Sony DHG-HDD250/500: Official Thread - Page 512

Opinionated sw?

yes the internal software is mess up..........any number of reasons........multiple downloads resets timing etc.

I see, by SW you meant software.

To which software are you refering? The entire system's or the TVGOS?

By full reset you meant TVGOS or a full wipeout- reformat.

Ok we are making a little progress (not that there is any solution). When you get a chance post the same two pictures of the 250 unit.

When you say the 250 is normal...........is there anything wrong or incomplete with its operation?

It's mostly OK. Downloads overnight and has listings through Sat. Had one lockup, after soft reset reverted TVGOS to .00 but was back to .44 within 24 hours.

the internal software that runs the TVGuide system inside the box......generally upgrades come via downloads. It can crash and burn; sometimes it can correct errors and sometimes it cannot.

Look closley at the two screen shots posted above on my unit -specially the system error lines and how the box went about correcting them, with the 01/01/04 date set etc. and the two download patches it got within 4 hours to correct itself. This is because of all the software conflicts created by attempting to change to a digital souce - which was NOT successful in Houston. Hence we are back to analogue.

By Full Factory Reset - I mean the whole enchilada.......top line reformat etc. HOWEVER, do not do that just yet until I get more info as to WHY your 250 is working correctly. Let's see if we can find out why it works?

I don't know what there is particularly to find out. It works. It always worked.

Even last year when many of us where experiencing the locks up- when I was forced to do the reset on the 500- the 250 may have experienced a lock up or two but corrected itself and no reset was necessary.

It just works- considering especially the recent TVGOS changes. I have changed nothing since the first day I turned it on and it found a host and went on to do what it's supposed to do. I just hope it stays that way.

Maybe it's the .06 firmware.

The malfunctioning 500 was .05 which I changed just this morning to .13.

Yes the 250's .06 could be the item. It will be interesting to see the two screen shots tomorrow.

Taking the 500 from .05 to .13 may have some effect, wont hurt really.
However, expect the software conflicts to remain. More on that later.

Are both your 250 and 500 cable source only? And are they digital download only? or do you still have analogue available?

They are literally side by side on the same stand.

They both get the same feed from a split cable. Signal strength the same.

The feed is analog. The Host channel is the same.

Obviously TVGOS sent some bad data starting a few weeks back that has effected many of us.

The big question is why the 500 was so effected -that it became corrupted -while the 250 was mostly immune.

Was it the different firmware version? What is something that only SONY would know? Was it a coincidence?


............................

I should add something important.

Before my mother's 500 turned into a brick [after I did the TVGOS full reset and the data stopped] it was acting exactly like my 500 (both are from the Twitter $250 special).

So miles apart on different Cablevision systems the two 500 acted similarly while the lone 250 acted differently.

still nothing here in NY. The 250 I reset TVGOS and then a warm reboot still has not found time in the last four-five days.

I will be hooking up the other unit, the "do nothing" unit and see what happens. I had to move it from it's current location so I had to pull the plug. The "do nothing" unit was working 100% with listings and such prior to the stupidity.

It will be interesting to see if the clock comes back on that one. I'm not resetting this one.

Will advise. Meanwhile, anyone else in NYC area OTA only dealing with this ?

I know the couple of times I tried that CBS Digital 2.1 from NYC passes the G-test.

Is it not passing the test for you or is it passing but still doing nothing to give you a clock, etc?

You are sure the feed is 100% analogue on both units, and does not have access to digital downloads?

Looking forward tomorrow for the next two pictures. Perhaps there will be a solution.

Absolutely.

I can't highlight this enough.

The two 500- miles apart- started acting in the exact way at the same time.

Well in addition to the .05 vs .06 item (which may not be that big of an issue). The single biggest item I see if the frequent resets while the unit is attempting to correct itself - which it could not do because of the resets combined with various downloads. Too many cooks in the kitchen. There have been less cooks in the 250 kitchen (there are some because you said it did lock up once). (Will know more when I see the pics)

And I assume you have also attempted Digital downloads with G Test and/or items like forced digital host? Any way not too important at this point; since the real goal (I think) is to get a working box again with a analogue source?

Splitters: I have come across a whole batch of the things "bad" from MonoPrice and Radio Shack..........I have found some that have worked for me from Home Depot? Of all places. Apparently QA is not very good on those things AND some will only let part of the signal(s) pass through, and some ports can be itermintant.

I assume this is the 500 unit at your house? not mom's house?

Yes

But this happened only recently after the trouble and the current status already was occurring, ie, it wasn't downloading when OFF.

One [digital] download was successful in populating the Guide for about a week. It downloaded in one afternoon with the unit ON.

I wrote originally that it seems to be able to download - both analog and digital- but only with the unit ON.

Which is how we are continuing to use it and don't intend to do anything drastic as long as this system of getting listings - and if no serious lockup occur- continues to work. At least on this one 500.

Can anybody refresh me on the whether on not the FCC has a mandate that requires the cable companies to carry the TVGOS information. My girlfriend has been going round and round with Comcast since she lost the host station. Those people at the cable companies are nothing but morons... unplug your unit,take the cable out,etc..
They act like they have never heard of TVGOS and the we should not even be getting it. I think consumers should be paid for the time these companies make us waste.
Michael

It does not.

Remember, TVGOS is a proprietary, commercial service. CE manufacturers pay to use the TVGOS software and they pay for access to the TVGOS information. Cable providers are not required to pass commercial services offered by local broadcasters.

Cable companies are required to pass the PSIP information that is free for everyone. Unfortunately, the Sony does not support PSIP information. PSIP is what the DTVPal DVR uses to provide limited program information (typically 12-24 hours worth) when TVGOS is not available or does not have information for a certain channel.

Thanks, From what I could gather through the FCC you just confirmed it. So that begs the question; How long will the manufacturers continue to make a TVGOS device when the cable companies refuse to pass the TVGOS information? And what happens to all the existing devices out there? From all the trouble as of late and the sell of Gemstar to Macrovision the future looks dark.
Michael
Guess I will try the MOXI next time around.

Why are cable companies telling Macrovison that they are passing it, when they are not.

See here to check your area: http://digitaltransition.macrovision.com/

And where it particularly baffles me, why would a cable company pass it on one of their systems and not on another just a few miles away?

Thanks for the quick link. Had forgot about this. It says that it is known to be working, but I know otherwise. Still can not get to anyone at Comcast who has any desire of sense to help. We really need some real compentition out there. So tired of having to play these games with the monopoly cable companies.
Michael

I believe we have to get word somehow to Macrovison. In having the cable company carry it, we and they share a mutual interest.

I just got off the phone with Sony. This guy said everything would be just great after June 12th. Oh yea!!! I first lost the guide last month. Then I had some problems with getting sound etc on comcast with the cable card in. Had a tech out and of courst these guys on Whidbey island are not up to date on anthything about the Sony DVR. He was suppose to replace the cable card. Still didn't get it to work finally asked me to power off the DVR. "Well I knew I was in trouble". However, after about 20 mins, I was able to get all the channels that should be accessable from the card. However, I still have no guide. I have done reset on the TGVOS guide at least 2-3 times with all the other things I have read on this site. I can get to correct clock (44) on the TGVos U/G and no guide. The other thing I cannot get is a host channel. Comcast channel 107 get many pakets and passed test. So here is where I am in "island county" WA. Anyone in WA getting the guide? on their DHG Sony
Ralph

I forced mine to digital, ran the G*test overnight and it D/l'ed the guide and everything all 8 days overnight last week. I just was programming in some movies to record and the unit froze on me, rebooted 3X in order and now I have no guide, trying G*test again.......

I doubt we will ever see another TVGOS device for cable.

CE manufacturers (Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, etc) are focused on true2way. These products run the cable company's true2way (Java) EPG software, which uses the cable co's own guide data and VOD. Using the cable company's EPG eliminates the need for CE manufacturers to pay separate EPG patent licensing fees to Macrovision; it also eliminates the need to pay a fee for TVGOS, since guide data is supplied by the cable company for free.

true2way effectively renders TVGOS obsolete as a digital cable solution. TVGOS still has some merit for basic (analog) cable, but its value is diminished as more and more cable systems transition from analog to digital over the next few years. Moving forward, I question whether basic cable + ota solutions can be competitive on the market, price-wise and feature-wise, given (a) the need to license the EPG patents + TVGOS, (b) the added cost of analog support, (c) the current limitations of the TVGOS software, i.e. single-tuner, and (d) expected sales volume.

There must be sufficient savings over a TivoHD (with lifetime) for someone to settle for inferior functionality, and that may not be attainable with the number of units that a CE manufacturer could reasonably expect to sell.

I am in WA (Kitsap County) getting guide updates through Kiro-DT (CBS Digital). Both OTA and cable pass the G* test. KCTS9 (PBS analog) is no longer passing the TVGOS data in our area so we are stuck with only a digital host. Your DHG is without listings like many others who have had to reset their box. You can only get listing from a digital host if you already have a listing grid, but you need a analog host to build the grid. I am dreading the day we have a power outage, and my box will be without listings like yours. Until this gets squared away, it would be nice if PBS enabled TVGOS again, as has been reported in other areas, but I'm not sure if that is going to happen.

Several of us on this forum have recovered from a TVGOS reset with only a digital host and are back up and running.

Yah, I'm in NYC metro. Did full wipe/reset, still no clock after 4 days. But I didn't have a factory remote so couldn't do a G test. Should have the remote tomorrow.

FYI - some freezing is unrelated to TVGOS problems. The cooling in these boxes
is weak at best; feel the top. If it's very warm, the simple thing to do is get a
cheap clamp on small AC fan and blow it over the top. Or you could take it apart, drill some holes, mount a fan, etc. You can get a reading on the HD temperature(s) in one of the maintenance screens. Anything over 140 and you're getting hot.

Comcast has had agreements in place with TVGOS for some years now. Back in 2005, when I had big problems as one of the early cablecard users with the Sony, a manager showed me internal documents that spelled out the problems and solutions of passing TVGOS data. Once the various departments learned what to do, things were fine.

Here in Chicago, Comcast began passing data on CBS-HD immediately when the local station started to send it. I think most of the trouble is simply with TVGOS right now. They should have had everything solved by February 17. When you speak to any knowledgeable people there, their first reaction is always defensive. I suppose that is because there are do few of them and so many of us. But it's their own fault for providing an inferior product.

I don't know what the current agreements are between Comcast and TVGOS, but from what I see, Comcast fully intends to continue passing data.

YEA! OTA+CableCard. Lost everything about Mar. 6. Did everything posted here
after factory reset and format. It worked 1 day, then bricked again. Did lots of Gtests
and forced host for days and nothing worked. No clock, grid or anything. Last Fri.
tuned the cable HD CBS channel and left it on. Sometime during the day it shut
itself off (not at the normal nighttime shut off). Was unable to do anything with it
until Mon. morning and when I turned it on I had a good clock and full listings!
Guaranteed no analog here.
We`ll see how long it lasts.