[JDC]

I'm a relatively new ReplayTV user and am experiencing some problems that may be due to the ReplayTV unit. Just a couple days ago i was adjusting the settings for the tv because one of the stations didn't look right. So after adjusting the picture it was okay. But about an hour or two later the picture was going crazy. The colors were off, and screen was like "strobing" (don't really know how to describe it), but it seemed like it could give someone a seizure, well not that bad but still. And i was watching tv again today, and it happened at about the same time as the day before. But here's the kicker, when I don't use the ReplayTV(i.e. switch video modes) to watch tv, just the regular local channels, the picture is fine. So to me it seems like there is maybe something wrong with the ReplayTV unit.


I'm not sure if this is relevant, but I recently upgraded to a 120gb Maxtor drive. So could there possibly be something wrong with the upgrade? I haven't browsed the forum much, but i'm don't think i've seen too many topics with this kind of problem. Sorry for the long first post but this concerns me because there is no warranty anymore and I don't know if it will affect the shows it records. I appreciate any help, thanks.

 

[Bixit219]

I think i have seen what you are describing, however for me its only on certain commercials and only commercials for a few new movies that are coming out (just those so far) (don't recall which commercials but I will make a note next time) and they have only been on the lower (non digital) channels. It's kinda like a shimmering , I've even slowed down the video to see if it was in the recording, but at slow speeds I don't see anything.. It's kinda trippy but annoying, fortunately its only during commercials.. I did noticed it seems to be more pronounced with the color red than anything. For what its worth I have a Showstopper 1000 (with an 80GB drive) and Adelphia digital cable .. I have only just started seeing this effect and I have had my machine upgraded for some time now..

 

[JDC]

well i'm not sure if this could be a temporary fix but i had our DishNetwork receiver on top of the ReplayTV unit. I moved that off and the top of the ReplayTV unit is pretty hot. So turned off the ReplayTV for a couple minutes, booted up again and the picture was fine. But I won't know if this is the fix until the machine is used more.


Could heat be an issue with these things? Also my brother said it is a good idea to turn of the ReplayTV unit every night. You guys turn this thing off at night?

 

[Mikeyboy]

These recorders will overheat if you block air-flow from circulating.


Hopefully now that you have eliminated the vent obstruction your recorder will act normal.


There is no requirement to turn off the unit.

 

[Lloydian]

Actually, this is sounding to me like the hot screen issue that many of us remember from long ago.


The symptom was that certain colors, or intense colors, were outside of the range of colors defined for the Replay, so when digitizing the pixel, the Replay had an overflow situation. This resulted in a completely wrong color for the pixels in question.


The reason the problem existed was that the broadcaster was oversaturating their signal. Try looking here .

 

[Bixit219]

I don't think this is my problem, as its not all the time, it will be fine, then one commercial will come on, will be fine, then the affected commercial appears (pulsing), then the next commercial is fine, and its ONLY on certain TV commercials (and not everything), I am pretty sure my showstopper is not overheated (its sitting in a room that is below ground so its 60F most of the time and its not encased in a televison cabinet or rackmount , its sitting out in the open nothing on top or below (except a wood shelf), plenty of air flow all around.. it could be the source video signal may be to intense with one color in the affected commercials.. its funky, if you pause the video, or slow it down you don't see the pulsing - the video frames look very normal, colors are all correct etc... ,


(when its happening, it looks like you are watching TV thru a spinning fan)..


for the record 99.9% of the time everything is fine, its just the odd commercial or two that it wiggs out on.. and the Quickskip button fixes those anyway ..


I turn mine off when i am not watching it..