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Channel Master CM-7000PAL HD DVR - AKA Dish DTVPal - Page 4

post #91 of 604
2/25/11 at 6:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GurZ View Post

L. David Matheny, thanks for your reply.

I intend on trying an external HD dock before too long. I mean, given that I just purchased this DTVPal device
I'll probably wait to complete its 120 days of warranty first.
I also intend on looking at the Acronis clone software you mentioned. Maybe by late July I'll post some docking and cloning results here.

Thanks again, GurZ

If you do figure a way to backup a PAL hard drive, please do let users know - especially put a post on the DTVPal Forum which is followed more closely. So far, no one has been able to get any PC OS to recognize a PAL (or CM) drive.
I have a 1TB drive on my old unit (out of warranty) that I keep outside the case and I just swap it out for another drive when full but I have no backup if a drive fails - it would be nice!
I know I can make backups if I invest in a hi-def tuner card for one of my PC's and use it to record shows and make backups but those tuner cards can cost and I have to leave the PC on 24/7. This uses much more watts then the 21 watts my DVR is using.
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post #92 of 604
2/26/11 at 5:35pm
Quote:


Check out

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...8#post19701738

Thanks Pete-N2


Quote:


If you do figure a way to backup a PAL hard drive, please do let users know - especially put a post on the DTVPal Forum which is followed more closely. So far, no one has been able to get any PC OS to recognize a PAL (or CM) drive.
I have a 1TB drive on my old unit (out of warranty) that I keep outside the case and I just swap it out for another drive when full but I have no backup if a drive fails - it would be nice!
I know I can make backups if I invest in a hi-def tuner card for one of my PC's and use it to record shows and make backups but those tuner cards can cost and I have to leave the PC on 24/7. This uses much more watts then the 21 watts my DVR is using.

Thanks gary-in-dc

I intend to post results about any success or failures with creating HD docks and also with backing up a DTVPal HD, but be aware I have 180 days of warranty starting now (doubled 90 days normal warranty by purchasing with a Mastercard with a double warranty feature)...

...BUT if someone can tell me that simply cracking open the case and then returning everything back to normal won't trip some hidden seal and void the warranty, then I think I could get testing done within a month or two.--I really want to find a way to make HD archives permanent.
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post #93 of 604
2/27/11 at 7:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by GurZ View Post

Thanks Pete-N2




Thanks gary-in-dc

I intend to post results about any success or failures with creating HD docks and also with backing up a DTVPal HD, but be aware I have 180 days of warranty starting now (doubled 90 days normal warranty by purchasing with a Mastercard with a double warranty feature)...

...BUT if someone can tell me that simply cracking open the case and then returning everything back to normal won't trip some hidden seal and void the warranty, then I think I could get testing done within a month or two.--I really want to find a way to make HD archives permanent.

The unit has a warranty tape on the HD inside (tape from HD to mounting bracket). I obviously broke mine to replace it with a 1TB drive, otherwise there is nothing on the PAL DVRs. It is likely the same for the CM7000 since they appear identical according to all sources. But there is no hurry right? Just wait until your warranty ends.
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post #94 of 604
2/28/11 at 8:13am
Quote:
The unit has a warranty tape on the HD inside (tape from HD to mounting bracket). I obviously broke mine to replace it with a 1TB drive, otherwise there is nothing on the PAL DVRs. It is likely the same for the CM7000 since they appear identical according to all sources. But there is no hurry right? Just wait until your warranty ends.

Yeah, I'll probably wait until the warranty is up, though I'd like to do the upgrade now and get the capacity upgraded. Anyway, thanks again.
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post #95 of 604
2/28/11 at 12:12pm
When I play a recorded program and I hit pause the CM7000PAL shows a sliding scale graphic that displays the total time recorded and the time remaining. I want to see only the paused picture. How do I do that? When paused if I hit the forward button (">>") the slider goes away and "1/15X" is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen but that goes away after a second or two and all that's left is the picture. But the picture is slowly moving.

Is there a way to get the slider graphic to display only for a few seconds then go away? Or not display at all? I want to see only the paused picture.

CO_Bear
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post #96 of 604
2/28/11 at 1:17pm
Press the "CANCEL" button...
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post #97 of 604
2/28/11 at 10:46pm
The cancel button worked great. Thanks.
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post #98 of 604
3/2/11 at 8:38pm
Anyone interested in hearing a DTVPal woe is me story, then read on...and please suggest any DTVPal remedies if you would because I really like the whole DTVPal concept...like it a lot!...

So today I received and tested my first DTVPal...a brand new unit I really beat the bushes to find and did from a Sears Outlet store in Washington State (maybe the last new DTVPal box anywhere in the world and with the F208 firmware, and I found it froma thousand miles away here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin!)... the sad part is that, at least in my corner of the TV reception world, DTVPal has two flaws that are probably going to force me to either return it to Sears or sell it on Ebay:

(1) I'm in an urban condo-coop with a "cable/dish only, no external antenna allowed" policy. Still I never thought I'd need an antenna since I'm within 10 miles by line-of-sight of the two local HD/SD transmitter ranches and all channels come in on my flat-screen perfectly! HD, SD all sharp and constant! I mean I have all I would ever want in terms of TV reception and its all free OTA programming that suits mean exactly (two great PBS stations, movie channels, and more and too boot DTVPal looked like archive heavan (even though I'd have to back everything up on a second hard drive for each terabyte). Still from my vantage point this is almost HDTV heaven.

BUT it seems the receiver in the DTVPal is a little weak in terms of pulling in stations (I mean my HD flat screen has no reception problem virtually ever,so why does this little $300 DTVPal box only receive 8 stations when there are 25 here;... and then there's...

(2) the screen focus of the DTVPal's HD/digital receiver...I know digital is digital, but it still displays that digital only 15% better than viewing a DVD original disc or HD format (aspect ratio) recorded and played by as such but on DVD and in its (upscaled SD) format that is upscaled via the circuit in my year-old $60 SONY DVD player.

I'm thinking I should seel the DTVPal and buy a Magnavox DVD recorder/DVR with a 320 gig HD. Yes it's DVD quality, but the upscaling is 85% as good the DTVPal which is pretty satisfying (though not the HD quality I really want) with the added bonus of being easily recorded within the same device on DVD disk.

Can someone please inform me that I'm way off base, I mean give me the DTVPal cure (I really want an HD archive)...Would an amplified antenna help?
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post #99 of 604
3/2/11 at 8:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GurZ View Post

Anyone interested in hearing a DTVPal woe is me story, then read on...and please suggest any DTVPal remedies if you would because I really like the whole DTVPal concept...like it a lot!...

So today I received and tested my first DTVPal...a brand new unit I really beat the bushes to find and did from a Sears Outlet store in Washington State (maybe the last new DTVPal box anywhere in the world and with the F208 firmware, and I found it froma thousand miles away here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin!)... the sad part is that, at least in my corner of the TV reception world, DTVPal has two flaws that are probably going to force me to either return it to Sears or sell it on Ebay:

(1) I'm in an urban condo-coop with a "cable/dish only, no external antenna allowed" policy. Still I never thought I'd need an antenna since I'm within 10 miles by line-of-sight of the two local HD/SD transmitter ranches and all channels come in on my flat-screen perfectly! HD, SD all sharp and constant! I mean I have all I would ever want in terms of TV reception and its all free OTA programming that suits mean exactly (two great PBS stations, movie channels, and more and too boot DTVPal looked like archive heavan (even though I'd have to back everything up on a second hard drive for each terabyte). Still from my vantage point this is almost HDTV heaven.

BUT it seems the receiver in the DTVPal is a little weak in terms of pulling in stations (I mean my HD flat screen has no reception problem virtually ever,so why does this little $300 DTVPal box only receive 8 stations when there are 25 here;... and then there's...

(2) the screen focus of the DTVPal's HD/digital receiver...I know digital is digital, but it still displays that digital only 15% better than viewing a DVD original disc or HD format (aspect ratio) recorded and played by as such but on DVD and in its (upscaled SD) format that is upscaled via the circuit in my year-old $60 SONY DVD player.

I'm thinking I should seel the DTVPal and buy a Magnavox DVD recorder/DVR with a 320 gig HD. Yes it's DVD quality, but the upscaling is 85% as good the DTVPal which is pretty satisfying (though not the HD quality I really want) with the added bonus of being easily recorded within the same device on DVD disk.

Can someone please inform me that I'm way off base, I mean give me the DTVPal cure (I really want an HD archive)...Would an amplified antenna help?

1) If your condo/coop will not permit you to erect an outdoor OTA antenna they are in violation of federal law. Even a renter has the right to erect an outdoor antenna, here is a link to the FCC code.
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

2) I think there is probably something defective with your unit or there is a problem with your connection. How do you have it hooked up? You may want to consider returning the unit and purchasing it's clone, the Channel Master CM-7000PAL from Amazon or Channel Master. The last time I looked, the Channel Master site had refurbished units on sale for $290 with free shipping and a one year warranty.

Good luck.
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post #100 of 604
3/3/11 at 12:29am
Wow! I just went back and checked the Channel Master website to see if they still had the open-box specials for $290 with free shipping. They did indeed still have them, I found a coupon code for 10% off from last June and it still worked. I couldn't resist, I ordered a CM-7000PAL and paid $261 with no tax and free shipping. I'm stoked, after I get it set up I'll say goodbye to Cox Cable. If anyone wants one the coupon code is "shopcmstore".
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post #101 of 604
3/3/11 at 6:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by GurZ View Post

Would an amplified antenna help?

Yes. I still have my Winegard VOOM antenna. Works great. I get about twenty stations in my area from the repeater on the hill about five miles away.
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post #102 of 604
3/3/11 at 6:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by GurZ View Post

I'm thinking I should seel the DTVPal and buy a Magnavox DVD recorder/DVR with a 320 gig HD. Yes it's DVD quality, but the upscaling is 85% as good the DTVPal which is pretty satisfying (though not the HD quality I really want) with the added bonus of being easily recorded within the same device on DVD disk.

If you decide to go for a std def Mag HDD-DVD recorder, there's a new 500GB unit that's much better, as described here.
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post #103 of 604
3/3/11 at 7:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by GurZ View Post

(2) the screen focus of the DTVPal's HD/digital receiver...I know digital is digital, but it still displays that digital only 15% better than viewing a DVD original disc....

Do you have the PAL output set to 1080i? Are you using component or HDMI?
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post #104 of 604
3/3/11 at 12:05pm
Buckeye911
dxjnorto
wajo
Pete-N2

Thanks for your replies and advice. As it turns out I was misinformed about the antenna here. In fact. our building already has one I tried it this morning with the DTVPal. Same problem! I believe its tuner has some problem that my flat screen with simple rabbit ears just doesn't.

We are in a valley here. but also have line-of-sight to the transmission antennas less than 10 miles away. Go figure. Fortunately, I just got off the phone with Sears and they said they'd take it back. I sure wish the DTVPAl had worked out for me here.

Thanks again.
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post #105 of 604
3/3/11 at 3:18pm
I'm a proud new owner of a CM7000PAL DVR and am in "hyper scrutiny" mode to make sure I'm happy with this unit while I'm still within Amazon's return policy period.

My unit seems to skip/stutter from time to time during playback of recorded material (just a half second or so of stutter). I would say it happens on average once per hour or two, but not in regular intervals. When this happens and I rewind 10 seconds, the same stutter happens again at the exact same location so I'm assuming the stutter is recorded on the HDD, so probably a recording issue not a playback issue. I'm pretty sure this is not a signal dropout issue because it doesn't look/sound the same as poor signal glitching and I also don't witness this phenomenon when watching live TV.

I've checked the memory and disk diagnostics and there are no issues.

Is anyone else experiencing this? I can live with this if that is "normal" for this model, but if this is a defect with my particular unit then I'll return it for replacement. Please let me know if you experience this. Thanks!
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post #106 of 604
3/3/11 at 7:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dweis View Post

Is anyone else experiencing this? I can live with this if that is "normal" for this model, but if this is a defect with my particular unit then I'll return it for replacement. Please let me know if you experience this. Thanks!

My Dish ViP612 box stutters all the time on David Letterman. I haven't figured out if it is the HD feed to the repeater station on the mountain or the ViP612. Seems like it stutters more than the ViP722 I put in the bedroom. Anything physical in the signal path can cause problems too. Used to be interference when the trees leafed out and the wind blew. I solved that problem by moving the dish antenna between the trees. By myself. Boy was that a lengthy learning process. It took me a day or two to aim it. Still get significant stuttering when the wind blows hard because the aim is so fine that any minor physical movement of the dish antenna causes dropouts. Really messes up my David Letterman, or anything else.
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post #107 of 604
3/4/11 at 12:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dweis View Post

My unit seems to skip/stutter from time to time during playback of recorded material (just a half second or so of stutter). I would say it happens on average once per hour or two, but not in regular intervals. When this happens and I rewind 10 seconds, the same stutter happens again at the exact same location so I'm assuming the stutter is recorded on the HDD, so probably a recording issue not a playback issue.

Is it just one or two RF channels? What's the signal strength on that channel? I ask because it's quite possible to have too much signal as strange as that may seem. I get a couple here that are pretty strong and some nights it gets so strong that they stutter and skip. It's overloading my tuner when that happens. If I unhook the cable from the Pal and run it through a splitter all is well on that channel but then I get more actual dropouts on the weaker channels. Can't win 'em all unless you got $ to burn I guess.

By the way, if that is what's going on then yes, the DVR will be recording it that way. It records the signal exactly as it gets it.
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post #108 of 604
3/4/11 at 7:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by GurZ View Post

I'm thinking I should seel the DTVPal and buy a Magnavox DVD recorder/DVR with a 320 gig HD. Yes it's DVD quality, but the upscaling is 85% as good the DTVPal which is pretty satisfying (though not the HD quality I really want) with the added bonus of being easily recorded within the same device on DVD disk.

Can someone please inform me that I'm way off base, I mean give me the DTVPal cure (I really want an HD archive)...Would an amplified antenna help?

I'm just taking your statements at face value. If you want HD quality from OTA broadcast and your display is of sufficient size and quality to see an SD-HD difference, then you are off-base to buy a DVD recorder which records and plays back in SD only. Up-conversion in cheap components is highly over-rated marketing hype; the up-conversion circuitry in your display will most probably do a better job when fed the native 480i.

If you really want an HD archive, which means being able to get the recorded HD content out of the recorder as HD and in a standard format playable by other devices, then you need to look at either TiVo or HTPC.
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post #109 of 604
3/4/11 at 11:40am
Also, I have no reason to believe the tuner in the Magnavox is any better than the one in the DTVPal.

As far as I know, they've never upgraded from using the 5th generation reception chip, and the DTVPal uses the 6th.

It is possible that the Maggie has upgraded the tuner from a couple of years' ago's models, but if they have, they've certainly never, ever advertised that fact. And I would think that if they have, they would've. Or somebody, somewhere along the line, would know about it, and the word would've gotten out. But it never has.

I remember in the H2080 I had a couple of years back, I found the tuner to be no better than the Samsung H260F's, which is also 5th gen. It was clearly better than the 4th gen., but in fact, it didn't even seem quite as sensitive as the Sammy's (and, possibly more importantly, not as good as my 6th gen., DTVPal CECB's).

Although I suppose you can try it easily enough if you wanted to, being from Walmart and all. But what Kelson says above applies. You get what you pay for with these things (and the "upconversion" in the Maggie is not all that exceptional, either. I don't know if they've upgraded that any, either, but in my H2080, I didn't notice one bit of difference when I had it on).
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post #110 of 604
3/4/11 at 5:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rammitinski View Post

Also, I have no reason to believe the tuner in the Magnavox is any better than the one in the DTVPal.

As far as I know, they've never upgraded from using the 5th generation reception chip, and the DTVPal uses the 6th.

.

Don't know if this helps, but we got the same amount of stations with the Magnavox and the Dishpal boxes. Same signal strength.
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post #111 of 604
3/4/11 at 11:08pm
If the newer Maggie's are still 5th gen, the signal might be amped a little bit, like the Philips 3575H and 3576H were (the 2080H I tried contained the exact, same tuner as the Philips 3575H I also tried at the same time, only it didn't have that slight boost from the amp. The Philips' sensitivity was equal to the Sammy H260F's).

Sine Funai stopped manufacturing the Philips awhile ago and only makes the Maggie now, maybe they brought that feature over to the Maggie.

It's also possible that the DTVPal DVR's tuner just isn't as strong as I would've thought.
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post #112 of 604
3/5/11 at 10:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dbsc View Post

Is it just one or two RF channels? What's the signal strength on that channel? I ask because it's quite possible to have too much signal as strange as that may seem. I get a couple here that are pretty strong and some nights it gets so strong that they stutter and skip. It's overloading my tuner when that happens. If I unhook the cable from the Pal and run it through a splitter all is well on that channel but then I get more actual dropouts on the weaker channels. Can't win 'em all unless you got $ to burn I guess.

By the way, if that is what's going on then yes, the DVR will be recording it that way. It records the signal exactly as it gets it.

I have not noticed it happening on more or less on certain channels. My signal strength varies from 65 to 85 across all channels.

Thanks!
Dave
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post #113 of 604
3/5/11 at 1:04pm
UPDATE... turns out all I needed was a video amplifier. Whew! Glad I got that turned around. The DTVPal is now working excellently; image, reception everything! It works great! I really like it.

BTW regarding HD archiving, the disk imaging method is a very strong candidate for backing up a DTVPal or Channel Master hard drive since it makes a mirror image copy of the drive (not just file copies). Clonezilla bills itself as "Free Advanced Hard Drive Cloning Software". Google it and you can find its free download site.

Good instructions for using Clonezilla are at:
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/free-ad...om-clonezilla/

If someone gets to trying this (before my warranty runs out and I get to it myself) bear in mind the best odds for cloning a disk would be to:
(1) use two identical hard drives (same brand, model, firmware). This might not be necessary, but then again it might.
(2) before cloning, format the drive within your DTVPal or Channel Master unit. Again, this might not be necessary, but then again it might.
(3) Of course, backing-up is done via computer, but there are a variety of ways to go about it. From what I've read so far there is a method whereby the original HD is, semi-directly attached to the back-up HD for the fastest, most direct and least filtered (actually non-filtered) cloning.

Also, does anyone know who does warranty repairs on DTVPal's at this point. I mean since DTVPal is no longer part of DISH Inc.? I wonder if Channel Master would do non-warranty service on a DTVPal?
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post #114 of 604
3/5/11 at 1:16pm
Quote:


(3) Of course, backing-up is done via computer, but there are a variety of ways to go about it. From what I've read so far there is a method whereby the original HD is, semi-directly attached to the back-up HD for the fastest, most direct and least filtered (actually non-filtered) cloning.


I should have made point #3 (above) clearer...what I should havwe said was:

(3) backing-up is done via computer software, but there are a few ways to set-up the hardware. The most typical is simply to attach both drives to your computer and copy via disk imaging software, but the best way I've found so far is a semi-direct method where the drives have direct connection to the computer and also to each other for a direct image transfer. This makes for for the fastest, most direct and least filtered (actually non-filtered) cloning. I don't know, but I believe disk imaging will back-up a DTVPal or Channel Master HD.

I do not have more information on all this yet to be more specific, but will toward the end of my warranty period. Until then, this info and your favorite search engine will get you there ahead of me if you like.
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post #115 of 604
3/6/11 at 8:39am
Quick question about dead? CM-7000PAL
Before I go digging around forever..... Have been using this for about 4,5 months. Works OK, with its limitations. Now it will NOT power on with the remote, not even a flicker of the LED. When I unplug, wait, plug, it will show the LEDs for about 5 sec and then refuse any more attempts.
Is this box toast? I don't see any "master reset button."
No lightning this winter, nothing else affected, whole house/local surge supp.
Thanks.
John in GA
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post #116 of 604
3/6/11 at 7:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pccitizen View Post

Quick question about dead? CM-7000PAL
Before I go digging around forever..... Have been using this for about 4,5 months. Works OK, with its limitations. Now it will NOT power on with the remote, not even a flicker of the LED. When I unplug, wait, plug, it will show the LEDs for about 5 sec and then refuse any more attempts.
Is this box toast? I don't see any "master reset button."
No lightning this winter, nothing else affected, whole house/local surge supp.
Thanks.
John in GA

I don't even have one of those, but it sounds like a power supply problem. People sometimes have luck replacing leaky/defective filter capacitors. Do some research along those lines. Good luck.
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post #117 of 604
3/7/11 at 5:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by L David Matheny View Post

I don't even have one of those, but it sounds like a power supply problem. People sometimes have luck replacing leaky/defective filter capacitors. Do some research along those lines. Good luck.

Well, I am embarrassed.... but after sleeping on it I thot.... remote batteries? even tho they are alkaline and 4 months old. Is this a power hungry remote or did I get crappy batteries..? or did the dog sit on the remote overnite.. :-)
I should be happy I guess!
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post #118 of 604
3/7/11 at 5:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pccitizen View Post

Well, I am embarrassed.... but after sleeping on it I thot.... remote batteries? even tho they are alkaline and 4 months old. Is this a power hungry remote or did I get crappy batteries..? or did the dog sit on the remote overnite.. :-)
I should be happy I guess!

One of my friends said that remote control is crazy to be using those batteries. Heh. I assumed that a lot of battery usage.

Wait, doesn't DTV Pal warn you about low batteries on screen or something? I wonder how long they last the remote control is used daily.
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post #119 of 604
3/8/11 at 6:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by phildaant View Post
Wait, doesn't DTV Pal warn you about low batteries on screen or something? I wonder how long they last the remote control is used daily.
Yes, the DTVPal will warn you that the batteries are getting weak.

But that presupposes that the remote has enough power to turn the unit on to display the warning!


My batteries are the same set of alkalines I installed when my DTVPal was new, a little over two years of use. I THINK they are the batteries that came in the box. Pretty good life for a remote used almost daily, so I doubt the DTVPal remote is hard on batteries (despite being one of the strongest remotes I've ever used).


It would be pretty unlikely, but the batteries COULD have been somehow drained overnight (i.e. the dog scenario...).

More likely, and I've had this happen with various remotes before, the batteries have lost good contact with the battery terminals inside the remote.

Sometimes, when a remote isn't working I can get it going again by opening the battery cover and rotating each of the batteries a couple of times. I usually try this before replacing batteries in other devices (like portable tape recorders, etc.) too.

Ken
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post #120 of 604
3/8/11 at 4:51pm
Anyone else having issues today with their DVR? Last night it seemed to reset itself during a show we were watching. Went to bed and after trying to use it today, it doesn't respond to the remote. After multiple hard resets, it goes to the TV guide download, and shows a channel. The remote still doesn't respond, and the DTV Plus goes into another reset. This process repeats over and over.
Any one know if there was an update last night? I've about had it with this thing, I'm thinking Tivo will be getting a new customer.
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