Magnavox 537, 535, 533, 515, 513, 2160A, 2160, 2080 & Philips 3576, 3575 - Page 552

Honestly, I didn't expect the firmware to affect the backup power settings. Most likely a difference in capacitors in the units.

UPS units are basically power strips/surge protectors on steroids (ie. they have a battery built in). For very light needs (backing up your DVDR and any other small components you don't want to lose power, even for a second), the cheapest ones will most likely suit your needs. You can get a low-end model for around $40, sometimes cheaper with sales. The low-end ones usually come with 3 battery-backup outlets, plus 3 surge-only outlets. The battery in them typically lasts about 3-5 years, in which a replacement battery will most likely run you almost the cost of a new unit.

I have NO problems dubbing HDD to DVD+RW using even crummy media (TDK). But dubbing to DVD+R I get the following error message even when using the ne plus ultra Verbatim AZO:

Recording Error
Can not record on this disc

E 3 54040990

Probably bad media.

Hopefully someone else can verify +R burns. I tried DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW. The only DVD+Rs that I have around are the incompatible DL discs.

Wajo,

The manufacturers ID on the Verbatim AZO is MCC.

Hi all,

Sorry if this is long but there may be something significant in some detail...

I have a 3575 (about 4 years old) and a 2160a (about 3 years old). Both are set to manual clock with a local analog pbs station. (I have cable - no box - with analog and digital stations.) I have never had a problem with either machine keeping the correct time or with freezes (both issues I see a lot of people having here). I know I haven't posted much but I've been following this thread and have gotten a lot of great info - thanks!

The 2160a is more of a backup that I don't use too much - only record about 2 shows a week on it. After reading everyone's great results with applying the "V" firmware, I decided it was worth a try yesterday.

So, I downloaded/burned/uploaded/rescanned/reset all my timers and settings, but couldn't really see any difference. D'oh - I'd downloaded the 513 version! So, downloaded the correct file, and went through the process again. (Now it's been through 2 upgrades in a row - shouldn't make a difference, right?) NOW I could see the "skip" option and and the title naming. Great! I ordered a 515 remote and started planning to swap this one with the 3575 to use for my "main" unit. I set up a few timer programs, including a daily one, which recorded successfully last night. This morning, I went in and changed it from daily to M-F and also set the skip flag so it won't record tonight. Everything looked normal then.

I come home about 12:30 this afternoon, and I see it's showing 12:00pm and making the little humming noise like it's searching for the time. It wouldn't respond to any buttons on the remote or on the front panel. I unplugged it for maybe 30 seconds, and when I plugged it back in, it had the correct time but still wouldn't respond/turn on at all.

Next, I unplugged it for a couple of minutes and plugged back in while holding the power button. Now it responded, but it had lost the time, my timer settings, and all my digital channels. When it turned on, it was on the analog pbs time-setting channel. It still had my other custom settings like "make recording compatible" and custom digital cc's.

So, I rescanned & reset my timers. Also did the "11:57" thing and it picked up the correct time. Everything looks okay now, but I wonder if I've introduced new problems with the new firmware. Like I said, it never had the freezing issue before. Has anyone else seen issues like this? (Meanwhile the 3575 is fine so I don't think there were cable or power issues.)

I will keep an eye on it and maybe change the time setting mode if it has problems again. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

O.K., I'll try that. One thing that needs mentioning: While I don't do a lot of HDD->DVD dubbing, I have NEVER been able to dub to DVD+R (regardless of the brand) but have ALWAYS been able to dub to DVD+RW (regardless of the brand.)

Jim

Thanks - that's reassuring. My concern was, it had apparently been searching for the time for over half an hour! (And, I waited a few minutes after I first noticed it before I did anything "drastic".) When I do it manually, it only takes a minute or 2.

And I'd like to throw away the entire 2160 remote! Maybe because I was used to the 3575 first, but it seemed like their goal in designing it was to make everything as different as possible! I have a 515 remote on order. To each his own, I guess.

I'm not sure what the problem was in my case, then. I already had the channel set to one I've been using reliably for years. Hopefully it was just an unfortunate coincidence and nothing to do with the new firmware.

Wait, that's what I tried to do in the first place. It wouldn't respond to the remote or to the buttons on the front panel That's what got me worried. I probably sound like I'm trying to convince myself there's a problem Really I was just curious if any of the other 2160a-upgraders have started running into problems.

TV123, I wonder if the reported 515 bug about having freeze issues when a unit is left on an analog channel (in your case PBS time search channel) has now been introduced into your V2160A?

Interesting question... You've inspired me to look for other time signals. I found one on my digital fox station, so I'll leave it there and see what happens.

Please excuse my interruption. Two things to consider. First, the test for a clock signal is valid when it is performed. Second, there may be a good clock signal on any channel but not when you tested for it.

Monday through Friday my PBS puts out a bad clock signal at midnight. My Fox channel puts out a bad signal on Saturday and Sunday nights.

Since the 2160A and its big brothers only look twice a day for two minutes, you might want to review your test procedure. It has been posted that a clock search starts at TV 2 and goes up. My PBS NTSC is 4 and FOX is 5.

I've been down this road a few times without ever reaching a happy ending. I can only envy those who have. For now I stick with manual and set the clock every few weeks. It's a small problem.

Not an interruption at all. I'm interested in any info anyone can offer. I guess I've been spoiled by 3-4 years of no problems at all with time setting. Just have to wonder if the new firmware has anything to do with all this. I'll wait and see if problems recur.

I wonder if downgrading a 515 with 2160A firmware will fix the freeze bug on those units.

I always use DTV 29 for auto clock manual. I've slipped a few times and set it to analog CH 29. Maybe that's what happened to yours.

Thanks, Dare2be, for the info. And thanks to Wajo and the others for their help as well. I still need a little more clarification on one more issue.

I spent a couple of hours, last night, looking at the things Wajo recommended in his help file, looking at a number of UPS models, and trying to get some basic information on UPS devices off of the Net. I know nothing about electronics and all of that, so I just find my head is still spinning. I really appreciate Dare2be and Wajo's advice, and that gets me going in the right direction. But I came across so much technical stuff, but nothing seemed to answer one final basic question I have: How long of a backup during a power outage will the UPS give me with my 2160A or give my friend with her 515?

From surfing around, I do know that this isn't an easy question to answer, and it all depends on the devices you have on the UPS and the power they draw in standby and the like. And it seems a lot of the stuff I did find on backup duration was centered around how long you can still use the device for a while on the battery backup. I also reread Wajo's Help page today and found the section on runtime, but I am confused about what is meant by 'runtime.'

As it is, I am just looking for power backup during outages for my Maggie unit. I'm not that concerned about loosing a recording or loosing timer setups or the rest: life happens. I just want some backup to help prevent the problem of freeze-up after an outage. I just find it scary when the machine won't come on and worry about it being fried. I perfectly expect that nothing is perfect and that eventually a power outage will be long enough such that the reset procedure is necessary, but I want to try to prevent that as much as I can.

So, let's assume I get a very basic UPS 200W unit, such as Wajo indicated he has. And, for now, let's further assume that I just have my Maggie unit on it for power back up. Is there any way of giving me a rough idea of how long of a backup I'll get, further assuming I am not actually using the unit and it is in standby?

About such a rating as '200W', how does that translate? Is it as simple as: you having 200W to draw on, and since Wajo indicated the our units use 5.7W per hour, doing the division gives you a back up time of a little over 35 hours. That seems impossible; so how does it work?

Finally, when they use the term 'runtime', what does that mean. Is that the time you have if you are actively using the device, of does that also include a situation if the device is in standby all the time?

I hope you guys don't mind these rather simplistic questions. I just don't want to end up spending a lot on a UPS that may give me only 15 or 30 minutes of backup; I'd take my chances otherwise. But a back up of an hour or more would be a lot better.

Thanks, Wajo. So I think I've got it. Then I'm taking 'Runtime' to mean whatever power the unit is drawing during that time, whether it is on or not: 5.5-5.7W in standby for our case.

And so, in your estimation for 200W unit like yours, I would get 46 minutes of backup time out of it.

Am I interpreting these things correctly?

Shouldn't we be using the operating power draw instead of standby draw when sizing the UPS? Timer recordings will turn the recorder on. Unless you have a UPS large enough to run your TV it won't be easy to cancel a timer recording when the lights go out.

FYI, my Kill A Watt meter says the 513 draws 4.5 watts in standby and 23 to 27 watts when turned on.

I'll split the difference and my Kill-A-Watt says 5 watts in standby. That's (in my opinion) about 10 times too high. If non-manual clock is enabled, it will jump up to your 25 watts twice a day. However if your power is off over 12 hours, the 515H is probably not a high priority.

Going to (cheap) max I would use a CyberPower 1500VA / 900W Intelligent LCD Battery Backup UPS at $166 from Walmart. Cheaper is CyberPower 600VA / 340W Intelligent LCD Battery Backup UPS that will keep the 515H and your answering machine & router running for several hours. I have two of them. I also have two APC 1500VA units with battery packs due to my bad power feed. My electric company has a nice web site with imaginary numbers when the power fails. But it's nice to look at. I use my laptop for that. But something needs to power the modem & router.

Easy test: get best UPS for your budget on sale, plug a 7w incandescent night light into it then pull the plug. See how long the light stays on. An analog electric clock is expensive but I have two from eBay used to measure the runtime of my UPS or inverters.

On my inverter I hooked up a 500W resistive load and an analog clock. The inverter ran for 90 minutes. It took 8 hours to recharge the marine battery.

It will be amazing if I don't lose power tomorrow. But then, I don't really care. I will be the third time this month.

My UPS experience ...

I had an APC 280VA-170W unit that would keep a 2160 that was recording running for a little over an hour and several hours in standby.

I have a CyberPower 685VA-390W unit that kept 2-2160's and a 3576 that were recording going for about 30 minutes but would keep them going for hours in standby.

The 280VA has been retired and the 685VA now only has the 3576 on it. I have a new CyberPower 1350VA-810W UPS serving my 3 Maggies but I haven't had a power outage to test this new setup yet.