Pace CableCARD HD Boxes (TDC779X, TDC778X and DC757X) - Page 11

Well you can do the button sequence but you will just get the firmware you already have on you box reloaded onto it.

Another bug to report:

I recorded a new HD channel that was added to my cable system before the Guide had a chance to fill in (took 3 days to get guide for the new channels). The new channel didn't have channel name information either.

Now I have a recorded show that shows up in the CONTENT LISTING menu but has no Name in the Application Data section. Without a name it doesn't show up in the regular DVR menu so I can watch it or delete it.

I am thinking that next time I reboot all my HDD contents will be deleted again because under HDD STATUS menu the following parameter has changed to:
FRAGMENTED/MAX FILES : 0 / 0
Last time I saw this all the recordings were deleted. Usually the second number matches the number of files in the contents listing. Both the internal and external HDD have 0 / 0 right now. When I record new shows that parameter stays 0 / 0.

UPDATE: Rebooting the DVR removed the noname file and restored the FRAGMENTED/MAX FILES value to be 0 / (#number of files on DVR).

The other information in Content listing for the bad file looks fine.

Application Data :


Metadata File Size : 5237
MPEG File Size: 4482662400 {4482662400 }
Trick File SIze: 6891744 {6891744}
Clean termination : Yes
Analog encoding : NO
Content type : HD
Recording started at : 01/30/2008 02:00:21
Recording ended at : 01/30/2008 03:00:14
Play time : 0:59:53
Digital Copy Permit : CCI_COPY_PERMITTED
Analog Copy Permit : NONE
Broadcast Flag : NO
Recording Overflows : 0
Recorded with build : 001-025-02-08
Discontinuities : 0
Avg. Bit Rate : 9980872
Disk full pauses : 0
Audio type : DOLBY_DIGITAL
Videio type : MPEG2
Stream timeouts : 0
Navigation timeouts : 0
Trim offset : 0
Byte offset : 0
Tuner source : 1
Record session time : 3593310
Compact state flag : 0
L+F state flag : 0
Lost Lock Count : 0
Gain Lock Count : 0

This problem occured the other day, I hadnt posted it yet because I thought it was just my provider messing with the service, but its still occuring, and only happens when my box is connection via HDMI.

There will be a white verticle line far left on the screen, almost off the screen, but not quite:



Also when watching channels in HD with the black bars on the left and right (only on some channels) there will be VERY annoying flickering at the top of the screen:



Its not the HDMI cable because I tested my other cable which I use with my PS3 and it has the same result, is it something inside of my HD box or does my cable provider just plain suck? (if thats the case I may have to switch providers)

Also there is about 2" missing from the right side of the guide. Ill take more pics if necessary.

Is there any way to do some sort of factory restore but still keep all my guide data?

I captured those diagnostics before rebooting. I went back and updated the post later with the update section for the reboot.

The recording is not in the diagnostics anymore after the reboot.

The recording was never in MyDVR (that was the issue).

I'm not sure about the 2" missing from the guide data. But the other problems you describe can sometimes be fixed by adjusting the settings of your TV (if your TV has those settings). Oddly, as I type this, a commercial from Pizza Hut just aired with the noise at the top of the screen. That station just started doing HD a few days ago and hasn't worked out the kinks.

Many digital TVs these days can do double duty as both TVs and as monitors for your computer. If you try to use the entire screen as you would for a computer, you'll also see some things you shouldn't when you then try to use it as a TV. My Panasonic has a setting to zoom the picture just slightly so you don't see those areas the TV broadcasters don't intend for you to see. My advice? Pick up the manual, open it and find out how to change those settings. My particular TV had a non-standard interface for this and I didn't find those settings for a few weeks.

Anybody else seeing this? I had this happen multiple times last night when I was watching House after the SuperBowl. I think that if you FF at high speed then FR some because you over-shoot and then hit play it is way more likely to happen. I had been using the 30sec skip feature but I couldn't take how long it takes to jump through 4 min of comercials 8 presses so I switched to high-speed fast forward.

I hope these are issue that PACE can take care of and not in the TVGuide software:

a) When you are watching the program timeshifted that you are also recording, the PACE jumps to live TV when the recording finishes. This is very bad for sports like the SuperBowl because you see the score before you get there. Also, when you go back to the Recording list to watch the show where you left off, it has no memory you ever watched it yet, so you have to start FF from the beginning. It takes forever for a long show like the SuperBowl to catch up where you left off (towards the end).

b) When a scheduled recordings ends or starts any timeshifted or previously recorded program you are watching becomes choppy for 15-60seconds.

Feature requests:

1) Allow user to mark memory points in programs while watching them. (Very usefull for multiple views to remember where they left off.)
2) Allow user to jump to memory point including default marks for begging or end.
4) Allow user to configure custom skips for advance and replay (15s,30s, 1m, 1m30s, 2m)
5) Allow user to configure timeshift buffer size 30min, 1-3 hours.

Add one for me:

6) The ability to hide channels I do not receive or do not want to watch so I can simplify the menu display.

It was said earlier in this thread that this is a function of the TVGuide menu, but I hooked my TiVo up to the digital cable box in the other room and it lets me do just this. I can easily mark only the channels I want to show in the onscreen TVGuide menu. I feel this should be doable with the 778X firmware as well.

I have this happen all the time. My understanding is this is fixed in newer firmware revisions. Good luck trying to convince your cable company to upgrade

Lindend - Does the TVGuide API have methods to retreive a list of channels (so you can place a stub function between the Cable Card and TVGuide Software)? The SONY box I have has the TVGuide software and Sony allows you to setup the channel list on their software then the TVGuide API must provide a hook so SONY can proviode the channel list to TVGuide software.

SONY also allows the selection of time-shift buffer length and skip periods, so at least for the OTA/Cable card version of TVGOS there are hooks for these items.

Would it be possible to add a feature to edit the channel list you expose to the EPG in the PACE USER SETTINGS MENU?

I want to thank you again for your support on this forum.

Do you have any idea how to get feature requests to Gemstar? My cable company isn't savvy enough to understand these kinds of feature requests. Would the phone numbers for TVGOS be the same company as the EPG for your unit?

I always have both tuners on HD channels with the show being recorded is HD and the show being watched is HD. I think it happens 100% of the time.

Also, sometimes maybe 1 out of 15 times, while watching a program it will get choppy and I have to press pause or replay and everything will play fine after that.

Can anything be done about the delay the 30 second skip feature has? Can anything be done about speeding up multiple presses of the 30 skip feature?

I have the pace TDC 779X with the latest firmware. I am on Mediacom in Havana, FL.

I purchased an AZiO ENC211SU31 2.5" eSATA & USB 2.0 External Enclosure from new egg to mount my unused laptop sata hard drive and use it on the DVR box.

Everything works fine when connected to USB 2.0 on a computer, but when I shut down, unplug power, connect drive and power supply, reconnect power...The box comes back up fine, but in the diagnostics page, I only have my internal hard drive, the second drive spot says "unknown." When I check to see if SATA is enabled, it says Yes.

I do not have another eSATA device at this time to trouble shoot and eliminate the issue, nor do I have another cable, even though the one that came with the enclosure looks top notch.

Is there a known issue with this enclosure? I formated the hard drive when I had it connected to a computer with NTFS. Should I format it another way?

If this enclosure is indeed not compatible is there another 2.5" eSATA enclosure that anyone is using that is known to work. I do not need another back up drive, but would hate to waste a 200gb drive and not use it. Some people have had luck with the Vantec Nexstar 3, and there is a 2.5" version of that so I am wondering if that would work.

Thanks in Advance!

subscribing.....

Last night I had two series recordings scheduled for 9:00 pm. Both were highlighted in the program guide. I was watching the station which a recording was scheduled. When the program I was watching started, I got the message notification. About 15 minutes in, I noticed only one recording indicator light. The other recording had not started. In the guide it was not highlighted any longer. Anyone else ever see anything like this or know why it would occur?

Setup: I am watching a program and recording it but I am behind real-time. The recording part ends and when I get to the end of the show, but not the end of the recording I press info then goto delete the recording while it is playing.

A popup box comes up with a Service Error has occured gives me a 1800 number to call and says report code "NH". I have had this box come up at least 3 times now.

If I change channels then go to the list of recording and it deletes fine.

Note: I refer to Sleep as standby mode with HDD spindown.

I formatted both internal and external drives to fix the sleep issue. The DVR did sleep twice after the formatting (dash box around the display at power-up.) and the DVR STATUS # STANDBY SPINDOWS : 4 went up by two each time it slept. The power consumption was 35 watts instead of the non-sleeping 39-40 watts in standby.

The next few weeks I never saw the 35 watts power consumption and no more dash box at start-up. The DVR STATUS # STANDBY SPINDOWS : 50 went up to 50 not sure when or if it ever slept. The external drive always became cooler over night when the DVR was in standby except when the FRAGMENTED/MAX FILES display went to 0 / 0, the external HDD was warm even after all evening in standby.

What is the FRAGMENTED/MAX FILES display showing? Why does having the second digit be 0 instead of the count of the programs on the drive cause drive activity in standby?

Rebooting the PACE fixes the FRAGMENTED/MAX FILES display and allowed the unit to sleep again. But the first time waking up from sleep the dashes were shown around the edges but then were replaced with --- in the middle of the display. The unit took 30sec or so to come on. It apparently self rebooted. All the guide data was gone. The # STANDBY SPINDOWS went from 50 to 71 in that one evening (21 spindowns). The next evening the unit entered sleep again and this time woke up fine and the # STANDBY SPINDOWS count went from 71 to 80 (9 spindowns). Is this normal for the counts to change so much in one evening?

Does the newer firmware have any fixes for drive spindowns (I have 9.58). Does the TVG version matter? My STV Version is 20 with Concurrent version 23-95.

Lindend,

I was interested in your reply about cablecards. My HD TV has a cable card slot. When I asked my cable provider GCI Alaska they said they don't provide cable cards. When I lived in Houston last year Road Runner said they could provide cable cards, which would give me cable access like premium channels but not Pay-Per-View access.

I am wondering if the cable card in the pace tdc778x could be removed from the unit and put into the TV. The reason I would like to do this is I have a tv where I don't need the DVR function, but I would like the HD digital signal.

Thanks

Hi I have two pace tcd778x hd dvr in my house and I am wondering how I get the system to go sleep. I have seen several threads on this message board about spin down. When I turn off the system it never seems to go to sleep. It is a rather loud noise if you have the unit in a bedroom.

Is there a manual for this unit? I see threads talking about error messages. Is there some sort of system level interation mode?

Thanks

GCI is apparently giving SOME people cable cards. Do you live in a remote area?

http://www.anchoragehd.tv/phpBB3/vie....php?f=9&t=164

I have been on encrypted HD channels when it has happened, not sure if that means it doesn't happen on non-encrypted HD channels but recordings on HDNet Movies and HBOHD have lots of extra previews at the end of the recording so I am more likely to delete them before the end is reached.

I don't ever watch the Normal PPV channels only the VOD channels which you don't allow us to record

I can't create series recording for Knight Rider on Sunday evening. I can't even go to the following week and set a series recording. It is like the show has a hidden marking that declares it not a series.

Anybody else try to set a series recording on Knight Rider?

Microsoft Media Center is doing the same thing.

I know that it is a TVGuide issue but how can we get feedback to them?