Sony DHG-HDD250/500: Official Thread - Page 901

See some info about current status of TVGoS on KPIX here: http://www.avsforum.com/t/1099071/the-official-avs-dish-dtvpal-dvr-topic/15930#post_22947377

Good plan. The only difference for me is that I will initially set the DHG 2 hours ahead, rather than wait for midnight. It's easy enough to pause the clock for 2 hours later, when I'm awake.

- Kerry

Now we get "recent images" in the thread. Could someone at Huddler take a break from slowing things down and maybe speed it up?
Edited by JoeKustra - 2/11/13 at 12:19pm

No, that is not more accurate. 1.2.13 could load all the data from a digital source. Go to my TVGOS pages for recovering a grid with 1.2.13. Step one starts with no patch installed. Step two the 08.05.40 installs, Step three the 08.06.44 patch installs. There was never an issue with 1.2.13 being able to get any of the digital data. You just had to "turn on" the digital side of it by running the G* Test.

Mark

When you guys are doing these resets, I presume you don't bother with setting up TVGOS (since it is gone). If you are setting it up, then that might explain the instability you guys are seeing. With TVGOS enabled, the DHG will try to continually search for data, but it will never find any, so you might as well leave it disabled.

Mark

Hmmmm. Yes, you are right since I have used 1.2.13 to get the patch. I really wish I had experience with the digital TVGOS. But if I did, I would probably be wishing for analog by now.

I assume you are saying that we can disable the TVGOS from updating and still keep our timer recordings? Non tech here...

 

Just to set the record straight, no other recording devices with TVGOS other than the Sony rely strictly on TVGOS for their "functionality". They all have manual clock setting that's independent from the TVGOS signal, and manual timers can be set for recordings.

 

Also, pretty much all of the old, analog-tunered HDD/DVD recorders with TVGOS even use an IR blaster that will change the channels on compatible set top boxes.

Edited by Rammitinski - 2/11/13 at 4:05pm

Just a minute, I was reading the Titan TV listings to see what is on tonight... Oh yeh ours is a clock problem..

Regardless of whether there's any existing program info or not, I'm just clarifying that, as a time-shifter/DVR/recorder, only the Sony technically is not able to function as such.

 

No other recorder is dependent on Rovi to keep functioning as a time-shifting device.

Time shifting or not, I have been successful in doing timer recordings. FP Clock or not, grid or no grid, using the manual method of recording you can record any channel that is accessible for any date for any amount of time! I am impressed with the manual method cause you can program for the exact time of recording that you want!..

Just like a VCR!

 

Actually, I do setup the Guide each time.  I saw a 'Remind Later' option and did not want to see that pop up.  I will try not setting it next time and see how it goes.
 
Update: Recordings worked OK today, even without the FPC.
 
So to recap, what is the explanation why I can't get the FPC back, or could it come back some way, even without the TVGOS?  

As long as the Guide Clock keeps showing up and be able to continue with these manual recordings, I can live with that.  The FPC is not otherwise operationally critical, yes/no?

From what I can tell the front panel clock is just an indicator, nothing more. It can come back. The other day before I lost TVGOS I was experimenting, and after a reset, and pulling the plug, the clock was gone. At some point I went to power up, and it spontaneously rebooted, and when it came back up following the Welcome screen, the front panel clock was back. I couldn't reproduce that if I tried, but I know that it can come back.

 

Well, then you just keep working on perfecting that, so I can hopefully regain a decent resale value for mine.

 

Meanwhile, I'll just keep rolling along and time-shifting HD television with no hassles at all, using the standalone DVR I'm using now .

Let's face it! Without the TVGOS that ROVI pulled from our DHG's, you will be lucky to get pennies on a dollar for amy device the uses OTA/Cable TVGOS! Realistically the main reason 99 percent of the people bought this unit was for the TVGOS feature! We can whine and cry till the cows come home at Sony and ROVI, but it won't convince ROVI to rescind their decision of abandonment for lower end CE devices. And Sony does not have enough heat under their seat to escalate the clock problem to their engineers or throw us a bone and add more functionality to the recorder part of their unit. I mean even the ability to edit an UNKNOWN, NO LISTINGS recording name would be a plus! It's a crying shame that we can edit the name of a chapter mark yet we can't rename a recording! But the fact of the matter for me is as long as the DVR is functional with listings or without, I will still be happy with mine! I just hope Sony has the Heart that ROVI did not, and come up with some improvements to the recorder part of the DHG, cause I know legally they can not do anything about the TVGOS part of the unit..

Just posted on Sony's Facebook site!
I would like to know when Sony is going to address the problems with the 250/500 DHG's.
1. The inability to get a clock signal like other LESSER CE devices.

2. The lack of editing recordings now that ROVI has abandoned support for your CE products that use their TVGOS! You should at least have a system upgrade that will allow us to edit the names of our recordings from UNKNOWN, NO LISTINGS to names we can at least group! It's a crying shame that you have thought so little of these units that the only edit functionality you have allowed on these units was to rename CHAPTER MARKS! HELLO! what good is it to edit chapter marks when the TITLE is UNKNOWN, NO LISTINGS!

Look I know ROVI stabbed you in the back when they failed to continue their contract with you on TVGOS suppport for this unit and other CE devices! But Sony where is your reputation on standing behind your product! Have you forgotten all those DHG 250/500 customers, who were happy with your product and would recommend your products to others! There is an undercurrent brewing in the internet of dissatisfaction with SONY for DRAGGING THEIR FEET on these mounting issues! Please Sony Stand behind this product! Please update the DVR part of the DHG's to make them more usable and less of a doorstop or trashed because of lack of functionality.
Thank You Sony for listening to our growing discontent.

For me, the more important features of having a HDD recorder, rather than a VCR are:

• Picture Quality
• Not being limited to ~2 hours on best quality recordings (or reduce quality to record multiple programs with user absent)
• Not needing to swap out tapes (or clean heads, etc)
• Pause/rewind while watching and recording at the same time ("chasing play")
• The ability to watch/record encrypted channels

The guide, titles on recordings, etc. were just gravy, addictive as they were. A Sony DHG w/o TVG is still a big step up from my old set-up with two S-VHS VCRs and a DVD recorder.

- Kerry

I rarely hit the Guide button, so I forget there even is a set-up process. (I usually jump right to recordings, and am not asked to set-up the guide). I did set it up with 00000 zip code the first time after that major reset. I thought that might keep the guide from looking for data.

- Kerry

Maybe if I post little 16 pixel squares, it will minimize the size of the recent images... (fighting the system!)

Sorry, I forgot the proper icon to indicate it was 90% a joke.

There are some interesting non-guide HD recorders for sale. I'm not going to box up my DHG anytime soon. I will be here for a while.

In a box: LG LST-3410a, TViX, BV-980H. Sent back: CM-7400. Off line: Mag 2160A, two DHG. On Line: Mag 515H, one DHG, Mits VCR and TiVo.

That would be a major update since those who no longer get TVGOS do not need the system to bog down looking for data that is no longer there!

On another note, somebody posted that the internal clock would eventually progress from the frozen time (4:33AM), I have to concur. Today I was viewing one of my recordings, and the unit became unresponsive! I tried to do FPR but the unit was unresponsive even when I held the two buttons down for at least 20 seconds. So I pulled the plug, plugged it back on, waited for the unit to boot up and display the 4 dashes, then I powered the unit up and expected to see 4:33AM! Unfortunately the time progressed to 7:36AM not 4:33AM. I did a FPR this time to see if I got back my old time back, but instead after the reboot and power up the time is now 7:36AM. Well since I don't have any programs to record today I pulled the plug again, plugged it back on and will wait till 7:36:16AM to power up again.

I took it as kidding, but it made me think about why I felt this device was such a leap beyond what I was previously using.

- Kerry

I tend to lag behind changes. I bought a digital tuner to feed my VCR. Then changed to D-VHS (color me stupid). I used an analog Toshiba DVR which led me to the digital LST-3410a. I bought that just as PBS dropped V7 TVGOS on my feed. Finally I found the Sony and haven't looked back. You know it's old since who makes bright non-black face plates anymore?

I usually stick with trusty equipment for a long time, but for a couple of years, I was buying things that became obsolete too quickly. I had just replaced my two VHS decks, and then spotted a deal on the DVD recorder. Then the following year, the cable company said we'd need a cablecard for the channels I watched most, but I did not want to mess with recording from a cable box output with a device to change its channels when I wasn't home. The DHG was the best solution I found, and had the bonus of being able to record HD channels for the future, when I finally bought a 1080 TV.


That's funny; one of my S-VHS decks is silver (plastic), and the other is black. Neither are very attractive, but at least the black one disappears when the lights are off. I think there have been cycles between AV equipment (especially audio) being black vs. brushed aluminum. To be really nostalgic though, you need wood grain — simulated or not!

- Kerry

Very disappointed with Sony's response to my post! It was the same response that they gave to those complaining about losing TVGOS! Makes me wonder if they read through our post at all!

Thank you for your feedback. We place a very high value on feedback from our customers. The TV Guide On Screen® system is a third-party service provided by the Rovi® Corporation and is available on some Sony® TVs and digital recording products.

Currently the data for the Guide is sent by way of over-the-air and cable broadcast transmissions, and through an Internet connection to compatible devices.

On November 1, 2012 the Rovi Corporation began discontinuing the broadcast transmission of data from all US locations and will complete that process by April 2013 . Once the broadcast transmission ends in a location, the TV Guide On Screen service will be available only to devices that are Internet update capable and are connected to an active network connection.

NOTES:

Not all Sony products are supplied with the ability to receive TV Guide On Screen updates through an active Internet connection. To see if your product has the ability to receive TV Guide On Screen updates through an active Internet connection, check the specifications, which are available through the Manuals/Specs/Warranty for your unit.
There is no technical fix to re-enable the TV Guide On Screen service for the products that are not capable of receiving updates via the Internet. The change is as a result of the decision of the Rovi Corporation to discontinue the over-the-air and cable broadcast transmission and not a service issue with the product itself.

Thanks again and Best Regards,
Scott Fuentes
Sony Support USA
16 minutes ago · Like

Did you take the time to read my post at all! I was not complaining about the loss of the TVGOS from your business partner ROVI, I was talking about what you are doing to make your DHG's more functional without TVGOS as a DVR! I don't want to hear your generic response about ROVI we all know they are the VILLIANS here! But you should at least as a Major company have the decency of supporting your product after your partner bailed out on you and making these units useful as DVR's. It would be a great PR create a patch for the clock problem and better editing on recordings!
4 minutes ago ·

We've been down this path before in this, and other, threads. I think that statement is off base. Gemstar/Macrovision/Rovi undoubtedly had contracts with CE manufacturers that have EXPIRED. They aren't the villian. I'm not happy that broadcast TVGOS is ending, but in the case of the DHG the "villian" is SONY for their woefully lacking product design.

(your images are not showing on my screen)
Wood grain. That would be cool. I have a few DVD recorders with the bright faceplates. I do like a black front though. My BD player, AVR and TiVo are totally black when off. I have enough clocks.

If the DHG didn't have a FP clock imagine how many posts we would not have to read.
Edited by JoeKustra - 2/12/13 at 9:10am

I prefer "stupid" since villian implies intent. I don't give them that much credit. Sony is a large corporation and I doubt they can keep track of what they are doing themselves. The yen is dropping to new lows so maybe they will try to be nice to their old customers and try harder to avoid losing new ones. Perhaps.

Although I retired the VHS decks, I keep my DVD recorder plugged into the UPS full time, because it is now the only device with a FP clock I can see from my recliner. (I do occasionally use it to dub movies, too)

- Kerry