My EZ17 did something new and unusual this week. I got home from work and turned it on to watch some shows I had recorded. When it powered up, it went through the entire setup cycle as if the unit were brand new. I had to let it scan for channels, select TV type, video source(cable/antenna), set the time, etc etc. I was then able to press the navigator button and view the shows I had recorded.
The next morning when I went to schedule a recording for later that night, every time I pressed the schedule button, I would see an orange block that said SET THE CLOCK on the normal schedule screen. I tried setting the clock manually and automatically over a half dozen times each. Afterwards, I would go back to schedule and it would say SET THE CLOCK. I tried several more times, turning the unit off(from the remote) after each clock setting.
This was when I noticed it was really acting strangely. When I powered down the EZ17, the correct current time would be on display. Power it up, go to schedule, and there's that annoying SET THE CLOCK block on the screen.
I talk to my electronics as though they are humans(or at least pets
) and I began cursing at the unit and telling it the clock was set. For whatever reason part of its memory was not functioning properly and even though the time was on display when the unit was powered down, the schedule part of the program could not find the correct time. The remote has a status button which I had never had any cause to use, but when I tried it I could see(after the second press of the status button) that instead of the current time on display, it showed dashes and colons as placeholders as if it truly didn't know what time it was.
I finally pulled the plug on the back of the unit and let it set for 3 minutes before plugging it back in. The display on the front of the unit flashed 12:00 for about thirty seconds and then switched to the current time. I turn the unit on, go to schedule and SET THE CLOCK message was still there. My GF changed out the batteries in the remote, not sure what her thinking was, but I figured anything was worth a try at that point. Still get the SET THE CLOCK message on the schedule screen.
At this point I was about to give up and trash can the unit, but I decided to try one last thing.(Actually I would have probably tried a couple of hundred other things first...repeating each one a dozen or more times....yes, I know this is a sign of insanity...and I'm okay with that.) After pressing the setup button, I clicked on restore default settings. I then went through and changed everything back to the way I had it before. Instead of six hour delay for power down, I turned that feature off. I turned off DST. I turned off the Quick Start feature and a couple of other things that I have heard may contribute to the "missed recording" flaw this model seems to have. I can't remember if I set the clock manually(which I prefer...I like to have the EZ17 start 30 seconds early...a carryover from my slow-starting VCR days) or set it to find the time automatically. I think it was automatic, but anyway, when I went to the schedule screen, the SET CLOCK message was finally gone. I don't think I turned the unit off between "restoring the default settings" and discovering the problem was solved, but I may have. Anyway, it seems that the key(in my case anyway) to getting the machine to remember the current time has something to do with the default settings. Also, when I press the status button twice I see a block on the screen with the current time displayed(even shows the seconds changing).
I recorded three shows last night and all came through fine. The unit was even nice enough to remember the current time when I first started it up after getting home.
I think I have read almost every message in this thread, but I don't recall seeing this problem before. Has anyone ever had a problem similar to mine?
Thanks for listening to me rant. I can tell my EZ17 ignores me so I need an outlet to vent. LOL
Danny in Yorktown, VA