Sony DHG-HDD250/500: Official Thread - Page 152

I've found out that most host channels are your local PBS analog. I keep my local PBS channel on and haven't had any trouble out of the TVGOS since.

Wolfie

This was how I verified VBI host channel: Manually tune DVR to analog channel you suspect could be host channel (in ABQ market it is NBC, not PBS). Run the VBI test through 9012 menu. If VBI shows pass while tuned on that channel, you've found it. If VBI doesn't pass, tune to a different channel and repeat. There has been some discussion on this forum regarding whether proper VBI channel needs to be manually tuned in first or not, with some postings saying that wasn't necessary & that unit will tune to VBI host on its own. I found that in order for the VBI test to show as pass my DVR had to be manually tuned to the proper host channel first.

I bought my first Sony 250 last fall in October. I then bought a 500 soon thereafter. Both units have firmware .05. I had some of the same problems with rebooting and such as has been described here in this forum. I had complete lockups and reboots for a while with both units usually at the same time and around midnight or so ( at least that is when I caught it). I thought this may have been because of my remote(s) laying around and magazines on top of the buttons. When I corrected this problem I did not have any more lockups or reboots. I can not remember though if, at or about the same time that I remounted my antenna higher and changed the direction a bit. I have not had any problems with reboots or receiving my guide data since then. I may have had once or twice where I did not have available listings for some of the channels, but that would usually clear up in a day or two.
I think the orientation of your antenna to your host channel is probably the number one factor with some of these issuses out there. I don't think the unit will display signal strength for a analog station, so I don't know of any easy way to check this without a signal meter. I know you can check for the VBI count , but not sure if this changes with time of day or weather conditions or even what is the acceptable range. Also, type of cable and splitters/combiners could be a factor in the signal strength getting to your units.
I am using a medium range directional antenna mounted in my attic as high as it will allow. All my antenna feed lines are RG-6 coax, using 2.5 ghz splitters. My PBS host station is to my east while all my other stations are pretty much to my westsouthwest ( about 252 degrees). I have the antenna pointed somewhat southwest, so I think that I am getting the PBS host via a reflective signal, plus their transmitter is fairly close ( 85 degrees and 8.1 miles) and mounted on top of Stone Mountain.
I bring all this up in hopes it may help some of you out there with your problems you are having with your setup. I believe that a lot of these same problems are from the system setup and not from the Sony HD itself. I also think that some of the guide channel and dropped scheduled shows are caused not by the recorder, but from the TVGOS and host station. I have been keeping a log as to what show/channel and when and what action was going on when a scheduled show would disappear off the schedule. I have come to believe that it must be something with the data going to the recorder from the TVGOS or host station to cause a program or programs to randomly drop off.
Hope this helps. Any feedback?

Copied from http://pvr.hidyman.com/

Yes. You can enter the TVGOS menu by pressing move to SETUP press then 753159852

(System Info) chart will appear. Press to go to second page. 5 entries down on the list it will say "Host Channel". It will appear as 0:0-XX (example: 0:0-11), the XX is your Host Channel.

Can i label my recordings? I didn't see anything in the book on it.

No, you can't put your own labels on recordings. If you record from the guide, you get the title from the guide listing. If you set the recording time manually, you get an "untitled" recording. Either way, you can't change the title.

If you have a LG lst-3410a, you can. But w/ Sony, you already know the answer.

Okay, still struggling with TVGOS. Is there ANYONE in the LA area (using Comcast) receiving the data over cable? For a couple of days, a couple of weeks ago, I got the data via channel 3, cable. Since then, nothing. I can get the channel line-up and time over-the-air, but no program listings and I thought it might be a weak antenna signal. So, I wanted to get the info over cable, but nothing is showing up after three-four days, not even the time. I've tried changing zip-code, re-setting via front pannel, factory re-set via 9012 menu, choosing both "Cable and ANT" and unplugging the ANT, but it still won't find the host channel. Every night, no change. This thing hasn't been on for more than a minute a day for the last week. I've done the VBI test on channel 3-cable, and it passes, 125 or so packets a minute.

I need to know if it's just me, or if it's a futile quest to get the damn guide over the cable. Is it working for anyone else at all? (and no, I'm not using a cable card, just a direct feed from the wall.)

After over three weeks, I'm still getting only OTA Guide listings. I have no CC, only basic cable. Yesterday, when I complained, the manager at Tweeter he said it was because I don't have a CC, and that the unit was designed to work only with a CC.

gwsmith,
. I finally got some Austin cable info on my machine today. all the channel names show up and are identified as CABLE listings. Some channels have program data, but many more do not.
What changed was under the Program setup where you choose a cable company name from a list, before there was only 1 choice, today there were about 8 choices, 2 for TIme Warner, one seemed like analog and one digital.
What comes up in your cable names list?

The manager at Tweeter was talking out of his a$$. While it is possible/likely that Comcast may not be properly passing the TVGOS data through the feed, it has nothing to do with a "lack of cable card." While I now use a cable card, for a month or so I used the system without one with just basic/extended cable, no OTA.

Somewhere in the chain, the TVGOS data is being eliminated, corrupted, etc..

Marc

PS: I'm using Bright House Networks as my cable company.

cdog ... I live in Playa Vista too and have had a horrible time with the TVGOS ... I have two 500's, one with the cable card and one without, and have tried all sorts of OTA 28 and Cable 3 configurations. Both return pretty much the same results. I feel lucky I have a clock so I can manually record. Currently have two inside Silver Sensor antennas, but going to add an in-line amp to see if that helps the OTA signal and report back.

My girlfriends 250 unit is hooked up to her Comcast cable. She only has the standard cable package, local plus cable channels up to 77. She does not have their digital subscription package, but is able to get local digital channels ( in the xx.xx range with her unit. No cable card at all. Have not had any guide problems, except when they did an upgrade or renumber.

Can you remove the hard drives in the dhg500?If so, I wonder if you could put them in a computer with a blu-ray writer and make a HD copy of programs from your dhg500 hard drives.

I spoke to Sony product specialist for the second time this week hoping to get my TV guide problem solved. I have both a 250 and 500 and neither has had more than one download, ie, three days of guide info, then nothing. I can't remember the last time I got a full week of listings. Today, after much discussion, the specialist found a bulletin from TV guide stating that there was problem with the equipment at the local PBS station KCET, and there was no estimate of when problem would be fixed.
Earlier in the week I was told that CBS, ABC and Fox also broadcast guide data. I suspect they only broadcast the old version, but I discovered that the clock is set within a minute after I do a hot reboot with recorder tuned to channel 11 (Fox).

I spoke to Sony product specialist also for the second time today. First time, I was told to do the Guide+Exit and enter a different zip code. This time, I was asked to use menu 9012 to restore to factory default. That would wipe out my recordings. So I have not done it yet.

I know my problem might be different as I know someone else in my area has no problem with TV guide. My problem might be weak signal from the PBS analog station. I use an indoor antenna and my analog stations do look pretty bad.
How is your signal strength?

I've got ten choices including two for TWC, one digital and one analog. Since I have basic cable service (even tho I receive numerous digital cable channels) I set it for TWC analog. I'll leave it turned off for a while and we'll see.

The recorder doesn't indicate signal strength for analog signals but it does show signal to noise ratio, which is even a better indicator. The signal to noise ratio is 55 on both my both OTA and cable sources of PBS channel 28.
I suggest you not perform a factory restore since I did that when I first got my 500, and I've done numerous guide/exit and zip code changes. After I did that stuff, I sometimes got one days worth of guide info (day 1,2 and 8). I believe what the specialist told me regarding KCET problem since he wasn't familiar with the LA area, but enumerated the various areas affected by that station problem. It is very stange that some people are able to get the guide.

I have Comcast without the cable card and receive all the HD channels, except they are on a different number than furnished in the guide because I don't have a card. My setup is for digital cable plus OTA and my guide lists hundreds of channels. Setup should allow you to choose OTA, and Cable service, and you may need to choose digital to get the HD listing.

My cable listings are filling in, so far so good.

I hate to do it but I'm tempted to try a Cablecard, mostly because if my machine needs the fix for cablecard I want to try it now before the 3 month warranty is up, because I may opt for cablecard in the future. Unfortunately the local TWC charges $30 to put the card in. Anyone know if TWC Austin's cards are fully compatible with the 500?

Do the VBI test on your PBS station. If it passes with not bad or fixed packets, your signal is good enough even if the picture looks bad.

I had problems until I got my antenna just right and VBI test was passing but with fixed packets. As soon as I could get the test to pass without any fixed packets my guide started loading.

JP

Does anyone else get PBS-HD listings? I don't here, only on the SD PBS station.

I noticed that the clock on one of mine is dimmer then the other, one bright, the other dim. Anyone else who has two units notice this?

I have both a 250 and 500, and the 500 has a much brighter display, information which I previously posted on this thread. As I recall, someone responded to my message, saying his 250 had the brighter display.

With regard to PBS-HD, it is in my channel lineup. However, this an HDTV demo channel, and programs are repeated very often and are not the hd version of the analog broadcast. If you are using cable, be sure you selected digital cable setting.

I had to pinch myself this morning to make sure I wasn't dreaming! I now have all OTA and TWC channels in my Guide! All the way out thru next Saturday!

Now my only problem is that there are many cable channels I never watch and some OTA channels listed that have no signal present, so I'm trying to figure out how to rid them from the listings.

Also, I haven't figured out how to look at future listings without panning 1-1/2 hours at a time.

Thank, gigaguy! I may be able to retire soon from what was beginning to look like a career in "DVR Management"!

(Now, if I can just transfer this thing to my UPS without losing everything I'll be happy.)

Myine passed the Flash Test, VBI Test and ATSC test. Failed Serial Test and IR test. Within 2 minutes, I got 138 good, 29 fixed and 84 bad VBI. Is this good enough? I did reset G* Factory Default this morning. Time and guide have not reset after 7 hours. I have very little room to work with my existing antenna since it is so directional. It is hard enough getting good signal for the 4 channels I want to watch.

But I will try to get the bad packets down for the PBS channel first to see if it helps. If that works, it is time to get a better antenna.

gigaguy and gwsmith - glad to hear your finally getting some results! theratpatrol - we're getting the PBS-HD info here in Chicago along with the SD feed info. But we're still not getting it for the recently added second subchannel, "Create".

To pan ahead (or back) in listings, while in lisitings view just punch in the # of hours you want to jump, say, key in 2 and 4, menu box will auto-pop-up showing 24, then choose 'jump forward hours' in the popup menu. this will jump forward 24 hours.

Thanks for the tip! Another problem solved!

That's your problem right there. Your PBS signal is not good enough and you are getting way too many fixed and bad packets. You should be getting none at all.

Try adjusting your attenna to get rid of those. If you can't, you're right, you need a better antenna.

Do you know the exact coordinates that you should align your antenna to?

If not, you can go to http://www.antennaweb.org and do the "choose antenna" thing. After you enter your address it will give you a map of all your local channels and the compass orientation of the transmitters and your distance from them.

If you have a compass you can align your antenna to your PBS station perfectly without trial and error.

JP

I also have a 250 and a 500. And, like yours, my 500's display is noticably brighter than the display on the 250.