Magnavox 537, 535, 533, 515, 513, 2160A, 2160, 2080 & Philips 3576, 3575 - Page 674

I'm seeing version 2 also, but it isn't causing the problems that you're having. I don't know what it means either.


This seems important. I get the format every time I insert a blank (erased) disk. I don't know what kind of Mag you're using (model and firmware); that could be a factor, I suppose. Either that, or your discs aren't getting erased properly for some reason.


It might also be something else, but I'll need to be able to duplicate your results before I can have a chance to figure out what it is. So far, I have not been able to do that.

I'll keep trying to figure this out if you want, but we should probably move the discussion to private messages.

ok... no prob... for reference, this same scenario happens on BOTH Philips 3576, and my Mag 513 with the V-Super firmware....

it's not a major issue for me, now, since i know i can utilize a non-violated DVD-RW to get PC authored transfers onto the Mag/Philips HDD... at this point it's just a puzzling thorn in the side...

i'll be fiddling with the imgburn parms to see if i can figure something out...
thanks for your help and thanks to thread for patience..

rgds,
ron g

Yep, STOP button on the front of the machine was one of the many I tried. From the message I got after unplugging, it looks like it might have resolved itself on its own, but it had already been over 40 minutes after I noticed the error when I finally unplugged.

Instead of using ImgBurn in build mode, try creating a new DVD project with DVD Flick and save it as a .iso image. Use ImgBurn in write mode to burn the .iso image to disc.

hi ken...

issue now resolved...

it's my Plextor PX-740A drive that's the culprit...

substituted my Buffalo portable USB DVD burner and repeated tests...

with the buffalo drive, the mag now re-formats an imgburn erased DVD...

apparently, the Plex drive does not access all areas of the drive during an erase operation, whereas the Buffalo drive does...


i will, indeed, make an attempt to use the ISO imaging, but i think i recall having tried that previously...

i'll report back on this last issue...

rgds,
ron g

sheesh...

rgds,
ron g

hi ken..

following up on using the ISO image method... no go...

it's just the drive i believe...

anyhow.. issue resolved..

rgds,
ron g

Another inexpensive solution I have been using for some time are the matte-black foam sheets available in many craft shops including Michael's and Dollar Tree. Ideal size are the 5½ x 8½ packs of 12 sheets, which, when cut in half (length wise) and leaned against the Maggie's display window, sit at approximately the same height as the DVR itself.

Provided your Maggie's are not stacked, the sheet could be scotch taped to the DVR's top, permitting it to be "flipped" up and down, to either block or allow passage of the IR signals, as needed.

Another reason for preservation of the Buffalo.

Long time Lurker, subscribed to this thread and first time post. I have a 515 that I purchased new from Wal-Mart in December 2010. Totally stock and unchanged. Manual clock setting and all that other stuff per this forum. It hasn't been used much except to record ~80 cartoons for my kids to the HDD and write approx. 5 DVD's. Last time I wrote or played a DVD was about 5 months ago. Last week I tried to write another DVD (TY 8X) but everytime I loaded a blank DVD it took forever (~3 minutes) to load and then a big blue and red box came up saying: "DISC ERROR" - - Please eject the disc. - - Playback feature may not be available on this disc." So I tried a commercial DVD movie and got the same error message.

Did several searches and read the troubleshooting guides in this awesome thread. So far I have tried the soft reset and cleaning the burner lens and spindle today. Same error keeps occurring. I am guessing it is time to order a replacement burner assembly and try installing that but wanted to make sure that was what was needed. It is a wee bit frustrating knowing that I have only used the burner for at most 10 hours if that. Is it time to get a new burner assembly or is there something else to try? Thanks in advance.

If it happens again, pay attention to the front panel display. If it's moving, don't bother to try anything until it stops, which may take as long as an average commercial break. Afterward, remote commands should be obeyed again, most any of which will clear the error message off the screen.

Hi, new here,

My 16 month old Mag 515/F7 has no power getting in. I went to use it today and nothing, no power, no lites.........switched outlets and checked to make sure the outlets were working and it is dead in the water.

Any suggestions as to where to start, is it fixable?

I just joined and so I am probably posting in the wrong place. I will try starting a new thread if I can figure it out.

Thanks!!
Janice

Try the Soft Reset procedure.

If the soft reset doen't work, you may have to remove the top and check the glass power supply fuse and the internal reset switch. If the fuse is blown you'll be able to see that the wire is burnt in the glass case. Replace with an identical fuse available at Radio Shack.

There is a reset switch on the main board. It is labeled, "Reset". You may have to look around for this switch because it is not located near the power supply. Just push down on the switch and see if that returns power to your unit.

Hi again,

I've tried to attenuate the signal without success (I'm not too surprised since the channels I have issues with are the furthest and lowest signal).

I've also tried to clear the channel list (unplugged the antenna from Mag, ran auto-scan resulting in zero channels, and ran another scan) without any change either.

I've also tried soft reset, both versions: unplug + replug with power button pressed and with SKIP 123, again with no joy. Both actually only reset the settings/lost timer programs, but didn't delete the DTV channels. Only the "channel clear" procedure deleted the channel list.

The symptoms are exactly the same on both Mag units, in 2 separate locations when both worked fine with the exact same antenna and connexions prior to temporarily installing a pre-amp.

It looks like the Mag tuner gets "used" to having a higher signal, and when I reverted to "antenna-only" without a preamp it didn't like the reduced signal strenght. That's very odd, but that's the only explanation I can come up with since these channels were all coming in fine in both Mags before all this, with the exact reception level I have now (in my TV's tuner signal meter).

I've ordered another pre-amp, hopefully it'll solve my issues.

It leaves me perplexed, to say the least.

Just spitballing here: Have you tried the manual channel delete, deleting your channels one by one?

Have you tried leaving the 515 unplugged overnight or 48 hours, just to be sure?

Hi all,

Tried searching for this answer but with the 515, is the only way to get recordings off of the hard drive is to copy to DVD? You cannot transfer from the hard drive to PC?

Thanks,
Ho'okani

Literally speaking, untrue. You can take the HD out of the 515, attach it to a PC, and save the entire HD content as a PC file or clone it to another HD, from which you can attempt to extract sections as individual recordings. IOW, there is no convenient way other than to DVD.

Thanks. When you say "extract sections as individual recordings" I take that as meaning the 515 doesn't just simply record something as an individual media file? So if I want to record or transfer from VHS something that is say 7 hours and want to archive it on an external hard drive then I would need to dub to multiple DVD, rip the DVDs to the PC, combine the video files in an editor and then re-encode to a single file?

Thanks,
Ho'okani

About. The 515 doesn't use anything much like a conventional filesystem. Instead it uses a proprietary method of tracking what is located where.

Something like that. Or get a USB adapter to take VHS output directly to the PC via an app that can record from the adapter's USB output. Pinnacle "Dazzle" is/was one such device.

Thanks. Was looking for a way to digitize VHS without the need of a PC.

thanks,
Ho'okani

You might consider making several files on the 515H HDD, dubbing each to a DVD+RW, then reading each on the PC. If the VHS tape is 7 hours we aren't talking high quality anyhow. The 515H is digital so nothing should be lost in the movement.

If the PC has HDMI/Composite inputs, then you could skip the DVD conversion. But if it did, why even use the 515H? Just sent the VCR composite output to the PC composite input.

I haven't. I must say it hasn't dawned on me since my issue isn't with excessive channels I want to delete but rather with missing channels I should be getting but I'm not.

But, just for kicks I may try it anyway.

Oh and they're 513s, not that it changes anything (they're both Super Firmware'd )

Would it be true that all you want to do is move your content from VHS to DVD? If so, forgive the PC talk.

Heads Up Wajo and All!!
As of 9:21AM PST on Amazon, kinda hidden are 2 MAGNAVOX MDR513H Refurbed for $186 free shipping.....GRAB EM, There used to be 3 10 minutes ago, but I just bought one!! :-))
Link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o00_s00_i00
Happy Shopping....a Steal at that price!!
Mickboy

Don't give you up, you always can read this post:

Hard Disk File System investigation for the Magnavox 2080/2160/513/515

Man THAT was quick! I definitely got mine from WorldWide and there were two left after I went through check out! And I thought that I finally beat Wajo at finding another link after all this time!!
$186 is still a pretty good deal if you ask me.....
Mickboy

With a Magnavox HDD/DVD recorder one may transfer the VHS material to the recorder's hard drive in real-time and then edit the video. Then high-speed dub the material to DVD in about sixteen minutes.

There is no need to use a PC.