Sony DHG-HDD250/500: Official Thread - Page 23

So today I had to wake up early for work, and of course I had to check and see if my listings were there...but day 8 was not. I still don't have them tonight, but my question is, will that day show "no listings" until it becomes day #2 of the update? (because it updates days 1,2, and 8 everyday right?) Reason I ask is because it should be smart enough to look at the guide data you do have, and then fill it in...but I guess if it's broadcasting a basic "file" every night, it wouldn't be customizable to your needs.

Anyways, I think I'll refrain from turning the dvr on at 6:30 in the morning from now on, it might still be updating.

I recorded a few minutes of TNTHD without any problems. I suspect the problem is with your local cable operator. But I don't know how you'll convince them of that.

Normally, yes, unless TWC is setup differently in NYC. I have TWC (on the west coast) and have never run into the "record never" problem.

Has anyone done a A/B PQ comparison between HDMI and Component on the Sony unit? Thanks.

Jim

It all depends on your service provider having everything setup correctly. Phil_C is still trying to get his cable card problems worked out with comcast. You might want to head over to www.broadbandreports.com Comcast forums to see his continuing problems with getting a cable card to work with his HDD500. While other systems have no problems getting the Cabke card to work with the HDD500.

I have Comcast in the Chicagoland Area (Westmont) and am using a CableCard and have mostly had good luck with it. One problem I began to have was I was missing recordings of Entourage and Weeds on HBO-HD & SHO-HD with the message that "Service Provider doesn't allow recording" or something similar to what others have seen in this forum.

I called Comcast and asked them to fix the broadcast flags copy protecting these channels that I PAY for and the CSR on the other end of the phone said she couldn't and she wouldn't. I explained that the Motorola Cablebox that I rent from them could record these shows but I preferred to use the Sony DHG-HDD500 w/ CableCard for my own reasons (more hard drive space but I didn't tell her that). She said I was "supposed to" record and watch these shows with THEIR box...not the Sony. I proceeded to explain that I also rented the CableCard from them and that it was ALSO their equipment and should allow me to record these channels.

After listening to her waffle around a bit and reject my request several times (She kept claiming the bottom line was the Sony was NOT their equipment and that how it received and handled their signal was not THEIR problem) I decided I had given her enought grief to make myself feel better (I slept GREAT that night! ).

I asked her what the process to cancel my service and switch to satellite was (which I wouldn't do but I had to continue salting the wounded CSR) and then told her I would think about it for a week or so after which I would call and cancel.

Oddly enough, and it is probably a coincidence though I hope it is not, I noticed that my scheduled recordings for Entourage and Weeds on HBO-HD and SHO-HD respectively began to record successfully. Unfortunately this happened only in time to record the last to episodes of the Entourage season but at least it is working for next season!

I read earlier about similar problems with TNT-HD. I have not tried to record this channel yet but I plan to test it soon. I will post my findings.

Anyone have any similar experiences or comments? What are anybody's thoughts on this being a fluke? Could Comcast really have flipped the flags back? I hope so....

I am happy to see someone else has been having the same problem as I have. Missery loves company. I have had a few failed recordings on HBOHD but my biggest problem is with Sci-Fi at the moment. I have been working with a tech supervisor over at dslreports to resolve this issue. Read the following thread and if you want to join in it might help to get things moving. http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13893132 BTW I'm in Burr Ridge so we have a common problem.

The fluke was it happened in the first place.

Bottom line is that all other instances of someone losing the ability to record HD have been nothing more than a mistake in the technology.

In the future, don't expect this type of issue to get resolved, let alone understood, buy a CSR. Ask to be contacted by a technical resource, or contact the local Comcast business office. Eventually they will figure it out.

If you mean that this is some kind of desired effect by Comcast or other cableco's, then you are completely, 100% wrong.

If you mean we need to address mistakes cableco's are making in this area, feel free to let them know how you feel. Call, write a letter, send an e-mail, etc.

The problem is that the number of subscribers using this technology is so small that it's a low priority for most cableco's. I know this from direct first hand information.

Good that you are finding the right people to talk to. I would say you'll probably have to be patient, because most of the technicians are relatively new in understanding the technology and how to troubleshoot it. Again, based on 100% of the feedback I've seen it is just a matter of time for the cableco to figure it out.

Thanks Ken H

Yes, I have, into a Sony KV-34XBR910 TV. In fact, spent hours this last weekend in a 3-way comparison with another receiver. The short answer is they are different, because the TV treats compnent and DVI differently, and in some cases each resolution differently for the same input.

Initially, component looked darker and richer (actually too dark). After adjusting DVI settings in the TV service menu, DVI looks better (this Sony TV has DVI, not HDMI). Unfortunately, I only have a 480p version of Digital Video Essentials, but the test pattern built into the Sony DVR is a little useful for calibrating 1080i inputs.

I subjectively observe that the HDMI has slightly more detail.

I understand that completely. I am the 2nd person to use CABLECARD in Service ELectric Wilkes-Barre area. I had half my channels knocked out on a weekend when there was no one to talk to on the phone. They extended my free HBO for an extra week.

but the test pattern built into the Sony DVR is a little useful for calibrating 1080i inputs.

Alerion,
How do you access this test pattern?

Thanks

Nevermind, I found it here:
Interesting HDD500 Secret Menu

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So I've been playing with my HDD-500 and I found out some interesting stuff.

There seems to be something with pressing Menu followed by "Screen Mode" and a numeric key combination.

This is documented in the "Setting up Demo Mode" Document on sony's site.
(Since this is my first post, I cannot paste the URL)

Anyway In the Demo mode, you can run some TV guide tests..

You can get to demo mode by doing the following:

MENU -> "Screen Mode" 9012
=====================
- Demo Mode
- Restore Factory Default
- Format Hard Drive
- Reset User Configuration
- TV Guide
- Reset to Factory Default
- G*Factory Test
Flash Test
VBI Test
ATSC Test
Serial Test
IR Test

Anyway, so I was playing around and learned the following:

MENU -> "Screen Mode" 1234
=====================
- Main
- Software Main
- Software Module
- Firmware
- Network
- HDD
- Signal

Have you checked the CableCARD topics in the HDTV Hardware Forum? They have experence back to last year, when they were introduced.

Yes, Ken. I also have a thread here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=556673

Today is ten weeks and Comcast cannot get a hit to reach my card. Low priority is right. I'm at the point of trying to decide if I should send e-mails and letters to the FCC, TV stations, newspapers, etc.

For clarification, the test pattern is at
-G* Factory test which on mine is one more sub-menu from -TV Guide

Come to think of it, because the Sony can vary output format (480p, etc...) and output component or HDMI, it could be used in the service menu of the TV to fine tune contrast, brightness and color for all the various formats.

I'm truly sorry to hear of your predicament.

How far up the food chain have you gone locally?

Ken,

I have a local tech supervisor looking into this for the last 9 weeks. By chance, he recently received an e-mail from a Comcast engineer in Colorado saying that the Sony DVR is supported. There are HDD500's working in other Comcast regions. Those accounts are provisioned exactly like mine, according to the supervisor. My card sees the Comcast network, but never receives the hit with channel info.

I've been asking to talk to the engineer myself, but am getting stonewalled on that front. I'm at a loss as to what to do next. If anyone here has a contact way up the chain that can wake these people up, I'd really like to talk to him.

Alerion: Here is what I got on the G* Factory Test:

Flash: Pass
VBI: Fail
ATSC: Pass
Serial: Fail
IR: Fail

What did you get? Thanks.

Jim

Same.

I have no idea what they mean. Other than I hate failing at anything

Brian

Alerion: I think the failed means they are not hooked up. Serial = USB, IR = IR controller, etc. I do not know what VIB is though.

Jim

ps: I hooked up the Sony via HDMI this morning. It seems to give a slightly darker, more bold picture as compared to component. I would have to get an HDMI switcher to use HDMI as my HD D* receiver uses HDMI.

Thanks for this tip, and thanks to you and the others who have posted the discrete codes for on/off and prev channel - thanks especially to the person who figured them out (don't remember your name, sorry!).

Anyway, could you please remind me how to set the ir duration? I do have 2.1.1, and I seem to remember seeing this somewhere, but I can't remember where!!

Should be a Duration button near the bottom on the screen where you pick from a database or learned IR code.

For those who have access to HDNet, from DBSTalk:

"Record HDNet at 8:00AM ET on Tuesday mornings.

HDNet Test Patterns
Wonder how your home theatre is doing? Wish you had test patterns to help set it up? Well, HDNet is here to help. This short program will help you get the most out of your home theatre setup by providing you with the same professional test patterns HDNet uses to set their gear."

I've had mine for a couple of months, but now I am ready to declare that it is a POS.

Sometimes the guide does not update, or it is incomplete ("No Listing"). Once the unit locked up, had to pull the plug to get it to react again. And last night it forgot all the weekly/regular recording I entered, so I have to start over.

My verdict is don't buy, at least not until Sony releases a firmware update. I have been watching http://esupport.sony.com/perl/model-...?mdl=DHGHDD250 , but no luck :-(

Havnt had any of these issues yet, Worst one I found was one of my weekly recording was off probably becasue the guide data wasnt in there yet.

I have wanted to buy this for over two months. Every time I am about to pull the trigger I read something that puts me off.

Does this unit even have a method for updating the firmware?

I had the opportunity to stop by a Sonystyle store a few days ago. I wanted to see this up close. Surprisingly they didn't have it attached to anything. Just sat there useless.

I asked a clerk if it can be recorded by other methods if the TVGOS doesn't work right- I had already received positive answers on this board to the question- he said no. What's the point of these Sonystyle places if the clerks are clueless and they don't even bother having a working unit up?

Almost all the problems I read here relate to recording by the TVGOS. I really want the ability to record HDTV mostly by QAM. If I am content to program the unit the way one programs a VCR- forgetting about TVGOS- would anyone then recommend buying?

I have been completely satisified by the unit, my one (and only) TVGOS reset not withstanding (and if you look here, a lot of us in the Bay Area had the problem on the same day, I'm still convinced it was something sent to us, not the unit per se). You can program it like a VCR, quality is excellent.

I've learned never to believe anything I hear from someone working in a store, except for how much an item costs and if they have one in stock (and not always that). Since day one of HDTV, sales clerks have totally misunderstood the technology and capabilities of any unit (guess it isn't just with HDTV - but I still marvel at how many think you need satellite or cable to get HDTV).

Rick

There is no way to set the clock manually. If you can at least get clock info, but have no program listings, you can set recordings manually. The problem is that every program on your HDD will be titled "Unknown" in the list of recordings, which will get very confusing.

You should put your location in your profile. Search for people in your area with your cable company to see if there are guide problems. My guide has been flawless, a pleasant experience after the horrific guide problems of the LG DVR.