Replay TV Not Connecting To Server - Page 8

A 40xx, 45xx, or 50xx unit will support Commercial Advance and IVS out of the Box. A 55xx unit does not support CA and IVS out of the box, but can be made to support them using WiRNS and an older version of software.

There should be plenty of 40xx, 45xx, and 50xx boxes available. No need to worry about monthlies versus lifetime anymore.

Cheers!
-Doug

One other thing that's been talked about is ReplayTV vs Showstopper. Some have mentioned that their ReplayTV & Panasonic units behaved differently, I haven't seen anything systematicly different about mine (one of each). If anyone has a number they believe works for one type of unit but not the other, please post it so I can see if it is true for my units too.

The connection I mention yesterday took ~ 1 hr, was connected the entire time (I checked it periodically to see there was still modem noise on the line), claimed to be downloading (got to 69% before rolling past the channel guide to the next step -- but took an extra 25 min to finish the connection), and in the end didn't extend the guide (has program info through 8:00PM Monday).

thanks,

Joe

Earlier in this fiasco, my SS was doing just that - downloading lots of data, and eventually getting to "Combining Data", at which point it quit without updating anything. ClearToLand (IIRC) advised me to clear the Channel Guide twice to get rid of this, FWIW. Didn't help me, though.

After many failed downloading attempts in the LA area, I changed the area code to 626, used a Pasadena Zip Code(91103), and was able to connect with the national Replay service, where I couldn't before. Then, using 626-463-6309, I downloaded 8 days of guide. I went back, changed the area code to 310, and was able to get LA Time Warner guide using a San Pedro #: 310-221-3996. Been working smoothly ever since.

DrJoe, The customer service man at ReplayTV, Jackie, told me a few days ago that the Showstopper units are the only units that are being reported that are unable to complete the download after connecting to the server. He said that the inability to make the server connection due to the phone lines seemed to be universal. Jackie is in Waco, Texas and has told me that he is now the only Replay CS rep. I have had another person answer the phone, but he merely took a message today.

You have written that at times you had a partial download before. Was this with your non-SS unit? I have three SS units, and when I have had a download abort, I have gotten no new info at all. So I still have one unit with a blank program guide.

There is something going on at Replay, because as of tonight when I accessed the Replay website, now the only page is Manuals Download. It lists all models back to the beginning for pdf downloads. No other tabs for other pages at all.

dstoffa, thanks, I appreciate the help. I did just pick up a 4516 on ebay. Will this unit network only with other 45xx units? Also if I get a 50xx unit, is it backwards compatible with the 4516?

Tried to read the AVSF Replay FAQ's, but the page is gone. I am digging through the archives here, but the clock at ebay is ticking away. Less units there than you would expect. People must still be hanging in there for now. Thanks again.

If someone wants to test by calling the LaHo test number, let me know. No one is actually using the Laho modem line right now, so I can configure it for the Replay IPs and I can capture the conversation with Wireshark.

Send me a PM if you want to test. (LD call to Dallas)

Robert

Happy to be of some help.

Both of my units, one Showstopper and one ReplayTV, both 3000 series, have partial guide data and don't complete calls successfully. Aside from the splash screen, I believe the hardware & software in the units is the same.

I just tried dialing the recently posted 310 number and got connections but it never moved beyond that on either unit. The 626 number never answered.

Joe

I called as well, and the CS guy also told me that the problem was only with SS units, and would categorically not believe that early dial-up RTV's were having the same problem. I asked if authentication was a problem and asked if he could input in my authentication key manually, and he said he had no access to the system, but it wouldn't help anyway (probably true). I asked what else I could do, and he just said to try numbers in other cities. I asked what the problem was, and he said he didn't know but 'they' were working on it. I told him I was calling to let him know nothing was working for me in my area, and he was not interested in making a note of it. He did correctly observe that if I could complete a connection to the RTV 800#, my hardware was OK, I'll give him that.

Otherwise, I felt he had nothing for me, had less expertise than our fellow AVSF members, had little insight into the issue, and was only trying to mollify customers rather than help them. (Like any other CS rep, in other words, but without being able to go to a supervisor who might actually know how to help, off-script.) We need Tech Support, not CS, and it doesn't exist,

You are getting tech support, just don't realize it.

I do know ReplayTV is running tests and working with Earthlink on the problem. They also monitor the forum.

The CS staff in Waco may not have the details or able to help, but progress is being made. We've seen results posted here. Is it as fast as we'd like? No. Is it as fast as if Earthlink/ReplayTV had a full staff familiar with the dialup? No. Such is the life of a legacy product.

Robert

The 4000 and 4500 series are one class.
5000 and 5500 are another class.

They are not compatible. You will need others like those in your class to be able to stream from one to another. Since you have a 4516, it will network and talk with any other 4000 or 4500 unit.

HOWEVER, you can download a 4000/4500 series RTV MPEG file to your PC, convert it to a 5000/5500 series RTV Mpeg file, then stream it to your 5000/5000 series RTV via DVArchive or WiRNS... Use the RTVTools to do this.

Cheers!
-Doug

Thanks for the encouragement. So all we have to do is wait for them to sort it all out, and reset the clock occasionally? Guess I can live with that, since both RTV Manual Recording and my HTPC system are operational.

Someone has to say it... 4k/5k compatibility are coming 1Q.




Robert

I feel I should stand up for Jackie here a little bit. Two weeks ago he really offered everything he could think of to try to help me. He did want to help, and has always been unfailingly polite, and when I told him several days ago about the RTV site now being down, he did say he would report it.

Here is the rub for Jackie now: he told me that their (meaning him and/or his supervisor's) attempts to contact the people now working on the RTV system were going unheeded - not responsive he said. So you're right, now he has no info to give out; apparently he is just there to be the recipient of the public's ire. So I feel for the guy. The developers working on the fixes are monitoring this forum instead, and that's a good thing. The developers I worked with wanted nothing to do with the public either. So Jackie has been hung out to dry, he is just the piano player.

Mostly I was disappointed in the experience, guess I expected more. If the developers are monitoring the forum, why not post progress reports, rather than silence?

Or maybe they're monitoring the forum just to see if there are enough complaints to warrant doing anything? As it is written, 'Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.'

if your are monitoring.. 3 replays 2xxx in my house and 4 more in the fam..

going to start a call campaign soon.

I'd been searching for access numbers in neighboring towns and today noticed that the server response was quite brisk, so I forced a connect through the Chicago number I've been trying unsuccessfully for several weeks, and it completed :-). I've a full 8 days in the Guide, and also the "Phone Numbers Have Changed" message; curious.

My smartphone has a time-lapse video app, so I could see the RTV get through varying percentages of Download and then Combining Data, and then disconnect; no interminable "Transferring Additional Data" after that. I'd still be surprised if it updates tonight, though.

My take-away is that if the server is running fast you may have a chance, and if it is sluggish, not so much. I suspect that the system will remain unreliable until most of it is running properly, but I'm no expert.

Does anyone have an even semi-reliable number I can try? I have no guide data for either of my ReplayTV's. My "good" number usually doesn't answer, and when it does it isn't getting past channel info. I've tried about a dozen "bad numbers that don't answer, don't handshake, and don't get beyond "connected" (these seem to always require a unit reboot to allow a net connect attempt to be repeated.

Thanks,

Joe

I started a phone number thread.


Joe

DrJoe ... It's hard dealing with a black box (your RTV), and much harder dealing with three (your local access point and the Replay Server). Computer problems like this are like a combination lock, which won't open until you get all the right numbers, as well as in sequence. In my R&D lab I had to keep a log of the trials I ran, or over time I would lose track. This is needed here as well, as the forum format is poor at separating truth from fiction, or summarizing problems & solutions. Add to that most of the experts are MIA.

Nobody has explained how the dialup process works in any detail, though I've posed the question, so there's nothing to go on but experience and common sense. IMO, this is what's up, in no particular order;

- An access # that won't 'answer' actually is picking up (I've listened), but the RTV doesn't acknowledge it. Don't know why.
- An access # that won't go beyond "connection established" has not contacted the server, probably because something is overloaded.
- A connection that starts downloading anything (even "Setting Clock") is talking to the RTV server, and that means the access number is OK.
- In all this time, I've never had to reboot to force a second or third connection from 243/zones.
- When I had problems adding to Guide data, I was advised to force clear the Channel Guide twice (once for main guide, once for the backup) to remove all corrupted guide data.
- When my Guide expired over time, I still had channels, and also could scroll forward and back in time, and could see expired data a few days back. Looked like a corruption to me.
- I like Cap'n_Crunch's idea on server load, which suggests there are better and worse times to get data. I find when the server response is brisk I have good luck, if not, I might as well quit.
- I've never gotten a partial Guide download; i get either all or nothing. Sounds like Guide corruption.
- Since I posted last, I've gotten 2 successive nightly updates, so it may be easier to update a populated Guide than an empty one, or it may be that the Guide is now uncorrupted.
- My working access# is one you've tried (312-705-3309).
- I like the strategy of changing the zip code slightly to stay within the cable or OTA service area, and only forcing a net connect if the server response is brisk.
- I like the strategy of recording the session by time-lapse to rapidly see exactly what happened.
- I like and am willing to do Manual records with no guide, using either computer or smartphone TV listings.

Hey Gring,

I tried all three of the numbers you posted again last night, the first two established connection and sat, the third never connected.

There also absolutely are cases where the number rings and never picks up, or rings and bounces between extensions and eventually picks up (sometimes too late for the Replay to connect).

I cleared the channel guide on one of my units once, and it did not help. I will try clearing it again.

My units have my actual zip code, but various area codes -- my phone is an area code "207" local number but I live in North Carolina. Right now, one of my units is area code 207, the other is 919 (North Carolina) and has been Maryland (410). It doesn't seem like it matters what area code you use -- guide data/cable data is purely on zip code.


meeting in two minutes -- more later...

Joe

The more I learn, the less I understand...

1) There was 1 day's info in the channel guide today (the ReplayTV branded unit)
2) I cleared the guide data -- and like Moses, cannot enter the promised land. I cleared the guide three times instead of two
3) I dialed the 410-510-9009 and didn't get a connection. Re-dialed it and it connected and got part way through looking for new channels. Dialed a third time and it didn't get past setting a clock. Dialed a fourth time and got guide data through Saturday. Dialed a fifth time and got through next Friday.
4) Cleared the guide multiple times on my Panasonic branded unit (guide has been empty since Monday)
5) Tried 410-510-9009 multiple times and the unit never shook hands (didn't realize the other modem was trying to talk to it.
6) Tried 312-705-3309 and the unit connected immediately, and got part way through checking for new channels
7) Tried again, several times. Like above there were times it didn't get far. But it now has data through next Friday as well

I don't know if clearing the guide had anything to do with any of this. But I have data now for a little while. It is weird the one unit worked with the first number and the second did not. Maybe there is something to a difference in the ReplayTV/Panasonic models after all.


thanks,

Joe

Joe ... Quite a story, glad it worked out. Data for a week plus one day is all you get. The trick will be to see if you now get the nightly updates. Fingers crossed :-)

The ReplayTV unit connected (410 number) & now has an additional day (i.e goes through a week from Saturday), but the Panasonic unit did not (312 number) (guide still goes through a week from today).

That's half good news, right? Did the SS give a message that it couldn't connect? Perhaps with its Guide populated it will be able to use your other number?

One thought - after I got my new AIO printer (printer, scanner, copier, fax) I found that with the phone line connected to it my SS was not happy, and I've had to leave the AIO unplugged ever since. You would have noticed something like that long ago, I'd guess, if your two units were conflicting.

My own SS did update again last night, ironically using the same 312 number as yours did. BTW, what phone service are you using, with free long distance?

I'm using Vonage (voip). Because it has limited bandwidth I have the connection speed on the modem depressed. When everything was working, I used a power line jacks to connect the two units to the phone line. This wasn't terribly reliable (if there was too much noise on the power lines, like when I have my laptop plugged in, the modems couldn't communicate properly). When everything went to pot, I disconnected the power line jacks, got some extension cords, and plugged the two units into a real phone jack.

The message on the unit said that there was no dial tone -- which doesn't make sense, the line seems fine. I tried manually connecting this morning, and it didn't get past looking for new channels. Twice it didn't handshake at all. I haven't tried the 410 number on the SS yet, but it did occurr to me that it would be good to try.

I am happy I have 7 days before I have to worry about it, but it would be nice if the system got back to where I don't have to think about it at all.

My wife can't understand why I waste so much time & effort on this, and she is right -- there is much newer and better technology out there, but I am comfortable with Replay. Totally not logical.

Joe

There would be no dial tone if it tried to connect while the other unit was connected, logically.


Except the longer you go without updating the harder it gets. Hopefully tonight will go better.


Sounds just like my wife :-) For now I need the RTV to record our cable shows. During the threatened DNNA shutdown last summer, I started building an HTPC (see Profile) for the rest.

There is a last resort, setting up Freesco, which is WAY more effort than I have time for, but it would turn the dial-ups into Internet-access units, as I understand it.

You'd probably have an easier time just buying some 50xx / 55xx RTV's and using them (with WiRNS 3.0 and a SD subscription) instead of worrying about getting FreeSCO to work with your hardware....

I have six RTV's (5 50xx, 1 55xx), all talking to WiRNS. I will never have to worry about DNNA ever again.

Cheers!
-Doug

The distinction between (50xx and 55xx) seems irrelevant now with WiRNS 3 and the software which allows CA/IVS.

BTW, I just got another 5xxx unit from eBay for $6.50 plus shipping.