB) Specifications
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=42&language=en
WD Caviar® SE 250 GB, 100 MB/s, 8 MB Cache, 7200 RPM


http://websupport.wdc.com/warranty/serialinput.asp?custtype=end&requesttype=warranty&lang=en
A serial number consist of 12 alpha-numeric characters.

Here's the sample data:

[Post 3689]
Author : catmother
Date : 02-18-06 11:28 PM

WCAL75267349 WD2500JB-98GVC0 No Limited Warranty

No Limited Warranty
Product was originally sold to a system manufacturer.
Please contact the system manufacturer or the place of purchase for warranty service.

Before sending a unit in for repair, it would be advisable to write
down the unit's serial # and the drive serial #(s).


A terrific suggestion except my unit would not get past the welcome screen, so there was no way to get this info without physically opening the unit, which I did not want to do for the reasons stated in an above post. The unit serial number is on the back and is necessary to send the unit in for service.

Additionally, since they sent my old drive back, I have that information on the outside of the old drive, so why would I need it written down somewhere? Do you think they sent me back a broken drive that was not mine?

Okay; where is that un-rewritable serial number stored on the drive? Even a PC's mainboard's serial # is alterable by flashing . . .I don't know for sure, but I think it would be in a sector in the hidden tracks. And/or maybe the Sony "blessing" procedure involves writing unique data in the hidden area, as well as copying the s/n to the Sony's flash/EE area.

Presumably, if you could clone a working drive, and had the proper utility software to access those hidden tracks, and copy them to the clone drive's hidden area, then perhaps the new drive would fool the Sony's validation routine in the same HDD250/500. I doubt this would work for adding a 2nd drive, trying to convert a 250 to a 500.

Ray, please excuse this question from a newbie. I just got my HDD250 and love it. I get only cable and my cable company seems to have stopped renting cable cards. My clock is one hour slow. Is there a way to add one hour? I'm still reading the 389 pages of this forum, so I'm sorry if this has been asked & answered. I should be receiving the TVGuide from a Philly cable conversion, but haven't checked yet. Thanks for the help.
Joe

You can't set the clock on this unit...the information from your host channel will send out the clock info. Might want to check with them.

Did you really scroll up 500 lines? I move stuff from bottom to top by entering order number in edit menu. To go the other way, I find an unused channel near the top of the list and move it to the bottom the same way, using the edit menu.
Ray

Learn something new every day! Thanks - big time saver!

You won't be able to record LOST unless you do it manually ;)

Funny... I don't have any problem recording Lost if it shows as set on the Guide on the day it's showing!

MY problem is the occasional program whose "record" symbol disappears from the Guide on the day of showing

Funny... I don't have any problem recording Lost if it shows as set on the Guide on the day it's showing!

MY problem is the occasional program whose "record" symbol disappears from the Guide on the day of showing

He was actually referring just to my unit, which I just got back yesterday from Sony for a repair. Becuase of that, I had no guide data. So I had to set the machine to record manually. Which I did. And it worked like a charm.

Darren

He was actually referring just to my unit, which I just got back yesterday from Sony for a repair. Becuase of that, I had no guide data. So I had to set the machine to record manually. Which I did. And it worked like a charm.

Darren

ah, yes - I "Lost" track of that!

Funny... I don't have any problem recording Lost if it shows as set on the Guide on the day it's showing!

MY problem is the occasional program whose "record" symbol disappears from the Guide on the day of showing

I only made my comment because he was getting his
DVR back and wanted to record a show the same day.
He would have NO GUIDE DATA for at least 24 hours,
Therefore requiring a Manual Recording.

My clock is one hour slow. Is there a way to add one hour?

No. To clarify, the channel used for setting the time and the channel used for receiving guide data are NOT necessarily the same. I have four TVGOS DVRs (3 Sonys) and between the four, they use three different stations for the time and three different stations for the guide data in various combinations.

Since you are using cable, you may encounter an addtional problem. Many devices (VCRs, TVs, DVRs, etc.) that set their time from the line 21 VBI signal choose the channel by the first one they find that has the clock signal. This is usually done by starting with channel 2 and scanning up. On many cable systems, channel 2 (and/or 3) carry out-of-town network cable stations. If these originate from a different time zone, then your device will adopt that time zone's time. The cable companies don't usually strip this or change it, just pass it through.

Ray, please excuse this question from a newbie. I just got my HDD250 and love it. I get only cable and my cable company seems to have stopped renting cable cards. My clock is one hour slow. Is there a way to add one hour? I'm still reading the 389 pages of this forum, so I'm sorry if this has been asked & answered. I should be receiving the TVGuide from a Philly cable conversion, but haven't checked yet. Thanks for the help.
Joe

To my knowledge, the cable company is required by federal law to make a cable card available to you. Without the cable card, I can't receive any cable channels and HDTV programs appear on different channel numbers that I had to edit into the guide. Also, I can't receive premium channels such as HBO without the card.

With regard to the clock, I suggest you connect an antenna, do a warm reset and hope that the DVR acquires the clock signal from the antenna. If the clock is still slow, perhaps the station didn't advance the clock for daylight savings time.

Ray

Ray, please excuse this question from a newbie. I just got my HDD250 and love it. I get only cable and my cable company seems to have stopped renting cable cards. My clock is one hour slow. Is there a way to add one hour? I'm still reading the 389 pages of this forum, so I'm sorry if this has been asked & answered. I should be receiving the TVGuide from a Philly cable conversion, but haven't checked yet. Thanks for the help.
Joe

You could try the following:

Figure out which station is broadcasting your TVGOS info.
Tune to that station.
Unplug your HDD250.
Wait 30 seconds.
Plug it back in.
Turn it on.
Make sure it is still tuned to the Analog TVGOS station.
Press the following keys: Menu, Screen Mode, Format, 9012.
This should bring up a hidden menu. Be very careful here.
Go to the TVGuide selection.
Go to G*Factory test.
Wait .
Your clock should reset to the time carried on that station, which should match your guide.

Let me know if this works for you. I also reccomend http://www.spiffspace.com/sonydvr.html

Read it and you can learn a lot.

Darren

Ok,
I've been without guide data for about a week now. I've gone so far as attempted the procedure outlined in the FAQ (clearing all chanels, reset user config, rescanning, resetting TVGOS) to no avail. I cannot set my clock anymore either. Overnight my clock is still unset and TVGOS empty. I used to easily be able to do a force VBI (963xxxxxx) and then a G* VBI test on my local OTA PBS station 26 WETA Wash DC to get the clock in a few seconds. I am getting VBI packets on 26 but isn't seemingly seeing any clock/guide data. Any ideas?!?!?

... I get only cable and my cable company seems to have stopped renting cable cards. ...
Joe

You might remind them that it's against the law (against FCC regs) to require that you rent their equipment. They MUST provide working cable cards to users with third party equipment.

If a cable company tried to pull this "not renting cable cards" crap on me I would quote the regs to them and demand in writing that they provide me with free equipment comparable to my own at their expense, until they fix the gap.

Marc

Is there a quicker way to hide or turn off channels in the TVGOS without having to go into each channel and turn it off, is that what "auto hide" is for? We no longer get free basic cable with our internet service, so I have to remove a bunch of channels from the guide.

Also, is there a way to manually add a channel besides the channel +/- list? After a rescan, I can manually tune to a channel, but its not showing up in the channel +/- list.

Thanks

My 500 unit has started to exhibit a long delay before a recording starts to play. After I select the program, the screen goes black for about 5 to 10 seconds (only an estimate) before the program starts. Also there is a delay before pause and play actions take affect. Any suggestions? I can't recall if anyone else posted this problem.

Ray
Update:
The unit repaired itself! While I was trying to get cast info from a previously watched program, the picture was replaced by "SONY", and the unit display went blank. I waited for about a minute, pushed the power button, waited a few more minutes, pushed power again, and unit came back on with program listing. Then I went back to the program I was looking at when the unit crashed, and program started up immediately.

Ok,
I've been without guide data for about a week now. I've gone so far as attempted the procedure outlined in the FAQ (clearing all chanels, reset user config, rescanning, resetting TVGOS) to no avail. I cannot set my clock anymore either. Overnight my clock is still unset and TVGOS empty. I used to easily be able to do a force VBI (963xxxxxx) and then a G* VBI test on my local OTA PBS station 26 WETA Wash DC to get the clock in a few seconds. I am getting VBI packets on 26 but isn't seemingly seeing any clock/guide data. Any ideas?!?!?

Am in Fairfax, VA and haven't had a successful download of guide data since 4/25. VBI packets on PBS 26 as you mentioned are passing on the G* but Saturday and Sunday listings of next week are empty. My clock however is fine so at least I can schedule manual recordings. Must be a problem at the station. If it continues through today perhaps I'll give their engineering department a call.

Am in Fairfax, VA and haven't had a successful download of guide data since 4/25. VBI packets on PBS 26 as you mentioned are passing on the G* but Saturday and Sunday listings of next week are empty. My clock however is fine so at least I can schedule manual recordings. Must be a problem at the station. If it continues through today perhaps I'll give their engineering department a call.

I live in DC and my guide data comes from MPT on channel 22. If you still don't get any data from 26 and you do get a reliable 22 signal, maybe changing your zipcode to a DC zipcode will allow you to get the guide data from MPT.

I live in DC and my guide data comes from MPT on channel 22. If you still don't get any data from 26 and you do get a reliable 22 signal, maybe changing your zipcode to a DC zipcode will allow you to get the guide data from MPT.

People using WETA PBS 26 as their host channel in the DC/Northern Virginia area: There was indeed a problem at the station. I spoke to the engineer at the station this morning who is responsible for the TV guide data to be transmitted, and he just called me back and verified that there was in fact a problem that surfaced on the 25th and it has been corrected, and if you don't see the guide data later on today in one of the remaining downloads, you will definitely see it repopulating tomorrow. This is right from the head engineer's mouth.

My 250s are used in an unusual way at this point. Light or no use for weeks or months then heavy use for two weeks. One of them could be idled completely for interim periods. They have been near constantly powered since 11/05 & 7/06. I have the sense that hard drive failure rate for them is not high. Would it nevertheless be wise to unplug during the idle periods?

I checked in on both just after midnight, & saw some strange things. Note - both have unedited guides currently, first 10 positions ordered, are over or near 85% full, have intact recordings, & are on line conditioner UPS. Cablecards in each. - Verizon (which does VHO/CO repairs after midnight)

DVR A -- Once powered on, it was unresponsive to all commands. Soft reset freed it up but no listings for any channel, hour or date when they had been full a few days ago. Guide channel identifiers were OK. Time is slow by exactly 1 minute after reset. No change in 20 minutes of observation.

DVR B -- Also no listings except for 2 Comedy Ch shows which followed the only regularly scheduled recordings, Stewart & Colbert. Nothing across the board after those. All channel logos missing in left panes except for Comedy Ch. When highlighted, channel numbers appeared in correct guide position. TV screen panes had odd identifiers for a number of channels - B<PY+ instead of KYW HD for example. Correct time. After 20 minutes all guide data suddenly appeared. Same for channel identifiers in guide & on screen. No reset involved.

Is there a recent Gemstar update that buggered things up or did I miss some routine service interval, perhaps an oil & filter change?

Good idea or not to rest DVR during idle stretches? I'm not concerned about time needed to repopulate guide.

Is there a recent Gemstar update that buggered things up or did I miss some routine service interval, perhaps an oil & filter change?

Thanks again to Congress for screwing around with the date for daylight savings time. I like many others had to do a system reset again this year to get rid of queer behavior after the DST change. Try it.

Any updates on WETA 26 DC? Two nights and still no guide data. Though my clock did set correctly. I noticed this morning (after the 2nd night) my VBI host channel reset from 0:0-26 after the first night to 0xfffffff ? Could this be a result of corrupted/bad guide data (stations fault); software error on my 500; or poor reception by my OTA antenna during a nightly download?

Just got a call from my cable company (service electric cablevision, in NE PA). They didn't say they wouldn't let me have a cable card for my Sony, just that they wouldn't activate it. Gotta love corporations! So it's off to the email & letter writing process. Ironic since I get the TVGOS, time and a great signal. But the HD channels are not recognized, but I can record them manually. I just wanted the card to see what the difference would be. Even their STB won't let me get my favorites of MSNBC and Comedy Central. I'll let you know how things go. Thanks.
Joe

If you are manually able to tune and record those channels, the "hassle free" alternative is to go into the guide and map the non-HD channel listing to point to the HD channel

Just got a call from my cable company (service electric cablevision, in NE PA). They didn't say they wouldn't let me have a cable card for my Sony, just that they wouldn't activate it. Gotta love corporations! So it's off to the email & letter writing process. Ironic since I get the TVGOS, time and a great signal. But the HD channels are not recognized, but I can record them manually. I just wanted the card to see what the difference would be. Even their STB won't let me get my favorites of MSNBC and Comedy Central. I'll let you know how things go. Thanks.
Joe

That's a novel way to skirt the law! If you have the patience for it, I think the people to contact are at the local authority which governs cable providers in your area; as well as the cableco itself. The FCC may take forever to get back to you. With the cablecard support you've gotten so far, it's doubtful this company would ever support it well after install. Don't you have at least one other option up there, like Time Warner? I would call them now.

Unless something's changed on the clearQAM landscape, you should be able to map any "tune channel" to any "guide channel". So the guide and DVR will be fully functional for any received channel. Download the manual if it's missing. First page of this thread.

Setup of cablecard will give you all the channels you're paying for in service package. They will also be identified with same numbers as those with provider's STB. Unless you're at the most basic of service levels, I don't see how you're missing MSNBC and Comedy Central with STB. Did you forget to say the secret words necessary for authorization of these?

Thanks again to Congress for screwing around with the date for daylight savings time. I like many others had to do a system reset again this year to get rid of queer behavior after the DST change. Try it.

I appreciate that you didn't berate me for doing oil changes instead of system resets as routine maintenance. This is a poor choice of thread if at all ignorant. The queer behavior probably did migrate up from DC, and is now being swapped between the 250s.

As of lunchtime, DVR B has lost all the guide data it had found last night. DVR A has found the minute it lost through soft reset, and is repopulating guide at rate expected for time elapsed.

Hard drive questions remain. - Rest it, or use it or lose it?

Are there any thoughts here about Verizon's systemwide rollout of FiOS IPTV by 2010? http://ntsblog.burtongroup.com/network_and_telecom_strat/2007/10/tough-decision.html - last 6 paragraphs. Or is that too far off to contemplate?

Any updates on WETA 26 DC? Two nights and still no guide data. Though my clock did set correctly. I noticed this morning (after the 2nd night) my VBI host channel reset from 0:0-26 after the first night to 0xfffffff ? Could this be a result of corrupted/bad guide data (stations fault); software error on my 500; or poor reception by my OTA antenna during a nightly download?

I see that the clock sets, but my TV(with TVGOS) the guide data is coming from 62(WWPB/MPT). My guide has reset 5 times in the last 8 days. :( Does anyone have any info on the digital VBI for the DC area? Any info is appreciated.

Any updates on WETA 26 DC? Two nights and still no guide data. Though my clock did set correctly. I noticed this morning (after the 2nd night) my VBI host channel reset from 0:0-26 after the first night to 0xfffffff ? Could this be a result of corrupted/bad guide data (stations fault); software error on my 500; or poor reception by my OTA antenna during a nightly download?

My guide data returned yesterday morning just as the engineer said it would. My host channel is PBS 26. I had lost data for three consecutive days - Saturday, Sunday and Monday, and yesterday when I checked, Saturday had repopulated. When I get home from work today I imagine that the rest will be populated. Also, yesterday the ads came back. I had been missing the ads for 3 days straight too which is usually an indication that something was not right. By the way I get guide infor through Cox cable - one unit with cablecard, one unit without.

Mapper: I guess that by 62 - you are hooked up OTA, and getting guide data that way because MPT on my system through cable is channel 22 with and without cablecards. Have no concrete info yet on digital VBI in the DC area.

My 250s are used in an unusual way at this point. Light or no use for weeks or months then heavy use for two weeks. One of them could be idled completely for interim periods. They have been near constantly powered since 11/05 & 7/06. I have the sense that hard drive failure rate for them is not high. Would it nevertheless be wise to unplug during the idle periods?



One obvious benefit of unplugging the unit is lower electric bill since the unit is always drawing the same amount of current. If you know for sure that you aren't going to use it for a month or more, it's probably a good idea to unplug it. Otherwise probably best to leave it alone. Electrical and thermal stresses from cycling power may be more harmful if you do it too often.

Ray

Hello everybody... I've read almost as much as I could handle in this thread and couldn't find my particular problem: My DHG-HDD250 shows "NO LISTINGS" on about half the channels when channel surfing... the weird thing is that the DVR has the listings. It's in the tv guide osd. When I press tv guide, the listing is right there. The listings go all the way out for a week or so and are all filled in nicely. How can I get it to show the correct show title when changing channels with the tv guide NOT on.

Also, the channel listings in the guide are not in order. I know they can be re arranged in a very labor intensive method through the menu... is there a way to automatically make them show in the order that cablevision has them? I have a cablecard in there. Thanks everyone.

Service Electric (SECV.COM) has a monopoly in my city. There are actually three variations of the company's service in a 30 mile radius, each with its own channel listings and lineups. Please don't confuse this one with the SECVTV.COM in eastern PA and New Jersey. But you can check the channel listings on their web site, and MSNBC and Comedy Central are not offered in any digital form, even for the highest level of service. I get them in analog since I'm paying for the basic cable (about 90 channels). Funny, but I just wanted to get the card so that I won't feel like I'm getting something for nothing. Right now I'm using the STB because of a free 6 month offer. It's an old Motorola that feeds my channel 3. But following this thread my problems are small compared to most others. I don't change how I use the DVR often, plus the quality of HD recording and playback is outstanding, so I'll be quiet and hope something good happens for all of us before 2/2009. That day may have more impact on people than Y2K or the change of DST dates. We sure do live in interesting times.
Joe

One obvious benefit of unplugging the unit is lower electric bill since the unit is always drawing the same amount of current. If you know for sure that you aren't going to use it for a month or more, it's probably a good idea to unplug it. Otherwise probably best to leave it alone. Electrical and thermal stresses from cycling power may be more harmful if you do it too often.

Ray

Thanks. I might choose to use one of the 250s for upstairs (long HDMI or direct) if I swap out a cablecard Toshiba for newer LCD w/o cc. - mostly for tuning & time slipping. Since things seemed to be piling up, I did an energy audit of my living room a few months ago. The 250s averaged 28.5 watts powered on, 26.8 in standby. A TiVo S3 34.5 watts on, 33.9 in standby though TiVos aren't usually left in that mode. The huge draws were lights, spread across 5 circuits; all on dimmers; 5 recessed in ceiling. All lights on & up - close to 900 watts; heavily dimmed around 500. I haven't liked the PAR CFLs I've tried due to color temperature; lifespan wasn't great either. If there is a livable PAR CFL available, I'd like to hear of it particularly if it can be dimmed (doubtful).

Ray, I think you've stayed tuned to this thread over the years. I've only checked in occasionally. Is my sense correct that Sony hard drives have rarely needed to be replaced by PA service center?

Service Electric (SECV.COM) has a monopoly in my city. There are actually three variations of the company's service in a 30 mile radius, each with its own channel listings and lineups. Please don't confuse this one with the SECVTV.COM in eastern PA and New Jersey. But you can check the channel listings on their web site, and MSNBC and Comedy Central are not offered in any digital form, even for the highest level of service. I get them in analog since I'm paying for the basic cable (about 90 channels). Funny, but I just wanted to get the card so that I won't feel like I'm getting something for nothing. Right now I'm using the STB because of a free 6 month offer. It's an old Motorola that feeds my channel 3. But following this thread my problems are small compared to most others. I don't change how I use the DVR often, plus the quality of HD recording and playback is outstanding, so I'll be quiet and hope something good happens for all of us before 2/2009. That day may have more impact on people than Y2K or the change of DST dates. We sure do live in interesting times.
Joe

If SECV will properly setup your cablecard if you subscribe to their digital tier, I would certainly consider doing that - depending on what they offer HD & SD, and your preferences. Verizon doesn't charge me anything for HD, just for digital service & cablecards - 2.99/mo. each; 3.99/mo. for new subscribers. Unfortunate that you have no other options.

Hello everybody... I've read almost as much as I could handle in this thread and couldn't find my particular problem: My DHG-HDD250 shows "NO LISTINGS" on about half the channels when channel surfing... the weird thing is that the DVR has the listings. It's in the tv guide osd. When I press tv guide, the listing is right there. The listings go all the way out for a week or so and are all filled in nicely. How can I get it to show the correct show title when changing channels with the tv guide NOT on.

Also, the channel listings in the guide are not in order. I know they can be re arranged in a very labor intensive method through the menu... is there a way to automatically make them show in the order that cablevision has them? I have a cablecard in there. Thanks everyone.

On your first question, I assume you're talking about the program title in the Info banner that momentarily appears at the top of the screen when you first tune to a new channel. The same thing often happens on my 250. There seems to be a lag in populating this from the PSIP data on some channels. I've never tried to "research" this issue; it doesn't really bother me. Try staying on one of those "NO LISTINGS" channels for a few minutes, then press the Info button on your remote; you may see that the program title is now there. If that's not the case, then :confused:.

On your second question, the simple answer (discussed in some detail at various times in this thread), unfortunately, is No.

Ray, I think you've stayed tuned to this thread over the years. I've only checked in occasionally. Is my sense correct that Sony hard drives have rarely needed to be replaced by PA service center?

Sony uses Western Digital drives. From both my own experience and thread postings, hard drives have very low failure rate, but not zero. I have two Sonys a Comcast furnished recorder, which also has a continuously running drive, and a Toshiba HD/DVD combination non-HDTV recorder. The drive in the Toshiba is power cycled, while the other drives run continuously. Only failure was with the DVD drive recorder.

Ray

Thanks. I might choose to use one of the 250s for upstairs (long HDMI or direct) if I swap out a cablecard Toshiba for newer LCD w/o cc. - mostly for tuning & time slipping. Since things seemed to be piling up, I did an energy audit of my living room a few months ago. The 250s averaged 28.5 watts powered on, 26.8 in standby. A TiVo S3 34.5 watts on, 33.9 in standby though TiVos aren't usually left in that mode. The huge draws were lights, spread across 5 circuits; all on dimmers; 5 recessed in ceiling. All lights on & up - close to 900 watts; heavily dimmed around 500. I haven't liked the PAR CFLs I've tried due to color temperature; lifespan wasn't great either. If there is a livable PAR CFL available, I'd like to hear of it particularly if it can be dimmed (doubtful).

Ray, I think you've stayed tuned to this thread over the years. I've only checked in occasionally. Is my sense correct that Sony hard drives have rarely needed to be replaced by PA service center?

...so what was the power consumption if all the dimmers were OFF???

No. It is the value when all 5 light circiuts are dimmed to about as low a level that I could imagine using them, without simply turning them off. Not terribly scientific. Measurements were taken at breaker box for lights; at device plug for everything else. Fluke multimeter. Computer and audio/video equipment are on discrete breaker box circuits.

-----Sorry. I misread your question. I didn't check all lights off but will this weekend. Lights used only 5 hours/day compared to 24/7 DVRs.


"OFF": 60% of an HDD250 in standby, 16 watts. Four X10 wall switches; one plug in. No green card to be awarded here for heating stud space.

I wonder if there are any Samsung 650 LCD TV owners in this thread because there is an issue with 1080i output with the Sony.I asked a couple of times in the Samsung 650 owners thread but got no responses.I have had my DHG-HDD500 for a couple of years(and i still have a never opened one in my closet if this one ever fails) and it has been running perfect so far and i have had no issues so i haven't visited this thread for a long time.I had a Toshiba plasma since 2004 and got a nice picture from the Sony via HDMI to DVI adapter.It looked the best when i set it to output 1080i even though the Toshiba was barely 720p.I just received my new Samsung LN52A650 last week but when connected via HDMI(any of the 4 inputs),I can not choose the 1080i output on the Sony anymore.I can choose auto HDMI and then the Sony will output 1080i but i get terrible combing/interlacing artifacts on the Samsung.There are many settings on the Samsung(film/DNIe/just scan/edge enhancement etc.)and i have tried all combinations to no avail.When i change the output on the Sony to 720p the artifacts go away but the resolution is of coarse only 1280x720 wich defeats the purpose of owning a beautiful new 1080p television.Any ideas what could be wrong?

Can't help with the HDMI problem, but have you tried using a component connection?

HDMI problem may be corrected by firmware update. What version do you have?
Ray

Agreed, except I would substitute "will" or "should" for "may". If the TV looks like it's gagging on the DVR output, my money's on an HDMI compatability issue. It was a repeater/extender in my case. Update from 1.2.09 to 1.2.13 fixed this. Curiously installation of Belkin HDMI switch inline was also a cure, for other HDD250 left at 1.2.09.


--device incompatability

Hi folks,

I'm in the Indianapolis media market and just noticed that my listings stop on Tuesday 5/6. Starting Wednesday it's No Listing territory. FWIW I get my signal via Brighthouse Networks cable, with the local PBS station as the source (WFYI-20).

Has anyone else seen this problem, or can anyone out there in Indy confirm they ARE getting listings?

I've sent an email to the engineer (or at least, to the email address of the engineer who handled this stuff last summer... who knows if he's still there) this morning in hopes of a response.

Sincerely,

Marc

Hi folks,

I'm in the Indianapolis media market and just noticed that my listings stop on Tuesday 5/6. Starting Wednesday it's No Listing territory.
Marc

Have you done a front-panel reset?

Hi folks,

I'm in the Indianapolis media market and just noticed that my listings stop on Tuesday 5/6. Starting Wednesday it's No Listing territory. FWIW I get my signal via Brighthouse Networks cable, with the local PBS station as the source (WFYI-20).

Has anyone else seen this problem, or can anyone out there in Indy confirm they ARE getting listings?

I've sent an email to the engineer (or at least, to the email address of the engineer who handled this stuff last summer... who knows if he's still there) this morning in hopes of a response.

Sincerely,

Marc
I have a similar question.
I have 2 250s both are hooked up to the same cable system in my house. The newer of the two is now not downloading TVGOS. If I unplug the unit and plug it back in, I can get it to download about 18 hours of listings. After that, nothing.

When I first got it it downloaded about 5 days worth of listings for about a week and then nothing.

Anybody have any ideas about this?

Have you done a front-panel reset?

Actually, no. In my experience, this kind of thing is more than likey a problem with the service provider upstream from me. If indeed this is so, and I do a front-panel reset I might not get the time back. And then I'm screwed for recordings today/tomorrow/tuesday. Of course the time signal might be coming through loud and clear but no listings, but I'm not sure so not risking it. Figured I would check here and see if other Indy folks have something similar going on. If others here ARE getting listings, then I would try the front panel reset on the assumption my unit glitched.

Marc

In my experience,

Marc

In my experience it is NEVER the Service Provider.

In my experience it is NEVER the Service Provider.


I'm fortunate that I have a generally stable host station and have only had No Listings issues a few times in the 2.5 years I've owned the box. Pretty much always it has turned out to be either a specific thing at the local PBS site, or some national-scope issue going on. I actually have never had a "No Listings" problem that was resolvable through a reset (though, I've had other issues fixed that way).

So I'll give it another day and see if I hear from the nice guy at my PBS station. If either I don't hear from him or he says there's no problem, and if still no new listings added tomorrow, then I'll reset tomorrow night.

Wish me luck!
Marc

, then I'll reset tomorrow night.

Marc

Resetting is so simple and fast.

When I reset - 90% of the time the guide data is
already there but just STUCK.

Front Panel Reset?

Should I be reading the manual for this?

I know my cable is fine, the one downstairs recieves OK. The one upstairs is a problem, and the wife records here shows on that one (or used to).

Resetting is so simple and fast.

When I reset - 90% of the time the guide data is
already there but just STUCK.

My concern is that in my experience, often when I'm not getting guide data due to an upstream issue, I'm also not getting a TIME signal. So if I reset, I loose the clock too. Then I'm really hosed. So, I'll wait until tonight, as I think I have a recording scheduled tonight but not tomorrow.

Marc

My concern is that in my experience, often when I'm not getting guide data due to an upstream issue, I'm also not getting a TIME signal. So if I reset, I loose the clock too. Then I'm really hosed. So, I'll wait until tonight, as I think I have a recording scheduled tonight but not tomorrow.

Marc

A Reset is Guaranteed to make the Clock Go Away.

My clock always comes back in less the 5 minutes
- IF I LEAVE THE UNIT OFF until the clock comes back.

I consider that 5 minute period part of the reset process ;)

I have had a problem for the last year or so with recording that were set to record every week, not showing up set that way the next week. Weekly programs (same day & time) set to "W" are blank (no recording status) the next week.

Ideas? (No, I haven't done any resets, absolutly the last resort)

I have had a problem for the last year or so with recording that were set to record every week, not showing up set that way the next week. Weekly programs (same day & time) set to "W" are blank (no recording status) the next week.

Ideas? (No, I haven't done any resets, absolutly the last resort)

Which shows? I've recently have had a couple of incidences where shows aren't recording.

In particular, the DWTS Results show is flaky. Also, there's a DWTS special on tomorrow and I know I set it to record, but then the next day it disappeared.

Here's my theory. The networks change showtimes and other stuff very late in the game. If the weekly recording schedule is based on the grid from 7 days out, and the network changes something (perhaps the night or two before), the schedule recording gets hosed.

I've only seen this happen when the network pre-empts a repeat of a show with some special. Or perhaps, they changed the time slot from 9-10 to 9-10:02.

ft

A Reset is Guaranteed to make the Clock Go Away.

My clock always comes back in less the 5 minutes
- IF I LEAVE THE UNIT OFF until the clock comes back.

I consider that 5 minute period part of the reset process ;)

Well, I was worried that in addition to no listing data I might have no time signal coming through, so resetting (and thus losing/having to reacquire the time) was what I was looking to avoid.

I just got an email from the engineer at the PBS station that he's aware of the outage and that he's waiting for a response from GEMStar/National Datacast because he's been receiving no listing info at the PBS headend since early last week.

So, No reset for me. It's a problem beyond my control.

Marc

So, No reset for me. It's a problem beyond my control.

Marc

You made the right call - But I have never experienced
a Gemstar outage here in New England. I have needed
to do a lot of resets because Comcast is busy adding
new HDTV channels and that gets the Guide all Confused.

A reset gets it going again.

You made the right call - But I have never experienced
a Gemstar outage here in New England. I have needed
to do a lot of resets because Comcast is busy adding
new HDTV channels and that gets the Guide all Confused.

A reset gets it going again.

In my experience, the outages are almost always a problem with my cable company, and I have to revert to using an antenna to pull in the host channel.

I contacted Gemstar several months ago, when I lost listings and they filed a trouble ticket.

I had a message from them this weekend, and they asked me to check and see if things were working via Charter again, and they were. But my host channel is now channel 11 (FOX) instead of channel 12 (PBS).

Very odd, but I am glad it is working again and I can unhook the bowtie antenna in my window.

EDIT: I spoke to soon. Channel 11 is set as the host, but it isn't getting listings. The channel is passing the VBI test with lots of good packets, and the time was set correctly.

I guess I will be hooking up the bowtie again.

Spiff,
Thanks for the link, very helpfull. Saves me from digging through approx 11K posts looking for the one nugget that may help me.

Kelly

Which shows? I've recently have had a couple of incidences where shows aren't recording.I haven't kept track of exactly which programs, but the ones I watch are Boston Legal, Shark, ER, CSI NY and a few other crime releted programs. Forget which. Unfortunately, Shark hasn't been on, but the others have.

Last night I discovered that the last hour of the two hour Dexter finale didn't record. I assume that happened because all previous shows started at 10:02 and this one probably started at 9:58 since the first hour ran 58 minutes.

Just another example why must see programs need to be set for manual recording first. Too bad I didn't take own my advice.


Ray

I haven't kept track of exactly which programs, but the ones I watch are Boston Legal, Shark, ER, CSI NY and a few other crime releted programs. Forget which. Unfortunately, Shark hasn't been on, but the others have.

"Shark" moved to Tuesdays...... for 3 weeks ...
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20080424cbs03

That is one knock on these SONY DVRs. You can't set series recordings for new episodes only that will track these type of showing changes. My HTPC running Media Center will track these changes and so will my Cable DVR. You missed a good Shark episode last week. I haven't watched tonights yet.

When you do the 'big reset', I've found that setting the unit to the channel that provides the time signal then turning off the power will get you time back quickest. No searching required I guess. Or it could just be luck. And the DVR thinks I get the signal from a digital signal on my (cable provided) PBS station.

My HDD250 has started locking up. It happens when I try to play back recorded shows. It will happen sometime while watching a recorded show and I try to fast forward or pause. It won't accept any of the remote commands. The remote is fine and none of the front panel controls will work eather. It happens almost on queue when I try to watch a recorded program while recording another. I can get to the list of recorded shows. It will open the list for the shows but when I select it I don't get any response from the remote input. I have to unplug it or hold the power key down for a while to have it reboot. It's then OK for a while as long as I don't try to push it like watching a recorded show while recording another.

Any ideas?

This started in the past year or so. It seems to have gotten worse, but with the writers strike, things have changed.

I did find in one case there was a conflict with a program already listed which wasn't on at the old scheduled time. The new program overlapped that time slot. I removed the old scheduled recording (in grey) and that one instance was ok.

I also realize this 'musical time slots' the networks have been playing isn't helping the matter.

I assume that happened because all previous shows started at 10:02 and this one probably started at 9:58 since the first hour ran 58 minutes.It seems to be apparent the networks are doing this on purpose. The problem is, if it stops us from watching these delayed recordings since they aren't being recorded, how is that a benefit to them and their advertisers?

All they are going to wind up is disgruntled, former viewers.

My HDD250 has started locking up. It happens when I try to play back recorded shows. It will happen sometime while watching a recorded show and I try to fast forward or pause. It won't accept any of the remote commands. The remote is fine and none of the front panel controls will work eather. It happens almost on queue when I try to watch a recorded program while recording another. I can get to the list of recorded shows. It will open the list for the shows but when I select it I don't get any response from the remote input. I have to unplug it or hold the power key down for a while to have it reboot. It's then OK for a while as long as I don't try to push it like watching a recorded show while recording another.

Any ideas?


This is addressed on the FAQ site. Search for "lockup" in the FAQ site.

My unit is officially a brick until the local PBS starts getting updates from Gemstar again. It stopped early last week and the engineer at PBS has not been getting responses from the National Datacast server people. Sigh.

Marc

Whathappened.
I've looked for a FAQ section for the HDD250/500 but couldn't locate it. Is it part of this long thread? Can you point me in the right direction.
Thanks.

I found the Faq section and lockup info. Thanks.

Last night I discovered that the last hour of the two hour Dexter finale didn't record. I assume that happened because all previous shows started at 10:02 and this one probably started at 9:58 since the first hour ran 58 minutes.


I have noticed the same thing with a show that I have had many problems recording for my wife. It is shown in the TVGOS to come on at 9:32PM and end at 10:00PM, problem is it is a 1 hour show and the last time I got half of it I got an earfull. I now do a manual record instead.

Part of me wants to agree with VB and say that it is a big conspiricy, but I can't just yet. I still think there is one when I can find 2 dozen models of HDDVR's in a store in Japan and none here that aren't connected with a monthly service.

Any familiar brands among these DVRs?

I check my unit a few weeks ago and no VBI data from the digital version of WJZ the local CBS affiliate in Baltimore. Checked it again yesterday and got VBI data. Just thought I would let everyone know.

I actually sent an e-mail a few weeks ago to them, but did not hear back.

DarrenK

What convertor boxes are you all planning to get or have already purchased to mate with the Sony DVR's?

Thanks.

Mark

I check my unit a few weeks ago and no VBI data from the digital version of WJZ the local CBS affiliate in Baltimore. Checked it again yesterday and got VBI data. Just thought I would let everyone know.

DarrenK

I checked this morning and tuned to channel 13.1 and it passed the VBI test but when I checked current host and VBI channel - host was 0:0-13 and VBI was fffffffd. Does that mean that the sony does not recognize OTA Digital channels? (which would mean no host OTA digital channels when analog ceases?)

What convertor boxes are you all planning to get or have already purchased to mate with the Sony DVR's?

Thanks.

Mark

Last I checked my tuner won't die in February and the HD DVR doesn't have any inputs...so your question is perplexing.

Last I checked my tuner won't die in February and the HD DVR doesn't have any inputs...so your question is perplexing.

Well, I hope it does not die either. However, I have two TV's in my house for which I need a convertor box. I would like to get something that passes the VBI data in analog form just in case...

Mark

My unit is officially a brick until the local PBS starts getting updates from Gemstar again. It stopped early last week and the engineer at PBS has not been getting responses from the National Datacast server people. Sigh.

Marc

As an update, I got an email last evening around 8 pm from the engineer who said all should be well now. At about 9:30 pm I checked my unit and found that the host channel was blank. So, I used the "check current VBI channel" mode of potentially priming the host channel. Left the unit off all night until I checked it at 6:15 am this morning. Still no listings, host channel still blank. Did the G* factory test to see if it was getting VBI data after tuning to the expected host channel (analog PBS channel 20), and it failed.

Having nothing to lose I hit the reset (exit/guide) and an hour later it still hadn't locked onto a time signal. Just --:--.

I'm presuming there is still some problem with the incoming data from PBS (or lack thereof) but is there anything else I should check?

Marc

I had an interesting thing happen to all three of my Sonys over the weekend. I have all of my local HD channels sorted in the channel list at the top. For some reason all of them had the channels re-ordered where all of my locals ended up at the bottom of the list. I was able to resort them but doing it on all three when you need to scroll up like 500 lines for each reshuffle was a PITA. Anyone see this before?


I've found it easier to move channels by using the edit function. For example, if you have several channels near the bottom of the listings you want to move up near the top, one by one edit the desired channel to a location near the top. then move back down by editing an unwanted channel to a location near the bottom. Repeat this process until all the desired channels are near the top. It's easy to then fine tune the desired channels to the exact locations w/o scrolling through hundered of channels.

Edit: Sorry as I read later posts, I see this information had already been covered several times.

Well, I hope it does not die either. However, I have two TV's in my house for which I need a convertor box. I would like to get something that passes the VBI data in analog form just in case...

Mark

Jan, in the thread on the LG 3410a, reported that a TVG acquaintance of his said they had tested the TR-40 (a unit not released yet) and that it passed the v7 TVGOS data fine...this is important for the 3410a, since that unit apparently does not get updated to accept the data from a digital station, as the Sony is reported (here) to do...

although the tr-40 is not released yet, its specs look good, and it apparently will have a superior EPG system, so I'm holding my gov't coupon until late June/early July to see if it's available by then...

... I still think there is one when I can find 2 dozen models of HDDVR's in a store in Japan and none here that aren't connected with a monthly service.

I posted your comment on a Tivo Comm. thread about clear QAM channel mapping. It drew a response from a fellow who worked in development of cell phones for the Japanese market. He said basically that we're too cheap. That over there, people won't hesitate to spend $1000 on a cell phone tethered to a carrier. They love their gadgets.

I'm curious who the manufacturers were; what these DVRs cost. And if you know it, whether they commonly use some sort of request_and_send SDV or IPTV system.

That over there, people won't hesitate to spend $1000 on a cell phone tethered to a carrier. They love their gadgets.Having spend three years in Japan, I would say they love small overpriced gadgets. Sorry, but there is not way I am going to spend $1000 on a mobile phone that has almost zero value in 12-months. That is just plain stupid.

Cell phones don't do anything for me either. I haven't spent more than $30 on a phone and they have to last me two years. However, I would like to see more diversity in stand alone DVRs for recording of cable; ones which are fully functional, from clear QAM through to the provider's whole package.

Verizon's plans for the not so distant future bother me. I would prefer not to have my viewing habits monitored, especially as it will be done to concoct targeted advertising for home delivery, along with gauging the popularity of its channels. I suspect that cable company DVRs will disappear once Verizon, and cablecos rolling out SDV, have their systems completed. The ability to archive and to skip past ads could well be lost. In return we'll get much more programming, HD and SD, perhaps at a lower subscription fee.

I hope I'm wrong about this. At least OTA's utility for recording is a safe bet.

I'm curious who the manufacturers were; what these DVRs cost.There's at least a Panasonic, and , I think, possibly a Sharp. The Panny I think is $1000.00.

People here have found the info on them online.

Hi folks,

I got a further email from the WFYI engineer yesterday, that sounded hopeful:

We adjusted one more setting today and now believe everything is working correctly. What we found was the new frame sync we put in the broadcast path was stripping all the data off. We corrected field 1 yesterday and then field 2 today.

Unfortunately I tested things when I got home, and no dice. This was my reply to him:

Thanks for the continuing updates.

Interestingly, I'm still not seeing valid VBI packets. I just reset again, tuned to 20 (the plain analog station I use as a host) and did a VBI test. This usually has two effects:

1) The time signal gets picked up immediately, setting the clock (which was wiped when I reset)
2) I can then watch VBI packets coming in

Instead, the time is not getting set, and I'm seeing 0 valid packets.

As a separate check, I turned on a DVD recorder I use that has a function that extracts the current program name and or network name information from somewhere in the VBI signal. So, when I turned it on it defaulted to I think channel 3 which was showing CSI and it showed the title CSI-CBS. Normally this works fine for FYI Channel 20 shows. Tonight, it failed to get the program name or network name. Also, this DVD-R's clock drifts a couple minutes per week. Right now it's three minutes off. To sync it with the real time, I turn it on and off; it then as part of that process goes to channel 20 and grabs the time. I do this about twice per week.This process has failed since early last week (hence, the three minutes off).

So, it seems there is still an issue with something about the VBI signal. Two different devices are having an issue with it. The TV signal is clear (I'm on Brighthouse cable). Since I'm failing the VBI test, rather than simply getting no listings, this means that the VBI packets aren't even recognizable, rather than just containing no data. And even the time signal isn't making it through.

I hate to be a pain, but is there anything further you can check ?

Sincerely,

Marc


Well over a week with no data. Sigh.

Marc

There's at least a Panasonic, and , I think, possibly a Sharp. The Panny I think is $1000.00.

People here have found the info on them online.

Late April Sony announced the unit of my dreams for Japan...350 GB hard drive, 2 digital and one analog tuners, blu-ray recorder and other features...$1600 equivalent..http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=1200

the announcements were brief, but tied in with Sony's plan to get most of the blu-ray market internationally..

Any familiar brands among these DVRs?
Last year in Japan (3 weeks for work) I was near a electronics shop.

They had probably 2 dozen DVRs, all HD capable. The brand names were from I/O Data on the low end to Pioneer, Sony on the high end.

HDD capacity ranged from 250GB to 2TB. There were DVR's with built in Blue Ray and HDDVD recorder/players.

There was something there that would make everyone happy. I think that all of these were NTSC/ATSC as well, or that is what I was told.

There was something there that would make everyone happy. I think that all of these were NTSC/ATSC as well, or that is what I was told.So does that mean they could actually work here (assuming you could get one)?

What convertor boxes are you all planning to get or have already purchased to mate with the Sony DVR's?

I had not really thought about it. Is the TVGOS signals going to dissapear when everything goes digital? Or will cable cos still carry the signals over the systems as they are now?

So does that mean they could actually work here (assuming you could get one)?

I assume so. Problem is that you would have to work with the menus which are in Japanese.

Prices as I remember them were from about $1K to $2.5K and as much as I want to get one, if it did not work the WAF would not be in my favor for a long time to come.

Hi everyone,

This afternoon, with still no VBI data coming in on WFYI-20, I decided to hook up a bowtie antenna and try OTA reception, since the engineer at WFI thought all was well on his end.

Indeed, tuning to OTA-20 instead of the cable feed resulted in good VBI packets in the G*Test and setting of the clock to the correct time.

Seems that Brighthouse is stripping the packets out. They may have converted this previously analog channel to a digital/analog converted channel and in doing so stripped the packets. They haven't provided an analog pass-through.

Any other Indianapolis experiences? Am I the only one seeing this?

Marc

s the TVGOS signals going to dissapear when everything goes digital?TV Guide and CBS signed a deal to provide TVGOS starting next year poicking up where PBS left off.

My HD_DVR died last week but I haven't had a chance to get on the forum until now. I have no clock --:-- and no channels are coming in. If I use the OTA signal, will I be able to get cable card signal and regain my channels? I don't use TV guide to record, but I need the tuner as this is the only HD source for my home theater.

Hi everyone,

This afternoon, with still no VBI data coming in on WFYI-20, I decided to hook up a bowtie antenna and try OTA reception, since the engineer at WFI thought all was well on his end.

Indeed, tuning to OTA-20 instead of the cable feed resulted in good VBI packets in the G*Test and setting of the clock to the correct time.

Seems that Brighthouse is stripping the packets out. They may have converted this previously analog channel to a digital/analog converted channel and in doing so stripped the packets. They haven't provided an analog pass-through.

Any other Indianapolis experiences? Am I the only one seeing this?

Marc

I got a further update from the engineer at WFYI. Indeed, they have switched to some new equipment in time with their move to a new facility, and something's preventing the packets from coming through. OTA works fine; I've got guide data back.


Here's what he had to say:

We were at 1401 North Meridian Street and we now we are at 1630 North Meridian Street.
We had Bright House put in a new fiber circuit from the new building.
The fiber electronics is a different box that what we had before.
The fiber box handles our analog feed and will also handle an ASI feed for our HD channels.
I am still working on getting an HD ASI signal to their fiber box.
The time frame is coincidental with our move.
I am still trying to get the VCR reset clock data working.
It has not come back to life since the move.
Gem Star and National Datacast has the Bright House technical phone number.
I gave that to them today.
I called Bright House and left them a message to expect a call from Gem Star
Hopefully the two of them can work out the final problems.


So, the engineer (a very nice, responsive guy!) is still working on it to see what he can do to resolve the cable situation, but it's pretty much between Brighthouse and National Datacast/Gemstar.

Marc

I just noticed that guide data for next Saturday is missing after 4:00am. Has anyone else noticed this or is it just my DVR? This is the Chicago area.

Nope (Huntington/Charleston area, TVGOS grabbed from Athens, OH OTA)

I just noticed that guide data for next Saturday is missing after 4:00am. Has anyone else noticed this or is it just my DVR? This is the Chicago area.

Same thing here this morning.

I also noticed a missing day about a week ago. I think the missing day was this last Monday, but the next time I checked it was filled in.

Same thing here this morning.

I also noticed a missing day about a week ago. I think the missing day was this last Monday, but the next time I checked it was filled in.

Is your host 2 or 11?

I have Comcast/cablecard, but my host is OTA 2. (My HDD500 picks up OTA with no antenna attached. The picture is bad, but the guide has been working for a year or more that way.)

Spoke with my local PBS engineer. They have made changes to their transmitter. He is unsure if the problem is on their end or the Comcast end. He has asked me to hook up an antenna to see of their OTA signal is working, since this would implicate Comcast. If anyone has instructions or a link for the instructions to getting the TVGuide signal OTA I would appreciate it. I don't have time to look at all 11,000+ pages and couldn't find the FAQ the other day. Thanks

Spoke with my local PBS engineer. They have made changes to their transmitter. He is unsure if the problem is on their end or the Comcast end. He has asked me to hook up an antenna to see of their OTA signal is working, since this would implicate Comcast. If anyone has instructions or a link for the instructions to getting the TVGuide signal OTA I would appreciate it. I don't have time to look at all 11,000+ pages and couldn't find the FAQ the other day. Thanks

The FAQ is linked directly from the first post of this thread.

I have Comcast/cablecard, but my host is OTA 2. (My HDD500 picks up OTA with no antenna attached. The picture is bad, but the guide has been working for a year or more that way.)

Well, I have next week's Monday listings, so whatever problem they had over the weekend has been at least temporarily fixed. Saturday and Sunday are still missing, but if everything is fixed I should see Saturday in tonight's download.

I wonder if there are any Samsung 650 LCD TV owners in this thread because there is an issue with 1080i output with the Sony.I asked a couple of times in the Samsung 650 owners thread but got no responses.I have had my DHG-HDD500 for a couple of years(and i still have a never opened one in my closet if this one ever fails) and it has been running perfect so far and i have had no issues so i haven't visited this thread for a long time.I had a Toshiba plasma since 2004 and got a nice picture from the Sony via HDMI to DVI adapter.It looked the best when i set it to output 1080i even though the Toshiba was barely 720p.I just received my new Samsung LN52A650 last week but when connected via HDMI(any of the 4 inputs),I can not choose the 1080i output on the Sony anymore.I can choose auto HDMI and then the Sony will output 1080i but i get terrible combing/interlacing artifacts on the Samsung.There are many settings on the Samsung(film/DNIe/just scan/edge enhancement etc.)and i have tried all combinations to no avail.When i change the output on the Sony to 720p the artifacts go away but the resolution is of coarse only 1280x720 wich defeats the purpose of owning a beautiful new 1080p television.Any ideas what could be wrong?

Updating the information but there seem to be no other 650 owners in this thread for now.I tried the HDD-500 with original 1.2.06 FW and the Samsung 1002.3 FW-no go.Then upgraded the Samsung to 1003.M FW(latest available)-no go with 1.2.06.Finally i upgraded the Sony to 1.2.13 FW from spiff's FAQ page-still no go.So i can't think of anything else but to try to convince Samsung to test the 650 with the Sony's because we will never see another FW update for the Sony.I have little hope since the Sony is old and not common by now.The Sony works fine via component but I have always thought that component looks slightly pasty and not as razorsharp and contrast rich as HDMI.BTW when upgrading firmware the Sony would not accept most memory sticks larger than 1GB so i found an old Creative Muvo TX FM 256mb mp3 player and renamed it in windows to SONYHDD500 and that worked like a charm.

After noticing some heavy dust under my DVR I decided to open it up for the first time since the warranty has expired by now.This machine has run continously since Nov 2005 and this is how it looked:
http://thumbnails.freeimagehost.eu/307/2eafdb3066356.gif (http://www.freeimagehost.eu/image/2eafdb3066356)
A lot of dust have accumulated around the tuner area.

http://thumbnails.freeimagehost.eu/307/0aefd23066357.gif (http://www.freeimagehost.eu/image/0aefd23066357)
Fan area

http://thumbnails.freeimagehost.eu/307/0aaaa73066358.gif (http://www.freeimagehost.eu/image/0aaaa73066358)

It may not be a bad idea to open up your DVR's and just get rid of the worst dust bunnies just as a precaution.The fan is really doing a good job and the case is well ventilated but there are no filters so depending on your environment there may be a lot of dust inside.


http://thumbnails.freeimagehost.eu/307/6f60143066359.gif (http://www.freeimagehost.eu/image/6f60143066359)
After cleaning.

alaindelon -

We can't see your pictures :(:(:(


Edit: Now we can see them . . .

I still have recordings in the box, no listings, schedule is all "!" (meaning it can not do this weeks recording). All listings where there when we went to bed last night, now 100% gone.

The VBI is "0" - so the host PBS is not there?

Anyone else in Houston having problems?

Updating the information but there seem to be no other 650 owners in this thread for now.I tried the HDD-500 with original 1.2.06 FW and the Samsung 1002.3 FW-no go.Then upgraded the Samsung to 1003.M FW(latest available)-no go with 1.2.06.Finally i upgraded the Sony to 1.2.13 FW from spiff's FAQ page-still no go.So i can't think of anything else but to try to convince Samsung to test the 650 with the Sony's because we will never see another FW update for the Sony.I have little hope since the Sony is old and not common by now.The Sony works fine via component but I have always thought that component looks slightly pasty and not as razorsharp and contrast rich as HDMI.BTW when upgrading firmware the Sony would not accept most memory sticks larger than 1GB so i found an old Creative Muvo TX FM 256mb mp3 player and renamed it in windows to SONYHDD500 and that worked like a charm.

I have a new (3 days old) LN32A550. It was in a bedroom, but moved it to the den last night...and connected the HDD500 via HDMI 1 - it went to 1080i and stayed there (the HDD500 was just moved from an 15 yo trinitron via S-Video........I forget to change it from SD Out to Native).

I just checked the Sony Box.......and the format is AUTO HDMI. When the Sony was connected to a Panasonic Plasma, I could select "Native"; thus, the Sony would send it to the set the way it was recorded (ie 720p or 1080i) and the TV would then do the conversion to 1080p. With the sammy, telling the Sony to go to AUTO HDMI, the Sony sends everything as 1080i (even if recorded as 480i).

I actually perfer the way the Panasonic did it, and not the Samsung.........our old Samsung DLP's did it just like this new LCD.

(as a side issue we have lost our PBS Host last night.........so trying to figure that out too.........only have recordings in the box at this point).

One major thing I hate with the new Samsung LCD, is that is cannot "hold" the "just scan" position on your HDMI 1080i input. Each time you turn off the Sony box, and come back later and turn it back on, you have to "reposition" the picture (up one line)...........which is a royal pain in the caboose. This the first time I have not had an HDMI not hold 100% of its settings. It may be a deal breaker for me. This has to be simple enough for my wife to run it too!

Complete new listings grid from top to bottom. New channels line up, and deleted about 40 duplicates. Days 1,2, and 8 filled in last night.

Updating the information but there seem to be no other 650 owners in this thread for now.I tried the HDD-500 with original 1.2.06 FW and the Samsung 1002.3 FW-no go.Then upgraded the Samsung to 1003.M FW(latest available)-no go with 1.2.06.Finally i upgraded the Sony to 1.2.13 FW from spiff's FAQ page-still no go.So i can't think of anything else but to try to convince Samsung to test the 650 with the Sony's because we will never see another FW update for the Sony.I have little hope since the Sony is old and not common by now.The Sony works fine via component but I have always thought that component looks slightly pasty and not as razorsharp and contrast rich as HDMI.BTW when upgrading firmware the Sony would not accept most memory sticks larger than 1GB so i found an old Creative Muvo TX FM 256mb mp3 player and renamed it in windows to SONYHDD500 and that worked like a charm.

Regarding the 1.2.13 update as a solution to your problems, Ray1938 chose his words better than I did apparently with "may" instead of "will or should". If interested, you are welcome to try my Belkin 3to1 HDMI switch as I'm only using one of the switched devices currently for long range display - until the very end of May. In my setup the switch blocks the HDD250-1.2.09 from seeing a device as incompatible that it otherwise would without switch inline. Difference between HDMI compatibility and HDCP negotiation, I assume. I wrote about this in post #11461. For whatever reason there are only a few unfamiliar vendors carrying this switch when last I checked; many familiar ones had it at the time I bought it.

I went throught the "(Un)Official Sony DHG-HDD250/500 Resource Guide" to get my HDD250 to stop locking up. It took a while to perform the process but all is well except!

I am back to the same problem I had about 5 months ago with the TVGOS not updating. It updated the first night after re-setting everything but since then all I get is "No Listing" in the program guide. This happened a while back and playing around with the TVGOS service menu (753159852) it finally started populating agian although I'm not sure why. Now, when I look at the service menu, it indicates that cable channel 16 (PBS) is the host channel. I have this at the top of my channel listing. Additionally I have set all channels that I suspect might be carrying the TVGOS data as unblocked (ON). Everthing in the service menu looks good including the VBI info under the host channel. When I looked at the amount of data transferred it showed some data transferrd since cold start, the same amount of data transferred after cold start but no recent data transmitted. Any ideas.

Also I live in Connecticut and get my Comcast Cable for the Middletown district. Can anyone in CT verify that cable channel 16 is the host channel?

Update on 5/14/08...... When I checked last night it had updated. Hopefully tonight it will fill in the missing days.

Regarding the 1.2.13 update as a solution to your problems, Ray1938 chose his words better than I did apparently with "may" instead of "will or should". If interested, you are welcome to try my Belkin 3to1 HDMI switch as I'm only using one of the switched devices currently for long range display - until the very end of May. In my setup the switch blocks the HDD250-1.2.09 from seeing a device as incompatible that it otherwise would without switch inline. Difference between HDMI compatibility and HDCP negotiation, I assume. I wrote about this in post #11461. For whatever reason there are only a few unfamiliar vendors carrying this switch when last I checked; many familiar ones had it at the time I bought it.

I did think of an HDMI switch as a last resort solution,to bad my tv already have 4 HDMI ports.Is there a list of compatible HDMI switches somewhere in this thead(i would only need a 2 to 1 model) that
works well with our Sony's?

Not that I know of. I was specifically looking for a switch without amplification; I didn't want the Sonys to switch out of component video display as soon as the switch was powered. With the Belkin, this is the case for the one still on 1.2.09 but the one with 1.2.13 does switch out, probably sensing the idiot light circuit. I only tried various Monoprice switches before ordering the Belkin as I didn't want to go through a number of returns and restocking charges.

The reason I thought the Belkin might be of help is its ability to hide an incompatible device downstream. With it inline there was actually no need to update the 2nd Sony to 1.2.13. Your symptoms on 1080i anyway sound much like an incompatibility issue, so I thought the Belkin might be worth trying for its hiding function, if nothing else. I doubt Sony will develop another update, but you never know.

-----I assume you've tried setting the Sony's output to 1080i, not just native. Maybe the Samsung can't properly identify the feed, 1080i or p, and is displaying its mistake onscreen.

I went throught the "(Un)Official Sony DHG-HDD250/500 Resource Guide" to get my HDD250 to stop locking up. It took a while to perform the process but all is well except!
Update on 5/14/08...... When I checked last night it had updated. Hopefully tonight it will fill in the missing days.[/COLOR]

You do realize it takes the TVGOS multiple over-nights to get all 8 days of guide information. Read the FAQ site and you will see the schedule. From memory you get day 1,2,5,8 every night. So that would take 3 over-nights to get the full 8 days of listings. It used to be days 1,2,8 every night, so it took 5 nights to get a full guide.

[QUOTE=anderdea]I went throught the "(Un)Official Sony DHG-HDD250/500 Resource Guide" to get my HDD250 to stop locking up. It took a while to perform the process but all is well except!
[QUOTE]
I had the same issue, I would do a reset and get probably 12 hours of download roughly and then nothing.

I did the VBI and the guide data started downloading again. I am now unsure if I am really getting the data from the channel the DVR says it is. When I reorganized my channels I left all of the poosible download channels turned on. It still says that it is getting guide data from 6 but now I am getting a full week, not just 12 hours followed by nothing.

Also I am recieving KPIX out of San Francisco that is supposedly going to be broadcasting the signals after 2/09. This is one of the channels that I had turned off.

Near the very beginning of this forum there were some posts where there were problems with using a cablecard with Cablevision. The complaint was that Cablevision strips out the TV Guide Data from the cablecard stream.

It this still true?

Does anyone on Cablevision successfully use these DVR's with a cablecard? Do you get the TVGOS data? And did you ever get the 161-6 error with Cablevison's cards which required sending the box back to Sony for the fix?

Thanks.

I have put up with my SONY HDD250 and the HDD500 switching back to Auto HDMI mode if the TV was not operating before the SONY was turned on ever since I purchased them.

Well I bought a HDMI AVR and it got worse. When ever the AVR was on a different input and then switched back to the SONY it would revert to AUTO HDMI and take quite a while to get a stable image (I assume it was doing a HDCP handshake).

I updated my SONY firmware from 1.2.05 to the latest 1.2.13 and now my SONY stays at the format where ever I set it, no matter if the TV is on first or no matter what input the HDMI AVR is on.

TV JVC 52G886
AVR Yamaha RX-V663

Can someone verify an audio cut out of a few seconds and what message number starts the discussion of any fixes? It happens on both the analog, optical and hdmi output. I've never used the internal speakers. Thanks

For the past few weeks I have been pulling my hair out trying to figure out why I couldn't get any guide info and/or set my clock (using OTA WETA 26 Wash DC area.) I did the 'full' reset a few times (reset user config; rescan; reset TVGOS) and it didn't help. Last night while looking through some old posts I tried the '000000' zip code fix. From what I understand it completely resets the TVGOS data grid (whatever that entails.) After doing this I was able to do a force VBI and reset my clock as I had always been able to do. This morning I actually had channels in my grid (no listings) and was prompted for my provider. So I think I'm on the road to recovery *crosses fingers*.

Can someone verify an audio cut out of a few seconds and what message number starts the discussion of any fixes? It happens on both the analog, optical and hdmi output. I've never used the internal speakers. Thanks

That happens on mine at least 2 times in each hour (recorded or live material). The only fix I've found is to back it up and watch it again....and soon, purchasing the Echostar (Sling) TR-50 ;)

I have put up with my SONY HDD250 and the HDD500 switching back to Auto HDMI mode if the TV was not operating before the SONY was turned on ever since I purchased them.

Well I bought a HDMI AVR and it got worse. When ever the AVR was on a different input and then switched back to the SONY it would revert to AUTO HDMI and take quite a while to get a stable image (I assume it was doing a HDCP handshake).

I updated my SONY firmware from 1.2.05 to the latest 1.2.13 and now my SONY stays at the format where ever I set it, no matter if the TV is on first or no matter what input the HDMI AVR is on.

TV JVC 52G886
AVR Yamaha RX-V663
I'm curious if any other owners that have upgraded to version 1.2.13 have noticed it ver .13 has stopped their dvrs from reverting to auto hdmi. I'm on 1.2.06 and it bugs the hell out of me when it reverts to auto. Could some of you out there comment on this issue. If this truly fixes the problem then I want to try and update mine to .13.
Thanks

What is an AVR?

Apoplectic vile redundancy? or maybe an audio video receiver

What's an internal speaker?

I'm curious if any other owners that have upgraded to version 1.2.13 have noticed it ver .13 has stopped their dvrs from reverting to auto hdmi. I'm on 1.2.06 and it bugs the hell out of me when it reverts to auto. Could some of you out there comment on this issue. If this truly fixes the problem then I want to try and update mine to .13.
Thanks

I'm on 1.2.06 and haven't had any problems with reverting to AUTO HDMI. The DVR stays on whatever output I select. I do have the HDMI connected to a Sony HDTV, so I'm not sure if that makes a difference.

Has anyone in the colorado area been able to get TVGOS OTA from the new antenna setup on Lookout Mountain....

I am getting solid digital signals and yet I can't even get my clock to reset.

I believe that is the internal speaker on the television. Am I correct?

I'm curious if any other owners that have upgraded to version 1.2.13 have noticed it ver .13 has stopped their dvrs from reverting to auto hdmi. I'm on 1.2.06 and it bugs the hell out of me when it reverts to auto. Could some of you out there comment on this issue. If this truly fixes the problem then I want to try and update mine to .13.
Thanks

Your question ended up driving me a little nuts, and I still can't give you a rock solid answer. But I'll tell you what I found.

I remember the 250s switching into auto hdmi when driving the upstsairs Tv directly before the Belkin switch was in place; the switch install came very soon after updating one of them to 1.2.13; both had been at 1.2.09. So tonight I hooked them up directly again as a test. No amount of switching Tv inputs, channels, powering devices on & off could get either .09 or .13 to switch to auto hdmi. Is my memory shot?

The last effort was connection to primary display with physical connection/disconnection of cable. (Before the Belkin switch, I had been doing this at the port savers for each 250.) The 250 with 1.2.13 stayed at fixed 1080i when doing this. The 250 with 1.2.09 switched into auto hdmi every time.

This is not a great answer but the only thing I could come up with through trial and error.

What is an AVR?

I put the model number "Yamaha 663" on the post, but I suppose it is too hard to put that in google and learn something.

AVR -- Audio Video Receiver
Any stereo receiver that you send your video and audio signal through and use it to switch what video gets sent to your display. The new AVR have HDMI inputs and outputs and convert your analog sources to HDMI digital. The also play the new loss-less codec's via HDMI.

Your question ended up driving me a little nuts, and I still can't give you a rock solid answer. But I'll tell you what I found.

I remember the 250s switching into auto hdmi when driving the upstsairs Tv directly before the Belkin switch was in place; the switch install came very soon after updating one of them to 1.2.13; both had been at 1.2.09. So tonight I hooked them up directly again as a test. No amount of switching Tv inputs, channels, powering devices on & off could get either .09 or .13 to switch to auto hdmi. Is my memory shot?

The last effort was connection to primary display with physical connection/disconnection of cable. (Before the Belkin switch, I had been doing this at the port savers for each 250.) The 250 with 1.2.13 stayed at fixed 1080i when doing this. The 250 with 1.2.09 switched into auto hdmi every time.

This is not a great answer but the only thing I could come up with through trial and error.

I have a 250 and a 500 connected to the hdmi inputs of a Pioneer plasma. I switch the dvrs to output at 1080i format. Every time I switch the plasma input from the 250 to the 500 and visa versa the dvrs always revert back to auto hdmi. Which means whenever you switch channels on the dvr from a station broadcasting in 720p to one broadcasting in 1080i (and visa versa) you have that annoying wait while the plasma and dvr do their hdmi handshake. I was lead to believe by an earlier post that version 13 had resolved this issue of the dvr reverting to auto hdmi. Since I'm at version 06 I would appreciate an comments on whether upgrading to version 13 WILL really fix this problem.
Thanks

I put the model number "Yamaha 663" on the post, but I suppose it is too hard to put that in google and learn something.

AVR -- Audio Video Receiver
Any stereo receiver that you send your video and audio signal through and use it to switch what video gets sent to your display. The new AVR have HDMI inputs and outputs and convert your analog sources to HDMI digital. The also play the new loss-less codec's via HDMI.

Hey, I just asked a simple question. "WhatHappened", almost every post you make is condecending. What makes you so smart? Why not just answer the question without adding your diatribe? Loosen up a bit!

Hey, I just asked a simple question. "WhatHappened", almost every post you make is condecending. What makes you so smart? Why not just answer the question without adding your diatribe? Loosen up a bit!

Yes your are right, you asked a SIMPLE question. It should not have been asked. You are going to get flamed on technical message boards for asking questions covered with simple seaches on google or in the FAQ listed in post 1.

Read this before posting next time http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375.
Before asking

- Search the archives/FAQ before you post. Most forums and newsgroups have some sort of online FAQ (FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions) or archives. You should always perform a search on these resources before asking your "very important and unique" question. Many questions have already been answered, there is no point in answering them again, and some communities have members who will flame you for not doing so before asking. Another good idea is to do a keyword search for words relating to your question on the archives before you post.

- Use online search engines such as MSN Search, Google, Yahoo! or other search engines. Post the error message you're getting on your preferred search engine and see what you come up with. Let us know what you found, especially if your problem is identical or similar to your findings.

- Look for an answer in the manual, documentation or readme file and tell us about it.

- Ask a skilled friend, but don't take their advice for granted. Many troubleshooting scenarios just got worse because "my friend told me to erase the E00.log file and"...

I am curious if .13 fixes the auto-HDMI bug as well. Does anyone know what .13 fixed? It doesn't say on Spiffs FAQ.

I am curious if .13 fixes the auto-HDMI bug as well. Does anyone know what .13 fixed? It doesn't say on Spiffs FAQ.

I don't have cable but there was something about the 161 error people with cable cards were getting. There was also a hardware mod (if you look at the earlier photos there's a large black wire in the cable card slot area that may have had to do with increasing the current or adding a supply voltage for some of the higher power cards) These two things were done at the same time as I recall (.13 update and hardware mod) I don't believe it had anything to do with auto-HDMI but I could be mistaken.

Back to the thread, I am curious if .13 fixes the auto-HDMI bug as well. Does anyone know what .13 fixed? It doesn't say on Spiffs FAQ.

HDMI was addressed in the .13 firmware.

See http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=9714905#post9714905

You have my report and at least one other about auto-HDMI issue fixes with .13. What more do you need? It only took me less then 10min to apply the update.

I'm curious if any other owners that have upgraded to version 1.2.13 have noticed it ver .13 has stopped their dvrs from reverting to auto hdmi. I'm on 1.2.06 and it bugs the hell out of me when it reverts to auto. Could some of you out there comment on this issue. If this truly fixes the problem then I want to try and update mine to .13.
Thanks

I was experiencing occasional reversions to Auto HDMI, and it was frustrating. When I saw your post I realized this has not happened in awhile. I checked with my wife to be sure, and she concurred.

So, most likely, this issue was fixed in firmware version 1.2.13. Now that I said that, it will probably happen again!

I hope this helps.

Mark

I was experiencing occasional reversions to Auto HDMI, and it was frustrating. When I saw your post I realized this has not happened in awhile. I checked with my wife to be sure, and she concurred.

So, most likely, this issue was fixed in firmware version 1.2.13. Now that I said that, it will probably happen again!

I hope this helps.

Mark

Thanks for the info. I'll pickup a new flash drive next time I'm out and try this. Hopefully I won't brick it like I did on my Phillips DVR.

Thanks for the info. I'll pickup a new flash drive next time I'm out and try this. Hopefully I won't brick it like I did on my Phillips DVR.

You actually want an old flash drive 256mbytes seems to work well. The new ones with all the fancy partitions and programs are sure to confuse the SONY DVR. Can you borrow one from a friend or from work?

I have a 250 and a 500 connected to the hdmi inputs of a Pioneer plasma. I switch the dvrs to output at 1080i format. Every time I switch the plasma input from the 250 to the 500 and visa versa the dvrs always revert back to auto hdmi. Which means whenever you switch channels on the dvr from a station broadcasting in 720p to one broadcasting in 1080i (and visa versa) you have that annoying wait while the plasma and dvr do their hdmi handshake. I was lead to believe by an earlier post that version 13 had resolved this issue of the dvr reverting to auto hdmi. Since I'm at version 06 I would appreciate an comments on whether upgrading to version 13 WILL really fix this problem.
Thanks

I checked both the 250s, .09 & .13, at lunchtime. Neither one had onscreen artifacts when switching channels. Both completed a change in 1-2 seconds. Neither reverted to auto hdmi. Ch. changes were considerably slower, and with artifacts, under auto hdmi. The TiVo S3 is much quicker but the Sonys are sluggish to respond to all commands; you noticed? I don't think it's the handshake being renogotiated, just the resolution.

I left the one 250 at .09 so it won't cut off component video as soon as the HDMI switch is powered. With .09 everything downstream has to be completed, inputs selected etc., before CV is cut off. I've seen no difference between .09 & .13 except for the aspects recently mentioned.

----Something odd occurred while playing around with the 2 Tvs and 3 DVRs. For most of the time I could not tune any of the DVRs to either of the ESPN HDs, but the Tvs had no problem doing so. All other channels, including ESPN SDs were fine. Though it cleared by the time I left, I hope this is not a portent for things to come. Verizon FiOS.

You acctually want an old flash drive 256mbytes seems to work well. The new ones with all the fancy partitions and programs are sure to confuse the SONY DVR. Can you borrow one from a freind or from work?

I can just buy this at at the store by my house: http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0282237

Smallest working drive I have at home is 1GB.

I can just buy this at at the store by my house: http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0282237

Smallest working drive I have at home is 1GB.

It is not only size but also U3 software (The U3 software shows up as a read only CD-ROM partition on U3 enabled drives.)

I think that drive has U3 (see amazon link http://www.amazon.com/Memorex-Mini-Travel-Drive-32509323/dp/B000BPDPHY )

You might be able to remove the U3 software and partition to make it work.

You acctually want an old flash drive 256mbytes seems to work well. The new ones with all the fancy partitions and programs are sure to confuse the SONY DVR. Can you borrow one from a freind or from work?

A 1GB SanDisk microcruzer worked for me despite having a program on it. Maybe just luck.

Hey gang, I have a weird on here. I cant get ota channel 3.1 to display. I'm showing a signal stength of 88%. It used to come in well, but last summer we renovated our den and the unit was disconnected from the antenna and plugged into just a cable in another room. When I hooked everything back up, all the ota digital channels except 3.1 come in fine. When I tune it, it acts like it knows there is something there, but I just get a black screen w/ no sound. I called a buddy with an ota receiver and he is getting 3.1 fine. I have a signal, 88% strength, but it just wont work. I've re-added the ota channels and no luck. Any ideas?

I want to comment on HDMI with this set, at least my OTA experience: it appears that HDCP is either absent, or unimportant, or achieves sync instantaneously without initiating the rez change even on older DHG firmware.

Try a DVI Doctor from Monoprice and see. The DHG will behave exactly as if the television were never power-cycled.

With the .13 firmware, the HDMI can be digitally connected directly to a flat panel without HDCP. Very handy.

A 1GB SanDisk microcruzer worked for me despite having a program on it. Maybe just luck.
I just updated my 250 to ver 13 using a Sandisk Cruzer mini 4GB flashdrive formatted as FAT32. The update took and this has resolved my issue with the dvr reverting to auto hdmi every time it and the tv are turned on. The 250 now stays on whatever format I have selected!!! I'll be updating my 500 next. One thing I noticed that maybe should be updated in the instructions on the spiffspace 1.1.10 section (updating the firmware)... when it says to press the "OK" button you need to use the front panel button not the remote. The remote button worked fine to start the update but when the dvr prompted to press OK to initiate the reboot pushing OK on the remote did nothing. I had to press the front panel OK button...

I neglected to mention that I had formatted the jump drive as recommened by spiff72 or another frequent contributor. - Not the best memory anymore.

I'm curious if alaindelon has resolved the Sony-Samsung HDMI issue. It is one of the sets I've been considering as many others are, I'm sure.

I just updated my 250 to ver 13 using a Sandisk Cruzer mini 4GB flashdrive formatted as FAT32. The update took and this has resolved my issue with the dvr reverting to auto hdmi every time it and the tv are turned on. The 250 now stays on whatever format I have selected!!! I'll be updating my 500 next. One thing I noticed that maybe should be updated in the instructions on the spiffspace 1.1.10 section (updating the firmware)... when it says to press the "OK" button you need to use the front panel button not the remote. The remote button worked fine to start the update but when the dvr prompted to press OK to initiate the reboot pushing OK on the remote did nothing. I had to press the front panel OK button...

I can try to update that in the FAQ.

I can try to update that in the FAQ.

Spiff,
Could you also add that .13 fixes the auto-HDMI issue to the FAQ?

I am curious if .13 fixes the auto-HDMI bug as well.

I don't use HDMI, but I may with a future TV, could someone tell me what the issue is that you're all discussing.

What is the problem with auto-HDMI? What happens or doesn't happen?

Does anyone on Cablevision successfully use these DVR's with a cablecard?

No one?

Cablevison is quickly moving channels to encrypted digital only requiring a cablecard or box to be viewable. If cablecards from Cablevison and these DVR's don't well together- TVGOS and all- it's going to be a problem even before the 2/09 issue.