Sony DHG-HDD250/500: Official Thread - Page 483

Email your local CBS and ask what's up if you haven't already done so.

I will send them another email Monday; it's been a few days and I have not heard anything.

Between the mix of useless emails from Sony and Macrovision, I have come across this device:

http://www.macrovision.com/webdocume...eandManual.pdf

Read in detail pages 23-30 - this is for OTA people "only". There are three items of interest.

1. Digital Zip Codes to be used to receive TV Guide On Screen! I am trying that one now, all by itself
2. On original set select that you "do have cable" when you do not, and select Scientific America as the box.
3. Then some jibberish about channel 9 - but somehow I do not feel it applies to the Sony Box?

The thing I found the "most" interesting is what I call is the "Digital Zip Codes"

For example Houston is "00010" instead of a choice of dozens and dozens of zip codes used in the past - This makes so much more sense!

Wonder if it really works?

No listings for next Friday through Sunday. Host remains cable PBS analog 94, but the G*Test reveals TVGOS packet transmission has stopped completely (permanently?). So I ran the G*Test with the unit on overnight on cable CBS-HD, then today on CBS-HD OTA. Both show lots of packets coming in, but I still have still zero listings.

It's been three days, so the unit may search for a new host tonight. If no listings appear by tomorrow, I may do a soft reset in case something is "stuck".

This is probably part of the apparent national problem. CBS here has had frequent problems with data insertion to their Comcast feed, but this time even OTA does not seem to be sending valid data.

This is about the DTVPal that still isn't working in the TVGOS mode, which is described in the pages you mention...

Why do you call the substitute zip codes the "digital zip codes"? These are fake zip codes used in the TVGOS mode, but not the zip codes if you want to get direct digital TVGOS...The "10" in the fake zip code is just the number for your metropolitan area...

Is this new to you? Many of us - namely those with TVGOS devices that ABSOLUTELY REQUIRE analog TVGOS - have been waiting 6 months for the special digital TVGOS data that will make the TVGOS mode of the Pal operational...

You probably know all of this, but it didn't sound like you were really familiar with the Pal, based on your reaction to that document...

I was vastly relieved to find today that I had gotten a mostly normal download overnight, though I STILL have a blank host channel - as I have had since Tuesday, in which respect my experience differs from that of jwpottberg... I got a full set of listings for next Sunday, but the "no title" thing has appeared fairly frequently through the week...mostly on NBC and Fox.

So now we in the SF area also seem to be in this never never land of no host, but getting anyway anyway data...go figure...

One other thing, my G* test still indicates packets on CBS 5.1 AND 5, and none on PBS 9 (my usual host)...these are the same readings I have gotten all week. AND my LG3410a is still locked onto CBS 5 (analog) as host channel, as it has been since Wednesday (due, I presume, to my using the LG's scan for a new host channel code)...

I should mention again that I'm OTA only...

Another oddity (not the only one)...not only does the Sony show a blank host channel field, but the VBI download record shows NONE since 3/9/9...something I really don't understand, but I guess it means the Sony isn't counting either the Friday night multiple day downloads with the unit on after a G*test, OR last night's "normal (unit-off) download, as real, which I guess makes sense since I don't have a host channel

Have you done a G* Test while tuned to your digital CBS channel? That is the easiest way to know whether your CBS station is sending TVGOS data. If you haven't then I should have mentioned it sooner, because those pictures you posted the other day of the reset screen showed the PowerOn field being N/A which means, the "VBI retrieval engine" (well that is what I call it) hasn't been started. A G* test can fix that in acouple of seconds. You might be surprised that this even sets your clock for you.

Mark

I had a set back today. This morning after 2 days of successful downloads, and even having the host channel set correctly, I got 'No Listings' for day 8. Here is some interesting info about what I discovered. I'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to see if there is any change.

After seeing the No Listings, I tuned to the host channel, and went to the 753 menu. I looked at 4 things: Host Channel, Clock Channel, ZipcodePkts, and HostChan dummy counts.

I'm sorry for the crudeness of this information, but I was too lazy to put it in a different form.

753... menu
Host Channel 0:19-0
Clock Channel 0:19-0

No packets were counting
ZipcodePkts 1693
HostChan counts 22805

Ran G* Test: Packets counting, channel reported as 1023-65533

753... menu
Host Channel 0:19-0
Clock Channel fffffffd

Packets counting, however the "HostChan" column was not incrementing, as if it lost my host channel.
ZipcodePkts also not counting up.

ZipcodePkts 1693
HostChan counts 22805

I was wondering if the invalid clock channel could affect the ZipcodePkts.

Back to G* Test. Did the, switch channel run test, switch channel run test, sequence until the VBI field indicated the actual channel number, then did the G* Test on the host channel (0:12-1 virtual, 0:19-0 RF).

753... menu
Host Channel 0:19-0
Clock Channel 0:12-1

ZipcodePkts resume counting
HostChan still not counting

ZipcodePkts 1700
HostChan counts 22805

Next test: I wanted to see if the recorder would autotune to the host channel when turned off.

Tuned to non-VBI channel

753... menu

No packets counting (good)
ZipcodePkts stopped at 1700
Host counts still stopped at 22805

Exited and turned off DVR for a couple of minutes

Turned on DVR

753... menu
Host Channel 0:19-0
Clock Channel 0:19-0

Clock channel switched back to RF channel from digital channel (ok)

ZipcodePkts 1702
HostChan counts 23066

Both packet counts incrementing


Observations:

Looks like my "VBI retrieval engine" shut down last night. I recorded SNL from 10:30 to 12:00am. Previous 2 nights I had no recordings scheduled.

The G* Test got it going again (I wonder if the "TV Guide/Exit" reset would also get it going again, since some people fix 'No Listing' problems by doing this.)

Invalid clock channel resulted in no ZipcodePkts, and no packets detected as HostChan packets.

Clock Channel and Host Channel filled in but not the same, this seemed to result in ZipcodePkts, but no HostChan packets incrementing. Which is why I did the next step:

Tuned to a non-VBI channel, and went into the 753 menu. Noted what the HostChan count was. Turned off the DVR, left it off for about a minute, and then turned it back on.

Went back to the 753 menu, and looked at the HostChan count, and it had changed, so while the DVR is off it is tuning to my real host channel, and getting data from it.

I'll see what happens in the morning.

Mark

So whats going on here, All of a sudden everyone is having problems? I had been going along just fine, I just did a tv guide reset and it once again picked up the wrong time

Hi folks,

FWIW, I'm missing day 8 (as of Sunday). Day 7 was partial. I get my downloads via OTA from PBS WFYI on channel 20 analog. This happened a week ago and things got restarted on their own with no action from me so I'm letting it ride. Last week, there were two days of No Listings before it started back up. I'm presuming there are regional or national issues going on.

Marc

Thanks Possumgirl,

LastDLStart, LastDLStop, and DLTimer were all N/A the last couple of days. Today I noticed that LastDLStart, and DLTimer both have times, but LastDLStop is N/A. BTW, I am all digital here.

Mark

With all the talk about the host channel, I am reprinting this procedure (slightly altered to be more user friendly) that was at the bottom of my log message. I believe this method can be used to tell if you have a host channel or not.

Tune to a non-VBI channel, and go into the 753 menu. Go to the 'Reception Slicing 2' screen (up twice, right once). On this screen there are 4 rows of numbers. The first row of numbers is labeled 'Dummy'. following the label are 3 columns of numbers. The first column is labeled 'SinceCold', the second column is labeled 'HostChan', and the third cloumn is labeled 'CurrChan'. Note what the Dummy line's 'HostChan' count is. Exit, and turn off the DVR, leave it off for about a minute, and then turn it back on.

Go back to the 753 menu, and back to the 'Reception Slicing 2' screen (up twice, right once). Look at the 'HostChan' count, and see if it has changed. If the count has changed, then your DVR is tuning to a real host channel when it is turned off.

Mark

Well, on Mar 6 my 250 lost the guide and clock. I have tried every procedure
listed here and still nothing. The next day I bought a new HDTV for the kitchen
and got a Motorola DCH6416 DVR from the cable co. After a week of screwing
with the Sony I pulled it from the main tv and put the Moto in. The Sony is now
hooked up in the kitchen and is going to be used for tests and experiments.
Today I formatted the HDD and got a message that an error had been fixed.
Reset to factory and setup zip and cablecard (no OTA) and turned it off.
Will wait to see what happens.

I'm pretty sure this was run at a time of day when there were no scheduled downloads, but its easy to run again. I try to be careful to run controlled tests so that the results are definitive.

I have never been able to get a channel lineup without a host channel. I have been able to get listings without a host channel, but only when I already have a channel lineup. I don't recall anyone claiming to get a channel lineup without a host channel and only running the G* Test, but I could be wrong about that. I am OTA only, cable may be different.

The counts in the HostChan column should not increment while the recorder is turned on. The recorder gets data from the host channel when it is turned off and from the VBI channel when it is turned on.


No.

Still no clock or guide in Houston for over a week. I've tried so many things I have forgotten what they are, I am sure most have been the wrong thing to do.

Anyway as of today, I ran the G test for the first time (I think), and this is what I got:

As you can see, it was on the screen about 1.5 min when I took the picture. Ok, I considered that a "fail"? I have no idea.

Then I ran the G test again; it went through Flash, VBI, and ATSC test in about 5-10 seconds (not enough time to take a picture), all 3 "PASS" and then went into reset (looked like an automatic soft reset to me?) "SONY" appeared on the TV screen for 2 seconds?

Then the unit turned itself "off" and there it sits with no clock

any ideas?

Well, you are just unlucky. I have run the G* Test at least 1000 times, and only had the reset happen once, and that was last Wednesday. I'd turn it back on and check your clock in the 753 menu, and see if it is correct now. If it is not, then do the G* Test again. Then check the 753 menu clock again. You are getting packets off that channel so it should be able to set the 753 menu clock. The front panel clock may take a little longer.

Mark

Here in Northern Virginia, my clock problem started on March 13.
It's displaying 10 hours ahead.

As a test, I did a TVGOS reset and entered the substitute zip code 00038 for Buffalo on my 2nd box and left it overnight. It did not acquire a host.

I have seen the HostChan packets counting up twice, once in the log I just posted (when the clock channel, and host channel were identical, I might add). And last Wednesday when I finally got a host channel when using the 'VBI Search Channel' method. Other than that, maybe you're right.


Could you elaborate a little more? As you can see the ZipcodePkts did start counting again when the clock channel set correctly, so why the definitive 'No'?

Mark

Just chiming in to update the situation in SE PA (Comcast); suburban Philadelphia.

For about a month, everything was smooth. I had a full lineup, Comcast opened up all of the extended basic channels as clearQAM, and daily listings were error-free. I attribute this to the host channel showing up as 1:93-0 ... which is a non-existant analog channel. My theory was that Comcast was somehow stripping the TVGOS data and putting it onto a channel that you can't tune to.

Anyways, it worked perfectly.

Until about a week ago. The Host Channel switched to 1:0-2 ... which is the analog channel for my local CBS station. Initially, listing downloads were fine, but they soon became more sporadic. A couple of times, I had full days of "No Listings". Sometimes, the Day 1/2/4 listings would overwrite good listings. For example, tonight's DWTS was fine when downloaded from Day8, but our nights ago, the download got botched and DWTS was switched to No Listing and the Day 2 and Day 1 downloads didn't fix it.

The funny thing is that Analog 2 has tons of VBI info coming in (as seen on the G* Test) ... much more than the digital version of CBS (3-1).

Anyways, I'll try setting a midnight recording on Analog 2 tonight to make sure it's tuned to channel 2 for the downloads.

ft

At this point I am trying anything - not yet to sledge hammer, but getting close.

Ok, have run G test about a dozen times in the last 40 minutes or so, just to see what I get, all on digital 11-1 the local CBS

Just over 90% of the time all three items "PASS" (flash, VBI, ATSC).
Once ATSC "failed" and 3 times I think VBI "failed"

As of now, the clock reset itself to 12:00AM and is counting and the Sony Box is still "on" but will turn off at 1:00AM (less than 20 min to go).

For the first time "ever" I am receiving ATSC slicer data stuff? and a few other screens

pics

if anyone would like to interpret the pic that would great.

Should I leave the box "on" or "off" at this point (tuned to digital CBS OTA)?

Seriously - Is the Pic 6931 something new? I do not think I have seen that before? I dunno!

I think that is a "dead end" as others have told me.......but it may be something to remember for the future.........not know what is happening with the DTV mess........funny it is Sony and macrovision that suggested it.......but then again 90% of their info has been wrong.

Since everyone is having problems, including myself, it sounds to me like its a TVGOS problem, not a local station problem. Sounds like the local stations are not getting the guide data sent to them, so they can't send it out to us. Just my guess.

I'm getting clock data, but no guide data.

Ok, in the last hour I did the stuff just posted above.

Unit reset clock to 12:00AM and I have left it "on" - thinking the 1:00AM would roll around AND it would then turn itself "off"

I just went back to the room to take a look see.

AND it now reads 7:34AM - It is now exactly 1 hour "off" - the correct time here is 8:34AM DST............the box thinks it is "standard" time (see pictures posted above).

The box is still "on" digital CBS.

I could leave it "on" till it turns itself "off" at 1:00AM (about 18 hours from now?). OR turn it "off" now?

I am inclined to leave it "on"

any thoughts on this? anyone?

I think this means I am getting digital clock from CBS........but the box does not know yet it is Daylight Savings Time?

pic 6934 shows a lot of data being "rejected", this may be TV Guide Data Listings and it may be rejected because the box is "on" ? Just a guess.

Pic 6937 compare that to pic 6929 above - the Sony Box has figured out it is DST; but the time should be showing 9:00AM not 8:00AM

Pic 6936 compare that to pic 6931 above.

lots of info screens show a lot of stuff coming in........."no data" for listings at this point.

"Easter egg"???

Couldn't help but notice that entry.

Stop, and take a breath a minute.
Your software patch version has reverted back to 00.00.00. It has to upgrade to 08.05.40, and then to 08.06.44, before your clock will be right
again. I believe you can just leave your unit on (although I've got the upgrades before with it off) and tuned to this channel.

Mark