... when i do a manual recording, it says it cannot set the recording because the channel is not available in my lineup
So far, only you and I have seen this message. I've included an image so that others will be able to say they have too. :)

http://suna.subako.org/~beeman/dhgSchedulingError.jpg

This has only happened to me on individual channels, not across the board for all channels. On one machine, I was able to schedule the channel after waiting for a few hours. On another machine and a different channel, it has persisted for a couple of days so far.

But he also says.......
............. i can record on the channel fine direct from the guide......

Most people (me included) will never see that message, because if you can record fine from the guide, why would you try to schedule the recording manually instead?

But he also says.......


Most people (me included) will never see that message, because if you can record fine from the guide, why would you try to schedule the recording manually instead?
I only record Letterman from 11:36 to 11:45...his 9 minute stantup, and you can't do this from the guide...

But he also says.......


Most people (me included) will never see that message, because if you can record fine from the guide, why would you try to schedule the recording manually instead?
I only record Letterman from 11:36 to 11:45 - his 9 minute standup - and you can't do this from the guide...

I had success last night. After my last show of the season finished recording, I did the TV Guide - 'Reset To Factory Defaults'. After watching my unit closely after the last failed attempt on March 6 (which didn't even get me a clock after 24 hours), I had concluded that it would take up to 3 days, and maybe longer to recover (due to the DVR infrequently receiving some of the needed information). I did the reset at 7:30 last night. I decided to leave the DVR alone, and let it get the clock set before looking at it again.

At 5:00am this morning the clock was set. I had received 2 timezone packets, which I thought would take up to 3 days to receive. My patch version was only up to 08.05.40. Then at 9:00am this morning, I wanted to see if I had gotten the 08.06.44 patch, and to my surprise, I already had a grid. The patch version was still at 08.05.40. I couldn't believe it, this beat my previous recovery time which was just under 48 hours.

The grid is filled with 'No Listing' since my CBS station is having a problem with the guide data (that they don't know they have). Over the last several weeks I have learned some new information about the DHG which I will post later (nothing that will help people without a grid to get one though).

Mark

I only record Letterman from 11:36 to 11:45 - his 9 minute standup - and you can't do this from the guide...

Wouldn't it be easier to set it to record daily the Letterman show and edit it to end the recording 45 minutes early. You will record an additional six minutes but that seems like an easy trade-off.

Here is the new information that I have learned in the last few weeks.

Resetting your DVR without actually resetting it.

After failing to get the clock to set after my 'Reset to Factory Defaults' on March 6, I have been watching some of the packets that my unit receives. Along the way I have discovered an important field to watch in the 753 menu.

For those in a digital only environment, who want to know if their unit can recover from a reset, I have found a way to simulate a reset without doing a reset. You can do this just by changing your zip code. I believe that changing your zip code causes the DHG to go through the same steps to re-acquire the host channel, as it does going from a factory reset to setting the clock, acquiring a host channel, and a getting a grid. If you are in a digital only environment, and you do not have a host channel (it is blank), it may be an indication that your DHG cannot recover if it loses the grid. When changing the zip code, you can change it, and then change it right back if you so choose. Also, don't change it to 00000, and then back to your zip code because, for some reason, the 00000 zip code doesn't clear the host channel which is what we are trying to accomplish.

Why change the zip code?

Changing your zip code blanks the host channel. There are 9 steps that the DHG must go through in order to re-acquire the host channel. If your DHG successfully can acquire these 9 pieces of information, your host channel will set. I believe these 9 events are the same events that have to occur to go from a reset to getting a grid. If any of these 9 pieces of information are missing in the TVGOS data stream (or the DHG ignores them), your host channel will stay blank, and you will not be able to get a grid. Also the length of time it takes to re-acquire the host channel is the approximate amount of time it will take to recover from a reset. Note that after a zip code change, the DHG has to re-acquire all of this information even if it already has it. For instance my clock is always up to date, because it has previously received a timezone packet, yet it still has to get a timezone packet before it will set the host channel after changing the zip code. This is why I say that it goes through the same process to acquire the host channel as it does recovering from a reset.

The 9 pieces of information

So what are these 9 pieces of information, and how do you tell how far along in the process your DVR is?

The key to all of this is a field that I have been watching for about a month. It is the HostSUFlags field on the VBI Data - VBI Info screen in the 753 menu. This field is an 8 digit hex number, but only 3 of the digits are used. When I have a host channel set, the field looks like this:

0xff800000

Note the ff8 part of the number, these are the only digits we are interested in (and the only ones I'll talk about from here on). This number uses 9 bits (or flags) that are set to 1 when a certain event occurs. 9 events have to occur before you get a host channel. Unfortunately I don't know what events each bit represents, but I have deciphered 3 of the 9. Every time you reset the DVR, or even just change the zip code, your host channel blanks out, and this field reverts to 0x000. Your host channel will not be set again until all 9 events have happened.

ff8 is 1111 1111 1000 in binary (the 3 zeros are always 0).

The top most bit sets when the 753 menu clock is set (GMT clock).

The next bit, which I just figured out a few days ago, sets when the HostID field sets (this is on the same screen as your host channel) This happens within seconds of the clock setting.

Both of these bits set pretty quickly after changing my zip code, and tuning to my digital host channel (the three digits then become 0xc00).

The third bit I have figured out is the timezone packet bit it is the third bit from the left (more on it below).

Another bit that sets pretty soon after my zip code change is the first bit on the right. When it changes the number becomes 0xc08

The next 2 bits that change (usually overnight after I change my zip code) are the 3rd and 4th bits from the right (ignoring the 3 zeros). I don't know what they do, but I have seen both, or either one set, at any given time while my host channel isn't set. When these two bits set the number becomes 0xc68. This is where mine stays for quite some time while it waits for a timezone packet.

Usually, when I finally get a timezone packet (up to 3 days here), it happens overnight, and when it does I wake up to the field
filled (0xff8), and my host channel is set. The third bit from the left is the timezone packet bit (see the VBI Data - VBI Info screen for the timezone packet field). The other 2 bits (2nd and 5th from the right), set shortly after the timezone packet. I have only seen a few times when the timezone packet bit was set, and the other 2 bits weren't (that is how I know that it is the timezone packet bit, because I had a timezone packet, and this field was then 0xe68). One thing that surprised me is that I thought for sure that the lineup packet would also be represented here, but it isn't. I have received both a timezone packet, and lineup packets, but only the one bit was set. On my system lineup packets take as long to acquire as timezone packets. In fact I usually get both on the same day.

I hope this information is useful to someone,
Mark

I hope this information is useful to someone,
Mark

Mark,
My host channel has been blank since Feb on both of my dhg's. Today I had no listings on both units for the day seven. I had to tune to my host channel and do a g-test to get data flowing again. I suppose I will have to leave units tuned to host every night before going to bed. Seems like I'm going back to before .21 firmware. I thought all who were digital only had a blank host . Maybe that's why I can never build a grid? I hope that after June 12 some of this gets better.......

Wouldn't it be easier to set it to record daily the Letterman show and edit it to end the recording 45 minutes early. You will record an additional six minutes but that seems like an easy trade-off.

That was my thought. You could edit the start time to be 6 minutes late also..........

So far, only you and I have seen this message. I've included an image so that others will be able to say they have too. :)

This has only happened to me on individual channels, not across the board for all channels. On one machine, I was able to schedule the channel after waiting for a few hours. On another machine and a different channel, it has persisted for a couple of days so far.

Since the Sony likes to show my digital cable channels with three or four decimals places, I lost manual recording ability with the .21 update. My LG displays the same channels with three decimal places. My Sony TV also displays the channels like the DHD. It's a problem I have with my cable company that will probably never get resolved. But, to satisfy my curiosity, what channel was displayed when you tried to schedule the manual recording?

Since the Sony likes to show my digital cable channels with three or four decimals places ... ... what channel was displayed when you tried to schedule the manual recording?

Sorry, my experience has been with cable cards on Seattle Comcast, so no decimal places. The two channels I have seen this on have been History Channel HD 671 and FX HD 665.

Unit appears to be all analogue now; except for digital clock that comes and goes. ATSC slicer page is for the most part dead.

Pic 7162: HostSUFlags and VBI State have changed almost constantly several times a day for over a month. No zip code changes made here for two months-except the box reset with .21 upgrade on 4/17/. Those fields change via “what is in the air” to make them change; that could include a set up change via zip code change-I have not made any.

Pic 7161: Channel MapID had been blank since 4/17, until it became highly active-filled in and changed every day and then “stopped” changing and updating the one week ending May 15th. That was the same date/time the box stopped Digital downloads and went back to analogue.

Pic 7152: The unit was doing a 180 minute code 70 download during “you think you can dance” last night 7:10pm. Bringing up the information screen at time “locked up” the box (the first lock up in months). The boxed unlocked itself at the conclusion of recording the show, just after 9PM. More importantly, all the 4/17 and 4/20 dates for codes 81 and 27 have now been replaced with date/time stamps that are current every day. Those older dates had not changed in over a month. (see post a few lines down for corrected times etc-sorry long week)

Pic 7156: Lots of new quality codes 16 and 18 – never saw that before

Pic 7159: Update of Pic 7152 except taken this morning – the changes over about 12 hours (correction 24 hours). The 4/20 date was replaced with 5/21, and basically all the codes 81 and 27 were updated by one day.

Even with “all that” – the unit has been operating correctly since about 4/17.

What is that "Blacklisted" entry I see from time to time??

What is that "Blacklisted" entry I see from time to time??

If we told you, we would have to kill you!!! ;) ;) :D :D :D

I still have both analog and digital cable hosts available. Left to itself, my DHG has always kept the analog host. This is still the case today.

BUT --- for the first time ever, the VBI DL schedule has changed on its own to digital only. While the host is still listed as CBS analog, I have to believe last night's download was digital. Yesterday, day 8 had a lot of missing listings, which usually means that MV will be screwing around for the next couple of days. But all of those listings were filled in this morning (today's day 7), which would not have happened with an analog download. This is with FW .21.

Maybe something good is about to happen between now and June 12.

Pic 7152: The unit was doing a 180 minute code 70 download during “you think you can dance” last night 7:10pm. Bringing up the information screen at time “locked up” the box (the first lock up in months). The boxed unlocked itself at the conclusion of recording the show, just after 9PM. More importantly, all the 4/17 and 4/20 dates for codes 81 and 27 have now been replaced with date/time stamps that are current every day. Those older dates had not changed in over a month.



You lost me there. 7:10pm would be 0:10 GMT, there is nothing in that picture to indicate an ID70 download happened then. You took the picture at 7:10 am your time Thursday morning. You apparently interrupted the 11:41 GMT download which would have started at 6:41am your time. The other ID70 download (top line) is time stamped 7:31, that would would be 2:31am Thursday morning. Are you sure you aren't confusing the GMT times in the schedule with your local time?

Mark

You lost me there. 7:10pm would be 0:10 GMT, there is nothing in that picture to indicate an ID70 download happened then. You took the picture at 7:10 am your time Thursday morning. You apparently interrupted the 11:41 GMT download which would have started at 6:41am your time. The other ID70 download (top line) is time stamped 7:31, that would would be 2:31am Thursday morning. Are you sure you aren't confusing the GMT times in the schedule with your local time?

Mark

Your right I wrong, I had the wrong picture, and did not take the right picture. That was Thursday morning at 7:10Am GMT 12:10

this has been a wild week, broke arm and having trouble typing too. I have just pick that pic because of the 7(am/pm) and the active suspension...........anyway follow thru on the the follow up picture, with the time date/time changes, the rest of the descriptions and explanatons are correct. Really a very hard week.

What is that "Blacklisted" entry I see from time to time??

I believe (but I'm not absolutely sure) that a download is blacklisted if the DVR is on, and tuned to a different station than the host channel, when the download is supposed to start. It can't start the download so it blacklists it.

Here are my theories on the other two messages I've seen:

ActiveSusp: I think this means the DVR was off, the download started normally, but then the DVR was turned on which stopped the download.

inlinescan: I think this means the DVR was on, and tuned to the host channel at the time the download starts.

I assume the inlinescan download would succeed, but the ActiveSusp, and Blacklisted downloads would fail.

Mark

That was my thought. You could edit the start time to be 6 minutes late also..........
?then I would miss most of Letterman's standup...guess you don't like Letterman much?:)

seems just as easy to set it for what I want

...go to schedule, hit the menu button, pick manual recording, and set it...

alternative...set full recording, hit menu button, select edit recording, and fix times...(more or less)

My DTVPal+ arrived yesterday, and I have used it to get a TVGOS channel grid on one of my Sonys. However, it's not yet clear whether I can get program listings to fill in and update reliably, directly from the digital host channel without the DTVPal+. (Added 05-24-09: I can in fact get the program listings to update this way. See below.)

This unit has been upgraded to firmware 1.2.21. I use OTA only, and have only a digital host channel available: WLTX-DT (19.1) in Columbia SC.

First I connected the DTVPal+ directly to my antenna and TV, using the RF output set to the default channel 3, and played with it a bit to make sure it works OK.

Then I put it into TVGOS mode via Menu --> Setup --> System Setup --> TV Guide & Guide+ --> Continue, and set up a remote control with Scientific Atlanta cable box codes, for setting channels while in TVGOS mode. For this, I used an old Sony Remote Commander RM-V301. The correct code turned out to be 011. The Power button doesn't work, but the number buttons do, which is all I need. (In principle, I probably could have used my Logitech Harmony remote instead, but it's maxed out at 15 devices.)

Finally, I set up the Sony and the DTVPal+ as follows:

1. Connected the antenna to RF in on the DTVPal+ and the RF out on the DTVPal+ to ANT IN on the Sony.

(Added 05-25-09: For a second method using the Sony's cable input instead, see post #17286 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16523773#post16523773))

2. Turned on the DTVPal+ and the Sony, and tuned the Sony to (analog) channel 3. The Sony already had 3 in its channel list, otherwise I would have added it via Menu --> Preferences --> CH +/- List --> Auto Add from Antenna.

3. Put the DTVPal+ into TVGOS mode via Menu --> Setup --> System Setup --> TV Guide & Guide+ --> Continue.

4. Used my "Scientific Atlanta" remote to set the DTVPal+ to my digital TVGOS host channel which is 19.1 (291 on the remote).

5. Verified that the converted signal on ch 3 includes TVGOS data by setting the Sony to (Menu, Screen Mode, 9012) --> TV Guide --> G* Factory Test and noting a steady trickle of VBI packets.

6. Reset the Sony's TVGOS via (Menu, Screen Mode, 9012) --> TV Guide --> Reset to Factory Default.

7. Turned the Sony off and on to bring up the TVGOS setup wizard. Selected antenna only and entered a Columbia ZIP code, 29201 (mine is outside the Columbia DMA).

8. Turned the Sony off.

I happened to wake up in the middle of the night, and noted that the Sony's clock now showed the correct time. This was in the middle of a type 70 analog TVGOS download session (2:31 to 5:31 AM), therefore I didn't turn on the Sony, so as not to interrupt the download if it was actually happening.

At about 6 AM I woke up again, and turned the Sony on. I entered the guide, and my heart sank as I saw the only the message "No Data for This Screen." Then I went to Setup --> Change Channel Display, and the channel lineup was there after all! None of them had been turned on because the Sony was getting a signal only on analog ch 3 which is normally from Charlotte (when it's not being fed with a converted digital channel from the DTVPal+), and TVGOS turns off out-of-DMA (non-Columbia) channels by default.

I turned on the Columbia digital channels, giving me a channel grid filled with "No Listing" in the Listings screen.

I checked the 753159852 diagnostic screens and found that the host channel had been set appropriately to 0:0-3.

I put the DTVPal+ back into normal mode using the power button on its remote, then turned it off. I tuned the Sony to ch 19.1. Since then, there have been two type 70 digital TVGOS download sessions. So far, I have only partial listings for a few channels, and no listings for the others. This might simply be because of flaky reception on 19.1. I'm seeing occasional breakups. Or it might be because the Sony "knows" the host channel is analog 3, and it goes to that channel looking for TVGOS data when the unit is off. I'm going to leave the unit on and tuned to 19.1 for the rest of the morning and afternoon and see if the rest of the listings fill in. I had the unit on during one download session, and I did see packets incrementing on the ATSC slicing screen.

I expect that eventually this unit will give up looking for TVGOS data on analog ch 3, and then it should behave the same way as my other unit which eventually blanked the host channel field after analog ch 33 stopped carrying TVGOS, and is now receiving program listings from 19.1, using the old channel grid from ch 33. I don't know how long that took, though.

(Added 05-24-09: I "un-set" the host channel by changing the ZIP code using TVGOS Setup --> Change System Settings, as per mabuttra's suggestion in post #17275 below. After this, the program listings updated directly from 19.1, without needing to use the DTVPal+.)

I could simply use the converted TVGOS data from the DTVPal+ to supply the program listings, but I'd rather not do that. When the DTVPal+ is in TVGOS mode, it doesn't pass through a usable signal on other channels besides analog 3, at least not on the Columbia stations, so I'd have to turn it on and put it in TVGOS mode every night, then turn it off when I want to watch TV during the day.

DHG-HDD500 OTA only
No analog TVGOS source
TVGOS data from PBS digital channel 42.1 (RF 41) in Mobile AL. They have been transmitting whatever TVGOS data they received from PBS Datacasting since mid-March. I have been able to get a clock since then, but no grid or lineup.

Have been gridless since late February power outage, TVGOS screen has been indicating "No Data for this screen" since then. Firmware .21 was installed on 1st day it was available. I have never done a full factory reset, but did try a soft reset and then a Reset User Configuration on May 5th, changing the zipcode to one nearby. I have been doing manual recordings and watching recordings fairly regularly, have tried leaving the unit on and off, but nothing seemed to get a grid. The clock would set immediately and the 08.06.44 patch appears in a day, but no grid.

When I turned the unit on yesterday, there was a grid, a mostly correct lineup, and full listings. It appears from the 753 menu, that something started happening with the downloads on May 19th. My host channel shows 0:41-0, which is the RF channel for PBS digital (42.1).

I strongly believe that the TVGOS data being received until May 19 was corrupt or just did not contain valid data. I think it is due to MV rolling out the digital data by market or region, and they just got to where I am. I have checked with the local PBS station and they said they were passing whatever data was received, that there was no reset they could do on their equipment.

Perfect timing since the regular season has ended and everything on the recording list says Unknown....

I could simply use the converted TVGOS data from the DTVPal+ to supply the program listings, but I'd rather not do that. When the DTVPal+ is in TVGOS mode, it doesn't pass through a usable signal on other channels besides analog 3, at least not on the Columbia stations, so I'd have to turn it on and put it in TVGOS mode every night, then turn it off when I want to watch TV during the day.

?you can simply split the antenna signal, one to the Pal, with its output rejoined to the other antenna signal before it goes to the Sony...then the Sony will have the full channel array coming in, as well as the channel 3 output...(cf my test Pal setup below for my 3410a, which I don't yet need, but which I will also use for my Sony if/when needed)...and your unit can get the clock, grid, listings from wherever it wants....

My DTVPal+ arrived yesterday, and I have used it to get a TVGOS channel grid on one of my Sonys. However, it's not yet clear whether I can get program listings to fill in and update reliably, directly from the digital host channel without the DTVPal+.

This unit has been upgraded to firmware 1.2.21. I use OTA only, and have only a digital host channel available: WLTX-DT (19.1) in Columbia SC.

First I connected the DTVPal+ directly to my antenna and TV, using the RF output set to the default channel 3, and played with it a bit to make sure it works OK.

Then I put it into TVGOS mode via Menu --> Setup --> System Setup --> TV Guide & Guide+ --> Continue, and set up a remote control with Scientific Atlanta cable box codes, for setting channels while in TVGOS mode. For this, I used an old Sony Remote Commander RM-V301. The correct code turned out to be 011. The Power button doesn't work, but the number buttons do, which is all I need. (In principle, I probably could have used my Logitech Harmony remote instead, but it's maxed out at 15 devices.)

Finally, I set up the Sony and the DTVPal+ as follows:

1. Connected the antenna to RF in on the DTVPal+ and the RF out on the DTVPal+ to ANT IN on the Sony.

2. Turned on the DTVPal+ and the Sony, and tuned the Sony to (analog) channel 3. The Sony already had 3 in its channel list, otherwise I would have added it via Menu --> Preferences --> CH +/- List --> Auto Add from Antenna.

3. Put the DTVPal+ into TVGOS mode via Menu --> Setup --> System Setup --> TV Guide & Guide+ --> Continue.

4. Used my "Scientific Atlanta" remote to set the DTVPal+ to my digital TVGOS host channel which is 19.1 (291 on the remote).

5. Verified that the converted signal on ch 3 includes TVGOS data by setting the Sony to (Menu, Screen Mode, 9012) --> TV Guide --> G* Factory Test and noting a steady trickle of VBI packets.

6. Reset the Sony's TVGOS via (Menu, Screen Mode, 9012) --> TV Guide --> Reset to Factory Default.

7. Turned the Sony off and on to bring up the TVGOS setup wizard. Selected antenna only and entered a Columbia ZIP code, 29201 (mine is outside the Columbia DMA).

8. Turned the Sony off.

I happened to wake up in the middle of the night, and noted that the Sony's clock now showed the correct time. This was in the middle of a type 70 analog TVGOS download session (2:31 to 5:31 AM), therefore I didn't turn on the Sony, so as not to interrupt the download if it was actually happening.

At about 6 AM I woke up again, and turned the Sony on. I entered the guide, and my heart sank as I saw the only the message "No Data for This Screen." Then I went to Setup --> Change Channel Display, and the channel lineup was there after all! None of them had been turned on because the Sony was getting a signal only on analog ch 3 which is normally from Charlotte (when it's not being fed with a converted digital channel
from the DTVPal+), and TVGOS turns off out-of-DMA (non-Columbia) channels by default.

I turned on the Columbia digital channels, giving me a channel grid filled with "No Listing" in the Listings screen.

I checked the 753159852 diagnostic screens and found that the host channel had been set appropriately to 0:0-3.

I put the DTVPal+ back into normal mode using the power button on its remote, then turned it off. I tuned the Sony to ch 19.1. Since then, there have been two type 70 digital TVGOS download sessions. So far, I have only partial listings for a few channels, and no listings for the others. This might simply be because of flaky reception on 19.1. I'm seeing occasional breakups. Or it might be because the Sony "knows" the host channel is analog 3, and it goes to that channel looking for TVGOS data when the unit is off. I'm going to leave the unit on and tuned to 19.1 for the rest of the morning and afternoon and see if the rest of the listings fill in. I had the unit on during one download session, and I did see packets incrementing on the ATSC slicing screen.

I expect that eventually this unit will give up looking for TVGOS data on analog ch 3, and then it should behave the same way as my other unit which eventually blanked the host channel field after analog ch 33 stopped carrying TVGOS, and is now receiving program listings from 19.1, using the old channel grid from ch 33. I don't know how long that took, though.

I could simply use the converted TVGOS data from the DTVPal+ to supply the program listings, but I'd rather not do that. When the DTVPal+ is in TVGOS mode, it doesn't pass through a usable signal on other channels besides analog 3, at least not on the Columbia stations, so I'd have to turn it on and put it in TVGOS mode every night, then turn it off when I want to watch TV during the day.

Your setup seemed correct. I would ask a couple of questions: Do you know which channel has the TVGOS? Did you set your DTVPAL+ to that channel? Did you do the Gtest from Chan 3? Did you see VBI data and a "pass"? If yes to all of those you should be set up. ( I see you answer in your post) If you set your Sony to "Auto Off and a time of 12:30, within a day or two you should have a guide. Don't forget your zip code. After the first day, your Sony probably will ask which cable Co you use, if yo said you had cable.
Now one thing I found about the DTVPAL+ is that after I got a grid and guide, I turned of the DTVPAL+ and had no display for the antenna channel that provided TVGOS. I had to remove the DTVPAL+ completely to get full channels back. After I got the VBI from the Gtest, I did not reset. I just turned it off. Go back and see if you are at .21 rev. One of the resets will send you right back to analog as you had before upgrade.

I put the DTVPal+ back into normal mode using the power button on its remote, then turned it off. I tuned the Sony to ch 19.1. Since then, there have been two type 70 digital TVGOS download sessions. So far, I have only partial listings for a few channels, and no listings for the others. This might simply be because of flaky reception on 19.1. I'm seeing occasional breakups. Or it might be because the Sony "knows" the host channel is analog 3, and it goes to that channel looking for TVGOS data when the unit is off. I'm going to leave the unit on and tuned to 19.1 for the rest of the morning and afternoon and see if the rest of the listings fill in. I had the unit on during one download session, and I did see packets incrementing on the ATSC slicing screen.

I left the Sony on, tuned to 19.1, until about 12:30, which included two type 70 digital TVGOS download sessions. The channels that I had turned on (the Columbia OTA channels) did in fact get almost complete program listings, just a few "No Title" entries here and there.

Then I turned on the Greenville OTA channels, so that they showed up the grid, filled with "No Listing." I turned off the Sony, and left for the afternoon. This period includes two more type 70 digital TVGOS download sessions. When I came back just now, that block of channels still showed solid "No Listing" entries.

But I know 19.1 carries program listings for the Greenville stations, because my other Sony, which does not have a host channel set, does get listings for those channels from 19.1.

So it looks like as long as the Sony still has the host channel set to analog 3 (the converted 19.1), it will not download listings from 19.1, even if there is no TVGOS data on 3 because I've turned the DTVPal+ off, unless I force the Sony to stay on 19.1 by leaving the unit on and tuned to that channel.

I now remember that when channel 33 in Asheville stopped sending analog TVGOS data, the remaining program listings on my other Sony dwindled to about a day's worth before it started picking them up from the Columbia station (19.1). So my guess is that if I wait about a week, the Sony that I'm experimenting with will give up on analog 3 as the host channel, its host channel field will revert to blank, and it will start picking up the listings from 19.1 without being forced to do so.

I could simply use the converted TVGOS data from the DTVPal+ to supply the program listings, but I'd rather not do that. When the DTVPal+ is in TVGOS mode, it doesn't pass through a usable signal on other channels besides analog 3, at least not on the Columbia stations, so I'd have to turn it on and put it in TVGOS mode every night, then turn it off when I want to watch TV during the day.

?you can simply split the antenna signal, one to the Pal, with its output rejoined to the other antenna signal before it goes to the Sony...then the Sony will have the full channel array coming in, as well as the channel 3 output...

I think tonight I'll try a variation on this setup: split the antenna signal, with one branch going directly to the Sony's antenna input, and the other branch going through the DTVPal+ and into the Sony's cable input. So from the Sony's point of view, I'll have a single analog "cable channel" that contains the converted TVGOS data. I don't have cable service, so that input is going unused otherwise.

This means I'll have to do a "Reset User Preferences" in the 9012 menu, so I can go through the initial setup again and tell the Sony that I want to use both cable and antenna.

This should let me verify that I can actually get everything (channel grid and program listings) through the DTVPal+. Then I'll go back to my current setup, play with it some more, and decide which one I want to use for the long term.

[...]

So it looks like as long as the Sony still has the host channel set to analog 3 (the converted 19.1), it will not download listings from 19.1, even if there is no TVGOS data on 3 because I've turned the DTVPal+ off, unless I force the Sony to stay on 19.1 by leaving the unit on and tuned to that channel.


That is correct, but it is very easy to get the DHG to search for a host channel again. Just change the zip code, and then change it back. Your host channel will then be clear, and it will search for a new one. It should then find your channel 19.1 TVGOS data.


[...]

This means I'll have to do a "Reset User Preferences" in the 9012 menu, so I can go through the initial setup again and tell the Sony that I want to use both cable and antenna.

This should let me verify that I can actually get everything (channel grid and program listings) through the DTVPal+. Then I'll go back to my current setup, play with it some more, and decide which one I want to use for the long term.

Actually the Reset user configuration doesn't wipe out your channel lineup, or your grid.

Mark

it is very easy to get the DHG to search for a host channel again. Just change the zip code, and then change it back. Your host channel will then be clear, and it will search for a new one. It should then find your channel 19.1 TVGOS data.

Perfect! Thanks for jogging my memory. Now I remember you or somebody else posting this before, but I'd forgotten it. There are so many tidbits like this floating around in this thread that it's hard to keep track of them.

I've cleared the host channel on my test unit, and will let it sit overnight to make sure the listings fill in like they've been doing on my other unit.

This is probably the setup that I'll want to live with: keep the DTVPal+ in the antenna feed, but leave it turned off (even leave the power disconnected) unless I need to get a fresh channel lineup. But I'll try the setup with the DTVPal+ feeding the cable input later, just to see that it works.

I left mine connected to the RF and unplugged from the AC. I could not get my OTA channel that supplies the TVGOS.

Wow, that does make a big difference. I pulled the plug on the DTVPal+ in standby mode, and the signal strength on the channel I was watching dropped from 88% to 5%. I went ahead and took it out of the signal path, because I'd have to do it anyway when I switch it over to the cable input.

I finally have a grid in the Buffalo market! Host channel shows 0:43-0 which is Buffalo PBS. Don't know which day it showed up, since I almost gave up checking. But, I did leave the box on all day today - but not tuned to PBS. I don't remember seeing a grid when I turned it on this morning.

This is with the new firmware installed, OTA only, using Buffalo zip code, in digital only market with no analog host. Can't tell for sure if it happened when the unit was turned off or on - but I strongly suspect it was while it was on.

Rochester TV is in tonight, so I've now entered a Rochester zip code and will leave the box on to see whether I get a grid and whether the host is analog or digital as Rochester still has both I believe.

Read carefully jtbell's post above. Notice that his TVGOS screen came up "No Data For This Screen" (which would lead anyone to believe that a grid had not downloaded), yet he found that that the grid had indeed downloaded, but that all the channels were simply turned off in the editor (most folks would have never bothered to check that.) So if you seem to be waiting forever for a grid to download, try going into the channel editor to see if perhaps they're there, just turned off!!!

Read carefully jtbell's post above. Notice that his TVGOS screen came up "No Data For This Screen" (which would lead anyone to believe that a grid had not downloaded), yet he found that that the grid had indeed downloaded, but that all the channels were simply turned off in the editor (most folks would have never bothered to check that.) So if you seem to be waiting forever for a grid to download, try going into the channel editor to see if perhaps they're there, just turned off!!!

This could also explain the occasion where someone's grid seemed to spontaneously appear when they cycled power on the DVR (I read a couple of messages where this happened). All the channels may have been off, but when they unplugged the DVR, then plugged it back in, some of the channels were turned on, causing the grid to appear.

Mark

I finally have a grid in the Buffalo market! Host channel shows 0:43-0 which is Buffalo PBS. Don't know which day it showed up, since I almost gave up checking. But, I did leave the box on all day today - but not tuned to PBS. I don't remember seeing a grid when I turned it on this morning.

This is with the new firmware installed, OTA only, using Buffalo zip code, in digital only market with no analog host. Can't tell for sure if it happened when the unit was turned off or on - but I strongly suspect it was while it was on.

Rochester TV is in tonight, so I've now entered a Rochester zip code and will leave the box on to see whether I get a grid and whether the host is analog or digital as Rochester still has both I believe.
What is the zip code number that you are using? I'm trying to see if the exact zip code is something we should look at?

As of Sunday evening – all still 100% operational here.

Since MySonyBox stopped receiving digital downloads on May 15th (or at least processing them) – the daily changes have been fast and furious. Way too many to post and discuss here. I was going to report the changes for just Sunday; but that alone would be a novel. So I will report where it stands at 5:55PM Sunday (where it ended up after all those changes).

The VBI download schedules always had FOUR station ID’s for my location (StID). Previously in just the last few days I reported the changes to new “Quality” codes for some of those StIDs.

Now there are only TWO StIDs for my location and ONE of those is repeated TWICE, for what I assume is both a digital version and an analogue version AND the digital is now listed FIRST not LAST like before.

The actual VBI downloads changed so many times during the day – I am not posting pictures to those; but at one point they went to five pages long. At 5:55PM they were 4 pages plus 1 line. I could assume that after June 12th it may end up being only 1.5 pages?

Here are the “new” DL Schedules at 5:55PM Sunday – and yes that is another new “Quality” code. The digital “clock” has also come back. But as of 5:55PM the actual VBI DLs appear to still be analogue – but with the new schedules it appears another change will be coming?

The box still shows the last ChannelMapID was on May 15th. Dozens of other date/times stamps have changed (updated current) on several screens that were stagnant for several weeks.

AFAIK, no one else has been reporting these types of changes the last two weeks?

The pictures below show the new Download Schedules in MySonyBox starting with page 1.

AFAIK, no one else has been reporting these types of changes the last two weeks?


As reported a few days ago, my DL schedule had changed on its own to all digital. The complete DL schedule was 1 1/3 screens only. By yesterday it had changed back to all analog.

Today it is still analog, but MV did the trick where I lost all listings except for today. (Well, Tuesday is there through 7:00 AM.) This has happened at least three times.

MV may keep me with just 1 day's listings for a while, or days 1,2,5,8 may begin to fill in, or things might change to digital and fill in most of the listings. It has happened in each of those ways previously.

This is cablecard with digital and analog hosts available and FW .21.

What is the zip code number that you are using? I'm trying to see if the exact zip code is something we should look at?

14209. But there was nothing for weeks using this zip code until yesterday.

Last night I set up my "test" Sony to receive the DTVPal+ signal via its cable input instead of the antenna input, so it can see both the antenna signal and the converted TVGOS data at the same time. (For the method using the antenna input, see post #17270 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16514692#post16514692).)

1. Connected the DTVPal+ RF output to the Sony's cable input, and turned it on.

2. Since I've always had the Sony in OTA-only mode, I had to get it to scan for cable channels. So I did a (Menu, Screen Mode, 9012) --> Reset User Preferences. In the initial setup which followed, I scanned for both antenna and cable channels. This took much longer than an antenna-only scan, at least a half hour. I ended up with one analog "cable channel", 3, as expected, in addition to my usual collection of OTA channels.

(Added 05-26-09: You don't have to use the hidden 9012 menu for this. You can use Menu --> Preferences --> CH +/- List --> Auto Scan --> Auto Scan Cable.)

3. Put the DTVPal+ into TVGOS mode via Menu --> Setup --> System Setup --> TV Guide & Guide+ --> Continue.

4. Used my "Scientific Atlanta" remote to set the DTVPal+ to my digital TVGOS host channel which is 19.1 (291 on the remote).

5. Verified that the converted signal on ch 3 includes TVGOS data by setting the Sony to (Menu, Screen Mode, 9012) --> TV Guide --> G* Factory Test and noting a steady trickle of VBI packets.

6. Reset the Sony's TVGOS via (Menu, Screen Mode, 9012) --> TV Guide --> Reset to Factory Default.

7. Turned the Sony off and on to bring up the TVGOS setup wizard. Selected both cable and antenna, and entered a Columbia ZIP code, 29201 (mine is outside the Columbia DMA).

8. Turned the Sony off.

At about 5:45am, after the nightly download period, I turned the Sony on and entered the guide. It asked me to choose a cable-ready lineup: AT&T UVerse, University of South Carolina cable system, or Time Warner Cable. I chose TWC. Most of the Columbia OTA channels were turned on. All of the TWC cable channels were turned off (whew!) except for 3 (which I expected) and 4 (which I didn't). I went into the channel editor and made the appropriate adjustments.

Finally, I checked the 753159852 diagnostic screens and found that the host channel had been set to 1:0-3, checked the converted TVGOS signal with the G* Factory Test, and turned the Sony off again.

At about 10:00am I turned the Sony on again and found partial listings for days 1, 2, 5 and 8. In the channel editor, I turned on the other OTA channels that I can receive, and turned the Sony off again. (Added: At 5:00pm, I had full listings for days 1, 2, 5 and 8.)

I'll keep this setup for at least three days, to see that I can get the full eight days of listings. Then I'll probably disconnect the DTVPal+ and clear the Sony's host channel so it updates the listings directly from 19.1 thereafter.

(Update 05-27-09: I was not able to get the full eight days of listings from the converted TVGOS signal. See post #17308 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16535320#post16535320).)

I used various zip codes listed in the DTVPAL+ in my sony. I noticed that when I turned the Sony on after a download the sony was tuned to channels, by name, that I do not receive. Not a problem but just info.

All,

My TVGOS and Clock are back - I know you were all rooting for me :)

I have emailed Frank at WKMG a few times ... and it appears that he was able to reset the system.

Both my VBI and clock channel now show 6-1 ... so it appears that I am fully digital! Let's hope it stays that way ....

So will our guides ever look like this (http://www.macrovision.com/products/ce_manufacturers/ipg_ce/tv_guide_on_screen.htm)?

That must be version 10. :rolleyes: Considering that we haven't even been upgraded from v8 to v9, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting to get v10 on our Sonys!

As reported a few days ago, my DL schedule had changed on its own to all digital. The complete DL schedule was 1 1/3 screens only. By yesterday it had changed back to all analog.

Today it is still analog, but MV did the trick where I lost all listings except for today. (Well, Tuesday is there through 7:00 AM.) This has happened at least three times.

MV may keep me with just 1 day's listings for a while, or days 1,2,5,8 may begin to fill in, or things might change to digital and fill in most of the listings. It has happened in each of those ways previously.

This is cablecard with digital and analog hosts available and FW .21.

This is exactly what's happening to me. I get listings through 4PM or so the next day but they come reliably every day. This started a couple of weeks ago. I have same setup with FW .21, cablecard and both digital and analog sources.

Happened to my unit. A soft reset brought back the tuner. Another reason I reverted to 1.2.09 firmware.
It kept repeating as long as I couldn't get VBI. Cheap trick by Sony to make money?

Thanks, I tried that but no luck. Still no digital OTA reception, and now my guide shows 100% "no listings". :confused:

I'm guessing either the ATSC tuner is fried or the relay the shifts the unit from digital to analog is stuck.

Has anybody had to use the Tweeter extended warranty service since they went belly-up? I understand it's still being honored, so I may have to find out first-hand.

I recorded the analog guide channel 11 with my analog dvr and fed the recorded signal to my HDD250 through a VCR, which converted the video to channel 4. The recorded video failed the vbi test.

In several of my previous postings, I reported that I no longer got analog guide data on channel 11, which I needed to run the above experiment. I thought that the problem could be my UHF antenna, so I tried rabbit ears, and with it, I got the guide data.

It's not clear that I need the recorded analog channel since my two Sony DVRs are getting guide data from only CBS HD. I've reset both of them because of lock-up but got the clock back within a minute by running the vbi test.
I haven't installed the new firmware. My units use versions .05, and .06.
Ray

Most people (me included) will never see that message, because if you can record fine from the guide, why would you try to schedule the recording manually instead?
for me, i only record the 3rd & 4th quarter of the nba games, so it starts way in the middle and ends about an hour later... i was able to record manually again over the weekend but now lost it again... also, my guide is only partially filled and i cannot discern a pattern on which channels have no listings and which ones have... since there's nothing much happening in tv this week (and i have a tivo HD as my primary DVR), i might just go ahead and reset TV Guide...

I recorded the analog guide channel 11 with my analog dvr and fed the recorded signal to my HDD250 through a VCR, which converted the video to channel 4. The recorded video failed the vbi test.


I'm really not surprised that this didn't work. After all, your "analog DVR" is in reality a Digital Video Recorder which has only an analog (NTSC) tuner. Anything it records on its hard drive is converted to digital, and loses its VBI information in the process. It only records the picture and the sound, and discards all the "other stuff". :(

I know someone who is looking to buy an HDD250 (or a 500 if cheap enough) if anyone has one for sale . . . . .

Hello all -

My head's about to explode after reading the latest 30 odd pages here (and I need to go watch that Onion video again) ... anyway, count me among the idiots that accidentally did a TVGOS reset instead of a G* Test. (Now I will only use the 971... code, though perhaps as some say this test is obsolete now.)

Anyway, I've had no grid / no listings since Thursday when I did the accidental reset. I went ahead and updated the firmware then (why not) and waited - took 2 overnights more to get to the latest TVGOS software, and finally after that I got a clock. Nothing since then. Have tried various DC and VA zip codes, to no avail.

I found the HostSUFlags info posted quite interesting. So I went ahead and reset the zip code (again) last night, and here's how my setup has reacted as of this afternoon:

- HostID has gone from 0x0 to 0x7 (which appears to match the dummy zip code in the DTVPal guide)

- Host channel is blank (has always been blank while I have been receiving listings digitally since local analog PBS 26 stopped transmitting TVGOS)

- Clock failing ch remained 0:9-1; clock set ch reverted to fffffffd and now has become 0:34-0 (don't know why one gives the mapped ch and the other the actual, but these are correct)

- HostSUFlags has gone from 0x000... to 0xd78... which in binary is 110-101-111-000 (adding the hyphens to make it easier to track). If Mark's discoveries are correct, that would seem to confirm my past idea that TimezonePkts are the problem. According to his post, all flags are set *except* the timezone bit and 1 of the 2 that seem to set after timezone.

- VBIState has gone from 0x03 to 0x05

I don't know why I have a clock without a timezone packet. Perhaps some data was cached. In the clock screens my version is up to 96 and menu time and offset are correct.

BUT in the VBI reception screen, I seem to be getting every packet I would need (including lineup and zipcode packets) EXCEPT for TimeZonePkts which is 0 and has been 0 since the reset. (Unfortunately I did not look at this before the reset to compare.)

On the ATSC slicer screen, packets normally increment when I'm tuned to CBS 9-1. Sometimes they don't, but always they have incremented when I check back later. And, I have a digital download schedule.

On the Memory Listings screen, *all* packets are shown as rejected, in all columns. All other data are zeroes.

So for me, all of this seems to confirm that timezone pkts are the missing link, and if one ever manages to get through, it will probably start working again. And if not, it's an expensive HD VCR.

I suppose I'll contact Sony and CBS (neither will amount to anything), and since seasons are over, I may as well experiment soon with a full machine restore, firmware upgrade and leave alone ON and later OFF procedure. Why not.

Good luck everyone.

I'm really not surprised that this didn't work. After all, your "analog DVR" is in reality a Digital Video Recorder which has only an analog (NTSC) tuner. Anything it records on its hard drive is converted to digital, and loses its VBI information in the process. It only records the picture and the sound, and discards all the "other stuff". :(

I think it retains closed caption stuff, which is also in the VBI.

Ray

This is exactly what's happening to me. I get listings through 4PM or so the next day but they come reliably every day. This started a couple of weeks ago. I have same setup with FW .21, cablecard and both digital and analog sources.

Yup, no change here. My listings now go through about 4:00 PM tomorrow, as do yours. I tried the running the G*Test with the unit on and then off with no luck. One of those actions seemed to cause a return to normal last time, but it was probably just a coincidence.

I think it retains closed caption stuff, which is also in the VBI.

RayYeah, legally they have to capture and re-create the CC, ratings, and emergency alerts, all travelling on VBI line 21. The TVGOS data is on other VBI lines that digital recorders of analog programming neither decode nor re-insert. The only thing that will work for this is a plain old vanilla analog VCR (not a combo VCR/DVD recorder unit.)

So will our guides ever look like this (http://www.macrovision.com/products/ce_manufacturers/ipg_ce/tv_guide_on_screen.htm)?

yeah...when the PanAm Space Liner takes us to earth orbit and we make a long distance call w AT&T and then fly off to the moon. (Oh that was supposed to be 8 years ago)

[...]

Anyway, I've had no grid / no listings since Thursday when I did the accidental reset. I went ahead and updated the firmware then (why not) and waited - took 2 overnights more to get to the latest TVGOS software, and finally after that I got a clock. Nothing since then. Have tried various DC and VA zip codes, to no avail.

[...]

- HostSUFlags has gone from 0x000... to 0xd78... which in binary is 110-101-111-000 (adding the hyphens to make it easier to track). If Mark's discoveries are correct, that would seem to confirm my past idea that TimezonePkts are the problem. According to his post, all flags are set *except* the timezone bit and 1 of the 2 that seem to set after timezone.

[...]

I don't know why I have a clock without a timezone packet. Perhaps some data was cached. In the clock screens my version is up to 96 and menu time and offset are correct. I believe you are very close to getting a grid. I would let it sit a couple of more days, to see if you get that elusive timezone packet. I'm almost 100% certain that you got one since you reset.


This is all good information. Are you certain that the front panel clock set after the last patch loaded, and not before? After each patch loads the unit resets which clears all the counts in the 753 menu. So if you had received a timezone packet before the last patch loaded, the field would have been cleared when the unit reset. Making it appear as if one had never been received.


On the Memory Listings screen, *all* packets are shown as rejected, in all columns. All other data are zeroes.


This happens because you don't have a grid.


So for me, all of this seems to confirm that timezone pkts are the missing link, and if one ever manages to get through, it will probably start working again. And if not, it's an expensive HD VCR.


I agree. The question that I have is why the delay in getting timezone (and in some cases) lineup packets? Are they really not sent out very often, or do the DHGs just miss 90% of them? This delay time also seems to vary from location to location, and apparently some people go for months without getting the packets they need (even Sony seemed to have a problem with this).


I suppose I'll contact Sony and CBS (neither will amount to anything), and since seasons are over, I may as well experiment soon with a full machine restore, firmware upgrade and leave alone ON and later OFF procedure. Why not.

Good luck everyone.


I'd hold off on any more resets and see what happens the rest of this week.

Mark

This is all good information. Are you certain that the front panel clock set after the last patch loaded, and not before? After each patch loads the unit resets which clears all the counts in the 753 menu. So if you had received a timezone packet before the last patch loaded, the field would have been cleared when the unit reset. Making it appear as if one had never been received.

Well, that's a good question. I guess I'm not 100% sure. I thought it set after, that the morning after the last SW update I expected there to be a clock and there wasn't until later in the day. But I could be wrong. If I give up waiting and do a full reset, I will certainly watch for that.

I agree. The question that I have is why the delay in getting timezone (and in some cases) lineup packets? Are they really not sent out very often, or do the DHGs just miss 90% of them? This delay time also seems to vary from location to location, and apparently some people go for months without getting the packets they need (even Sony seemed to have a problem with this).

I'd hold off on any more resets and see what happens the rest of this week.

Mark

Yeah, that sure is the question! I doubt we'll ever really know. It would be nice to at least know whether it wants to be off or on to get that magic packet.

Anyway, I guess I'll watch what it does for a while longer before I start over.

After each patch loads the unit resets which clears all the counts in the 753 menu. So if you had received a timezone packet before the last patch loaded, the field would have been cleared when the unit reset. Making it appear as if one had never been received.

Of course I totally forgot about that, so thanks! That makes sense.

[QUOTE=dms_dc;16531081]Hello all -

Heres what to do. Every night leave dhg set to your vbi channel. You can do manual recordings if needed , just return to vbi digital channel. I may take up to 30 days to get your grid back. If you loose the power you will can start counting days over. Some have gotten the grid in digital so good luck . Itr just don't come back quick.

As of Sunday evening – all still 100% operational here.

Since MySonyBox stopped receiving digital downloads on May 15th (or at least processing them) – the daily changes have been fast and furious. Way too many to post and discuss here. I was going to report the changes for just Sunday; but that alone would be a novel. So I will report where it stands at 5:55PM Sunday (where it ended up after all those changes).

The VBI download schedules always had FOUR station ID’s for my location (StID). Previously in just the last few days I reported the changes to new “Quality” codes for some of those StIDs.

Now there are only TWO StIDs for my location and ONE of those is repeated TWICE, for what I assume is both a digital version and an analogue version AND the digital is now listed FIRST not LAST like before.

The actual VBI downloads changed so many times during the day – I am not posting pictures to those; but at one point they went to five pages long. At 5:55PM they were 4 pages plus 1 line. I could assume that after June 12th it may end up being only 1.5 pages?

Here are the “new” DL Schedules at 5:55PM Sunday – and yes that is another new “Quality” code. The digital “clock” has also come back. But as of 5:55PM the actual VBI DLs appear to still be analogue – but with the new schedules it appears another change will be coming?

The box still shows the last ChannelMapID was on May 15th. Dozens of other date/times stamps have changed (updated current) on several screens that were stagnant for several weeks.

AFAIK, no one else has been reporting these types of changes the last two weeks?

The pictures below show the new Download Schedules in MySonyBox starting with page 1.

Follow up to my own post: Really have not noticed anyone with the same changes - but there have been more changes here (still 100% operational).

Last Sunday when the unit went whole hog digital - it appears to be because the local PBS (both analogue and digital) went off the air. There was a major 2-3 hour electrical storm going on just before those pictures where taken. I do not know if the PBS down time was due to the storm or if they just had some transmission problems (with or without TVGOS problems).

In any event as you saw from the pictures the unit went digital, and did one full digital down load that evening (full 70 and 97 codes).

By the next morning it went back to full analogue for the downloads.

All FOUR analogue StIDs came back and the digital StID (see pics above) completely disappeared (gone). All the digital "Quality" codes are gone too.

To me that almost indicates the unit can change back and forth from analogue to digital (and back) without any issues.

The real test should be about a month.

Two of our "major" local stations have broadcast on the "air" that much of their "transition" work will not be completed until late August. Typically, meaning their "antenna positions" and "power ups". Most for our area should have RF changes by June 13th (maybe two minor exceptions?)

Side Note: The VBI Download screens have become rocket science, once they got to 6 pages. Very comingled info there, you have to be on your toes to interpret.

My 500 was deliverred to Sony on 5/12. The website now says they need an extra 5 days for the repair. (Today is 5/27.)

In the past the turn around was fast, but the unit would return to me with a new problem. Hopefully, they are actually working on it and not just leaving it on a storage shelf somewhere.

In post #17286 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16523773#post16523773) I described setting up a Sony to receive TVGOS in an OTA-only setup, from a digital station converted to analog using a DTVPal+ CECB connected to the Sony's cable input.

On Sunday night the unit received a set of channel lineups, and after I chose one lineup early Monday morning, it received program listings for days 1, 2, 5, and 8 during the rest of Monday's data downloads.

However, during Monday night, all day Tuesday, and Tuesday night, as of 10 am today (Wednesday), I have received no further program listings except for very fragmentary listings on about four channels out of about thirty, last night. During this time my other Sony, which has been receiving program listings directly from the same station's digital signal, has consistently received full updates for day 8.

Therefore, I have stopped trying to get program listings via digital-converted-to-analog TVGOS. I disconnected the DTVPal+, then went into the guide and under Setup --> Change System Settings, I changed the ZIP code from 29201 (Columbia) to my own (29325), and chose only antenna reception (no cable). This cleared the host channel in the 753159852 screens, so I can use the digital host channel directly. One digital download period has now passed, and I have substantial partial listings for the missing days in the guide. By dinner time I should have nearly complete listings, matching my other Sony.

(Added 05-29-09: I did get mostly complete listings that day, with a few "No Title" and "No Listing." Since then the daily updates have been in step with my other Sony.)

I don't know why I successfully got full listings for the normal four days on Monday, but then failed to get anything more for two nights in a row. I haven't noticed any sigificant reception problems on my TVGOS host station. I've been careful to leave the Sony turned off during all the 3-hour analog download periods, with the antenna aimed in the correct direction. The 753159852 screens continued to list the host channel as 1:0-3 (analog cable 3).

I checked the signal on analog cable 3 regularly using the G* Factory Test to confirm that the Sony was still getting VBI packets from the converted signal.

Between downloads, during the evenings, I did turn the antenna away from Columbia to watch stations in Charlotte and Greenville, and thereby lost the signal from the host channel (19.1) during that time. Maybe that makes a difference. While the Sony was getting the channel lineups and that first batch of program listings, I had an uninterrupted signal from 19.1 through the DTVPal+ to the Sony.

This failure puzzles me, but I'm still satisfied with the way things have worked out with the DTVPal+. I can use it to get a new channel lineup when I need one, which isn't very often. I'd rather get the program listings directly from the digital host channel because the digital downloads are more efficient (all eight days at once, shorter download periods) and I don't need extra equipment for them. My equipment stand is open on all sides, so it's no problem for me to hook up the DTVPal+ occasionally, and then take it out when it's done its job.

[...]
On Sunday night the unit received a set of channel lineups, and after I chose one lineup early Monday morning, it received program listings for days 1, 2, 5, and 8 during the rest of Monday's data downloads.

However, during Monday night, all day Tuesday, and Tuesday night, as of 10 am today (Wednesday), I have received no further program listings except for very fragmentary listings on about four channels out of about thirty, last night. During this time my other Sony, which has been receiving program listings directly from the same station's digital signal, has consistently received full updates for day 8.
[...]



This sounds exactly like the problem that my DVR has. Mine gets guide data just fine, but when the host channel sets, I might get one more download, and then the listings stop. I change my zip code, get 1 to 3 days of downloads until my host channel sets again, and then nothing. Change zip code, and the process repeats. I verified with the other guy on this board from Wichita that his acts the same way. This is how I have become so familiar with what happens when you change the zip code on the DHG.

The other oddity is that this only happens when I setup my TVGOS and tell it I have an antenna connected. If I tell it I have cable only it locks onto the analog host channel on cable, and then everything works fine. If I then set it up, and answer yes to the antenna (in addition to cable), the problem re-occurs even though the host channel is still analog cable.

I keep wondering if I'm going to see more of this problem here as people go from the mixed environment back to digital only, and their host channel sets, and is no longer blank.

Is there anyone in an OTA digital only environment whose host channel is set, and who gets normal nightly guide downloads? Or is everyone's host channel blank?

Mark

Is there anyone in an OTA digital only environment whose host channel is set, and who gets normal nightly guide downloads? Or is everyone's host channel blank?

I would love to know this too. My host channel has always been blank since local analog PBS stopped transmitting TVGOS and I switched to digital/CBS. Until I stupidly reset it, it received listings pretty much perfectly for several months. Unfortunately, since everything was working, I did not go into the rest of the diag screens and get detailed info to compare to the current no grid situation. But the host channel definitely was always (and still is) blank.

Curious if I ever get a grid back and/or the host channel sets if it will work only intermittently with regular intervention needed or if it will go back to normal/no problems like it was before...

Now that we’re about to hit the final two weeks of analog, is there a summary of what the recommended steps are?

I’m OTA only, do have the latest TVGOS firmware download, but am still on old Sony hardware firmware. I’ve had two freezes in the last two weeks, where I lost my channel guide setup/order, but do have working TVGOS data for the last two weeks on my old analog host.

1. Should I upgrade the Sony firmware now, or wait? Works with analog host, or will it force me to digital one?

2. Should I make a VHS tape of host station to save the TVGOS firmware? What time do I start the tape and how many hours to record?

3. Once I have the new Sony firmware, is the recommendation that I just do the *G test, or do a full factory reset?

Part of me doesn’t want to break the currently working DVR, the other side of me doesn’t want to be up the creek when the analog option is gone.

I’ve been loosely following along, but it wasn’t clear to me after the firmware trials whether the new Sony firmware worked for most people, or if it didn’t.

-Erik

Now that we’re about to hit the final two weeks of analog, is there a summary of what the recommended steps are?

I’m OTA only, do have the latest TVGOS firmware download, but am still on old Sony hardware firmware. I’ve had two freezes in the last two weeks, where I lost my channel guide setup/order, but do have working TVGOS data for the last two weeks on my old analog host.

1. Should I upgrade the Sony firmware now, or wait? Works with analog host, or will it force me to digital one?

2. Should I make a VHS tape of host station to save the TVGOS firmware? What time do I start the tape and how many hours to record?

3. Once I have the new Sony firmware, is the recommendation that I just do the *G test, or do a full factory reset?

Part of me doesn’t want to break the currently working DVR, the other side of me doesn’t want to be up the creek when the analog option is gone.

I’ve been loosely following along, but it wasn’t clear to me after the firmware trials whether the new Sony firmware worked for most people, or if it didn’t.

-Erik

I can't answer all your questions, but for #2 I would say definitely do it. It's insurance. Use a plain old VCR, not a DVD combo unit. Record from 12:31AM to 5:34AM. That gets you a full set of ID27, ID81 and ID70.

Just today I upgraded one of my two units to the new .21 firmware. I'm waiting to see what it does before I upgrade the other one. I did have to do a G* test in order to get the digital flow going and get correct GMT again. Then I just turned it off and I'll see what happens. I still have an analog host here so it's a coin toss what it will select for a host (if any :D).

I'm really not surprised that this didn't work. After all, your "analog DVR" is in reality a Digital Video Recorder which has only an analog (NTSC) tuner. Anything it records on its hard drive is converted to digital, and loses its VBI information in the process. It only records the picture and the sound, and discards all the "other stuff". :(

I can report that my Toshiba DVD recorders do not capture VBI data that can been counted, even if played through a VCR. I've made VHS tapes of 24 hours of my host channel. I hope I don't need them, but they do work to get me up to 08.06.44 quickly. If I select my true zipcode I also get a channel lineup. As an aside, my Toshiba manual states that DVD output is not sent to the "RF Output" connector. It's pass-though only.

Now that we’re about to hit the final two weeks of analog, is there a summary of what the recommended steps are?

1. Should I upgrade the Sony firmware now, or wait? Works with analog host, or will it force me to digital one?


I installed the new firmware the day after it was released. The new firmware still prefers an analog host. If I enable cable, and OTA, the Sony finds the analog CBS host channel on cable. When I select OTA only the Sony finds the digital CBS host channel. I would recommend upgrading now.


[...]

3. Once I have the new Sony firmware, is the recommendation that I just do the *G test, or do a full factory reset?


I would not do a factory reset. The new firmware has not helped most of the people without grids (which is where you will be if you reset). The G* Test is optional. It isn't as informative now since it fails on digital channels, where as the old firmware would pass on digital channels. There is a new ATSC slicer screen in the 753 menu that gives you basically the same (actually more) information as the G* Test (without having to run the G* Test). I have only run the G* Test once or twice since installing the new firmware (I was just playing with it).


I’ve been loosely following along, but it wasn’t clear to me after the firmware trials whether the new Sony firmware worked for most people, or if it didn’t.


It didn't help most people who were without grids.

Mark

I would not do a factory reset.

Correction:
After re-reading your message, I realize you were talking about what to do before June 12. As long as you have an analog host channel in your area, you should be ok doing a factory reset. Although, if everything is working right, it is unneccesary to do it.

Mark

Record from 12:31AM to 5:34AM. That gets you a full set of ID27, ID81 and ID70.


Last week I ran a temporary cable to tie in my VCR to my antenna, and I recorded 4 nights of my analog PBS host station from 1:00am to 7:00am CDT. Did I screw up?

You have about half of a type 81 download, two full type 27's, and a full type 70 (the big one).

I'd try again, recording between midnight and 6:00 AM. That will give you one full download of each type.

Last week I ran a temporary cable to tie in my VCR to my antenna, and I recorded 4 nights of my analog PBS host station from 1:00am to 7:00am CDT. Did I screw up?

You might want to check your DL schedule pages to be sure Central time has the same schedule as Eastern & Pacific. I think they're the same, but I'm not sure of that. The times I mentioned in my previous post were PDT.

Now that we’re about to hit the final two weeks of analog, is there a summary of what the recommended steps are?

I’m OTA only, do have the latest TVGOS firmware download, but am still on old Sony hardware firmware. I’ve had two freezes in the last two weeks, where I lost my channel guide setup/order, but do have working TVGOS data for the last two weeks on my old analog host.

1. Should I upgrade the Sony firmware now, or wait? Works with analog host, or will it force me to digital one?
I'm also OTA only and have an analog host still available. The unit I upgraded yesterday went right back to the analog host. No surprise there really. :)

3. Once I have the new Sony firmware, is the recommendation that I just do the *G test, or do a full factory reset?
As Mabuttra said above, there should be no reason to do any reset as long as you still have your channel lineup. The upgrade does not wipe it out. I did do a G* test because after the upgrade GMT was wrong and had [2] after it indicating it was not receiving updates.

The G* Test is optional. It isn't as informative now since it fails on digital channels, where as the old firmware would pass on digital channels. There is a new ATSC slicer screen in the 753 menu that gives you basically the same (actually more) information as the G* Test (without having to run the G* Test). I have only run the G* Test once or twice since installing the new firmware (I was just playing with it).

Some of us need to run the failing G*Test on the digital host channel in order to get activity on the ATSC slicer screen.

Some of us need to run the failing G*Test on the digital host channel in order to get activity on the ATSC slicer screen.

I guess I should reveal the trick I use to get data on the ATSC slicer screen. This seems to work about 90% (maybe 95%) of the time. I should point out that I'm digital only, so it's possible that an enviroment getting analog TVGOS data, may actually turn off the digital data causing you to have to run the G* Test.

I previous posted this over on spiffspace.

When you tune to a channel, there is an info box (I believe it contains the actual PSIP information for the channel) that pops up about 2 seconds after stopping on a channel. I have consistently verified that if I press the TV Guide button before this info box pops up, that I get no packets counting in the ATSC slicer screen. If I wait until after the box goes away, I get packets counting in the slicer screen. There are some caveats to this. If, for instance, I am 3 channels away from my host channel and quickly change channels to get to it, I generally get no packets counting even if I wait until the info box goes away.

If I go into the 753 menu, and there are no packets counting, I can usually exit the 753 screen, channel down, wait for that channel's info box to go away, and then channel up, wait for that info box to go away, and then go back into the 753 menu.

My theory for this is, that when you stop on a channel the DHG detects whether it is an ATSC channel, by basically doing the same kind of ATSC test that the G* Test does. If it passes, it then starts processing any digital TVGOS packets that it finds. However, pressing the TV Guide button too soon interrupts this check, and it doesn't start processing the TVGOS packets.

As usual YMMV.

Mark

Yup, no change here. My listings now go through about 4:00 PM tomorrow, as do yours. I tried the running the G*Test with the unit on and then off with no luck. One of those actions seemed to cause a return to normal last time, but it was probably just a coincidence.

Well, mine locked up last night while watching a recording so I did a soft reset. Clock came back in about 3 seconds and by this afternoon I had 8 days of listings. Host is an analog cable station and clock set is the digital cable channel. Go figure.....

The VBI download schedules always had FOUR station ID’s for my location (StID). Previously in just the last few days I reported the changes to new “Quality” codes for some of those StIDs.

Now there are only TWO StIDs for my location and ONE of those is repeated TWICE, for what I assume is both a digital version and an analogue version AND the digital is now listed FIRST not LAST like before.


I had a change today. I now have the new 26 Qual code in my download schedule. Also, all the analog schedules are gone, and I only have the 1 digital schedule in the list. Too bad my downloads still aren't working right when the host channel sets (hear that macrovision? You're almost there, but not quite).

Mark

Well, mine locked up last night while watching a recording so I did a soft reset. Clock came back in about 3 seconds and by this afternoon I had 8 days of listings. Host is an analog cable station and clock set is the digital cable channel. Go figure.....

I was worse off today --- with only sporadic listings for day 1. So I did a soft reset and will see what happens overnight.

I guess I should reveal the trick I use to get data on the ATSC slicer screen. This seems to work about 90% (maybe 95%) of the time. I should point out that I'm digital only, so it's possible that an enviroment getting analog TVGOS data, may actually turn off the digital data causing you to have to run the G* Test.

I'm cablecard with digital and analog hosts available and your trick does not seem to work for me. My host is always analog (even though the DL schedule is all digital at times), so I guess our different environments give different results.

Well, mine locked up last night while watching a recording so I did a soft reset. Clock came back in about 3 seconds and by this afternoon I had 8 days of listings. Host is an analog cable station and clock set is the digital cable channel. Go figure.....

Were you recording a program at the same time?

On two recent occasions, mine reset while both recording and watching a program from the same station - on FX and Halmark. After reset, I tuned to CBS HD but it didn't aquire the correct time until I did the G test. Reset didn't affect either the listings or channel arrangement.

Many times the unit has lockup, and sometimes I've done the soft reset, and other times I leave the unit alone, and it resets by itself.

Ray

I had a change today. I now have the new 26 Qual code in my download schedule. Also, all the analog schedules are gone, and I only have the 1 digital schedule in the list. Too bad my downloads still aren't working right when the host channel sets (hear that macrovision? You're almost there, but not quite).

Mark

Update:
I just checked my guide this morning, and it is almost entirely filled in. My host channel is still set. When I got home from work yesterday, my host channel had set, and I had the usual 'No Listing' mixed with 'No Title' for day 8. This morning day 7, and day 8 are completely filled in except for a few 'No Listing' on my CBS station. The download schedule cleanup may have been what my unit needed.

Mark

I'm cablecard with digital and analog hosts available and your trick does not seem to work for me. My host is always analog (even though the DL schedule is all digital at times), so I guess our different environments give different results.

You are right, this works differently on cable. After reading your message I went, and tuned to my OTA digital CBS, and verified data on the ATSC Slicer screen. Then I tuned to the digital CBS station on cable (no cable card here, just clear QAM). There was no data on the slicer screen. I ran the G* Test, and then the data was there. As soon as I tuned off of that station, and then back to it, the data stopped. I tuned back to my OTA CBS again, and verified the data was still there on the slicer screen.

Mark

Were you recording a program at the same time?

On two recent occasions, mine reset while both recording and watching a program from the same station - on FX and Halmark. After reset, I tuned to CBS HD but it didn't aquire the correct time until I did the G test. Reset didn't affect either the listings or channel arrangement.

Many times the unit has lockup, and sometimes I've done the soft reset, and other times I leave the unit alone, and it resets by itself.

Ray

No, I was just watching a recording. I have had the watching one recording while recording another lockups happen in the past, however.

As reported my box has been full scale analogue for over a week. It currently says it is on PBS analogue 8-0. VBIHostFlag has not changed for about 5-6 days. VBIState (as normal here?) changes about 3 times a day.

Box is still 100% operational, with full 8 days.

Pictureswere taken Friday morning about 7:25am ATSC slicer page still has Host column all "zeros"

I wil be out of town till Monday.

Pics

I find it somewhat amusing that two DHGs sitting side-by-side, connected to the same antenna, OTA only and using the same analog host, end up with different results after upgrading to .21 FW. :eek:

Immediately after upgrading the 500 I checked things out. It still had a DL schedule with 6 analog IDs and one digital. It did not lose any listings. I had to do a G* test to get the data flow started and set the clock. After being off about 8 hours it had settled on its analog host and is behaving exactly as it did before the upgrade.

The 250 is another story. Immediately after the upgrade the DL schedule only had 3 IDs, all digital only and two were repeated twice. Day 8 listings were wiped out (and yes, they were there before I upgraded). I did not have to do a G* test; data flow and clock set happened right away. After being off all afternoon, the host was set to analog and the DL schedule was back to 6 analogs, 1 digital. This morning I find the host is still analog, but the DL sched is back to the 3 digitals only. I have day 8 listings but lots of "no title" entries whereas the 500 has a very solid day 8.

It's going to be an interesting transition. :D

Anybody have TWC in Kansas City area? Is TVGOS available either OTA or on TWC? I'm thinking of moving mine to my Mom's house.

On its 4th visit to Sony repairs Sony reports that they are unable to repair my 500. No replacemnt 500 is available.

They will send me $429 in compensation. I was upset and demanded the manager, but the pro-rated refund payment is "non-negotiable."

I phoned Sony Customer Relations, but they were not helpful.

I caved in. I'm taking the $429.

If they would have fixed the thing, I could easily have gotten $625 on eBay.

My Tivo HD with 1TB expansion drive has been flawless.

Farewell DHG-HDD500,

Dave

And now they'll probably fix it and sell it on ebay :rolleyes:;).

I don't know what I would've decided in your place, as my HDD500 cost me 800 bucks (or was it 700? - I don't even remember). I have a TiVo, too - but still...

And now they'll probably fix it and sell it on ebay :rolleyes:;).

I don't know what I would've decided in your place, as my HDD500 cost me 800 bucks (or was it 700? - I don't even remember). I have a TiVo, too - but still...

What choice is there? You take the $429 or they ship the box back to you.
And your not sure! That doesn't surprise me.

I was upset and demanded the manager, but the pro-rated refund payment is "non-negotiable."

I caved in. I'm taking the $429.
prorated for WHAT? :)

To all,
I have a SONY DHG DVR and have issues with cable card, the problem is CC is not seeing all the HD channels. For example I will get 703-712 then skips to 716 then skips to 726. The CC works fine ina TiVo but this is driving me crazy, Cox is saying nothing on their end, Sony has no answers. Has anyone else seen this....HELP !!!

To all,
I have a SONY DHG DVR and have issues with cable card, the problem is CC is not seeing all the HD channels. For example I will get 703-712 then skips to 716 then skips to 726. The CC works fine ina TiVo but this is driving me crazy, Cox is saying nothing on their end, Sony has no answers. Has anyone else seen this....HELP !!!Most Cox systems now use SDV to deliver many of their HD channels. Have you asked Cox whether they use SDV in your area?

The TivoHD is the only DVR that can tune SDV channels, so they are the only one to show those channels in the guide. However, even the TiVo won't tune those channels until you've connected Cox's SDV adapter.

What choice is there? You take the $429 or they ship the box back to you.You said it right there - have them send it back. That would be a valid choice to me - as long as the unit's in the box. If it isn't, it's lawsuit threatening time.

As far as what I would do with it then, that's my business.

Don't understand? That doesn't surprise me.

On its 4th visit to Sony repairs Sony reports that they are unable to repair my 500. No replacemnt 500 is available.

They will send me $429 in compensation. I was upset and demanded the manager, but the pro-rated refund payment is "non-negotiable."

I phoned Sony Customer Relations, but they were not helpful.

I caved in. I'm taking the $429.

If they would have fixed the thing, I could easily have gotten $625 on eBay.

My Tivo HD with 1TB expansion drive has been flawless.

Farewell DHG-HDD500,

Dave

What choice is there? You take the $429 or they ship the box back to you.
And your not sure! That doesn't surprise me.

You said it right there - have them send it back. That would be a valid choice to me - as long as the unit's in the box. If it isn't, it's lawsuit threatening time.

As far as what I would do with it then, that's my business.

Don't understand? That doesn't surprise me.
I did not read that they gave Dave a choice as to take the money or the machine. I guess that is an assumption. I would take the money and see if they would send back the unit as well. If it is dead, then they have little use for it.
As far as the pro-rated refund, consider yourself lucky. No one I know of will give you a full refund for a product that is 4-5 years old. Heck the life of electronics ( computers and the like) normally is only 3-5 years before they become obselete. Ever try to get your full price paid for a wrecked car by your insurance? Don't think so. Dave got a better deal than most. $429.00 for a product that was discontinued 3 years ago. And in this economy and top of that.
Michael

I would take the money and see if they would send back the unit as well. If it is dead, then they have little use for it.


They might. LG gave me an 85% refund after 15 months of problems and exchanges with a 3410A. They told me to keep the semi-working unit, but I had to remove the serial number tag from the back and send it to them.

However, I had the DVR in my possession at the time. In Cubit100's case, Sony has the unit. So they may not choose to send it back.

It's going to be an interesting transition. :D

I sincerely believe that if macrovision starts sending out the same data in other parts of the country, that is being sent out in Wichita, the previous digital related problems will all be gone. For the first time since February 17th, (my local CBS station had a 12 day digital data stream outage then, and my DVR has not quite worked the same since), my Sony is now working 100% correctly. I have a host channel set (which hasn't been a problem), and I've gotten downloads for the last 2 nights (which has been a problem). This coincided with the download schedule changes which included the new Qual code of 26 appearing that HoustonPerson is also getting, and the disappearance of the 5 analog schedules that were there before.

I have talked previously about it taking 3 days to get my host channel to set after I change the zip code. This week, I have been unable to get the host channel to blank out for more than 24 hours. Apparently the timezone packets that were only coming in about once every 3 days, are now coming in daily (much better). However, this was starting to pose a problem since, before Thursday night, I had to have a blank host channel to get nightly downloads. It's not a problem any more though. :D

Watch for the download schedule changes to hit your area, and I think things will be fine after June 12.

Mark

Heck the life of electronics ( computers and the like) normally is only 3-5 years before they become obselete. ... $429.00 for a product that was discontinued 3 years ago. And in this economy and top of that.
Michael
The life of TELEVISION and related recorders has been 10 to 20 years...and computer HARD DRIVES, in my experience, usually last 5 to 10 years

If you pay, say, seven hundred bucks for what is supposed to be a high-quality AV product, is SHOULD last at least TOWARDS ten years, including TVs, audios systems, and - I would say - a costly high-definition receiver/recorder...

computers become obsolete because of the ridiculously carelessly designed software and what that implies for the computer lifetimes themselves....what a friend of mine at Intel called the "virtual conspiracy" between hardware and software companies...

We used to get, and should continue to expect, better from what are essentially home appliances...if people WANT to upgrade their television or audio systems every5 years, that should be THEIR choice, and not forcced onto the rest of us

furthermore, if I understand correctly, the refund we are talking about arose because the unit was within warranty...

And, by the way, I only bought my Sony 3 years ago...I anticipate that it ought to work for many more years, perhaps with a hard-drive replacement some point...if it doesn't last, I will be genuinely disappointed, and if someone DIDN'T support an expensive product that was only 3 or 5 years old, I'd prefer that they just stay out of the business

just my opinion - Tony

Macrovision is "still working on restoring TVGOS in SC via PBS"...

I give up! My Sony is now for sale. 500gb of HD DVR via cable, cable card, QAM and OTA antenna.

If you want it, just email me at clemsonkev at yahoo dot com and make a fair offer. You can also search to find it listed under clemsonkev at ebay.

I'm sticking with MS Media Center and streaming to the xbox.;)

My girlfriend just left me a message that a new Pushing Daisies wiil be on tonight at 10:00 on ABC.
Michael

The life of TELEVISION and related recorders has been 10 to 20 years...and computer HARD DRIVES, in my experience, usually last 5 to 10 years

If you pay, say, seven hundred bucks for what is supposed to be a high-quality AV product, is SHOULD last at least TOWARDS ten years, including TVs, audios systems, and - I would say - a costly high-definition receiver/recorder...
furthermore, if I understand correctly, the refund we are talking about arose because the unit was within warranty...

just my opinion - Tony
I agree that electronics should work for a long time.
Hard drives should last for many,many years, but remember electronics are subjected to many variables--power quality, heat, dust and other in-house abuses. Todays electronics are not as fault-tolerate as older ones. My Kenwood amp and tuner I bought in 1971 is still working and I think that they cost around $600.00 each at the time. In todays dollars that would be several thousand each. In the 80's my first HiFi vcr was a Mitsubshi which cost $700.00 and only last for a couple of years. Was too costly to repair and did not get any pro-rated money back on it or toward a new unit. So Dave is lucky on that. Not sure what his warranty was. Did he have an extended warranty? These units only come with a 1 year warranty from the date of retail purchase. How much is the extended warranty?
High end units, these are not. Look at the media center that cost several thousand and up. Look at the media severs costing tens of thousands of dollars.
For what these units are and do without having to pay a monthly fee as with other devices, I think they are a good deal. If mine dies tomorrow, then so be it. I want lose any sleep over it. TV is not that important.
Expensive is a realative term. So as to these Sonys being expensive as compared to past electronics, I think not. It's just that people today expect to pay very little to get everything and more for that. Does not work that way. Michael

So as to these Sonys being expensive as compared to past electronics, I think not. It's just that people today expect to pay very little to get everything and more for that. Does not work that way. Michael
Actually, I thought the Sony was worth the relatively high cost, as I did the even more expensive LG 3410a I bought earlier. My first VCR cost me $300 (mid-80s), and I thought THAT was worth it, as I did my $300+ Pioneer receiver (top of their line in 1973, or at least near it)...all worth much more than most current devices, and more reliable...and the Pioneer still works well (as the VCR did when I retired it in the mid to late 90s). And I would like to think that the Sony and LG, also from reputable companies, and high-end for their time (indeed, unique for their time), ought to last, too - for which reason, I think that the makers would leave buyers on their own after only 3 or 4 years just makes me not trust the makers...we'll see how Sony behaves if their upgrade doesn't solve the digital issue...I know that LG has left owners out in the cold (together with Microvision disavowing any responsibility)

Further, the reality is that as time passes you CAN get more for an equivalent amount of money, because technology does advance...So you should expect an improved performance AND reliability for the relatively higher cost devices such as the Sony or LG (I'm not here talking about the VERY high-end multi-kilobuck devices, which are another thing entirely)

I did not read that they gave Dave a choice as to take the money or the machine. I guess that is an assumption. I would take the money and see if they would send back the unit as well. If it is dead, then they have little use for it.
As far as the pro-rated refund, consider yourself lucky. No one I know of will give you a full refund for a product that is 4-5 years old. Heck the life of electronics ( computers and the like) normally is only 3-5 years before they become obselete. Ever try to get your full price paid for a wrecked car by your insurance? Don't think so. Dave got a better deal than most. $429.00 for a product that was discontinued 3 years ago. And in this economy and top of that.
Michael

I just got a Tivo HD XL with lifetime. One reason - the hard disk can be replaced by the user in worst case. As long as the guide holds up, I should be OK.

I'm looking at the Sony as a supplement, but it may be replaced by a Tivo HD with lifetime.
I'm also looking at putting it in at my mother's house, but I need to find out if TVGOS is available in Kansas City.
Life will be interesting after June 15.

I'm also looking at putting it in at my mother's house, but I need to find out if TVGOS is available in Kansas City.

According to rabbitears (http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php) KCPT channel 19 is broadcasting TVGOS data in KC. However, who knows how well it is working, and whether you can get a channel lineup once it is there. I'm sure in time it will work right though. I'm surprised that there aren't any KC people here who can tell you this.

Mark

And KCPT is analog OTA I believe. TWC doesn't pass thru TVGOS here. If its digital counterpart OTA has it it might be workable.

Today, I got back a 500, which had gone to Sony in Laredo, TX for a hard disk failure. The hard disk now works and the firmware is 1.2.21, BUT the HDMI connector has no audio output, and only outputs 480P.

Tomorrow, I get to call and tell them they need to try for a third time to fix my DVR. I had high hopes this time because they told me that the DVR was sent for a quality inspection before shipping it back.

The Sony (on the back) has a warranty seal that had been put on in Pitsburg. Texas broke the warranty seal and sent the unit to me without putting a new seal on. Thus, they may falsely accuse me of openning the unit.

By eyeball the Sony HDMI connector looks OK. The audio is present on the DVR RCA connnectors, but I don't use those.

I tested with two known good HDMI cables to two different HDMI inputs on my Vizio. The same cables and Vizio display just fine from my Sony Blu-Ray player and from my Tivo.

When turned "on" the Sony says Auto HDMI in the window.

I'm afraid to do a Factory Reset, because I read on here the the Factory Reset from the 9012 menu erases the 1.2.21 update.

The repair invoice says: Constant Data Input/Output, Electrical Adjustment, Cleaned and/or Lubricated

Sony says nothing about fixxing the hard drive failure that had been reported by the DVR itself.

I'm pissed.

There's something fishy about this. This unit went in for a bad drive, they fixed that, but sent it back with bad HDMI (which you CAN do without), and now they say they'll give you $429??? Tell them you'll take $250 and to send your unit back. Many many people live with component and digital optical outputs on a daily basis, and are perfectly happy. :D

And KCPT is analog OTA I believe. TWC doesn't pass thru TVGOS here. If its digital counterpart OTA has it it might be workable.

rabbitears only shows the digital stations, so according to it, channel 19-1, 19-2, and 19-3 are broadcast on RF channel 18 with TVGOS data. It would still be better to find someone from KC who can verify this information.

Mark

There's something fishy about this. This unit went in for a bad drive, they fixed that, but sent it back with bad HDMI (which you CAN do without), and now they say they'll give you $429??? Tell them you'll take $250 and to send your unit back. Many many people live with component and digital optical outputs on a daily basis, and are perfectly happy. :D
good point...I've had my Sony on (pricey) component cables that I bought when I originally put my high-def system together in 2003, and they bring a picture that is indistinguishable from the hdmi cable, with the advantage that there aren't any "handshake" delays when I change channels...:)

Back in town a day early.

The Sony Box Status in post # 17330 is basically the same. One digital StID 5319 only in the download schedule. The VBI downloads are still 4 pages plus 1 line; but 80% of the lines have date time stamps with 80% of those with current date/time (about 20% still show 4/20 or 5/15 dates). Also, last month codes 97 would all be listed in a group together; they are now sprinkled throughout the VBI downloads.

Day 8 is now "No Listings" and the box is no longer receiving "Ads"

The ATSC slicer Host column and current are both blank, and the box still says the Host channel is PBS analogue 8-0

[...]
Day 8 is now "No Listings" and the box is no longer receiving "Ads"

The ATSC slicer Host column and current are both blank, and the box still says the Host channel is PBS analogue 8-0

I had a two week outage here where I got no downloads (No Listing). After being told by my CBS station that it was working fine, I finally got them to look into it more, and it started working the next day.

Also, this is the second time you have listed your host channel as analog 8-0, but 8-0 would be a digital station. Did you mean it is 0:0-8, or is it really showing as 0:8-0?

Does the ATSC slicing screen show counts in the "Since Cold" column? Do those counts change from day to day?

Does your Reception Slicing screen show HostChan counts, and Since Cold counts? Do those counts change day to day?

Mark

Over a month and a few calls to customer support and now they want ne to send the unit in for repair. :rolleyes:

I had a two week outage here where I got no downloads (No Listing). After being told by my CBS station that it was working fine, I finally got them to look into it more, and it started working the next day.

Also, this is the second time you have listed your host channel as analog 8-0, but 8-0 would be a digital station. Did you mean it is 0:0-8, or is it really showing as 0:8-0?

Does the ATSC slicing screen show counts in the "Since Cold" column? Do those counts change from day to day?

Does your Reception Slicing screen show HostChan counts, and Since Cold counts? Do those counts change day to day?

Mark


Hey Mark,

Here are 3 quick pictures from this Sunday morning.

The Sony box says analogue PBS 8-0 is the host – but I think that is “just-left-over” on the screen. I do not think the local PBS puts out TVGOS anymore? Their digital RF should be 9 here; but should change to 8 in June.

Finally, the ATSC slicer page is showing some activity again…..this morning Current Channel was blank, now there is some activity………when there is activity it just adds to the “Since Cold” column. My Host column has never had anything.

My HostSUFlags has stopped changing about 1 week ago. The VBI state: I think? has finally remained the same 0x07 since the VBI DL schedule changed to all digital on Friday – it use to change about 3 times a day.

At the time these pictures were taken – still no Day 8 and still no “ads”

Hey Mark,

Here are 3 quick pictures from this Sunday morning.


Thanks for those.


The Sony box says analogue PBS 8-0 is the host – but I think that is “just-left-over” on the screen. I do not think the local PBS puts out TVGOS anymore? Their digital RF should be 9 here; but should change to 8 in June.

If your PBS station isn't broadcasting analog TVGOS data, is there another station that is, or are you now receiving 100% digital TVGOS data?


Finally, the ATSC slicer page is showing some activity again…..this morning Current Channel was blank, now there is some activity………when there is activity it just adds to the “Since Cold” column. My Host column has never had anything.


Generally speaking, as long as you are tuned to OTA 11-1, you should have activity on that screen.


My HostSUFlags has stopped changing about 1 week ago. The VBI state: I think? has finally remained the same 0x07 since the VBI DL schedule changed to all digital on Friday – it use to change about 3 times a day.


Actually from this picture (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=141821&d=1241549334) you took on May 5, your HostSUFlags hasn't changed in the last month.

Mark

Well, I have no idea where my downloads are coming from. :rolleyes:

Both units still display analog 11 as host. The DL schedule is only digital now; 3 StIDs, 2 of which used to be analog schedules. Yesterday, day 8 was almost all "no listing" and although the version on the DL sched had incremented to 124, the time zone version was still at 120 which fit with pretty much having to downloads. I left the units on tuned to the digital host for most of the day and nothing changed.

To my surprise today, both units have day 8 plus all the missing stuff from what is now day 7 is filled in. Version numbers on the DL sched and time zone are updated to 128. Sure looks like I got digital downloads.

At this point I'm just along for the ride. :D

rabbitears only shows the digital stations, so according to it, channel 19-1, 19-2, and 19-3 are broadcast on RF channel 18 with TVGOS data. It would still be better to find someone from KC who can verify this information.

Mark

I am in Kansas City. I applied the update and haven't had any problems yet.
I assume I am still getting the listings from analog channel 19. I haven't tried changing yet.

There's something fishy about this. This unit went in for a bad drive, they fixed that, but sent it back with bad HDMI (which you CAN do without), and now they say they'll give you $429??? Tell them you'll take $250 and to send your unit back. Many many people live with component and digital optical outputs on a daily basis, and are perfectly happy. :D
I considerred asking for it back and selling it with faulty HDMI. However, (after sleeping on it) I realized that every time they sent the 500 back to me something new was wrong with it. I might have gotten back a brick.

So, I took my loss. They say they will mail a check on 6/5.

Sony used to do the repairs in Pensylvania. Now, they are done in Laredo Texas. Everyone is still polite, but I suspect the level of technical experience on DHGs is not good in Texas.

Thanks for those.


If your PBS station isn't broadcasting analog TVGOS data, is there another station that is, or are you now receiving 100% digital TVGOS data?



Generally speaking, as long as you are tuned to OTA 11-1, you should have activity on that screen.



Actually from this picture (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=141821&d=1241549334) you took on May 5, your HostSUFlags hasn't changed in the last month.

Mark

since those shots were taken mid morning; the day 8 finally filled in completely-checked just after lunch

yes the DL schedules still on just the "one" StID 5319 digital there are no others at all since last Friday (was usually 4 StID (once long time ago 5), then a week or so ago was only 2 StID; then back to the 4 analogue only, and then last Friday the "1" digital only and that is were it stands-has not changed AFAIK. See the previous pictures from last Friday; the first 1.5 pages.

the HostSUFlags had been changing a good bit; it had not changed for at least one week. The VBI state change several times a day (but that stopped changing last Friday).

One thing that is still very odd is the amount of "hang over" in the information screens. While many feel the Host reported could possibly be "Blank" - mine still shows analogue 8-0. Maybe a soft reset would clear out the "hang over" data? I will leave it alone since it works fine. The last reset was a machine self reset on 4/18/09 just before midnight.

Channel Map ID last changed on May 15th with an older version number. It only appeared for the first time about May 7th, after being completely blank since about March 15th or there abouts. During the "1" week of May that field changed up to 3 times a day. IMO I think it was doing that to get both analogue and digital ChannelMap in sync so the change could be made with less problems. Just a guess.

All 8 days are complete; but still no ads (as of noon today).

For those on Comcast in the Portland,OR/Vancouver,WA area, TVGOS data is now transmitted on digital cable channel 80 (which serves up both KOIN 6.1 and KPDX 49.1). The TV guide data is embedded in KOIN 6.1's transport stream, just like OTA 6.1.

I am in Kansas City. I applied the update and haven't had any problems yet.
I assume I am still getting the listings from analog channel 19. I haven't tried changing yet.
Are you getting it OTA or from cable?

Monday morning update: Back to 100% analogue. All 4 analogue StID’s are back and the ONE digital along with its codes 97’s are “gone”. Full 8 days with “ads” HooRay!

Pic 7186 and 7188 – HostSUFlags change but VBI state has not changed yet – I expect it too or assume it will since it is now back to analogue-we shall see? Notice several other changes on that screen. Anyone like to comment? I have no real idea what the other changes are?

No change in ChannelMapID – still the same from May 15th

Pic 7189: Page 1 shows the last of my digital downloads occurred on May 31st. But the Box is now back to analogue (and pages are reduced) there are no code 97’s

Pic 7190: Page 2 shows the first of the analogue code 70 download.

Pic 7191: Page 3 shows some of the downloads (assume some digital and some analogue); left overs from April 20th – a few days after the .21 update (typically page three would often hold the first grouping of code 97’s – all gone now.

Pic 7192: No real news here-some recent old data and some much older data – just left over stuff-no current information.

It appears to me that MV was doing some sort of testing over this last weekend in Houston. Weekend testing seems to have been the “norm” for 2-3 months now. This time it was more significant. IMO PBS TVGOS was turned “off” last Friday and only CBS digital was available, and then the PBS analogue was back on again first thing (midnight?) Monday morning. Generally, all appeared to work fine on digital, except the ads were gone (whoopee!).

IMO, I still think a “soft reset” would clear out a lot of the “left over” history data and not be an issue if I were to do so. But I am not going to rock the boat. Any type of reset may or may not be required in the future.

Missing Pic from above Pic 7189

Are you getting it OTA or from cable?

OTA, I don't have cable.

How long has channel 5.1 not been broadcasting VBI data in the SF bay area? That explains why my DTVpal dvr guide is so flaked out. It's all PSIP.

How long has channel 5.1 not been broadcasting VBI data in the SF bay area? That explains why my DTVpal dvr guide is so flaked out. It's all PSIP.
as far as I can tell from my test DTVPal/LG3410a, they stopped broadcasting the LEGACY stream Friday night - at least I don't see the converted vbi packets any more, when I check with my 3410a - but I can't say anything specifically about the normal digital TVGOS...if they're not broadcasting that stream either, it just means some more shenanigans from Microvision...maybe they'll get it right this time around....

(My Sony is still getting its data from PBS 9...at least that's what the diagnostic screens say.)

Ok, here we go again.

While watching the recording of Part I Diamonds last night (while recording another dumb show) – the “picture” froze but the “sound” kept playing-never did that one before. It held that way for about 4-5 seconds – “Oh Poop” so I picked up the remote – cued at “3” and hit “play”, ok that’s fixed and we watched the last 10 minutes of the recording. (Assumed it got overwhelmed because it was attempting to go all digital again-see next paragraph).

Before turning the unit off last night, thought I would check things out and was not expecting much. Well it went all back to 100% digital; with only “1” StID and a VBI state change again. The actual downloads as such had not yet begin. Pics 7193 through 7195 tell that story.

Well scratch all that, VBI state is now back to it’s so called "normal" analogue state again – and sure enough the "1" digital StID is “gone” this morning, and the “4” 100% analogue DL schedules are back. The box reports it got only the “one” analogue code 70 download last night. No reason to take or post the pictures – but for those interested here is the VBI state change again Pic 7196

Well, I tried the "simulated vacation" method, leaving my DHG off and alone for 3 or 4 days. When I checked it yesterday, lo and behold, I had a channel grid at last and pretty full listings.

- VBIState went to 0x08 (had been 0x05)
- HostSUFlags went to 0xff8.... (= binary 111-111-111-000, so all flags were set finally)
- finally got a LastDLStart and LastDLEnd
- and of course, the magic ingredient, TimeZonePkts now showed 3 received (instead of 0)
- Host channel showed 0:34-0

That was the good news. The bad news is, looking through today, there are No Listings scattered here and there, mostly on Day 8, but elsewhere too. And:

- Host channel is now blank
- VBIState has reverted back to 0x05
- HostSUFlags has reverted back to 0xd78.... (so the TimeZone flag and one of its related flags are now false again)
- LastDLStart shows the same day as it did the day previously, just an hour later
- LastDLEnd now shows n/a

So it will be interesting to say how the machine reacts over the next days.

Sony used to do the repairs in Pensylvania. Now, they are done in Laredo Texas. Everyone is still polite, but I suspect the level of technical experience on DHGs is not good in Texas.

That's too bad - mine was repaired in PA when the hard drive died, and it came back working perfectly, and the turnaround was quite fast. (And the extended warranty through my credit card even covered it.)

Well, I tried the "simulated vacation" method, leaving my DHG off and alone for 3 or 4 days. When I checked it yesterday, lo and behold, I had a channel grid at last and pretty full listings.

- VBIState went to 0x08 (had been 0x05)
- HostSUFlags went to 0xff8.... (= binary 111-111-111-000, so all flags were set finally)
- finally got a LastDLStart and LastDLEnd
- and of course, the magic ingredient, TimeZonePkts now showed 3 received (instead of 0)
- Host channel showed 0:34-0


My only observation is that I don't think I have had the LastDLEnd show anything other than N/A since I lost my analog host (January).


That was the good news. The bad news is, looking through today, there are No Listings scattered here and there, mostly on Day 8, but elsewhere too. And:

- Host channel is now blank
- VBIState has reverted back to 0x05
- HostSUFlags has reverted back to 0xd78.... (so the TimeZone flag and one of its related flags are now false again)
- LastDLStart shows the same day as it did the day previously, just an hour later
- LastDLEnd now shows n/a

So it will be interesting to say how the machine reacts over the next days.

With the host channel being blank, the LastDLStart won't update until the host channel sets again. I was disappointed to see your HostSUFlags change from 0xff8. I was under the assumption that once the bits all set, that they wouldn't arbitrarily clear. Although HoustonPerson mentioned that his also changes state. Mine seems to stay at 0xff8, but I haven't had my host channel blank out recently either. I wonder if it is possible that when your host channel blanks out, it completely clears that field, and that is the value it had gotten back to? Does it still show that you have received 3 timezone packets?

Mark

Right now I am too lazy to take pictures. The Lock-Up last night was heavy duty. At exactly 8PM we wanted to watch the part II of Diamonds and the same time the unit was to start recording. It locked up real good.

So I just left it on, and we decided to watch a BluRay. In about 5 minutes I notice the Box did a self reset (Welcome, etc) and the clock came back about 5 minutes off. Of course after the self reset it was “off”. I just left it that way until the BluRay was over.

I turned it on – it locked up solid again AND it froze the clock too. Watched a little news, did some chores, etc. Still locked-up so I just unplugged it. After about 5 minutes I plugged it back in and this time it got the correct time in about 3-4 minutes.

This morning all seems 100% operational, full eight days; several new program listings that were not there before-but not unusual. About two-thirds of the informational screens are wiped cleaned. ATSC slicer is starting over and has almost nothing on it. The box is now 1,000% analogue. It has analogue clock AND the “failing clock” is analogue as well. MySonyBox has not had an analogue “failing” clock in several months?

Both VBI State and HostSUFlags are what I call normal standard analogue and have gone back to 0x08 and 0xff800000. Basically the rest of that screen is wiped clean and the number of clock sets is “7” – it started over.

This overall phase of “lock ups” is somewhat similar to the end of January and beginning of February – that ultimately forced me to do a full factory reset – when none of the soft resets (or others) would work.

We may attempt to watch Part II of Diamonds tonight? Wife will have to tell me! LOL

After reading through some of my own posts and knowing there have been long phases of digital operation, and know knowing it has gone back to 100% analogue; has led me to believe it may have created one of those internal software hiccup’s that is causing the last couple of days of lock ups?

Time will tell, so I am leaving it alone for the time being – but if the box does not snap out of it and the other milder resets do not work, then I feel a Full Factory Reset may be the only answer. Of course that could make it a brick.

Will take it all “one day at a time”

Will take it all “one day at a time”
good idea...and I would in any case postpone doing anything drastic (like a full hardware reset) until least a week or so after June 12, at which point - if nothing has happened - I'd call the local newspaper and ask THEM to find out what is going on...

If THAT didn't get a quick result, I would try the DTVPal fix, since I happen to have one, and apparently that has been found by others to boot a v8 device up to the point where the the unit can take over...of course, this will only work if the digital TVGOS station is actually broadcasting the legacy stream..

Remember, we've now reached the season when there isn't much new on TV...time to turn on the ol' DVD player...Netflix anyone??? to wait out the storm, as it were...:)

Macrovision is "still working on restoring TVGOS in SC via PBS"...

I give up! My Sony is now for sale. 500gb of HD DVR via cable, cable card, QAM and OTA antenna.

If you want it, just email me at clemsonkev at yahoo dot com and make a fair offer. You can also search to find it listed under clemsonkev at ebay.

I'm sticking with MS Media Center and streaming to the xbox.;)

Kevin -

I sent you a PM.

HostSUFlags has changed to 0xbf800000 (that means nothing to me) and the "clock sets" have gone from 7 to 9 (to be expected).

Perhaps the change back to “bf” on the HostSUFlags at noon today meant it is getting ready to change back to digital?

Anyway, at 2:15PM today the 4 standard StID’s for analogue are now gone replaced with just 2. The first is the normal 5319 digital for this area; a very “odd” looking 4505 (only 2 code 70’s DLs?), and an analogue 5319.

Now that the digital schedule is back (I do not expect it to last long), the previous “history” of digital downloads of 5/31/09 are back, as well as last night’s 2:30am analogue download (top of page 2 Pic 7201). Also notice the codes 97’s are back on page 2 and 3; but of course they are blank because the place holders were cleared out (the actual 97’s placeholders are cleared; whereas the 70’s placeholders are always there-with our without historic data).

No new actual digitals DLs have been noted at this time and really no way to tell what it may do next. The box still reports “analogue” otherwise (Clock, DL’s etc)

After reading through some of my own posts and knowing there have been long phases of digital operation, and know knowing it has gone back to 100% analogue; has led me to believe it may have created one of those internal software hiccup’s that is causing the last couple of days of lock ups?

Time will tell, so I am leaving it alone for the time being – but if the box does not snap out of it and the other milder resets do not work, then I feel a Full Factory Reset may be the only answer. Of course that could make it a brick.

Will take it all “one day at a time”A fix to the "lockup" problem (which is not related to other TVGOS problems, though probably related to TVGOS data corruption) is posted here: http://www.spiffspace.com/forum/index.php?topic=38.0 . May I assume you've tried this and it does NOT solve your lockup problem?

A fix to the "lockup" problem (which is not related to other TVGOS problems, though probably related to TVGOS data corruption) is posted here: http://www.spiffspace.com/forum/index.php?topic=38.0 . May I assume you've tried this and it does NOT solve your lockup problem?

Yes tried that a couple of times back in the Jan/Feb time frame, it did not work (side note: not necessiarly related, MySonyBox had not added new channels - but tried the fix two times just the same)

Last nite, the unit was able to record 3 shows, we watched one recording, and then "chased" - you have no idea how to dance. No lock ups at all, worked perfectly. So I suppose the unplug reset fixed the problem created a few nights ago when the Box went into its digital/analogue fit changovers.

This Thursday Morning Update: As expected the box is back to 100% analogue - no digital schedule now, no code 97's, ATSC slicer page is dead again.

I think the box (at least at my house) will go to either analogue or digital if it is able to maintain a solid reliable signal.

Regarding TVGOS specifically at my house the RF's, antenna broadcast power-ups, and antenna broadcast positions, will ALL be changing. Some of those will be June 12th; but some of the "power-ups" and "positions" will not be completed until September 1st

Regarding TVGOS specifically at my house the RF's, antenna broadcast power-ups, and antenna broadcast positions, will ALL be changing. Some of those will be June 12th; but some of the "power-ups" and "positions" will not be completed until September 1st

Will your analog host channel be gone after June 12? To me, that is all that would matter. Until you are rid of your analog host channel, your DHG's behavior will be unpredictable. My digital host channel is switching from UHF to VHF, but I'm not concerned about that happening.

Mark

Will your analog host channel be gone after June 12? To me, that is all that would matter. Until you are rid of your analog host channel, your DHG's behavior will be unpredictable. My digital host channel is switching from UHF to VHF, but I'm not concerned about that happening.

Mark

Currently we have a lot of intermittent problems due to multiple issues at our house (and a few thousand others on the far north side of Houston). RF conflicts, low power, etc.

I believe all of our analogue RF will be gone June 12th except for maybe 2 or 3 low power, that should not affect us. The total number of RF’s will be about half what it used to be, so that alone will help a lot.

Our analogue TVGOS is suppose to be gone June 12, and our CBS digital host should change from RF 31 back to RF 11 – but their antenna “locations” and “elevations” and “power ups” may be as long as September 1st. All of those changes combined should solve all the current reception problems we (and thousands of others) have with those stations.

One of the things that may be an issue for us: The local CBS I believe is doing their work in about 3 (maybe 4) major phases. I do not remember the order or dates, but it was something like this:

June 12: RF change
Next date: temp change in antenna position
Next date: Partial Power up
Next date: Full Power Up and Final antenna position (end of August)

In time we should end up with strong digital RF’s for 8,11, and 13 (PBS, CBS, ABC), there is a weaker RF10 but that should not bother us at all.

You are correct just getting rid of the analogue TVGOS may be the only cure we need; but I do know we also need a solid, constant CBS digital which we currently do not have. I am hoping all their antenna work solves the problem for good.

I've been seeing lots of lockups and bizarre behavior over the last week (guide received OTA from analog TPT 17 in Minneapolis). Pushing Daisies recorded OK last Saturday but the DVR locked up as I began to play it during the final minutes of the broadcast. I waited until the broadcast was over and then reset the DVR from the front panel. When it came up, the DVR's clock reverted to thinking it was at the START of the previous hour and so the DVR started trying to record the Pushing Daisies episode again, wiping out the previous correct recording in its entirety :( but leaving TWO entries in the list of recordings, both pointing to the same new junk (the program immediately following). FAIL. Guess the reboot was a mistake...

One of the things that may be an issue for us: The local CBS I believe is doing their work in about 3 (maybe 4) major phases. I do not remember the order or dates, but it was something like this:

June 12: RF change
Next date: temp change in antenna position
Next date: Partial Power up
Next date: Full Power Up and Final antenna position (end of August)



I'm surprised they are waiting until after June 12 to do all this work. My CBS station is also switching their RF from channel 19 back to channel 12. Over the last few weeks they have been preparing the switch (antenna work, etc.). They have been doing most of the work during the day, and shutting down to half power while they do it. I can no longer receive them when they are at half power, but it hasn't affected my guide data, since the guide is filled in overnight, before they shut down in the morning. Hopefully your station will do something similar.

Mark

I'm surprised they are waiting until after June 12 to do all this work. My CBS station is also switching their RF from channel 19 back to channel 12. Over the last few weeks they have been preparing the switch (antenna work, etc.). They have been doing most of the work during the day, and shutting down to half power while they do it. I can no longer receive them when they are at half power, but it hasn't affected my guide data, since the guide is filled in overnight, before they shut down in the morning. Hopefully your station will do something similar.

Mark

We have about 6 stations in conflict. The original plan was for all the stations to get all the work done in 2 or 3 days max in February. But with the DTV transition mess, none of the stations could sync all the work to be done - all new contruction contracts were required., so apparently they decided to try to spread it out a bit.

According to Antenna Web we could loose up to half of our digital major networks (on the far north side of Houston 35-40 miles out); but according to Rabbit Ears when all the work is completed the "majors" will have significantly better coverage than the old analogue ever did - Perhaps all the way up to Huntsville TX. The Rabbit Ears information appears to be the most accurate (at least for Houston and Dallas). The Rabbit Ears does show the 4 stages for the local CBS digital plans - but they are impossible for me to read the techno stuff regarding the dates and their codes? There are also multiple stages of work for PBS and ABC. It is those 3 stations that are in conflict here. Both ABC and CBS have their antenna on the back side of the tower (their own tower is in the way for sending signals to the north side); because their analogue antenna is on the "top" of the towers. That tower blockage plus both ABC and CBS currently use RF 31/32.........those two conflicts create major multi path for a large percentage on the north side.

Overall, I think it will be a lot better (in time) - but the Antenna Web shows some of the most "bad" stuff: Like FOX is now green for our house with a tiny antenna and it is to go to dark purple to "no signal at all" with the largest antenna made. I just think the Antenna Web info is just plain wrong. Rabbit Ears seems more accurate IMO. A few years back Anenna Web use to be dead on for us (both Houston and Dallas)- but now their new calculations seem just way off the mark IMO.

This picture is from this morning. But also checked at noon today and more digital DLs continue to roll-in. For just over 12 hours the box has been 100% digital.

Perhaps the analogue TVGOS has been turned "off" for good?

It is also downloading the "ads" this time as well.

There are a couple of minor "listings" errors (I found two where the "Program Title" does not match the "info button" data), but not an issue they will roll out and self correct.

If the box starts a digital "InLineScan" at the same time you hit a button on the remote - you might think it has locked up solid. You may want to wait a minute before you go to extreme measures. Once the scan has begun its download the "frozen remote" will release itself and function normally.

That whole process should be less than a minute.

I was disappointed to see your HostSUFlags change from 0xff8. I was under the assumption that once the bits all set, that they wouldn't arbitrarily clear. Although HoustonPerson mentioned that his also changes state. Mine seems to stay at 0xff8, but I haven't had my host channel blank out recently either. I wonder if it is possible that when your host channel blanks out, it completely clears that field, and that is the value it had gotten back to? Does it still show that you have received 3 timezone packets?

Mark

Yes, it still had 3 timezone packets.

Well, the following day the Host Channel filled back in and HostSUFlags is back to 0xff8. And I had 4 timezone packets. So looks like it's not entirely stable yet.

Listings seem to be mostly normal, except last night there were no Day 8 listings. Who knows what I'll find tonight.

Then there's the question of having to pick up CBS on their original VHF channel after 6/12; not sure what my supposedly UHF-only Silver Sensor is going to think about that....

Yes, it still had 3 timezone packets.

Well, the following day the Host Channel filled back in and HostSUFlags is back to 0xff8. And I had 4 timezone packets. So looks like it's not entirely stable yet.

Listings seem to be mostly normal, except last night there were no Day 8 listings. Who knows what I'll find tonight.


I came home tonight, and my host channel was blank. This is the first time in a long time that my host channel blanked out without me doing anything to make it blank. My HostSUFlags were 0xc28. I believe that field must have cleared back to 0x000 (rather than just 5 bits clearing to 0), since the bits that are set are usually the first ones to set after that field clears. Maybe in a digital environment, the host channel will just periodically blank out on its own.


Then there's the question of having to pick up CBS on their original VHF channel after 6/12; not sure what my supposedly UHF-only Silver Sensor is going to think about that....


Fortunately, I've already had the test to see if I can get my CBS station when it moves back to VHF. My PBS station moved from UHF back to VHF on 2/16, and I stopped receiving it. I finally bought a new antenna, and can now receive it again. It is the weakest station of all the ones I can receive. It is also the same direction, and distance away from me as CBS is. So I'm pretty sure that I'll still be able to receive CBS when they move next Friday.

Update: This morning my host channel was set again. It was blank for less than 16 hours.

Mark

At this point in time the Digital TVGOS appears to be up and running 100% and fully operational; with the Analogue TVGOS now turned "off".

I do hope it stays that way for the rest of the week.

At the end of the week will be re-scanning and counting toes. Just hope we do not lose primary HD channels.

One improvement - IMO - is the ability of the Guide to update during the day and also while the box is "ON" - I have seen programs update with accurate current data, and corrections made. That to me is a plus.

At the end of the week will be re-scanning and counting toes. Just hope we do not lose primary HD channels.Don't really want to lose the subchannels, either. We have quite a few worthwhile ones here.

Our local FOX station has a PSA running this morning saying their DTV Transition will not be completed until August 12th. If I understood correctly the RF will not change until that time; but the analogue will be turned off June 12th so they can complete their antenna work.

I have not heard any other stations list their actual plans yet on PSA’s just yet. I just “know” that Houston peeps will need a half dozen or so re-scans between now and September to October. It is unfortunate for those that don’t know what is really going on will just simply think their TV’s died.

MySonyBox is still 100% digital; but it lost the “ads” last night-Pic 7210.

And another mild change in the “P” line. Pics 7141 and 7209 – I have no idea what it is.

There was a new schedule rolled-in for Wed Night "think you can dance" went from 1 hour program to a 2 hour program, that created a schedule record "conflict". That was a Day 4 modification - just way KEWL.

I lost all my ads here in florida also last night. MV must be up to something???

No ads here on either unit. One of my DHGs is definitely still all analog and the DL sched has 6 analog StIDs plus 1 digital, but the other unit only has a digital schedule and I think that's where it got day 8 listings today because the time zone version did not update although the DL sched version did. Who knows? :eek:

P: code has changed again (at least twice today).

It went to analogue clock and back to digital in a 3 hour period.

Went from full 4 analogue DL schedules and has since resumed digital downloads, with 1 digital DL schedule.

Lots of fun.

I lost all my ads here in florida also last night. MV must be up to something???

No ads here either today. I didn't think much of it, since the ads seem to come, and go a lot here.

Mark

Same here. No ads on three units.

Additionally, when one unit was turned on today it asked for confirmation of which cable system to use and it had reordered the location of the channels in the guide. That unit was also slow to respond to the remote. Reordered the important channels and turned it off for now with nothing scheduled to record.

Something obviously happened.

No ads and listings stop at 3am 6/10. Doesn't sound like an isolated problem.

No ads and listings stop at 3am 6/10. Doesn't sound like an isolated problem.
nope...just checked my unit, and no ads...(but still have 8 days of listings)

not only that, CBS 5.1 is off the air! maybe they changed things around a bit too much! :)

ADDENDUM: wow...decided to check the diagnostic screens and found a major change...only ONE station's downloads remain in the DL schedule, whereas BEFORE there have always been half a dozen, including ONE (5275) that USED to have a digital download pattern, but has only had an analog pattern in recent weeks (i.e., 70, etc grouped together and NO 97s)! NOW the download schedule from 5275 is the only one that's left! and each type is grouped together (no interleaving), including all the 97s being at the end.

On the other hand, the DL record is still 5 pages long with lots of downloads for 6/7, but no 97s even in the list. So this massive change in the DL schedule must have taken place today.

...given that the schedule is evidently one for the digital station, but my HOST channel is still PBS 9, I wonder what's going to happen tonight, especially considering that CBS 5.1 is still off the air.

Tomorrow, we'll see...

ADDENDUM: wow...decided to check the diagnostic screens and found a major change...only ONE station's downloads remain in the DL schedule, whereas BEFORE there have always been half a dozen, including ONE (5275) that USED to have a digital download pattern, but has only had an analog pattern in recent weeks (i.e., 70, etc grouped together and NO 97s)! NOW the download schedule from 5275 is the only one that's left! and each type is grouped together (no interleaving), including all the 97s being at the end.

Tomorrow, we'll see...


LOL, see my previous 800 posts LOL; sometimes 4 StID all analogue, sometimes 1 StID just digital, sometimes a mix of both with 2 or 3 StIDs'.

Sometimes 97s' at the end, sometimes mixed all over 5 pages.

Have not had the courage to turn it on this morning. LOL

Same here. No ads on three units.



Now, overnight, listings are missing too.

No ads here either today. I didn't think much of it, since the ads seem to come, and go a lot here.

Mark

I checked this morning, and the ads are back.

Mark

nope...just checked my unit, and no ads...(but still have 8 days of listings)
not only that, CBS 5.1 is off the air! maybe they changed things around a bit too much! :)
ADDENDUM: wow...decided to check the diagnostic screens and found a major change...only ONE station's downloads remain in the DL schedule, whereas BEFORE there have always been half a dozen, including ONE (5275) that USED to have a digital download pattern, but has only had an analog pattern in recent weeks (i.e., 70, etc grouped together and NO 97s)! NOW the download schedule from 5275 is the only one that's left! and each type is grouped together (no interleaving), including all the 97s being at the end.
On the other hand, the DL record is still 5 pages long with lots of downloads for 6/7, but no 97s even in the list. So this massive change in the DL schedule must have taken place today.

ads back, CBS 5.1 back on the air, DL schedule again has 5 analog channels, and the one that's sometime digital is back to analog schedule...

Maybe CBS was trying something last night and it screwed things up so badly that they reverted to what they've had for weeks...although prior to this things had been stable here for weeks - except for one weekend when digital TVGOS disappeared - I expect that with the Friday transition date we can expect more upheavals here in the SF area until they get things set right (assuming they ever do...:confused:)

Several years ago I owned a Mit’s DLP with TVGOS. That TV (as did all Mit’s made for about 1 year) had a defect with TVGOS, it kept adding stations repeatedly to the tuner if for some reason it could not find them in the mapping; between the channel map in the Guide and the Tuner. The Mit’s tuner software failed to identify a stations that had already been set up in the “tuner”.

Basically, if the TV was tuned to a specific RF (say RF 31 for station 11-1), and you selected a new station from the Guide (say RF9 for station 8-1) – the mapping routine would go “up” through the RF’s to 69 AND then start over at RF 1 and go up to RF 9 and present to you channel 8-1. The problem with the Mit’s (linking between the tuner and the Guide); was that if it did not find RF 9 active at that exact point in time OR if it could not link it from the Guide to the Tuner it would set up a “new channel” 8-4 or 9-1 for the RF 9. Thus over a week or two you could easily have RF 9 set up was a half dozen or more “bogus” stations (several repeats of 8-1 and/or 8-4, 8-5, 9-1, 9-2, 9-3, etc)on the tuner (Mit’s automatic “add” feature to the tuner). The Mit’s would set up so many bogus stations in the tuner; it would no longer be useful.

The whole point of that explanation is the key point “circular” – searching for an RF is “circular”, once it starts searching for a selected RF, it starts at the current position and goes up to RF 69, and if it does not find what it wants, it begins at RF 1 and goes up from there.

With the Sony Box, this explains the problem and of the constant changing from analogue to digital and back again in markets that have both.

Last night the last show recorded (and tuned to) was channel 2-1 (RF 35). This morning the box was again 100% analogue (4 different StIDs all analogue and “no” digitals to be found-the clock was analogue too). For the “next” source for TVGOS the box searched up to RF 69 – and found nothing and immediately went back to RF 1 and up from the until it got to RF 8 (analogue PBS here), and locked onto that station. It was happy then and had no reason to go to RF 31 (CBS digital 11-1).

In other words the only way MySonyBox can get digital source in this market, is that is must be tuned at RF9 through RF 31 – that is the “only” way it could lock into the digital CBS (RF31). If the box was tuned to RF 32 through 69 OR RF 1 through 8, it would always get the analogue source.

You have now read the most irrelevant and moot post! Friday changes everything.

Several years ago I owned a Mit’s DLP with TVGOS. That TV (as did all Mit’s made for about 1 year) had a defect with TVGOS, it kept adding stations repeatedly to the tuner if for some reason it could not find them in the mapping;...............

My 2002 Vintage Mits CRT rear projection set (ws65711) sometimes adds a second occurance of a station to it's tuner, for no apparent reason. For reference, this set has no TVGOS. :rolleyes:

It's not "irrelevant" or "moot" though I had a hard time following it. What year was yours? I don't believe I have seen this.
As I have stated many times, if mapping could be turned off (which I know is possible), many of these problems wouldn't exist!

Thanks NAB! :mad::mad:
F***ing whinners. People could and would of got use to a new channel number.

............. With the Sony Box, this explains the problem and of the constant changing from analogue to digital and back again in markets that have both...........

So are you saying that the Sony always searches "from scratch" for a HostChan? It never simply returns to the Host it found previously? And what if you have OTA and Cable both connected, what is the path of the circle in that case? :confused:

When my analog host channel stopped around the beginning of April, my Sony started getting program listings from the digital host channel about a week later. The listings dropped to about a day's worth before they started filling in again, at which point the "Host Chan" field in the 7315982 screens went blank. I think the digital channel had been in operation all along, because I had been getting VBI packets from it.

This is for antenna only. I don't know what difference it would make if you were using both the antenna and cable inputs.

My 2002 Vintage Mits CRT rear projection set (ws65711) sometimes adds a second occurance of a station to it's tuner, for no apparent reason. For reference, this set has no TVGOS. :rolleyes:

It is the Mits "Auto Add" feature (usually their manuals make reference to the "great" feature). If the signal is missing for a milli second and you attempt to "tune" so an exsisting station and it does not find it, it will set it up again............add TVGOS to it.......and that compounds that specific Mit's software flaw a million fold (this is dependent on "how" you tune)

So are you saying that the Sony always searches "from scratch" for a HostChan? It never simply returns to the Host it found previously? And what if you have OTA and Cable both connected, what is the path of the circle in that case? :confused:

No that is "not" what I am saying.

But "if" the tuner is on a last given station that is "not" the TVGOS host, it will then start looking (going up from the last RF it was "tuned" too). Keep in mind the "so-called" host is supposed to be it's reference point - but because the box could be in a "mixed-combination" environment it may not actually use that host as its reference point, so therefore all that is left is to "search-up".

It's not "irrelevant" or "moot" though I had a hard time following it. What year was yours? I don't believe I have seen this.
As I have stated many times, if mapping could be turned off (which I know is possible), many of these problems wouldn't exist!

Thanks NAB! :mad::mad:
F***ing whinners. People could and would of got use to a new channel number.


The specific television in question was WD-52628. The software bug in the tuner affected Mit’s for about 1 year. I tested them that long at Fry’s for a year. About 1 year after I had my model the problem was corrected in newer models by Mit’s; again confirmed at Fry’s. I knew a special routine by selecting a station from “Guide Listings” (usually several times in a row) (example 11-1 and 8-1 over and over 4 or 5 times); and then go into channel editor and you instantly locate the “Bogus Stations” that had been set up.

Sample Pics for Bogus Stations:

Pic 3965: “RF 9” is actually our PBS digital station 8-1 (not 13-1 KTRK). The Mit’s had originally set this station up correctly first time as PBS 8-1; but when the station PBS 8-1 was selected from TVGOS it may or may not find it already set up in the tuner and therefore set it up again; but because the correct number of 8-1 was already set up, the Mit’s set it up the second as 13-1 (a software bug); therefore 13-1 was now set up in the turner TWICE. The “only” way to identify the defect when tuning, would be to use the “channel up and down” button on the remote. ONE of those 13-1’s was correct (local ABC digital RF 32); but the other 13-1 was incorrect (the RF 9 PBS digital). The Mit’s would have two 13-1 listed but only one of those was correct.

The above example was only one example of the nearly dozen different permutations of this tuner software defect. AFAIK, Mit’s was the only make on the market at this time with that specific defect. I tested Sony, Panasonic, and Samsung thoroughly dozens of times – those models never did that. I tested about 20 Mit’s (at Fry’s) and “every” one of them did it, in about 3 or 4 minutes of testing.

Pic 3951: Stations 32-1 and 32-2 are bogus duplicates in the tuner (they are 13-1 and 13-2)

Pic 3913: RF 31 is actually KHOU CBS digital 11-1, an incorrect duplicate set up as 48-1

It is by using the dozen or so testing methods, that I inadvertently discovered the circular concept in “tuning” digital turners. That is: these tuners work in a circular manner-there is no “beginning” or “end” to “1 through 69”. If you go through these channel editors long enough with channel “up” and “down” it get a clear understanding of how they work.

The Sony tuner (and all others AFAIK) works in the exactly same circular manner; but they like everyone else has the software coded to double blind test for duplicates (it will not set them up twice). The Mit’t would just set up a new channel if it could not find it for some “odd” reason.

There is a lot more involved with this then the above descriptions and explanations; but that is the just of it. Hope that helps.

But seriously, in regard to the Sony, come Friday-IMO-it’s not relevant.

[...]
With the Sony Box, this explains the problem and of the constant changing from analogue to digital and back again in markets that have both.

Last night the last show recorded (and tuned to) was channel 2-1 (RF 35). This morning the box was again 100% analogue (4 different StIDs all analogue and “no” digitals to be found-the clock was analogue too). For the “next” source for TVGOS the box searched up to RF 69 – and found nothing and immediately went back to RF 1 and up from the until it got to RF 8 (analogue PBS here), and locked onto that station. It was happy then and had no reason to go to RF 31 (CBS digital 11-1).

In other words the only way MySonyBox can get digital source in this market, is that is must be tuned at RF9 through RF 31 – that is the “only” way it could lock into the digital CBS (RF31). If the box was tuned to RF 32 through 69 OR RF 1 through 8, it would always get the analogue source.

You have now read the most irrelevant and moot post! Friday changes everything.

What you have said here makes a lot of sense. However, I think the rules change when the host channel is set (as jtbell indicated by his unit taking almost a week to start searching for a new host channel). I believe the Sony will always go to the host channel immediately when it is turned off, and won't do a search for it. I base this on what happens when I enable cable, and my host channel changes to analog CBS on cable. I can tune to an OTA station, and turn off the DVR. Within seconds I hear the audible click of the relay switching the DVR back to cable. It hasn't had time to do a search on the OTA stations before this switch happens.

Of course there are lots of variables. For instance, I don't believe a digital host channel is as "sticky" as an analog host channel, and the Sony may revert from digital back to an analog host much easier than the other way around. Also, I would think the new firmware would have made the analog host less "sticky" since analog is going away, and they would want to simplify the transition to digital (I have no evidence that an analog host behaves any differently in the new firmware, it just seems like it would). All of this could effect how often, if ever, the Sony searches for data.

Mark

I upgraded to the ".21" firmware version shorthly after the info was posted here. I've had no problems with the guide since then. However, when I checked the firmware version today, it was "08.01.71/08.06.44". My guide is fully populated. Has anyone else encountered this firmware version?

I upgraded to the ".21" firmware version shorthly after the info was posted here. I've had no problems with the guide since then. However, when I checked the firmware version today, it was "08.01.71/08.06.44". My guide is fully populated. Has anyone else encountered this firmware version?

The 08.06.44 is on the first page of the information screen.

To see .21 upgrade go to Sony Menu-system screen it will be listed there.

But what is the 08.01.71? It previously showed 08.01.21.

But what is the 08.01.71? It previously showed 08.01.21.
? 8.1.71 is the "base" firmware version for units that have the upgrade installed..."base" as opposed to 8.06.44, which is the current download patch to the base

But what is the 08.01.71? It previously showed 08.01.21.

I think you may have the "two" screens confused? Does this look like what you are trying to find? (I do not recall seeing 08.01.21 on the first info screen?)

I have 2 DHG-HDD250's, both are working fine on Comcast Cable in Northern CA. except for when I install the Cablecards.

When the Cards are installed the 250's start loosing listing and by day 2 they loose the host channel 1-0:12, which I guess is the digital to analog CBS host channel signal converted by Comcast.

I can overcome this problem by splitting the cable feed and connecting both inputs, Cable and Antenna. The strange thing is, I don't even have to scan the Antenna input and my host channel returns along with 8.25 days of listings.

So right now I'm staring at a programmed flash drive on my disk, ready to install the digital Sony DHG upgrade, afraid to use it, afraid to turn at least one of my units into a door stop.

I believe the "not so new" firmware will salve my problem, but is it worth it just to do away with two splitters? Sony says the firmware is permanent. No going back with a full factory reset. If it does not work, it's brick time.

Vote YES to install or NO not to install. Other comments are welcome and will be appreciated as well.

Gregg

Gregg, I would say yes to the .21 upgrade. I am not aware of any negatives. Also, a full factory reset will also remove it (as well as re-format the drive). So you can always start over if you want to.

Our local TV stations are now saying it will take a anywhere from a few minutes, up to 24 hours for some cable and satilite companies to get set up for the change over this Friday-apparently many of them will have to re-assign their station numbers (and other stuff). etc etc.

Because you are so close to Friday AND because most cable companies will be making changes as well (and delayed up to 24 hours); you may want to wait until Saturday to install the new .21 It is entirely possible your cable company could still send out a analogue Guide for you, but it may take them a while (24 hours) to get it set up after the transition. If they do not send out an analogue version then you will need the .21

I have 2 DHG-HDD250's, both are working fine on Comcast Cable in Northern CA. except for when I install the Cablecards.

When the Cards are installed the 250's start loosing listing and by day 2 they loose the host channel 1-0:12, which I guess is the digital to analog CBS host channel signal converted by Comcast.

I can overcome this problem by splitting the cable feed and connecting both inputs, Cable and Antenna. The strange thing is, I don't even have to scan the Antenna input and my host channel returns along with 8.25 days of listings.

So right now I'm staring at a programmed flash drive on my disk, ready to install the digital Sony DHG upgrade, afraid to use it, afraid to turn at least one of my units into a door stop.

I believe the "not so new" firmware will salve my problem, but is it worth it just to do away with two splitters? Sony says the firmware is permanent. No going back with a full factory reset. If it does not work, it's brick time.

Vote YES to install or NO not to install. Other comments are welcome and will be appreciated as well.

Gregg

I've been doing the same with TWC. Bottom line, Cablecard or guide, but not both. A work around is to play with it until it gives you a cable operator,select it and then unplug the Cablecard when it is off. Replug it in before you turn it on. Its a PIA, but can be made to work, barely.

The firmware is not permanent. I know because I've reverted by resetting. It may become permanent in the future however. Never revert unless you can get significant VBI off an analog feed.

The firmware doesn't fix the cablecard issue. I'll reinstall when I can verify I get digital TVGOS.

No that is "not" what I am saying.

But "if" the tuner is on a last given station that is "not" the TVGOS host, it will then start looking (going up from the last RF it was "tuned" too). Keep in mind the "so-called" host is supposed to be it's reference point - but because the box could be in a "mixed-combination" environment it may not actually use that host as its reference point, so therefore all that is left is to "search-up".

With things changing often, I sometimes tune to the channel one above my host channel before power off. I noticed a while ago that when doing a rescan the scan started at the current channel and went up, then began at 1 and finished with the channel I started at. My Sony TV also acts this way (as does my Sanyo TV). I find this "feature" quite interesting.

I have two units, a 500 and a 250. Both have cable cards and I'm using Comcast cable in southeastern Connecticut. I've been getting the guide data digitally since the middle of March. Without going into the reasons why I lost it, I found myself with no guide data, or channel lineup, on both systems last week. I went to "Setup" again, and put my ZIP code, and left the units sit overnight. The following day I had channel lineup, but it bore no resemblance to anything I had ever seen before. I tried resetting the ZIP code to all zeros, and then back to the proper one, with no joy. There are two cable providers in my area, Comcast being mine, and a competitor. My memory might not be that great anymore, but I seem to remember that once upon a time after inputting my ZIP code, it would give me a choice of cable companies. This hasn't happened recently.

I know I can sit there and manually massage each and every channel that I'm entitled to, turning it on, inputting the appropriate tuner number, etc. but doing that for both boxes seems like it would be a monumental waste of time if there is another way to get the correct data to repopulate.

Has anyone any clue as to how I can reset these devices, without of course doing a factory reset, back to the point where it will ask me which cable company I use? If I can get back to that point, I believe I'll be all set.

Any and all suggestions will be gratefully appreciated. I'd really like to get these back on the air.

Thank you

John O'Boyle

And what if you have OTA and Cable both connected, what is the path of the circle in that case? :confused:

whoops, I did not see part II of your questions.

Yes with both OTA and cable it is still circular. I would assume it would begin searching up from the last position of the tuner (either cable or OTA), complete one full circle, the CLICK, and begin and complete one full circle on the next (either cable or OTA-whichever it did not do before).

I find it unlikely it would "click" for each channel position for each (ie: click OTA 2, click cable 2, click OTA 3, click cable 3..........etc) - If it did that it would kill itself from a zillion clicks. LOL

Yes there a million other issues. As others have pointed out the "sticky" factor, and the analogue HOST etc (works entirely different than a digital HOST). But IMO, if analogue HOST goes away (either cable or OTA), the .21 upgrade is a must requirement.

Still with that said; IF the Sony/TVGOS combination "does not have a HOST" when it needs it - then it does begin searching in a circular pattern.

How many have seen the "Next Wakeup" countdown on Page One of the "Reset Page"

When my box is operating in digital mode for HOST, I see this field counting "down" to zero from about 3,000 seconds 3 or 4 times a day. (that's about 50 minutes)

I know it is a countdown for time, for the box to "begin" doing something - but what exactly I do not know?

I do not believe it has anything to do with Resets of the box.
Anybody know what is is "waking up" to do?

I have not yet seen that field active in analogue mode?

Been away for awhile. Has anyone had anyluck with getting the Sony DHG dvr to work with the Comcast M card that was being swapped out earlier this year?

If so, what did you do to get it to work? If not, were you able to get Comcast to go back to the old card?

I'm in Houston and have not had anything but basic cable and OTA since the swapout. Luckily this is on a bedroom TV that doesn't get used much other than watching movies.

thanks

[...]
But IMO, if analogue HOST goes away (either cable or OTA), the .21 upgrade is a must requirement.

Sorry, but I disagree with that statement. I believe that everyone should upgrade, but to say it is a "must requirement" suggests that it is some kind of magic fix for the DHG. The only "magic fix" that has happened to my DHG happened on May 21st when macrovision straightened out my download schedule so my unit started recieving the guide data correctly.

As far as I can tell, the .21 firmware does nothing but enable the digital side automatically after a reset. The only difference between the new and the old firmware is that, on the old firmware, you had to run the G* Test after any reset to get the digital side going again (never needing to run the G* Test ever again was worth the upgrade for me). From what I have read on here (and spiffspace) a lot of people who have upgraded to .21 still think it is necessary to run G* Tests, and force host channel procedures to get their units to work (not true). So for those people who still love to run the G* Test, and try to force their host channel, the new firmware is a waste of time.

I have been 'digital only' since January 5th, and although I have had outages along the way, the old firmware worked fine for me, once I learned when I needed to do a G* Test, and when I needed to just leave the thing alone.

Mark

I have two units, a 500 and a 250. Both have cable cards and I'm using Comcast cable in southeastern Connecticut. I've been getting the guide data digitally since the middle of March. Without going into the reasons why I lost it, I found myself with no guide data, or channel lineup, on both systems last week. I went to "Setup" again, and put my ZIP code, and left the units sit overnight. The following day I had channel lineup, but it bore no resemblance to anything I had ever seen before. I tried resetting the ZIP code to all zeros, and then back to the proper one, with no joy. There are two cable providers in my area, Comcast being mine, and a competitor. My memory might not be that great anymore, but I seem to remember that once upon a time after inputting my ZIP code, it would give me a choice of cable companies. This hasn't happened recently.

I know I can sit there and manually massage each and every channel that I'm entitled to, turning it on, inputting the appropriate tuner number, etc. but doing that for both boxes seems like it would be a monumental waste of time if there is another way to get the correct data to repopulate.

Has anyone any clue as to how I can reset these devices, without of course doing a factory reset, back to the point where it will ask me which cable company I use? If I can get back to that point, I believe I'll be all set.

Any and all suggestions will be gratefully appreciated. I'd really like to get these back on the air.

Thank you

John O'Boyle

John - I'm in Windsor and I have Comcast. When I do a soft (or hard) reset, I get two options for Cable - Comcast and ATT Uverse. I don't recall not being asked this in the past - even before Uverse was available I think it still asked me to select from the only option (Comcast).

When you say the lineup bears no resemblance to what you had before do you mean that the channels are in a different order or there are channels that you know are not available on your system?

Not sure what caused you to lose your grid but you can go do a soft reset using the front panel trick (see link to Spiff's guide in first post) or do a guide reset from the G* 9012 menu.

Been away for awhile. Has anyone had anyluck with getting the Sony DHG dvr to work with the Comcast M card that was being swapped out earlier this year?

If so, what did you do to get it to work? If not, were you able to get Comcast to go back to the old card?

I'm in Houston and have not had anything but basic cable and OTA since the swapout. Luckily this is on a bedroom TV that doesn't get used much other than watching movies.

thanks

The M card works great here with Comcast. It solved all issues with previous cards. If you have a problem, it is likely that Comcast does not have your account set up properly --- although there is always a chance the card can be bad.

The M card works great here with Comcast. It solved all issues with previous cards. If you have a problem, it is likely that Comcast does not have your account set up properly --- although there is always a chance the card can be bad.

M card was the only one that worked from Comcast. Tech originally put in a single stream card but it did not work at all

John - I'm in Windsor and I have Comcast. When I do a soft (or hard) reset, I get two options for Cable - Comcast and ATT Uverse. I don't recall not being asked this in the past - even before Uverse was available I think it still asked me to select from the only option (Comcast).

When you say the lineup bears no resemblance to what you had before do you mean that the channels are in a different order or there are channels that you know are not available on your system?

Not sure what caused you to lose your grid but you can go do a soft reset using the front panel trick (see link to Spiff's guide in first post) or do a guide reset from the G* 9012 menu.

When I talk about no resemblance to what I had before, I mean there are channels listed that don't exist, and others that should be there and are not.

I've done a guide reset from the G 9012 menu, and also tried resetting it from the system's menu. All of a sudden however I discover I'm no longer getting VBI data when I do the GTest.

I'm not sure where to go to from here. Thanks for your help

JLOB

TVGOS is not working in my area. I would like to use the DVR just like a VCR.

In the absence of a working TVGOS signal, is there a way to set the DVR time manually?

Can programming be scheduled without TVGOS? For example I would like to automatically record channel 34.1 daily (M-F) between 1:00 and 2:00pm.

TVGOS is not working in my area. I would like to use the DVR just like a VCR.

In the absence of a working TVGOS signal, is there a way to set the DVR time manually?

Can programming be scheduled without TVGOS? For example I would like to automatically record channel 34.1 daily (M-F) between 1:00 and 2:00pm.

Are you still able to get a clock? Analogue or Digital? if so you can do manual record.

Well by paying attention to the circular routine the last 3 days, I have been able to keep MySonyBox if full digital mode. Tomorrow that will no longer be relevant.


Tomorrow has been declared “National Rescan Day Number ONE”.

Best I can tell 4 more "rescans" will be required as a minimum between now and October 31st for Houston.

Our local FOX station has been very specific their plans between now and August 12th. - Their final target date for all transition work to be completed.

Both our local ABC and CBS, had said just keep re-scanning between now and whenever, if your signal goes away – hinting it may be required several times between now and ?-the end of the year?

Local NBC has been set for several months, and no more changes are required for them.

Best I can tell local PBS has 4 changes coming; but with no announcements at all, I can only assume their work should be completed by September 1st. Based on my understanding of Rabbit Ears.

This only complicates matters for MySonyBox since it is dependent on CBS for TVGOS here. But with three different styles of digital tuners in the house, it should be easy to figure out.

Surprisingly, the cheapo converter box tells me at a glance, when a station goes away AND what the correct RF is, was, and should be (upon a rescan); thus taking the guess work out of MySonyBox and the Big Plasma. This will help me prevent unnecessary rescans and set ups (time wasting).

Are you still able to get a clock? Analogue or Digital? if so you can do manual record.

There's no clock. just _ _:_ _

The analog TVGOS host WBNG-TV 12 in Binghamton, NY went off the air in February. Digital 12.1 has been running, but digital TVGOS doesn't appear to be operational. I receive CBS advertising, but nothing else. I think the problem is at the station or upstream from there.

I would just like to turn off TVGOS and use the DVR like a VCR, but there doesn't seem to be any way to set the time.

It was really poor design on Sony's part to make their hardware dependent on 3rd party services.

There's no clock. just _ _:_ _

The analog TVGOS host WBNG-TV 12 in Binghamton, NY went off the air in February. Digital 12.1 has been running, but digital TVGOS doesn't appear to be operational. I receive CBS advertising, but nothing else. I think the problem is at the station or upstream from there.

I would just like to turn off TVGOs and use the DVR like a VCR, but there doesn't seem to be any way to set the time.

It was really poor design on Sony's part to make their hardware dependent on 3rd party services.

In order to record manual you will need a clock, and I am not familiar with your exact situation.

By tommorrow is either RF 33 or 49 available to you? (OTA or cable?). The first two on that list?

http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=tvgos

OR are there other cities closer to you that provide you with a clock?

If you do receive CBS ads on the TVGOS screens; then perhaps a matter of time before they get it correct. However, if you are getting ads via TVGOS, then you should also have a clock...........so something is not correct?

At this point you might as well wait till late tomorrow, see if you get a clock, if not do a front soft panel reset. I am assuming the .21 is installed?

Ok, I found it you are market 154 is that correct?

Ok, since I do not know, lets assume that 12.1 RF7 is operating correctly.

Confirm .21 is installed

Turn on Sony Box

Direct tune to 12.1 and confirm signal strenght is good 75% or better (does not pop up and down)

Leave box on for about 30 min to no more than 4 hours. Turn box off over night

During this whole process never leave station 12.1 and when you turn it off, it should still be on station 12.1

It it works, you should have a clock in the morning.

In order to record manual you will need a clock, and I am not familiar with your exact situation.

By tommorrow is either RF 33 or 49 available to you? (OTA or cable?). The first two on that list?

http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=tvgos

OR are there other cities closer to you that provide you with a clock?

If you do receive CBS ads on the TVGOS screens; then perhaps a matter of time before they get it correct. However, if you are getting ads via TVGOS, then you should also have a clock...........so something is not correct?

At this point you might as well wait till late tomorrow, see if you get a clock, if not do a front soft panel reset. I am assuming the .21 is installed?

Ok, I found it you are market 154 is that correct?

Ok, since I do not know, lets assume that 12.1 RF7 is operating correctly.

Confirm .21 is installed

Turn on Sony Box

Direct tune to 12.1 and confirm signal strenght is good 75% or better (does not pop up and down)

Leave box on for about 30 min to no more than 4 hours. Turn box off over night

During this whole process never leave station 12.1 and when you turn it off, it should still be on station 12.1

It it works, you should have a clock in the morning.

I''ve already done everything you've suggested. Nothing is happening tomorrow as far as WBNG is concerned. Analog was shut down several months ago.

I'm running 1.2.21 firmware.
Signal strength is >75

Leaving the DVR run turned off overnight brings in ads, but nothing else. I took one time hit yesterday while I was at work, but the time was totally wrong. Last night I reset the TVGOS and User settings and started over from scratch. This time I used the TV station's zip code instead of my own. It didn't make any difference. I'll see if it takes another time hit when I get home.

WBNG has had a lot of recent technical issues. I'm sure that TVGOS configuration is not high on their priority list. I sent an email to the chief engineer asking if digital TVGOS was operational, but haven't heard anything yet. They are pretty good at addressing technical issues, but they don't seem to be aware that anything is wrong until somebody calls in and complains.

I''ve already done everything you've suggested. Nothing is happening tomorrow as far as WBNG is concerned. Analog was shut down several months ago.

I'm running 1.2.21 firmware.
Signal strength is >75

Leaving the DVR run turned off overnight brings in ads, but nothing else. I took one time hit yesterday while I was at work, but the time was totally wrong. Last night I reset the TVGOS and User settings and started over from scratch. This time I used the TV station's zip code instead of my own. It didn't make any difference. I'll see if it takes another time hit when I get home.

WBNG has had a lot of recent technical issues. I'm sure that TVGOS configuration is not high on their priority list. I sent an email to the chief engineer asking if digital TVGOS was operational, but haven't heard anything yet. They are pretty good at addressing technical issues, but they don't seem to be aware that anything is wrong until somebody calls in and complains.



If did get time - one time - and it was off say maybe 4-5 hours, then it may have been close to working. In otherwords the reset you gave it may have been too early. If it got some clock and it was a few hours off, it needed more time to set itself.

Try the couple of things suggested again over the next 3 - 4 days and maybe it and/or the station may wake up.

On page one of the reset page have you ever notice the count down to next wakeup? Have you seen that field counting down? (sorry no pictures of that page)

Also do you have a "count" a number increasing the "number of clock sets" (I think that is on page one of VBI page? two pics below

It could take up to 4 clock sets to get correct

Well....one more day to find out if this thing really works.

Well....one more day to find out if this thing really works.

98 to 1 odds here that it will.

If not I will locate hammer.

of course the big problem here will be all the re-scans over the next few months.........I see some of the cities may have no re scans at all, or just one re scan. I just hope in digital mode it will all link up again and make a good schedule

Got some M-80's standing by just in case.

Hopefully I'll be using them then for celebrative, rather than destructive purposes.

If did get time - one time - and it was off say maybe 4-5 hours, then it may have been close to working. In otherwords the reset you gave it may have been too early. If it got some clock and it was a few hours off, it needed more time to set itself.

Try the couple of things suggested again over the next 3 - 4 days and maybe it and/or the station may wake up.

On page one of the reset page have you ever notice the count down to next wakeup? Have you seen that field counting down? (sorry no pictures of that page)

Also do you have a "count" a number increasing the "number of clock sets" (I think that is on page one of VBI page? two pics below

It could take up to 4 clock sets to get correct

No time hits while at work.
The number of clock sets is 0 after 18 hours.

2 500s 1 OTA only, 1 OTA and ATT uverse, maybe. Both have updated software.

OTA machine has been fine using 0-2 for host and clock, all listings (Maybe until tomorrow).

2nd machine now has Uverse attached at cable in and OTA at antenna.
Since this is my first non-OTA ever (I know I'm old, my daughter got it) I need to know if anyone has this working with the Sony. I did a rescan and told it I have cable and when I looked at it the next day it let me pick ATT uverse as cable supplier.

I had some trouble getting listing as I think it's trying to use the cable but when I leave the machine tuned to 2-1 the listings are all filled in including those test stations I've choosen for Uverse even though it still shows 0-2 or 0-11 as host. (clock set is 2-1)
All the HD stations on Uverse are in the 4 digit range.
With the cable connected, and scanning for cable stations only, the channel scan says it only found 1 analog station.

Questions:
Due to this type of feed, do I have to set this up like a VCR and feed the signal through channel 3 or 4?
I assume the cable box must be tuned to the station I want to record since I can't tune to 4 digit sations on the Sony? (i.e. History HD is 1270)

Anyone have the Sony working with Uverse?

Any help would be welcome.. Thanks in advance.

TVGOS is not working in my area. I would like to use the DVR just like a VCR.

In the absence of a working TVGOS signal, is there a way to set the DVR time manually?

Can programming be scheduled without TVGOS? For example I would like to automatically record channel 34.1 daily (M-F) between 1:00 and 2:00pm.

Manual programming without a valid clock is still possible. It won't be "just like a VCR" because no, you can't manually set the clock. Fancy stuff like daily (M-F) won't work correctly either.

But if you have to get it done, you just work out the delta between the bad clock, it does have one, and accurate time and enter accordingly.

It does sound like it's not that important to you, though.

I've done it. It works. No, it's not the same.

Anyone have the Sony working with Uverse?
U-Verse is an IP based system, so you will need their tuner to decode the signal.

In other words, it won't work the way you want.

You could possibly run the RF out from the U-Verse tuner to the Sony's cable RF in, and watch and record on channel 3 - but you'd have to set all timers manually (if it would even let you - I think it does, based on my old experiments with the Sony and my satellite receiver).

With U-Verse, the best way to use a recorder with it would be if it's IR blaster could contol the box. Otherwise, I know that their non-DVR tuners don't have any way for them to change channels on their own. The Panasonic EH55 and EH75 possibly could've gotten TVGOS info for them - but it would've had to have been from OTA, and that analog data will be kaput in a little over 24 hours (unless that darned DTV Pal CECB would ever do it's job).

well, I guess tonight will be the last where I'm getting my listings from PBS 9.

I just checked, and I have a full deck (i.e., 8 days) of listings. What I found amusing was that, when I looked below all the digital channels I have at the top in my TV Guide, I found that the guide shows all the ANALOG channels with programming through next Thursday, too. Go figure! :)

No time hits while at work.
The number of clock sets is 0 after 18 hours.

ok, if clock sets stays at zero and does not count "up".

and you never see "next wakeup" counting "down" (page one of reset page).

then your station is not yet sending out good data for you clock (and everything else)

Does your new ATSC screen any counts "up" in the current column?


As long as you get "no" to all the above you may just have a brick.

maybe time (no pun intended) will cure all?

As of now the transition appears to be fine, including MySonyBox.

Each of the three digital tuners in the house has lost some digital stations, none are important; and most likely the station has not found the “switch”.

Essentially, all the local stations are saying rescan in a few days as they get the kinks out.

Here are the results so far:

1. Cheap Converter box found 46 digital stations, down from 51

2. Panasonic Plasma found 48 digital stations down from 52, and it found 12 analogue on the air.

3. MySonyBox found 46 digital stations down from 51, and it found 14 analogue on the air.


The local CBS station did have a little bit of a problem, they were broadcasting the “same” digital signal on both RF 31 and RF 11 for about 10 minutes. They televised their transition process and it was a little funny watching the engineers running around, until they realized they forgot to turn off RF 31. That created no real problems, since no other station was being re-assigned that RF.

MySonyBox – all appears to be in order including TVGOS – the “ads” may be in the process of being deleted and/or replaced with new ones again – just a few more hours will tell the story there. The clock and the guide are locked into 11-1. Of course it still shows HOST on page one as 0:0-8 (old PBS analogue) which does not exist – again that is just old left over data fields. There is still much old analogue data left on many pages, which is not relevant or important (just as before in the combination environment). The ATSC page still has full data streaming in and the “Next Wakeup” is still counting down. When I last looked at it, it had another download coming in – in about 8 minutes.

The Rescan was all that was needed; it fully linked to the existing “listings”. Changing and/or flipping zip codes were not required. About 80% of our stations all had new “RFs” – Still only the rescan was needed.

Obviously, it will take a few more hours and/or a day or two to “confirm” it is actually locked into CBS digital for TVGOS – but as of now, the answer is “yes”.

"Good So Far" . . .

But is it still good if you lose your channel lineup??? That is the Trillion Dollar question............ :eek::eek::eek:

"Good So Far" . . .

But is it still good if you lose your channel lineup??? That is the Trillion Dollar question............ :eek::eek::eek:

Really will not know until it happens.

Just before the .21 install, we had a 2 hour electrical storm. Not only did I lose all listings; but all lost the full Grid.

It recovered in a day; But I think it recovered via analogue and then switched itself to digital on day 3 (3 days after the storm).

You may be able to pull up “properties” on the pictures for a little bit of the audit trail. While that is encouraging it would work, it is not proof that it would. Ok, I see the properties did not pass through. Pic 7036 started late Friday afternoon (April 17th) and the last picture 7052 was Saturday morning.

"Good So Far" . . .

But is it still good if you lose your channel lineup??? That is the Trillion Dollar question............ :eek::eek::eek:

It is becoming clear that the information I have previously posted (maybe too indirectly) about this subject has been interpreted as gobbledygook (perhaps rightly so) :). Here it is in a nutshell.

Once you are in a digital only environment, there are two pieces of information that will give you a good indication of whether you can recover from a lost grid.

TimezonePkts, and LineupPkts (both found on the 'Reception-VBI Stats' page).

Watching how frequently these packets are received will generally indicate two things:

1) Whether you can recover from a reset.

2) Approximately how long it will take.

If you get both of these packets every day then there will be no problems recovering from a reset. If you only get either packets once a week, then it is still good, but indicates it is going to take a few days to recover. If you have been watching either of these packets, for several weeks/months with no change, then it is going to take a long time to recover after losing the grid.

If you are not getting TimezonePkts on a regular basis, it means you will be without a clock after a reset, until you do get one.

If you are not getting LineupPkts (but you do get TimezonePkts), it means you will have a correct clock, but no grid after a reset.


I'm hoping that as people watch these packets they will see that they update at least once every 3 days. Indicating that Macrovision has fixed the digital data in their area. My packets seem to update almost daily now. Compare that to a month ago when I was only getting timezone packets once every 3 days.

Mark

Ok, it has been a few hours since the rescan of MySonyBox. 100% operational here, including ads.

During the last couple of hours here are the minor changes:

Pic 7213 HOST is finally blank

Pic 7214 Still shows PBS analogue at “failing clock” – but of course that is bogus, just left over data. However, “Clock Set Channel” has change to the RF carrier of 11-0; which is digital 11-1 for CBS. Either 11-0 or the 11-1 is valid for digital CBS.

Pic 7215 This screen has the most changes. It appears now to record “all” starts and stops as they occur, and there is finally a “previous search cause”. I am going to assume that “NumSearch” is the number of times it went hunting for the digital channel – which makes sense since we had “two” of them today (RFs 31 and 11 for the same station).

It is becoming clear that the information I have previously posted (maybe too indirectly) about this subject has been interpreted as gobbledygook (perhaps rightly so) :). Here it is in a nutshell.

Once you are in a digital only environment, there are two pieces of information that will give you a good indication of whether you can recover from a lost grid.

TimezonePkts, and LineupPkts (both found on the 'Reception-VBI Stats' page).

Watching how frequently these packets are received will generally indicate two things:

1) Whether you can recover from a reset.

2) Approximately how long it will take.

If you get both of these packets every day then there will be no problems recovering from a reset. If you only get either packets once a week, then it is still good, but indicates it is going to take a few days to recover. If you have been watching either of these packets, for several weeks/months with no change, then it is going to take a long time to recover after losing the grid.

If you are not getting TimezonePkts on a regular basis, it means you will be without a clock after a reset, until you do get one.

If you are not getting LineupPkts (but you do get TimezonePkts), it means you will have a correct clock, but no grid after a reset.


I'm hoping that as people watch these packets they will see that they update at least once every 3 days. Indicating that Macrovision has fixed the digital data in their area. My packets seem to update almost daily now. Compare that to a month ago when I was only getting timezone packets once every 3 days.

Mark

I agree with that. IMO, I think that if you have a lot a data streaming in, it will update with clock and the other stuff. As long as its not bad data.

Overall, I sense at this point, the SonyBox will operate better in just the digital enviroment then it did in the combination environmnet.

well, I guess tonight will be the last where I'm getting my listings from PBS 9.

I just checked, and I have a full deck (i.e., 8 days) of listings. What I found amusing was that, when I looked below all the digital channels I have at the top in my TV Guide, I found that the guide shows all the ANALOG channels with programming through next Thursday, too. Go figure! :)

Same here but....
Tonight the Sony will turn into a pumpkin ???

Todd

It is becoming clear that the information I have previously posted (maybe too indirectly) about this subject has been interpreted as gobbledygook (perhaps rightly so) :). ..............

Yes.

But now it's time (for me) to start really paying attention. My analog PBS station disappeared sometime in the past 3 hours. This station had been my very reliable TVGOS host. Currently, my HostChan still shows as 0:0-12 (the analog PBS station). My ClockSet channel has changed to 0:4-1 (digital CBS), and the FailingClockSet currently remains at 0:0-12. I've noted my current numbers for TimezonePkts and LineupPkts, and I'll check those again tomorrow. Do they normally just increment by "one" or by a "bunch"?

Thanks to those who responded to my question regarding M cards & Comcast.

Talked to Comcast today, whoever had set me up did not add my cablecards to 'inventory'. That was done today and I have picture!

Here's hoping my clock and info come back now.

[QUOTE=Rammitinski;16630391]U-Verse is an IP based system, so you will need their tuner to decode the signal.

2 500's - 1 OTA only and 1 OTA and Uverse.

Thanks Rammitinski, That's what I thought.
When I got home today I noticed channel 3 shows CABLE and does let me see the box when turned on.
Yes, I do have to change channels with the box.
Picture doesn't fill up the screen like when it's just the box so I'll have to play with the settings I guess.

FYI: Channel 2-1 here isn't broadcasting anything as far as I can tell and my old analogs are gone. No data coming in so far. Hope it's just a late turnover. No picture at all!
Also channel 7-1 is dead.

[...]
Currently, my HostChan still shows as 0:0-12 (the analog PBS station). My ClockSet channel has changed to 0:4-1 (digital CBS), and the FailingClockSet currently remains at 0:0-12.

You might want to clear your host channel by changing your zip code to something other than yours, and then changing it back. If you don't do this, it might take a while for your DVR to give up on the analog host, and start searching for a new host (up to 3 days I believe). My host channel moved last night, so after a rescan this morning, I decided to do the zip code reset where you change the zip code to 00000, then turn off the DVR for 5 minutes, and then set your zip code back. However, this apparently doesn't clear the host channel, and I still didn't have any day 8 listings when I got home tonight (my host still shows as 0:19-0 instead of the new channel 0:12-0). So I did the zip code switch, and cleared the host, so I expect full listings in the morning.


I've noted my current numbers for TimezonePkts and LineupPkts, and I'll check those again tomorrow. Do they normally just increment by "one" or by a "bunch"?

TimezonePkts come in one at a time (mine show up two at a time, but I believe that is because Kansas is in two time zones). I believe LineupPkts come in about 40 at a time.

Mark

I have version 1.2.13 working fine on my 500 pvr. The only problem is that one station which I normally don't watch, I can't get the audio to work. Upgrading the firmware wouldn't resolve this, would it? and if not, then probably best not to upgrade the firmware?

FYI: Channel 2-1 here isn't broadcasting anything as far as I can tell and my old analogs are gone. No data coming in so far. Hope it's just a late turnover. No picture at all!
Also channel 7-1 is dead.Be sure to re-scan. They're both on different frequencies now, remember?

I'm getting 2 and 7 here in Crystal Lake at a steady 60% without an amp.

As soon as I re-add the amp, they should even be better.

(edit: an hour or so later, I was getting them at 70%.)

You might want to clear your host channel by changing your zip code to something other than yours, and then changing it back. If you don't do this, it might take a while for your DVR to give up on the analog host, and start searching for a new host (up to 3 days I believe). My host channel moved last night, so after a rescan this morning, I decided to do the zip code reset where you change the zip code to 00000, then turn off the DVR for 5 minutes, and then set your zip code back. However, this apparently doesn't clear the host channel, and I still didn't have any day 8 listings when I got home tonight (my host still shows as 0:19-0 instead of the new channel 0:12-0). So I did the zip code switch, and cleared the host, so I expect full listings in the morning.

TimezonePkts come in one at a time (mine show up two at a time, but I believe that is because Kansas is in two time zones). I believe LineupPkts come in about 40 at a time.

Mark

Ok, I moved to Hollywood briefly (90210) and then back to my own normal lowly zipcode. I did this on all three of my HDD500's. They all now show blank for HostChan. We'll see what they look like in the morning....... hopefully full 8 days of listings. :)

Is there any easy way to advance days other than half hr. by half hr.

I've got clicking finger also known as Sony Thumb, Gregg

Is there any easy way to advance days other than half hr. by half hr.

I've got clicking finger also known as Sony Thumb, Gregg

press in a number like 3 or 24 and then do the rick click. It will advance in that many hours that you entered.

It is becoming clear that the information I have previously posted (maybe too indirectly) about this subject has been interpreted as gobbledygook (perhaps rightly so) :). Here it is in a nutshell.

Once you are in a digital only environment, there are two pieces of information that will give you a good indication of whether you can recover from a lost grid.

TimezonePkts, and LineupPkts (both found on the 'Reception-VBI Stats' page).

Watching how frequently these packets are received will generally indicate two things:

1) Whether you can recover from a reset.

2) Approximately how long it will take.

If you get both of these packets every day then there will be no problems recovering from a reset. If you only get either packets once a week, then it is still good, but indicates it is going to take a few days to recover. If you have been watching either of these packets, for several weeks/months with no change, then it is going to take a long time to recover after losing the grid.

If you are not getting TimezonePkts on a regular basis, it means you will be without a clock after a reset, until you do get one.

If you are not getting LineupPkts (but you do get TimezonePkts), it means you will have a correct clock, but no grid after a reset.


I'm hoping that as people watch these packets they will see that they update at least once every 3 days. Indicating that Macrovision has fixed the digital data in their area. My packets seem to update almost daily now. Compare that to a month ago when I was only getting timezone packets once every 3 days.

Mark

Mark,
I'm not sure if your correct on this. My VBI Stats page is blank since Feb. Yet I get my clock back in minuets after a power outage. I waited for weeks to get the grid but finally used the vcr tape to recover. I just checked my vbi stats page again and still all zeros but I had a power out three days ago.

SS-Stingray

Coming a bit late to the party, but have been reading through the thread with great interest. I am visually impaired, and using a text reader, so some things are not translating well. None of the diagnostic codes have worked for me - I am unable to obtain host info, VBI info, etc. stats on my machine. I am in Orlando, FL and have an analog Sony DVR, BrightHouse cable, and am somehow hoping a miracle occurs and somehow the cable system will continue to communicate with my DVR. Anyone else have my model of Sony or are on the same cable system in this area?

This thread is for the DHG-HDD DVRs but if you are referring to the RDR-HX715 DVD recorder, I have both, but sorry I have not been using my 715 DVD recorder lately. I think it uses an older version of the TVguide than the DHG DVRs. Did you try the DVD thread, there is also a thread on TVGOS only which had discussions on many DVD recorders. good luck. sorry,,, your screen name confused me, the RDR-HX715 is rarer than the DHGs but it's a DVR too with 160gb HDD.

Mark,
I'm not sure if your correct on this. My VBI Stats page is blank since Feb. Yet I get my clock back in minuets after a power outage. I waited for weeks to get the grid but finally used the vcr tape to recover. I just checked my vbi stats page again and still all zeros but I had a power out three days ago.

SS-Stingray

Are you sure you aren't looking at the reception-slicing screen? The Reception-VBI Stats screen is two screens to the right of that screen. Also, once you have a timezone packet, it will get the time back fast, however timezone packets will continue to be received even though they aren't needed.

Mark

It is becoming clear that the information I have previously posted (maybe too indirectly) about this subject has been interpreted as gobbledygook (perhaps rightly so) :). Here it is in a nutshell.

Once you are in a digital only environment, there are two pieces of information that will give you a good indication of whether you can recover from a lost grid.

TimezonePkts, and LineupPkts (both found on the 'Reception-VBI Stats' page).

Watching how frequently these packets are received will generally indicate two things:

1) Whether you can recover from a reset.

2) Approximately how long it will take.

If you get both of these packets every day then there will be no problems recovering from a reset. If you only get either packets once a week, then it is still good, but indicates it is going to take a few days to recover. If you have been watching either of these packets, for several weeks/months with no change, then it is going to take a long time to recover after losing the grid.

If you are not getting TimezonePkts on a regular basis, it means you will be without a clock after a reset, until you do get one.

If you are not getting LineupPkts (but you do get TimezonePkts), it means you will have a correct clock, but no grid after a reset.


I'm hoping that as people watch these packets they will see that they update at least once every 3 days. Indicating that Macrovision has fixed the digital data in their area. My packets seem to update almost daily now. Compare that to a month ago when I was only getting timezone packets once every 3 days.

Mark

Ok, last night I moved to Hollywood (90210) then back to my regular zipcode. This blanked out my old HostChan. This morning the HostChan still shows nothing, but I do have a full 8-days of listings.
My LineupPkt was 4803 last night, and is still 4803 this morning.
My TimezonePkts was 365 last night, and is 383 this morning.

So you're saying to continue to watch for LineupPkt to increment to determine if my units will be able to recover from a reset, correct?

Have an 8 day Grid; but Day 8 has about 20% "no listings" and "no titles"

The last downloads received were June 12th about 10PM; so far, other than the clock, there are no June 13th downloads.

This could be either because the last program recorded at 10PM last night was not the CBS digital (meaning software bug .21) OR the local CBS station has had issues for at least the last 12 hours-and that could be possible.

Most of our stations (including PBS and CBS), did the analogue cutoff and digital switch at 6:45AM June 12th. About 20 or so of the Spanish stations did the cutoff at midnight.

Yesterday we had 14 analogue stations left, today there are 3 left on the air. And the digital count increased by 4.

[...]
My LineupPkt was 4803 last night, and is still 4803 this morning.
My TimezonePkts was 365 last night, and is 383 this morning.

So you're saying to continue to watch for LineupPkt to increment to determine if my units will be able to recover from a reset, correct?

Wow, you get lots of TimezonePkts :). Yes, keep watching, your host channel should also set when you get LineupPkts.

Mark

Yes, keep watching, your host channel should also set when you get LineupPkts.


I'm actually only watching one of my three HDD500's, although I did the same proceedure to blank the old HostChan on all three last night. I didn't bother to write down the TimezonePkts and LineupPkt stats for the 2nd and 3rd units, since they should all get the same data. However, as we all know......... :eek:

For many months now my Sony has been displaying 1:0-9 as the host channel (indicating cable analog 9, right?) and I have been getting flawless listings. After the shutdown last night, this morning it says "No Listings" for next Sat (host still says 1:0-9). I am still getting cable analog 9 and I now believe that I was actually getting listings on OTA analog 9. Just a heads up for those with cable and OTA, take the first digit of the host display with a grain of salt.

Jim

For many months now my Sony has been displaying 1:0-9 as the host channel (indicating cable analog 9, right?) and I have been getting flawless listings. After the shutdown last night, this morning it says "No Listings" for next Sat (host still says 1:0-9). I am still getting cable analog 9 and I now believe that I was actually getting listings on OTA analog 9. Just a heads up for those with cable and OTA, take the first digit of the host display with a grain of salt.

Jim

It may not have been lying to you. They may have been passing analog channel 9 through as is (with TVGOS data). Now that analog channel 9 is gone, they are converting the digital version to analog, and sending it out which has no TVGOS data on it. I'm surprised that they would have waited until analog disappeared to start converting the digital though (Cox here was converting all the digital stations to analog for months before any of the analogs shut down).

Do you have a digital TVGOS source? It may take up to 3 days for the DVR to give up on the old analog station, and start searching for a new host channel.

Just my two cents,
Mark

Apparently my 500 is happily embracing the digital age while my 250 is not going to go without a fight. :eek:

Both units had continued to display the analog host and the 250 was using it, but for the past couple weeks the 500 was wavering between using digital for a few days and then going back to analog. This morning, the 500 now has a blank host, shows clock set as 0:43-0 (the new RF for 2-1), updated the time zone version for the first time in 3 days, and has most day 8 listings although several channels are "no listing" straight across.

Not surprisingly, the 250 is entirely "no listing" for day 8 and still displays the analog host channel. The DL sched is entirely digital though so maybe it will eventually take the plunge. I could do the change zip thing to blank the host, but I think I'll just wait and see what it will do on its own.

The digital host switched RF yesterday afternoon so I did a rescan then, but the analog host stayed on the air until midnight and I didn't rescan again until this morning. Perhaps the 250 thought it was still there, while the 500 just didn't give a darn. :D

It may not have been lying to you. They may have been passing analog channel 9 through as is (with TVGOS data). Now that analog channel 9 is gone, they are converting the digital version to analog, and sending it out which has no TVGOS data on it. I'm surprised that they would have waited until analog disappeared to start converting the digital though (Cox here was converting all the digital stations to analog for months before any of the analogs shut down).

Do you have a digital TVGOS source? It may take up to 3 days for the DVR to give up on the old analog station, and start searching for a new host channel.

Just my two cents,
Mark

Interesting theory. I don't know what the source of the VBI data for cable analog 9 was/is. I do know it has clock information because my bedroom set which is cable only can see it. I did have a digital source (CBS 5) and at the end of last year when they were testing it I did the digital force host procedure and was getting listings, although not completely reliably. At the time the host was shown as 1:5-0, but I always suspected it was actually getting the data from OTA on digital 5.1. I was getting both cable and OTA CBS digital at the time, but now (spring/summer) I can't get the OTA station very well. Bottom line is I don't know if the cable digital CBS is really carrying TVGOS.

Jim

We are getting digital onscreen in Tulsa now. My Sony wiped out my listings last night. I added a cable connection from my Cox internet back in February to the Sony,when our analog OTA host went dark, just to be sure I could get listings from cable. This morning all my OTA listings were gone and it asked me for a cable provider. Went and looked and we are now getting data from digital PBS OTA and the analog PBS on Cox Cable is passing vbi too. Most of the cable channels have filled in their guide information since earlier this morning, but the OTA stations still show no listing.

The last download was 10PM Friday night. Since noon today the ads are now all gone.

It has completed another clock set about 4 hours ago.

While it did work just fine with downloads about 18 hours after the transition......the last 18 hours has been dead.

Um?

Be sure to re-scan. They're both on different frequencies now, remember?

I'm getting 2 and 7 here in Crystal Lake at a steady 60% without an amp.

As soon as I re-add the amp, they should even be better.

(edit: an hour or so later, I was getting them at 70%.)

2 500's - 1 OTA only and 1 OTA and Uverse

Re-scanned again. Now CBS is 12-1 vs 2-1 and 7-1 is ok.
When I first rescanned neither seems to have been added.
Even my Sony Bravia rescan didn't pick up either after first scan?

OTA 500 - host still shows 0-2, clock set shows 12-1, a few missing listings on day eight otherwise OK. Left machine on over night set to 12-1.

OTA-Uverse 500 - host is blank, clock set 12-1, a few missing listings on day eight otherwise OK. Left on same as above.

After analog shutdown I know I need to do channel rescan, but I am sorry I can't find out how in either manual or FAQs for this thread. Do I do a
"Reset User Configuration" accessed from the service menu via button sequence
<menu> <screen mode> 9012
? Will this force a rescan after power off / power on ?
Or is there a simpler way that does not involve an unpublished service menu access ?
I would greatly appreciate a reply; thanks.





2 500's - 1 OTA only and 1 OTA and Uverse

Re-scanned again. Now CBS is 12-1 vs 2-1 and 7-1 is ok.
When I first rescanned neither seems to have been added.
Even my Sony Bravia rescan didn't pick up either after first scan?

OTA 500 - host still shows 0-2, clock set shows 12-1, a few missing listings on day eight otherwise OK. Left machine on over night set to 12-1.

OTA-Uverse 500 - host is blank, clock set 12-1, a few missing listings on day eight otherwise OK. Left on same as above.

thomasb -

From the regular viewing screen (NOT the TVGOS listings screen) press "menu" on the remote. Then scroll down to "CH +/-" or something like that (I'm not looking at it currently). There are then "Auto Add" and "Auto Scan" functions for antenna. Choose "Auto Scan".

thomasb -

From the regular viewing screen (NOT the TVGOS listings screen) press "menu" on the remote. Then scroll down to "CH +/-" or something like that (I'm not looking at it currently). There are then "Auto Add" and "Auto Scan" functions for antenna. Choose "Auto Scan".

It's "Menu", "Preferences", "CH +/- List"

The last download was 10PM Friday night. Since noon today the ads are now all gone.

It has completed another clock set about 4 hours ago.

While it did work just fine with downloads about 18 hours after the transition......the last 18 hours has been dead.

Um?

That is really unfortunate. At least it worked long enough to know that it wasn't the digital transition that killed the data. The guide data disappeared here for 2 weeks from 5/13-5/27. Everything else worked fine during those two weeks (I even recovered from a reset during that time), but the grid was filled with 'No Listings'. After a week I called my CBS station, and they assured me everything was working fine. I called again a week later, and got them to look into it some more. The data was back the next day. I'd give it a couple of days, and then try to contact someone at your CBS station.

Mark

Interesting theory. I don't know what the source of the VBI data for cable analog 9 was/is. I do know it has clock information because my bedroom set which is cable only can see it. I did have a digital source (CBS 5) and at the end of last year when they were testing it I did the digital force host procedure and was getting listings, although not completely reliably. At the time the host was shown as 1:5-0, but I always suspected it was actually getting the data from OTA on digital 5.1. I was getting both cable and OTA CBS digital at the time, but now (spring/summer) I can't get the OTA station very well. Bottom line is I don't know if the cable digital CBS is really carrying TVGOS.

Jim

Try tuning to your digital CBS on cable. Then run the G* Test (it will fail). After letting all the tests fail, exit it, and go into the 753 menu. Go down 3 screens. You will then be on the ATSC slicer screen. If there is data counting in the CurrChan column then the TVGOS data is there.

If there is no data there, then I would run the G* Test on your analog PBS station over cable (they may be sending out the converted SCTE-127 datastream over the analog channel). It should pass the G* Test if they are sending it out. If it fails then do the same thing on your analog CBS. If there is no data from either of those sources, it just may not be available over cable, or they are sending it out on some other channel.

Mark

It has been a very strange week here. My Sony did things it has never done before (VBI channel was sometimes NOT the channel it was tuned to, unable to set a recording because "channel not in lineup" even though it was), but it all corrected itself by Thursday morning. I have had a full 8 days listings since then.

Other things to note:

Some day 8 listings are missing when I check in the morning, but they fill in during the daytime downloads and are complete by evening.

The Sony has gone completely digital, but still shows the old CBS analog host. That channel, the one maintained by Comcast for TVGOS, no longer exists. I guess that means it was NOT a properly downconverted channel with SCTE-127 data, and Comcast will not provide such a channel.

I edited my channel lineup over the last few days, and so far it remains exactly as I set it with no messing around by TVGOS.

In the diagnostic screens, LstSuStrt remains at 6/7/09. However, there are lots of current entries for today under LstAtStrt on multiple pages.

I get lots of zipcode packets, but have received only 3 timezone packets in the last week, none since the cutoff.

HoustonPerson's Next Wakeup line is ALWAYS zero on my unit.

The bottom line is that all appears to be working well. What happens after some major reset? Dunno.

Maybe now this thing will operate transparently, and we can forget about having to check on it constantly. I bet it will be a hard habit to break for some of us.

thomasb -

From the regular viewing screen (NOT the TVGOS listings screen) press "menu" on the remote. Then scroll down to "CH +/-" or something like that (I'm not looking at it currently). There are then "Auto Add" and "Auto Scan" functions for antenna. Choose "Auto Scan".
actually, after you press menu, you then have to press something like "preferences",,,,whatever is NEXT to the bottom after you press menu. THAT will then bring up the list with the ch+/- choice , which will then bring you to auto scan...

Thanks folks for channel auto-scan help - All channels are there. Great.

[...]
In the diagnostic screens, LstSuStrt remains at 6/7/09. However, there are lots of current entries for today under LstAtStrt on multiple pages.
[...]


I haven't had a LstSuStrt time since going all digital in January. Only the LstAtStrt gets updated any more. Also, on the VBI Data-VBI Info screen, the LastDLEnd field is always N/A as if the downloads never finish.

Mark

press in a number like 3 or 24 and then do the rick click. It will advance in that many hours that you entered.

Three and a half years with these things and I still learn new stuff about them! :eek:

I've been entering the number, then arrowing down twice in the menu that appears at the left, then hitting "select." The right-click trick saves two clicks. Thanks!

That is really unfortunate. At least it worked long enough to know that it wasn't the digital transition that killed the data. The guide data disappeared here for 2 weeks from 5/13-5/27. Everything else worked fine during those two weeks (I even recovered from a reset during that time), but the grid was filled with 'No Listings'. After a week I called my CBS station, and they assured me everything was working fine. I called again a week later, and got them to look into it some more. The data was back the next day. I'd give it a couple of days, and then try to contact someone at your CBS station.

Mark

Hi Mark,

I am trying to reach the station. From my side it appears their "inserter" had failed or off line.

There is no PSIP and no TVGOS data on digital 11-1 CBS here. All other stations are sending out PSIP (except for 2 others).

I am still getting digital clock. Screen two on clock changes back and forth from 11-1 and 11-0.........which are of course exactly the same thing.......but it means there is some sort of issue with the data they are (or are not) sending out; otherwise it would stay with 11-1 - just as it had been the last couple of months.

Day 8 is now 100% "no listings" and about 20% of Day 7 is no listings

I emailed the local CBS, and within about 10 minutes the TVGOS got turned back on. Data fills in super fast. Went from zero ads to over 5 pages, and Day 8 is now 65% filled in.

Hopefully within the next few hours the DL screens will start showing today's dates.

We shall see.

I emailed the local CBS, and within about 10 minutes the TVGOS got turned back on. Data fills in super fast. Went from zero ads to over 5 pages, and Day 8 is now 65% filled in.

Hopefully within the next few hours the DL screens will start showing today's dates.

We shall see.

Is this with your unit left on tuned to CBS, or is the unit off and getting data?

Thanks

Is this with your unit left on tuned to CBS, or is the unit off and getting data?

Thanks


Well over the last 2 hours or so, data was just flying into the box. Went from Zero ads to now 6 pages of ads and they are still there. To about 65% complete on Day 8

However the data stream completely died again? Current Channel 11-1 was zooming and now is dead again – Pic 7216

Pic 7218 shows the last complete code 70 was received about 10AM Friday morning 6/12/09. Nothing so far has been 100% complete on the DL screens and zero data for 6/13 or 6/14 dates – except for clock on other pages.

So no sooner did the TVGOS get turned “on” and it went “offline” again?

I will leave the box "off" the next few hours to see what happens?

Is this with your unit left on tuned to CBS, or is the unit off and getting data?

Thanks

I will leave the box "off" (but last tuned to 11-1) till about 1PM today and see what happens.

Then I will turn it "on" (and tuned to 11-1) and leave it there the rest of the day to see what happens.

It is possible there is a software bug in the .21 software? It appears, since it was recording 26-1 FOX this morning, that knocked it off 11-1 and may have killed the download in progress?

So I will try to figure out what happened.

Is this with your unit left on tuned to CBS, or is the unit off and getting data?

Thanks

At the specific time I was looking, the box was turned "on" and tuned to 11-1 (local CBS OTA).

Well over the last 2 hours or so, data was just flying into the box. Went from Zero ads to now 6 pages of ads and they are still there. To about 65% complete on Day 8

However the data stream completely died again? Current Channel 11-1 was zooming and now is dead again – Pic 7216

Pic 7218 shows the last complete code 70 was received about 10AM Friday morning 6/12/09. Nothing so far has been 100% complete on the DL screens and zero data for 6/13 or 6/14 dates – except for clock on other pages.

So no sooner did the TVGOS get turned “on” and it went “offline” again?

I will leave the box "off" the next few hours to see what happens?

3 things...

1) You may be right about the data being gone again, but The ATSC slicer screen doesn't always show updating data. You sometimes have to exit and come back, or even switch channels and back to get the data to start updating.

2) Your time calculations are wrong. 100% of the times you see in the 753 menu are GMT time, and also in 24 hour format. So when you see the ID70 time of 15:01. That is 3:00pm GMT. Subtract 5 hours and that is 10:00am local time, not 10:00pm. You have often said that downloads were happening while you watch shows in the evening, but the last download happens at 22:06 GMT which is 5:06pm local time. Downloads are finished for the day by 5:30pm every night (analog downloads ended at 6:45pm). This is why it has appeared that downloads were happening even when you weren't tuned to your host channel at the time, the times were actually 5 hours (and in some cases 12 hours) apart.

3) Those download schedules are only used if your host channel is set. You can't tell whether your TVGOS is working by only looking at the download schedules. If you don't have a host channel, the schedules aren't used (but you will still get data)

The only sure way to know that your listings are working is to check your day 8 listings, if they are filled in, then everything is working.

Mark

[...]
It is possible there is a software bug in the .21 software? It appears, since it was recording 26-1 FOX this morning, that knocked it off 11-1 and may have killed the download in progress?


No software bug, recording a show on a different channel than your host channel will (and always has) "killed the download". Your DVR only has one tuner, it can't be tuned to 2 stations at once.

Mark

3 things...

1) You may be right about the data being gone again, but The ATSC slicer screen doesn't always show updating data. You sometimes have to exit and come back, or even switch channels and back to get the data to start updating.

2) Your time calculations are wrong. 100% of the times you see in the 753 menu are GMT time, and also in 24 hour format. So when you see the ID70 time of 15:01. That is 3:00pm GMT. Subtract 5 hours and that is 10:00am local time, not 10:00pm. You have often said that downloads were happening while you watch shows in the evening, but the last download happens at 22:06 GMT which is 5:06pm local time. Downloads are finished for the day by 5:30pm every night (analog downloads ended at 6:45pm). This is why it has appeared that downloads were happening even when you weren't tuned to your host channel at the time, the times were actually 5 hours (and in some cases 12 hours) apart.

3) Those download schedules are only used if your host channel is set. You can't tell whether your TVGOS is working by only looking at the download schedules. If you don't have a host channel, the schedules aren't used (but you will still get data)

The only sure way to know that your listings are working is to check your day 8 listings, if they are filled in, then everything is working.

Mark

time has passed so it's all changed now; but anyway

1. yes, did that, no change over a couple of hours (except for the 2 hours or so it was filling up like crazy and then stopped again)

2. yep, corrected that a couple hours ago (i always mess that up-but caught it, right after I posted)

3. I dont know, my host channels has not been set for months? (by that I mean it has been blank or sometimes reported analogue-which meant nothing here) so why the last date of 6/12 ?

Also the "next wakeup" field has stayed a "0" since 6/12 - still do not know what that really is - but it was change several times a day over the last couple of months.


Everything you say makes sense..........the recording of 26-1 would have killed it with one tuner............I will see if it wakes up the next few hours (it will be off a few more hours). Perhaps it will complete Day 8. After all it did go from no ads for the last day and half to a zillion ads in a matter of minutes this morning and a good percentage of Day 8.

Anyone has the 250 that won't accept channels like xx.xxxx? My 250 only takes xx.xxx

I have TVGuide 1.2.09

Bay Area -- only a few listings for next Saturday, no listings for next Sunday. My host still shows analog 9, so have reset my zip code to 00000. Turned off unit to let it reset; and then will reenter the correct zip code. Clock channel has been digital 5-1 since the software update.