Here we go again! No response from dial up servers!

I'm having that problem with my 2020. A manual net connect goes through "Dialing" and "Connecting", then "There was a problem transferring information from the ReplayTVService.". Clearing the channel guide twice does NOT change this. A different (still local) phone number didn't help. I then told the Replay I'm in Dallas (972-291), and got "ReplayTV was unable to connect to the ReplayTV Service to get local phone numbers and TV channels." and "Unable to authorize connection.".

BTW, my other Replays are 5xxx units that work fine with WiRNS.

I have a show stopper unit, which dials in connects and says "having trouble transferring data, your unit will try again latter. We had a power hit this morning. I don't want to reboot and loose my current Guide info. So, I'm waiting out the weekend to see what happens Monday. My 5040 unit just got an update over the internet. But, I had to try it twice with a 243 zone. It looked a little slow, but it did finish.

Don H

Me, too. No connection last night after several months of flawless Showstopper guide service. It's more annoying than years past now since weeding through hundreds of conflicting posts is difficult. BTW, I'm in So Cal, a major market that should have at least a few dialup number working.

My experience agrees with yours. Furthermore, when I attempt to make a connection from the "Change Telephone" option, I consistently get an "unable to authorize connection" message, whether or not I let the call go to the pre-programmed toll free number or build my local number into the prefix to divert the call to that local number.

Combining my experience with that of the others who have posted to this thread, I am inclined to believe that the ReplayTV EPG (electronic program guide) service is down, possibly permanently. Last year, users got warning messages both on the machines and on the website of a planned shutdown, which was later cancelled. However, I think most of us felt that the shutdown was just being postponed. Unless we get reports that the service is operating, I don't think it is worth the effort to make multiple phone calls to the ReplayTV service within a short period, trying to get a program guide update. The random factor of luck just doesn't seem to be there anymore.

It has been out at least since last Friday August 10 around 4PM EST. No warning like last year. Woke up at 3 this morning to reboot and at least get the time of day correct. I will use the manual record function until the guide comes back.

WiRNS connections using Schedules Direct should not be affected.

There appear to be two levels of authorization. The ReplayTV dialup machines (e. g. Panasonic Showstopper) make a phone call to a dialup data service provided by a third party (assumed to be AT&T.) The calling machine identifies itself and the third party's equipment verifies that the calling machine is using a valid account, thus authorized to use their dialup data service. It is at this stage that the machine is currently being blocked. If this authorization had succeeded, the machine would have attempted to connect to the ReplayTV service, identify itself as an authorized user, and execute the data transfer. It is at this second level that we have been having difficulties over the last few months.

My best guess is that the contract between the third party, the one providing the dialup phone numbers and data service, has been cancelled or suspended. Funds to pay for this service may have run dry.

When the original ReplayTV and Panasonic Showstopper machines were sold, I believe that some of the funds from the sale were set aside and invested to provide "lifetime" schedule updates, drawn upon regularly to pay the recurring costs of the service. The machines certainly have lasted far longer the originally anticipated and the funds may have run out. Additional funding may have come from Panasonic to keep the service going after the planned shutdown last summer. They have "deep pockets" and a reputation to protect.

The earlier WiRNS 2.0 supported dialup connections to the ReplayTV servers using FreeSCO. It has been primarily useful to owners of the Panasonic Showstopper and other ReplayTV dialup machines for use in homes with no local phone service, or with a local phone service that does not support modem data. I haven't tried setting that up on my computer. However, I understand that those who have were having the same difficulties that the rest of us were experiencing using the dialup service.

I am inclined to believe that it is finally time to set up WiRNS, FreeSCO and an account and connection to Schedules Direct, taking the ReplayTV service out of the picture, or to revert to manual recording.

If you choose manual recording and haven't done so already, you need to install software to facilitate manually setting the clock. The ReplayTV service, when working properly, set the clock during each nightly update. Without these updates, the clock will lose or gain time.

Same here in NYC.....No connection to the server (using dial-up).
Is broadband working?
Could this possibly be nothing more than a technical glitch?

Has anyone attempted to contact ReplayTV regarding this?

Perhaps if quite a few people call this might get resolved (hopefully!)

Can someone post the phone number for them.....please.
(I'm not aware of the current phone number).

Thank you!

Or sign up for PERC's LaHo service which is basically a hosted WiRNS/FreeSCO combo.

Here's the previous shutdown FAQ: http://wiki.xmltv.org/index.php/ReplayTV

If you want info on setting up FreeSCO http://wiki.xmltv.org/index.php/ReplayTV-FREESCO

Robert

(Disclaimer, the WiRNS folks and I set up PERC's LaHo service) (LAst HOpe)

Thanks for posting the update. I've noticed when you call in and hit 0, their phone system will tell you how many callers are queued up ahead of you. I hang up if there are two or more, but I'll try again later.

FYI, DNNA seems to have two remaining servers - [64.124.73.105] which is unreachable, and [64.124.80.9] which is pingable and also still serves channel data to my WIRNS V2 installation.

When things were first set up with their primary dial network, network authentication was RADIUS'd to Replaytv's servers for the dial connects.

A lot of things have "changed" since then, but possibly they are still processing the dial authentications the same way, but only to the one, currently unavailable, server.

I noticed that server [64.124.73.105] is responding, and I was able to do a 243 net connect and get a guide update this morning. The connection did hang at "connection established" for a few minutes, but eventually proceeded to a successful "combining data".

It looks like the electronic program guide service is back up and running, although with some of the same problems it has had for the last few months. The "unable to authorize connection" message is gone, indicating that the third party (presumably AT&T) providing the local numbers is once again routing the data connections to ReplayTV's servers.

I am posting as of Tues. Aug 14 in the morning. Two of my Showstoppers updated their guides overnight, appending the correct number of days, to extend into Wed. Aug. 22.* To get the guides for the other two machines updated, I used the method that I've posted elsewhere, including page 12 of kittentail's thread.

I might add that, if the screen is lingering on the "connection established" or "contacting server" stage, it seems to speed things up to cancel the connection and try again. However, "stopping" takes a long time. If you choose to stop and wait, you can unplug the phone line from the back of the unit to free it up, especially for incoming calls, and just wait, or you can hold down the power button for some 10 seconds or so. The machine should reboot with a "please wait a few moments screen." The try again. I've found that the method has worked in 10 tries or less, many times less than 5 tries.

*I believe the listings stop at midnight Universal Coordinated Time (UTC). In local time, it varies by time zone and whether or not daylight savings time is in effect.

My SS didn't connect overnight, but I too was able to restore it this morning with the zip change routine + a brisk connection, then a net connect. Just a hiccup, it seems.

Still wonder a) who is paying for it and b) why the connection fails and needs restoring every week or so?

And they say "Your Welcome".

(ReplayTV mgmt team reads the forums, but doesn't post.)

BTW, the reducing 2 weeks of guide data has been fixed. No one remembers the processing schedule, so if it's not fixed by tonight's poll, things should be back to normal by wed night. (2k/3k/showstoppers wouldn't notice it since they don't carry 2 weeks of data)

So, we're back to the status quo..

Robert

I have 55xx's, and I've never gotten 2 weeks. It's usually 11 days, but if it updates at certain times of the day it's only 10, and the next day it will get 12 to make up.

I'm not it's stuck at "connection established". Got a 7 day trial service from Perc Data and I don't have any connection issues there. It's a small world after all...

At this point, I would say "status quo" includes modem connection problems. (based on forum posts)

Now wait for my cable modem to go out... then you'll complain about the Laho modem (there's a reason I call it a test setup, it's not "production hardened" )

I think Connection Established means that the ISP connected ok, and now it's trying to access the Replay servers. Have you power cycled your Replay? That's very important, especially if you've connected to LaHo as the in-memory IP addresses will be wrong.

Robert

So what you are saying others are having modem connection problems too? As for your service Perc Data I already said I wasn't having any connection issues just with ReplayTV. I wasn't complaining about your service... I will try to power cycle my showstopper and thanks for the info.

Yes, there have many posts over the past few months about modem issues.

Earthlink ( the primary dialup ISP) was cleaning up their network and it was causing lots of problems. There was also ReplayTV dialup authentication problems. We (user community) don't know exactly what the causes are but I think they will continue. Once you get a working phone # keep using it and hope for the best.

If you use a VoIP phone service or a LD VoIP service, that *really* makes things tough (Cable Co phone is VoIP too). The modem protocols were simply not designed for it and don't do well over them. Some VoIP services have implemented special hacks for FAX, but I've never heard of one doing it for data protocols. It's really hit and miss and may vary with your and your ISP's network load, time of day, phase of the moon, local sport team record, what you had for dinner, etc.

BTW, I wasn't concerned about PERC... I know when folks have problems (I hear the modem answer and try to sync). When someone is trying to get it to work, it rings a lot If someone wanted to do a Replay modem test, calling PERC isn't a bad idea, I know it works (most of the time)

Robert

I recently changed from dial-up to internet connection (dsl) after finally getting a network set up. So far no problems encountered in connecting to server.

Back to my (near) weekly 'failure to connect', which curiously seems to happen mostly on the weekend. Once I see that message, it NEVER connects on the next nightly attempt, nor on a forced net connect, and I have to intervene manually by changing the zip, and repeat until I get a brisk connection (no joy yet).

Maybe after I do get the brisk Mothership connection I could wait for the next nightly call, instead of doing my 243/zones call right away?

I was having trouble connecting last Friday. I let it ride over the weekend. Yesterday, I did a 243 zone and forced a net connect. It was very, very slow. It made it thru loading the guide info. But before the system finished (I think it was combining data), it suddenly dropped the connection, and said it try again later. I think it times out after 15 min and hangs up. I checked the guide data, and it was good for 8 days. I forced a connect today and it did the whole thing it about 6 min.

Good luck, all.

Don H.

i have one number that works in 08721 area if some wants to try it . i used it last week ---d.

I was very frustrated, and, in desperation, watched two of my favorite shows.. .live.. ugh... miserable... well, I'm in 707 area code, tried All prime numbers, non did the job ( all connected, etc, but, no worky), so, I changed area code to Major US city.. it was.. V E R Y slow.. but, it got the job done! Afterwards, I called the #, spoke with Cindy, I explained how I wanted to Wait until it was working, but, conveyed HOW frustrating it is for All of us. .She was very nice, and I thanked her for keeping this going for now.. she indicated.. these units won't be working in 2 years...

Care to enumerate about the impending demise?