Most likely cause of picture freeze/lockup?
[Deleted User]
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Hi,
I've had a Pioneer DBR-TF100 for a couple of years and it's generally worked excellently. However, for the first time ever the picture completely froze the other night. It was set on the timer to switch on and select E4 to allow my VCR (yeah old technology, but it works!) to record a show after I'd gone to bed, and I only noticed the problem when I watched the recording the next day. About half an hour into the show, the picture froze and sound was lost. After about 15 seconds of silence the sound resumed, but the picture remained frozen, and it stayed like this for the rest of the recording (i.e. until the Pio switched itself off).
Looking through the DS forums there seems to be conflicting opinion as to whether picture freeze is due to poor reception or poor STB software. I checked the Pio's signal strength for E4 but it's no lower than normal.
So, I'd welcome any answers to the following:
- Was the picture freeze more likely to have been caused by poor reception/interference, or by the Pio's software?
- What's the latest s/w version for the DBR-TF100? (I couldn't find any info on the Pioneer UK site.)
- If this problem becomes more frequent, would the best solution be simply to give up on the Pio and buy a newer STB (or a new screen with built-in digital receiver), on the basis that Pioneer don't make this box any more and so are unlikely to release newer software?
Thanks,
Si
I've had a Pioneer DBR-TF100 for a couple of years and it's generally worked excellently. However, for the first time ever the picture completely froze the other night. It was set on the timer to switch on and select E4 to allow my VCR (yeah old technology, but it works!) to record a show after I'd gone to bed, and I only noticed the problem when I watched the recording the next day. About half an hour into the show, the picture froze and sound was lost. After about 15 seconds of silence the sound resumed, but the picture remained frozen, and it stayed like this for the rest of the recording (i.e. until the Pio switched itself off).
Looking through the DS forums there seems to be conflicting opinion as to whether picture freeze is due to poor reception or poor STB software. I checked the Pio's signal strength for E4 but it's no lower than normal.
So, I'd welcome any answers to the following:
- Was the picture freeze more likely to have been caused by poor reception/interference, or by the Pio's software?
- What's the latest s/w version for the DBR-TF100? (I couldn't find any info on the Pioneer UK site.)
- If this problem becomes more frequent, would the best solution be simply to give up on the Pio and buy a newer STB (or a new screen with built-in digital receiver), on the basis that Pioneer don't make this box any more and so are unlikely to release newer software?
Thanks,
Si
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Comments
You get spotty retailers saying how great digital is and basically lying to the public, and if you wish to receive digital it will cost you about £200 for a new aerial, masthead amp, new wiring etc etc , WHY? WHY should the great British public put up with this half way house tv broadcasting? New digital age my arse!!! the only way to receive a decent digital picture is if you live within 5miles of crystal palace, otherwise the digital quality of signals in the UK is carp.
to say it's your receiver, which is probably less than 5 years old is another example of the money spinner that digital TV is to the makers of equipment. And now they are talking of a new compression system MPEG4 that not one digi box or IDTV can support, so we'll all have to go out and buy new boxes, how convenient for all the box manufacturers!!! Remember when TVs lasted forever, nowadays if it lasts past the 1st year it's doing well, but older than 3 years its out of date.
Digital TV is going the same way as PC manufacturing, convince the public that what you've got is out of date and watch the lemmings fall over the cliff towards the next big thing!!
digital, the biggest con, after global warming, to be forced upon the British public in the last 50 years and don't get me started on the red button press me to experience something I don't want to watch...
Dave
I would suspect interference BTW. You might see this on analogue. Digital is very susceptible to impulse interference and a burst of this from a vehicle (scooters are particularly bad) or from something inside your house (like a central heating thermostat) could have screwed up your reception temporarily which then might have upset your receiver.
The other thing is that as DSO nears, a lot of transmitters will go on reduced power as adjustments are made.
I am actually of the view that it is a "bit of both"!
Firstly if your DVB-T signal is perfect then does it actually matter if your STB can't recover from poor reception...impulsive noise....as it is never put to this test.
Secondly if your DVB-T signal is subject to impulsive noise and the STB just glitches and carries on then this must be an indication that the STB can cope with a degraded signal.
So I am of the view that if read of a STB locking up, for whatever reason, then that product or at least that product with version "xyz" Software should be treated with a degree of caution.
I hope my post is of use
However, my Goodmans Freeview DVD recorder which can actualy pickup weaker signals than the Thomson, doesnt like breakes in the signal at all. It makes much more fuss about it. And if I record from Freeview direct to DVD, and theres a minor picture break, the effect last a lot longer than on the Thomson. I have known it go all "jumpy" for at least 5secs in a few cases.
Dave
Impulse noise is a frequent cause of "glitches". Sometimes it can be cured by replacing all cable with double-screened and by arranging the cable and aerial to be as far from sources of interference as possible. Sometimes the cause is a too-high analogue signal, cured by fitting an attenuator. Sometimes the digital signal is too weak, requiring an improved aerial installation.
But in all cases, the Freeview receiver ought to be able to recover within a second or two. Failure to do so smacks of poor design.
If you have a Freeview problem see http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/freeview_problems.htm
The MOST common cause of problems (about 50%) is the "fly-lead" that connects Freeview receiver or TV to the aerial socket on the wall. Replace this first (with a decent one).