Replay TV Not Connecting To Server - Page 12

Keep fighting with it, Rayliner. Try the number Dr. Joe suggested. And please keep us up in this thread and let us know how it is/isn't working for you.

Don H.

The Showstoppers quit working a few months ago when all the issues started to be so widespread, I found new numbers, and they started working for a while. They don't work again... DrJoe's number looks like east-coast, and I need the Los Angeles are lineup. I tried Long Beach, Colton (it worked for a few weeks), Lakewood, and several others in my area. I was concerned that maybe it was my units, or an issue with the phone company, but I changed to the Santa Barbara area, and it downloaded. It appears the cable channel lineup is the same, but it didn't show up with any of the 'OTA' network stations. This is better than before, and at least I know the unit is working. The other unit I took to someone else's house to try it there, and it failed with local numbers that previously worked. I've got a few other areas to try between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, so I'll have to see if I can find another better choice. Anyone in the Los Angeles or Orange County (CA, not FL) area, I wouldn't mind knowing which number is currently working for you (and your home area code, since we have so many nearby).

I'm at work now and can't look at my SS, but I posted a working number (at least for me) somewhere in this thread. It's a Pasadena call in the 626 area code. Good luck.

The two aren't related.

area code/exchange is used to select a phone number
zip code is used to select a lineup

Any phone number can supply any lineup.

If you don't get any OTA lineups it may be because everything is digital now and the Replay OTA lineups don't have digital stations (folks, please correct me if I'm wrong)

Robert

FYI... I noticed that the DNS problems with replaytv.net have been fixed. It will be interesting to see if that fixes the connect problems.

I would not expect the fixing of the DNS to fix the dial-up issues. I would expect fixing the DNS to resolve the issues that have been observed once a connection is established. These would be the clock not being set, failed download of the guild update, and failures during the 'combining data' step.

If you are having problems finding a working phone number, I had previously posted these instructions. With the DNS issues resolved, the hit or miss aspect of the 800 number update should be resolved. The part about verifying the local phone number still applies, as that issue is caused by the modem service being used.

I disagree. Because of the behaviour of the replaytv's after connections
that don't resolve names, the dialup numbers are getting overloaded.

Here's an overnight console trace of a suitably messed up replaytv.

http://s91350486.onlinehome.us/r3k-3...edConnects.txt

What should be a single 3 minute connection becomes three 40 minute connections. The IPCP entries corresponds to "connection established". There is no guide update from all this connect time. Eventually this unit would either "get lucky" one night and get a connection that resolves names, or run out of guide data.

Imagine how clogged our roads would be if many drivers trying to take a 3 minute car trip actually stayed on the road for 2 hours. That's what's happening to some of the dial ports.

Even with the DNS problem, there are ways a unit can connect
and get channel updates. Here is a trace of that type of connection.

http://s91350486.onlinehome.us/R3kNightly.txt

Still has DNS errors but since the unit had saved a "good server" IP address, it eventually connects for registry updates and channel information. All of the "successful" nightly updates that I've traced have run in this mode. It takes an extra 7 odd minutes, but fails to set the clock. Fortunately, a functioning replaytv seems to do a good job of minimizing clock drift.

All those well-meaning people that share a "working" access number are
just inviting owners of messed up replaytv units to clog up that number.

Here's a refinement which simplified the channel guide recovery procedure for me, for dialup units:

Menu, select Setup, select Change Dialing and Input Settings, select Change ANT/CATV.

Make note of the current setting and select Antenna.

If you are using Input 1 or Input 2, set them to Nothing connected.

Now select Keep all settings.

Your unit should call the ReplayTV service, and, if all goes well, download a channel guide for local over the air channels. Because of the digital transition, the guide should contain very few channels, maybe 3 or 4. If you are lucky, not lingering at Setting Clock, Setting Timezone, etc. and ending with Network connect error, the guide should have downloaded, overwriting any existing guide. After you verify that the guide was downloaded, go back through the above steps, restoring Input 1 or Input 2 if they weren't connected to Nothing, and whatever setting you had for ANT/CATV.

Success seems to be based on luck. If you fail, try again another time. The worst situation would be to download the Antenna guide and not be able to get back the guide that you really wanted. However, whenever I got the Antenna guide, I was always able to reload the desired guide a few minutes later.

If all goes well, you will get a bunch of Obsolete Replay Channel messages. Just delete them!

"kittentail," who started this thread and posted a few times afterward, must be a full grown adult cat tail by now!

My Showstopper units stopped downloading again. No matter how many times I tried, I could not connect and complete the download. It seems that even if my unit supposedly has connected and is giving all those messages on it's progress, if it is one of those 40 minute sessions it is not going to complete. If it goes along at a fast clip of about 7 to 10 minutes , it is going to really get the guide info.
After a couple of months of this frustrating, time consuming and even anxiety ridden conundrum, I don't think it is all in the numbers. While some areas such as DrJoe's have real phone line problems, I think it is availability of connections. While our units may connect to something out there in the ether and in the kazillions of miles of phone lines, few actually get connected to the servers. I really believe that there are far fewer (if any) connections available during the day. This question came up far earlier in this thread of servers having operating hours. It sounds like my modem is repeating its string requesting a connection over and over. DrJoe (I think) actually gave us a description of the sounds -beep, krssshh etc - Having been in a software development for a few years, I would have to take servers offline to do software tweaks etc., so I believe access is no longer 24/7 with RTV's servers for guide info. Or maybe they save money on phone lines or whatever.

As gring40 suggested earlier here, I have always been successful getting guide info if I make a change to my settings, causing my SS to dial in for new numbers. When I change back to my actual zip, and again get the list of phone numbers for my area, then I immediately do a 243 net connect, and the guide info will quickly download, do its other bits, and complete. Yea!! I have tried to accomplish these connections during the day, and here too it's much more likely that I will be able to connect and obtain the phone number info during nighttime hours.

My SS2k can't set the time and. as a likely consequence, can't get program data. Network connection error. This follows a power failure - likely lost the time then and can't recover. Tried as many of the tricks suggested here - 800 number, changing zip, changing number, clearing the guide (twice - it was already empty), rebooting, 243 zones to connect...still in 1999. What about the hypothesis that connections are less likely to work during the day...?

giorgitd,

I posted details of how to hack your unit to allow you to manually set the time.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...5#post21889025

It was relatively simple -- but does require you to pull the hard drive and attach it to your PC (I used an IDE to USB adapter; you could also attach it as a second drive internally to your PC).

Hey DrJoe...

I went through a similar problem about a month ago and after many forced connections, we were back in business. Hoping for that miracle again, but if not, I'll pull the HDD and install the manual time set tool and hope for the best...

Your SS shouldn't lose the time after a power failure unless the failure was quite long. Sounds like a bad C183 clock capacitor, discussed earlier.

My 2020 has a defective clock capacitor. The clock will be wrong after a power failure. The 2020 will automatically do a net connect which does NOT set the clock. I needed the manual clock set patch (I found an image with it already installed).

BTW, I found a couple of differences between my unit and the instructions for the manual clock set.

1. It is NOT necessary to set the display brightness. Just use the menu option as if you're going to. Then press 8-8-8-Zones.

2. Rebooting the Replay: Hold the power button until the shcreen shows "please wait a few moments". That's about 2 seconds, not the 10 indicated.

Can you post a link to the image you found? I'd like to get it.

Thanks,

Joe

Agreed. But even with a bad C183, once powered up, shouldn't the clock get set and keep time (more or less, certainly not 1999) to some degree? I have not been able to get away from 1999 since the failure, even with continuous power. I'm beginning to think that something else went bad at about the same time as the power failure - bad modem?

After 13 years, unless the fix is easy, we're probably going to go to another solution - but none as too appealing...

If what I understand from Jon is correct, the inability of the clock to properly set is due to the improper DNS look up. Again, from what I understand from Jon, when the unit connects, it tries to find the ReplayTV DNS address. If it can't it moves forward and fails to finds the time service DNS. Then it tries again when it looks for guide data and may actually connect via the "address of last resort".

Read

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...4#post21980574


Joe

Go to http://rgb.cc/replaytv/images/replay/ . There are subdirectories for the different series, such as 2xxxx and 3xxxx (including Showstopper). The manual clock set image is identified.

Hypothetically, maybe; but it would depend on whether C183 was open or shorted or leaking, I'm thinking. Usually to fix something I'd start with what I know is wrong and take it from there. If you're going to open it up to hack the drive, why not fix the cap, if you're up to it? Maybe check the power supply voltages as well?


If you don't want to do repairs, I like the suggestion to toggle the clock on with 243Zones. Then trigger calls repeatedly to the mother-ship by changing the zip slightly (within your service area), until you get a brisk response, and the clock shows it's been reset. Once you succeed you don't have to reset the zip, just force a 243Zones connection to a known good number.


Not if you can make the phone connection referenced above. Anyway, two things wrong with your RTV at the same time is a stretch. More likely it's the DNS issues currently discussed.

FYI.. now you can use PercData/Laho to set your clock.... even on dialup (just call Dallas)

http://planetreplay.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=16311

Robert

If any of you need the manual clock set patch but have been too afraid to install it, I have a script that makes it really simple. All you need to do is pull the Replay drive, hook it up to your PC then run the script.

http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dl...&file_id=10872

OK, I tried everything I could find on this board short of cracking the case of my SS2k, but could never get an update - this seemed to be due to the inability to set the clock. I tried the PercData/Laho dialup to Dallas last night - worked like a charm. Set the time on the first pass and then I got programming data. Just like old times!

But - why didn't the rtv dial up work for me? Tried local numbers, 800 number, numbers in CA, CT and IL - all posted here at one time or another. Multiple, multiple times, either from the setup screen or from 243 Zones. Changed the zip codes, too. The success with PercData/Laho suggests that my problems are not SS2k hardware or phone line issues. How widespread is the current failure to update/set time from rtv?

Happy now, though!

Like I said, before, and there are others who understand the details much better, it appears to be part and parcel of the DNS errors. Your unit was failing to connect on the initial DNS request. It moves on to fail to connect to the time server. Then it gets to the channel guide and may finally connect to the server and get guide data (or not if the number is no good).

From Jon's posts:

First, http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...8#post21897418


Second, http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...4#post21980574


I'll also note that I have my two units connecting to two different numbers. One has a connection that, on average, takes 7 minutes longer than the other (6 min vs 13 min). This is an edited transcript of some emails I traded with Jon off the forum:


For me, it took several explanations from Jon before I "got" what is going on. It's a cluster-up (replace up with your favorite four letter word).

I will finally note that the 410-510-9009 number I have posted before is the one that for me completes calls in ~ 6 min.

Summing it all up, (if I understand everything Jon, Reden, and the others have been posting), once everything is copacetic (you connect successfully via DNS lookup, you have the right time, you start making regular nightly connections/guide updates), it will stay that way, unless you experience a power outage or reboot your unit -- in which case there is a danger that your unit's DNS cache will erase and you will go back to square one. I don't know if Laho sets the DNS addresses properly. My guess is that if you point your ReplayTV modem back to a known good number (like the 410-510-9009 number I've been using), it will probably update correctly until something changes (again).

Joe

At the time the clock capacitor on my 2020 went bad, LaHo dialup was not working. Now, it would require 2 dial-ups (1 to set the clock, 1 to get the schedules). It'd be easier to use the manual clock set (UTC conversion isn't that hard once I get used to it).

I wouldn't expect anyone to call LaHo regularly to set the clock.. just after a power outage to get the clock close.... and maybe if it drifts too far.

For some folks, pulling the drive is a pain.. this allows the clock to be set w/o it.

Robert

I agree with Reden -- it seems like once the unit is set it stays that way until it isn't (power outage, dial in number stops working, etc). I had to set the clock manually once on one unit and it has been fine since. I haven't had problems with either of my units (including the one I for which I had to manually set the clock) for for over a month, and I am using Replay dial in numbers.

One comment though -- outside of this Laho "limited time" offer -- which is very generous, don't get me wrong! -- the Laho dial in is only "free" for 7 days -- then it is $10 a month is you have one unit, $14 a month if you have two. If I'm going to start paying for service again, I'm going to be switching to a modern unit that records HD. The only practical reason to stay with Replay (besides I like it!) is that it is free.

Reden,

You said the DNS issue seems to have been cleared up. If so, we should start resolving the time server names again, right? Can you check with your ReplayTV friends? It may be dialing in to Laho once will fix the systems, then we can use the normal numbers.

My guess for the clock is that someone will figure out what replacement capacitor to buy and publish a procedure and/or offer to fix other units for a fee, or if nothing else install the time patch.

Joe

It's more generous than you think (but really doesn't cost us much). You don't need to register with LaHo to get your clock set or download IR blaster codes.... We've configured the server to provide this anonymously.

A LaHo account and 7 day trial only comes into play if you want guide data from us and register for an account.

How long will we do this for? No idea, but we have no plans to stop. The dialup part is the most expensive ($30/mo) and most likely to go first.


Yes, the problem with the primary DNS server not responding to queries is fixed. I thought that would resolve a lot of folks' connect problems, but it doesn't seem to . Not sure what else is causing problems. I'm not sure what I would tell ReplayTV.


Already posted. Of course if folks aren't comfortable pulling the drive and loading the clock-set patch, they're not comfortable soldering in a new capacitor. It's probably not worth the money to ship units around for repair.

Robert

Just to be a little clearer... to use LaHo to set your clock or get the IR codes, you just change your DNS servers/phone prefix digits and initiate a couple of polls (some folks have reported more than one is needed) When you're done, set it back and everything should be back to normal going to the mothership. Henry has tried to configure it so the anonymous poll changes as little as we can on your unit.

Check the detailed instructions, I think there a few reboot requirements in there too. (

You don't have to take the drive out of the Replay (or reboot a computer) if you use a USB - IDE cable. It could still be a lot to remove all those 10 screws...

Anyway, that's a one-time job. I was considering what you'd have to do every time the power had been out. The changing to LaHo and back seems more work than using manual clock set.

Robert,

I know that the failed capacitor's board ID has been discussed (and I located it when I opened the unit to run the clock patch), but I haven't seen a source + catalog/part number for a replacement. Is there one out there somewhere?

Thanks,

Joe

PS: One of the things that turned me on to ReplayTV back in the day was the fact there were so many smart, helpful people out there working hard to get ReplayTV's to work better for the average user... Robman is one of the old timers, many are gone... It's nice that even though the names have changed, people are still helping out so much.