I upgraded my OLDEST and LEAST USED of (4) Sony DVRs that I have.

Here are my Observations.

I tried using the SAME FLASH drive that I have used for years to do
all the Previous upgrades - it was still named SONYHDD500 and it
still had the FW 1.2.13 on it.

That drive WOULD NOT BE recognized by the DVR any more. I tried
a reformat and load again - but NOTHING. I have no explanation.

I took out a 4G San Disk flash drive - I DID NOT NAME it SONYHDD500.

Obviously now that name does not matter!

I copied the Sony Folder onto the drive and it WORKED perfectly.
THERE IS A LIST OF COMPATIBLE SONY USB DRIVES (http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/support-info.pl?info_id=409)

This DVR did not have guide data - because I had not done any of
the usual resets to it. In fact before I started the UPDATE - it did
not have a CLOCK.

I did the front panel reset before I did the Update. Once the update
completed - I IMMEDIATELY had the Clock back - that was fast :D

I still have no guide data - but I'm sure it will fill in soon.

So, if we already get the guide from a OTA digital station, we need this update only for when we lose power?

I guess that's one way to look at it. :D

YES, and be sure it's formatted as FAT32

And insert it while the DHG is turned ON
I re-formated the drive as fat32 and renamed it before copying the \sony folder to the drive. I inserted the drive into the dhg with the unit turned on, without the TVGOS screen showing.

Just loaded the firmware, no problems.

I just used a crappy old 512M generic USB and it worked just fine. Be sure the volume is named SONYHDD500, and all four of the files are loaded into a folder named SONY.

Firmware loaded as per the instructions and instantly "found" the correct time. Time will tell if the listings work as advertised.

Good luck.

I have installed the 1.2.21 firmware upgrade just now.

SNIP

The 753 menu first screen now shows a new TVGOS version: 08.01.71/08.06.44/00.00.00/0000012C/64/0000 and the build time changed from Jan 2005 to Sep 22 2006. Clock set and failing clock set channels both show the PBS digital channel. The Slicing Data screen shows lots of activity and indicates that a time zone packet had been received (I think this was the missing link in getting digital TVGOS). I ran a G test and that screen also indicates the new TVGOS verson number 08.07.71, but I could not get the VBI test to pass even after 2 minutes of trying. However, the 753 menu shows otherwise.... I didn't do the G test for VBI before I did the upgrade, but it had previously passed on the PBS digital channel.

SNIP

Charlie

Just curious - I placed bold and italic emphasis on the above text - are these actually BOTH 08.07.71, or are they really different?

Thanks,
Jeff

DrHankz-

Interesting about the volume name and the (new) incompatibility. The new Sony instructions don't mention the volume name, we were assuming by oversight.

DrHankz-

Interesting about the volume name and the (new) incompatibility. The new Sony instructions don't mention the volume name, we were assuming by oversight.

I PROVED you NO LONGER need the name - therefore It was not an oversight ;)

The name on this drive that WORKED was ----- SAN_DISK

I'm sure it will recognize any name as long as the SONY Folder is in the root.

Just curious - I placed bold and italic emphasis on the above text - are these actually BOTH 08.07.71, or are they really different?

Thanks,
Jeff
They both should read 08.01.71. My fingers don't type as fast anymore. I edited the original post. Thanks.

Mine is updating now, the clock is gone. I really hope this works. I used a Corsair Voyager GT 2 Gig and it worked fine. Upgrade worked and so far all that has happened is I lost my clock.....I wait now.

Clock is back, hot diggity!! Hopefully the guide will return over night....WOOT:)
Well I wooted too soon, clock is 50 minutes off:(

Question:

Sony Quote: "... the TV Guide update data normally being broadcast over analog signals will begin being broadcast only over digital signals".

Some cable companies- so far Cablevision- are converting the signal to analog and and passing it on an analog channel.

Will this firmware change cause the DVR to ONLY accept digital signals?

This unit had Clock and Guide before I started.

After the update - it still has clock and guide :D

My last two units will have to wait until this afternoon when I
have the STRENDTH to roll the HEAVY rack out of the theater
so I can get the back of the unit.

I suppose I could complain - why isn't the USB port on the FRONT?

But I won't :D

Thank You SONY

Gee, don't any of you guys work Friday?? :D

1. As stated, it doesn't matter what the drive is named,
2. There are four files, three are 1kb in size and the 4th is 19MB,
3. The actual file transfer from USB drive to recorder took around 20 seconds,
4. The whole flash proceess took 2 minutes and 15 seconds,
5. After "Writing dissappears, "Complete" flashes briefly, but no "Welcome" per instructions,
6. Base version showing now in the TVGOS diagonstic menu is 8.01.71. (I don't remember what it was before the flash),
7. Clock got set to 1201pm (it was 930am here) and the UTC offset was some odd number.
8. No guide before and no guide after (of couse since nothing was there in the first place),
9. No recordings were deleted and the tuner's channel list remained in tact (not the TVGOS channel lineup, but the recorders channel memory),
10. This is a TVGOS bug fix (of sorts), not a feature or user interface upgrade. IOW's AFAIK, there are no new features or looks to any of the menus (at least, so far).

Question is, for those who had a guide before from their analog host, is a TVGOS reset necessary?? Will the system automatically drop the current analog host and look at the digital host instead?? :confused:

Stay tuned.

YES, and be sure it's formatted as FAT32

And insert it while the DHG is turned ON
Will doing this firm ware upgrade wipe out all of the shows on the hard drive?

Thanks

Will doing this firm ware upgrade wipe out all of the shows on the hard drive?

Thanks

I did not lose any recordings, just my accurate clock.....

Will doing this firm ware upgrade wipe out all of the shows on the hard drive?

Thanks

No it shouldn't (but I will let someone who actually did their update chime in too)...

Gee, don't any of you guys work Friday?? :D


OF COURSE we all WORK Friday's.

But Today is an OFFICIAL SONY HOLIDAY http://www.rx8web.com/smilies/bouncy.gif

Will doing this firm ware upgrade wipe out all of the shows on the hard drive?No. See my previous post.

I got the software and have it installed. I hope it works !!! Good luck. I won't know for hours. I did a g-test and can't see packets. Maybe this won't work the same as before. I just shut mine off and will see later.......Stingray

Also, will this new firmware update give us any new features? Besides giving us clock and guide data. I will have to play with this later as I'm out the door to work.

Thanks

I was elated to see the firmware update on the Sony site. However, when I try to download I get a page not found when I click the final check box icon to start the download. Does anyone else get this error?

Gee, don't any of you guys work Friday?? :D

Yes, but my office is 9,9,9,9,4. And since we get here around 6:15am, I'll be out of here around 10:30am. :D

I was elated to see the firmware update on the Sony site. However, when I try to download I get a page not found when I click the final check box icon to start the download. Does anyone else get this error?

I just checked and the download still starts for me. Be sure you click on "Accept Agreement". This file cannot be emailed because it's too large.

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?upd_id=4542&mdl=DHGHDD500

Woot!! clock is now accurate. I really hope guide is back tomorrow..

Will I still be able to get/use my current analog host since my digital host station is having its encoder repaired?
Michael

Good morning SONY fans I did my units upgrades , and all listings are still there and no loss of recordings, i'm on comcast htfd. I checked to see host channel but it is still blank.Does anyone know that this will show up after unit is off for the night.??.

Will I still be able to get/use my current analog host since my digital host station is having its encoder repaired?
Michael

Michael I dont know for sure.I just did the update on one of my DHG-HDD500 and i know i have no vbi packets showing now on the G Test,also i didnt lose the guide or the previous recordings,but the ad that appeared on the tvgos is gone.On the 753 I have no host channel.I will have to wait and see from here

Will I still be able to get/use my current analog host since my digital host station is having its encoder repaired?
Michael

That would be a very good test for you to try. Let us know how it works out. :eek:

I'm assuming this upgrade will change the DHG's preference for an analog host over a digital host to the other way around. I also assume that it will retain its preference for a Cable host over an Air host.

The big question : Which will take precedance... an analog Cable host or a digital Air host? Now that's the $64,000 question.

I used to have Air CFTO-DT w/TVGOS but it has since been discontinued. Still have analog Cable CFTO. Won't be able to test this until CFTO-DT resumes TVGOS.

Put USB drive in, worked perfectly. No problems yet.......

I'm assuming this upgrade will change the DHG's preference for an analog host over a digital host to the other way around. I also assume that it will retain its preference for a Cable host over an Air host.I wouldn't assume either. Too early to tell.I used to have Air CFTO-DT w/TVGOS but it has since been discontinued.CFTO 40.1 never had TVGOS data. Are you saying their analog ch. 9 doesn't have TVGOS now??

Attached is the link to to the Sony "News" release concerning the firmware upgrade. There's not much "new" there, except that there is a phone number for getting "assistance" with the upgrade.

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/news-item.pl?mdl=DHGHDD500&news_id=334

So the base version is now 08.01.71 and the "upgraded" version (from TVGOS downloads) is still 08.06.44. That seems to indicate that the Sony update does not wipe out your current (updated) version of TVGOS software. Otherwise it would read 08.01.71/00.00.00/00.00.00.

At least initially, mine shows 08.01.71/08.05.40. I did have 08.06.44 before.

CFTO 20.1 never had TVGOS data.

CFTO 40.4 did at one point. I had the 753 host as 9-1. It used to pass the G*test but now fails.

Are you saying their analog ch. 9 doesn't have TVGOS now??

No, Air 9 still has it. The box prefers Cable 13 though, which is fine by me as it's more stable than Air 9 since I normally leave my antenna aimed at Buffalo, not Toronto.

For me, because I am getting the tvguide as a pass through on cable via analog conversion of the digital signal. I will not mess with success. I have been gratefull that my cable provider (Charter) in St Louis has always passed the guide through as analog. When PBS station 9 was broadcasting tvg they passed it through as channel 90. When cbs digital 24.1 began broadcasting tvg they passed it through as analog channel 94.

I have absolutely no problems with the guide since day one. However I will keep the file for if and when they drop channel 94. Or If i go strictly OTA.

I guess my thought is, if you are having no problems with the guide and you know it is coming off the analog pass through of the digital signal I am going to leave well enough alone.

HDADDICTION

I just updated two 250's with no problems. Just waiting for a digital station to start transmitting the guide.

For me, because I am getting the tvguide as a pass through on cable via analog conversion of the digital signal. I will not mess with success.

I guess my thought is, if you are having no problems with the guide and you know it is coming off the analog pass through of the digital signal I am going to leave well enough alone.

HDADDICTION

Exactly same here.

In the comming days we should know if the new update:

1. Works correctly in a analogue environment only.
2. A Digital environmnet only.
3. Or a combined environment (Like Houston and Dallas).

Wife said leave it alone for a few days; since ours still works with the 1812 firmware. LOL

It will be most interesting to see how Opinionated does with the update; lets us know which box you apply it too OR if you are going to try the one at your Mom's house first?

Since the Sony instructions say this firmware update is permanent; then that implies you should be able to do a Full Factory Reset (for those having problems with box) after the update is applied and it will still keep the new firmware update in the box.

That is my understanding. Is that your understanding?

Just upgraded with no issues. Used a 128MB SanDisk cruzer mini. Copied the \sony folder to the USB stick, didn't even bother erasing the other files on it, nor did I rename the drive.

Clock came back within moments. Guide / recordings / schedules all intact. Now to see how it continues to run.

Rick

Since the Sony instructions say this firmware update is permanent; then that implies you should be able to do a Full Factory Reset (for those having problems with box) after the update is applied and it will still keep the new firmware update in the box.

That is my understanding. Is that your understanding?

All these FW updates are written to the HD - it is the Linux
Operating Setting - it is like once you make a Windows update
--- YOU ARE STUCK WITH IT :D

All these FW updates are written to the HD - it is the Linux
Operating Setting - it is like once you make a Windows update
--- YOU ARE STUCK WITH IT :D

If they are writen to the HD then wouldn't a format return the original? On the other hand if it is writen to the BIOS ....

If they are writen to the HD then wouldn't a format return the original? On the other hand if it is writen to the BIOS ....

BIOS would make sense, it's likely firmware not software.

For me, because I am getting the tvguide as a pass through on cable via analog conversion of the digital signal. I will not mess with success. I have been gratefull that my cable provider (Charter) in St Louis has always passed the guide through as analog. When PBS station 9 was broadcasting tvg they passed it through as channel 90. When cbs digital 24.1 began broadcasting tvg they passed it through as analog channel 94.

I have absolutely no problems with the guide since day one. However I will keep the file for if and when they drop channel 94. Or If i go strictly OTA.

I guess my thought is, if you are having no problems with the guide and you know it is coming off the analog pass through of the digital signal I am going to leave well enough alone.

HDADDICTION

Exactly same here.
Comcast here in Atlanta quit passing TVGOS (analog) about 4 weeks ago now. Said they did not have to pass it unless mandated by the FCC. So only option is an antenna to get a host. Right now, waiting for CBS 46.1 to get their encoder going again so as to try the digital host. Using broadcast 2 WSB analog at the moment.
Michael

BIOS would make sense, it's firmware not software.
Unless it has a hidden partion that does not get reformatted.
Michael

Ok:

1. who wants to do a Full Factory Reset

2. Do the Firmware Update

3. Then do a a Full Factory Reset

4. Then tell us if it is still there are not?

If they are writen to the HD then wouldn't a format return the original? On the other hand if it is writen to the BIOS ....

SONY has a proprietary format on the drives. That is one
reason no one can figure out how to replace or upgrade a
drive.

It is POSSIBLE the Format operation only touches the data
Partition and NOT the OS partition.

In either case the update to 1.2.21 will survive :D

Comcast here in Atlanta quit passing TVGOS (analog) about 4 weeks ago now. Said they did not have to pass it unless mandated by the FCC. So only option is an antenna to get a host. Right now, waiting for CBS 46.1 to get their encoder going again so as to try the digital host. Using broadcast 2 WSB analog at the moment.
Michael

I will savor every day that Cablevision continues to pass an analog signal. So far they are not passing the digital signal from CBS.

At least with this update, I can hope that even if they switch to the digital it will work.

My fear is having to go OTA. I don't know that after the transition I will be able to pick up a signal- I can now- but I know for certain my mother at her location can't pick up any OTA signal.

So hurray for one of the very few things Cablevision does right.

At least initially, mine shows 08.01.71/08.05.40. I did have 08.06.44 before.

Just as a heads up - it appears that here in Los Angeles, 2-1 (that has been very reliable over the last several months) is not transmitting TVGOS. I didn't have day 8 yesterday and today (after the Sony firmware update) the G* test does NOT show VBI packets incrementing.

Good job, SONY! I'm now waiting for a software to upgrade hard drives to 1TB...probably waiting 'till...like forever*

Good job, SONY! I'm now waiting for a software to upgrade hard drives to 1TB...probably waiting 'till...like forever*

That is a FOREVER time line :mad: for sure

A couple of posts mentioned no packets seen after firmware upgrade.

Is anyone certain that the G-test works the same - with packets and pass/fail information- post upgrade?

Good job, SONY! I'm now waiting for a software to upgrade hard drives to 1TB...probably waiting 'till...like forever*


I was expecting 4TB drives and 4 ATSC tuners; is that not the case?

A couple of posts mentioned no packets seen after firmware upgrade.

Is anyone certain that the G-test works the same - with packets and pass/fail information- post upgrade?

Opinionated are you going to apply the update to your Mom's Sony? It is totally dead now, is that correct?

I came home for lunch and to try the 1.2.21 upgrade. This was on an OTA-only unit that I did a "G* Factory Reset" on, after my last analog TVGOS host channel (WUNF, Asheville NC, in the Greenville SC DMA) stopped sending data a couple of weeks ago. Since then, I've kept my antenna pointed towards Columbia SC most of the time, and the Sony has been getting its clock setting and advertisements from WLTX-DT (19.1) in Columbia, but no channel lineup or program listings. I did re-do the initial setup to use a Columbia Zip code, because I'm actually outside the Columbia DMA.

In the 753159582 screens, the HostID was 0x56 (decimal 86, the Gemstar Broadcast Area number listed as "substitute Zip Code" for Columbia SC in the Dish DTV PAL manual), but the "Host Chan" field was blank. The packet counts in the "Reception" screens indicated that I was getting all the different packets except the "UpdatePkts" (I compared the counts from one day to the next). Nevertheless, I had no channel lineup or program listings on this unit.

So... I did the update just now. When I turned the Sony on again after it finished the update and went into standby mode, the very first thing I saw was an empty program grid ("No Listing") for the Columbia OTA channels!. I was so surprised that I nearly fell over backwards.

In the 753159852 screens, the TVGOS software version was now listed as 08.01.71/00.00.00 instead of the previous 08.01.42/08.06.44. Host ID was still 0x56 and Host Chan was still blank. The packet counts had been reset to zero, but I already had a few new ShowPkts and ZipcodePkts.

At this point I decided to clean up the channel lineup a bit, so I went into the channel editor and turned off the analog channels. I noticed that the disabled channels included ones from Charleston and Savannah (which I hadn't seen on my old TVGOS lineup from Greenville / Asheville), along with channels from Greenville (whew), but apparently only a few from Charlotte, which disappointed me.

A few minutes later I went back into the channel editor to tweak the lineup a bit more, and the previously-missing Charlotte channels were now there (although disabled)! The system was apparently building the new channel lineup right under my eyes, so to speak.

I suspect that by dinner time I'll have program listings, too...

I'm pretty certain that the running firmware is not stored on the hard drive; it is loaded from flash. The hard drives store only the factory default firmware (1.2.05 for most of us).

The hard drives include two small unencrypted ext2 partitions each containing sign.dat, target.cfs and upgRec.bin. These are what the DVR uses to revert to factory default firmware. You can change the factory default by replacing the files there (I tried it with .13, using a hand-edited upgRec.bin) but do any such experiments at your own risk... bricking the unit is possible if you mess up.

The 1.2.13 update loaded via USB did not overwrite the factory default on the hard drive. Even if the 1.2.21 update does somehow replace the factory default, it would be easy to mount the hard drive on a Linux box and put back the 1.2.05 files. Now whether one could then safely revert to 1.2.05 is unknown, as the 1.2.21 update may make other changes that 1.2.05 would not undo.

did the update per instructions using freebee vendor pos usb drive no problem, everything happened exactly as the instructions indicated, was 1 hour off on the clock due to the daylight savings change and immediately corrected itself. just turned the unit off so it can get the listings, i'll let you know, but dont be surprised if it takes 8 days as i believe it only pulls listings from 8 days from now as a normal procedure for updating, it assumes the updating process has been happening and no need to fetch stuff it already should have.

Opinionated are you going to apply the update to your Mom's Sony? It is totally dead now, is that correct?

No, as I wrote a while back. Cablevision resumed transmiting an analog signal in her location and when I checked it last Sunday it was populating.

But it also momentarily froze - I think because it was downloading for almost a week before I gave it the specific cable system info - (my mother is away so I just made a special trip there to do just that). Haven't checked it since, but I'm assuming/hoping with it being untouched and with over a week of good data, when it is next used sometime next week- all will be fine.

The firmware, in any event would not have helped- can't get an OTA signal at her home.

SONY has a proprietary format on the drives. That is one reason no one can figure out how to replace or upgrade a drive.
I wonder if the 1.2.21 firmware will make it easier for us to replace the drives. :)

No, as I wrote a while back. Cablevision resumed transmiting an analog signal in her location and when I checked it last Sunday it was populating.

But it also momentarily froze - I think because it was downloading for almost a week before I gave it the specific cable system info - (my mother is away so I just made a special trip there to do just that). Haven't checked it since, but I'm assuming/hoping with it being untouched and with over a week of good data, when it is next used sometime next week- all will be fine.

The firmware, in any event would not have helped- can't get an OTA signal at her home.

Ok, so your mom now gets analogue downloads - kewl I missed that in your post.

Are you planning to do the firmware upgrade to your two units at home..........or wait a while to see what happens next?

No one has made it clear but it seems that all who have done a successful upgrade and are seeing almost instant gratification- with clocks and grids and listings all appearing almost immediately- are getting your data OTA.

Has anyone done an upgrade when your source is cable [only] and seen the same results?

Ok, I'm home and updated the firmware on two of my three 500's.

On the 753 menu it shows my TVGOS as 08.01.71/08.06.44/00.00.00

My clocks (which were correct before) regained correct time in just a couple of minutes.

The TVGOS version 08.01.71 shows up on the G*Test screen as well.

I have had no TVGOS available over cable for the past month. I do have TVGOS available on OTA analog PBS and OTA digital CBS. After the firmware update when I did a G*Test it shows VBI packets on the PBS analog station but NOT on the CBS digital station. Someone else had mentioned similar results earlier this morning.

Right now I want to go play some more, but I gotta go outside and get some things done before the rain starts............... :(

Ok, so your mom now gets analogue downloads - kewl I missed that in your post.

Are you planning to do the firmware upgrade to your two units at home..........or wait a while to see what happens next?

See #16037 and #16048

Be sure your flashdrive volume is named SONYHDD500 and that the flashdrive is formatted as FAT32. Put the files in the directory called SONY. Be sure you have run the downloaded file on your computer first to extract the 4 individual files required. Be sure you insert the flashdrive into the HDDxxx while the HDDxxx is already turned ON. In the past I have used 256MB, 4GB, and 8GB Sandisk Cruzer flashdrives successfully. There is a also compatibility list you can view on the Sony page where you downloaded the files from.

THE VOLUME LABEL MUST BE SONYHDD500 !!!
Thanks. Thais what I did. It is a Kingston datatraveler 512. There are 4 files in the directory "Sony" When I formatted the drive I labeled it sonyhdd500.
In the past I tried sonyhdd250, which in actuality is what I have.
.....Well I did it again with the same results.
INFO: I had been doing some experimenting. I had tried to set the HDD250 as a 500. I used an IDE (blue) with cable select. Anyway I left the drive connected which was usable. I just was not able to add another drive. Well after my Flashdrive problem I decided to connect the single cable to th Hard Drive. That worked and the upgrade happened.

Thanks. Thais what I did. It is a Kingston datatraveler 512. There are 4 files in the directory "Sony" When I formatted the drive I labeled it sonyhdd500.

That's one of the flash drives I tried (Kingston DataTraveler Elite 512). Flashes red instead of the usual blue, and won't work for me.

I wonder if the 1.2.21 firmware will make it easier for us to replace the drives. :)

Even if it DID - I doubt Sony would tell us.

But since the update takes about 2 minutes - to me
that tells me they are not changing anything on their
proprietary drive formatting.

If you want easy drive updating - Buy a TiVo. I upgraded
my TiVo to 1 TB internal - over a year ago - a piece of cake.

No one has made it clear but it seems that all who have done a successful upgrade and are seeing almost instant gratification- with clocks and grids and listings all appearing almost immediately- are getting your data OTA.

Has anyone done an upgrade when your source is cable [only] and seen the same results?

I'm Cable Only with CableCards on Comcast.

I just want to compliment SONY.

Just this morning I was dealing with a software vendor who sold me an absolute lifetime license two years ago and was now insisting the "lifetime" had a limit- in this case two years.

Who would have believed that Sony would really update software on a product they not just discontinued years ago but mysteriously pulled from the market.

I'm Cable Only with CableCards on Comcast.

Is your Comcast host analog or digital? If analog, why did you do the upgrade? And let us know if the upgrade made any difference over the coming days.

If digital, see any change?

No one has made it clear but it seems that all who have done a successful upgrade and are seeing almost instant gratification- with clocks and grids and listings all appearing almost immediately- are getting your data OTA.

Has anyone done an upgrade when your source is cable [only] and seen the same results?

I have Comcast, Cable Only, with a CableCard.
Before the upgrade, I had no listings and the clock was 5 hours off.
After the upgrade, I still have no listings and the clock is still 5 hours off.

Who would have believed that Sony would really update software on a product they not just discontinued years ago but mysteriously pulled from the market.

Exactly. I was pretty skeptical when I heard the rumors about Sony releasing an update, as this product was clearly more of a support nightmare than a moneymaker for them. And Sony has certainly made some major blunders in the past (installing rootkits, etc.) But they get a gold star for this effort and for making a product that has been, on the whole, extremely reliable (TVGOS issues aside, which are not Sony's fault).

I have Comcast, Cable Only, with a CableCard.
Before the upgrade, I had no listings and the clock was 5 hours off.
After the upgrade, I still have no listings and the clock is still 5 hours off.

Which I assume proves the obvious, if your cable company is not transmitting the data no software change will help.

First thing you should do is contact Comcast and get a definitive word if they are sending data on any channel. And if not now, will they.

Is your Comcast host analog or digital? If analog, why did you do the upgrade? And let us know if the upgrade made any difference over the coming days.

If digital, see any change?

I don't bother to know that - it has been working for 4 years.

YES YES YES - once a week I need to do a reset. Maybe
that will finally stop. For sure there will be NO ANALOG
host after June.

That's one of the flash drives I tried (Kingston DataTraveler Elite 512). Flashes red instead of the usual blue, and won't work for me.

After my edited post you can see it now works. (flashes green)

I don't bother to know that - it has been working for 4 years.

YES YES YES - once a week I need to do a reset. Maybe
that will finally stop. For sure there will be NO ANALOG
host after June.

Why do you assume that?

In the NYC area CBS has been transmitting digital TVGOS for months but Cablevision is stripping it out.

Cablevision is and has been transmitting an analog signal -even when the OTA analog from PBS was shut off. I can only assume that they are converting the digital CBS to analog and retransmitting it on their guide scroll channel [my host]

If they have done that up to now, I don't have any reason to believe anything will change post transition in June.

My only fear is that they end it all together and not pass data at all.

Is your Comcast host analog or digital? If analog, why did you do the upgrade? And let us know if the upgrade made any difference over the coming days.

If digital, see any change?

My situation is that I am both OTA and cable(Comcast with cable card). My sony has always preferred Cable TVGOS stream to OTA. My cable TVGOS stream is analog 97 in an otherwise all digital (again Cable Card) service. I've forced digital OTA(and cable) TVGOS in the past, but eventually problems occurred and would wind up reverting back to cable analog, so I left it as such.

I upgraded to firmware 1.2.21 because that is what I do, upgrade to the latest and greatest. ;) After the upgrade time was slightly off but quickly corrected itself. After a while of being turned off I went into the TVGOS diag menu and the clock update and host channel are back to the analog cable channel 1:0-97. The host channel was blank immediately after the upgrade. So the new firmware does not appear to have changed what is found as the host on my unit. I would expect that to be the case. If/when that analog goes away I would hope that my unit will transition to digital effortlessly with the new firmware.

For me, because I am getting the tvguide as a pass through on cable via analog conversion of the digital signal. I will not mess with success. I have been gratefull that my cable provider (Charter) in St Louis has always passed the guide through as analog. When PBS station 9 was broadcasting tvg they passed it through as channel 90. When cbs digital 24.1 began broadcasting tvg they passed it through as analog channel 94.

I have absolutely no problems with the guide since day one. However I will keep the file for if and when they drop channel 94. Or If i go strictly OTA.

I guess my thought is, if you are having no problems with the guide and you know it is coming off the analog pass through of the digital signal I am going to leave well enough alone.

HDADDICTION

Same here in Northern Virginia.

A couple of posts mentioned no packets seen after firmware upgrade.

Is anyone certain that the G-test works the same - with packets and pass/fail information- post upgrade?

In the post upgrade world checking for "VBI" on a digital channel is a bit different. On an analog channel, the G* test works as before. For a digital channel, the G* test will initiate the test, but to see counts one must enter the 753... pages. Page down three times to Section ATSC-ATSC Slicer. This page now has more information than before the upgrade, but in any case it is where you must now go to look for "VBI" counts.

Upgraded both of my gridless DHGs. Still gridless, but hopeful.

My situation is that I am both OTA and cable(Comcast with cable card). My sony has always preferred Cable TVGOS stream to OTA. My cable TVGOS stream is analog 97 in an otherwise all digital (again Cable Card) service. I've forced digital OTA(and cable) TVGOS in the past, but eventually problems occurred and would wind up reverting back to cable analog, so I left it as such.

I upgraded to firmware 1.2.21 because that is what I do, upgrade to the latest and greatest. ;) After the upgrade time was slightly off but quickly corrected itself. After a while of being turned off I went into the TVGOS diag menu and the clock update and host channel are back to the analog cable channel 1:0-97. The host channel was blank immediately after the upgrade. So the new firmware does not appear to have changed what is found as the host on my unit. I would expect that to be the case. If/when that analog goes away I would hope that my unit will transition to digital effortlessly with the new firmware.


That follows what I was thinking it will do. Here in Houston, while still under analogue downloads, the unit appears to receive about every other night a "digital tickle". To me that is instructing the unit to change to Digital Host, when the analogue host goes away.

I wonder if the 1.2.21 firmware will make it easier for us to replace the drives. :)

I was wondering that myself. But then I woke up. :D

I forgot to mention earlier........ A few weeks ago when I upgraded my third 500 to the .13 firmware I'm (almost) certain that I used my 8GB Sandisk Cruzer Micro. But today it would not seem to work on the two 500's that I upgraded. The 4GB Cruzer Micro that I ultimately used today had other files on it in addition to the required Sony folder and files.

Ok:

1. who wants to do a Full Factory Reset

2. Do the Firmware Update

3. Then do a a Full Factory Reset

4. Then tell us if it is still there are not?

Now I know why I have a spare.

Performed a 9012 "Full Factory Restore". Unit was 100% before I did that (ads, listings and schedule).

INF 1000 0000 (0x80) displayed.

Unit cycled power and I followed the setup directions. I only did what I was told to do, and did not skip anything execpt the antenna scan.

After channel 2 showed up I checked that I was at the sony & TVGUIDE baseline, then powered unit off.

Power on. Insert flash drive. Followed screen directions.

After the rescan, etc. I powered unit off, then on.

9012 showed 08.01.71/00.00.00. It also displayed PASSED but a packet count that was 25% of what I had before the update. I only have one cable channel with VBI packets, so it was easy to test.

753... confirmed everything, but clocks2 showed a failed clock channel that was my VBI channel (needs more checking.)

And then I did a 9012 Full Factory Restore. This shows Format.... also.

After the cable scan, zip code, etc., I was back to baseline software again. TVGOS is 8.01.42, Sony is 1.2.06 just like last week.

So this should answer your questions. Now I'm going to get back to .13, and let the unit grow up.

What next?

For a digital channel, the G* test will initiate the test, but to see counts one must enter the 753... pages.

Don't see the counts but does it show a pass or fail?

...every other night a "digital tickle".

Hmmm - sounds like something that robots/Consumer Electronics devices/computers/etc. do behind closed doors... :D

(Atlanta) see previous msg, just turned it on and instead of all "no listing" i'm seeing some "no title", "paid programming" and some real shows. very random at this point it was only off for 1 hour, so it is back off and we wait for more.... at this point i'm very very encouraged! as this is more then i've seen since feb.!

btw, for all you who have disabled the auto off (unit never turns off by itself in the wee hours) in an effort to set the host channel, you might want to turn it back on, remember the unit will not get listings if it is always left on!

I guess I've shown what happens when you perform a "Full Factory Restore" and then an upgrade/update to 08.01.71. As soon as my unit gets back to 100%, I will do JUST the update and see how it affects cable users. Until then (next week) I would hold off doing the update if you have cable, full listings and no problems. But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. After all, Sony was wrong stating that the update was a one-way operation. If you are OTA, please ignore this posting and be happy on this wonderful day for everyone.

Don't see the counts but does it show a pass or fail?

Nothing so clever. It shows fail.

Now I know why I have a spare.

Performed a 9012 "Full Factory Restore". Unit was 100% before I did that (ads, listings and schedule).

INF 1000 0000 (0x80) displayed.

Unit cycled power and I followed the setup directions. I only did what I was told to do, and did not skip anything execpt the antenna scan.

After channel 2 showed up I checked that I was at the sony & TVGUIDE baseline, then powered unit off.

Power on. Insert flash drive. Followed screen directions.

After the rescan, etc. I powered unit off, then on.

9012 showed 08.01.71/00.00.00. It also displayed PASSED but a packet count that was 25% of what I had before the update. I only have one cable channel with VBI packets, so it was easy to test.

753... confirmed everything, but clocks2 showed a failed clock channel that was my VBI channel (needs more checking.)

And then I did a 9012 Full Factory Restore. This shows Format.... also.

After the cable scan, zip code, etc., I was back to baseline software again. TVGOS is 8.01.42, Sony is 1.2.06 just like last week.

So this should answer your questions. Now I'm going to get back to .13, and let the unit grow up.

What next?


Ok, with the full factory reset done AND the Sony software is back to 1.2.06; why not just skip the .13 and go with the Software released by Sony today?

Just checked and still no channel grid after 5 hrs . I don't pass the g-test on the unit upgraded but other dhg does pass. It seems all the rules have changed. I still have my fingers crossed that this will work. My dhg is still trying to recover from a factory reset. Clock is correct but was before upgrade. all ads are gone after upgrade. I will wait untill I get both running before I upgrade the other...........Stingray

If you want easy drive updating - Buy a TiVo. I upgraded my TiVo to 1 TB internal - over a year ago - a piece of cake.
OK, but Tivo does not provide a guide for clear QAM (without a CableCARD). I use the Sony for clear QAM.

Ok:

1. who wants to do a Full Factory Reset

2. Do the Firmware Update

3. Then do a a Full Factory Reset

4. Then tell us if it is still there are not?

I'm in the process of doing a "Restore Factory Default" (the one from the regular 'user' menu) which includes a drive format. I'm doing this on my number three 500, which has no saved programs and see little use anyway currently. It's in the middle of the channel scan right now.........

753 menu shows TVGOS V8.01.42/00.00.00/00.00.00 after the full factory reset.

This unit reverted to 1.2.05 firmware.

It is no longer picking up the clock, which it had done in moments after the first firmware upgrade to 1.2.21

For reference, no ads, no grid, no listings.

Currently updating firmware again to new version 1.2.21 . . . . .

Firmware is updated again, firmware shows as 1.2.21 . . . . . . . TVGOS shows as 08.01.71/00.00.00/00.00.00 after the "Restore Factory Default" executed

It's been about 60 minutes and still no clock....... but I don't think clock or TVGOS is available over cable and my OTA connection to this unit is very poor (inside Radio Shack DBT, transmitter 40 miles away). Or could this be because my TVGOS software is not up to 08.06.44 yet? I did get the clock very quickly earlier when I first upgraded the firmware and still had 08.06.44 TVGOS as well.

5:45pm Friday (about 3 hours elapsed) 753 menu TVGOS shows as 08.01.71/08.05.40/00.00.00 . . . . Still no grid . . . . Still no clock . . . . Clock waiting for 08.06.44 ?????

6:00am Saturday (about 15 hours elapsed) Has correct clock . . . . Clock set chan showing 1:83-0 (PBS digital) . . . . TVGOS still at 08.01.71/08.05.40/00.00.00 . . . . Still no grid

10:45am Saturday (about 21 hours elapsed) TVGOS now at 08.01.71/08.06.44/00.00.00 . . . . Still no grid

5:30am Sunday (about 40 hours elapsed) Got Grid and Channel Lineup . . . HostChan shows as OTA analog PBS . . .Waiting for Listings to come later today . . . Note: Current antenna will not allow HDD500 to tune digital CBS reliably

9:15am Sunday (about 43 hours elapsed) Sparse program listings have appeared.

12:15pm Sunday (about 46 hours elapsed) Full (analog schedule) listings thru day 8 . . . Clock has changed over to OTA digital CBS

7:15pm Sunday . . . I did another Restore Factory Defaults to facilitate more testing. Progress on this new test will be recorded on the link below -

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16300185#post16300185

.

Can anyone confirm this ?
On the upgraded dhg when you do the 9012 I get build version 0.01 ? On the other dhg not upgraded I see 1.2.09 I think. It seem that the g-test is possibly for analog only but may have helped on digital..........Stingray

Well I have to say I am thoroughly impressed. I have had zero guide for a month now and after the update this morning, I now have a full guide and correct clock. I really didn't think it would work again so Thank You Sony!! I have learned a lot from reading these forums and thank everyone for all the information.....:)

Can anyone confirm this ?
On the upgraded dhg when you do the 9012 I get build version 0.01 ? On the other dhg not upgraded I see 1.2.09 I think. It seem that the g-test is possibly for analog only but may have helped on digital..........Stingray
I am OTA only here.The Sony i upgraded has version 08.01.71 in the G test Hope that helps. Also no VBI count anymore after the upgrade

Ok, with the full factory reset done AND the Sony software is back to 1.2.06; why not just skip the .13 and go with the Software released by Sony today?

Good point. I'll do that next week. It would be great if that works. BTW, I work Sat-Sun-Mon which is why I should say that I'll try it on Tuesday. But if I get to 100% today/tonight, I will do that reset. It's just that my reception on weekends is not reliable. I'll be able to tell tomorrow morning if I lose day 8 listings. If I don't then I will do the clear/update tomorrow. So far I have the first update after only one hour turned off. One more to go.

Originally Posted by dp70
After using the Sony's component outputs for years, I recently got a 1080p display, connected over HDMI. I'm seeing the full 1920x1080 now, with no overscan, and this has revealed an apparent bug in the DVR's UI (firmware version 1.2.13): I frequently see a small grey box, maybe 16x16 pixels, in the very top left corner. It's definitely coming from the DVR and seems to be a minimized version of the OSD UI background. If I bring up any of the Sony's onscreen displays, the little box disappears, and it reappears as soon as the OSD disappears. I'd never noticed this on my CRT because it was offscreen in the overscan area. I found with some general futzing around, it's possible to get the grey box to go away, but if anyone knows an exact sequence of steps to get rid of it, please let me know.


While watching a live show you are chasing OR watching a recorded show; just press the "play" button and the little box will go away.

The box is actually “black” with a super thin white line border around it. It is the mask from the previous Guide Screens.

It will show up as gray on most LCD’s because it is in the corner.

It will show up as black on a most plasma sets.

Just hit play button will remove the “mask” and take the black (or gray) box with it.


Side Note: This only shows up on a 1080i source and you are playing on a 1080i or 1080p TV and have 1 to 1 pixel mapping in place.


I will not be able to do the update today, because of all the storms; but wonder if the new software will fix the "mask" issue with the little black square with white outline?

I have no idea if this can been seen or not........black square on black picture? Maybe the white outline can be seen?

Why do you assume that?

In the NYC area CBS has been transmitting digital TVGOS for months but Cablevision is stripping it out.

Cablevision is and has been transmitting an analog signal -even when the OTA analog from PBS was shut off. I can only assume that they are converting the digital CBS to analog and retransmitting it on their guide scroll channel [my host]

If they have done that up to now, I don't have any reason to believe anything will change post transition in June.

My only fear is that they end it all together and not pass data at all.


Then buy a Silver Sensor indoor UHF antenna, connect the coax. Scan and make sure you get WCBS-DT on it and you're all set. Eff Cablevision

my guess is your unit may have some bad ram, i have not seen this problem in this forum ever, maybe sony servive can fix? i looked at your pic and it seems to be pretty anoying, doesn't look like an overscan issue based on it being in the pretty much in the middle of the screen, maybe ram/hdmi chips are bad, check your disk drive temp, if they are hot it may be related to an overall cooling issue, like dust buildup.

Then buy a Silver Sensor indoor UHF antenna, connect the coax. Scan and make sure you get WCBS-DT on it and you're all set. Eff Cablevision

All well and good where the OTA signal can be picked up. I can, today. At my mother's home 10 miles away it is impossible.

Not that today matters. In June the channel location gets changed and a new scan will need to successfully acquire the new location of the channel.

All in all, I prefer that Cablevision continue to provide a good host They should, it's one of the rare advantages they have on FIOS- which I understand doesn't.

my guess is your unit may have some bad ram, i have not seen this problem in this forum ever, maybe sony servive can fix? i looked at your pic and it seems to be pretty anoying, doesn't look like an overscan issue based on it being in the pretty much in the middle of the screen, maybe ram/hdmi chips are bad, check your disk drive temp, if they are hot it may be related to an overall cooling issue, like dust buildup.


AKAIK all Sony Boxes do this if you have pixel mapping in place. It is not a real issue, because the play button will take it away. You also have to have a real 1080i source for it to show up OR a spoofed 1080i. But it will not show up without the pixel mapping.

Can anyone confirm this ?
On the upgraded dhg when you do the 9012 I get build version 0.01 ? On the other dhg not upgraded I see 1.2.09 I think. It seem that the g-test is possibly for analog only but may have helped on digital..........Stingray

I see the 0.01 also. Don't know if it's a problem or not.

................... i looked at your pic and it seems to be pretty anoying, doesn't look like an overscan issue based on it being in the pretty much in the middle of the screen ..............



Look very closely at his picture. You will see that his screen actually extends from the center of the picture into the lower-right quadrant of the picture. :)

I see the 0.01 also. Don't know if it's a problem or not.

This is what I see also.

i have never seen this, ch11 is 1080i and i'm hooked up component video, tv reports 1080i dvr 1080i ch5 720p all else? but 11 is 1080i for sure. i'm evidently clueless.

I'm also quite pleased that Sony saw fit to "de brick" us.:D:D

I'm sure there are a few contractual provisions between TVGOS and Sony for support as well.

OK, now that we are happy customers again, how about an HDD-750 and HDD 1500 ? Ok, now I'm asking too much:o

Now to install it and see if it works...I'm OTA only in NYC DMA.

Look very closely at his picture. You will see that his screen actually extends from the center of the picture into the lower-right quadrant of the picture. :)

Just got our electricity back.........the storms have been murder today!

This is for clarification so that it is easier to find the little black square, if anyone is actually looking for it.

The camera is about 5" from the screen. The little box in the upper left hand corner of the screen. On my 42" plasma that square is about the size of a match stick head. In otherwords, about half the black is the plastic frame and the other half of the black is the black picture. You will get a similar response from most LCDs that are 1080p, but it will usually be gray. DLPs will not have this.

If you have a high quality OTA 1080i source (In Dallas/Houston that should be NBC, CBS, and PBS) with pixel mapping turned "on" (Samsung "just scan")
(Panasonic "HD Size 2").

Then hit your TV Guide button on your remote and Then it "exit" - Then you should see the super tiny square in the upper left hand corner of your picture. To make it go away hit the play button.

Here is the "same" picture again, and I tweeked the jpeg file (yep it has a ton of grain, very cheap camera). Now you can seel the black plastic frame (under glass 800u), to the far left is the paneling behind the TV, and to the lower right is the glass picture tube. I had to edit the jpeg to full brightness to make that show up.

Side note: There may be differences between "masking" on Component vs. HDMI - It has been too many years since I used component - I do not remember that?

After my edited post you can see it now works. (flashes green)

:confused:

Flash drives,
My flash drive wasn't in the list but mine still worked. Glad to hear that some have gotten back the channel grid. I haven't yet got mine but my only source is ota digital. That may take longer............Stingray

In the post upgrade world checking for "VBI" on a digital channel is a bit different. On an analog channel, the G* test works as before. For a digital channel, the G* test will initiate the test, but to see counts one must enter the 753... pages. Page down three times to Section ATSC-ATSC Slicer. This page now has more information than before the upgrade, but in any case it is where you must now go to look for "VBI" counts.

Upgraded both of my gridless DHGs. Still gridless, but hopeful.

If I may ask, how do you do that? I have never seen anything on these special menus except 9012. Thank

I have installed the 1.2.21 firmware upgrade just now.

I am OTA only in the Mobile, AL area. No analog TVGOS sources at all, PBS has been transmitting TVGOS on their digital channel 42.1 (UHF 41) since late March. My dhg500 had lost the grid after a power failure and was in the limbo state with accurate time and ads, but NO DATA FOR THIS SCREEN message. I had tried the TVGOS data reset several times, but have not tried a full factory reset.

The instructions on the sony website were accurate. I used a blank usb drive formated to fat32 and vol label SONYHDD500. Update worked first time. When I turned the dvr on after the upgrade, the clock was 45 mins slow while it was accurate before. The clock updated immediately to the correct time.

The 753 menu first screen now shows a new TVGOS version: 08.01.71/08.06.44/00.00.00/0000012C/64/0000 and the build time changed from Jan 2005 to Sep 22 2006. Clock set and failing clock set channels both show the PBS digital channel. The Slicing Data screen shows lots of activity and indicates that a time zone packet had been received (I think this was the missing link in getting digital TVGOS). I ran a G test and that screen also indicates the new TVGOS verson number 08.01.71, but I could not get the VBI test to pass even after 2 minutes of trying. However, the 753 menu shows otherwise.... I didn't do the G test for VBI before I did the upgrade, but it had previously passed on the PBS digital channel.

Guess time will tell. I plan to leave the dvr off today and check it tonight to see if the firmware upgrade will let the dvr find TVGOS grid & listings on its own without any other resets. The unit does reboot as part of the firmware upgrade.
Charlie

Just checked and I'm no better off than before after letting the dhg sit all day turned off. The TVGOS screen still shows NO DATA FOR THIS SCREEN. The time is correct and there are no ads showing. TVGOS Version still shows 08.01.71/08.06.44. The 753 menu shows TVGOS data is being received. I plan to let it sit off overnight to see if the overnight downloads get the grid up. If there is no improvement in the AM, will try a TVGOS reset.

Just checked and still no channel grid after 5 hrs . I don't pass the g-test on the unit upgraded but other dhg does pass. It seems all the rules have changed. I still have my fingers crossed that this will work. My dhg is still trying to recover from a factory reset. Clock is correct but was before upgrade. all ads are gone after upgrade. I will wait untill I get both running before I upgrade the other...........Stingray
I had that indication until I found the channel.

Ok, Sony box has been perfect for several weeks - analogue source.

Today we have storms; unit is without power for about 1 hour.

Turn it on, and the listings are gone "No Data", clock is gone, and the box has now rebooted itself three times.

The unit "has never" cleared itself out, from a power outage?

And from what I could tell it was no longer getting PBS analogue source (all this at the same time?)

So on to the firmware upgrade. Installed without a problem. It has locked onto (at least first test) digital CBS clock and also the failing clock; BUT the clock time is WRONG. Still "no data" for listings of course.

So it does look like it trys to get digital first?

So currently it is a BRICK

Time for beer - Good Nite.

I don't get it, tried your sequence, picture is flawless in upper left, checked with info button, ch11 is 1080i switch ch to 5 and 720p, tv is hooked up comp vid and tv thinks its 1080i as the output on dvr says 1080i. send to service?

concerning the upgrade, i've had the unit on/off enough now to have complete listings after having none since feb. i have deleted all of my manual recordings and set to record all programs as is from tvguide!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hurray!!!!!!! ra ra ra after 9012 and 789 123 753 961 147 (whatever) out the ying yang what a blessing not to have know this non working stuff! anymore! oooo ra!

If I may ask, how do you do that? I have never seen anything on these special menus except 9012. Thank

Go to Guide screen, scroll to top of page, scoot over to Setup, cursor down once, press 753159852. You can then page down and page right to look at all kinds of "stuff". :D

Just checked and I'm no better off than before after letting the dhg sit all day turned off. The TVGOS screen still shows NO DATA FOR THIS SCREEN. The time is correct and there are no ads showing. TVGOS Version still shows 08.01.71/08.06.44. The 753 menu shows TVGOS data is being received. I plan to let it sit off overnight to see if the overnight downloads get the grid up. If there is no improvement in the AM, will try a TVGOS reset.

Are you cable only, or OTA only, or both? In my area (New Orleans Northshore) I believe there is no more clock and no more TVGOS over Charter cable. OTA has both analog an digital.

If I may ask, how do you do that? I have never seen anything on these special menus except 9012. Thank

WS65711's response is spot on. I would only add this link to bwall23's post which shows how all the versions of TVGOS do this. DHGs, as bwall23 points out, are Version 8 devices. This posting taught me how to do this for my RDRs, which are Version 7 devices.

TVGOS ( TV Guide On Screen ) Devices (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=15882735#post15882735)

Had no problem copying the sony folder to a san disk usb drive - ran the update with no issues. Still waiting for clock sync. Spiff72, are these download times still accurate? Thanks.

2.1.8 When do the guide data downloads take place?

The download times are (all in EST):

2:21 AM (180 minutes)
7:01 AM (180 minutes)
10:06 AM (180 minutes)
1:46 PM (180 minutes)

Your DVR must be OFF to receive this information. Each of these downloads contains the same data, so only one of them is needed to get a particular day's download info.

2.1.9 Are there other (non-guide) download times during the day?

Yes there are other download times. They are (all in EST):
12:41 AM (30 minutes)
1:11 PM (30 minutes)
11:01 PM (30 minutes)
1:16 AM (60 minutes)
5:56 AM (60 minutes)
5:46 PM (60 minutes)
11:36 PM (60 minutes)

Your DVR must be OFF to receive this information. These downloads are used for stuff like settings (channel lineups, zip codes, programming providers, ads, etc).

[QUOTE=myoda;16289567]Had no problem copying the sony folder to a san disk usb drive - ran the update with no issues. Still waiting for clock sync. Spiff72, are these download times still accurate? Thanks.

What screen should you be on when you insert the USB? I downloaded the update on two different USBs (they were not an exact match to the compatible list provided by Sony) and I had the DVR tuned to 2.1 (Watching TV) I heard a click but nothing else. Do you need to label the folder Sony DHG500?

I really appreciate any help you can offer.

Which I assume proves the obvious, if your cable company is not transmitting the data no software change will help.

First thing you should do is contact Comcast and get a definitive word if they are sending data on any channel. And if not now, will they.

Oh I did contact Comcast about TVGOS. Below is their response:

“Dear XXX,
Thank you for contacting Comcast Cable. We have received your message.
I have reached out to our Technical Department and have been informed of the following:

"To my knowledge, we have not and do not provide a data feed for any other interactive guide besides the one that is on our set tops. If a customer is having an issue with either their TIVO or other TV guide application they need to contact their guide provider."

We apologize for any inconvenience or misunderstanding.
Thank you for choosing Comcast.”

I’m now having a slooow email exchange with Macrovision. They claim no one has reported a problem in the Washington DC area:rolleyes:. So they had me pull up the TVGOS screens on both my Sony and my Sharp TV (which also uses TVGOS), fill out their TVGOS info forms, and email them back.

EdwinC -

Just have it on and tuned to any channel. No menu's or Guide screens showing.

It may work with menu's open or Guide showing, I dunno. But I know it works with Guide and Menu's closed. :D

Be sure the 4 files are in a folder named "SONY", and the USB flashdrive is formatted as FAT32.

Apparently, any volume label (or no volume label at all) works just fine now. Maybe it always did???

What screen should you be on when you insert the USB? I downloaded the update on two different USBs (they were not an exact match to the compatible list provided by Sony) and I had the DVR tuned to 2.1 (Watching TV) I heard a click but nothing else. Do you need to label the folder Sony DHG500?

I really appreciate any help you can offer.

Apparently with previous upgrades the drive label had to be something specific, but not with this upgrade. Just copy the extracted 'sony' folder to the usb drive as is. Don't rename anything.

Mark

DHGs, as bwall23 points out, are Version 9 devices. This posting taught me how to do this for my RDRs, which are Version 8 devices.The DHG's are absolutely, without a doubt, version 8 (didn't he fix that yet? He had this pointed out by more than one person), and it probably depends on what model number your RDR is. My RDR-HX900 is version 7, but some later models may have v8.

I am not able to get my 250 to recognize my usb drive either. My DVR has the .06 version of the sony software. is it possible you have to upgrade to the .13 version first?.. anyone

All went well in Central Texas. I used a 1GB "Privacy Drive" that I bought at buy.com...don't know who makes it but it worked smoothly. I made a printout of the installation and the sequence is a bit different. After the reboot, I had the "Welcome", next "Writing", then "Verifying", and then "Welcome". The hdd's screen went blank for about 20 seconds then the familiar - - : - - came up. Waited for the clock but never came up as 12:00 (might have missed it?). About an 1:45 min. later, it showed a correct clock. I verified the new version...awaiting TVGuide to fill...Thanks Sony! ;)

Quick question, does analog TVGOS still work after the upgrade with Cablecard if the channel is available?

I think I get analog but not digital with TWC. I don't want to loose the guide or brick my DVR.

We need an updated FAQ.

Good in NY DMA :) OTA only.

Installed .21 on both units. Installation went as advertised, used a generic USB key. (unit was .13 to start)

I note the box is a touch faster now-and I think the bar which comes up for FF - Rewind on the bottom is slightly different. Time was found fairly quickly (much faster than before). I have no Ads, but listings, etc are good. My channels were re-arranged, and for some reason I lost one channel but will re-scan.

One wonders what else was "fixed" while they were there, and what happened to .14-.20 versions. It seems to tune faster, and has not locked up yet when watching the beginning of a show currently recording. In the past, I learned to let recordings finish before trying to watch them, or the unit would lock up until the recording was complete.

Anyone familiar with the other Sony DVR's in other countries.... ???

[QUOTE=myoda;16289567]Had no problem copying the sony folder to a san disk usb drive - ran the update with no issues. Still waiting for clock sync. Spiff72, are these download times still accurate? Thanks.

What screen should you be on when you insert the USB? I downloaded the update on two different USBs (they were not an exact match to the compatible list provided by Sony) and I had the DVR tuned to 2.1 (Watching TV) I heard a click but nothing else. Do you need to label the folder Sony DHG500?

I really appreciate any help you can offer.

Did you format your usb drive? No need for a volume label.

link:
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?mdl=DHGHDD250&upd_id=4542&os_id=25

Here is list of USB storage devices that can be used for the DHG-HDD250 and DHG-HDD500 digital video recorder software update.

IMPORTANT: The USB storage device must be reformatted to the FAT32 file system BEFORE you copy the update file to it. Go to the instructions to reformat the device to FAT32.



Manufacturer Device Size
ACP-EP Memory SurfDrive 1GB
Centon DataStick Pro 2GB
Crucial Technologies Gizmo!overdirive 1GB
Edge Tech Corp DiskGo 1GB
Imation Clip 1GB
Kanguru Kanguru 1GB
Kingston DataTraveler 1GB
4GB
Kingston DT Mini Fun 1GB
Lexar JD Secure 1GB
Memorex Travel Drive 512MB
OCZ Mini-Kart 1GB
PNY Attache 1GB
SanDisk cruzer freedom 1GB
SanDisk cruzer micro (Black) 1GB
2GB
4GB
Sony Micro Vault 64MB
Sony Micro Vault (Black) 2GB
4GB
8GB
Sony Micro Vault (White) 2GB
4GB
Sony Micro Vault Tiny 2GB
4GB
Toshiba Transmemory 1GB
2GB
Verbatim Store'N'Go 1GB
2GB
8GB

Make sure your drive is formatted as FAT32...Hoping you missed this. :)

I am not able to get my 250 to recognize my usb drive either. My DVR has the .06 version of the sony software. is it possible you have to upgrade to the .13 version first?.. anyone

Works either way. I have a lineup and clock. Went from .06 to .13 AND .06 to .21 with no problems other than boredom. Try the update as the first thing after a power on. My 128mb flash drive is far from empty also. I just have a SONY folder with the files in it.

I am not able to get my 250 to recognize my usb drive either. My DVR has the .06 version of the sony software. is it possible you have to upgrade to the .13 version first?.. anyone

No. I took one unit from .06 directly to .21 earlier this afternoon.

[QUOTE=myoda;16290265][QUOTE=EdwinC;16289655]

Did you format your usb drive? No need for a volume label.

link:
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?mdl=DHGHDD250&upd_id=4542&os_id=25

Here is list of USB storage devices that can be used for the DHG-HDD250 and DHG-HDD500 digital video recorder software update.

IMPORTANT: The USB storage device must be reformatted to the FAT32 file system BEFORE you copy the update file to it. Go to the instructions to reformat the device to FAT32.


Sony Micro Vault (Black) 2GB - Just bought this USB since I could not get my our USB to work. Followed instructions to the letter, still no go. After I insert the USB I see the light on the USB glow, but I don't get the update messages that are illustrated in the instructions. I will reformat again and start from scratch.

The DHG's are absolutely, without a doubt, version 8 (didn't he fix that yet? He had this pointed out by more than one person), and it probably depends on what model number your RDR is. My RDR-HX900 is version 7, but some later models may have v8.

My bad. Too tired. Still waiting for grids.

I,ve tried 2 usb's both fat 32. one freshly reformatted. the sony folder with the 4 files is fine. For some reason my machine won't recognize the USB.

............One wonders what else was "fixed" while they were there, and what happened to .14-.20 versions...................

I watched about two hours of (previously recorded) CSI-NY episodes tonight. It seems as if there may be less of the random audio dropouts (that play fine if you rewind and listen again) that these DVR's are noted for. In other words, I didn't notice any random audio dropouts in 2 hours of watching tonight. I thought this to be very unusual. :)

Anyone else notice this?

After 7 weeks with no TV guide I just got mine back 4 days ago. I hate to do a reset to factory defaults but maybe that's what it needs to be able to recognize the USB.

Oh I did contact Comcast about TVGOS. Below is their response:

“Dear XXX,
Thank you for contacting Comcast Cable. We have received your message.
I have reached out to our Technical Department and have been informed of the following:

"To my knowledge, we have not and do not provide a data feed for any other interactive guide besides the one that is on our set tops. If a customer is having an issue with either their TIVO or other TV guide application they need to contact their guide provider."

We apologize for any inconvenience or misunderstanding.
Thank you for choosing Comcast.”

I’m now having a slooow email exchange with Macrovision. They claim no one has reported a problem in the Washington DC area:rolleyes:. So they had me pull up the TVGOS screens on both my Sony and my Sharp TV (which also uses TVGOS), fill out their TVGOS info forms, and email them back.

I am in DC area as well using Comcast with cablecard. I used to get VBI packets on HD CBS and NBC (channels 211 and 212) as well as channel 117 ("We" channel). I forced the host channel to be CBS, but my device always chose channel 117. I didn't care much as I was getting my listings/clock. About a week ago I lost the listings and the clock which made my DHD-HDD250 pretty unusable as a DVR. I ran multiple G* factory tests on many channels and didn't find any VBI packets on any of them. I understood that something has changed in the way Comcast was passing the data through.

So, I called Comcast unsuccessfully trying to explain to them about VBI packets and TVGOS and other 'obscure' information. After 1 hour on the phone, being placed on hold by the poor CSR lady who was desperately trying to find anyone who would know anything, her angry manager took over and pressured me to hang up and get a technician to come over.

Comcast technician that came to look at my 'problem' told me that Comcast was switching some channels around apparently getting ready to add some more channels. He didn't think that they had already shut down the analog channels. He 'refreshed' my cable card and departed.

A day later in the middle of the day my clock miraculously recovered and I got listings for the 8th day (nothing for the days 1-7). I did the G* test but found no VBI packets coming in like before, so I am confused as to where my device is getting its clock info. I learned more how to look for the clock channel and using the 75**** menu found out it was the good old channel 117. I wasn't able to get any VBI packets on it though.

Now this update came in and I don't know what to do after reading your post. I am concerned that I might have the same problem as you do and lose my correct clock and whatever listings are now starting to come in. I am wondering if Comcast fixed something after my technician's visit. Maybe they started to block the analog VBI signal and then 'unblocked' it? Don't know :confused:

Will this update make it impossible for my DVR to get TVGOS via the good old analog signal at all? Would it switch completely to digital? I am afraid to try, because I don't know if I am receiving any digital TVGOS packets. What if Comcast is blocking them? How do I find out, they don't want to answer any inquiries unless it concerns their own DVR boxes. Maybe I should wait and if you get any listings tomorrow then there is hope for me too?

I watched about two hours of (previously recorded) CSI-NY episodes tonight. It seems as if there may be less of the random audio dropouts (that play fine if you rewind and listen again) that these DVR's are noted for. In other words, I didn't notice any random audio dropouts in 2 hours of watching tonight. I thought this to be very unusual. :)

Anyone else notice this?

I've never applied any upgraded to my DHG-HDD250 since the day of purchase, so it's the lowest version. Do you I have to apply all the upgrades before this new one? Or does this new one bundle all the incremental fixes already included? I am not sure what problems the other upgrades were meant to fix and whether I would still get these problems if I don't apply them first.. I have sound fading problems as well, always was wondering why this was, thinking it was the quality of the cable signal.

After 7 weeks with no TV guide I just got mine back 4 days ago. I hate to do a reset to factory defaults but maybe that's what it needs to be able to recognize the USB.

I don't think that will help you, but I don't know what you're doing wrong either. :o

I've never applied any upgraded to my DHG-HDD250 since the day of purchase, so it's the lowest version. Do you I have to apply all the upgrades before this new one? Or does this new one bundle all the incremental fixes already included? I am not sure what problems the other upgrades were meant to fix and whether I would still get these problems if I don't apply them first.. I have sound fading problems as well, always was wondering why this was, thinking it was the quality of the cable signal.

You can go directly to V-1.2.21 without having to install the other firmware versions first. The version replaces older versions, not adds to it.

The audio dropouts I mentioned were like total loss of sound for a second or so, then back to normal. If you would rewind and listen again, the entire audio track was fine. I did not notice any of these dropouts tonight. Normally there would have been at least two or three dropouts in two hours of watching. I'm hoping this is real, and not just coincidence.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7067752&highlight=dropout#post7067752

Ok, Sony box has been perfect for several weeks - analogue source.

Today we have storms; unit is without power for about 1 hour.

Turn it on, and the listings are gone "No Data", clock is gone, and the box has now rebooted itself three times.

The unit "has never" cleared itself out, from a power outage?

And from what I could tell it was no longer getting PBS analogue source (all this at the same time?)

So on to the firmware upgrade. Installed without a problem. It has locked onto (at least first test) digital CBS clock and also the failing clock; BUT the clock time is WRONG. Still "no data" for listings of course.

So it does look like it trys to get digital first?

So currently it is a BRICK

Time for beer - Good Nite.

All is getting better real quick. I thought it was going to digital; but that is incorrect - it will be going to analogue source.

The new ATSC screen tells what is going on; as in the past a "force Host" or a G test really just slows things down (or can mess it up).......the new ATSC screen tells you all you need to know. If you are tuned to a digital host (like CBS or whoever); you will see current channel digital data coming into the box.

Anyway combined with the power outage, and losing the Grid, my box did go a little crazy.............so did the front panel reset.

It locked on the PBS analogue GMT clock within the hour, and Houston time within another 30 min or so. Just in time to set "manual" record for Prison Break. It now has back clock channel and back up clock to PBS analogue.

It will rebuild a grid tonight and start filling in (if not I will do the zip code dance).

With the new screens and the action they are taking..........you can now tell when it is changing in much greater detail from analogue to digital..........and it will do so all on its own, when the analogue goes away.

I was able to take a whole series of pictures prior to the power outage. Pictures after the power outage. Pictures just after the new Sony software update..........then the battery went dead. Can take the remaing "post" pictures in the morning.

The new upgrade so far seems great.

Over and Out

I watched about two hours of (previously recorded) CSI-NY episodes tonight. It seems as if there may be less of the random audio dropouts (that play fine if you rewind and listen again) that these DVR's are noted for. In other words, I didn't notice any random audio dropouts in 2 hours of watching tonight. I thought this to be very unusual. :)

Anyone else notice this?
Happily, having had my Sony for close to 3 years, I am unaware that it was noted for random audio dropouts!

I am not able to get my 250 to recognize my usb drive either. My DVR has the .06 version of the sony software. is it possible you have to upgrade to the .13 version first?.. anyone

You can go from any version. I went from .05 to .21 no problem

I don't get it, tried your sequence, picture is flawless in upper left, checked with info button, ch11 is 1080i switch ch to 5 and 720p, tv is hooked up comp vid and tv thinks its 1080i as the output on dvr says 1080i. send to service?

oooo ra!

If you are interested, and maybe not; the next question would be What type of TV; year model number etc.? Have you set the "pixel mapping" IF it has the adjustment? And is your source OTA or cable?

Happily, having had my Sony for close to 3 years, I am unaware that it was noted for random audio dropouts!

Do an advanced search of this thread for "dropout" going back a year and older. If you've never experienced this issue you a very lucky.

Happily, having had my Sony for close to 3 years, I am unaware that it was noted for random audio dropouts!

I have also had my two 500s for almost four years and have never experienced
any random audio dropouts.

Happily, having had my Sony for close to 3 years, I am unaware that it was noted for random audio dropouts!

Same here 3 years and I have never noticed any audio dropouts. It has been flawless since the day I got it. Did the update this afternoon. Clock came back in about 30 seconds. Still has the full 8 days of listings from the analog host. As far as i know we still don't have a digital broadcast for the data yet. OETA keeps saying soon.

I removed power from my unit. Powered it back up and everything worked as advertized.
Alan

Couple of questions.

Does this new firmware give us any other new features?

Should I do the upgrade even though I've been getting good guide data for the past month or so? Our PBS has gone digital TVGOS only.

Thanks

I am in DC area as well using Comcast with cablecard. I used to get VBI packets on HD CBS and NBC (channels 211 and 212) as well as channel 117 ("We" channel). I forced the host channel to be CBS, but my device always chose channel 117. I didn't care much as I was getting my listings/clock. About a week ago I lost the listings and the clock which made my DHD-HDD250 pretty unusable as a DVR. I ran multiple G* factory tests on many channels and didn't find any VBI packets on any of them. I understood that something has changed in the way Comcast was passing the data through.

So, I called Comcast unsuccessfully trying to explain to them about VBI packets and TVGOS and other 'obscure' information. After 1 hour on the phone, being placed on hold by the poor CSR lady who was desperately trying to find anyone who would know anything, her angry manager took over and pressured me to hang up and get a technician to come over.

Comcast technician that came to look at my 'problem' told me that Comcast was switching some channels around apparently getting ready to add some more channels. He didn't think that they had already shut down the analog channels. He 'refreshed' my cable card and departed.

A day later in the middle of the day my clock miraculously recovered and I got listings for the 8th day (nothing for the days 1-7). I did the G* test but found no VBI packets coming in like before, so I am confused as to where my device is getting its clock info. I learned more how to look for the clock channel and using the 75**** menu found out it was the good old channel 117. I wasn't able to get any VBI packets on it though.

Now this update came in and I don't know what to do after reading your post. I am concerned that I might have the same problem as you do and lose my correct clock and whatever listings are now starting to come in. I am wondering if Comcast fixed something after my technician's visit. Maybe they started to block the analog VBI signal and then 'unblocked' it? Don't know :confused:

Will this update make it impossible for my DVR to get TVGOS via the good old analog signal at all? Would it switch completely to digital? I am afraid to try, because I don't know if I am receiving any digital TVGOS packets. What if Comcast is blocking them? How do I find out, they don't want to answer any inquiries unless it concerns their own DVR boxes. Maybe I should wait and if you get any listings tomorrow then there is hope for me too?

Hello, pgtb. First if I were you and I was getting some listings or, more importantly, the clock was correct, I would not do the upgrade. I did the upgrade because I had nothing. The clock was always off by 5-7 hours and no listings. So I took a chance and lost. My dvr is now on ebay.
The other problem I have is my Sharp Aquos TV which also uses TVGOS. If by some miracle Comcast and Macrovision decide to work together and help the citizens of the DC Metro area get their listings and clocks back, then at least my TV will function correctly again.

If you are interested, and maybe not; the next question would be What type of TV; year model number etc.? Have you set the "pixel mapping" IF it has the adjustment? And is your source OTA or cable?

I always wondered what the deal with the little black box was in the corner, Never knew I could get rid of it by hitting play.

I did the upgrade as well even though I was getting my data from analogue PBS cable. The host channel is now blank again, I guess we will see what it locks on to tonight. The clock picked itself up again almost instantly and it does appear at the moment it is locked on to the analogue station for the clock.

I decided to try and the upgrade will not load. I have pulled cablecard, rebooted, nothing seems to work. I have a cruzer micro 4G USB. Is there anything else, my computer is running Vista? The guide has reverted to version 0.0.0.0 on the 753 test.

Anything with regard to HDMI, etc. needed?

I just want to compliment SONY.

Just this morning I was dealing with a software vendor who sold me an absolute lifetime license two years ago and was now insisting the "lifetime" had a limit- in this case two years.

Who would have believed that Sony would really update software on a product they not just discontinued years ago but mysteriously pulled from the market.

I agree. Kudos to Sony for supporting a discontinued product. Any of you folks with a LG LST-3410A DVR know if LG is planning on releasing a firmware update?

Do an advanced search of this thread for "dropout" going back a year and older. If you've never experienced this issue you a very lucky.

I didn't experience audio dropouts until I connected my DHG to my KDL-46Z4100 when connected through HDMI. I always thought it was a problem with the TV. Sony actually released a firmware update for the TV recently and it seems to have corrected the problem.

I agree. Kudos to Sony for supporting a discontinued product. Any of you folks with a LG LST-3410A DVR know if LG is planning on releasing a firmware update?
Given what we've seen of the Sony (and the TVGOS v8 behavior), I suspect that they THOUGHT they were designing it to be compatible with a digital environment, but something didn't work out...AND given that the unit is only 3 years old, I think there is a reasonable expectation Sony would support it at the level this involves, i.e., a firmware update to take account of whatever it is they hadn't figured on...of course, they COULD have ignored any such reasonable expectation...

Unfortunately, the 3410a is on the other side of the divide, since it doesn't show any evidence that the TVGOS firmware was designed for digital downloads...AND TVGOS has CLAIMED that the DTVPal will serve for its purposes...though I have my doubts, since it appears to me that the Pal would turn it into an analog only device...(I'm hoping I'm wrong about that, because I really like the PG from the 3410a, as well as its capability of downloading recordings - if desired - to a digital VHS tape...i.e., ahigh-definition archive for the few programs that deserve it)

This thread got me thinking about this niggling little bug, and I have now consistently replicated it. I am cable only, but I suspect that OTA behavior is similar:


It occurs with HD content: 720p & 1080i. I have my DHG set to "Variable1" output because I use an HDMI-to-DVI cable to a high end scaler. That means that my DHG will outout video at 480p, 720p and 1080i based on the program source. So I don't know if it happens with 480i sources, but you'll never see it because of the letterboxing.
It occurs when you enter the guide or the menu. Switch to an HD channel and press "Guide" or "Menu" twice. It will show up. "Right" to initiate a recording will do it too because it uses the Menu format.
Either the "info" or "time line" pop-ups will make the square go away. Use step (2) to get a black square, then press "info", "play", or "up" and the black box goes away. Oh, and I just watched the auto-info box that pops up when the program changes or when you switch to a channel clears it too.
When you press "Guide" or "Menu" the box disappears before the overlay appears. When the overlay disappears, there is a half second delay before the box appears. Fascinating.

It seems to be an artifact from the larger pop-up overlays, possibly a clipping box. It was not fixed in firmware version 1.02.21.

Did I miss anything?

Good summary. Hopefully the Sony folks checking in on this thread to see how the firmware update is working out will make a note of this bug for the next update.

and old (2000 or 2001) Mits rear projection 3 gun, no pixel mapping, no hdmi, component 1080i/480i/p only OTA.

This thread got me thinking about this niggling little bug, and I have now consistently replicated it. I am cable only, but I suspect that OTA behavior is similar:


It occurs with HD content: 720p & 1080i. I have my DHG set to "Variable1" output because I use an HDMI-to-DVI cable to a high end scaler. That means that my DHG will outout video at 480p, 720p and 1080i based on the program source. So I don't know if it happens with 480i sources, but you'll never see it because of the letterboxing.
It occurs when you enter the guide or the menu. Switch to an HD channel and press "Guide" or "Menu" twice. It will show up. "Right" to initiate a recording will do it too because it uses the Menu format.
Either the "info" or "time line" pop-ups will make the square go away. Use step (2) to get a black square, then press "info", "play", or "up" and the black box goes away. Oh, and I just watched the auto-info box that pops up when the program changes or when you switch to a channel clears it too.
When you press "Guide" or "Menu" the box disappears before the overlay appears. When the overlay disappears, there is a half second delay before the box appears. Fascinating.

It seems to be an artifact from the larger pop-up overlays, possibly a clipping box. It was not fixed in firmware version 1.02.21.

Did I miss anything?


Pretty much it. Its always been there in all the boxes. Not a big deal really, just hitting play once (biggest button on my remote LOL), and it goes away.

And yes it is still there with the 1.02.21 - confirmed.

and old (2000 or 2001) Mits rear projection 3 gun, no pixel mapping, no hdmi, component 1080i/480i/p only OTA.

Okie Dokie that answers the question. I have owned 4 Mits Projections, and 8 or 9? Samsung projections, they all (100%) overscan (at least 2%, some as much as 8% - but with an average of 3-5%). Hence the black square will not be visible. One of the "terrible" Samsungs I had, overscanned about 2-3% on the sides, 5% on the top, and a whooping 8-9% on the bottom. That was confirmed with "Get Gray Disc"

don't know if this will help, but when i upgraded to .13 last dec i plugged the usb drive in as directed with the unit powered on and nothing. i believe i hit the power off and then on again, or i may have pulled the power, either way when it came on (i left the usb drive in) it did the upgrade. for the upgrqade to .21 (from .13) i used the same usb drive and with the unit powered on it took the upgrade, no funny business.

also, like the many posts have indicated, make sure the drive is formatted FAT32 and has the sony directory at the top level.

Waiting till 7AM to turn on the Sony Box (finishing morning batch of analogue downloads)..................wonder what it will do today?

Well the clock is correct, we did manual record set for Prison Break last night, and watch two recorded shows.........all this during the idle evening non-download phase for analogue.

Hopefully there is a Grid and at least a few days filled in..........if not zip code change.

Back in a couple of hours - the chores start early today.

For those who were wondering if the new firmware update would cause the Sony's to no longer work with analog.............

Two of my HDD500's (that had been working fine with analog through yesterday morning) still have 8-day listings this morning and still show OTA analog PBS as the host channel. They are also still getting the clock from OTA analog PBS. I did notice that they now show the "Failing Clock chan" as 0:4-1 which is OTA digital CBS. Note that both of these units went from working fine, to firmware update (with no resets of any kind), to quickly regaining clock, to continuing to work fine, while both maintaining OTA analog as their clock and TVGOS source.

Below is a link to the progress of my 3rd HDD500, which I performed a "Restore Factory Defaults" on strictly for fun. Note that this unit has a cable connection and also a very flaky antenna connection. The poor antenna connection is likely hindering it's progress..........

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16288004#post16288004

I came home for lunch and to try the 1.2.21 upgrade. [...]

In the 753159852 screens, the TVGOS software version was now listed as 08.01.71/00.00.00 instead of the previous 08.01.42/08.06.44.

It updated itself overnight to 08.01.71/08.05.40 (from digital channel 19.1). The host channel field is still blank.

I suspect that by dinner time I'll have program listings, too...

Actually, by the time I went to bed, I still had an empty channel grid ("No Listing"). This morning I do have program listings, with some scattered gaps (both "No Title" and "No Listing"). Channel 19.1 has some co-channel interference from an analog station in another city, which is a bit worse than usual this morning. That's probably where the gaps come from.

someone already mentioned this but i can clarify, using the ch+/- button on the remote when trying to rapidly skip thru the channels no longer has to pause and tune each channel before moving on, it will tune after you hesitate.

Well this morning I was really hoping when I checked the dhg I would see a channel grid. But I'm still where I was before. I get all the ads but nothing else. I can only get ota digital so I thought this would be the test unit. I may call Sony service today but they may not have anybody that can help with the new firmware. Maybe I need to do a factory reset to make the new firmware take? The only other thing I can think is to do is let it set longer maybe the digital takes more that 24 hrs.

Bummed out in Fla
Stingray

I agree. Kudos to Sony for supporting a discontinued product. Any of you folks with a LG LST-3410A DVR know if LG is planning on releasing a firmware update?

It would be great, but nothing on that forum or their web site indicates they are planning any updates. I still get a clock and lineup but no listings since my PBS station stopped TVGOS.

in the info screen i'm showing 08.01.71/08.06.44 after being off overnight after the upgrade to .21, also showing PBS 30-1 as vbi (should be cbs 46-1)and host channel blank, when i do the G* test after tuning to 30-1 i fail vbi test. (also fails on 46-1) but all is well dispite this, complete listing and updated clock.

also showing PBS 30-1 as vbi (should be cbs 46-1)

Reminder: the "VBI Chan" in the 753159852 diagnostic screens simply indicates the channel the unit is currently tuned to. It has no connection with the host channel, unless of course you happen to be tuned to the host channel at the moment.

You can go from any version. I went from .05 to .21 no problem

After a full factory restore I applied the new update. No problems getting a clock, then lineup. This morning I have 8 days of listings and ads. I also have 8.06.44 after 8.1.71 and I find that interesting.

Yes, postings set a new record but only by 40k. Previous high was 3/20. That's a 3am to 3am period I get mailed to me daily. I find Outlook has a better search engine.

Are you cable only, or OTA only, or both? In my area (New Orleans Northshore) I believe there is no more clock and no more TVGOS over Charter cable. OTA has both analog an digital.

WS65711:
I am OTA only in Mobile, AL. No analog TVGOS source. PBS is transmitting TVGOS data on their digital channel 42.1

Oh so I thought, the upper corner picture was 11-1 not 30-1, i hear you and this is what i have usually experienced, but the current channel was definetly not 30-1, well just did it again, tuned to 11-1 and the vbi ch is showing ffffffd, bizarrr?

Hello, pgtb. First if I were you and I was getting some listings or, more importantly, the clock was correct, I would not do the upgrade. I did the upgrade because I had nothing. The clock was always off by 5-7 hours and no listings. So I took a chance and lost. My dvr is now on ebay.
The other problem I have is my Sharp Aquos TV which also uses TVGOS. If by some miracle Comcast and Macrovision decide to work together and help the citizens of the DC Metro area get their listings and clocks back, then at least my TV will function correctly again.

I begining to suspect that Comcast is trying to back door things up a bit by not passing the TVGOS. I get the same run a round here in Atlanta. I beleive what it is going to take is contacting the FCC and put pressure on them to make Comcast do the right thing. Without the TVGOS all these devices are useless. You need the clock updates, close caption. v-chip function, etc.. In my understanding of the mandate to have the cable companies provide cable cards to 3rd party units, that should also include the TVGOS to allow these units to properly function. It looks like Comcast is trying to make/use a loop hole in the law to shut out all third party devices so they can make you buy/lease their boxes.
I am working on such a letter to the FCC and perhaps my local state and federal representatives and whom ever else I can think of. Will also send a copy to Comcast.
Michael

Well after the storm late yesterday, and the complete loss of Grid and Listings.............Days 1,2,5 and 8 are 100% complete

The new software install is "perfect" as far as I can tell.

Since we are a mixed enviroment - it has locked into analogue. There are several new screens - many with a few new lines added and/or changed; and of course the ATSC slicer page is a complete replacement.

So you have nothing to fear in regard to the new software install regardless of your environment - analogue, digital, or both.

It seems most are not having problems with the new install.

If anyone has any questions on making the USB stick or any of the new screens, just let me know.

Over and Out

Well this morning I was really hoping when I checked the dhg I would see a channel grid. But I'm still where I was before. I get all the ads but nothing else. I can only get ota digital so I thought this would be the test unit. I may call Sony service today but they may not have anybody that can help with the new firmware. Maybe I need to do a factory reset to make the new firmware take? The only other thing I can think is to do is let it set longer maybe the digital takes more that 24 hrs.

Bummed out in Fla
Stingray

Stingray -

This is a copy of some info I posted yesterday (now many pages back ;))

Attached is the link to to the Sony "News" release concerning the firmware upgrade. There's not much "new" there, except that there is a phone number for getting "assistance" with the upgrade.

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/news-item.pl?mdl=DHGHDD500&news_id=334

I begining to suspect that Comcast is trying to back door things up a bit by not passing the TVGOS. I get the same run a round here in Atlanta. I beleive what it is going to take is contacting the FCC and put pressure on them to make Comcast do the right thing. Without the TVGOS all these devices are useless. You need the clock updates, close caption. v-chip function, etc.. In my understanding of the mandate to have the cable companies provide cable cards to 3rd party units, that should also include the TVGOS to allow these units to properly function. It looks like Comcast is trying to make/use a loop hole in the law to shut out all third party devices so they can make you buy/lease their boxes.
I am working on such a letter to the FCC and perhaps my local state and federal representatives and whom ever else I can think of. Will also send a copy to Comcast.
Michael

Please keep in mind the FCC is now 100% controlled by the cable and sat companies. It is all 100% politics now.

I didn't experience audio dropouts until I connected my DHG to my KDL-46Z4100 when connected through HDMI. I always thought it was a problem with the TV. Sony actually released a firmware update for the TV recently and it seems to have corrected the problem.
I had contacted my local CBS station a while back as to the audio dropouts. Said they knew about and was working on them at the time. I never noticed any dropouts from the other networks. And the dropouts on CBS where only primetime network shows. Nothing form the local programming side. I think they must have corrected some of it by now.
Michael

For you cable only users, why not buy a small hdtv ant and hook it up to the ant connector on the back of the sony, you can block the OTA channels if you don't want to watch em. btw, i am OTA only and have two indoor ant (1 amplified and the other not) hooked up, each pointing in different directions to pick up different set of channels. don't recomment using two amplified ant as you may overload the circuits. this saves me from getting up off the couch and fussing with the @#$ dang thing all the time.

.......... I also have 8.06.44 after 8.1.71 and I find that interesting.

But remember its 8.01.71, not 8.1.71 ................. So wouldn't that make 8.06.44 newer?

speaking of this, i have never experienced this, what i do get is after setting the aoudio out on the sony dvr to doly digital, is no audio (totally stopped) at random times, which was fixed simply by pushing pause and play on the sony dvr remote. it used to happen 3-4 times a day but not since the update, and yes i checked to be sure the dolby digital was still set.

My 2nd DHG - my "Buffalo Box" which is OTA only and uses a Buffalo zip code - lost its host on Thursday when analog 17 went dark. I did the upgrade yesterday. I was hoping that it would automatically find & capture digital 17.1 as its new host, but I still have a "There is no data for this screen" message.

Now the good news...
On my main "Toronto Box" which is Cable/OTA and uses my local zip code - it is set up to get data from 2 hosts - Toronto & Buffalo - using my "multiple host" trick. Anyhow, the main host is analog Cable 13 (CFTO). The secondary host has been analog Air 17 (WNED) - a spare 'CFTO-DT Air' has 17 assigned to it. This worked until Thursday when Air 17 went dark. Lost Buffalo updates after that.

Before the upgrade, I could not simply change 17 to 17.1 as the DHG ignored digital channels if the main host was analog. Until now! I changed the spare CFTO-DT Air from 17 to 17.1 in the channel editor yesterday and this morning I have updated listings from WNED Air 17.1 IN ADDITION to my usual updates from CFTO Cable 13. Whoo hoo!

I was having some issues with the time not syncing properly on my hdd-250 after the f/w upadate - if this worked for me, it might work for you. (Use at your own risk) I scribbled a few notes this morning:

7:50 disconnect antenna ran channel scan for cable and antenna
8am soft reset
8:03 tvgos setup
8:04 auto add antenna
8:08 auto add antenna complete (no clock on fp - info banner reads 12:08)
8:10 powered off - no clock on fp
8:27 clock is back - reads 12:25 - ran VBI Search current channel
8:32 clock reads 12:30
8:33 VBI Search done
8:41 no clock on fp - info banner reads 12:39 - powered down
8:46 clock is back and has correct time

Since the unit now has correct clock sync, gudie data should download. (sound of knocking on wood)

Has anyone had any luck using the Happauge HD PVR to export content from the HDD DHG box to a pc? I hear it works ok with some cable dvr boxes.

http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html

My wife has tons of those Art Wolfe - Travels to the Edge progams on the hard drive, and it would be great to archive those in HD and 5.1 to a terabyte disk.

As a side note - my Mits WD-Y65 (65732 clone) is now receiving guide listings from a digital host (KDKA2 2.1 (25) Pittsburgh). It went through a f/w upgrade a couple of weeks ago - looks like Mits fixed it.

I begining to suspect that Comcast is trying to back door things up a bit by not passing the TVGOS. I get the same run a round here in Atlanta. I beleive what it is going to take is contacting the FCC and put pressure on them to make Comcast do the right thing. Without the TVGOS all these devices are useless. You need the clock updates, close caption. v-chip function, etc.. In my understanding of the mandate to have the cable companies provide cable cards to 3rd party units, that should also include the TVGOS to allow these units to properly function. It looks like Comcast is trying to make/use a loop hole in the law to shut out all third party devices so they can make you buy/lease their boxes.
I am working on such a letter to the FCC and perhaps my local state and federal representatives and whom ever else I can think of. Will also send a copy to Comcast.
Michael

AM, I agreed with you in principle but HoustonPerson is right…it’s all politics, all the time with the FCC. If we can get Janet Jackson to show her nipple on tv again and it has “I Want My TVGOS Back” tattooed on her breast, maybe our problem will get the press we need.

........but WS65711 is right…it’s all politics, all the time with the FCC..............

Ummm, I didn't say anything about the FCC. Try HoustonPerson . . . . . :D

My 2nd DHG - my "Buffalo Box" which is OTA only and uses a Buffalo zip code - lost its host on Thursday when analog 17 went dark. I did the upgrade yesterday. I was hoping that it would automatically find & capture digital 17.1 as its new host, but I still have a "There is no data for this screen" message.

I'm curious what your 753 menu TVGOS sofware version currently shows -

08.01.71/??.??.??/00.00.00

Ummm, I didn't say anything about the FCC. Try HoustonPerson . . . . . :D

oops sorry about that. :o

I have included my previous posts below for background. I'm OTA only and have been without grid or channel line-up since late February. Only TVGOS source is digital PBS.

No progress on getting a grid and channel line-up overnight after update to firmware 1.2.21. DHG was turned off and not used at all since yesterday afternoon. TVGOS data is being received per the new 753 Slicer screen, but further down in the Heap menu somewhere all the packets are registering as rejected. I have no way of telling if the TVGOS data being received is valid. I know the clock info is valid cause the clock sets immediately.

So.... I did a front panel reset, rescanned channels and did a TVGOS reset from the 9012 menu. TVGOS version remains unchanged (08.01.71/08.06.44), lost ads, lost clock, date back to 01/01/2004. The clock set almost immediately after entering 753 menu on the info screens, but has not yet updated to the correct time on the front panel. I will (try) to leave the DHG off all day and check again later tonight.

I appear to be in the same never-never land as ss-stingray

Charlie


Originally Posted by cem View Post
I have installed the 1.2.21 firmware upgrade just now.

I am OTA only in the Mobile, AL area. No analog TVGOS sources at all, PBS has been transmitting TVGOS on their digital channel 42.1 (UHF 41) since late March. My dhg500 had lost the grid after a power failure and was in the limbo state with accurate time and ads, but NO DATA FOR THIS SCREEN message. I had tried the TVGOS data reset several times, but have not tried a full factory reset.

The instructions on the sony website were accurate. I used a blank usb drive formated to fat32 and vol label SONYHDD500. Update worked first time. When I turned the dvr on after the upgrade, the clock was 45 mins slow while it was accurate before. The clock updated immediately to the correct time.

The 753 menu first screen now shows a new TVGOS version: 08.01.71/08.06.44/00.00.00/0000012C/64/0000 and the build time changed from Jan 2005 to Sep 22 2006. Clock set and failing clock set channels both show the PBS digital channel. The Slicing Data screen shows lots of activity and indicates that a time zone packet had been received (I think this was the missing link in getting digital TVGOS). I ran a G test and that screen also indicates the new TVGOS verson number 08.01.71, but I could not get the VBI test to pass even after 2 minutes of trying. However, the 753 menu shows otherwise.... I didn't do the G test for VBI before I did the upgrade, but it had previously passed on the PBS digital channel.

Guess time will tell. I plan to leave the dvr off today and check it tonight to see if the firmware upgrade will let the dvr find TVGOS grid & listings on its own without any other resets. The unit does reboot as part of the firmware upgrade.
Charlie

Just checked and I'm no better off than before after letting the dhg sit all day turned off. The TVGOS screen still shows NO DATA FOR THIS SCREEN. The time is correct and there are no ads showing. TVGOS Version still shows 08.01.71/08.06.44. The 753 menu shows TVGOS data is being received. I plan to let it sit off overnight to see if the overnight downloads get the grid up. If there is no improvement in the AM, will try a TVGOS reset.

i'm curious what your 753 menu tvgos sofware version currently shows -

08.01.71/??.??.??/00.00.00

08.06.44

I was having some issues with the time not syncing properly on my hdd-250 after the f/w upadate - if this worked for me, it might work for you. (Use at your own risk) I scribbled a few notes this morning:

7:50 disconnect antenna ran channel scan for cable and antenna
8am soft reset
8:03 tvgos setup
8:04 auto add antenna
8:08 auto add antenna complete (no clock on fp - info banner reads 12:08)
8:10 powered off - no clock on fp
8:27 clock is back - reads 12:25 - ran VBI Search current channel
8:32 clock reads 12:30
8:33 VBI Search done
8:41 no clock on fp - info banner reads 12:39 - powered down
8:46 clock is back and has correct time

Since the unit now has correct clock sync, gudie data should download. (sound of knocking on wood)

Has anyone had any luck using the Happauge HD PVR to export content from the HDD DHG box to a pc? I hear it works ok with some cable dvr boxes.

http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html

My wife has tons of those Art Wolfe - Travels to the Edge progams on the hard drive, and it would be great to archive those in HD and 5.1 to a terabyte disk.

As a side note - my Mits WD-Y65 (65732 clone) is now receiving guide listings from a digital host (KDKA2 2.1 (25) Pittsburgh). It went through a f/w upgrade a couple of weeks ago - looks like Mits fixed it.

All is good above, except remember the VBI search will slow it down in getting "itself" corrected and/or interfer and/or even stop it's own self resets.

If that does happen to anyone, then I suggest a soft reset in the evening and turn it off over night, and check it in the morning. Typically (almost always) you will find the error log will have two more resets during the night and it will all be "fine" in the morning. It will automatically go to either analogue or digital for your area.

I have included my previous posts below for background. I'm OTA only and have been without grid or channel line-up since late February. Only TVGOS source is digital PBS.

No progress on getting a grid and channel line-up overnight after update to firmware 1.2.21. DHG was turned off and not used at all since yesterday afternoon. TVGOS data is being received per the new 753 Slicer screen, but further down in the Heap menu somewhere all the packets are registering as rejected. I have no way of telling if the TVGOS data being received is valid. I know the clock info is valid cause the clock sets immediately.

So.... I did a front panel reset, rescanned channels and did a TVGOS reset from the 9012 menu. TVGOS version remains unchanged (08.01.71/08.06.44), lost ads, lost clock, date back to 01/01/2004. The clock set almost immediately after entering 753 menu on the info screens, but has not yet updated to the correct time on the front panel. I will (try) to leave the DHG off all day and check again later tonight.

I appear to be in the same never-never land as ss-stingray

Charlie


.................a TVGOS reset.

cem you are real close to having every thing A-Ok as long as there is good TVGuide in your area.

Leave it off all day; except turn it on about 7-8PM this evening; is there grid and listings? then good.

If Not: then do a front panel soft reset. and leave it off all night. do not run G test, do not force host.

do not turn it on until after 7AM the next morning.

I have included my previous posts below for background. I'm OTA only and have been without grid or channel line-up since late February. Only TVGOS source is digital PBS.

No progress on getting a grid and channel line-up overnight after update to firmware 1.2.21. DHG was turned off and not used at all since yesterday afternoon. TVGOS data is being received per the new 753 Slicer screen, but further down in the Heap menu somewhere all the packets are registering as rejected. I have no way of telling if the TVGOS data being received is valid. I know the clock info is valid cause the clock sets immediately.

So.... I did a front panel reset, rescanned channels and did a TVGOS reset from the 9012 menu. TVGOS version remains unchanged (08.01.71/08.06.44), lost ads, lost clock, date back to 01/01/2004. The clock set almost immediately after entering 753 menu on the info screens, but has not yet updated to the correct time on the front panel. I will (try) to leave the DHG off all day and check again later tonight.

I appear to be in the same never-never land as ss-stingray

Charlie


Originally Posted by cem View Post
I have installed the 1.2.21 firmware upgrade just now.

I am OTA only in the Mobile, AL area. No analog TVGOS sources at all, PBS has been transmitting TVGOS on their digital channel 42.1 (UHF 41) since late March. My dhg500 had lost the grid after a power failure and was in the limbo state with accurate time and ads, but NO DATA FOR THIS SCREEN message. I had tried the TVGOS data reset several times, but have not tried a full factory reset.

The instructions on the sony website were accurate. I used a blank usb drive formated to fat32 and vol label SONYHDD500. Update worked first time. When I turned the dvr on after the upgrade, the clock was 45 mins slow while it was accurate before. The clock updated immediately to the correct time.

The 753 menu first screen now shows a new TVGOS version: 08.01.71/08.06.44/00.00.00/0000012C/64/0000 and the build time changed from Jan 2005 to Sep 22 2006. Clock set and failing clock set channels both show the PBS digital channel. The Slicing Data screen shows lots of activity and indicates that a time zone packet had been received (I think this was the missing link in getting digital TVGOS). I ran a G test and that screen also indicates the new TVGOS verson number 08.01.71, but I could not get the VBI test to pass even after 2 minutes of trying. However, the 753 menu shows otherwise.... I didn't do the G test for VBI before I did the upgrade, but it had previously passed on the PBS digital channel.

Guess time will tell. I plan to leave the dvr off today and check it tonight to see if the firmware upgrade will let the dvr find TVGOS grid & listings on its own without any other resets. The unit does reboot as part of the firmware upgrade.
Charlie

Just checked and I'm no better off than before after letting the dhg sit all day turned off. The TVGOS screen still shows NO DATA FOR THIS SCREEN. The time is correct and there are no ads showing. TVGOS Version still shows 08.01.71/08.06.44. The 753 menu shows TVGOS data is being received. I plan to let it sit off overnight to see if the overnight downloads get the grid up. If there is no improvement in the AM, will try a TVGOS reset.

ck your zip code, make sure it is a good zip, ie i switched mine from 30144 where i moved to and then back to 30068 where i used to live and knew it worked. some zips might be new or just not in thier tables. if its ok try the switch to 00000 and then back.

08.06.44

yes the 08.06.44 will be filled back in; it can take up to 18 hours, it has to be off overnight in most cases.

cem you are real close to having every thing A-Ok as long as there is good TVGuide in your area.

Leave it off all day; except turn it on about 7-8PM this evening; is there grid and listings? then good.

If Not: then do a front panel soft reset. and leave it off all night. do not run G test, do not force host.

do not turn it on until after 7AM the next morning.

Thanks HoustonPerson, I will plan to do that. I have not run a G test or the force host code since the last front panel reset and TVGOS reset.

Only TVGOS source is digital PBS...........

How do you KNOW that your digital PBS is carrying TVGOS data? (From another DHG owner in your area, from another TVGOS device you own, from a published listing of TVGOS stations?) I'm not disputing your statement, just looking for answers about WHY you're not getting data. :confused:

ck your zip code, make sure it is a good zip, ie i switched mine from 30144 where i moved to and then back to 30068 where i used to live and knew it worked. some zips might be new or just not in thier tables. if its ok try the switch to 00000 and then back.

I am using 36527 which was a valid zip when I could get analog TVGOS. I didn't mention it in my post, but I did do the 00000 then back to 36527 before the front panel reset - it didn't change anything...

yes the 08.06.44 will be filled back in; it can take up to 18 hours, it has to be off overnight in most cases.

HoustonPerson -

This firmware update is NEW. How can you speak so self assured as if you KNOW what is going to happen. Have you been beta-testing this release for weeks or months without telling us? :D:D:D

Originally Posted by HoustonPerson
yes the 08.06.44 will be filled back in; it can take up to 18 hours, it has to be off overnight in most cases.

Since then, I've switched zip codes to do other tests anyway, so will never know whether or not the host would've eventually switched to digital. :eek:

How do you KNOW that your digital PBS is carrying TVGOS data? (From another DHG owner in your area, from another TVGOS device you own, from a published listing of TVGOS stations?) I'm not disputing your statement, just looking for answers about WHY you're not getting data. :confused:

After PBS shut down analog 2/17, I was in contact with the AL Public TV office in Birmingham. They had to get a dsl line installed in order to connect the TVGOS encoder box to the transmission from PBS Datacasting. This dsl line was apparently installed the 3rd week in March, as the VBI test on the PBS digital station started passing. I do NOT know if the data being received is valid TVGOS data, as my DHG had lost the grid during a power outage in late February. I will email PBS and ask them to verify they are sending good data. However, from the last communication I had from them, once the dsl line was installed, TVGOS data would be transmitted. If for some reason the data they are transmitting is corrupt, it would explain why I can't get a grid....

I appreciate any help you can give me...

As most know I accidently did a factory reset 5 weeks ago. I still haven't gotten the grid back even with the software upgrade. I'm thinking that maybe I missed something here. I went into the 9012 and decided to do a user reset user refig. Could this be the root of my problem? I can't remember if I did that after I hit the restore to factory. I thought that that automatically did but can't remember. Anyway I did the reset and the channel scan took somewhere around 40 minuets. After that I didn't lose clock or the great ads. I now have the dhg off and hoping that the grid will come back........

Stingray

HoustonPerson -

This firmware update is NEW. How can you speak so self assured as if you KNOW what is going to happen. Have you been beta-testing this release for weeks or months without telling us? :D:D:D

I know these threads are very hard to follow; particularly with something this complex.

I have been reading all the screens (information screens to the new software), and I have been tracking about 98% of the information screens from "old" software to the "new" software.

PLUS I had the added luxury of the power outage during this whole process of the firmware upgrade.

With that power outage the tracking of the "digital tickles" were also lost; but the new ATSC slicer page is easy to compare to the analogue slicer page (both are within the new software). That will also make it easy to track the "tickles" when they come in this next week.

I had TWO interium periods yesterday after the power outage being "tuned" to digital CBS, and could see the full Digital downloads occuring on the ATSC slicer page (and a couple of other info screens). BUT host for Guide was not locked in, only the currently "tuned" channel; still it was there, and "ads" were already filling in (clock was wrong as reported yesterday). While that digital host was tuned the unit DID lock into Digital Clock CBS and it stayed lock in even when turned the unit off or back on or whatever. It also stay locked in when NOT tuned into digital host (maintaing digital host for the clock only - not the guide)

The "error tracking page" shows that "I" rushed one it's own self resets (it "always" need two in a row to correct itself); however nothing really lost because I did the soft reset to eliminate the conflicts "I" created with digital host and let the box configure itself correctly during the night. After that point it did two more resets on its own while "off" during the night.

Guess I have a hundred photos? and could write a novel? Today I may try to post some of the "more" relevant stuff with pictures, that is easier to explain on the forum.

I did the upgrade yesterday. The 753.. screen showed that I was still on analog host (KQED 9); VBI channel showed digital (KPIX 5.1). This morning, had no listings for next Saturday after 4am, and no ads.

On the audio drops, I did experience some last night, after the upgrade. So I doubt that .21 fixes that. Then again, I've had numerous playbacks with none, so, YMMV.

Rick

cem -

I do know that with the old 9012 G*test it would show non-TVGOS VBI data as well as good TVGOS VBI data, but did not differentiate between the two. They both looked the same on the G*test screen.

Have you tried tuning to your digital PBS station and then going to the "ATSC-Slicer" screen on the 753 menu? Does it show any incrementing values on that screen?

I don't know if the ATSC-Slicer screen increments only for valid TVGOS data or for other data as well. Maybe someone else has made this determination (HoustonPerson) ?

cem -

I do know that with the old 9012 G*test it would show non-TVGOS VBI data as well as good TVGOS VBI data, but did not differentiate between the two. They both looked the same on the G*test screen.

Have you tried tuning to your digital PBS station and then going to the "ATSC-Slicer" screen on the 753 menu? Does it show any incrementing values on that screen?

I don't know if the ATSC-Slicer screen increments only for valid TVGOS data or for other data as well. Maybe someone else has made this determination (HoustonPerson) ?

WS65711:
Yes, I am aware that just because the G*test passed with previous TVGOS version (08.01.42 I think, but don't quote me), there was no assurance that the data actually contained valid TVGOS listing information - it is only an indication that there is data in the VBI.

The new ATSC-Slicer page in the 753 menu shows data being received in many of the different categories - the numbers are incrementing up if you leave it on that page for several seconds. Like you say, I don't think there is any way to tell if the data is valid until you get listings or someone else in the same market does.

My problem, like stingray, is I have no grid and therefore no channel list. We are in different markets, but both are OTA and neither have gotten a grid yet - but it has only been just over 24 hours since updating the firmware. I *think* there is some glitch in the software keeping the unit from getting a grid that needs to be cleared out by some type of reset. BUT, like you say, I need to confirm that the TVGOS data being received is valid...

cem -

I do know that with the old 9012 G*test it would show non-TVGOS VBI data as well as good TVGOS VBI data, but did not differentiate between the two. They both looked the same on the G*test screen.

Have you tried tuning to your digital PBS station and then going to the "ATSC-Slicer" screen on the 753 menu? Does it show any incrementing values on that screen?

I don't know if the ATSC-Slicer screen increments only for valid TVGOS data or for other data as well. Maybe someone else has made this determination (HoustonPerson) ?


yes for the most part that screen is for valid TVGOS data. There are 3 columns (page 1 and 2 are on the same page......that may look confusing at first).

If you are tuned to your digital host station for your area (houston 11-1); then you should see the Current column increasing about 80-90% of the time, about 10-20% of the time there will be no activity (no downloads occuring at that time - come back 30-45 min. later) IF you have data in the HOST column you box is actually "locked" into the digital host. If the host column is all zeros then you are still on analogue host - and you can confirm that by looking at the analogue slicer page.

IMHO that new screen replaces the need of using G Test - that is just my opinion cause I look at this a little differently.

I,ve tried 2 usb's both fat 32. one freshly reformatted. the sony folder with the 4 files is fine. For some reason my machine won't recognize the USB.

There was advice back years ago when upgrading to .13 that if the USB isn't recognized, unplug the unit for less then a minute.

In one instance that exactly worked for my unrecognized USB (I knew the USB was good because the other unit had recognized it). Unplugging has some inherent risks, but not more then a full reset.

By the way, the one that didn't recognise the USB before the unplugging was also .06, but then too was the one that recognized it immediately.

WS65711:
My problem, like stingray, is I have no grid and therefore no channel list. We are in different markets, but both are OTA and neither have gotten a grid yet - but it has only been just over 24 hours since updating the firmware. I *think* there is some glitch in the software keeping the unit from getting a grid that needs to be cleared out by some type of reset. BUT, like you say, I need to confirm that the TVGOS data being received is valid...

If it makes you feel any better (or worse :() my 3rd DHG (the one that I did "Restore Factory Default") still has no grid either. I definitely have both analog and digital TVGOS available via OTA, and (I believe) no TVGOS via cable. However this particular DHG is only on cable plus an indoor antenna located downstairs, and is 40 miles from the transmitter. As of a few minutes ago I found it had (finally) updated to TVGOS 08.01.71/08.06.44/00.00.00, but still no grid. I have no connection from my main attic-mounted antenna going to the room where this unit resides. It is doable to add one, but it will take more time and effort than I can handle right now. I will post results just as soon as this DHG manages to get a grid..........

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16288004#post16288004

...........IMHO that new screen replaces the need of using G Test - that is just my opinion cause I look at this a little differently.

I agree completely, because the old G*test shows abolutely nothing now for digital channels, although it stills seems to work for analog channels. IMHO the main value of the G*test in days past was to get that quick 8-day listings fix.

[...]
The "error tracking page" shows that "I" rushed one it's own self resets (it "always" need two in a row to correct itself); however nothing really lost because I did the soft reset to eliminate the conflicts "I" created with digital host and let the box configure itself correctly during the night. After that point it did two more resets on its own while "off" during the night.
[...]


HoustonPerson,

I don't think you have made the connection with what those 2 resets are for. They are not the DVR "fixing" itself. The resets labeled as 0x102 are the resets that happen normally after a firmware patch downloads. The first happens when 08.05.40 installs, and the second one happens when 08.06.44 installs. If you do a reset that doesn't wipe out the patches, then you don't see those two resets happen.

With the previous firmware, in a digital only environment, you always had to run the G* Test before the next patch would download because a reset always left the DVR in analog only mode, with the digital side shut off (One reason it took so long to get back up and running was that after a reset the DVR would not process any more digital data until the G* Test was run again). One of the first things I verified with the new firmware was that the digital side is turned on (along with the analog side) after a reset, so running the G* Test is no longer necessary.

Mark

Couple of questions.

Does this new firmware give us any other new features?

Should I do the upgrade even though I've been getting good guide data for the past month or so? Our PBS has gone digital TVGOS only.

Thanks
Anyone?

Hello, pgtb. First if I were you and I was getting some listings or, more importantly, the clock was correct, I would not do the upgrade. I did the upgrade because I had nothing. The clock was always off by 5-7 hours and no listings. So I took a chance and lost. My dvr is now on ebay.
The other problem I have is my Sharp Aquos TV which also uses TVGOS. If by some miracle Comcast and Macrovision decide to work together and help the citizens of the DC Metro area get their listings and clocks back, then at least my TV will function correctly again.

Sorry to hear that, dlj9999.
Have you tried to turn your unit off overnight to see whether the TVGOS would download? Or did you just unplug it yesterday after unsuccessful clock info and put it out for sale?

I have to say that I am getting TV guide updates, something is happening. It started happening the next day after the cable guy from Comcast came to reset my cable card. He called someone from his tech support ( different line that what we call for CSR) and they I guess 'refreshed' or 're-sent' data to my cable card. He then did the re-scan of the channels on my cable card. Next day in the middle of the day (don't know exactly the time) my clock was revived. I also got listings for day 8. The day after I got listings for day 1 for some channels but not all. So, I think the guide info is slowly filtering in and I see listings now for most of the stuff.

I am completely baffled as to what's happening... :confused:
I have no host channel at all (the field is blank), my clock channel is 117 (We channel) which used to be my old host channel. But, can it really get TVGOS without any host channel?? Where is the info coming from? Why is 'host channel' not updating? Also, channel 117, from what I know is digital. It used to have VBI signal on it before, but now it's nothing. Basically, I am somehow getting the clock, some listings, but I have no VBI packets and no host channel listed in my 75***** menu.

Maybe you should not get rid of your box just yet, try to ask for the technician or ask them to re-send the data (or refresh) your cable card. Something was moved or changed by Comcast, and maybe after my card was 'refreshed' and channels auto-added again, this fixed it.

I am not going to tinker with the box and do any updates for the time being. That is until Comcast goes completely digital I guess. Somehow the analog VBI are getting through although nothing is registered on my diagnostic screens, or simply, I probably don't know how to read them :o

It updated itself overnight to 08.01.71/08.05.40 (from digital channel 19.1). The host channel field is still blank.



Actually, by the time I went to bed, I still had an empty channel grid ("No Listing"). This morning I do have program listings, with some scattered gaps (both "No Title" and "No Listing"). Channel 19.1 has some co-channel interference from an analog station in another city, which is a bit worse than usual this morning. That's probably where the gaps come from.

What zip did you use?

Anyone?

I wouldn't do the upgrade unless you have problems with TV guide and the clock. Nobody knows for sure yet how it works exactly. It seems from some responses that the new update allows grabbing digital TVGOS data, but at the same time it still allows analog TVGOS data to be used if digital hosts are not yet available. I guess that for those who used to get listings and the clock before, they are still in good shape and keep getting them whether it be analog or the digital host. But for those who had problems before things are different. Some have good results with the upgrade and others don't.

It's too may factors involved. The main factor is who is passing the TVGOS signal and in which format in your area. If you upgrade your box, there is no guarantee that you will get the listings/clock if this information isn't passed to your box. If no channels in your area broadcast this signal in any format, or your cable company blocks the signal and is not passing it through then nothing will help you. The biggest obstacle for me has been getting in touch with someone at the cable company who would know anything. The CRSs point blank refuse to deal with you at all if you don't have any of their boxes. They always blame it on your equipment and refuse to hear anything about the things that it needs, even though TVGOS is a pretty generic and used by so many devices out there.

If there was just a simpler way to find out from cable companies or broadcasters about the future of TVGOS and it wasn't so area dependent then your question would have been a lot simpler to answer.

I decided to try and the upgrade will not load. I have pulled cablecard, rebooted, nothing seems to work. I have a cruzer micro 4G USB. Is there anything else, my computer is running Vista? The guide has reverted to version 0.0.0.0 on the 753 test.

Anything with regard to HDMI, etc. needed?

After waiting overnight the upgrade still wouldn't take. It finally worked on an older 128M Attaches that I reformatted to fat32. I don't know ifthe sector size manners. I extracted directly to the thumbdrive and this time it worked.

My only guess is that a Vista copy does something undesirable and that one should extract directly to the thumbdrive.

I've got the new rev. , a clock and a guide, but the guide mapping is wrong now. I still get VIB on TWC channel 97 which is an analog remap of KCET(28) AKAIK.

I have 08.01.71/08.06.44 with the 753159852 test.

Couple of questions.

Does this new firmware give us any other new features?

Should I do the upgrade even though I've been getting good guide data for the past month or so? Our PBS has gone digital TVGOS only.

Thanks

I haven't seen anything new other than some new stuff on diagnostics (753) screens. But hopefully some other stuff like AUDIO DROPOUTS and SCHEDULED RECORDINGS BEING DROPPED from the schedule have been fixed. Time will tell as more people upgrade and more eyes look for things.

2 500's - OTA only

To those who may have had problems getting the unit to update..
For some reason the first time I downloaded the file and extracted it, it only showed
3 files? I'm sure if I would have tried to update nothing would have happened.
I've downloaded and unzipped thousands of files and knew exactly what was supposed to happen.
Just before copying to the USB I noticed the problem.

I deleted the first download and did it again and now had 4 files.
Using the microvault I had received for a Sony TV update I updated one of the 500's and everything went as planed. Clock came back 1 hour beind in 5 seconds and in 10 seconds was correct.
Host was 2-1 before and now shows blank, clock set was 0-2 before and now shows 3-0and all listing are ok.

I don't know if this could have happened to anyone else but I figured I should mention this just incase someone else had a problem and didn't notice the missing file.

Don't know if this is true but this also seems to have helped with a switching HDMI problem.
I have this connected through a 5 switch box and it would often loss and gain connection randomly.
I did the .13 update and that seemed to help a little so maybe this added a little more?

[QUOTE=WS65711;16292888]If it makes you feel any better (or worse :() my 3rd DHG (the one that I did "Restore Factory Default") still has no grid either. I definitely have both analog and digital TVGOS available via OTA, and (I believe) no TVGOS via cable. However this particular DHG is only on cable plus an indoor antenna located downstairs, and is 40 miles from the transmitter. As of a few minutes ago I found it had (finally) updated to TVGOS 08.01.71/08.06.44/00.00.00, but still no grid. I have no connection from my main attic-mounted antenna going to the room where this unit resides. It is doable to add one, but it will take more time and effort than I can handle right now. I will post results just as soon as this DHG manages to get a grid..........

Did you do the Restore Factory Default after you loaded the firmware update? I ask because according to the instructions the firmware update is permanent! Not so, after doing the Restore to Factory Default this morning, I checked the firmware on my 250 and it reverted back to 1.2.06. I know the firm ware updated. I did it last night and was successful because I checked it after the update was completed per instructions and also after doing reset user configuration. You might ask why I did this. well my unit was not responding, the clock did not set so I figured, I would do the factory reset, but then I saw that I lost the firm ware update. So back to square one for me. Does anybody know if there is digital TVGOS transmittion in So Ca, my location is in Orange County, city of Fullerton. 3 weeks ago after losing my grid I did a factory restore and my unit has been brick ever since. I was hoping the FW updateyesterday would fix it. Judging from a lot of positive response for other market areas it worked. It did'nt for me.

I did it. I successfully applied the upgrade. At this point, I have no guide data. I tried the G* test while tuned to 12-1, CBS for 33413 and I did not get an VBI. I guess I will just have to wait and see what happens tonight.

I did not set the volume label to "SONYHDD500", the volume label was blank (as in no label at all). I just put the "sony" folder into the root of the drive. (The drive also contained several other folders and file that I did not remove and these were apprently just ignored as one would hope.)

The USB drive I used was from PNY, "Optima Pro Attache 2G". This is just something I had, I do not know if it was on the list.

Anyone?

I begining to suspect that Comcast is trying to back door things up a bit by not passing the TVGOS. I get the same run a round here in Atlanta. I beleive what it is going to take is contacting the FCC and put pressure on them to make Comcast do the right thing. Without the TVGOS all these devices are useless. You need the clock updates, close caption. v-chip function, etc.. In my understanding of the mandate to have the cable companies provide cable cards to 3rd party units, that should also include the TVGOS to allow these units to properly function. It looks like Comcast is trying to make/use a loop hole in the law to shut out all third party devices so they can make you buy/lease their boxes.
I am working on such a letter to the FCC and perhaps my local state and federal representatives and whom ever else I can think of. Will also send a copy to Comcast.
Michael

I don't know if this is the case and Comcast is purposely trying to do anything just in order to force people to subscribe to their boxes (they are not available for sale in our area and the lease costs 16/month). That would be pretty evil on their side :mad: In our area, they are not the only cable provider, there is also RCN and Verizon is making its way here and Comcast is afraid of competition (at least to a certain extent). So, I don't think the profits they make off of the boxes is worth it for them to lose the customers that use their own equipment. That is the reason they are still providing the cable cards.

They may be doing some updates to their equipment or shifting channels around to make more space (as they say). This may cause interruptions to your service as far as getting TVGOS data is concerned. It may be that you need a 'refresh' and auto-scan of your channels to get things working again.

The unfortunate thing is that it's pretty much impossible to get in touch with the right person to find out what's going on. Customer service is horrible when it comes to getting answers to real 'tech' questions. The CSRs that are trying to be helpful are discouraged from doing that because it takes time on the phone, so they need to quickly get rid of you by making you get a visit from the technician. Your question is never answered and you have to google for answers yourself.

If TVGOS dependent devices are still manufactured then there has to be more transparency around its broadcast and delivery. Even old tube TVs aren't obsolete as far as still being able to get picture via converter boxes, so there should be no reason for these fairly recently introduced devices to go dead. Also, lots of TVs rely on TVGOS as well and there are people who don't use DVRs. I just don't understand why this all has to be such a difficult information to obtain. :mad:

I did it. I successfully applied the upgrade.

I did two tests before I did the upgrade. This information may be useful to others. I first inserted my PNY drive and saw it recognized and I selected cancel on the on-screen menu. Afterward, I could not get my DHG-HDD250 to recognize the drive again. Using the power switch to go into stand-by mode did not fix this. I had to disconnect the power. (Maybe one of the other reset options on this forum would have worked also.)

I also tested a USB drive that I expected might fail and it did fail. I do not think it was a problem with the device but a problem with how the file system is setup on the device. A USB drive can have a partition table and then have the FAT32 file system in the first partion or it can just have the FAT32 file system start right at the beginning of the device (sector 0). I think the partition table layout is the more standard layout. The second device I tested does not have a partition table and the DHG-HDD250 did not recognize it.

I've got the new rev. , a clock and a guide, but the guide mapping is wrong now. I still get VIB on TWC channel 97 which is an analog remap of KCET(28) AKAIK.


Are you using comcast w/Cablecard? I have a Toshiba DCR w/v9 digital TVGOS and the channel mapping is wrong. The Golf channel will be on VS and VS vice verses. etc.

I called Macrovision and reported a mapping problem similar, and it was fixed the next day. I have many more mapping problems now. Everytime Comcast moves channels around the TVGOS does not keep-up. I'm going to wait for the Conversion dust to settle before contacting Microvision again.

Gregg Chico CA Comcast Cablecard

Did you do the Restore Factory Default after you loaded the firmware update? I ask because according to the instructions the firmware update is permanent! Not so, after doing the Restore to Factory Default this morning, I checked the firmware on my 250 and it reverted back to 1.2.06.

I updated the firmware successfully, then intentionally did the "Restore Factory Default" just to see if the new firmware was really permanent. I found the same as you found........ it is NOT. My DHG went back to the original firmware revision and the original TVGOS software.

I did it. I successfully applied the upgrade. At this point, I have no guide data. I tried the G* test while tuned to 12-1, CBS for 33413 and I did not get an VBI. I guess I will just have to wait and see what happens tonight.

The first good sign, the clock did automatically set from 12-1. Still waiting for a grid.

I wouldn't do the upgrade unless you have problems with TV guide and the clock.

That is also my conclusion but I have to wonder.

Maybe if everything is working right, it is the best time to do the upgrade. Sooner or later we will be in an all digital environment. Or someone may move to another area having only a digital source.

If the upgrade is done now, when you know everything is working properly in the box, maybe it makes that later transition to digital smoother, automatic even.

The big question that I don't believe has been answered is whether if one has a correct clock and grid and listings and an analog host, is any of that lost- even temporarily- after the upgrade. And where lost, how soon where you able to get back to the status quo ante? Anyone not able to get back at all?

Are you using comcast w/Cablecard? I have a Toshiba DCR w/v9 digital TVGOS and the channel mapping is wrong. The Golf channel will be on VS and VS vice verses. etc.

I called Macrovision and reported a mapping problem similar, and it was fixed the next day. I have many more mapping problems now. Everytime Comcast moves channels around the TVGOS does not keep-up. I'm going to wait for the Conversion dust to settle before contacting Microvision again.

Gregg Chico CA Comcast Cablecard

TWC = Time Warner Cable

That is also my conclusion but I have to wonder.

The big question that I don't believe has been answered is whether if one has a correct clock and grid and listings and an analog host, is any of that lost- even temporarily- after the upgrade. And where lost, how soon where you able to get back to the status quo ante? Anyone not able to get back at all?

I can see my analog host and I do get channels. I need to see if I get a guide. I suspect that I will. I lost clock but it came right back. I suspect that I may need to screw around (keep it off and/or switch zip codes) with it for everything to come back.

I can see my analog host and I do get channels. I need to see if I get a guide. I suspect that I will. I lost clock but it came right back. I suspect that I may need to screw around (keep it off and/or switch zip codes) with it for everything to come back.

You had a good guide and lost it to the upgrade?

I updated the firmware successfully, then intentionally did the "Restore Factory Default" just to see if the new firmware was really permanent. I found the same as you found........ it is NOT. My DHG went back to the original firmware revision and the original TVGOS software.It has always been so - "factory reset" means EXACTLY what it says!

So keep that USB key around for the future!!!

The big question that I don't believe has been answered is whether if one has a correct clock and grid and listings and an analog host, is any of that lost- even temporarily- after the upgrade. And where lost, how soon where you able to get back to the status quo ante? Anyone not able to get back at all?

I upgraded three 500's, all used OTA analog host for clock and TVGOS. All had 8 days of listings and correct clock. All lost the clock when I upgraded. None lost grid or listings when I upgraded. All got the correct clock back in less than 2 minutes. As of this morning, two continue to use analog OTA for TVGOS, but are using digital OTA for clocks.

My third unit is the one I am still experimenting with. I did a "Restore Factory Default" on it after the upgrade, then upgraded again and let it build itself from the ground up. It has a very poor antenna signal, and a cable signal that has been utterly useless for TVGOS for the past month. It has managed to get the correct time, and is currently up to 8.06.44 TVGOS. It still has no grid however. I firmly believe that it would be fully functional again at this point IF I had a good antenna signal going to it. I will report as soon as it does get a grid. I'm expecting that will be by tomorrow morning, but who knows.

It has always been so - "factory reset" means EXACTLY what it says!

So keep that USB key around for the future!!!

I understand. But that's specifically NOT what Sony says in their supplied information concerning the new firmware. They state that it is PERMANENT.

After waiting overnight the upgrade still wouldn't take. It finally worked on an older 128M Attaches that I reformatted to fat32. I don't know ifthe sector size manners. I extracted directly to the thumbdrive and this time it worked.

My only guess is that a Vista copy does something undesirable and that one should extract directly to the thumbdrive.

I've got the new rev. , a clock and a guide, but the guide mapping is wrong now. I still get VIB on TWC channel 97 which is an analog remap of KCET(28) AKAIK.

I have 08.01.71/08.06.44 with the 753159852 test.


Did you have a clock and listing before you updated to the new firmware? I ask because I still have to get a clock and listings. By the way I have both OTA and Cable but no cable card. I can tune in to channel 28 on both OTA and cable, for 3 weeks now no listings. By the way as I earlier reported doing a Restore Factory Default, does wipe out the update. I had to do it over again.

I can't tune to Channel 11, but I can get 11.1 OTA and cable. Any thoughts?
I am in Fullerton in Orange County.

Does anybody know if there is digital TVGOS transmittion in So Ca, my location is in Orange County, city of Fullerton. 3 weeks ago after losing my grid I did a factory restore and my unit has been brick ever since. I was hoping the FW updateyesterday would fix it. Judging from a lot of positive response for other market areas it worked. It did'nt for me.

KCBS-HD 2-1 is the digital host. We still have analog 28 & 11 sending guide data as well. Since I'm OTA only, I don't know what the various cable providers are doing, except for what I read here on the forum. ;)

............. Since I'm OTA only, I don't know what the various cable providers are doing, except for what I read here on the forum. ;)

Sabotage, mis-information, burning & plundering, overcharging, you-name-it . . . . . :D :D :D

HoustonPerson,

I don't think you have made the connection with what those 2 resets are for. They are not the DVR "fixing" itself. The resets labeled as 0x102 are the resets that happen normally after a firmware patch downloads. The first happens when 08.05.40 installs, and the second one happens when 08.06.44 installs. If you do a reset that doesn't wipe out the patches, then you don't see those two resets happen.



Mark

We actually said exactly the same thing........in other words the box will not work without those resets, and if the "user' interfers with them it will not work either. The patching is only part of the story, the corrections are the other part. Same thing just a different way of saying it.

Sabotage, mis-information, burning & plundering, overcharging, you-name-it . . . . . :D :D :D

Which is WHY I'm OTA only. :D

As of this morning, two continue to use analog OTA for TVGOS, but are using digital OTA for clocks.



That's a little disconcerting.

For those of us on cable only, having access to just an analog source, one can imagine the possibility- even if remote- that if you lose the clock and then the unit goes searching for a digital clock source [first], and doesn't find one, and if something goes wrong, it may not be able to get back to the analog clock source.

For those of us on cable only, having access to just an analog source, one can imagine the possibility- even if remote- that if you lose the clock and then the unit goes searching for a digital clock source [first], and doesn't find one, and if something goes wrong, it may not be able to get back to the analog clock source.

The much more likely scenario is that the cable company is going to kill off your analog source . . . :(

It has always been so - "factory reset" means EXACTLY what it says!

So keep that USB key around for the future!!!


Frank, ok the “Sony Software” goes back to original with “Full Factory Reset”
Does that also apply to screen one of the info page?
Will the date change back to 2005?

Did you have a clock and listing before you updated to the new firmware? I ask because I still have to get a clock and listings. By the way I have both OTA and Cable but no cable card. I can tune in to channel 28 on both OTA and cable, for 3 weeks now no listings. By the way as I earlier reported doing a Restore Factory Default, does wipe out the update. I had to do it over again.

I can't tune to Channel 11, but I can get 11.1 OTA and cable. Any thoughts?
I am in Fullerton in Orange County.

Yes, Well I had a clock and listing and then unplugged it, it had not recovered the listings yet. I'm sure it gets them off of 97(28 analog). Check for VBI using the 9012 test. If you aren't getting it, you will likely have trouble. I would also try 2.1 OTA and 11.1 OTA. Also, make sure nothing records during guide download times. This tends to be from 11:00 PM to 10AM PST. I noticed I had some legacy stuff recording in the 2AM time slot.

If you have 8.06.44 you will see analog VBI. How to monitor digital ATSC slicing is beyond my depth on the topic.

Frank, ok the “Sony Software” goes back to original with “Full Factory Reset”
Does that also apply to screen one of the info page?
Will the date change back to 2005?I'm not about to try it (too much work editing channels again), but I'm virtually 100% sure the date would also revert, since it is the date of the TVGOS software version.

I'm not about to try it (too much work editing channels again), but I'm virtually 100% sure the date would also revert, since it is the date of the TVGOS software version.

Yes I would think so; just wanted to know if anyone had actually seen it? Since my box is working perfect again I am not doing Full Factory Reset. Thanks

YES, if you have the upgrade USB stick you should do the upgrade. There is no reason “not” to make the box usable for all environments.

This morning when I turned the box on it had loaded with days 1,2,5, and 8 and also locked into analogue host and analogue clock. We left for lunch about 11AM and I just now turned it back on at 3:15pm.

It has now locked into digital CBS clock. It has begun the process of building digital download schedules, AND all 8 days are now 100%. It did that is less than 4 hours!

All of those changes are coming from just the download data, there have been no more box self re-sets since last night about midnight; when it did 3 on its own fixing itself.

Pic 7078 Digital Clock “locked in”

Pics 7079 and 7080 Digital DL schedules grids yet to be filled in. I do not know yet if it will still be using what has been used in the past from the analogue schedule download area – others that have been there should know? This DL areas in the pictures were “not” there in the analogue environment only nor the previous attempts to get Digital with Force Host – this is a new layout structure for my box.

Pic 7081 – This is a sample of the Day 3 from pre-listed schedule – this occurred in the last 4 hours (Frontline is a schedule change) Pic 7054 is the same screen at 9AM this morning – as you can see days 3 and the others were “not” linked to the schedule! Because all 8 days are in “Listings”, then all the programs “Scheduled” are now linked again.

Yes I would think so; just wanted to know if anyone had actually seen it? Since my box is working perfect again I am not doing Full Factory Reset. Thanks

Yesterday I didn't take pictures, and I didn't write it down, but I'm pretty sure that I do remember seeing the date was back to 2005.

Pics

Pic 7057: I am assuming that once I get a valid Digital Host Lock for the Guide, then the HOST column should begin to have data? Is anyone able to confirm that now? Or will digital HOST lock in stay on the same page currently used for analogue?

1) Manual recordings made before the upgrade display Unknown while playing. Manual recordings made after the upgrade display No Listing. I have no grid so it may pick up the title from the grid if you have one.
2) In the Recordings section after you open Unknown (all I got, no grid remember) but before you open an individual recording, the recording entry now has Cable, Channel XXX, on the left, where before it was blank.

Not much, but different.

Someone had mentioned earlier (maybe HoustonPerson) that the HostChan column would only contain values when the Host was digital. Is this correct?
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=140116&d=1240087835

So what it all (PAT/PAM/TVG/etc)mean? looks promising.
I'm assuming that the TVG and TVG PIDs should be non-zero.

Mine are zero and NONE.
Thank you Time Warner! (for nothing):mad:

My latest update ... I contacted Channel 6 (CBS) and they were nice enough to respond. Unfortunately, the news is not what we were hoping for ... so we wait ... :confused:

We currently have the TV Guide Data disabled. The TV Guide equipment that inserts this into our signal is not working correctly. We will return this to operation once this problem has been resolved.

All the guide data is back in Orlando!!! :) My guide is fully populated and it appears to have been working for a week or so (I converted to a HTPC so I wasn't paying that much attention to it).

ATSC-Slicer, Pic 7057: I am assuming that once I get a valid Digital Host Lock for the Guide, then the HOST column should begin to have data? Is anyone able to confirm that now? Or will digital HOST lock in stay on the same page currently used for analogue?

I dunno. But I noticed something interesting a few minutes ago. My Mits 46246 with TVGOS V-9.1.56 is now showing 1:12-0 as the Host Channel. If this is correct, it's using digital PBS over cable. Except that my QAM channel number is 83.1 for digital PBS (the OTA is physical channel 11, virtual 12.1). And previously with .13 version Sony, I couldn't find any TVGOS over cable in the past month.

So I don't know what the Mits is using. But the Mits does have a very similar ATSC-Slicer screen, and it shows zeros all down the HostChan column just like the Sony's. The Mits does however have a Skipped TVG3 row (not present on the Sony's) which does contain a large number in the HostChan column.

Go figure . . . . :confused:

Good news from the St. Louis market. As of 9:00am this morning, I had the latest TV Guide software and ads, but no listings. Just checked it, 36 hours after the firmware install, and now have a full 8 days of listings. My rural zip code has never worked properly, and earlier today I changed to a different St. Louis zip code from the one I had been using. The only strangeness is still no host channel on the slicer page, and TV Guide is showing listings for analog 5 (disabled) instead of 5.2 (Weather Extra). But, I'm not complaining. I have left it on the local CBS 4.1 when powered off, just in case.

Pics 7079 and 7080 Digital DL schedules grids yet to be filled in. I do not know yet if it will still be using what has been used in the past from the analogue schedule download area – others that have been there should know? This DL areas in the pictures were “not” there in the analogue environment only nor the previous attempts to get Digital with Force Host – this is a new layout structure for my box.

[...]


Exactly. Back when you had your problems with the "digital" data in your area, you posted a picture of the actual download schedules on your unit. I pointed out then that none of your schedules were digital schedules. Apparently Macrovision (not Sony), has corrected this on their end, and your digital host is now transmitting the correct digital download schedule.

I think if you go back a page to the actual download schedules you will see that one of your analog schedules is now converted to a digital schedule. It will have the same StID as your old analog schedule, but will not have any 180 minute downloads in it, and will have added the new 97 ID to it.

Mark