[tweenie]

I'm posting here as this is the official TVonics thread although my question is not about a recorder.

Does the MDR252 require higher signal strength than other freeview boxes ?

My parent has a MDR252 supplied by the helpscheme. It is connected via a passive splitter and a cable length of 2 rooms - the splitter and cable provided by the helpscheme.

Prior to DSO the picture was fine unless it rained then the picture completely broke up. The signal level was showing as yellow.

On switchover day I tried a full retune and reset ( several times) however it was worse than before DSO. Complete picture breakdown (it was raining). The signal level still showing as yellow. I had expected to see an improvement in signal level.

I plugged in an old Digihome box and that shows a nearly full signal and there has been no picture breakdown in the rain.

I tried the MDR252 at my house and it gets a better signal.

I'd like to try the universal remote to try and control the Digihome (its remote has very small buttons). Where can I find the codes for the Digihome and also the MDR252 if I wish to reset it back.

[tvonics]

Originally Posted by goldrood20

My dtrhv250 has the latest firmware, when I insert the usb and go to beta video and press play the video plays but without sound.I have tried with various formats in particular avi, but with the sme result.Brilliant picture no sound?. Mike

Hi,

Yes. We're aware of this problem.

We're going to put some time into sorting out this issue as much as we can and then detailing exactly which formats play and which don't. We'd also like to re-instate pause as a minimum.

Tim

[tvonics]

Originally Posted by nebogipfel

Thanks for the extra sort by date within alpha sorts. Grateful for that - takes the fiddle out of our "watch a stack of the same thing" sessions.

We're sticking with the groovy Onyx colour scheme though.

Thanks for the suggestion!

Tim

[tvonics]

Originally Posted by tweenie

I'm posting here as this is the official TVonics thread although my question is not about a recorder.

Does the MDR252 require higher signal strength than other freeview boxes ?

My parent has a MDR252 supplied by the helpscheme. It is connected via a passive splitter and a cable length of 2 rooms - the splitter and cable provided by the helpscheme.

Prior to DSO the picture was fine unless it rained then the picture completely broke up. The signal level was showing as yellow.

On switchover day I tried a full retune and reset ( several times) however it was worse than before DSO. Complete picture breakdown (it was raining). The signal level still showing as yellow. I had expected to see an improvement in signal level.

I plugged in an old Digihome box and that shows a nearly full signal and there has been no picture breakdown in the rain.

I tried the MDR252 at my house and it gets a better signal.

I'd like to try the universal remote to try and control the Digihome (its remote has very small buttons). Where can I find the codes for the Digihome and also the MDR252 if I wish to reset it back.

Hi,

The MDR252 is one of the best in class for signal sensitivity so it is strange that the model you have is being out performed by your Digihome box. It might be worth going back to the MDR252 at your parent's house in case the probelm was temporary or a problem with a loose connection or similar?

I'm not 100% sure I understand the question about the universal remote. It sounds like you'd like to control the Digihome box with the remote supplied with the MDR252? If that is the case then I'm afraid its not possible. The remote is only 'universal' where it relates to controlling a TV.

Tim

[tweenie]

Originally Posted by tvonics

Hi,

It might be worth going back to the MDR252 at your parent's house in case the probelm was temporary or a problem with a loose connection or similar?


Tim

Thanks for your reply. Tried it again yesterday and same signal level (yellow) so parent did not want to leave it connected in case it rained!

Originally Posted by tvonics

I'm not 100% sure I understand the question about the universal remote. It sounds like you'd like to control the Digihome box with the remote supplied with the MDR252? If that is the case then I'm afraid its not possible. The remote is only 'universal' where it relates to controlling a TV.

Tim

That is exactly what I wanted to do as the buttons on your remote were easier to use.

[NEWLINEtv]

Dear tvonics,

In your next software update, please can you bring a future to allow people to be able to backup programming to external hard drives so the programming can be watched on the PC, thank you.

[gt26]

Hi

Do you have the latest software installed?

Tim

Hi, thanks for your reply.

I do currently have the latest software installed. V2.0.A2058.D358.F101

Thank you.

[Clem]

Originally Posted by samd

Ah right. I'll try it formatted as FAT32.

Thanks Chris!

S

I ran into a problem getting a Sony TV firmware update to work via my Mac. Macs add extra file attributes to flag that files have been downloaded from the Internet and that was causing my Sony problem. I haven't noticed any issues updating my HD500's firmware via downloads on my Mac, but via a Terminal session check the firmware file using the xattr command. The giveaway is when you list files in a directory using something like 'ls -l'. If a file has extra attributes (which may screw-up checksums) you'll see an '@' added to the file permissions.

Private message me if you get stuck.

HTH


Clem

[tvonics]

Originally Posted by gt26

Hi, thanks for your reply.

I do currently have the latest software installed. V2.0.A2058.D358.F101

Thank you.

Hmmmm. This is going to sound like a bit of a cop-out, but we've done quite a lot of optimisation and work on reliability in the next release .. and that might solve your problem.

The good news is that the next release is scheduled for tomorrow so you don't have to wait long.

Could I please request that you try tomorrows software release and see if improves things?

Tim

[gt26]

Hmmmm. This is going to sound like a bit of a cop-out, but we've done quite a lot of optimisation and work on reliability in the next release .. and that might solve your problem.

The good news is that the next release is scheduled for tomorrow so you don't have to wait long.

Could I please request that you try tomorrows software release and see if improves things?

Tim

Thank you Tim. I'll let you know if it still occurs after the update tomorrow.

[tvonics]

Just to let you know the latest software release is now on the update server and on the web-site www.tvonics.com.

The update headline feature adds speaking menus for the visually impaired. But even if that is not something you're interested in there are quite a few other improvements .. including one to make the box record the event you select rather than recording the event at the first opportunity .. which I know one or two Digital Spy-ers have requested.

Hope you enjoy it,
Tim

[rbdcay]

Originally Posted by tvonics

Just to let you know the latest software release is now on the update server and on the web-site www.tvonics.com.

The update headline feature adds speaking menus for the visually impaired. But even if that is not something you're interested in there are quite a few other improvements .. including one to make the box record the event you select rather than recording the event at the first opportunity .. which I know one or two Digital Spy-ers have requested.

Hope you enjoy it,
Tim

Just read the update specs and was wondering what is the~:

Improve conflict resolution user interface

Does this mean that if you have to find a conflict resolution that it will also look on SD +1 Channels if you are recording from an HD channel?

[MartinJenkins]

Gosh I really wish the TVonics had its own forum, so I could check through and see if there is a resolution for this!

The biggest annoyance I have with my DTR-Z500HD is that it keeps dropping the sound for a short time.

When we were recording The Bridge on Saturday night (BBC HD), every thirty seconds or so, the sound silenced, and came back - less than half a second - but really annoying. I switched over to BBC HD on the TV (Sony) and all was well there - and the volume levels were good as well. My wife said "that is MUCH clearer - what did you do?"

...then yesterday, after loading the new software, I was watching an old episode of Misfits I had recorded - and the exact same sound blipping issue occurred.

I have Dolby set to "Stereo" - but I tried every setting.

I know I have read others with sound issues - both with the sound on HD channels being quite (I have that) and sound blipping out (I have that too) - and may I have the resolution as well please?

Thank you!

[brumlad36]

Hi Folks,

Just checking if anyone else is getting the following:-

When watching HD channels (not recording anything), the picture and sound will freeze for about 5 seconds, anything between 5mins and 30mins after starting to watch that channel.
When the programme resumes, you've missed a couple of words of dialogue. If you then rewind (the buffer), you find that there has been no interruption to service.
This only happens on HD channels.
I noticed this occurring both before and after the latest software update. (I was hoping the latest software update would cure this).
Factory reset has not cured the problem. There are no signal problems on the HD MUX (solid green bar, about 80%).

There is one other problem that only occurs if the box has been on an MHEG channel (eg The Space). When changed back to, say, BBC1 (SD), after about 15 minutes the box just decides to reboot itself, even though I'm only watching, not looking at menus or doing anything else (eg no human intervention, at the time of reboot).

Chris.

[Clem]

Apologies for breaking the current thread but could someone help me with a quick query regarding iPlayer access on the HD500 please?

I grabbed a sample of the TVonics wireless adapter from Amazon UK last week as TVonics were out of stock. Frankly, I'm a little bit disappointed with the product. Firstly, there's no aerial or USB extension cable, which means that if the receiver is in a cabinet and you want to use the rear USB port (let's face it, you wouldn't have the USB dongle plugged into the front port by choice) you've got to find your own USB extension cable; secondly, there's no indication of what the device's MAC address is either on the device or on the box -- no biggie unless you happen to use MAC address filtering on your router, as I do, which meant my messing around configuring my router several times just so I could get the connection to the 'Net established then see the MAC address which I then could enter into my router's configuration and lock it down again.

Having got the thing configured just how do you access the BBC iPlayer please? I couldn't find any menu option for that, and I have firmware version V2.0.A2058.D358.F101 installed, which I thought offered iPlayer support. I'm aware that there's now newer firmware available for the receiver, but I don't want to make too many changes in one go.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

TIA


Clem

[Clem]

Oh -- forgot to mention -- I did try using the red button on the remote to get iPlayer access but no-go.


Clem

[Clem]

Ah, sussed it. Not obvious though. The guidance is to use the red button on the remote, but that's not clear cut. For example, if I'm watching BBC1 and I use the red button, the receiver switches to BBC1HD, not the iPlayer. I then tried this on BBC2 and I could then get access -- great! I don't get the bit about SD/HD channel version switching though via the red button -- is that how things are supposed to work? Morever, if access to iPlayer is only via a Freeview SD channel how is iPlayer access gonna work when all SD BBC channels have an HD equivalent, as has been mooted on more than one occasion, if the red button toggles between SD and HD versions of a channel?

One other grumble whilst I'm at it: if you switch from say BBC1HD to a radio channel then switch back, why does the receiver not return to the previous TV channel? Whilst trying to get the iPlayer thing working I tried the radio button, jumping from BBC1HD to Radio1, but when I jumped back to TV, I got dumped on channel 32!

The latest software may well help (perhaps) but I'll hold-off upgrading until those awfully nice people at TVonics can reply after the bank holiday weekend.

Impressed with the iPlayer thing though. Even though I only have a ~7.5MB ADSL link (roughly 6.5Mbit throughput) I can still use the high quality iPlayer viewing option -- neat!

Onwards and upwards .....

Clem

[ohnonotagain]

Originally Posted by Clem

Ah, sussed it. Not obvious though. The guidance is to use the red button on the remote, but that's not clear cut. For example, if I'm watching BBC1 and I use the red button, the receiver switches to BBC1HD, not the iPlayer. I then tried this on BBC2 and I could then get access -- great! I don't get the bit about SD/HD channel version switching though via the red button -- is that how things are supposed to work? Morever, if access to iPlayer is only via a Freeview SD channel how is iPlayer access gonna work when all SD BBC channels have an HD equivalent, as has been mooted on more than one occasion, if the red button toggles between SD and HD versions of a channel?

One other grumble whilst I'm at it: if you switch from say BBC1HD to a radio channel then switch back, why does the receiver not return to the previous TV channel? Whilst trying to get the iPlayer thing working I tried the radio button, jumping from BBC1HD to Radio1, but when I jumped back to TV, I got dumped on channel 32!

The latest software may well help (perhaps) but I'll hold-off upgrading until those awfully nice people at TVonics can reply after the bank holiday weekend.

Impressed with the iPlayer thing though. Even though I only have a ~7.5MB ADSL link (roughly 6.5Mbit throughput) I can still use the high quality iPlayer viewing option -- neat!

Onwards and upwards .....

Clem

Hi Clem
The way mine works is you can access the IPlayer via any BBC SD channel via the red button ... however if say you switch on BBC1 SD and the same programme is being broadcast on BBC1 HD an indicator appears at the top right hand corner of the screen which states in effect "IF you want to watch this programme in HD press the red button" If the red button is NOT pressed within approx 11seconds the indicator disappears and then if you press the red button it brings up the IPlayer/text pages.

I have just tried the radio button and mine DOES return me to the previous TV programme so I am afraid I cannot help you there.

[Clem]

Originally Posted by ohnonotagain

Hi Clem
The way mine works is you can access the IPlayer via any BBC SD channel via the red button ... however if say you switch on BBC1 SD and the same programme is being broadcast on BBC1 HD an indicator appears at the top right hand corner of the screen which states in effect "IF you want to watch this programme in HD press the red button" If the red button is NOT pressed within approx 11seconds the indicator disappears and then if you press the red button it brings up the IPlayer/text pages.

I have just tried the radio button and mine DOES return me to the previous TV programme so I am afraid I cannot help you there.

Thanks for the reply. I'll have another play with the SD/HD switch -- I was in a bit of a rush this morning -- SWMBO was waiting to go out so i could well have missed something. I'll also check the radio/TV button again -- it's not a big issue, just annoying, especially as I've hidden channel 32, so I couldn't fathom why the receiver picked that channel. Very odd -- I think the TVonics guys need to comment.

Cheers


Clem

[pvrfanboi]

To get iplayer select BBC NEWS (SD only) Ch80 and press red.

[daydotz]

Originally Posted by tvonics

Just to let you know the latest software release is now on the update server and on the web-site www.tvonics.com.

The update headline feature adds speaking menus for the visually impaired. But even if that is not something you're interested in there are quite a few other improvements .. including one to make the box record the event you select rather than recording the event at the first opportunity .. which I know one or two Digital Spy-ers have requested.

Hope you enjoy it,
Tim

does that mean i can record a +1program (as long as its selected on that channel) & can series link it & have it recorded in that slot ?

think im finally going to buy a hd500

[tdon123]

A quick question for a TVonics employee...

I have just tried to set-up my HD500 PVR remote to work with my TV (Panasonic Viera Plasma, circa 5yrs old) but none of the Panasonic codes in the manual seemed to work. Is it worth trying any additional codes?

Thanks.

[digiNeil200]

Originally Posted by tvonics

other improvements .. including one to make the box record the event you select rather than recording the event at the first opportunity .. which I know one or two Digital Spy-ers have requested.
Tim

Just curious on this - I welcome the new behaviour which seems good for single recordings but it doesn't seem to translate to series record. I just set one for a repeat showing on Channel5 as the start signal is more accurate than the first showing on 5* *always misses a few minutes). The initial recording sets as instructed but all the subsequent ones are back to the first occurrance on 5* rather than sticking with 5.
I can keep working round it as always, just wanted to see if this was the planned behaviour (of is 5 just awkward? I always found it odd that the likes of 5 and 5* seem to be treated as though they were the same channel by some of the boxes decisions).
thanks,
Neil

[tdon123]

Sorry, one more issue has come up with the new HD500 this weekend...

Last night, I set the box to record first Homeland on Channel 4 HD, then Match of the Day on BBC One HD and finally Munich on BBC2 (MoTD overlapped with both other recordings).

The box was in stand-by when it would have started recording. Part-way through MoTD I tried switching on the box to watch the show but could only get a blank screen (definitely on DTT input). Couldn't see any live TV, nor any menu screens - the TV seemed to recognise that the box was coming on (as the TV auto-switched to 1080 mode on the right input), but nothing visible but a black screen and no sound either.

I tried again later and (while the LED display on the box did show BBC2 during the recording of Munich) still no picture or sound at all.

Today, after all recordings have finished, the picture is back and everything appears to be working fine again. The recordings are all in my library and seem to be fine too.

By the way, I am using the latest version of the software (released in this last week) after performing the USB software update earlier in the weekend.

[scargman]

Hi. I have a TVonics Z500HD. When retuning Freeview channels I lose all my timers. Does anyone know how I can avoid this? Cheers.