Channel Master TV CM 7400 HD DVR - OTA, Clear QAM, Internet Content - Page 42

I started November, 2000... and I certainly wasn't the first. I figure at 12 years (including this year) watching on average 5 hours a day (weekends up the average) you saved yourself 8,322 hours of commercials. Which is close a year of your life. Not sure what my average is but you can adjust accordingly.

Yes, that is a solution to bypass the missing guide data and force a recording. Unfortunately, as you noted previously, manual recordings are only labeled with date/time info and no program title. It seems the act of making the recording (which requires tuning the channel) should result in updating the PSIP information so that the program title could be used to label the recording.

I have great difficulty sitting through commercials after getting used to a DVR. But as for time savings, well, I watch some shows now just because I can watch selectively, skipping commercials and bits that don't interest me. Before I had a DVR, I wouldn't usually see those shows at all, either because I wasn't in front of the TV when they were on or because they were so infested with commercials that it just wasn't worth the time to watch.

Does the unit have any output while it's on standby?  (I have a DTVPal DVR, and it does not.)  If not, then if the 7400 is on standby, nobody is watching it live, and if all settings are done through an on-screen interface, nobody is programming it nor changing or reviewing its settings while it's on standby.

So if the unit is on standby and there are no recordings scheduled for the next few minutes, and there is at most one recording in progress now, then it knows it has a tuner free and it can scan for PSIP updates.  That would be interrupted if someone turns it on, of course, so if it gets turned on, it would abort the PSIP update and resume or restart it later.

I'm with you, Dano. I had been using cable DVRs since Cox Cable first introduced them. I cut the cord for over a year (wife made me get cable again a few months ago) and have been very happy with my CM-7000PAL. It's not perfect but it has less bugs than the cable DVRs I'd been used to. I now have cable connected to the bedroom and spare room but I didn't even bother connecting it to my main TV because I am more than happy to keep recording OTA and not have to pay Cox's $12/month DVR fee. I would love to update to the 7400 but I wish it had the same free TVGOS I have on the 7000 available instead of just PSIP.

I have used DVRs for well over a decade from the major Cable and Sat companies. Now that I am OTA only, I do not find anything lacking in the 7400. I still cant believe I do not pay for TV anymore.
I only had one issue the last 6 weeks and found out I only had to reboot it. We have not missed any of our network TV shows and the DVR itself truly is fast and precise. We still only use the "free" guide and only record by name based. We have not missed any shows, we have had repeats but I know I can avoid that if I pay for the premium guide. I never in my life expected not to buy the $50 a year guide and to my surprise so far we do not feel the need to. I guess we will find out during a vacation as some say in here if we will miss any of the MANY programs we record. So far we have not.
As everyone in here knows we are very happy with this machine and I really can not think of anything more I could ask of it. That is a rare thing for me to say, cause, ummmm ... we are very PICKY people and do not settle for low quality products or not getting what we pay for.
Anyway, all I am trying to say, being as "choosey" as we are, I am sure a large part of the public would be happy with this machine IF they are OTA simply because we are more choosey about the products we buy and a bit more demanding of what we expect.

How about conflict resolution beyond the intelligence of completely canceling future recordings as your only option. Reading the manual the glaring omissions quickly relegate your options to the sophistication level of a VCR. The current software unfortunately matches the 80's hardware styling way too closely.

When you try to schedule a recording and already have two prior recordings scheduled at that time. In this case, you are shown a conflict screen and given the option to eliminate one of the recordings. If this happens with a series recording, your selection applies to all future recordings as well.

Even more impressive...

When you have two recordings in progress at any given time and try to view a third channel...This can also result in prior scheduled recordings to be corrupted or not recorded at all.

And finally...

These issues can be avoided by checking the “DVR Schedule” screen from time to time, so you are aware of any upcoming recordings.

Yeah, I want to spend my life doing what it should be doing...

It appears most of you are using your 7400's for OTA recording and are having only minor problems doing so.

If your 7400 is instead connected to CableTV -- and you're using (or attempting to use ) Channel Master's optional Premium Program Guide, please post here to let the rest of us know how your experience has been.

Thanks...

Ben

PS -- Including the 1st unit (defective) and the 2nd unit installed 4 days later, I'm now 12 days without a PPG.

You can assign a priority to name-based series recordings. Beyond that, what would you like it to do? I'm not sure about whether you can do a priority on time-scheduled recording since I have not tried to do that yet. Are you saying that if you assign a priority and a conflict does occur, it cancels all future possible recordings also? I have not had any conflicts yet so I can't say what happens, but I would expect it to pay attention to the priority I assign and keep trying.

Let's say...

• I have two series scheduled to be recorded (both first run).
• I want to record a third and have the DVR skip one of the previously scheduled two since it will be repeated later on.
• From my understanding the CM7400 would cancel all future recordings of the series.
• I'd like it to not cancel the series and pick up the first run show when it was repeated - which other DVRs do.

Even worse without the premium guide I presume the CM7400 would always record repeats if they were a higher priority... skipping first run episodes of the lower priority series. So the third priority series first run episodes would be skipped over for repeats I have already viewed.

I think I'm coming across as beating up the CM7400 which isn't my intent. As I stated before it fits a niche. I'm just looking for something else so I'll bow out.

Any effect using a close zipcode?

Do you mean other than my actual one? If so, I hadn't thought of that, nor has Jeff B at CM. I can't imagine that would make much difference though unless I lived in a zip code which was only recently created. Not the case.

During the PPG inititiation, it accepted my zip and signal source before proceeding with the rescanning of channels.

If your zipcode is missing from the database of channels you get no channels. I might suggest 89101, central LV, as a test. I suggested this last week. It might do nothing but is a known procedure with TVGOS folks. Your guide comes from the internet, so you have no interaction with the cable company with this issue. At least I hope not.

Cable is very zipcode specific.

I doubt that'll make a difference cuz this zip has been around for 20+ years, but because there's been no response recently from CM, at this point I'm willing to try anything. I'll give that a shot tomorrow after work.

CM has been an honorable vendor for us over the years so I'm inclined to be more patient than I otherwise would, but my patience is now running thin.

I'll bet a Macho Combo Burrito that the only reason I'm the only one reporting this issue so far is because so far, only myself and JoeKustra (on AVSForum anyway) have attempted to use the 7400 with CableTV. Joe returned his because of its inability to deal with CableTV issues of a different sort, and apparently never got around to ordering the Premium Guide.

Nevertheless, even though I'm late for the pillow, I went ahead and tried his idea using Las Vegas' oldest zipcode. No change.

I'll also bet a Spicy Chicken Quesadilla that it turns out to be a firmware issue.

If I don't hear back from CM with a solution by Monday PM I'm gonna return it for a full refund, cancel the PPG charge through my CC company and buy a different HD DVR.

Enough is enough.

I facts seem to be hard to follow on the PSIP data issue so I want to make sure I have it correct:

1. On the CM 7400 PSIP data does not automatically update. To have the PSIP data updated for a channel the CM 7400 must be tuned to that channel.
2. When using the PSIP data only (no paid guide) after the PSIP data runs out name based recordings will not record.
3. How fast PSIP data runs out is channel specific and can very greatly.
4. Time based (manual recordings) will continue to work even if the PSIP data runs out.

Is the above correct?

Thanks,

atmusky

For some light reading, see:
http://hd.engadget.com/2009/05/08/hd...qam-and-8-vsb/

Generally speaking, a station has its own PSIP, and no other station's PSIP. Manual recordings use time, date and periodicy. Most cable systems do not pass the PSIP data, some do. Some supply SCTE-127 data, some don't. There is little regulation or enforcement of existing regulations. Have fun.

For people with questions regarding a station's PSIP guide data, it may be worth emailing (or maybe even calling) the station engineer or technical department explaining that you are using it with the 7400 OTA DVR and asking for information about their current and future plans regarding what data they will broadcast. In my area, I've generally gotten good responses when I've had to contact stations about technical issues ranging from the availability of syndicated or delayed broadcasts in HD to channel mapping issues and getting listings information updated with Tribune/Zap2it.

Just because a station's PSIP guide data isn't currently dependable doesn't mean it will always be that way. They may not currently have the staff or equipment to ensure the data is updated properly, or they may simply feel it's not worth the effort to provide reliable, extended data since they assume no one is paying attention to it. If they hear from enough viewers who use the information they may change their mind.

Whatever the situation, if you can successfully get in contact with the station, you'll at least know the facts of the matter and have a better sense of whether you'd be better off buying the premium guide.

^ I agree with TCDTV, if you're having issues with PSIP contact the appropriate TV station. I have contacted stations twice when their PSIP and TVGOS data on my CM-7000PAL showed "no data" continuously for a couple of days. A gentle reminder that the FCC requires them to send PSIP data was needed on one of those occasions but both times the issue was resolved in less than an hour.

I don't really have any questions about PSIP data in general or any specific issues with what any station is doing.

The questions in my last post (#1248) are specifically about how the CM 7400 is functioning in regards to updating PSIP data and what that means for using Name based recordings.

Thanks,

atmusky

A lot of speculation and observations can be found here. How the CM functions can only be supplied by CM or their Advanced Guide supplier.

Hmmm, I thought someone would have given you a direct answer.
As far as OTA is concerned the prevailing observations say your summary list is correct for the free PSIP guide.
So far, one person has made the observations of #1 & #2 because he has had occasion to not turn on his unit for a period longer than the length of a channel's guide and missed recordings because the guide was not populated. He says he now scans the channels every morning to manually update the PSIP guide and make sure it's populated for the day -- he reports no further problems. It seems everybody else uses their units daily and so have not run into the PSIP guide not updating automatically. Apparently, if there is no data in the guide, the recording does not even appear in the schedule.

#3 is true in general. When I was playing with PSIP information I found most channels provided 8-24 hr worth of data. I did have two channels that provided 2 days worth of data -- quite exceptional.

#4 for manual recording is true. However it appears that the recording will only be labeled with date/time information regardless of whether or not PSIP information exists in the guide for that time-slot. Still, if you are going away and want those recordings, that is the way to do it.

It's 100% correct in both directions.  A station whose PSIP guide is reliable now may fall down on the job in the future.

How you doing cowboy?

How about Dat! Ben Cartwright and Little Joe... together in one forum!!

Still bowlegged. Still waiting. Just left another message with Jeff B.

In an hour and 10 minutes 'Monday PM' is over.


Just texted Adam and Hoss who are supposed to be out fixing the fence along the North 40. All three are late for dinner -- probably still busy chasing 100% cotton ankle-length skirts in Virginia City.