Pioneer DVR 640h-S User Reports. - Page 5

I have one of these lemons, the 531. Although I watch mostly satellite (DirecTV), I am able to get local channels off a roof antenna. That TVGOS is *totally* useless, though. It often is wrong. Also, the clock has never been able to get set automatically, even though I can receive 2 PBS stations off the air.

Since Pioneer pulled their stock of the 2005 models, I wonder if they would take my 531 and let me upgrade to a 2006 model.

I'm still under warranty.

ngohit

Wouldnt hurt to give that a try!!!
nothing to lose friend

smiles
Mike

I'm on the fence, looking at the features for the Pioneer 640, the Panasonic ES55 and the Toshiba RDXS-35. For me, one of the points of being able to create chapters is to be able to make a menu that lets you see and choose them. Sure, I often use PC DVD authoring software like TDA and especially Ulead DVD Workshop 2 to do this, but the only DVR that can do this is the Toshiba, as far as I can tell. Plus, I'd like a fairly good, functioning TVGOS, which I consider a useful feature, if it works right. I returned my Pioneer 633 because of their bad TVGOS, but instead of fixing it, they just dumped it. They also did away with DV-in on the 640. Hence, I'm really leaning toward the Toshiba RDXS-35 now, unless someone can point out some fatal flaws it may have I don't know about.

Mike: I'll dig up my receipt Wednesday then give Pioneer a call. Wednesday=rain (again) so I'll be working like a maniac scraping and painting on part of the house the next two days.

New Year's resolution for 2007: Put all warranty receipts in *one* box.

Lynn

You may have missed all the posts about Pio 53x/63x TVGOS, but you have at least two strikes against you in that area:

1. You are on OTA in a rural area and might have a weak PBS signal. You might need to have a signal amplifier/booster on the incoming coax.

2. You have TWO PBS channels which may interfere with each other since they both send the same TVGOS signal. You need to turn one OFF, esp. the "non-Host" one. (This is a Pio "thing" so don;t worry if a Panny owner or two says it doesn't make any difference.)

3. Maybe a "ball" since the umpire's view was obstructed, but you may not have your incoming coax plugged into the DVR 1st?

One comes in loud and clear. I do have a signal amplifier.


How do I turn one off? I assumed merely selecting the station I want in the auto time setup section is enough. My 520 and 420 were able to pick up the time signal by merely selecting channel 2 (PBS out of Boston).


I do. I also unplugged the *$&@ thing and swapped it with the 520 in another room. Nope. Still have to manual set the time.

Go to your TVG > SETUP > Change channel display menu. Scroll to the "WEAK" PBS channel and press the MENU button (top right around arrows).

In the white menu that opens on the left side, turn "channel" to OFF.

Wait 24-36 hours to see if this helps (some people report results within 24 hrs, others 36).

You will still be able to view the PBS channel you turned off...either by channel up/down or by direct # entry...and record from it, this just "divorces" that channel from the TVGOS system.

by any chance, did they add back that "auto start record" feature - where the unit powers up and starts recording, as soon as it sees a particular video input go "live" (like a DBS receiver powering up on a timer). that was a good older feature that they dropped off the 533/633.

I forgot to mention the most annoying thing, to me, about this unit, in my previous post. I find that if one is more than 15 or 20 degrees off a 90 degree axis, to the right, my 640 doesn't receive remote commands! There is no such problem with being way off axis on the left. As luck would have it, my seating/equip. configuration has me trying to send commands from about 45 degrees to the right, which doesn't work. Has anyone else noticed this? I am thinking of playing around with a mirror to send commands. I guess my only other option would be a repeater.

Thank you, wabjxo. I screwed up so the guide is being completely downloaded again. In a few days I'll report back and let you know if this works.

The 531 is *so* much more cumbersome to navigate than the 420/520. Even setting a timer record seems to take more steps.

Not getting the EH-55...happy with my E-500 and E-65...

You may want to look at the threads that report that the Toshibas refuse to record to DVD-R claiming copyright protection when there really is none.

No DVD recorder is perfect...

Timer Record is "cumbersome"???

1. Press TIMER REC button.

2. Set date, time, etc.

3. Press ENTER twice.

Is there a more cumbersome way???

Isn't that just for a digital cable box? I have analog cable.

Lynn
Thats a great N-Y's resolution....Im adopting it....haha
Enjoy the painting.....smiles

Mike

I fear I will forever be looking for another 410, 420, 510, or 520. The loss of the chapter mark button on the 633 largely impairs my use of the unit, and it sounds like the 640 doesn't have it either. But more troublesome to me is that the 633 does not play title to title. I leave my DVD to playback alot, and I have speakers throughout the rooms so I do not have to monitor the playback. On these older models, once Title 1 finishes playing, Title 2 starts. I am new to the 633, but after it finishes a title, it pauses for a bit, then defaults to the TV channel it was last on. Does the 640 do this? Do any 633 owners know how to change this? The manual says nothing (it adds the instruction that playback will stop after a title plays), and while there is a feature called 'seamless playback', this is not what it references.

wabjxo: Maybe there is something wrong with my machine because I have to push, "Menu," after the timer record button. Also, if I have thing set to record at LP via the record mode button, so hitting the record button will record in LP, the timer record menu on my machine seems to have SP as quality default. On the 420/520, what record mode I have currently set via the record mode button is what shows as the default quality in the timer menu.

The extra steps of 'Menu" then change to 'Quality' do make it slower to set a timer recording on the 531 than the 420/520.

Also, I am able to add a title for what is scheduled to record on the 420/520. There is no option in the timer menu for the 531.

5:50 a.m. and I'm taking a break for another cup of coffee. Hair drier has been pointed at some damp, rotten area for just over an hour. Hopefully I shall be able to get the area real dry and fill it today.

Oh, yes, this is a lot of fun. Rain not until Wednesday is now rain tomorrow morning then, "Scattered Thunderstorms," Wed. and Thurs.

I better turn my computer off until it gets dark.


Lynn

That I don't know. You would have to ask a Toshiba user. But one thing to keep in mind is that one day you may want to upgrade to digital cable with a cable box, and then the problems might start.

Just something to think about.

Pressing the Menu button is normal.

The DVR's default quality is SP, which is what you will record in unless you change that for a specific recording via TIMER REC or REC MODE button.

You can't add a title in the 531. It automatically sets program name from TVGOS (when working) or just date, time, etc. if not working.

Ahhhhh, the old hair dryer to dry out the damp area trick......I like it!!!.....laffs

Looks like it gonna be sunny & in the 70's all week here......yeeehaaa....(Michigan)

Enjoy
Mike

I read this thread, and didn't see much (although some) mention regarding recording from satellite.

I have a DishNetwork DVR-522 and would like to record from its HDD to DVD. Now, the reason I don't just get a standalone DVD Recorder, and am considering the 640 is because I like keeping some items on the HDD for quick/easy viewing, and I would like to do have more capacity to do so, and the MP3 jukebox sounds very intriguing to me.

I would like to know if I will have any problem recording from the Dish HDD or from Dish directly to the Pioneer HDD then recording to DVD? (I understand this would be the best recording mode).

Sorry for the "newb" type question, but if you don't ask, you don't know.

I don't think the recorder type makes that much diff. Here's a thread on recording with DISH...it has only a few responses but they seem to provide good, specific info. and tips.

There are a few other threads that you can find with this forum's Search feature. Click "Advanced Search" then enter the Keyword DISH. Best to limit the Search to "Search Titlles Only" (under Keywords) and the "DVD Recorders" forum (bottom right "Search in Forums" menu).

If you are interested in recording directly from the satellite receiver to the HDD of a DVD recorder, you can use the TV Guide On Screen (TVGOS) in the Panasonic EH-55 to manage your recordings. Based on information from TVGOS, the TVGOS on the EH-55 works with the Dish DVR-522. For more information, follow this link.

The Pioneer web site is back up and has the DVR640HS manual available in PDF format under support topics. You must register to get I think.

According to the manual, the 640HS does not include an IR blaster like the X3X hdd series did.

They probably didn't think it needed an IR Blaster, since they have the L1 inputs, that automatically start recording when they sense a signal. You just plug your STB into them, and program the STB. The 640 begins recording with the STB, no IR blaster needed. Of course for those of us with DVR STBs, who like to leave them on all the time, that doesn't work so well.

Not a problem for me, as the Pioneers DVD recorders repond to Pioneer VCR Record/Stop record commands and can thus be controlled by some cable systems internal EPG systems as a Pioneer VCR. Known as the VCR Commander function on TWC. Makes scheduling recordings easy and almost foolproof. Only issue is that I have to leave the DVD recorder on and preselect the desired recording quality (MN) mode..

By the way, I have tried these TWC VCR Commander functions with: Pany ES10, Sony GX300, Toshiba XS35 and the Pioneers are the only ones that responded to the provided VCR commands.

I have Comcast HD service, and a two tuner Motorola box, so that is not an option for me. I can program the STB to turn to the channel I want, and the 640 to rec from L3 input, but I have to trick the STB into changing the tuner it is outputting, not the other one. Or, I can just record to the STB DVR, and transfer it to the HDD on the 640 later. I haven't experimented to see how much loss that induces. I just wish I could get the Motorola to output an anamorphic (squished) signal... It seems that LB or FS cropped, are the only options.

chk the desc at vanns and it clearly says tvg is still on it
why is this so hard to confirm

Hello out there, yes or no on TVG on the 640 ?