It is probably better to say that a [2] indicates that TVGOS data has not been received since the last reset, and a [3] indicates that TVGOS data has been received since the last reset. This applies to both analog, and digital data.

Looking at my TVGOS recovery (http://members.cox.net/mabuttra/tvgos/080142/intro.htm) page, all the pictures I took after a reset, and before I ran the G* Test show a [2], and all the pictures taken after I ran a G* Test show a [3], which basically proves out what Possumgirl said. I had never noticed this before, until Possumgirl mentioned it.

Mark

As usual you have explained the issue clearly and logically. It would be real nice if [3] became [2] if there was no data for a period of time. I can only wish.

This week my 500 stopped tuning QAM signals. Did a rescan and nothing is found. Signal quality seems fine - I can tune QAM if I plug into my TV directly. Could the tuner have gone bad??

I had almost the exact same problem about 3 weeks ago. I could play recordings, but if I tuned to a digital channel I only got a black screen. The Sony reported reasonable signal strength, just no video or audio. I did a front panel reset, just because it is easier than an unplug reset, and when it was done rebooting, everything was working again. To do a front panel reset, hit the "Exit" and "TV Guide" buttons on the front panel at the same time.

Hope that helps.

Ah, good. I suppose the ABC digitals have also returned to the channel lineup. I'll do a ZIP 00000 reset on my 500 tonight so as to get a fresh lineup and see what happens.

I actually did the reset and then set the ZIP to my actual ZIP code (instead of the out-of-state one I normally use when I have a channel lineup) around 1:30 PM yesterday, shortly after I posted that. The missing channels appeared by dinner time, way down at the end of the list in the channel editor. No ABC logo, as others have reported.

The front panel reset brought back my QAM channels... no lets see if the guide fills back in. :) I love this board!

I just talked with KAET at 602-496-2308. I told them that we had no listings past midnight tomorrow. I was told that they were having to replace equipment (which is in-house) and that it "just" needs to be installed and should be functional in ~2 days. Hopefully that was a padded pessimistic estimate.
Ok good. I don't record much on Sundays so its not a big deal. Hopefully they'll get channel 61.1 fixed so I can receive listings for it (haven't received any listings for it since the digital switch over).

Thanks again.

Same here... Listings are back, but the ABC logo is replaced by the local station's callsign. Also (although I'm not sure if anyone but me had noticed that they had been missing as well) the listings are back for A&E-HD. Just like ABC, the analog version had listings but the digital version didn't. Hmm, ABC, A&E-HDhd, maybe it was an "A" thing (except that AMC-HD had listings all along)......This morning my ABC digital listings (for WPVIDT, Philly) came back with the aforementioned loss of the ABC logo; yesterday, while others were reporting that theirs had come back, mine were still "No Listing" across the board. But it seems fine now. My only concern is that the editable channel list is once again in the mid-600s and I'm worried that the Sony will balk due to memory constraints. Why they don't drop the analog channels that are no longer broadcasting (e.g. WPVI vs. WPVIDT here) is beyond me, as is why the Sony TVGOS downloads hundreds of (turned-off) cable channels when I've told it I'm OTA only.

Since forums usually just contain posts with problems, just wanted to report that I haven't had any issues since July. TV Guide works like a charm.Same here (Chicago, OTA).

The front panel reset brought back my QAM channels... no lets see if the guide fills back in. :) I love this board!

Yesterday my 500 unit had no signal either on cable or OTA. After front panel reset, signals returned. However, clock was slow. Usually, it comes back with the 9012 menu test but I couldn't get that menu to appear. After about ten minutes, the clock was on time.

Ray

Guess I'm lucky or my local broadcasters are sending TVGOS correctly, both my 500s (OTA and cable) work great, except for the annoying audio dropouts.
I did the .21? update back when, and except for glitchy days then, they both are purring along.
QAMS here are over #1000 so I use OTA to program in all of my HD channels.
I've had both mine for many years, they are workhorses. Probably the best and most useful Sony machines ever made. and I did really enjoy both my Aibos I had!

Yep - best piece of electronics equipment I ever owned.

Lots better than my TiVo HD even (better PQ - especially with SD - tuner/aspect ratio/DVR features and build quality, and smoother operation and quicker response). If the Sony only had two, newer generation tuners, I wouldn't have even had any real need for the TiVo, because it filled all my relatively simple needs otherwise - I don't even use any of the TiVo's "advanced" features.

Nothing "wrong" with the TiVo, mind you, but they sure don't make electronics like these Sony's anymore, that's for sure. If my TiVo's original hard drive is still working 4 years from now like this Sony's, I'll be pretty shocked.

Since the following members have been so instrumental helping everyone here;
jtbell, mabuttra, HoustonPerson, frank70 & spiff72 (unlike Macrovision/Rovi for the most part), how about you guys get together and come up with a revised TVGOS 'guide' to troubleshooting.
Between spiff72's site;
http://www.spiffspace.com/forum/index.php
& mabuttras' web sites;
http://members.cox.net/mabuttra/tvgos/080142/intro.htm
it would be great if a combined effort could assemble not just the procedure(s), but a list of exactly what to look for in all of those diag. screens. Not just the page, but the specific entry(s) on that page.

I have talked with 'Nick' from Rovi many times in the past, but he appears to only a 'go between', a middle man so to speak. Though helpful, there is a definite limit to what one can ask him. Like most, if not all companies, the people in the know are well shielded from the consumer.

(Sorry, if I left anyone out from that list. :o )

Rammitinski; Which TiVo HD do you have?
I thought about going that route, but my biggest beef is them charging you an additional $200 just to reactivate a "Lifetime" subscription when the recorder dies after 3 years (more than just a HDD failure) on top of buying a replacement.

Does anyone remember when Sony disco'ed this in 2005 or 06? It was supposedly less than a year after it was introduced.
(Probably because it wasn't very popular.) :rolleyes:

All my ABC listings also came back,but I never lost the ABC logos??? Also I never get a host ,it has been blank since last Feb........

SS-Stingray

Does anyone remember when Sony disco'ed this in 2005 or 06?

November 22, 2005 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6578782#post6578782), which happened to be the day I bought my 250 at Best Buy. I came home and set it up, then logged on and found out about the discontinuation.

The first reported delivery of one of these units, in this thread, was on May 13, 2005 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=5637127#post5637127). So the official "lifetime" was a bit over six months.

Does anyone remember when Sony disco'ed this in 2005 or 06? It was supposedly less than a year after it was introduced.
(Probably because it wasn't very popular.) :rolleyes:
Probably because they were selling for $1,000.

November 22, 2005 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6578782#post6578782), which happened to be the day I bought my 250 at Best Buy. I came home and set it up, then logged on and found out about the discontinuation.
How much did you pay? A few months later they were selling on clearance for $250.00 at Tweeter. (which apparently doesn't exist anymore)

Hello out there, a week ago the ABC channel in my TVGOS grid went missing, the whole line is gone, and all the other channels are fine. I’ve checked in the edit/channel list and the station is checked and it’s no where to be found in the channel setup list. I’m in the Portland, OR area and using OTA digital only. I’ve re-entered my TVGOS set-up info and the next day it’s the same thing. Also I have the new firmware installed as of when it first came out, and everything has been working fine until now. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

How much did you pay?

I still have my receipt, because I bought an extended warranty. I almost never buy those warranties, but I made an exception in this case because of the complexity of the unit. Cost was $500 (for a 250), plus $80 for a 4-year warranty which expired a few weeks ago without my having had to use it. So much for my worries about the reliability of this unit. :rolleyes:

A few months later they were selling on clearance for $250.00 at Tweeter. (which apparently doesn't exist anymore)

That clearance was actually on the 500. I picked up one of those, too, probably the last one Tweeter sold in all of South Carolina. I couldn't resist twice the disk space for half the cost! :D

I was successfull with the artec get a grid procedure. It was very easy and worked like a charm. I am eternally grateful for the instructions on that. I did lose the abc hd listings. I am away on vacation now, but hopefully that will be resolved when I get back. I too love this system and hope it lasts for a long time. (knocks on wood.) Thanks again for all the great help on these boards, it seems to be a required source for all owners of these dvrs.

As the MTBF on these units hard drives approaches, I was wondering if anyone had come up with any strategies for upgrading/replacing the hard drives in these units outside of sending the units back to Sony.

I noticed in this forum that a simple replacing of the hard drive does not work and detailed steps would be required through the use of a service manual. I did a search for the manual and came up with a site that sells them:

manualuniverse.com

Has anyone had experience using this manual and doing a successful upgrade/replacement of the hard drives?

Thanks,

Z

I have a HDD250 running on Time Warner Cable in San Diego. On Dec 11th TWC made some changes to their channel line-up and since then we have lost all the TVGOS listing and I've tried many things including a factory reset and upgrading the firmware to 1.2.21 to no avail.

Don't know how this relates to the listing issue but now the unit is able to receive many of the HD channels on like say 6.1, 8.1, 10.1, 39.1, etc. This wasn't the case before where we needed a cable card for receiving HD channels on the 7** "stations." But now even without the cable card we can receive the HD channels on the *.1 channels. So is the case now that cable cards no longer needed on TWC for receiving HD?

But now even without the cable card we can receive the HD channels on the *.1 channels. So is the case now that cable cards no longer needed on TWC for receiving HD?CableCards were never required to receive the SD and HD locals and public interest channels on TWC (or any other cable provider).

Since the following members have been so instrumental helping everyone here;
jtbell, mabuttra, HoustonPerson, frank70 & spiff72 (unlike Macrovision/Rovi for the most part), how about you guys get together and come up with a revised TVGOS 'guide' to troubleshooting.
Between spiff72's site;
http://www.spiffspace.com/forum/index.php
& mabuttras' web sites;
http://members.cox.net/mabuttra/tvgos/080142/intro.htm
it would be great if a combined effort could assemble not just the procedure(s), but a list of exactly what to look for in all of those diag. screens. Not just the page, but the specific entry(s) on that page.

I have talked with 'Nick' from Rovi many times in the past, but he appears to only a 'go between', a middle man so to speak. Though helpful, there is a definite limit to what one can ask him. Like most, if not all companies, the people in the know are well shielded from the consumer.

(Sorry, if I left anyone out from that list. :o )

If Sony really wanted to give us a present, they could put the firmware source code on their web site. Now that would really be amazing. But not likely. Rovi? Not likely since they still make money from TVGOS.

I noticed in this forum that a simple replacing of the hard drive does not work and detailed steps would be required through the use of a service manual. I did a search for the manual and came up with a site that sells them:

manualuniverse.com

Has anyone had experience using this manual and doing a successful upgrade/replacement of the hard drives?

Thanks,

Z

I wonder if the service manual is new since you are the first person to post this information here? Over the years, several people have posted their unsuccessful effort to replace the hard drive. Perhaps with the manual it will now be possible, assuming that type of HD can still be purchased.
Also, except for the HD, I wonder what other components can be repaired/replaced.
Ray

As the MTBF on these units hard drives approaches, I was wondering if anyone had come up with any strategies for upgrading/replacing the hard drives in these units outside of sending the units back to Sony.

I noticed in this forum that a simple replacing of the hard drive does not work and detailed steps would be required through the use of a service manual. I did a search for the manual and came up with a site that sells them:

manualuniverse.com

Has anyone had experience using this manual and doing a successful upgrade/replacement of the hard drives?

Thanks,

Z

The only manual I see is the start of guide for the 500.

The only manual I see is the start of guide for the 500.

I did a search on DHG-HDD250 and it came up with the user guide and a service manual ($19.95).

By the responses, this must be a new find for the service manual. I may purchase it to see if this is truly the service manual with instructions on how to replace the hard drive.

Z

I wonder if the service manual is new since you are the first person to post this information here? Over the years, several people have posted their unsuccessful effort to replace the hard drive. Perhaps with the manual it will now be possible, assuming that type of HD can still be purchased.
Also, except for the HD, I wonder what other components can be repaired/replaced.
Ray

Anyone care to risk $19.95 to find out.
It is my understanding that the drive model and serial no are written to the flash ROM in the DVR. This might require special equipment only available at a Sony repair station.

Not as simple as flashing a BIOS upgrade on a computer.

Cannot find the list of codes right now but seem to remember that one of those codes allows access to the flash ROM.

I have a HDD250 running on Time Warner Cable in San Diego. On Dec 11th TWC made some changes to their channel line-up and since then we have lost all the TVGOS listing and I've tried many things including a factory reset and upgrading the firmware to 1.2.21 to no avail.

Don't know how this relates to the listing issue but now the unit is able to receive many of the HD channels on like say 6.1, 8.1, 10.1, 39.1, etc. This wasn't the case before where we needed a cable card for receiving HD channels on the 7** "stations." But now even without the cable card we can receive the HD channels on the *.1 channels. So is the case now that cable cards no longer needed on TWC for receiving HD?

I'm also in San Diego with Time Warner Cable. Several months ago, TWC remapped their QAM frequencies down to the low VHF frequencies (like CBS and ABC are on 111MHz), and I have not been able to get the Sony DHG to receive them reliably since then. I've tried stronger signals (removing splitters and even adding an amp) and weaker signals (just adding splitters), but I always get lots of problems. So I'm surprised you can get these stations like 8.1 and 10.1 on clear QAM from TWC with your Sony DHG at all!

As far as the TV Guide goes, I am able to get updated listings from XETV 6.1 over TWC. However, I do not get any lineup packets, so I suspect that if I ever lost my grid, I would need some of the various voodoo from this thread to get one back. You might find this discussion relevant over on the San Diego HDTV forums. Start with the posts from Dec 1 onward.

http://hdtv.forsandiego.com/messages/1/7588.html?1260673421

Probably because they were selling for $1,000.I thought the 500 was closer to $800 while the 250 was less than $500? My 250 from J&R was around $430 three years ago.If Sony really wanted to give us a present, they could put the firmware source code on their web site.Yea, right. Might as well ask for their movie division.I did a search on DHG-HDD250 and it came up with the user guide and a service manual ($19.95).I'm sure it's just the owners manual. From what source? There are plenty of sites that will charge you for a owners (user) manual when you can get it from the manufactures site (or elsewhere) for free.

http://www.retrevo.com/support/Sony-DHG-HDD500-DVRs-manual/id/280bh126/t/2/

I thought the 500 was closer to $800 while the 250 was less than $500?

The "normal" prices were $800 for the 250 and $1000 (I think) for the 500 before Sony discontinued them. I think you could sometimes find them for $700 and $900 respectively. Then Best Buy dropped their price for the 250 to $500, and that was when a bunch of us in this thread (including me) jumped in. That was at the almost the same time Sony pulled these units from their Web site, so it was probably in effect a BB "clearance" sale in response to Sony's action.

Believe it was Tweeter that dropped the price of the 500 to $250. That was how I purchased mine.

Believe it was Tweeter that dropped the price of the 500 to $250. That was how I purchased mine.

They were the only ones to do that. May have been a mistake since Frys Electronics continued to price it near list, and Tweeter is no longer exists.

Ray

.I'm sure it's just the owners manual. From what source? There are plenty of sites that will charge you for a owners (user) manual when you can get it from the manufactures site (or elsewhere) for free.

http://www.retrevo.com/support/Sony-DHG-HDD500-DVRs-manual/id/280bh126/t/2/

I went to that site yesterday, and saw both owners and service manuals available. Today only the owners manual shows. I assume that the service manual was offered by mistake, which was discovered probably when someone who posts on this link tried to buy it.

Ray

I went to that site yesterdayAnd the site is/was??? :confused:

Is it a secret?

I went to that site yesterday, and saw both owners and service manuals available. Today only the owners manual shows. I assume that the service manual was offered by mistake, which was discovered probably when someone who posts on this link tried to buy it.

Ray

I "bought" the manual Monday about 7am. When I got home from work I saw it was an error. I paid via PayPal. By 11:58pm they had refunded my payment. One more thing goes back on to my wish list.

I "bought" the manual Monday about 7am. When I got home from work I saw it was an error. I paid via PayPal. By 11:58pm they had refunded my payment. One more thing goes back on to my wish list.

Same here.
Bought the service manual yesterday. Immediate email from Paypal acknowledging the purchase.

Three minutes later ( no kidding .. 3 minutes) another Paypal email with the refund. Reason:
Note from merchant:
Sorry manual not available.

Help needed. Power went out 3 days ago and my clock is not correct. the listing is there. I have left the unit off for the last 3 days but the clock is still not correct.

Help needed. Power went out 3 days ago and my clock is not correct. the listing is there. I have left the unit off for the last 3 days but the clock is still not correct.

If you have 8 days of listings, but it is just the clock that is off, then the power outage apparently wiped out your timezone information. Your DVR has to receive a timezone packet in order to know how to set the clock for your timezone. Timezone packets are plentiful in a many parts of the country, however in my case, I'm lucky to get one every three days, and have gone up to a week without receiving one. You probably just have to be patient, and hope you aren't in an area that rarely receives timezone packets.

Mark

Help needed. Power went out 3 days ago and my clock is not correct. the listing is there. I have left the unit off for the last 3 days but the clock is still not correct.

I guess you should turn the unit on and see if there are now listings for every day up to next Tuesday. Might want to mention your source (cable/OTA), host channel, Sony firmware version, and, well, how's the snow in DC?

Help needed. Power went out 3 days ago and my clock is not correct. the listing is there. I have left the unit off for the last 3 days but the clock is still not correct.

For various reasons, my power went off several times in the last few weeks. Each time one of my units immediately acquired the correct time. The other one didn't until I turned that unit on and selected the guide channel. In less than a half hour, the time was correct. In the past, the clock was set within a few seconds of performing a VBI test - even with the latest firmware.

Ray

Hi - my HDD 250 has been working fine. It's just not showing our local ABC station WTAE-DT. I think it might be a TVGOS issue. Just checked the guide on my Mits WD-Y95, and the data is missing for WTAE on 4.1 here in Pittsburgh. Is there a fix for this? Thanks.

This is Frustrating, a week ago the ABC channel in my TVGOS grid went missing, the whole line is gone, and all the other channels are fine. I’ve checked in the edit/channel list and the station is checked and it’s no where to be found in the channel setup list. I’m in the Portland, OR area and using OTA digital only. I’ve re-entered my TVGOS set-up info and the next day it’s the same thing. Also I have the new firmware installed as of when it first came out, and everything has been working fine until now. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

If you have 8 days of listings, but it is just the clock that is off, then the power outage apparently wiped out your timezone information. Your DVR has to receive a timezone packet in order to know how to set the clock for your timezone. Timezone packets are plentiful in a many parts of the country, however in my case, I'm lucky to get one every three days, and have gone up to a week without receiving one. You probably just have to be patient, and hope you aren't in an area that rarely receives timezone packets.

Mark

Full Listing not there today. I just checked and my listings run out on Saturday 12/26/2009 around 5am. My power outage was this past Saturday 12/19/09.

I guess you should turn the unit on and see if there are now listings for every day up to next Tuesday. Might want to mention your source (cable/OTA), host channel, Sony firmware version, and, well, how's the snow in DC?

Thanks Joe, I am OTA only with host channel 9-1 and software 1.2.21. I have left the unit set to host channel 9-1 when turned off.

Damn snow was massive! I have not driven since last Friday. Still a mess out there.

For various reasons, my power went off several times in the last few weeks. Each time one of my units immediately acquired the correct time. The other one didn't until I turned that unit on and selected the guide channel. In less than a half hour, the time was correct. In the past, the clock was set within a few seconds of performing a VBI test - even with the latest firmware.

Ray

Hi Ray, Since the 'leave the unit off and wait' approach has not worked yet I will now 'leave the unit on and wait' to see what happens. My unit is set to "Auto Off" at 4am.

Hi Ray, Since the 'leave the unit off and wait' approach has not worked yet I will now 'leave the unit on and wait' to see what happens. My unit is set to "Auto Off" at 4am.

Unit never 'Auto Off' last night because the clock never set any time last night. I did the 9012 test and reset but still wrong clock and no listing past Saturday 12/26/09.

Thanks Joe, I am OTA only with host channel 9-1 and software 1.2.21. I have left the unit set to host channel 9-1 when turned off.

Damn snow was massive! I have not driven since last Friday. Still a mess out there.

Have you checked to see if data is coming to you? If no data, then I would call or email your host station. If data is there, there may be corruption of the internal TVGOS software and you'll need to try some of the reset options. I like the front panel reset since it's usually most effective and least destructive.

Have you checked to see if data is coming to you? If no data, then I would call or email your host station. If data is there, there may be corruption of the internal TVGOS software and you'll need to try some of the reset options. I like the front panel reset since it's usually most effective and least destructive.

Thanks, which menu to use to see if data is coming in. Is it the VBI test or 753 menu?

Thanks, which menu to use to see if data is coming in. Is it the VBI test or 753 menu?

From what I understand, the ATSC Slicer screen in the 753 menu will show if you are getting digital data, and the Section Slicer screen will show if you are getting analog data. This is based on your .21 firmware.

Some have speculated that running a G* test will jump-start the data, but I haven't found this to be the case personally, and most agree that with the new firmware it's unnecessary.

btw- if I'm wrong on this data, someone PLEASE let me know. I'm pulling my hair out lately because I'm not getting ATSC Slicer or Section Slicer data at my home (Comcast, .21 software, no host, no clock, no grid) on any major network channel. I'm pretty sure that means I'm getting no host data whatsoever.

From what I understand, the ATSC Slicer screen in the 753 menu will show if you are getting digital data, and the Section Slicer screen will show if you are getting analog data. This is based on your .21 firmware.

I am on the slicer menu - where should I look?

I then did the 9012 TVGOS G* test and back to 753 menu. The first 753 showed my VBI Chan as 0:9-1 and after the G* test I get fffffffd. Turned unit off and back to 753 menu and VBI Chan back to 0:9-1.

Does anyone know how to force a completely new channel data scan? I've tried changing the ZIP code to see if I could get different data, without much luck. I wouldn't mind setting the entire thing up manually, but I'm even missing some of the logos I need such as ABC, NBC, CBS, HD logos.

Failing that, does anyone know how to zero out my channel data so that in the normal scheme of things it might refresh?

Thanks for any help anyone might offer.

John O'Boyle

I am on the slicer menu - where should I look?

When you are on the Section ATSC-ATSC Slicer menu, the numbers will be incrementing if you are getting digital data. For instance, when I take my box to work, I can tune to the HD version of my CBS affiliate and watch several numbers in the CurrChan and SinceCold columns increasing, but not the center host channel column.

The Section Reception-Slicing shows analog VBI data, and when I tune to the analog host at work, I again see numbers incrementing in the SinceCold and CurrChan columns.

The first 753 showed my VBI Chan as 0:9-1 and after the G* test I get fffffffd. Turned unit off and back to 753 menu and VBI Chan back to 0:9-1.

I've also had my VBI channel flip back and forth like that. Not sure what it means though.

Does anyone know how to force a completely new channel data scan? I've tried changing the ZIP code to see if I could get different data, without much luck. I wouldn't mind setting the entire thing up manually, but I'm even missing some of the logos I need such as ABC, NBC, CBS, HD logos.

Failing that, does anyone know how to zero out my channel data so that in the normal scheme of things it might refresh?

Thanks for any help anyone might offer.

John O'Boyle

Hey John,
I know how to reset the guide data....but I highly advise against it unless you are positive that you have a good digital or analog host available. I'd do that by checking around in your 753 menu screens. Go to the channel you believe to be the host, enter the 753 menu, and look at the ATSC-ATSC slicer and Section Reception-Slicing screens to see if the numbers are increasing.
IF you verify that you have a working host, you can go to the 9012 menu, select the tv guide button, and reset to factory defaults. Make sure you are first in the TV guide portion of the 9012 menu though! I believe this will get rid of all TV guide data, including your grid - hence the caution taken.


And again, if anyone sees this as heinously egregious info, please let me know ;) I'm just pulling together what I can find while trying to fix my own units!

Help needed. Power went out 3 days ago and my clock is not correct. the listing is there. I have left the unit off for the last 3 days but the clock is still not correct.

Bad news...as mabuttra said timezone pkts on WUSA-DT (CBS 9 here in DC) have come in VERY infrequently in the past. Took a little over a week for me last time.

Hey John,
I know how to reset the guide data....but I highly advise against it unless you are positive that you have a good digital or analog host available. I'd do that by checking around in your 753 menu screens. Go to the channel you believe to be the host, enter the 753 menu, and look at the ATSC-ATSC slicer and Section Reception-Slicing screens to see if the numbers are increasing.
IF you verify that you have a working host, you can go to the 9012 menu, select the tv guide button, and reset to factory defaults. Make sure you are first in the TV guide portion of the 9012 menu though! I believe this will get rid of all TV guide data, including your grid - hence the caution taken.


And again, if anyone sees this as heinously egregious info, please let me know ;) I'm just pulling together what I can find while trying to fix my own units!


Does this procedure reset anything else I might not want reset, such as firmware etc,?

Thanks.

JLOB

Does this procedure reset anything else I might not want reset, such as firmware etc,?

Thanks.

JLOB

If you do the 9012 TVGOS reset it will not change the intalled software/firmware (Sony .21 release).

If you do the 9012 Reset Factory Defaults it will reset the Sony DVR back to it's original software/firmware as it was shipped from the factory (like .05 .09 .13 etc). Therefore you would use your USB memory stick to update the Sony Software back to the latest .21 release.

If you do the 9012 TVGOS reset will it erase shows that are recorded?

If you do the 9012 TVGOS reset will it erase shows that are recorded?

"TVGuide Reset" will not erase your recordings. "Restore Factory Defaults" will erase all of your recordings.

"TVGuide Reset" will not erase your recordings. "Restore Factory Defaults" will erase all of your recordings.

Thanks!

The 9012 TV Guide reset may cause your TVGOS version to revert to the base version for your Sony software version. This adds to the time it takes to recover from the reset, typically an extra day.

For a specific example, Sony software 1.2.21 (the upgrade that Sony made available last May) includes TVGOS version 8.01.71. After you install the 1.2.21 upgrade, TVGOS automatically updates itself (via OTA downloads) first to 8.05.40, then to 8.06.44 (the current "latest and greatest" version).

When I do a 9012 TV Guide reset from this state, sometimes the TVGOS version reverts to 8.01.71. In this case, it generally takes a full day to update TVGOS back to 8.06.44, then another night (and sometimes part of the following day) to get the channel grid and the initial set of program listings.

Other times, the TVGOS version does not revert, but instead stays at 8.06.44. In this case, I usually get the channel grid and listings back overnight, or at worst by late next afternoon.

When you are on the Section ATSC-ATSC Slicer menu, the numbers will be incrementing if you are getting digital data. For instance, when I take my box to work, I can tune to the HD version of my CBS affiliate and watch several numbers in the CurrChan and SinceCold columns increasing, but not the center host channel column.

The Section Reception-Slicing shows analog VBI data, and when I tune to the analog host at work, I again see numbers incrementing in the SinceCold and CurrChan columns.



I've also had my VBI channel flip back and forth like that. Not sure what it means though.

When performing a "cold start", I get asked to select my specific cable feed from two or three locations (even though it knows my zip code). The differences between the feeds are very minor, but that means that some of the data on my host channel is not my data. When checking the various diagnostic screens I've noticed that during some checks they all show my host channel. Other times they show a weird but consistant number (some hex some decimal). My feeling is that the weird
numbers are shown at the times the "other" feed data is being sent.

Best part of this guess is that I can speculate forever, since Rovi's not talking.

Bad news...as mabuttra said timezone pkts on WUSA-DT (CBS 9 here in DC) have come in VERY infrequently in the past. Took a little over a week for me last time.

I sent an email to CBS WUSA for help with the timezone packets. I got this response:

"Please contact TVGOS customer support at CE_Customer_Support@rovicorp.com or 1-800-386-7380. TVGOS is responsible for the maintenance and administration of their data."

I forwarded my email to rovicorp.

I sent an email to CBS WUSA for help with the timezone packets. I got this response:

"Please contact TVGOS customer support at CE_Customer_Support@rovicorp.com or 1-800-386-7380. TVGOS is responsible for the maintenance and administration of their data."

I forwarded my email to rovicorp.

I receive OTA broadcasts only (no satellite, cable, fiber optic, etc.) in Rockville, MD and my TVGOS has been down for a week. Resetting the service to other local zip codes yields no improvement. On my Sony TV, the TVGOS status screen indicates no host channel.

I emailed WUSA9 this morning and received the identical response...contact Rovi.

Pretty worthless and very frustrating :mad:

I receive OTA broadcasts only (no satellite, cable, fiber optic, etc.) in Rockville, MD and my TVGOS has been down for a week.

This happened about a month and a half ago with WUSA-DT 9. Their station engineer has stated they do absolutely nothing with the TVGOS server. Everything is monitoried/done through Rovi. Took about 7-10 days total to resolve the listing problem.

I then did the 9012 TVGOS G* test and back to 753 menu. The first 753 showed my VBI Chan as 0:9-1 and after the G* test I get fffffffd. Turned unit off and back to 753 menu and VBI Chan back to 0:9-1.

When you run the G* Test, it should show the channel number in the VBI:, and ATSC: fields. However what usually happens is that you see 1023-65533 in both of those fields. When that happens both the VBI Channel and the clock channel (presuming you let the test run long enough to set the GMT clock) get set to fffffffd.

Mark

Hi all -

The question pretty much says it all. I haven't gotten any listings data since 12/17/09. If I tune to WUSA and go into the ATSC Slicer screen, there are no packets incrementing.

If other folks in DC are getting data OTA, then I'm not sure what to do. As it is, I assume there's no point in doing anything without any data coming in. If I reset, I'll lose the grid and still have no data, not even to restore the firmware versions, so that seems pointless.

My host flags have reverted to all zeroes like when I first reset everything, host ID is 0x0 and of course host channel is blank. I see no evidence of any data coming in.

Sigh.

I have a 250 and 500 and my neighbor across the street has a 500. We have lost abc for a couple weeks and now have lost all listings. My 500 won't even get the right time. I am in northern virginia and have tried different zip codes from DC and VA. No Luck!

Well a couple hours ago I surrendered and went and bought a 2nd DTVPAL DVR at Sears. Hooked it up and it began populating the guide immediately.
I have had one for exactly a year and though I don't like the interface nearly as much as the Sony... It does work pretty well. Plus it has 2 tuners.

I may try hooking up the 500 in my wife's office when I here things have settled down with TVGOS.

I am looking for a thread that discusses the TV Guide setup on a Sony Bravia. I specifically want to edit the channels. It looks like that function may be there because of the edit layout. You can edit a HDD250/500's TV guide, why should a new TV be backwards?

My Sony HDD250 has been a brick since 12/19/2009. I have run G* Test, rescanned channels, 753 menu, reset by unplugging a couple dozen times but nada.

OK, glad to hear it's not just me. I sent Rovi and WUSA an e-mail, for what little that's worth. In a sense I'm amazed that this machine has kept working this long. This is the first time TVGOS has been down for so long in my area, at least I think it is. Guess we'll see what happens.

So DTVPal has a backup way to get data when TVGOS isn't working? It's not solely reliant on the one channel transmitting like the Sonys are? They sure didn't design any redundancy into our setup - any piece of the puzzle goes out and it all stops.

I am looking for a thread that discusses the TV Guide setup on a Sony Bravia. I specifically want to edit the channels. It looks like that function may be there because of the edit layout. You can edit a HDD250/500's TV guide, why should a new TV be backwards?

I also have a Sony Bravia and find the setup the same as the DHG's. Just go to setup in the guide screen. I don't know of a thread just for the guide but look at these two;

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1023121&page=46

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/gtsearch.php?cx=001381781930431233427%3Apbbbasrrsh8&cof=FORID%3A11&q=sony+kdl-46v4100&sa=Search#1470

Both of my DHG's and TV guides are working now so far without any problems.

Still no grid here, unless jump start with Artec.


Question on TimeZoneVersion?

This does not seem correct to me;

Section Other – Clock 1……..Time Zone Version = 213

Section VBI Data – VBIDL Sched – Ver = 212

They should be equal? Yes or No



Section VBI Data – Inst Env – Ver currently -0-; but was equal to “Section VBI Data – VBIDLSched – version (about "200") on previous NumSearch “2”.

Box is currently 10 hours into NumSearch “3” with the same ole……..0xe68 and 0x05

It's been about 10 days into ResetFactoryDefaults with no grid, that included one power outage.

So DTVPal has a backup way to get data when TVGOS isn't working? It's not solely reliant on the one channel transmitting like the Sonys are? They sure didn't design any redundancy into our setup - any piece of the puzzle goes out and it all stops.The DTVPal DVR (OTA-only), TiVo (OTA and cable), and Moxi (cable-only) all provide guide data without TVGOS.

The DTVPal DVR uses PSIP guide data (typically 12-48 hours worth) when TVGOS is not available. TiVo and Moxi always provide 14-days of Tribune guide data, which they download from Internet servers.

A full comparison is linked in my signature.

Finally up in Woodstock, TVGOS is back and working in analog on channels 3 and 97( remap channel when using cable card). This on a Comcast cable system. All DVRs and tvs with TVGOS fully populated out to next week. Just in time for the winter season. My girlfriend is happy not having to deal with the no listings any more.
Michael

Still no grid here, unless jump start with Artec.


Question on TimeZoneVersion?

This does not seem correct to me;

Section Other – Clock 1……..Time Zone Version = 213

Section VBI Data – VBIDL Sched – Ver = 212

They should be equal? Yes or No


They used to be equal, but haven't been since Oct. 25th. The TZ version is now always one increment higher.


Section VBI Data – Inst Env – Ver currently -0-; but was equal to “Section VBI Data – VBIDLSched – version (about "200") on previous NumSearch “2”.



I don't check that page often but I know it started showing zero quite a while ago, maybe around the same time as the TZ version changed.

They used to be equal, but haven't been since Oct. 25th. The TZ version is now always one increment higher.





Ok, thanks. I was beginning to think one of my zip codes changes had made it crazy.

I will continue to attempt “a la Grid al Natural” till about the first week of January. If it still don’t work, then it’s back to the Artec.

Since Houston is still not working, it looks like I will have to get out the Artec about 3 or 4 times a year to keep it working.

Since Houston is still not working, it looks like I will have to get out the Artec about 3 or 4 times a year to keep it working.

Maybe you should contact the member who made this post since he's in Houston and got his unit to rebuild a grid OTA. Just a thought. :D

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=17711507#post17711507

Maybe you should contact the member who made this post since he's in Houston and got his unit to rebuild a grid OTA. Just a thought. :D

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=17711507#post17711507

yep, two have claimed to have gotten grid twice in the last six months...........never a reply back, never confirmed?

I actually think that I would have a grid here, but the timing is off or just plain un-lucky via power outages, storms, or sunspots. the "one time" I did get HostChannel set (3-4 months agao), the unit had a hard lock up, the new grid did not like the old Artec grid, they did not match.

The DTVPal DVR (OTA-only), TiVo (OTA and cable), and Moxi (cable-only) all provide guide data without TVGOS.

The DTVPal DVR uses PSIP guide data (typically 12-48 hours worth) when TVGOS is not available. TiVo and Moxi always provide 14-days of Tribune guide data, which they download from Internet servers.

A full comparison is linked in my signature.

Thanks, that's a great comparison table! I don't watch that much TV or have cable, so I'm really hoping I can keep this Sony alive for a while longer rather than shell out another pile of money.

I got an e-mail back from WUSA saying, as others have noted, they have no control over the TVGOS stream or any admin ability, and have told them there is a problem.

Well..I was getting VBI packets up until this past Saturday (12/26) and my guide is filled up to this coming Fri (1/1) morning. But..now no VBI pkts on WUSA-DT via FIOS when I checked this morning.

Earlier today I change my zip code to 21401 for Annapolis to see if I could get the Baltimore 13.1 WJZ updates. At 2:15pm I noticed I had finally got a correct clock and some TVGOS listing.

I am not sure if the above worked because then I check my emails and had received this from Rovi @ 11:28am:

"An update was recently made in this area and we are wondering if the TV Guide has returned. If it is not, please reset the TV Guide; to do this you will need to go to set up with in the TV Guide, hit the down arrow once, and type in 653274147 (won't see these numbers on the screen). The TV Guide will disappear and the unit may restart. After this you will need to leave the TV off from 11:45pm - 6:00am. If you are still having issues, please provide us with the following information:

Cable Provider:

Zip Code:

Model Number:

Set up (Cable Ready, Cable Box, Cable Card):

Thank you,
CE Tech Support"

An update was recently made in this area and we are wondering if the TV Guide has returned. If it is not, please reset the TV Guide; to do this you will need to go to set up with in the TV Guide, hit the down arrow once, and type in 653274147 (won't see these numbers on the screen). The TV Guide will disappear and the unit may restart.

This number of 653274147 is first I have heard of. Since I had a good clock and some listings I did not attempt to do this 653274147 setup.

Never heard of a 653 menu? Is it a new support menu number?

Never heard of a 653 menu? Is it a new support menu number?


I guess its time to post this list again . . .

But be careful, most of these codes have never been tested by anyone on this forum. :eek:

The "normal" prices were $800 for the 250 and $1000 (I think) for the 500 before Sony discontinued them. I think you could sometimes find them for $700 and $900 respectively. Then Best Buy dropped their price for the 250 to $500, and that was when a bunch of us in this thread (including me) jumped in. That was at the almost the same time Sony pulled these units from their Web site, so it was probably in effect a BB "clearance" sale in response to Sony's action.

I saw on this thread a ways back that the Sony Factory Outlets were selling these. I saw one for $250 and bought two. I should have forced the issue and bought the 500 on display. The staff knew nothing, the HDD were in plain brown boxes. I actually went through four, as one was good, and the other was DOA. I went back and got another, which had looked as if through a war, and had no "don't remove voids warranty" stickers. It worked OK, but I knew from this thread that this WAS the time to get a warranty, so went back and got #4. Lucky thing too, two years later needed a new unit (unfixable lockups) and Sony Warranty was quite helpful-they sent me another unit.

I have two dish boxes which do OTA but I still use the Sonys for my OTA-here in NY, they work very well and I like that they will record and play back in native format. My sony Blu ray player isn't that smart !

One box is upstairs feeding a SD Trinitron through component. HD downscaled to SD this way looks very, very good.

We had some stupidity during HD transition but things in NYC OTA work well now

I saw one for $250 and bought two. I should have forced the issue and bought the 500 on display. The staff knew nothing, the HDD were in plain brown boxes. I actually went through four, as one was good, and the other was DOA.

which outlet did you find these? thanks.

I guess its time to post this list again . . .

But be careful, most of these codes have never been tested by anyone on this forum. :eek:

guy tried it from this thread - http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=17801270

The reset worked. It took a few hours for everything to populate, but the grid and all listings have returned in full. I'm tempted to email Rovi's reset email to WUSA9 so they can instruct viewers.

I have to wonder how many other viewers are experiencing this problem and are clueless as to how to proceed :eek:

then I check my emails
Just curious, but how did they get your email?

114119196 Alpha Enabled
Any guesses as to what this code does? Maybe puts the channels in alphabetical order in the setup menu?

Need Help, a few weeks ago the ABC channel in my TVGOS grid went missing, the whole line was gone, and all the other channels were fine. I’m in the Portland, OR area and using OTA digital only. I have the new firmware installed as of when it first came out, and everything has been working fine until now. Last Wednesday I did the TV Guide Reset to Factory Defaults under the 9012 service menu, its been 5 days and no grid nor is my clock showing the correct time. VBI is showing correct channel but the host is blank, HostSUFlags shows 0xd6800000. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Just curious, but how did they get your email?

They are replying to people who sent them an e-mail asking what happened to the TVGOS stream. I did that, so I also got this response from Rovi today.

Am I right in saying that normally there are *always* packets incrementing on the ATSC slicer screen, regardless of time of day, as long as you are tuned to the host channel?

I have partial listings now (after checking the box after getting the email), but tonight no packets on ATSC. Which makes me even more reluctant to try resetting the guide per their instructions...

Just curious, but how did they get your email?


Any guesses as to what this code does? Maybe puts the channels in alphabetical order in the setup menu?

HUH!? I checked my emails the same way everyone does. I hope I did not imply that I could check my emails on my Sony DVR but your question sounds like that?:confused:

They are replying to people who sent them an e-mail asking what happened to the TVGOS stream. I did that, so I also got this response from Rovi today.

Am I right in saying that normally there are *always* packets incrementing on the ATSC slicer screen, regardless of time of day, as long as you are tuned to the host channel?

I have partial listings now (after checking the box after getting the email), but tonight no packets on ATSC. Which makes me even more reluctant to try resetting the guide per their instructions...

When you are getting packets they are continuous 24/7. With no packets, you may have a brick or door stop should you perform a reset. The type of brick depends on the type of reset performed. In the Eastern time zone I have found that 19:00 is a magic time for packets going away or starting. Sort of like how my listings can terminate at midnight on day 8 when things are ok, but dribble off at 03:00 on day 7 when data is missing. I've watched these action for about two years, but others will have different observations. Note that the Sony does not need to be tuned to the host channel to get packets, only for you to watch them. Also note: my testing indicates packets are ignored during a recording or playback from the hard drive.

When running G Test, I now get VBI Test = Fail

Is this important? What does it mean?

OTA only here and still no Grid.

HUH!? I checked my emails the same way everyone does. I hope I did not imply that I could check my emails on my Sony DVR but your question sounds like that?:confused:
Um, no, what I meant was, how did TVGOS/Rovi get your email address in order to send you an email asking you to check if there were any issues with their guide date?

Um, no, what I meant was, how did TVGOS/Rovi get your email address in order to send you an email asking you to check if there were any issues with their guide date?

Ohh, OK. Go back to thread 19811. Many of us had emailed Rovi customer service:

I sent an email to CBS WUSA for help with the timezone packets. I got this response:

"Please contact TVGOS customer support at CE_Customer_Support@rovicorp.com or 1-800-386-7380. TVGOS is responsible for the maintenance and administration of their data."

I forwarded my email to rovicorp.

I spoke to a Comcast engineer today. This information applies to Comcast Motorola cards in the Chicago area.

1) He is aware of the "recording not permitted" issue.
2) The appropriate department is aware of Moto card firmware v. 4.21. It is being tested internally in this area.
3) His GUESS is that 4.21 would be rolled out in about a month.
4) He is not personally aware of what issues 4.21 addresses, but "dozens" has posted here that it has solved his "not permitted" problem. (I think he's on the east coast.) Therefore I have to assume it will PROBABLY solve the problem in Chicagoland.
5) I asked how the FW would be installed. ("dozens" had to get a new card.) He THINKS they can now update the cards remotely.
6) I reminded him that a simple re-provisioning of my card previously required that I remove and replace it before the change became effective. He is sure that re-provisioning can now be handled remotely without the need to reseat the card. (But this is different than a FW update.)

As with all things cable --- no guarantees. But at least we know Comcast is aware of certain issues and is working to solve them.

I recently ordered Comcast, and they showed up on Saturday without the two Multi-stream cable cards I requested. The tech said they have been out of stock for a few weeks, and did not understand why Comcast sends them out when they know there are no cards in stock.

I am going to install the cards in two of my DHG-HDD 500's, and am wondering if the above firmware might still be an issue? I certainly hope not after all this time, but you never know.

The Comcast tech did not have a single good thing to say about Cable Cards. He understands that it is a better deal in the long run to buy a DVR, but has not had good experience getting cards to work in "Tivo's". I proceeded to explain to him that there were other DVR's on the planet besides Tivo, but I think it fell on deaf ears.

Anyway, they are scheduled to come back on the 6th of January, but will probably show up with no cards again. Any advice on getting Comcast in Chicago to get the cards working properly? I understand I may need to ensure a second or third level technician is on the phone who knows how to properly "pair" the cable card with the DVR?

Thanks for any input.

Mark

That's nonsense. I have had a mulistream cable card from Comcast in my HD Tivo for more than a year. When my Tivo quit and I got a replacement, I had to have the cable card switched to the new receiver. What I can tell you is that in my Comcast office, the one that services my account, there is only one guy who can install the card in a TIVO. All others just lgive you a funny look and tell you that you need Bob. For two installs within one year, both were done by Bob. Let me tell you why it takes so long to get the card working. the tech of comcast don't know SH*T about the cards and when they went to multistream cards, they knew even less than SH*T. Bob is the expert, and while he knows what to do, he does not really know what he is doing. When he first came he tried to install two multistream cards and could not get it to work. That is when I discovered that there is a guy at Comcast that knows something, because Bob made several calls and ended up with that guy who told him that it was a multistream card, take the otheone out (let me add the word "Fool" here, even though he may not have actually said that to Bob.)
They have the technology, they just don't have anyone who knows what to do with it.

I had Charter install CableCards in my three HDD500's in October. The cards they installed were Motorola multistream cards. The technician plugged in the cards and called in the numbers to the office. All three HDD500's worked immediately and the technician was gone in less than a half hour.

I am going to install the cards in two of my DHG-HDD 500's, and am wondering if the above firmware might still be an issue? I certainly hope not after all this time, but you never know.The firmware would not be an issue. You quoted a post from early 2006. In early 2006, the firmware on some cards could cause problems, but that was addressed more than three years ago.

The Comcast tech did not have a single good thing to say about Cable Cards. He understands that it is a better deal in the long run to buy a DVR, but has not had good experience getting cards to work in "Tivo's". I proceeded to explain to him that there were other DVR's on the planet besides Tivo, but I think it fell on deaf ears.The TiVo is no more difficult to activate than any other device, and easier than many. The problem is that many reps receive little or no training on CableCards; many have no idea what to do with the TiVo, Moxi, Sony, or any other device. When they do receive "training," it is usually with a one page document, not real world experience.

Complicating the whole business is that the necessary information is stored and accessed in different menus on different devices. Contrast that to the cable company's own boxes, where all pairing information needed by the rep is on a label (sticker) that is physically attached to the back/bottom of the box. Cable boxes are able do this because the CableCard is shipped with the device, and thus all pairing information is known in advance.

Third-party DVRs will never be as easy to activate because the CableCard is not shipped with the box, and thus the pairing information is not known until the CableCard is physically inserted. A third-party product could display the pairing information on an external LED screen when a CableCard is inserted, but such displays add unnecessary cost.

Am I right in saying that normally there are *always* packets incrementing on the ATSC slicer screen, regardless of time of day, as long as you are tuned to the host channel?



It is definitely true that you should always see activity in the current channel column if the host is digital. That basically means the equipment at the host station is working, but doesn't guarantee that Rovi is sending data through the stream.


Note that the Sony does not need to be tuned to the host channel to get packets, only for you to watch them. Also note: my testing indicates packets are ignored during a recording or playback from the hard drive.

I don't know if things are different with cable vs. OTA, but with OTA, for recording and playback, packets aren't ignored if you're tuned to the host channel. As you said, when the unit is off it doesn't matter where it's tuned. When it's on, it will receive packets if tuned to the host channel regardless of whether you're watching live, recording, or doing playback. At least that's been my experience. :)

I should add that that applies to digital. Back in the analog host days I never saw updating when the unit was on even when tuned to the host.

Same here.
Bought the service manual yesterday. Immediate email from Paypal acknowledging the purchase.

Three minutes later ( no kidding .. 3 minutes) another Paypal email with the refund. Reason:

catmother, wouldn't it be wonderful if a service manual is available for the DHG-HDDxxx DVR? From the work I did to attempt a HD clone, see:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16430669#post16430669
I'm convinced that the installed HD model and serial number are stored in the DVR's flash memory. Even if a service manual were available a software tool would be required to partition the replacement HD and to transfer the HD's info to flash. Another alternative could circumvent the HD model and serial number in flash in effect bypassing the requirement allowing the DVR to operate normally.

Need Help, a few weeks ago the ABC channel in my TVGOS grid went missing, the whole line was gone, and all the other channels were fine. I’m in the Portland, OR area and using OTA digital only. I have the new firmware installed as of when it first came out, and everything has been working fine until now. Last Wednesday I did the TV Guide Reset to Factory Defaults under the 9012 service menu, its been 5 days and no grid nor is my clock showing the correct time. VBI is showing correct channel but the host is blank, HostSUFlags shows 0xd6800000. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Need Help, a few weeks ago the ABC channel in my TVGOS grid went missing, the whole line was gone, and all the other channels were fine. I’m in the Portland, OR area and using OTA digital only. I have the new firmware installed as of when it first came out, and everything has been working fine until now. Last Wednesday I did the TV Guide Reset to Factory Defaults under the 9012 service menu, its been 5 days and no grid nor is my clock showing the correct time. VBI is showing correct channel but the host is blank, HostSUFlags shows 0xd6800000. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

After doing the reset, do you still show the new firmware version? You may have to reinstall it. On the first 753... first screen are your base and patch versions 08.01.71/08.06.44? Is your UTC date and time correct and is there a [3] shown on that line? Have you received any TimeZone packets since the reset?

The firmware would not be an issue. You quoted a post from early 2006. In early 2006, the firmware on some cards could cause problems, but that was addressed more than three years ago.

The TiVo is no more difficult to activate than any other device, and easier than many. The problem is that many reps receive little or no training on CableCards; many have no idea what to do with the TiVo, Moxi, Sony, or any other device. When they do receive "training," it is usually with a one page document, not real world experience.

Complicating the whole business is that the necessary information is stored and accessed in different menus on different devices. Contrast that to the cable company's own boxes, where all pairing information needed by the rep is on a label (sticker) that is physically attached to the back/bottom of the box. Cable boxes are able do this because the CableCard is shipped with the device, and thus all pairing information is known in advance.

Third-party DVRs will never be as easy to activate because the CableCard is not shipped with the box, and thus the pairing information is not known until the CableCard is physically inserted. A third-party product could display the pairing information on an external LED screen when a CableCard is inserted, but such displays add unnecessary cost.

Thanks for the info. Would you have any idea how to access the pairing information in the Sony? If I knew that, it would eliminate one hurdle.

Mark

After doing the reset, do you still show the new firmware version? You may have to reinstall it. On the first 753... first screen are your base and patch versions 08.01.71/08.06.44? Is your UTC date and time correct and is there a [3] shown on that line? Have you received any TimeZone packets since the reset?
Thanks Possumgirl for responding, I still show having the new firmware, base & patch versions read 08.01.71/08.06.44, UTC date is correct the time is not, and there is a [3] shown. I don’t show any time zone packets. Thanks again for your time.

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

the TVGOS host channel for Portland OR is KOIN, channel 6. Tune to channel 6.1, then enter the 753159852 screens, then click down three times to the ATSC Slicer screen. Do the counts in column "CurrChan", rows "TVG" and "Tot Sections" increment regularly, a few counts every couple of seconds?

If they don't increment, then there is no TVGOS data on that channel. Check it a few times over the course of a couple of days to be sure. If you still don't get anything, contact the station about it. I have three TVGOS host channels in my reception range, and it's not unusual for one of them to be "silent" at any given moment. It usually starts up again within a day or so.

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

the TVGOS host channel for Portland OR is KOIN, channel 6. Tune to channel 6.1, then enter the 753159852 screens, then click down three times to the ATSC Slicer screen. Do the counts in column "CurrChan", rows "TVG" and "Tot Sections" increment regularly, a few counts every couple of seconds?

If they don't increment, then there is no TVGOS data on that channel. Check it a few times over the course of a couple of days to be sure. If you still don't get anything, contact the station about it. I have three TVGOS host channels in my reception range, and it's not unusual for one of them to be "silent" at any given moment. It usually starts up again within a day or so.
Thanks jtbell, I checked and the counts in both columns increment regularly on 6.1.

Thanks Possumgirl for responding, I still show having the new firmware, base & patch versions read 08.01.71/08.06.44, UTC date is correct the time is not, and there is a [3] shown. I don’t show any time zone packets. Thanks again for your time.You'll just have to wait for a timezone packet - sometimes I get one or two a day in Philly, other times it's days and days before I get one. And apparently I'm one of the lucky ones.

This seems to be the real sticking point for most folks with grid problems. The frequency of timezone packets seems to vary from city to city. I've seen people here report as much as a month!

No accounting for why ROVI does it this way... seems totally insane.

catmother, wouldn't it be wonderful if a service manual is available for the DHG-HDDxxx DVR? From the work I did to attempt a HD clone, see:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16430669#post16430669
I'm convinced that the installed HD model and serial number are stored in the DVR's flash memory. Even if a service manual were available a software tool would be required to partition the replacement HD and to transfer the HD's info to flash. Another alternative could circumvent the HD model and serial number in flash in effect bypassing the requirement allowing the DVR to operate normally.

Thanks for the link, had forgotten about that even though I have been reading this thread since inception. But do remember reading it at the time.
Sony really has this locked down compared to Tivo.

How quickly the Tivo series was hacked to allow drive replacement and expansion using WinMFS.

Perhaps because Sony still will replace the hard drive for a nominal flat rate (around $150) there is not the incentive to hack the box.

Meanwhile my HDD250 is now approaching 4 years and still going strong (knocking on wood as I type).

Third-party DVRs will never be as easy to activate because the CableCard is not shipped with the box, and thus the pairing information is not known until the CableCard is physically inserted. A third-party product could display the pairing information on an external LED screen when a CableCard is inserted, but such displays add unnecessary cost.Would you give an example of what information is there (exact if possible)?You'll just have to wait for a timezone packet - sometimes I get one or two a day in Philly, other times it's days and days before I get one. What exactly does a "timezone packet" contain?Perhaps because Sony still will replace the hard drive for a nominal flat rate (around $150) there is not the incentive to hack the box.Assuming a 250GB drive was the largest available in 2005 when this was designed, today, just replacing that drive with another 250 is such a waste. I find it hard to beleive no onw has been able to 'crack' this.

Thanks Possumgirl for responding, I still show having the new firmware, base & patch versions read 08.01.71/08.06.44, UTC date is correct the time is not, and there is a [3] shown. I don’t show any time zone packets. Thanks again for your time.

Are you sure the UTC time isn't correct? I've not heard of the date being right and the time being wrong. The offset for PST is 8 hours so right now (9:00AM) the UTC time is 17:00.

Sounds as though everything else is okay and, as Frank70 said, you just need to receive a Time Zone packet to get things going. Mine come in sporadically also. Sometimes several days or even weeks can go by before one or more show up. I have no idea if they are sent infrequently, or if there's something internal in the DHG that decides when it wants to accept one.

You could try going back to setup and changing your zip code, perhaps to the one where KOIN is located to see if that gets things going. Otherwise, it's just a waiting game.

What exactly does a "timezone packet" contain?

Somehow it "marries" your zip code or host station with your time zone so the unit can set the correct offset from UTC. But like everything else that comes down the Rovi pipe, the actual format/contents are unknown to us mere mortals. :D

If that is correct, then only one should be needed. Once the correct offset is established, the any additional packets aren't important, correct?

If that is correct, then only one should be needed. Once the correct offset is established, the any additional packets aren't important, correct?

That would seem to be correct; however for those of us that have a host channel that blanks out every 78 hours, the host doesn't set again until another TZ packet is received. The blanking out host doesn't affect the offset though, so everything else continues to work fine with or without TZ packets.

Rovi must of made some changes 3 weeks ago as I lost the guide on all three of my TVGOS devices (two of these recorders and a TV). Normally I get the data from a SCTE127 analog cable channel off the digital OTA host. Since the system seems to prefer the analog host over the direct digital host, even after I establish the digital host using the "Artec jump start" method, a day or so later it switches to the cable analog version. After I got the grid back, TWC was not passing the data until a week or so later. I have been up and running for a week or so though one recorder lost most of the listings for half a day, then got them back.

Anyway, don't know how, if a 'host' is established, the system can then 'loose' it. One would think it would not change unless you change it with another zip code or a config. change.

Are you sure the UTC time isn't correct? I've not heard of the date being right and the time being wrong. The offset for PST is 8 hours so right now (9:00AM) the UTC time is 17:00.

Sounds as though everything else is okay and, as Frank70 said, you just need to receive a Time Zone packet to get things going. Mine come in sporadically also. Sometimes several days or even weeks can go by before one or more show up. I have no idea if they are sent infrequently, or if there's something internal in the DHG that decides when it wants to accept one.

You could try going back to setup and changing your zip code, perhaps to the one where KOIN is located to see if that gets things going. Otherwise, it's just a waiting game.



Somehow it "marries" your zip code or host station with your time zone so the unit can set the correct offset from UTC. But like everything else that comes down the Rovi pipe, the actual format/contents are unknown to us mere mortals. :D
Thanks for the clarification, the UTC time is correct. Will forcing the host speed this process up? Also any thoughts on why my ABC line in my grid disappeared in the first place. Thanks

Any advice on getting Comcast in Chicago to get the cards working properly? I understand I may need to ensure a second or third level technician is on the phone who knows how to properly "pair" the cable card with the DVR?

Thanks for any input.

Mark

The TiVo is no more difficult to activate than any other device, and easier than many. The problem is that many reps receive little or no training on CableCards; many have no idea what to do with the TiVo, Moxi, Sony, or any other device. When they do receive "training," it is usually with a one page document, not real world experience.

Complicating the whole business is that the necessary information is stored and accessed in different menus on different devices. Contrast that to the cable company's own boxes, where all pairing information needed by the rep is on a label (sticker) that is physically attached to the back/bottom of the box. Cable boxes are able do this because the CableCard is shipped with the device, and thus all pairing information is known in advance.

Third-party DVRs will never be as easy to activate because the CableCard is not shipped with the box, and thus the pairing information is not known until the CableCard is physically inserted. A third-party product could display the pairing information on an external LED screen when a CableCard is inserted, but such displays add unnecessary cost.

Thanks for the info. Would you have any idea how to access the pairing information in the Sony? If I knew that, it would eliminate one hurdle.

Mark

Would you give an example of what information is there (exact if possible)?

If anyone can provide any details on what (pairing) information I need to look for after the card is inserted into the Sony DHG--and how to access that information--it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Mark

If anyone can provide any details on what (pairing) information I need to look for after the card is inserted into the Sony DHG--and how to access that information--it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Mark

I can only say that when the Charter technician installed CableCards in my three HDD500's in October, all he did was phone in the numbers he read off the back of the cards and then plug the cards into the Sony's. He didn't have to go searching through any special screens or menus on the Sony's.

Be aware however that the installation of the CableCards will cause the DVR to lose it's Grid and Listings. So be prepared to wait for whatever time period it takes to get your Grid back. And when the Grid comes back, hundreds of CableCard channels will be turned "On", and your DVR will be sluggish until you go through and turn off most of them.

Thanks for the clarification, the UTC time is correct. Will forcing the host speed this process up? Also any thoughts on why my ABC line in my grid disappeared in the first place. Thanks

There's no evidence that the "force host" procedure does anything at all; it certainly won't help get your grid back. :( As to the ABC problem, Rovi had issues of some sort starting around 12/13. Most of us just lost listings but the channel line was still there. Don't know why yours disappeared. I think Rovi has fixed the problem. At least the listings are back as of 12/18.

There's no evidence that the "force host" procedure does anything at all; it certainly won't help get your grid back. :( As to the ABC problem, Rovi had issues of some sort starting around 12/13. Most of us just lost listings but the channel line was still there. Don't know why yours disappeared. I think Rovi has fixed the problem. At least the listings are back as of 12/18.
Thanks for all your help; I reentered a new zip code using KOIN’s zip, I’ll see if that makes a difference. Times running out, new shows are about to start!

If they install a multistream card, and there are two slots, they should choose the slot on the left, or the one marked as the first slot, or primary slot. The card is configured like other cards, and the tech doesn't do it all, he calls in for help with the people who actually activate the cards address in the system. then the card has to download tables from the cable system. this can take a few minutes, or 30 minutes. There is a way to look at the download, but to refresh the information you must back out and re-enter the page that gives that information. If you are not working with a Tivo, there may be a slight variation to this process, but I would think that it would be like putting a modem on any other computer, it will be more alike then different.


[QUOTE=giomania
Mark[/QUOTE]

If they install a multistream card, and there are two slots, they should choose the slot on the left, or the one marked as the first slot, or primary slot.On a TivoHD, the M-CARD has to go in the slot on the right to authorize both tuners. If it is installed in the slot on the left, one tuner won't work. The right card slot does say M-CARD, but you can't see it unless you are eye level with the box.

TiVo displays this information screen (http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm314/ilovehdtv/Other/TivoHD/CableCards/CableCardSetup.gif?t=1262202956) 30-120 seconds after the card is inserted. That makes the process simple when one M-CARD is used to authorize both tuners, assuming the installer knows what information they need (which isn't always the case) and where to enter it.

If anyone can provide any details on what (pairing) information I need to look for after the card is inserted into the Sony DHG--and how to access that information--it would be greatly appreciated.

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

If I remember correctly Seattle Comcast asks for CableCARD ID, Host ID, and Card Serial number then sends the three signal salute [Cable Card Validation, Cable Card Initialization and Hit] and you're up within seconds. They have asked for the manufacture and model number of the device but have always been unaware of DHGs. The phrase, "It's like a Tivo" seems to calm them.

I hope this is what you were asking for.

If I remember correctly Seattle Comcast asks for CableCARD ID, Host ID, and Card Serial number then sends the three signal salute [Cable Card Validation, Cable Card Initialization and Hit] and you're up within seconds. They have asked for the manufacture and model number of the device but have always been unaware of DHGs. The phrase, "It's like a Tivo" seems to calm them.

I hope this is what you were asking for.

Wow! That was easy! Thanks!

Now I am ready for the Comcast Tech's visit on Monday. Hopefully I don't get a "bad" card.

Mark

Has anyone else in southeastern Connecticut noticed any problems with TVGOS receptions since December 17? I'm on Comcast cable, and my guide data is usually received on CPTV-HD, Channel 240. Haven't had any for a week or so now.

Thanks.

JLOB

Thanks for all your help; I reentered a new zip code using KOIN’s zip, I’ll see if that makes a difference. Times running out, new shows are about to start!

Howdy:

After spending an hour on the phone with Sony, the agent suggested that I format the drive and start all over to rebuild the guide data. I was not too keen on losing the data on the drive. I reset the user config, and used a different zip code that is smack dab in the middle of Pittsburgh, PA. Got the clock back on the front panel, and within a day, the guide was fully populated. ABC listings are back too.

While I've had a break from new shows to record, I created a follow up to my TVGOS version 08.01.42 recovery page. I basically did the same thing using the 1.2.21 firmware. You can find it here: TVGOS 08.01.71 Recovery Page (http://members.cox.net/mabuttra/tvgos/080171/intro.htm).

Mark

It is definitely true that you should always see activity in the current channel column if the host is digital. That basically means the equipment at the host station is working, but doesn't guarantee that Rovi is sending data through the stream.



I don't know if things are different with cable vs. OTA, but with OTA, for recording and playback, packets aren't ignored if you're tuned to the host channel. As you said, when the unit is off it doesn't matter where it's tuned. When it's on, it will receive packets if tuned to the host channel regardless of whether you're watching live, recording, or doing playback. At least that's been my experience. :)

I should add that that applies to digital. Back in the analog host days I never saw updating when the unit was on even when tuned to the host.


Thanks. I'm guessing that maybe they sent out enough data to fill out a partial grid of listings and then stopped? After the initial data filling in after Rovi claimed it was fixed, no data ever seemed to be coming in whenever I checked on ATSC slicer.

But as of a few minutes ago, there is finally data coming in on ATSC, and the rest of the listings filled out. The box seemed to do its own guide reset, since all the packet counts and such went back to 0, then the clock went wrong, then an hour later the clock was correct and the listings were filled in.

Now I don't have a host channel set or a timezone packet (or any packets other than clock since the counts reset), but I have listings.

The endless mystery of these systems.....

While I've had a break from new shows to record, I created a follow up to my TVGOS version 08.01.42 recovery page. I basically did the same thing using the 1.2.21 firmware. You can find it here: TVGOS 08.01.71 Recovery Page (http://members.cox.net/mabuttra/tvgos/080171/intro.htm).

Mark

Great job mabuttra. I am now about 96 Hours into NumSearch 1, still with no grid using the same procedure above but with the .05 firmware. And of course that is to be expected.

Prior to that it was about 3 weeks now with No Grid using .21

I have Artec on standby, and if still no grid when NumSearch 2 hits, then will fire up the Artec (this time I will be using a 4th and new proceedure - this should be fun).

It's pretty clear at this point Rovi has no interest in fixing Houston. Two Host Channel "sets" per YEAR really does not cut it.

On your last step 5 the pictures tell the story - VBI Stats and VBI Info, the Houston screens will not even get close to that (unless the Artec is attached). To me that explains why Houston does not work, even though I do not understand the screens. Obviously getting a hundred timezonepkts with no DPP's, and a VBIState that never gets above 0x05 is a problem (it does not have that problem with the Artec attached)

As long as we live in Houston, It looks like I will have to hook up the Artec about 3-4 times a year - to correct the Grid so the digital downloads will work correctly.

Nothing good to say about Rovi!

Great job mabuttra. I am now about 96 Hours into NumSearch 1, still with no grid using the same procedure above but with the .05 firmware. And of course that is to be expected.

Prior to that it was about 3 weeks now with No Grid using .21

I have Artec on standby, and if still no grid when NumSearch 2 hits, then will fire up the Artec (this time I will be using a 4th and new proceedure - this should be fun).

It's pretty clear at this point Rovi has no interest in fixing Houston. Two Host Channel "sets" per YEAR really does not cut it.

On your last step 5 the pictures tell the story - VBI Stats and VBI Info, the Houston screens will not even get close to that (unless the Artec is attached). To me that explains why Houston does not work, even though I do not understand the screens. Obviously getting a hundred timezonepkts with no DPP's, and a VBIState that never gets above 0x05 is a problem (it does not have that problem with the Artec attached)

As long as we live in Houston, It looks like I will have to hook up the Artec about 3-4 times a year - to correct the Grid so the digital downloads will work correctly.

Nothing good to say about Rovi!

May as well warm up the Artec 'cause a search lasts exactly 4 days 8 hours....you're getting close. :D:D

I think maybe you've just got a flaky box or it got reset one time too many. If others in Houston are working it may not be Rovi's problem. Just a thought. :eek:

Can anyone point me to a procedure that will prove I'm getting the correct digital data? I lost guide and channel data on one of my two units, and guide data on the second. I have an incorrect clock on one of the boxes, but no clock on the second one. My digital data prfovided, CPTV channel 240 in Connecticut, tells me their equipment seems to be working properly. The gentleman wants me to verify receipt of the data.

Thank you for any help

John O'Boyle

I see from a previous post that you're using Sony software 1.2.21. I assume that your channel 240 is digital. In this case, you have to use the "753159852 screens:"

1. Tune to the channel that you want to test.

2. Enter the TV Guide.

3. Click up to the top bar, then over to SETUP.

4. Click down once to highlight "Change System Settings," but do not click SELECT to enter it.

5. Enter the number 753159852. You should see a plain black and white text screen. There are a whole bunch of these screens that you access by clicking the directional buttons.

6. The screen you want is the one headed "Section ATSC-ATSC Slicer." To get to it, click down three times. Here's a picture of what it looks like (thanks to mabuttra):

http://members.cox.net/mabuttra/tvgos/080171/images/037.jpg

The counts in the "CurrChan" column, rows "TVG" and "Tot Sections", should increment steadily, a few counts every second or two. (They happen to be zero or almost zero in this picture because this unit wasn't tuned to the host channel at the moment.)

Now I don't have a host channel set or a timezone packet (or any packets other than clock since the counts reset), but I have listings.


I'm also started getting VBI packets yesterday..but unfortunately my clock is not setting and I have no listings. May have to wait for the timezone pkt which last time took over a week for WUSA-DT. :( What is somewhat bizarre is that the on-screen clock (in tvguide) has a time (I did a manual reset and it started at 12:00) but the front panel display shows --:--:-- . Don't recall ever seeing that.

Howdy:

After spending an hour on the phone with Sony, the agent suggested that I format the drive and start all over to rebuild the guide data. I was not too keen on losing the data on the drive. I reset the user config, and used a different zip code that is smack dab in the middle of Pittsburgh, PA. Got the clock back on the front panel, and within a day, the guide was fully populated. ABC listings are back too.
So did you, or did you not format the drive? I entered the stations zip on wed. still nothing 4 days later. You mention resetting the user config, I’ve not read about that term on this forum, how is that done?

So did you, or did you not format the drive? I entered the stations zip on wed. still nothing 4 days later. You mention resetting the user config, I’ve not read about that term on this forum, how is that done?

I did get my guide data and clock back, but I had an issue that the level 2 support team in San Diego had never heard of before - the guide was unresponsive. In other words, I'd bring up the guide to select another program from the grid to tune to, and it did not move to that channel. I was also unable to record from the program grid, or by hitting the record button while a program was in progress. Also, when tuning to another channel by entering a channel number all I got was a black screen.

Formatted the drive, and at the end of the format, got an INF000000000 in the display window. Unknown as to what that meant, and not feeling too comfortable with the formatting routine, I reformatted again and did not get the INF message. Clock was OK the next morning and the guide was fully populated in about a day or so. ABC data is back in the grid and recording and tuning functionality has returned too. Thanks to the guy from Sony calling me back on New Year's Day.

"You mention resetting the user config, I’ve not read about that term on this forum, how is that done?"

Check this links below or Search this Thread (in the upper right hand corner of this page) for reset user configuration.

http://www.spiffspace.com/sonydvr.html

http://www.spiffspace.com/forum/index.php

I recently upgraded to a 1080p tv. Can anyone tell me how to change the hdmi output from 720p to 1080p? or at least 1080i?

thanks...

I recently upgraded to a 1080p tv. Can anyone tell me how to change the hdmi output from 720p to 1080p? or at least 1080i?

thanks...
Sure. Just hit the FORMAT button on the remote to cycle through the various values for this until you hit 1080i. (See p.74-75 of the instructions for the list of possible values.)

Don't expect to find 1080p, because there are no 1080p signals OTA or on cable, except I think some PPV programs on some cable systems (or is that on satellite?).

I see from a previous post that you're using Sony software 1.2.21. I assume that your channel 240 is digital. In this case, you have to use the "753159852 screens:"

1. Tune to the channel that you want to test.

2. Enter the TV Guide.

3. Click up to the top bar, then over to SETUP.

4. Click down once to highlight "Change System Settings," but do not click SELECT to enter it.

5. Enter the number 753159852. You should see a plain black and white text screen. There are a whole bunch of these screens that you access by clicking the directional buttons.

6. The screen you want is the one headed "Section ATSC-ATSC Slicer." To get to it, click down three times. Here's a picture of what it looks like (thanks to mabuttra):

http://members.cox.net/mabuttra/tvgos/080171/images/037.jpg

The counts in the "CurrChan" column, rows "TVG" and "Tot Sections", should increment steadily, a few counts every second or two. (They happen to be zero or almost zero in this picture because this unit wasn't tuned to the host channel at the moment.)

jtbell,

Thanks for the prompt and comprehensive reply. Using your procedure, I've now determined that I am getting no digital data from that channel despite the fact that the engineers at CPTV tell me their equipment is operating properly. I suppose it's possible that the cable company, Comcast, is not passing the data through, but I have no idea how to prove that. Have you any thoughts?

I guess I'll send a copy of this note to the people at CPTV, who have been quite helpful up to now, and see if they might have any suggestions.

Thanks for all your help. I'd really like to get gthis squared away prior to news shows beginning next week.

John O'Boyle

I'm also started getting VBI packets yesterday..but unfortunately my clock is not setting and I have no listings. May have to wait for the timezone pkt which last time took over a week for WUSA-DT. :( What is somewhat bizarre is that the on-screen clock (in tvguide) has a time (I did a manual reset and it started at 12:00) but the front panel display shows --:--:-- . Don't recall ever seeing that.

The front panel display needs to be told what to display. How? I wish I knew. This morning one of my three DHG units had a front panel display that was 60 seconds slow. This has happened to all my units at various times over the last year. The fix has always been to turn the unit on and invoke the 9012 test. Channel doesn't matter either.

I feel that the DHG likes to be used. Maybe it gets lonely. I once left one unit in standby mode with nothing to record for over a week. When I turned it on the poor thing displayed the station, then did a reboot, countup and all. I guess it wanted to get my attention.

I recently upgraded to a 1080p tv. Can anyone tell me how to change the hdmi output from 720p to 1080p? or at least 1080i?

thanks...

Sure. Just hit the FORMAT button on the remote to cycle through the various values for this until you hit 1080i. (See p.74-75 of the instructions for the list of possible values.)

Wouldn't Auto-HDMI be a better choice? Unless I don't correctly understand the process, wouldn't 1080i unneccessarily upconvert 480i and 720p content?

Wouldn't Auto-HDMI be a better choice? Unless I don't correctly understand the process, wouldn't 1080i unneccessarily upconvert 480i and 720p content?

If you have a 1080 tv the 480i and 720p would be upconverted in the tv if it isn't done in the HDDVR so, at the very least, the question would be which one does the upconversion better.

But, as I understand Auto-HDMI, it sets the output to the best the TV can do (as reported via the EDID) so you would probably get 1080i anyway.

Devices that have an option to pass through the source resolution unchanged usually call it something like "Source" or "No Conversion" or (in the case of the Sony) "Native". That would do it but (as I said above) would only be of value if the tv looked obviously better that way. IMHO, for most devices and for most people it would look the same either way.

While you can certainly use the automatic hdmi resolution setting, there IS an advantage to manually tagging it to match your TV. The negotiation of the resolution to use every time you change the channel on the DVR makes channel changing visibly slower. In my case, a Panasonic with 768p resolution, I switched from auto to 1080i for that case. 5 of the 6 stations I watch are in 1080i anyway, and the speedier channel changes are very obvious. I'm not really sure what the "right answer" is for the 720p station, but it looks fine to me with the dvr set on 1080i, so that's how I leave it.

Thanks for the replies. I didn't realize that a 1080 TV is doing an upconvert anyway....color me dumb on that one. :( I did know the auto-HDMI setting causes a delay when changing channels, but since I only use my DVRs for record/playback that isn't an issue for me.

Wouldn't Auto-HDMI be a better choice? Unless I don't correctly understand the process, wouldn't 1080i unnecessarily upconvert 480i and 720p content?

That is what I use (auto HDMI) with an LG 55LH90 TV.
It is an 1080/P24 capable TV
Works perfectly. Of course the Info on the TV shows 1080i since that is all that OTA and Cable can supply.

Channel changing shows no delay with this setting compared with a 1080i setting

Got a Grid in 12 hours BUT:

Pic 8021: What is 0xbf8? And what about the rest of the screen?

Pic 8023: What is 18D? 4 resets instead of 3?

Pic 8024 and 8025: Info and Stats

PIc 8028: This is Artec direct to ANT on Sony. It is the only connection, no cable, splitters, or combiners. You can direct tune to digital channels “Through” the Artec while it is locked into TVGOS mode; but you not suppose too? But the Sony is missing about 1/3 of the digital channels that way?

Well, I have gone and switched to ATT U-verse and canceled my Comcast.

I now have a Sony DHG-HDD250 (250 GB) 200-Hours Video Recorder - Ebay item 290388415648 for sale. "Buy it now" price of $325.00.

Mike
mrfelix@mrfelix.net

Got a Grid in 12 hours BUT:

Pic 8021: What is 0xbf8? And what about the rest of the screen?


The HostSUFlags "thinks" that it hasn't received a Host ID since the last reset. However you can see in the System-Statistics picture that the Host ID is set. I have seen this before but not very often. Apparently the Host ID bit is unique in that it will only set when the Host ID is actually set. The 08.06.44 patch reset, apparently didn't clear the Host ID field, so the field did not need to be set, so the bit never set. The reason the LastASetEnd field is N/A is because more than likely your host channel set while the 08.05.40 patch was installed, you probably got a grid during this time also. Then the 08.06.44 patch installed and the reset wiped out the LastASetEnd down to the PrvSCause field. This makes it appear that you got a Host channel, without any NumSearches happening, and without setting the LastASetEnd field.


Pic 8023: What is 18D? 4 resets instead of 3?



I don't know. Something happened after the 08.05.40 patch installed, and before the 08.06.44 patch installed. Notice it took less than 20 minutes to get the first patch, and a little over 7 hours to get the second patch.

Mark

I don't know. Something happened after the 08.05.40 patch installed, and before the 08.06.44 patch installed. Notice it took less than 20 minutes to get the first patch, and a little over 7 hours to get the second patch.

Mark

Yes it was a long time. Of course using just digital only (not Artec), those first two patches come in fast.

For lack of better explanation I will attribute all the strange anomalies to my “incorrect” method on connecting the Artec.

I will post more details (covering the last few weeks of tests) on Sony DHG-HDD Forums in a couple of days.

Yes it was a long time. Of course using just digital only (not Artec), those first two patches come in fast.


7 hours wasn't long at all. Many people have reported that it sometimes takes 24 hours to get both patches digitally. In my recovery pages, it took > 20 hours using 1.2.13 firmware, and 15 hours using 1.2.21. The patches appear to take longer on digital.


For lack of better explanation I will attribute all the strange anomalies to my “incorrect” method on connecting the Artec.



I think you read more into this than is really there. With the Artec you are supplying an analog TVGOS source to the DVR. It couldn't care less whether that source is coming from the antenna, or cable inputs. There is no "incorrect" way to hook the Artec up. Did you have a lockup the last time you used the Artec on the antenna port? Yes. did you have a lockup when you used the Artec on the cable input? Yes. So why do you contend that the cable input is the correct input to use? Especially, when the lockup problem happens to a lot of people on this forum who don't even have an Artec.

To me lockups are caused by one of two things. Bad data from Rovi, or bad handling of the data by the Sony. I have had two lockups just in the last month for a total of 3 in the last year, but for me to say it is because my Sony gets data from the antenna input instead of the cable input, just doesn't fly, because that has nothing to do with the problem.

Mark

Well I'm no longer sure where to turn. After several days of trying various suggestions from helpful members of this forum, I'm more or less at the end of my rope. I have two units, a 250 and a 500. Both units are at V8.01.71/V1.2.21. (Is this the latest I should have?) On my 250, I have no clock, no guide data, and no channel data. On the 753... screen, under System Info, the date displays as "1/13/2004". The ATSC / ATSC Slicer screen, when tuned to my digital host channel, shows absolutely no activity whatsoever.

On the 500, the 753... screen, under System Info, the date displays as todays date I have a clock, albeit incorrect. I have channel data. I have guide data but it's all "No Listing".

I've spoken to the engineers at the local PBS outlet (CPTV), and they tell me their Gemstar hardware is in working order, after a firmware upgrade 12/17/09, coincidentely the day I believe I began having problems.

The digital cable signal is delivered to my home via Comcast cable through Scientific American cable cards installed in my Sonys. These units were working well until the middle of December.

I was told by my contact at CPTV, that someone from PBS National Datacast would contact me. While that hasn't happened yet, and I'm not certain how likely it is that they will call, I'm beginning to believe that perhaps this data is not being passed via Comcast, or is being passed by Comcast but not getting through my cablecards. With that in mind, yesterday I had the Comcast service person in to reinitialized both cablecards. That procedure fixed absolutely nothing, leading me to believe that the data just isn't getting here.

Joe Zareski, the extremely helpful Director of Engineering at Connecticut Public Broadcasting, Inc. had this to offer. "Although it could be a Comcast issue, CPTV has not received any other calls directly from viewers with TVGOS problems, we must wait for the PBS National Datacast TVGOS response to verify all TVGOS encoding is correct and functional. They also moderate issues between the TVGOS vendors and Cable companies and viewers."


I'd certainly be grateful for any suggestions anyone can offer that will get my units back on the air.

Thanks for any and all help.

John O'Boyle

they tell me their Gemstar hardware is in working order, after a firmware upgrade 12/17/09, coincidentely the day I believe I began having problems.That seems around the time both of my TVGOS devices went down.
Interesting.
Where is your data coming from? Off air, Off cable? Id off cable is it from their digital duplication of your TVGOS host or is it a analog (channel) conversion using SCTE127?

I think you read more into this than is really there. With the Artec you are supplying an analog TVGOS source to the DVR. It couldn't care less whether that source is coming from the antenna, or cable inputs. There is no "incorrect" way to hook the Artec up. Did you have a lockup the last time you used the Artec on the antenna port? Yes. did you have a lockup when you used the Artec on the cable input? Yes. So why do you contend that the cable input is the correct input to use? Especially, when the lockup problem happens to a lot of people on this forum who don't even have an Artec.

Mark

Sorry I was not making myself clear.

No lock ups here from Artec (not that I recall?), None when on cable, none when on antenna, none when combined on antenna, none when connected correctly. (those are the 4 methods I have used so far).

I was using the term "incorrect" for many other reasons (like a totally insane grid and/or a failure to set host channel and/or to launch and set itself up correctly). Out of "4" different methods of connecting Artec only ONE has actually worked correctly (these had nothing to do with nor created lockups that I am aware of?)

Sorry that I did not make myself more clear on that. Later (a few days/hours), I will post more of the last few weeks of testing and what I have found/confirmed/assumed etc.

Most likely the lockups you are referring to are the ones where I had an original and working correctly Artec grid (with normal digital downloads for weeks), and then received a digital grid (Host Channel set)..........and the two grids caused the box to go into a hard lockup? Then there have be lockups (very rare) from just normal downloads (just like you mentioned); but often easy to correct if not self correcting.

One short example (cannot cover them all). This last "incorrect" hook up of the Artec not only created "crazy grid" it also created "crazy channel set up" in the Sony tuner - neither of which matched, but that was not important.

No lock ups here from Artec (not that I recall?), None when on cable, none when on antenna, none when combined on antenna, none when connected correctly. (those are the 4 methods I have used so far).


With these words "connected correctly", you imply that there is a correct way to connect the Artec, and an incorrect way to connect it. I say it makes no difference how you connect it as long as the Sony is getting the data from it. Since you claim that one of the methods worked for you without problems, then why have you spent so much time trying to get a digital grid? I thought you were still trying because you have had lockup problems after using the Artec (I think even if you could get a digital grid that the lockup problems would continue for you, because it is the TVGOS data, both analog and digital, that eventually causes it). It seems like you have been fighting lockup problems ever since you got your grid back in August. I know about three of the methods that you have used (cable input, antenna input, combined with antennna input), but I'm curious what is the fourth method that worked for you?

About the post Artec lockups (that now you say you didn't have)...

I was referring to two lockups you reported. One happened after your digital host channel set when you recovered your grid by connecting the Artec to the cable input (which you already mentioned). The second lockup is described in this (http://www.spiffspace.com/forum/index.php?topic=204.msg1366#msg1366) message.

First you did this:

Placed Artec inline to the antenna feed and did the 00000.


The next day you reported this:

Still all in order so I proceeded to complete channel lineup order etc. Once I finished the last one I go the results of Pic 7838: Yep a hard lock up. No it did not come from placing the channel lineup in order. That problem came from either something downloaded from TVGOS OR the fact the 00000 did not take or Both?



That failure prompted you to post an update to your procedure. From step 7 (the second step 7 not the first step 7) in this (http://www.spiffspace.com/forum/index.php?topic=188.msg1095#msg1095) message you said:


So in an attempt to reduce time even more I attempted to combine the Artec with the Antenna feed to the Sony (no cable used here). That method was listed as Option A in Note 1 above. Short Story: It did not work successfully in Houston. A memory conflict was created which locked up the Sony Box.


It sure sounds to me like you have had lockups after using the Artec.

Mark

The digital cable signal is delivered to my home via Comcast cable through Scientific American cable cards installed in my Sonys.

That seems around the time both of my TVGOS devices went down.
Interesting.
Where is your data coming from? Off air, Off cable? Id off cable is it from their digital duplication of your TVGOS host or is it a analog (channel) conversion using SCTE127?

The digital cable signal is delivered to my home via Comcast cable through Scientific American cable cards installed in my Sonys. Did you get your data back yet?

mabuttra

Much is taken out of context.

>>With these words "connected correctly", you imply that there is a correct way to connect the Artec, and an incorrect way to connect it. I say it makes no difference how you connect it as long as the Sony is getting the data from it. Since you claim that one of the methods worked for you without problems, then why have you spent so much time trying to get a digital grid?


Part I Yes IMO there is only one way to correctly hook up the Artec. IMO the other methods, which I have tried extensively are not satisfactory IMO.

Part II to question: This is because when, on the very rare event that Houston does a digital HostChannel set it has locked up – that has been "once" for me since the transition (about 4 total Host Channel sets for Houston AFAIK?).

>> I thought you were still trying because you have had lockup problems after using the Artec (I think even if you could get a digital grid that the lockup problems would continue for you, because it is the TVGOS data, both analog and digital, that eventually causes it).

No, just trying to have normal digital TVGOS service is all, nothing else; I am not doing this for lock up issues. Also attempting to specifically identify exactly what is missing for digital OTA TVGOS service for Houston.

>>It seems like you have been fighting lockup problems ever since you got your grid back in August.

There has been only the “one” hard lock up since transition which created a hard lock up and that was the host channel set above.

>>I know about three of the methods that you have used (cable input, antenna input, combined with antenna input), but I'm curious what is the fourth method that worked for you?

The new forth method really “did not” work. It is basically antenna “only” but on the old .05 firmware and a much longer time frame.

Yes it is true that all four methods do produce a Grid; but IMO only one of them is satisfactory without strange anomalies.

mabuttra

Much is taken out of context.


This is why I provided links, so people could read the entire context of what was said, and judge for themselves.


There has been only the one hard lock up since transition which created a hard lock up and that was the host channel set above.


There have actually been at least two:

"Hard lock up" #1 Sept. 14, 2009, From here (http://www.spiffspace.com/forum/index.php?topic=204.msg1279#msg1279).


Soon I discover this is a hard lock up that will not release, and I also notice it is not recording 39-1 for the 7PM-8PM show.


"Hard lock up" #2 Oct. 9, 2009, From here (http://www.spiffspace.com/forum/index.php?topic=204.msg1366#msg1366) (This is the same link and quote from my last message).


Yep a hard lock up.


I think what you are saying is that anytime your DVR so much as burps, you report it as a "hard lock up", but we should only pay attention to the ones that really are hard lock ups?


No lock ups here from Artec (not that I recall?), None when on cable, none when on antenna, none when combined on antenna, none when connected correctly. (those are the 4 methods I have used so far).


To bring this full circle, I don't mean to pester you, but when you make this kind of statement, after you have posted so much evidence to the contrary, I just had to respond.

Mark

The digital cable signal is delivered to my home via Comcast cable through Scientific American cable cards installed in my Sonys.

If you have lost all analog feeds from Comcast, then my advice might not be very good. But here goes: on the almost dead 250, kill the power and pull the cable card then put power back to the unit. Wait 12 hours then turn it on and see if anything has changed. And don't do the firmware update either. Should your TVGOS show an update, see if there is a host channel. If asked questions about your zip code or CC, give honest answers. I'm so glad my dinky cable company is too small to do new things. I feel for you. Best of luck.

I'm also started getting VBI packets yesterday..but unfortunately my clock is not setting and I have no listings. May have to wait for the timezone pkt which last time took over a week for WUSA-DT. :( What is somewhat bizarre is that the on-screen clock (in tvguide) has a time (I did a manual reset and it started at 12:00) but the front panel display shows --:--:-- . Don't recall ever seeing that.

Something related to this for those in Chicagoland getting their TVGOS OTA - my TVGOS time was correct but the front panel displayed --:--. After a few days, wanting to see the display correctly on the front panel instead of leaving well enough alone, I decided to restart the Sony yesterday. Mistake. Front panel showed --:-- until I turned on the unit; after turning on the unit the clock was way off, about 5+ hours. Restarted again today, and same thing. Chicago gets TVGOS info from CBS (VHF-HI digital 12) so I suspected maybe the channel was not coming in due to the cold wintry weather - and indeed I had no picture using either of my tuners.

Set up the rabbit ears and combined them in like the old days (pre-analog shutoff) with the rabbit ear total length at 27" for channel 12. Hooked it up, turned it on - and :). Clock back to correct time and 88% signal strength for CBS.

I have a sony 250 upgraded to .21 that has been working fine for a few months. Today I noticed I'm not getting a signal on any of my digital channels on cable. They were working fine last night. I checked them on my tv and they work fine (they didn't change the channel numbers or anything).
I just did an auto scan for cable and only got analog.

I have comcast cable....any ideas? Is my digital tuner gone? If so can I replace it?

I have a sony 250 upgraded to .21 that has been working fine for a few months. Today I noticed I'm not getting a signal on any of my digital channels on cable. They were working fine last night. I checked them on my tv and they work fine (they didn't change the channel numbers or anything). I just did an auto scan for cable and only got analog.
Do you have a CableCard in one or both devices?

Comcast is encrypting all of their digital channels (except locals), such that they will no longer be available without a CableCard.

Do you have a CableCard in one or both devices?

Comcast is encrypting all of their digital channels (except locals), such that they will no longer be available without a CableCard.

woops....no cablecard...just expanded basic.

My locals won't pick up either. PBS is my host channel & I can't get it either. This is only on my Sony DVR...my tv still receives all these channels.

I'm not getting a signal on any of my digital channels

This happens to me occasionally, all digital channels gone. A soft reset fixes this for me. YMMV! Good Luck.

This happens to me occasionally, all digital channels gone. A soft reset fixes this for me. YMMV! Good Luck.

Thats all it was...thank you! I was afraid my tuner went out. :)

The past two days one of my decks locked up out of nowhere. Six different times, during playback, during playback and record and once when I was in the Guide scrolling through the listings. The deck wouldn't respond to any control signal including from the front panel. I had to power cycle the unit to regain control again.

The 1st time I was scrolling thru the guide and a recording began. After 5 minutes the unit crashed with power cycle and came back. The next two times, it was during playback, two different programs. Second time I unplugged the deck, the 3rd time I just let it continue playing. The deck apparently finished the playback (I was watching something else from another source), then started a timer recording (for the same time slot as before, but the time was off from the 1st power cycle). I just stopped the recording.

The next day after watching three different recordings, the deck locked me out. Another power cycle. I did notice a count up to six on the front panel (something I never noticed before). It went to five, paused for a couple of seconds then six and went into standby. I was able to power it on again. This scenario happened a second time.

Anyone?

My Sony DVR apparently rebooted after successfully recording 3 programs on Friday evening. On Saturday, I noticed that it wasn't showing the time, so I turned it on. An incorrect clock time then appeared. The guide showed no listings on all channels for the current day, but did have info for the next several days, then no listings for next Saturday. The last program I set to record showed as "Recording Started" under recording history, so I checked it and it was successfully completed. I set the channel to the TV Guide provider here, then did the G test, since I am still using old Sony firmware. When I repeated it, the time set to the correct time, and the guide was complete from the current time thru next Friday, so it looks like it is operating properly again.

I have the unit on a UPS and did not lose power, so that can't explain why it rebooted. I suspect that it was corrupted guide data that caused the problem. I had several "No Listing" entries in the guide during the last few days. One of the programs I recorded had the correct info earlier in the week, but was missing info on Thursday and the 8th day guide data was missing. I set the unit to the TV Guide channel, performed the G test, verified that I was receiving VBI data, then put the unit in standby. When I checked Friday afternoon all the guide data appeared to be correct and complete.

I have two units, a 250 and a 500. Both units are at V8.01.71/V1.2.21. On my 250, I have no clock, no guide data, and no channel data. On the 753... screen, under System Info, the date displays as "1/13/2004". The ATSC / ATSC Slicer screen, when tuned to my digital host channel, shows absolutely no activity whatsoever. It's been this way for about two weeks.

The engineer at my host channel, CPTV in Connecticut, is positive that the proper data is being fed to my cable company. (“We feed our OTA DTV transmitters and a direct fiber feed to Comcast CableTV, which also hands off to other CableTV companies in CT.”)

I guess I now have to discuss my problem with Comcast. When we first moved from analog to digital, there was a procedure in this forum to force a digital host channel. During the procedure, I would run the “G” test on my host channel, and I would see VBI packet counts increase. Running the “G” test now produces no VBI packets whatsoever on my digital host channel. Can I assume, and I really detest that word, that the “G” test is an indicator that NO guide data is being presented from the cable to my units? I need something to be able to show the Comcast people that I'm not getting the data I'm supposed to be getting.

If anyone can offer anything further, or perhaps point me to a test other than the ones I've mentioned above, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks for your help.

John O'Boyle

You're using Sony software 1.2.21, according to a previous post. Under that version (unlike earlier ones), the G* factory test works only on analog channels. For digital channels you need to use the ATSC Slicer screen.

The Reception-VBI Stats screen also shows packet activity, but it takes fewer clicks to get to the ATSC Slicer screen.

You're using Sony software 1.2.21, according to a previous post. Under that version (unlike earlier ones), the G* factory test works only on analog channels. For digital channels you need to use the ATSC Slicer screen.

The Reception-VBI Stats screen also shows packet activity, but it takes fewer clicks to get to the ATSC Slicer screen.

My ATSC Slicer screen shows no activity whatsoever. Is that proof that I'm getting no guide data?

Thanks.

JLOB

My ATSC Slicer screen shows no activity whatsoever. Is that proof that I'm getting no guide data?

Thanks.

JLOB

Yes. :(

Can you use an antenna and tune-in your digital host OTA? Based on what you were told by CPTV, it sounds like your problem is with Comcast.

On second thought, do you have the same problem with both units? If one is working and they're both hooked up the same way, then the problem wouldn't be with Comcast.

Yes. :(

Can you use an antenna and tune-in your digital host OTA? Based on what you were told by CPTV, it sounds like your problem is with Comcast.

On second thought, do you have the same problem with both units? If one is working and they're both hooked up the same way, then the problem wouldn't be with Comcast.

Both units have the same problem vis-a-vis the ATSC Slicer screen. I have channel data, and a guide grid on one of them, and no channel or guide data on the second.

Can't use an antenna where I live unless I could get it 70-80 feet up in the air.

Thanks.

Comcast in Northern New Jersey-no listings for 5 days. G test shows packets are being transmitted. Is this a New York area problem or Nationwide. No listings starts with this Wednesday.

Comcast in Northern New Jersey-no listings for 5 days. G test shows packets are being transmitted. Is this a New York area problem or Nationwide. No listings starts with this Wednesday.OTA in Philly working fine - 8 days.

Comcast in Northern New Jersey-no listings for 5 days. G test shows packets are being transmitted. Is this a New York area problem or Nationwide. No listings starts with this Wednesday.

Full listings and 200+ packets per minute in central PA this morning. Sorry.

Likewise no problem OTA in upstate South Carolina. Full 8 days of listings this morning.

Listings finally came today with a switch of the host channel to analog WCBS from PBS-Ch.13. Strange.

I live in the Seattle area and currently have no host channel listed. I have tried doing the "force host channel" to our local KIRO (CBS) tv station (which I read took over the TVGOS since the digital transition) on both the regular and HD channels, but have yet to have either one stick.

Also, I am still getting a grid but have lost the listings for the HD channels...any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated :)

A friend with one of these just called me last night. His DHG-HDD500 unit seems to have a HD failure, and the unit keeps popping up a msg claiming its attempting to fix it, fails, and attempts to fix it again, fails, and so on.

I was attempting to go back and read some of the 665+ pages in this thread for HD replacement success stories, but gave up (sorry).

Has anyone successfully replaced the HD in one of these? If so, could you please point to some instructions or a specific page in this thread?

PS: My unit is fine, and I am getting my TVGOS data from my analog cable channel 50 (which just happens to be the TV Guide channel). Not sure why, but I guess even with the latest software, the DHG-HDD500 unit scans analog channels first, and then digital only if it can't find an analog station with TVGOS data. BTW, my XBR6 gets its TVGOS data from the digital CBS station which hints at, it does a digital channel search first.

I was attempting to go back and read some of the 665+ pages in this thread for HD replacement success stories, but gave up (sorry)..

There are NO Success Stories I know of. Sony has some MAGIC way
of STOPPING this procedure - unlike TiVo where anyone can upgrade
the HD.

I also have a DEAD-ONE if anyone wants to Practice on.

I live in the Seattle area ... any tips or suggestions

I recently became aware that TVGOS data is also being sent on KIRODT2 and have had some success rapidly filling my listings by leaving my unit on and tuned to this SD channel. Be sure to confirm data is being received by using the 753... diagnostic screens.

The past two days one of my decks locked up out of nowhere. Six different times, during playback, during playback and record and once when I was in the Guide scrolling through the listings. The deck wouldn't respond to any control signal including from the front panel. I had to power cycle the unit to regain control again.

The 1st time I was scrolling thru the guide and a recording began. After 5 minutes the unit crashed with power cycle and came back. The next two times, it was during playback, two different programs. Second time I unplugged the deck, the 3rd time I just let it continue playing. The deck apparently finished the playback (I was watching something else from another source), then started a timer recording (for the same time slot as before, but the time was off from the 1st power cycle). I just stopped the recording.

The next day after watching three different recordings, the deck locked me out. Another power cycle. I did notice a count up to six on the front panel (something I never noticed before). It went to five, paused for a couple of seconds then six and went into standby. I was able to power it on again. This scenario happened a second time.Anyone?? :confused:

Anyone?? :confused:

Reads very similar to the story my friend told me about his unit, just before the HD died.

Both units have the same problem vis-a-vis the ATSC Slicer screen. I have channel data, and a guide grid on one of them, and no channel or guide data on the second.

Can't use an antenna where I live unless I could get it 70-80 feet up in the air.

Thanks.


John - I live in Windsor and have 3 units. All three have antenna and Comcast cable inputs and one of the 3 has a Motorola multi-stream cablecard.

Last year when CPTV turned off their analog guide data, I had a several week period without getting listings. After communicating with Joe Zareski at CPTV, I was able to successfully get listings on all of my units with CPTV OTA digital guide data. Several weeks later Comcast got their digital to analog inserters on line and I started getting all of my guide data via analog cable again (channel 97). This is still the case to this day.

The only issue I have is about every three weeks, my cablecard unit (a 500) experiences a gradual loss of listings to the point where it only has listings for the current time and about 12 hours in the future. My fix for this has just been to unplug the unit for a few seconds and allow it to reset. After a few days, I have all 8 days of listings.

So, at least here in Windsor, Comcast is still sending their converted analog guide data. Not sure if it is a local office issue for you?

Paul

Anyone?? :confused:

This is all pretty normal for my machine. A crash or a manual soft reset usually sets it right. It's not that the DHG doesn't receive commands from the remote, it seems to queue them and take tens of seconds to get around to them. Getting too many queued results in a crash for me. I do have a couple of tricks that I try that seem to help if I want to unstick my machine. Trick 1) WAIT! Unfortunately, not useful if you have already queued a few commands. Trick 2) Force a HDMI renegotiation. The DHG seems to do a bit of task clean up as part of the renegotiation. I turn my TV off then back on to force this.

I also try to avoid this by doing a couple of other things centered around trying to make sure the DHG isn't overwhelmed with too many things to do. Change to a non-TVGOS channel before playback. This is can be impossible if you are trying record from your host channel while playing a recording, I know. Changing the channel does make sure that the disk I/O is, at least for a while, only having to worry about allocation and not deallocation of disk space. If you have the disk space you can set this while for longer than the minimum 30 minutes. I also try to be very deliberate about sending one command then waiting. I'm often way too impatient for this, but I try.

For some reason using the menu key to get to either the guide or the list of recorded shows rather than the TV GUIDE or REC LIST buttons seems to be easier for my DHGs.

I conclude from observed behavior that the root cause of a lot of the grief that my DHG gives me stems from there not being sufficient processing power to handle the software workload in some corner cases. This is, of course, only my opinion, and my not represent any reality for others. It just seems to be that if I try to minimize what the DHG has to do all at once, less issues arise. YMMV!

It's not that the DHG doesn't receive commands from the remote, it seems to queue them and take tens of seconds to get around to them. Getting too many queued results in a crash for me.That isn't what is happening. I do understand your senerio and that has happened a couple of times over the 3+ years I have had this, but in my case, I go to push a button (skip, pause, stop etc.) and nothing happens. I can't even turn it off (standby), even from the front panel. I haven't reset the NVM yet. BTW, I'm not using HDMI.stems from there not being sufficient processing power to handle the software workloadI agree 100% One would think it was a Wintel product. :D The other half of the problem is insufficient memory. It's too bad you can't stop the (time delay) recording process. I have yet to use that function and would not miss it one bit.

That isn't what is happening. I can't even turn it off (standby), even from the front panel.

Sorry, I misunderstood. I've experienced that total lockup myself, although fortunately very infrequently. Nothing for it but at least a soft reset. I've had to hold the front panel EXIT and TV GUIDE buttons for over twenty seconds on occasion. A power disconnect might be in order if the soft reset just isn't doing it for you, but I try avoid that as I am very leary of corrupting the disk by popping the power at the wrong time.

Here's hoping you get back to a long streak of good fortune.

about a year ago my Sony DVR stop receiving programming guide and an accurate clock, but two weeks ago I found this forum. I follow all directions as to upgrading software, resecting the guide, and going over the 753 menu to see if I was getting any information. I live in Culver city California, "90230" and my cable provider is TWC. I have both a tivo and a sony DHG-HDD250 with cablecards. In order for my unit to work, I had to get an indor OTA antena "FDTV2 Digital Pro" by Terk go get CBS digital channel 2.1. I was hopping that TVC was still broadcasting TVGOS on their PBS channels as prior to the digital conversion, but I think this is no longer the case. I was able to see my grid update in two dates and HostSUFlags to 0xff800000 in five. Once the HostSUFlags was set, I got a host channel "0.43-0". I was expecting my host channel to be 2.1, but who cares. Now I have a working guide with 8 days of DPG. However, my channel lineup was incorrect, and now I have to manually align and turn on all my Cable channels. This is a pain but I can now record my favorite shows on CBS.

About a half a year ago, I used the procedure for fixing lockups that you can get to from here
http://www.spiffspace.com/sonydvr.html

Now, I see that this wonderfully useful information isn't up to date, so you might want to just use this as a starting point. I think I used section 3.2, and had to take a few minor liberties with the directions. But I was having all kinds of trouble when the Sony was recording, or about to start recording, and this somewhat involved cleanup of everything did the job for me. Note, however, that I recommended this to someone else a few months ago, and they didn't have any luck with it, so ymmv.

Good luck! - Larry

I live in the Seattle area and currently have no host channel listed. I have tried doing the "force host channel" to our local KIRO (CBS) tv station (which I read took over the TVGOS since the digital transition) on both the regular and HD channels, but have yet to have either one stick.

Also, I am still getting a grid but have lost the listings for the HD channels...any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated :)

I am assuming you are using cable since you listed being able to receive KIRO is SD. My cable company doesn't pass the TVGOS through, so I have to hook up a separate antenna to get my guide listings over the air. I am getting listings from KIRO HD (OTA Channel 7.1).

about a year ago my Sony DVR stop receiving programming guide and an accurate clock, but two weeks ago I found this forum. I follow all directions as to upgrading software, resecting the guide, and going over the 753 menu to see if I was getting any information. I live in Culver city California, "90230" and my cable provider is TWC. I have both a tivo and a sony DHG-HDD250 with cablecards. In order for my unit to work, I had to get an indor OTA antena "FDTV2 Digital Pro" by Terk go get CBS digital channel 2.1. I was hopping that TVC was still broadcasting TVGOS on their PBS channels as prior to the digital conversion, but I think this is no longer the case. I was able to see my grid update in two dates and HostSUFlags to 0xff800000 in five. Once the HostSUFlags was set, I got a host channel "0.43-0". I was expecting my host channel to be 2.1, but who cares. Now I have a working guide with 8 days of DPG. However, my channel lineup was incorrect, and now I have to manually align and turn on all my Cable channels. This is a pain but I can now record my favorite shows on CBS.

Good to know all the great info on this forum did the trick for you. :) FYI, 43 is the actual RF channel for KCBS. 2-1 is the virtual channel. So you may see either one as your host and clock set channel.

There are NO Success Stories I know of. Sony has some MAGIC way
of STOPPING this procedure - unlike TiVo where anyone can upgrade
the HD.

I also have a DEAD-ONE if anyone wants to Practice on.

Have you contacted Sony to find out what the cost is for HD replacement?
As I recall, they were fixing units for a flat fee of $150. For that amount, you can have it repaired and sell it either here or on ebay for a profit.

Ray

Recently, I've pulled the plug both intentionally and accidentally numerous times, and afterwards both my units were fully functional, except the same one refuses acquire the correct time for a while, unless a the DVI test is performed.
By pulling the plug, you can damage the recorder but only by moving it too soon - before the hard drive stops.
Ray

What is RF?

Good to know all the great info on this forum did the trick for you. :) FYI, 43 is the actual RF channel for KCBS. 2-1 is the virtual channel. So you may see either one as your host and clock set channel.

Thank you Possumgirl, but I am not following you. How do you know that 43 is the actual RF channel "and what is RF". AND yes the clock is set to channel 2.1.

Thank you in advance

I have had my DHG-250 for 3 years or so without any major issues. I live in the detroit area, and only use OTA, and my TVGOS continued to work after the switch to DTV just as it had in the past. Since then I have had 2 issues arise. I have been reading through this forum(Dave Kristol, ImtheOne, Houston, etc.) but have not found a definite solution, so I summarize my 2 issues below and ask for assistance. Before I launch into the details, I should say that I still have an internal clock which is not correct, off by an hour and some random minutes, but the front panel says --:--, and I am still able to record channels manually since I have not lost my channel lineup.

Issue #1 - Lost local FOX 2.1 station
Right after the switch to DTV, the DHG stopped getting the local fox channel. However, I still see 2.1 in the lineup, and when I tune to 2.1 it says no signal and sig strength is 5% in the diag. menu. I receive FOX on 2 other TV's in my home and the signal strength is over 90% on those TV, so I am confident my antenna is positioned properly. I am using a powered amp to boost the sig, this was not an issue in the past 3 years, so I am not sure why it is a problem now. All other stations still come in just fine.

This has not been an issue for me until now as I didn't need to dvr anything on fox. But now that American Idol is back, I would like to get FOX on the DVR again. Any Ideas ?


Issue #2 - Lost panel clock in power outage
Up until mid-Oct 2009, the TVGOS and clock had functioned just fine. All updates were sucessfully downloaded (I assume since it still worked) and I could schedule recordings as I liked. (besides FOX). Then after a quick power "event" the DHG lost power while recording in the middle of the day. It lost the clock on the front panel, and reverted to --:--. The internal display clock reverted to 12:00 am on 1/1/04. Within a few minutes the panel display changed to some time, but it was not correct. Over the next few days I tried to unplug it and leave it off for hours and even over night a couple of times thinking it may help, but it didn't. I went through the initial set up of location and zip code a few more times, changing the zip code to another local one. I can't remember the exact sequence as I did many steps, but nothing was working. The time continued to change randomly on the internal and external display for a few days/weeks, so I thought that maybe it would eventually find the right time again and just left it alone sometime around thanksgiving. About 6 weeks ago was the last time it changed time. The front panel is still at --:-- and has been for 6 weeks, or so. The internal clock still keeps time, but it thinks it is 2/14/04 and the time is off by an hour and 11 minutes (slow).

However, because I still have the channel lineup, and I have an internal clock although not correct, I can still calculate the correct time and set manual recordings, which isn't ideal, but it's better than nothing.

After reading this forum for the last 3 hours, I have determined that 62.1 is the local CBS sending guide data for me. I have the unit on and tuned to CBS recording overnight, to hopefully avoid the auto turn off and have it update... will see in the morning.

I have not done ANY of the 735... menus or 9012 menus, or G* tests, or anything else that I have just read about since I am fearful of losing what little functionality I have left.

Any guidance, thoughts on my 2 issues would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for the long and perhaps disjointed post, but it's 1 am, and I am le tired... will update what happens after the overnight.

Thanks,
Josh

I have had my DHG-250 for 3 years ...

Sounds like you failed to rescan after stations changed their transmision frequencies.

Thank you Possumgirl, but I am not following you. How do you know that 43 is the actual RF channel "and what is RF". AND yes the clock is set to channel 2.1.

Thank you in advance
RF stands for Radio Frequency. RF channel 43 is the actual channel number it broadcasts on. However, when a device receives the channel, it maps or relocates the channel to channel 2.1. They did this so that stations could "stay on" their old channel numbers to cut down on confusion, and also because VHF channels 2 through 6 aren't being used anymore.

Does this make sense now?

I have had my DHG-250 for 3 years or so without any major issues. I live in the detroit area, and only use OTA, and my TVGOS continued to work after the switch to DTV just as it had in the past. Since then I have had 2 issues arise. I have been reading through this forum(Dave Kristol, ImtheOne, Houston, etc.) but have not found a definite solution, so I summarize my 2 issues below and ask for assistance. Before I launch into the details, I should say that I still have an internal clock which is not correct, off by an hour and some random minutes, but the front panel says --:--, and I am still able to record channels manually since I have not lost my channel lineup.

Issue #1 - Lost local FOX 2.1 station
Right after the switch to DTV, the DHG stopped getting the local fox channel. However, I still see 2.1 in the lineup, and when I tune to 2.1 it says no signal and sig strength is 5% in the diag. menu. I receive FOX on 2 other TV's in my home and the signal strength is over 90% on those TV, so I am confident my antenna is positioned properly. I am using a powered amp to boost the sig, this was not an issue in the past 3 years, so I am not sure why it is a problem now. All other stations still come in just fine.

This has not been an issue for me until now as I didn't need to dvr anything on fox. But now that American Idol is back, I would like to get FOX on the DVR again. Any Ideas ?


Issue #2 - Lost panel clock in power outage
Up until mid-Oct 2009, the TVGOS and clock had functioned just fine. All updates were sucessfully downloaded (I assume since it still worked) and I could schedule recordings as I liked. (besides FOX). Then after a quick power "event" the DHG lost power while recording in the middle of the day. It lost the clock on the front panel, and reverted to --:--. The internal display clock reverted to 12:00 am on 1/1/04. Within a few minutes the panel display changed to some time, but it was not correct. Over the next few days I tried to unplug it and leave it off for hours and even over night a couple of times thinking it may help, but it didn't. I went through the initial set up of location and zip code a few more times, changing the zip code to another local one. I can't remember the exact sequence as I did many steps, but nothing was working. The time continued to change randomly on the internal and external display for a few days/weeks, so I thought that maybe it would eventually find the right time again and just left it alone sometime around thanksgiving. About 6 weeks ago was the last time it changed time. The front panel is still at --:-- and has been for 6 weeks, or so. The internal clock still keeps time, but it thinks it is 2/14/04 and the time is off by an hour and 11 minutes (slow).

However, because I still have the channel lineup, and I have an internal clock although not correct, I can still calculate the correct time and set manual recordings, which isn't ideal, but it's better than nothing.

After reading this forum for the last 3 hours, I have determined that 62.1 is the local CBS sending guide data for me. I have the unit on and tuned to CBS recording overnight, to hopefully avoid the auto turn off and have it update... will see in the morning.

I have not done ANY of the 735... menus or 9012 menus, or G* tests, or anything else that I have just read about since I am fearful of losing what little functionality I have left.

Any guidance, thoughts on my 2 issues would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for the long and perhaps disjointed post, but it's 1 am, and I am le tired... will update what happens after the overnight.

Thanks,
Josh

If you are not running the 1.2.21 firmware, you absolutely have to run the G* Test in order to get listings, and a clock after a power outage. If you are running the 1.2.21 firmware, then for some reason you aren't getting TVGOS data any more.

Mark

How do you know that 43 is the actual RF channel "and what is RF".

RF = Radio Frequency. It's shorthand here on AVS for the actual channel that a station broadcasts its signal on, as opposed to the "virtual channel number" that you use when tuning to it.

When you do a channel scan, the Sony searches through all the RF channels, 2 through 69, in sequence. When it finds a usable digital TV signal, it finds out the virtual channel number from data in the signal, and adds it to your channel list. After that, whenever you tune to 2.1, the Sony actually tunes to channel 43.

One place to find out the RF channel numbers for stations is tvfool.com. Enter your address and it shows you the channels that are in your area, sorted by signal strength. Among other things, it shows you both the real and virtual channel numbers.

Or you can look it up on http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php . Click on your city. In those listings, "Display Channel" = virtual channel and "Digital Channel" = RF channel.

I've had to hold the front panel EXIT and TV GUIDE buttons for over twenty seconds on occasion. A power disconnect might be in order if the soft reset just isn't doing it for you, but I try avoid that as I am very leary of corrupting the disk by popping the power at the wrong time.I don't remember seeing that process; Exit & TV Guide, hold for 20 seconds.
I agree about pulling the power, but that has been the only way to recover from the lockup. What still gets me, if the deck is playing back or recording, the process continues until finished. :confused: Though twice the deck recovered by itself hours later.

I've noticed several comments concerning lockups recently. My personal experience is that prior to having the CableCards installed I almost never experienced lockups. Since having the CableCards, it seems just about impossible to watch an existing recording while recording another show without having a lockup. Sometimes these lockups clear themselves after the recording finishes, other times the only way to clear it seems to be by disconnecting the power. :(

No CC here.

I agree about pulling the power, but that has been the only way to recover from the lockup. What still gets me, if the deck is playing back or recording, the process continues until finished. :confused: Though twice the deck recovered by itself hours later.

It seems so long ago since the issues that started with Daylight Savings Time, but I seem to recall that a similar problem existed during that problem period. It had something to do with guide data being corrupted, even though it looked okay on the screen, I believe. The way I fixed these problems was to reset the guide and let it download all over again. Although, I can't recall the exact procedures involved, but there were lengthy discussions about it. This might not be the problem now, though. (Mine has locked up once or twice in the last month, and only pulling the plug seemed to fix it. It hasn't been often enough yet for me to be too concerned, but....)

I don't remember seeing that process; Exit & TV Guide, hold for 20 seconds.

See page 83 of your manual.

"The HD DVR may be reset by simultaneously pressing the EXIT and TV GUIDE buttons on the front panel of the HD DVR for 10 seconds."

The text says 10 seconds. I was just pointing out that I've seen it take longer.

I came late to this party so my experience with DHGs, I have three, has always been with their more recently manifested quirkiness. It must be very unsettling to only be seeing this behavior after years of trouble free use.

I've noticed several comments concerning lockups recently. My personal experience is that prior to having the CableCards installed I almost never experienced lockups. Since having the CableCards, it seems just about impossible to watch an existing recording while recording another show without having a lockup. Sometimes these lockups clear themselves after the recording finishes, other times the only way to clear it seems to be by disconnecting the power. :(

I have the same problem with two of my units which I just installed cable cards. One is connected to OTA and CATV, and the other is CATV only.

Both are now very sluggish, which is consistent with previous reports in this thread. The solution to the sluggish behavior is to go through and turn off the channels which are not covered in your subscription. I have not had time to go through the exercise of finding unused channels and turning them off.

Last night, I experienced a lockup on the OTA/CATV unit. To be honest, I had been thinking of selling the DHG's and getting a Moxi. Then I was thinking to wait and see how the DHG's performed with CATV. I am leaning towards the Moxi again, since the DHG's sell very well on ebay.

Comments to help in my decision are welcome.

Thanks.

Mark

If you are not running the 1.2.21 firmware, you absolutely have to run the G* Test in order to get listings, and a clock after a power outage. If you are running the 1.2.21 firmware, then for some reason you aren't getting TVGOS data any more.

Mark

Ok, I will follow the guide on Spiffspace (and this forum) to find out the TVGOS firmware level and if it's not ver. 1.2.21 I will run the G* Test (while tuned to local CBS 62.1).

Is there any chance that by doing the G* Test I would "brick" the box or otherwise lose the ability to manually record as I do now? I don't have it too bad right now in that I can still record manually. I would hate to jeopardize that in case the G* test doesn't work, then I lose both clocks!

Thoughts ?

How about the other issue of not receiving Fox (local 2.1). Any chance it's related to the guide and missing clock ?

I only have around 30 channels listed (out of 450-750, depending on which system is used) in the TVGOS channel list.

subako; Thanks, I now see that.

Ok, I will follow the guide on Spiffspace (and this forum) to find out the TVGOS firmware level and if it's not ver. 1.2.21 I will run the G* Test (while tuned to local CBS 62.1).


If you didn't install 1.2.21 yourself, there is a very good chance that you aren't running it (unless you got the DVR off ebay, or had the unit serviced by Sony in the last 8 months or so). The 1.2.21 firmware was released by Sony last April.


Is there any chance that by doing the G* Test I would "brick" the box or otherwise lose the ability to manually record as I do now? I don't have it too bad right now in that I can still record manually. I would hate to jeopardize that in case the G* test doesn't work, then I lose both clocks!

Thoughts ?


No chance. I have had the G* Test blow up on me once in the last year, but never has my unit become a brick (I call it a brick if it is dead and you can't use it, although having no TVGOS data, and a wrong clock could also be considered a brick, but you are already using it that way). I think you'll be pleasantly surprised in a few days (maybe sooner) after running the G* Test.


How about the other issue of not receiving Fox (local 2.1). Any chance it's related to the guide and missing clock ?

No idea about the Fox channel you have lost, unless, as someone else pointed out, you didn't re-scan the channels after they moved to a different RF Channel.

Mark

mabuttra; You have a PM.

How about the other issue of not receiving Fox (local 2.1).

From: http://www.michiguide.com/dials/tv/wjbk.html

Notes/History:

* 6/12/2009: ... the station moves to digital-only regular broadcasts on Channel 7. Prior to June 12th, WJBK broadcast its digital signal on Channel 58.

I've noticed several comments concerning lockups recently. My personal experience is that prior to having the CableCards installed I almost never experienced lockups. Since having the CableCards, it seems just about impossible to watch an existing recording while recording another show without having a lockup. Sometimes these lockups clear themselves after the recording finishes, other times the only way to clear it seems to be by disconnecting the power. :(

I have two units, the 500 has a TW cable card and the 250 doesn't. Both units have locked up several times but not recently. Also, only way I got the problem fixed is by running the Spiff procedure.

Ray

If you didn't install 1.2.21 yourself, there is a very good chance that you aren't running it (unless you got the DVR off ebay, or had the unit serviced by Sony in the last 8 months or so). The 1.2.21 firmware was released by Sony last April.



No chance. I have had the G* Test blow up on me once in the last year, but never has my unit become a brick (I call it a brick if it is dead and you can't use it, although having no TVGOS data, and a wrong clock could also be considered a brick, but you are already using it that way). I think you'll be pleasantly surprised in a few days (maybe sooner) after running the G* Test.



No idea about the Fox channel you have lost, unless, as someone else pointed out, you didn't re-scan the channels after they moved to a different RF Channel.

Mark

Partial success! I bought this unit new in 2005/2006 so I do not have the new version. I guess I have 1.2.09 according to the 9012 menu, now that I checked. I did the G* test and within 4 minutes the time was corrected both on the internal clock and the front panel display! Yeah! But that is where I think I screwed up. As I watched the VBI packets updating on the screen and after the time was fixed, I assumed I was done, not sure if I really was done or not, but I hit exit after about 5 minutes.

Now the response is exteremly slow! I hit TV Guide button and it takes like 30 seconds to open the TVGOS. When it does it states"There is no data for this screen", which I expect is correct. Same slow response for most other buttons on the remote, very slow to respond.

Did I mess it up ? From reading a few posts it seems like I just need to wait now and it will pick up a guide overnight. Should I have waited longer for the G* test to finish ? What would constitute a finish ?

For now I just switched it off, last tuned to 62.1. I hope it will update overnight at least somewhat. Do I need to re-scan or anything now, or just wait ? Will keep you posted. Thanks for your quick help so far!!!

Oh and about the fox channel, how do I re-scan? Sorry if this is already answered in the previous posts.

how do I re-scan?.

Press Menu
Select Preferences
Select CH +/- List
Select Auto Scan
Select Auto Scan Antenna
Select OK

Runs about six minutes and you should have WJBK back. Good Luck.

Oh and about the fox channel, how do I re-scan? Sorry if this is already answered in the previous posts.

Menu --> Preferences --> CH +/- List --> Auto Scan --> Auto Scan Antenna

They did this so that stations could "stay on" their old channel numbers to cut down on confusion, and also because VHF channels 2 through 6 aren't being used anymore.Not quite... WPVI-DT in Philadelphia remains on VHF channel 6, much to the dismay of many local OTA viewers.

[...]
I did the G* test and within 4 minutes the time was corrected both on the internal clock and the front panel display! Yeah! But that is where I think I screwed up. As I watched the VBI packets updating on the screen and after the time was fixed, I assumed I was done, not sure if I really was done or not, but I hit exit after about 5 minutes.


The G* Test is "done" as soon as you see the VBI packets counting (just a few seconds after starting). This indicates that it is processing the digital data again. Running it longer is harmless.


Now the response is exteremly slow! I hit TV Guide button and it takes like 30 seconds to open the TVGOS. When it does it states"There is no data for this screen", which I expect is correct. Same slow response for most other buttons on the remote, very slow to respond.


I don't know why it was sluggish. I'd check it again tomorrow.


Did I mess it up ? From reading a few posts it seems like I just need to wait now and it will pick up a guide overnight. Should I have waited longer for the G* test to finish ? What would constitute a finish ?


You didn't mess it up, but it will probably take longer than overnight to get the guide. It will probably take a few days, but for some people it takes weeks.

Mark

I recently became aware that TVGOS data is also being sent on KIRODT2 and have had some success rapidly filling my listings by leaving my unit on and tuned to this SD channel. Be sure to confirm data is being received by using the 753... diagnostic screens.

Thank you for your suggestion, it was able to get my grid to populate with the HD channel listings again :)

For now I just switched it off, last tuned to 62.1. I hope it will update overnight at least somewhat. Do I need to re-scan or anything now, or just wait ? Will keep you posted. Thanks for your quick help so far!!!



The initial reset that started your problem may have wiped out the software patch versions that TVGOS downloads. If so, you will have to run the G* a couple more times since you don't have the latest firmware installed. There are two patches and each of them stops the data flow after the download.

On the first screen of the 753... screens there is a number in brackets immediately following the UTC date and time in the upper left corner. If that number is [3], you are fine. If it is [2], then you need to do the G* test again to restart the data flow.

Just below there, you'll see two sets of numbers in the format of xx.xx.xx/xx.xx.xx. That second set is the patch version and needs to get to 08.06.44 to be current. If that's what you see, you're good to go. If not, watch for the [2] and run G* test when you see it.

just trying to have normal digital TVGOS service

I notice that you have not posted for a few days so you may not have time to check this out for a while, but I would appreciate it, if when you do have some time, you check whether KHOU-SD, digital 11.2, is sending TVGOS data.

If it is, as KIRODT2, digital 7.2, is here in Seattle, perhaps I can prevail upon you to run an experiment whereby you check to see if some of those data items that seem to be so rare in Houston don't seem to be more prevalent in the KHOU-SD signal. Thanks.

The initial reset that started your problem may have wiped out the software patch versions that TVGOS downloads. If so, you will have to run the G* a couple more times since you don't have the latest firmware installed. There are two patches and each of them stops the data flow after the download.

On the first screen of the 753... screens there is a number in brackets immediately following the UTC date and time in the upper left corner. If that number is [3], you are fine. If it is [2], then you need to do the G* test again to restart the data flow.

Just below there, you'll see two sets of numbers in the format of xx.xx.xx/xx.xx.xx. That second set is the patch version and needs to get to 08.06.44 to be current. If that's what you see, you're good to go. If not, watch for the [2] and run G* test when you see it.

Update: Clock is still good, checked the 753... menu and have [3], so all is good there. Did the re-scan (never realized this was there since I haven't had many problems at all with this device) and sure enough FOX is coming in strong with 88% sig strength. Perfect! Now just need to wait a few more days and should see the TVGOS listings start to show up. Any chance re-doing the setup on the TVGOS (change zip code to another local one, etc...) would help speed anything up ?

A sincere thanks to mabuttra, subako, jtbell, Possumgirl and everyone else at AVS for your assistance. I hope my posts will also serve as a guide for people in similar scenarios. With any luck these devices will continue to provide us all with free OTA HD recording capabilities for years to come!

Thanks and Cheers,
Josh

Interesting story here in San Diego, with a happy ending.

I was happily getting updated listings from a digital channel (XETV-DT 6 out of Mexico), but was not getting any lineup packets, and of course I had no host channel in this mode. This made me worried that if I ever need to rebuild a grid, I'd be SOL. But how often does one need to do that, right?

Well last Saturday, just as I started trying to watch the early NFL game, my Sony DHG locked up -- the old "can't record and then do anything else at the same time" problem. I had had that once before, over a year ago, and used the procedure which later was posted on Spiff to fix it no problem. Before I started anything this time, I checked, and my Sony DHG had actually locked onto an ANALOG host, actually cable/analog of XETV 6.

After resetting all the user config info, etc, I left the Sony alone starting about 9:30AM on Sunday. Shortly it reset itself, and when I checked, it had reverted to 8.01.71/0.0.0. So I turned it off and left it alone... no "kick in the pants" or anything, despite what some would have you believe is necessary. By Sunday evening, about 12 hours later, it had updated the patches AND locked onto a host (again cable/analog XETV 6, "1:0-6") with flags 0xFF800000! I had a grid but "No Listings". By Monday evening, I had listings... didn't check if all 8 days -- any grid+listings was a success for me.

So you folks having troubles with grids and listings should obviously move to San Diego. Oh, and it was high 70's, clear blue sky, and barely a breeze here today.

I should add that one reason I found this interesting is because just recently (Dec 1, 2009) the station engineer for XETV 6 posted saying that they STRIP the TVGOS info from their analog feed sent to cable companies.

http://hdtv.forsandiego.com/messages/1/7588.html?1261498473

I should add that one reason I found this interesting is because just recently (Dec 1, 2009) the station engineer for XETV 6 posted saying that they STRIP the TVGOS info from their analog feed sent to cable companies.

http://hdtv.forsandiego.com/messages/1/7588.html?1261498473

As of this post, my HDD250 is still receiving TVGOS data from TWC analog XETV channel 6 as it has since the digital switch

I notice that you have not posted for a few days so you may not have time to check this out for a while, but I would appreciate it, if when you do have some time, you check whether KHOU-SD, digital 11.2, is sending TVGOS data.

If it is, as KIRODT2, digital 7.2, is here in Seattle, perhaps I can prevail upon you to run an experiment whereby you check to see if some of those data items that seem to be so rare in Houston don't seem to be more prevalent in the KHOU-SD signal. Thanks.


Well yes, no, maybe; If I can? LOL


Been fierce busy here. Have been working on a post; but trying to figure a way to make it non-confusing and perhaps beneficial………….but life does has it priorities.

Yes I had notice for some time, that Rabbit Ears and other sources had indicated KHOU was sending TVGOS via 11.2 (instead of 11.1).

However, my clock set is always either 11-0 or 11-1. (It has never shown up as 11-2)

Also, in running mabuttra’s (Mark’s) routine (December/early January) of G Test with Reset Factory Defaults with original Sony .05 (his was .13) I was tuned to 11-1 (never actually tried 11-2)…………………..Of course still no grid here, but I did get clock (15 min?) and ads in just a couple of hours from Reset Factory Defaults. It continues to receive data even after it went to NumSearch 2.

Anyway, my overall gut feeling is RF 11 is really the whole enchilada (all sub-channels), and it is not relevant to TVGOS? I could be wrong? Nope not a chance? LOL

During the last two months of test my clock is always coming back as 11-0; but of course I have seen 11-1 just as much, I think?

I am currently running with an insanely created grid and my wife said I can’t touch it – new season.

Let me know what you got and have in mind?


What a minute brain is thinking, this could be dangerous:

When resetting the Artec to factory. I will set up just RF 11 and it creates both 11-1 and 11-2. In talking with those that know more than me (rare I know), the feeling is two digital data streams are being sent – one of those digitals is to be converted to analogue and the other is digital and stays that way. Assuming that is true (I have no way to disprove it – I do not have fancy TS Reader and such), then is it possible that 11-1 is the digital to be converted to analogue (via Artec and other methods), and 11-2 is the pure digital for digital – for devices that do not need conversion. Thus implying the Sony Box is “stupid” on .21 and the instant it gets started with 11-1 it ignores the 11-2? Therefore it is not getting what it needs to set up a Grid from scratch?

For now I will just tune to the 11-2 and see what I get on the ATSC Slicer (at least my wife will let me do that).

RF 11-2 shows Sony Box receiving TVGOS data. Now is that specific to 11-2 OR is that the entire RF 11 (11-0)?

(as you can tell from the pics 11-2 is a 480i source)

............ been working on a post; but trying to figure a way to make it non-confusing and perhaps beneficial ...............


So... You mean you're turning over a new leaf ??? :D

RF 11-2 shows Sony Box receiving TVGOS data. Now is that specific to 11-2 OR is that the entire RF 11 (11-0)?

I suspect you are correct, and that the multiplexing is such that there is one copy of the TVGOS data and the DHG will process it whether asked to pull out the 11.1 or 11.2 data for display. For my purposes, it doesn't actually mater.

I have a conjecture that at least some of the issues DHG users have been seeing are related to how much the DHG is able to cope with, whether it be because of processing power or memory limitations. In any case, the work load when "tuned" to 11.2 vs 11.1 should be lowered if only because the DHG has less data to record for "Live TV Pause." I'm suggesting that perhaps some of the "infrequent" data items are a result of sequencing in the TVGOS data stream that causes them to be discarded when the DHG is too busy. If this is true, there should be less of this behavior when the SD stream is selected. If there is no change, then there probably is no validity to my idea.

So... You mean you're turning over a new leaf ??? :D



never

I suspect you are correct, and that the multiplexing is such that there is one copy of the TVGOS data

I have been curious for a long time why KONGDT on Comcast here in Seattle has had TVGOS data. The answer, it seems, is that it is an unintentional side effect of being multiplexed with KIRODT on cable RF channel 110, which the DHG displays as 711 MHz.

Thought I'd jump into some of the Seattle discussion and ask for some guidance. Recently I switched from Comcast to OTA only, and am getting good signals. Succussfully did the 1.2.21 firmware upgrade, and got a message to check back in 24 hours for guide listings. Having read many of these posts, I waited 3 days, then finally did a tv guide reset to factory default. Also ran a user configuration to input zip and scan for channels. Since then I have been stuck. While I do have ads and a good clock, I am getting the "there is no data for this screen" message. Have tried the 00000 zip reset, tried a rural zip, tried (on Sony advice) inputting the zip for the kiro transmission tower. Seattle is all-digital now so I am showing a blank host channel, no surprise. I am getting updated packets on the 753 menu three screens down when tuned to kiro 7.1. It appears I am at the dreaded "brick" stage. What's my next move? Is it time to "jumpstart" this unit out of the loop? I've not cancelled my Comcast yet. . . and I do have access to an analog converter box. Thank you . . .

I have been stuck. What's my next move?

Opinions vary. Here's what I would do, I'm sure others might act differently.

First, if you want to be OTA only, make sure you set your DHG to be OTA only. There is no point having your DHG search the cable channels for a host if you have disconnected from Comcast.

Second, try tuning your DHG to 7.2 and leaving it ON during the late night to early afternoon. It doesn't hurt to check the 753... screens to make sure you are getting TVGOS data and you can also check your progress on the HostSUFlags. If you prefer the leave it OFF approach, try tuning to 7.2 just before powering your DHG off.

Finally, I recommend less not more. Choose a path and be patient. Trying lots of pokes may just keep you starting over, and over, and over ... Good Luck!

We are familiar with the Sony Folder and the .21 download from Sony. I have also received a Sony USB preloaded that has a 32S Folder under Sony with two additional file types. I can open them with “notepad” – but I have no idea what they are. The picture shows the two folders as received from Sony.

Does anyone know if those two files have any significance? The text file is blank – nada.

I think a few others have received Sony USB's as well?

Good advice from subako. I saw subako's leave-on-kiro-sd posts earlier, so I'll give it a try now, using 7.2 in Seattle. I've had only OTA channels scanned and the unit's been pretty idle since the guide reset a couple weeks ago, but I'll keep being patient. First the "on" method, followed by the "off" approach. Results to follow in 2-3 days . . .

We are familiar with the Sony Folder and the .21 download from Sony. I have also received a Sony USB preloaded that has a 32S Folder under Sony with two additional file types. I can open them with “notepad” – but I have no idea what they are. The picture shows the two folders as received from Sony.

Does anyone know if those two files have any significance? The text file is blank – nada.

I think a few others have received Sony USB's as well?

Perhaps 32S is for Sony TV.
Just guessing.

Perhaps 32S is for Sony TV.
Just guessing.

I will call Sony next week to see if I can locate a person that knows?

Hi, Newbie poster here. I have 2 Sony HD-DG 500 dvrs, plus an older Sony SD 160 gig dvr/dvd recorder combo. The older one is starting to have problems burning dvds from the dvr, but records directly to dvd ok.

My question relates to the newer HD units: is there a repair company that can hack an output on these units so I can connect it to a Mac or pc, then transfer the data to the computer and burn dvds?

My understanding is the info is recorded on the dvr's hard drive in MPEG2 format. Is this so? If so, then if I could hook the dvr up to my Mac, it should recognize it as an external set of drives.

My goal is to have the ability to offload/archive what's on the dvr hard drives.

There is a USB port on the HD-DG 500 unit but my understanding is it is only used for firmware upgrade -- is this true, or will it function as an output?

I know, a bunch of questions but they all relate to one issue. Thanks for your help. Mark

I've noticed that if I add up the percentage of space my shows take up as shown on the recording list, it does not correspond with the "Capacity Remaining" figure in the system menu. The dvr is never empty as my husband is a hoarder, so I don't know the percentage when there aren't shows on it. Right now the shows add up to 63%, but the capacity remaining is only 23.7%. Is the missing 13.3% operating system and guide data? Thanks!

I've noticed that if I add up the percentage of space my shows take up as shown on the recording list, it does not correspond with the "Capacity Remaining" figure in the system menu. The dvr is never empty as my husband is a hoarder, so I don't know the percentage when there aren't shows on it. Right now the shows add up to 63%, but the capacity remaining is only 23.7%. Is the missing 13.3% operating system and guide data? Thanks!
I think you're right about the guide, etc., eating space. Another item to consider is that it is always recording the currently tuned channel when powered on. You get to choose whether it will buffer up to 30, 60, or 90 minutes this way. Certainly the space currently used for this purpose will show up as "missing" capacity, too.

Does anyone know if there’s a secret to setting the video lock for scrolling through recent channels and/or guide data? Both of my units have been reset multiple times lately due to guide data problems. The data problems have been solved but I can't seem to get the video lock to stick.

Any insight would be appreciated.

Thank you

John O'Boyle

... My goal is to have the ability to offload/archive what's on the dvr hard drives... There is no way to hack these boxes to access the drive content in file form. The only way to copy the recorded programs is to do a playback into a capture device, like a HDMI card or a component video converter.

I will call Sony next week to see if I can locate a person that knows?Good luck with that. :rolleyes:
I couldn't get them to tell me what two error numbers were let alone what is in those firmware files (that are probably written by a 3rd party).

Speaking of 'what are they', On another deck that doesn't complete the boot process, stopping on 03 in the count up, I get a "ERR 4000009" error message on the display. Anyone else ever see this? Originally I got a 4000001, but after an attempted (but failed) Clear NVM and Wipe HDD, the number changed to a 9 from a 1.

We are familiar with the Sony Folder and the .21 download from Sony. I have also received a Sony USB preloaded that has a 32S Folder under Sony with two additional file types. I can open them with “notepad” – but I have no idea what they are. The picture shows the two folders as received from Sony.

Does anyone know if those two files have any significance? The text file is blank – nada.

I think a few others have received Sony USB's as well?

According to Sony the files have no application (this after being transferrred a half dozen times).

I find that hard to believe?

Perhaps they are some type of re-labled zip files? That perhaps create the Sony folder? I have no clue.

The tech on the phone did say that the .21 upgrade within the Sony directory included "tuner" and "bug" fixes. And that was the extent of the information.

The 32S3000 is a Bravia flat panel. The c07 and d07 files might be WinAce split files.

Rick

hi
I haven't been on for awhile now
you guys helped me get my DHG-HDD250 back up and running when digital kicked in with the firmware update. Everything worked well until last night. I was copying one show and attemping to watch a recorded show when the machine froze for approx. 3 min. and turned itself off. When I turned it on again the recorded shows were still there and the tuner was tuned to the program I was recording, but the time was gone and the grid under listings was gone. My schedule is full of question marks. I checked and the firmware still says V1.2.21. I did a scan and 22 digital stations were found but are not showing up on the grid. I kept it off all night and tonight the time is back but there is no grid and no station guide.
question: if I wait long enough will the information come back on its own including the grid and stations or do I need to do something to bring back the grid before the information will start to show up again?
Suggestions?
thanks in advance for any help
jim

geeg -

If you just wait patiently you should get your Grid and Listings back over the next several days (to possibly weeks, ouch!). :)

During the last 3-4 weeks there has been a lot of strange stuff going on with the TVGOS data stream in Houston. I still have a grid, with no Host Channel set, so that remains the same – LOL

During the last 8 days, this has been the normal pattern.

About 40-80 timezonepkts and stationpkts per day.

No DPP’s for over 8 days now, it has remained at “9”

NumSearch 3 was just under 3 days, and without any type of recorded reset.

During NumSearch 3 and continuing into NumSearch 4 memory became “unbalanced” and has created some very minor temporary burps; but no lock ups.

VBIState appears to have created a much faster rotation pattern. Already within the first 2 days of NumSearch 4 (also NumSearch 3), it has started over from 0x0 to 0x05 three times. If I recall correctly, it started over 3 times within the 3 days it had NumSearch 3 – but I do not check it that often.

For about the last 5 days, HostSUFlags has never gotten above 0xe48, with a max VBIState of 0x05. During last part of November and the first two weeks of December it would get to 0xf78, sometimes in just 12 hours, but no later than the 4th day of a NumSearch – like it was getting real close to making it’s own Grid on day 3 – but never did.

Keep in mind all of this may be my own doing! First of all, I used an incorrect method for hook up of the Artec AND the Grid was made without the box ever obtaining the desired HostSUFlag of 0xff8 Picture 8032 is with HostChannel set with Grid (about 10 hours), but HostSUFlag is 0xbf8, and remained that way for a day or two until Artec was removed. That was all completed on the original .05 software, I was not using .21 software.

geeg -

If you just wait patiently you should get your Grid and Listings back over the next several days (to possibly weeks, ouch!). :)
thanks much for the quick reply
question:
is there any way to manually cause the machine to create the actual grid
I know it takes awhile for the listing to show up but I think they will come faster if the grid was in place. It would make me feel more comfortable too.
thanks again for any help
jim

question:
is there any way to manually cause the machine to create the actual grid
I know it takes awhile for the listing to show up but I think they will come faster if the grid was in place. It would make me feel more comfortable too.


No, there is no "manual" way to create the Grid. It must be downloaded via TVGOS broadcasts, and must be present for the Listings to appear. In the digital broadcast world, the Listings appear very quickly (few hours) after you have a Grid. If you provide us with your location (City) and whether you are OTA or Cable or both, someone here may be able to give you a better indication of how long (or how quickly) it may take your Grid may appear. :)

No, there is no "manual" way to create the Grid. It must be downloaded via TVGOS broadcasts, and must be present for the Listings to appear. In the digital broadcast world, the Listings appear very quickly (few hours) after you have a Grid. If you provide us with your location (City) and whether you are OTA or Cable or both, someone here may be able to give you a better indication of how long (or how quickly) it may take your Grid may appear. :)

He's OTA and located in Phoenix. I was bored.

Just a quick thanks to all here. I bought a 250 about a year ago and had a problem upgrading to the 21 update. I bought 6 usb drives before I found one to work. All I needed to do is format it in fat 32 and it worked flawlessly.Damn...I love this thing.
OTA in milwaukee-1month and working great

Hello,

I have been doing some research here and I can't seem to find a recent answer, I was just wondering if anyone has current info.

I have a 500 which has worked flawlessly since 2005. In that time I've moved three times never had a problem. However I just moved a fourth time last week and all of a sudden I'm getting the 161-6 error.

Now as I understand it I'm screwed, it needs to go in to Sony for repair.

My questions,
1. Does Sony still support these and do this repair?
2. Does Sony wipe the hard drive? I have a number of shows on there that can't be replaced including some of my own portfolio work.
3. Is there any way to fix this through other cablecards? It was working fine with the old cablecards for over 5 years.
4. Has anyone come up with a home brew 161-6 fix?

Thank You
-Jason

wow
your right on
I still have no grid after 5 days in phoenix OTA
I'm mega impressed at your sleuthing ability
so...does anybody have a guess to how long it takes to get a grid in phoenix
I have the time after 24 hours
I had commercials after 36 hours but no sign of a grid
thanks for any deductions or extra sleuthing done on my behalf
jim