The Official AVS Dish DTVPal DVR Topic! - Page 526

Eventually, we are in TR-50's thread .

Not sure what you mean.  I only pointed it out because I tested it.  It isn't obvious that you don't have to unprotect to edit a protected file.   

I posted: it become to known (to me for long time) a purpose and limitation of the flag.

I'm not sure how that will make the DVR display seconds, but when I'm back in that room and it's some future day (my DTVPal DVR's clock has locked again) I'll try it.  The problem of a clock with seconds has been solved, though: I downloaded a couple of Android clocks that display seconds, so my smartphone will do that job, some future day when the DVR's clock is unlocked again.
... but don't get your hopes up.  My unit's clock has locked again.  I can't leave the channel that had TVGOS deleted, as I record from it (currently two nights a week).  But the clock still seems correct, so I'll live with its being right without my help. Make that two.

Since the ROVI Company reports it is still providing the TVGOS signal via the internet and since the PAL's firmware, via its Ethernet connection, must automatically address itself to ROVI's internet IP address, I wonder if anyone has tried, just for the heck of it, inputting an Ethernet cable that is online with the internet into the Ethernet network input of the PAL unit to see if it recognizes and uses the TVGOS internet signal via the PAL Ethernet firmware input..

Note, if anyone tries they will have to set-up their network for an additional node/device (or you could also simply transmit the internet directly from just one PC to the PAL using a software bridge connection from PC to the PAL input--the Microsoft OS has that set-up available within its networking section). And, of course, you'll then have to perform the PAL's firmware update instructions.

NOTE, this has a chance of working since:

-1- any firmware update channel (in this case the PAL's ethernet input) is very likely inline with the only portion of the antenna signal that the PAL actually diverts for itself from it's antenna signal throughput to the TV--and that is the simple TVGOS digital signal that obviously contains only about a measly 1k of TV scheduling data in simple text format at any given moment.

-2-if the PAL firmware update is inline with the antenna signal then both surely arrive at & share the same signal converter which will be programmed to simply recognize either as it receives them and process accordingly.

I will try this if no one else gets to it first. I'm in the midst of moving and I can't get to this sooner than 5 or 6 weeks from now--I'm apart from my PAL until March 1st at the earliest.

Gurz --PS, it's been years since I've been here, but I'm glad AVS...PAL is still here and that you folks are here too!

Yes, it works just like he said. Click on the program and you should get a dialog that gives you the options to DELETE, START, RESUME or EDIT NAME. You are one click away from where you want to be, EDIT is on the program listing page.

I'll try to clear up this 00000 zip code confusion since I was the one who originally suggested it. when I suggested setting the zip code to 00000 it was only intended to be done following a Factory Default.

The way TVGOS works is that you set the zip code. The TVGOS device will then receive a zip code packet. If the zip code packet matches your zip code, then you receive a timezonepkt. It is this timezonepkt that causes the DTVPal to gray out the clockset field, and report that the clock has been set by TVGOS. Once the DTVPal has a timezonepkt it is very difficult to get rid of. Apparently if you push enough buttons, and delete your host channel enough, and do enough soft resets, then you may eventually lose the timezonepkt. The easiest way to get rid of the timezonepkt for good is to do a Factory Default (which wipes all the TVGOS data), and then leave the zip code set to 00000. Since 00000 is an invalid zip code, it will never match the zip code packet, therefore the DTVPal will never receive the timezonepkt.

Setting the zip code to 00000 after your DTVPal has locked the clock is pointless. If TVGOS is gone in your area, then you don't even need to mess with the zip code since it is only used for TVGOS. If you really want to unlock the clock, and guarantee it won't lock again, then the Factory Default is the only way to go.

Here are the steps to prove that a timezonepkt is what locks the clock:

1) TVGOS must still be available in your area.

2) At 10 minutes before the hour, do a factory default, and let the installation wizard run.

3) Turn off the DTVPal until 10 minutes after the hour.

4) At 10 minutes after the hour turn on the DTVPal (you do not need to be tuned to your host channel, the second tuner will have already found it), and go to the clock set screen.

5) Verify the clock is still unlocked (for even more fun, you can set the timezone to something other than your own).

6) Now wait... at exactly 15 minutes after the hour the clock will gray, and the DTVPal will report that the time has been set by TVGOS (if you changed the timezone from your own, TVGOS will point out that you have set the wrong timezone, and offer to fix it for you).

Timezonepkts are sent out twice an hour, at 15 minutes, and 45 minutes after the hour.

Mark

Thank you. I finally found it - worked fine. It's funny - I have used that menu page for years, and yet never noticed that option.

Donald1800

Mabutrra,

I just want to report to you that I have no Graying out of the clock in the setup menu. Not sure why but I don't seem to have the issue on either one of my PAL DVRS, and TVGOS is gone from my guide. I haven't done anything special other than to change the zip code to zeros in setup.


So far my clock is accurate too.

Two things . . .

1. There was a brief power outage this morning. After the Pal rebooted and found channels, there was no information in the grid except for the channel that it was tuned to. Had to cycle the stations to populate the grid.

2. The clock is still unlocked but now 3-4 minutes fast (Austin area). It may settle in as the day goes on.

All the above makes sense. Thanks for posting that.

It also implies that those users who are seeing their clocks gray back out are still receiving something (timezonepkts) from their TVGoS host channel, even if they are no longer receiving TVGoS guide data. That adds to the evidence that those channels have not yet removed their TVGoS equipment. I suspect the station's on-premises TVGoS equipment continues to broadcast zip code packets, time packets, and timezonepkts, even if it's no longer pulling guide data from Rovi.

What I've been suggesting is that those who don't want to do a factory default reset should delete their TVGoS host channel (all subchannels if there's more than one) and reboot to unlock the clock. That way they only have to add back one channel and its timers. Or they can do a factory default reset and add back all their timers.

Both methods have been shown to unlock the clock, but if the TVGoS channel is still sending timezonepkts, the clock will just lock back up, unless they also set the zip code to 00000.

From what you're saying, if TVGoS is completely gone (equipment and all), the zip code should be irrelevant. But we've now had two reports of the clock re-locking, so clearing the zip code still seems prudent.

But for most, a bigger concern than the clock is how this "time-only" TVGoS we seem to be getting from some stations is affecting our program guides. My hypothesis is that the Pal learns which channels have TVGoS data (probably from the zip code packets) and doesn't bother to auto-load PSIP data for those channels since doing so would normally overlay the more accurate TVGoS data. But if there's no TVGoS guide data any more, the guide remains blank for these channels until you tune to them. Luckily, the Pal will load PSIP data for a TVGoS station if you tune to it manually (probably because, even if TVGoS is available, it can sometimes take several hours before TVGoS guide data is sent). So the larger purpose of setting the zip code to 00000 is to keep the Pal from waiting on TVGoS guide data that never arrives. The clock is just a convenient proxy indicating whether the Pal thinks TVGoS is available in the area.

This question is directed at P Smith, or anyone else that's familiar with the electronics inside this box.
My DVR is connected to a SD widescreen Toshiba TV through composite cables (being a SD TV it does not have HDMI).
Recently the DVR has stopped sending audio through the Right (red cable) channel.
I have eliminated the cables and the TV as the source of the problem.
My question for P Smith is, could a buildup of dust inside be shorting the right channel signal out between the audio board
and the jack, or is the problem more likely a failed component?

Most likely some component out there what used for protection HDMI/Component lines ... Worst case - your CPU is malfunctioning (seen that many times when the ball's soldering developing issues underneath of it). Or weird but quite possible case -corrupted FW.

Thanks P Smith, for your answer. When you mentioned the CPU it gave me an idea for the one thing I had not tried.
I just did a Factory Defaults reset, and it fixed the problem!

Reboots, Resets to factory settings, etc. seem to usually fix these weird/odd/strange problems! :/

Well, that was simple. You're lucky this time.

Yes, indeed

It's crazy how newer complex and poorly tested (ahem like our DVR!) electronics need to be resetted, rebooted, etc. I remember we didn't have to do that with old electronics like VCRs. :P

Just wait until the whole "smart car" idea takes off with inter-vehicle communication. "Wait, my brakes don't seem to be working right now, let me try rebooting the car..."

I don't like the looks of the future.

I actually had to "reboot" (power cycle) my HDTV last week before I could get sound from my HTPC It's worked fine since, but that drove me nuts for two days

See, I never had to do that with my CRT TVs. I had to power cycle my parents' TWC DVR since it was acting weird. I told them my DTV Pal DVR has to be power cycled once in a while due to weirdness. Sheesh.

It seems the clock has adjusted and is now pretty much on target. This is good news for those of us in Austin.

B-freakin’-lither.  I don't know whether there's any connection to the momentary power drop we had early Thursday afternoon, but after my clock had relocked I'd, for the heck of it, reset the zip code back to my real one, and this morning TVGOS was back.  Some of the stations that had it before don't have it, or don't have it yet, and perhaps coincidentally those are the stations with higher virtual channel numbers.

If I had left the zip code at 00000 that wouldn't have happened.

And yes, the TV Guide logo is back on the guide screens, and of course the clock is still locked (and still correct).

That's good news for Chicago Pals (at least for a while). Evidently it was just a temporary glitch, not the end of TVGoS in Chicago. Anyone in that area should re-enter their Zip code if they zeroed it out, and enjoy their remaining weeks of TVGoS.

Not sure if this has been reported, but Milwaukee stopped transmitting TVGOS guide data last Sunday or Monday, but time and date info is still being sent. It would be nice if they at least kept the clock sync going indefinitely. PSIP time around here sucks big time.

They won't. Rovi is collecting the equipment as the stations go offline.

Does anyone have hard evidence (TSReader stream logs) to support this "time only" TVGOS mode that people have speculated about? The only way this could happen on a station-by-station basis (as opposed to everywhere at once) is if a local station unplugged the ethernet connection from the ROVI encoder but left the encoder in place and powered on. I can't imagine why any of them would do this. This would also result in TVGOS timestamps that gradually drift away from reality even as they hold your DVR captive to that drifting clock. So if any sations really are doing this, it's not a good thing.

No, but I have seen it here in recent weeks on my Mits TV that has V-9 TVGOS (still gets Clock Sets but no Listings). My Sony DHG that uses V-8 TVGOS has been completely dead however since December 6th (no Time, no Listings).

I would call Trip, he is getting TSReader' reports from many locations and he could ask for a log someone in your area.