[Dartman]

Well I just did a quick VCR recording test and I'll be damned the box turned itself on this time

Maybe I never tried it with the newer box as I originally had the dcx7000 or whatever the crappy slightly better then a DTA box is. Might have to try a few test recordings now just to see if everything plays nice but pretty sure I'll still have to set the cable box to turn on early or I'll still have the stupid box telling me a VCR recording is about to start recording all over the screen at first...

 

[Westly-C]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dartman I have done the timer recording thing many times but it doesn't turn the box on when it's off and when it is on it does this annoying blue box announcing that is about to change channels and record something SO I had to always make sure the box was on or no recording to my 3575, plus make sure it started early enough to loose the stupid box announcing it was about to record something which of course gets recorded to the 3575 if not set early enough. If there is a way to make it turn itself on, not have a huge box telling me it is doing this, then it would be somewhat more useful. Otherwise I have discovered other ways to get the shows I miss in glorious HD with 5.1 sound...

There are actually two different setting-one is a program reminder, where you set it and a blue box appears telling you that a show you've selected is about to start, without it changing the channel. The other is a timer set where the cable box will turn to the right ch and initiate recording.

Make sure you're clicking the right button on the menu. Check the screencaps...when a program timer is set, a red dot appears next to it in the guide.


Also, I've had this problem, and read a couple of posts by others in the Cable TV forum. When my cable box is off with a program timer set, the box powers on, but without audio on the selected channel. If the box is already on, audio works. I've been so tired of dealing with Comcast, I haven't taken it in to swap for another.

 

[Dartman]

That's the boxes I use, I've also used the reminder settings for things I just want to watch as I too have mostly given up on trying to record anything to the 3575.

The free box definitely wouldn't turn itself on but the HD one does. I also noticed it didn't have sound when it did turn itself on today when I tested it, but as soon as I hit a button to see what would happen it complained about having a active recording and did I want to cancel it, then the sound worked.

I doubt they want to make recording anything to your own gear easy as that will cut into their DVR sales so why bother with making it work properly all the time...

 

[7558037]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Westly-C /forum/post/20500199


Make sure you're clicking the right button on the menu. Check the screencaps...when a program timer is set, a red dot appears next to it in the guide.


Also, I've had this problem, a read a couple of posts by others in the Cable TV forum. When my cable box is off with a program timer set, the box powers on, by without audio on the selected channel. If the box is already on, audio works. I've been so tired of dealing with Comcast, I haven't taken it in to swap for another.

What box are those screencaps from, DCH3200?


Also, could the lack of audio when the auto-record starts be due to the 1-minute early setting? Does the audio come up later, at the true program start point?

 

[Westly-C]



Quote:
Originally Posted by wajo /forum/post/20500740


What box are those screencaps from, DCH3200?


Also, could the lack of audio when the auto-record starts be due to the 1-minute early setting? Does the audio come up later, at the true program start point?

It's the SD Motorola DCT 2500. And no, the audio is absent for the entire program. If I cancel the timer setting on the 2500, the audio returns on that channel.


I'm with Dartman, it seems very suspicious for the audio to be MIA upon powering up for a timer record. Turning it on without one, the audio's there.

Conspiracy I tell, ya.

 

[dswensen]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Westly-C /forum/post/20500932


It's the SD Motorola DCT 2500. And no, the audio is absent for the entire program. If I cancel the timer setting on the 2500, the audio returns on that channel.


I'm with Dartman, it seems very suspicious for the audio to be MIA upon powering up for a timer record. Turning it on without one, the audio's there.

Conspiracy I tell, ya.

Been fooling around with mine today too. Same problem as the others; if I let the cable box turn itself on with the timer, then I get no audio. If the box is already on, then the box turns itself to the correct channel at the appropriate time, and audio is there. I do get the blue box telling me that it's about to change, but I get past that by having it and my 3576 start a few minutes early - then I can edit the blue box out with a front cut.

 

[artwire]

Ah, that's why I always leave mine on. I had forgotten the missing audio issue.


I started leaving it on when I recorded dead air accidentally (forgetting that I had a m - s timer set up). I doubt it uses much juice, and it serves as a handy dandy nightlight. Don't tell comcast, they'll charge extra for the service!


Yes, Wajo, I do need a 515... no place left to plug it in ...yet...

For some reason, my DCH3200 stopped changing channels last week. I am going in to see what's up with that - I've been a manually changing channels when i turn stuff off at night, since I'm recording late x2 show, but I would much rather it changed automatically. It ended up recording the channel it had been left on, not the one it was supposed to go to. Maybe I forgot to save something, but it seems odd that it happened suddenly. Hmmm. Time to reset all my clocks, anyway, so might as well go on a troubleshooting mission to unearth the mysteries of the cable guide, while I'm at it.


Edit: seems ok now. Maybe I messed it up with daylight savings time. here are screens of the DCH3200 in case anyone needs them. Looks pretty much the same - I'm guessing all comcast boxes are alike and use that same interface.

 

[THE JAMM]

Originally Posted by 234

Firstly, difinition of "Broken",

Broken is that one unit works different to others.


However, this freeze trouble is shown at perticular house situation.

Even if the user exchanges unit, 2nd unit also shows trouble.

It means both units are not broken.


In this point, we shoud apologize to the user meets this trouble because our product makes inconvenience situation to the user and disapoint to the user in spite of high expectation when they bought.


We need to make our product work all US houses propery, I am working to find the cause and solve it.


I mean only one point,


"failure rate is so high" is not true.


I and many engineer are working for 15 users in the world to let them enjoy digital world.


234,

Quote:
Originally Posted by THE JAMM /forum/post/20496252


234,


I sincerely appreciate your contribution here and love the 515H when it works, but I had to return my first 515H because it would not turn on at all after 2 weeks of occasional use.


I now have 2 units - a used unit Walmart sent me as new, and a replacement unit that snap/crackle/pops/freezes every time that it is powered on to analog channels. These 2 units are presently hooked up in 2 different rooms of the same house.


This weekend, prior to returning the unit that appears to be broken, I am going to swap these units out with precisely the same hook-up to the same TV which will reveal whether they both act the same, or whether just one of them is broken.


JAM

Hooked up the used 515 Walmart originally sent me as a new unit, and it works flawlessly - I'm keeping it. Swapped to the new replacement 515 using the same cables & TV, and it crackle/pops/freezes when turned on to analog channels - I'm returning that broken unit.


JAM

 

[TBoneit]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Westly-C /forum/post/20500199


There are actually two different setting-one is a program reminder, where you set it and a blue box appears telling you that a show you've selected is about to start, without it changing the channel. The other is a timer set where the cable box will turn to the right ch and initiate recording.

Make sure you're clicking the right button on the menu. Check the screencaps...when a program timer is set, a red dot appears next to it in the guide.


Also, I've had this problem, and read a couple of posts by others in the Cable TV forum. When my cable box is off with a program timer set, the box powers on, but without audio on the selected channel. If the box is already on, audio works. I've been so tired of dealing with Comcast, I haven't taken it in to swap for another.

Wow, that is some terrible guide. I have my Dishnetwork HDDVR guide set to show three hours wide and six channels. I can see all the networks evening shows in one screen.


I set all my timers from the guide or less often search. I can set one time, all etc. I can set record to DVR drive, Remind, autotune etc.


My guess is they get away with it since most users have never seen a good guide.

 

[7558037]



I've been making backup copies of my comm. VHS movies using my new Digital Video Stabilizer and, in the process, found that I have to modify my oft-stated advice on real-time record (RTR). I used to advise recording to HDD first, then HSD to DVD, yada, yada, yada! However, I like the DTD procedure described below, which has several advantages and one disadvantage.

Copying Direct to DVD (DTD)[/aname] - In my tape-to-DVD project for comm. movies, I've been doing RTR direct-to-DVD (DTD) instead cuz it gives me several key advantages:

1. Copying direct to HDD or to DVD is the same real-time copy process.
2. The copy on DVD will be a 1st-gen copy, same as HSD from HDD to disc.
3. DTD eliminates the need for deleting the Empty Title, which can be a time-consuming process dep. on how much disc capacity remains. I just let the DVDR keep recording after the source video ends. It reverts to copying black screen all the way to the end of the disc cuz comm. movies have a defined video ending. When the disc gets full, recording stops and there's NO EMPTY TITLE to contend with (but it takes longer cuz no video = lower bit rate).
4. Letting the process run to DVD end allows me to walk away so the only manual steps are coordinating the start of tape and recorder, and changing the title and index pic on disc at the end... changes that can both be made in the same Edit menu. (With a 515, I suppose I could set a timer rec program with title for more than disc capacity, then the copy on disc would already be titled?)
   
   
   Notes:
   
   1. Depending on remaining space on the disc, letting the copy run to the end of the DVD can take MORE time than if you stopped the recording and overwrote the Empty Title cuz you're recording black screen at 0.87Mbps rather than HQ's ~10Mbps using the Overwrite method. This DTD method is a winner if you're NOT anxious for the disc to fill up, i.e., you've got something more productive to do.
   
   2. If you like the run time in your labels, remember to use the actual show run time, not the time shown in the DVD title since that is the ENTIRE run time to end of disc.

 

[dare2be]



Quote:
Originally Posted by wajo /forum/post/20509204

I've been making backup copies of my comm. VHS movies using my new Digital Video Stabilizer and, in the process, found that I have to modify my oft-stated advice on real-time record (RTR). I used to advise recording to HDD first, then HSD to DVD, yada, yada, yada!

One suggestion I could make, which saves time on setting the index picture...cue the tape in pause mode at the movie/episode title (if there is one), record to the DVD/HDD for 1 second, then pause recording. Go back to the beginning of the tape and resume recording. Instant index picture title whether you record direct to DVD or HDD.

 

[mickinct]

MAYBE this was already asked somewhere in this long thread, is it possible with the 513 515 and 2160a units to install the hdd's into any of these and still retain the titles?? say 2160a hdd to a 515 machine.

 

[wsong3]

I am confused with SD vs HD recording. Can somebody explain the difference? I like to record HD programs over the hd antenna (not cable). Is it possible with 515H? Thanks.

 

[Chuck44]



Quote:
Originally Posted by wsong3 /forum/post/20514666


I am confused with SD vs HD recording. Can somebody explain the difference? I like to record HD programs over the hd antenna (not cable). Is it possible with 515H? Thanks.

You can record HD programs, but they will be recorded in SD.

 

[234]

Dear Jam,


Your case is quite rare and interesting.

And you obviously prove that this trouble appears depends on home condition.

You have both conditions in your home!

I felt it is quite interesting case and sent you PM yesterday.

Could you please help us to find the key of this phenomenon?

Waiting your reply.


234

 

[JoeKustra]



Quote:
Originally Posted by wsong3 /forum/post/20514666


I am confused with SD vs HD recording. Can somebody explain the difference? I like to record HD programs over the hd antenna (not cable). Is it possible with 515H? Thanks.

All HD is not the same. ABC & Fox prefer 720p. You will also be recording in DD 2.0, not the DD 5.1 that is used on some shows. The digital SD quality of 480i will look very good if you use HDMI and let the 515H upconvert it to 1080p. Nothing can make NTSC/analog look very good.

 

[csun213]

Hi, I already have purchased a 2160 and really like it. I am thinking about purchasing another one. I would like to know the difference between the 2160 and the 513, I know that the 513 has a bigger HD drive than the 2160. Are there any other difference? I really don't care about the size of the HD because I have never used more than 10 hours on my 2160 since I would burn the video onto my Disc and then delete the video from the HD. Thanks for any help.

 

[jjeff]

^^^^ http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showp...ostcount=11724

 

[timtofly]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mickinct /forum/post/20512830


MAYBE this was already asked somewhere in this long thread, is it possible with the 513 515 and 2160a units to install the hdd's into any of these and still retain the titles?? say 2160a hdd to a 515 machine.

Theoretically yes, but practically no. Why would you want to put a smaller drive in the 515 than it already has? If you have a dead DVD component, it would be more practical to replace it instead of taking the Hard Drive out and putting it in another unit. If there is something else wrong with the 2160A, then buy a refurbed or used one, and then swap drives. Moving from the same type unit to the same type unit, is "safer" than trying to jump between different model types.

 

[JoeKustra]

Quote:

Originally Posted by csun213 Hi, I already have purchased a 2160 and really like it. I am thinking about purchasing another one. I would like to know the difference between the 2160 and the 513, I know that the 513 has a bigger HD drive than the 2160. Are there any other difference? I really don't care about the size of the HD because I have never used more than 10 hours on my 2160 since I would burn the video onto my Disc and then delete the video from the HD. Thanks for any help.

It would be easier to answer if you could explain why you burn the DVD and how often you use the 2160A. Technical information from the jjeff post pointer might be enough though, so if it is, you don't need to respond.