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Can you experts please verify something for me?

post #1 of 19
1/23/13 at 1:58pm
Thread Starter 
Here is my situation. I DO NOT believe my recorder has anything to do with this, but i posted at the dtv forums and someone there seems to be implying that it does.

My recorder is a magnavox 515H. I have directv as well, and it includes local channels.

The past two weeks I recorded an NBC show, The New Normal, and about the last 3 minutes the directv screensaver came on. This has never happened during any show before. I could still hear the show, but the picture was the screensaver with the directv logo running through it. I posted it on the directv forums because it seems like it has to be a directv issue right? I've never seen the screensaver come on for local station outages (unrelated to directv). Someone there at the directv forums said how can I possibly record since I don't have a directv dvr. I replied that I had an HDD recorder. They then asked how it was hooked up to the dtv. It's hooked up the traditional way-from the outputs on the dtv receiver to the inputs on the recorder. Just to make sure I am not way off base, there isn't any way my 515 can be causing this, right? I am not using the tuner at all for this recording. Just the L1 input and the directv receiver. It has done it twice now, both times during the same show and both times during the last few minutes of it.

From now on I will record this particular show with the over-the-air signal instead (using the 515's tuner) but I am still curious if it could be anything but a directv problem.
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post #2 of 19
1/23/13 at 2:11pm
It's possible if your Directv STB has HDMI output and you are using it to your TV that if you turn your TV off that after a certain amount of time that they may disable the analog outputs(or give you a screen saver). If they are doing this it's my thought that they are doing this on purpose to stop people from doing just what you are trying to do mad.gif
Your workaround would be to use component from your STB to your TV that or better yet do what you plan which is to use the tuner in your 515, it should give you a better picture anyway smile.gif
I don't use Directv but I'm sure others do and they might know for sure, or another way to work around it.
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post #3 of 19
1/23/13 at 2:18pm
Thread Starter 
I'm using RCA cables from the dtv receiver to the 515 and component video cables (the blue/red/green) from the 515 to the tv. The dtv receiver isn't connected directly to the tv.

eta: we're at the very edge of our stations' viewing areas so the tuner doesn't necessarily give a better picture. frown.gif
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post #4 of 19
1/23/13 at 2:26pm

It's prob. the lack of connection from the DirecTV STB to the TV.

 

Here's a help file with some tips from STB users indicating that connections make a lot of difference.

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post #5 of 19
1/23/13 at 2:35pm
Thread Starter 
But we aren't watching this STB on the tv. Only recordings from it and the STB is connected to the recorder. I have had it in this configuration for the entire time we've had directv (about 4 yrs maybe?) and never had this happen. And have recorded countless shows and hours and it's never happened other than these two times on the same show during the last 2 or 3 minutes (maybe not even that long).

I have a whole separate STB that is connected to the tv that we use to watch shows that aren't being recorded.
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post #6 of 19
1/23/13 at 2:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gale1965 View Post

I'm using RCA cables from the dtv receiver to the 515 and component video cables (the blue/red/green) from the 515 to the tv. The dtv receiver isn't connected directly to the tv.

eta: we're at the very edge of our stations' viewing areas so the tuner doesn't necessarily give a better picture. frown.gif
Is your STB HD and does it have HDMI output? If not(especially the later) you may have something wrong with your STB. If you have HDMI output(and your not using it) you may be able to trick your box into staying on by hooking something like a HDMI splitter to the HDMI output, not positive but it may be worth a shot.
HDMI can be nice but many times it's just a big PIA frown.gif
If this worked before it's possible that though a download DirecTV may have changed things, they can do that at anytime and often do.
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post #7 of 19
1/23/13 at 2:43pm
Quote:
...about the last 3 minutes the directv screensaver came on. This has never happened during any show before. I could still hear the show, but the picture was the screensaver with the directv logo running through it...

This happens to me regularly. It is a "new" function of the DirecTV STBs with respect to the HDMI ports and some kind of handshake issue. It is NOT your DVD recorder, nor does it have anything to do with your DVD recorder. The prevailing theory on the DBS forum is that it's an unintentional response to a demand by some providers that the handshake protocol be tightened up. It should not happen using a channel availbel to you off the air, but what is not "supposed" to happen, frequently does because of implementation. frown.gif
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post #8 of 19
1/24/13 at 1:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gale1965 View Post

Here is my situation. I DO NOT believe my recorder has anything to do with this, but i posted at the dtv forums and someone there seems to be implying that it does (...)

From now on I will record this particular show with the over-the-air signal instead (using the 515's tuner) but I am still curious if it could be anything but a directv problem.

Is a f*c*ing DirecTV new feature that you get free with your last STB firmware download and is expected to happen in all channels. mad.gif
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post #9 of 19
1/24/13 at 2:31pm
Thread Starter 
sorry, double post
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post #10 of 19
1/24/13 at 2:32pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jjeff View Post

Is your STB HD and does it have HDMI output? If not(especially the later) you may have something wrong with your STB. If you have HDMI output(and your not using it) you may be able to trick your box into staying on by hooking something like a HDMI splitter to the HDMI output, not positive but it may be worth a shot.
HDMI can be nice but many times it's just a big PIA frown.gif
If this worked before it's possible that though a download DirecTV may have changed things, they can do that at anytime and often do.
The stb is not HD and we aren't using any hdmi cables other than from the roku box to the tv.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Church AV Guy View Post

This happens to me regularly. It is a "new" function of the DirecTV STBs with respect to the HDMI ports and some kind of handshake issue. It is NOT your DVD recorder, nor does it have anything to do with your DVD recorder. The prevailing theory on the DBS forum is that it's an unintentional response to a demand by some providers that the handshake protocol be tightened up. It should not happen using a channel availbel to you off the air, but what is not "supposed" to happen, frequently does because of implementation. frown.gif

Can it happen through non-hdmi cables too? I'm using rca cables from the stb to the recorder, No other cables are used on it (other than from the sat cable to the stb)
Quote:
Originally Posted by profhat View Post

Is a f*c*ing DirecTV new feature that you get free with your last STB firmware download and is expected to happen in all channels. mad.gif

The thing is, how would my stb know I'm recording at all? Is there some signal from the recorder to the stb (backwards through the cables) that would give it this information?
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post #11 of 19
1/24/13 at 2:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gale1965 View Post

The stb is not HD and we aren't using any hdmi cables other than from the roku box to the tv.
Can it happen through non-hdmi cables too? I'm using rca cables from the stb to the recorder, No other cables are used on it (other than from the sat cable to the stb)

The thing is, how would my stb know I'm recording at all? Is there some signal from the recorder to the stb (backwards through the cables) that would give it this information?

The STB don't know that you're recording, in that case it's just an inactivity screen saver thing, (or a firmware bug?) our expert in that issue is mrmazda.
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post #12 of 19
1/24/13 at 2:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gale1965 View Post

The stb is not HD and we aren't using any hdmi cables other than from the roku box to the tv.
The thing is, how would my stb know I'm recording at all? Is there some signal from the recorder to the stb (backwards through the cables) that would give it this information?
Without HDMI the STB has no way of knowing whether your watching, recording or it's just doing nothing. The only way might be if your were asked a question via a OSD, something to the effect "screen saver will activate in 1 minute unless you push OK" or something like that. If your not getting a question and it just goes to a screen saver I'd call that a serious bug frown.gif Either way it's not something I'd want to live with.
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post #13 of 19
1/24/13 at 2:55pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jjeff View Post

Without HDMI the STB has no way of knowing whether your watching, recording or it's just doing nothing. The only way might be if your were asked a question via a OSD, something to the effect "screen saver will activate in 1 minute unless you push OK" or something like that. If your not getting a question and it just goes to a screen saver I'd call that a serious bug frown.gif Either way it's not something I'd want to live with.
Definitely no OSD of any kind. At first I thought it was just switching to the channel of the next show early, in which case it may have been expected (the show after is one in which we have to enter a code to override parental controls) but then I realized I could still hear the show I was recording first.

So far it's only doing it on this one show so I'll just record from the OTA signal. If it keeps up I'll try swapping the two STBs we have and see if the other one does the same thing.
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post #14 of 19
1/24/13 at 4:53pm
I'm not really sure of all the issues, but I know that my DirecTV outputs are regularly on screen saver when I turn my set on in the morning, or after work, so it must time out after a certain interval. Yes, it started with a ceratin update, but I'm not sure if it was the LATEST update, or a previous one. I don't know if it happens with the HDMI disconnected, or if using HDMI even matters to it, but I do know it takes place across ALL outputs simultaneously.
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post #15 of 19
1/24/13 at 7:21pm
Thread Starter 
If that's the case (keeping in mind this is a 30 minute show) wouldn't the screensaver be coming on during movies? Or marathons? So far it hasn't happened with any other show. I generally record something almost every day.

We'll see how tonight's shows work out. I recorded two different one hour shows and will be recording a 2.5 hour show in a little bit.
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post #16 of 19
1/24/13 at 7:22pm
Thread Starter 
I should also mention that I leave this STB on all the time, because the autotune wasn't turning it on every time. When I do turn the dvd player on (which will then display whatever is on the STB) the screensaver has never been on, even if it hasn't been touched or changed channel in hours (or days).
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post #17 of 19
1/25/13 at 10:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gale1965 View Post

If that's the case (keeping in mind this is a 30 minute show) wouldn't the screensaver be coming on during movies? Or marathons? So far it hasn't happened with any other show. I generally record something almost every day.

We'll see how tonight's shows work out. I recorded two different one hour shows and will be recording a 2.5 hour show in a little bit.

As I said, it happens to me regularly, but not all the time. I'm sure that there is a pattern, but I have no idea what it definitively is that triggers the screen saver/black screen. I agree, you would expect it to be on all the time if it were just a time-out. All I'm saying is that it happens to me, and it never did before a specific software upgrade. Your initial quations was, "Is it my recorder?" I assure you, it is NOT your recorder.
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post #18 of 19
1/25/13 at 10:27am
Thread Starter 
So it just pops on while you're watching a show? That would definitely suck.

We haven't watched the first two shows we recorded last night. I watched an hour of the 3rd one and so far no screensaver.
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post #19 of 19
1/25/13 at 10:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gale1965 View Post

So it just pops on while you're watching a show? That would definitely suck.

We haven't watched the first two shows we recorded last night. I watched an hour of the 3rd one and so far no screensaver.

I have never had it pop on when I was watching a show, but it is on over half the time when I turn the TV on in the morning, or after work, when it has been idle for many hours. I never turn off the receiver. Unless I am watching a movie, I am frequently touching butotns on the rmote, to FF through commercials for example, so it sees that I am "actively" watching. I really don't know what the timeout is.
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