9300T - would you recommend it to a friend?

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  • Big-lesBig-les Posts: 2,695
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    Alan White wrote: »
    If that fix appears and works - and I'm not holding my breath on either - then it will of course be welcome but it wouldn't change my answer to the OP's question. I couldn't recommend to a friend an item of equipment which has so many problems.

    Meanwhile, my 9300 has locked up twice more since my last post.

    While I sympathise with you for the problems you've had with the 9300 I feel I must give the other side of the coin. A friend of mine has had a 9300 for about 9 months and the only problem she's had is 1 lock-up which occured after the september 30th re-tune, her Hummy is correctly tuned to the main East Midlands transmitter at Waltham.
  • The WizardThe Wizard Posts: 11,071
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    I take it that you are aware that a fix for the lockup problem should be broadcast OTA in the next couple of weeks?

    Will the fix be for the 9200T's as well? If it's only for the 9150 and 9300 then it's not gonna sort my problems out.

    It's getting worse now and is constantly freezing. If they don't sort it soon I won't have a Humax cos I'll have thrown it out the window by then.
  • Martin LiddleMartin Liddle Posts: 3,242
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    The Wizard wrote: »
    Will the fix be for the 9200T's as well?
    Sorry but I don't know.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,433
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    Perhaps I'm lucky (touch wood) I've had my 9300 for a couple of weeks and it hasn't been that bad..yet!

    I think I would recommend to a friend, but I'd warn them of the reported problems other seem to be having with the 9200,9300,9150's..then it's up to them if they want to purchase the product!
  • eddie2048eddie2048 Posts: 96
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    If you're in the Winter Hill transmitter area, you can minimise the recent sluggishness by deleting all the current stations (in Menu/Edit) and retuning manually to all channels except 67. Then (provided you don't listen to them) delete all the radio channels. You will only be missing the "Community" station and "303", part of BBCi. I've done this on my 9200T and it does improve things significantly, and it should do the same for later boxes.
    You will find that if you switch between BBC and ITV stations, you get a delay while the EPG sorts out because the error causes the one you're not watching to be partly lost.

    I'm fairly sure that the problem is to do with the new 8k transmission mode on channel 62 and Humax do seem to be aiming for an update by the end of the month.

    After the 2nd Dec, it will probably be best to do a manual update to channels 62 59 58 61 and 55. The sixth channel (54) is redundant as far as all existing stations are concerned but may still carry stations which will cause duplicates so don't tune to it.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 77
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    I take it that you are aware that a fix for the lockup problem should be broadcast OTA in the next couple of weeks?

    Hi,

    I've just bought a pvr-9300t to replace an old Thompson TUTV box. It's great so far but has crashed twice. Once while changing channel, and once while just watching TV live.

    I was just wondering if there is concrete info on whether Humax is really working on a fix for the current problems? I've read a number of posts saying new software is due out soon, some from many months ago, but it seems that there have not been any software updates for nearly a year which makes me wonder if they have stopped development work on this product? Although from reading this forum, perhaps the crashing issue has only appeared since the recent freeview re-organisation of channels.

    I'd be interested to hear if anyone has some inside info on what's going on!

    Thanks very much
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,190
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    cheesefish wrote: »
    Hi,

    I've just bought a pvr-9300t to replace an old Thompson TUTV box. It's great so far but has crashed twice. Once while changing channel, and once while just watching TV live.

    I was just wondering if there is concrete info on whether Humax is really working on a fix for the current problems? I've read a number of posts saying new software is due out soon, some from many months ago, but it seems that there have not been any software updates for nearly a year which makes me wonder if they have stopped development work on this product? Although from reading this forum, perhaps the crashing issue has only appeared since the recent freeview re-organisation of channels.

    I'd be interested to hear if anyone has some inside info on what's going on!

    Thanks very much
    They really are working on a fix :D

    Rgds.


    Les.
  • Martin LiddleMartin Liddle Posts: 3,242
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    cheesefish wrote: »
    I was just wondering if there is concrete info on whether Humax is really working on a fix for the current problems?
    Yes there is concrete information or I wouldn't have posted. The fix should be out this month, hopefully sooner rather than later. Obviously you don't have to believe anything I or anyone else says but in which case why are you posting to a web forum? Why not ring up Humax yourself and see what they say?
  • Big-lesBig-les Posts: 2,695
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    Yes there is concrete information or I wouldn't have posted. The fix should be out this month, hopefully sooner rather than later. Obviously you don't have to believe anything I or anyone else says but in which case why are you posting to a web forum? Why not ring up Humax yourself and see what they say?

    Martin, do you know if Humax are working on the 9200 sluggishness problem?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 77
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    Yes there is concrete information or I wouldn't have posted. The fix should be out this month, hopefully sooner rather than later. Obviously you don't have to believe anything I or anyone else says but in which case why are you posting to a web forum? Why not ring up Humax yourself and see what they say?

    I wrote to Humax about a week ago, asking this question, and have not received a reply.

    Appologies for offending you. :o
  • Martin LiddleMartin Liddle Posts: 3,242
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    Big-les wrote: »
    Martin, do you know if Humax are working on the 9200 sluggishness problem?
    No I am sorry I don't know. I have read the rumours posted here but I have no more information one way or the other. Try asking Barry over on hummy.org.uk; he did say a week or two ago that he would investigate the 9200 update rumours.
  • Martin LiddleMartin Liddle Posts: 3,242
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    cheesefish wrote: »
    I wrote to Humax about a week ago, asking this question, and have not received a reply.
    I ssume by write you mean email? What address did you use? Ringing them up is usually a btter way of communicating with them.
  • creddishcreddish Posts: 5,285
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    The Wizard wrote: »
    [/b]

    You want a list? My reason for not recommending it is because...

    . It constantly locks up and can only be restarted by unplugging it from the mains
    . Crashes at least one a week
    . Remote is unresponsive
    . Generally slow to think about things especially when surfing the EPG
    . Fails to pick up programmes on series link
    . Fails to record sometimes despite it being set
    . Chops programmes short despite it being set to "on time"
    . Duplicates then corrupts recorded programmes
    . Has once been known to record over pre-recorded programmes (i.e went to watch Dr Who which I'd recorded 12 months ago and found it had recorded family guy over it)
    . The 15s backwards skip feature doesn't work during live tv playback only the rewind button will work.
    . The gimiky games feature is too slow and responsive to play anything (why would you even bother)
    . The EPG fails to load properly
    . The fan runs constantly and is permanently noisy
    . If your recording a show and decide to start watching it before it's finished, it will swich itself off when it finishes recording even though your still watching it and you have to restart it from the beginning and scan to where you were up to.
    . The USB transfer feature is tempremental and keeps losing/terminating the connection and any 4:3 programmes it records it does so in 16:9 by padding it out with black lines either side so it can't be viewed on your PC without messing around and cropping it.

    Since the latest retune the EPG totally refuses to load the entire EPG no matter how long I leave it or on whatever channel and when looking through the guide it will freeze or lock up or crash altogether and It's slow changing channels.

    If I didn't know any better i'd say it was made by Sony Ericsson. It's bacically not fit for purpose.
    That is certainly an impressive list. But I'm wondering if it truly reflects your feelings about your PVR. There does seem to be a contrast between the above and when in post #17 you said "I have the 9200T and in general when it works i'm very happy with it ............................." (my bolding).

    Incidentally it is worth pointing out for the benefit of casual readers of this thread that as the thread title is "9300T - would you recommend it to a friend?" you actually have a 9200T. Some of your comments are not applicable to the 9300T.

    I think it is fair to say that your conclusion in your last paragraph does not reflect the general consensus expressed by users in this forum over the last couple of years.

    All PVRs have issues from time to time. I don't know how long you have had your 9200 but it's at least a year (ref your Dr Who comment) and if my memory serves me correctly your comment "The fan runs constantly and is permanently noisy" means the unit is considerably older than that. With the exception of the "constantly locks up" and "crashes" (aren't these the same thing?) if the other failures had occurred only once or twice over several years use then I think that would be typical of many PVRs. If they still occur frequently I would be looking for reasons and solutions as I don't think they are typical of most 9200's.

    You have not given any indication of when the issues you mention started to occur but from my limited knowledge of these things I think there is a possibility that you have or have had some HDD data corruption. Your comments "Duplicates then corrupts recorded programmes" and the Dr Who issue a year ago suggest this (or were they just one off occurrences). Have you done a HDD format? Although I think the advice in the case of a single corrupt recording is not to delete it as it may occupying a bad sector on the drive so leaving the recording there will prevent the bad sector causing further problems.

    I would not say the "Remote is unresponsive" or the unit is "Generally slow to think about things especially when surfing the EPG". There is an issue with the 9200 where for many users the unit does respond slowly for periods of time (thread here but except for the times that issue is present I find the my 9200T the most responsive of any I have used, and I've had quite a few.

    I don't think the Humax Freeview PVR's are necessarily "the best" for some people but neither do I think they are a poor choice for others.

    Colin
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 77
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    I ssume by write you mean email? What address did you use?

    Yes, email. 'uksupport@humax-digital.co.uk'

    I sent the email, even though I'd already read this forum, as the more people complain about something does put pressure on the manufacturer to do something about it. I did also want to hear direct from them that they were working on a fix.

    Thanks very much for your help.
  • keicarkeicar Posts: 2,082
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    Again, frustratingly my 9300 has locked up again thats 5 lock ups since Thursday, having never done it before. And quite a few missed recordings.

    Has anyone else experienced the same in the last few days? Its tuned to Mendip, but dont see anyone else posting problems with the Mendip transmitter.

    Luckily I bought it from John Lewis so it has a 24mth guarantee and maybe considering a return.
  • who10ukwho10uk Posts: 55
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    I used to experience these lockups periodically but the last couple of weeks I've been getting them almost every day and sometimes more than once a day with consequnetly lots of missed recordings :(

    Humax must realise this is rendering their boxes useless and should be working flatout on a fix if this is data handling related...
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,190
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    who10uk wrote: »
    I used to experience these lockups periodically but the last couple of weeks I've been getting them almost every day and sometimes more than once a day with consequnetly lots of missed recordings :(

    Humax must realise this is rendering their boxes useless and should be working flatout on a fix if this is data handling related...
    If you are referring to the 9300 (or 9150), they do realise, and are working on a fix.

    Rgds.


    Les.
  • keicarkeicar Posts: 2,082
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    savvy wrote: »

    Thanks for the link - do we know why, only recently we have seen an upturn in lock up's in machines previously unaffected?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,190
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    keicar wrote: »
    Thanks for the link - do we know why, only recently we have seen an upturn in lock up's in machines previously unaffected?
    I believe it is suspected to be changed data in the broacast stream, but I don't know any detail.

    Rgds.


    Les.
  • tintin Posts: 1,759
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    This annoys me, I've argued before, PVRs should ignore anything they can't make sense of, not crash cos of it!
  • The WizardThe Wizard Posts: 11,071
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    I returned my 9200T as it was still under warranty and they replaced it with a new 9300. It's slightly more responsive but since getting it home the EPG still won't load up properly and today it crashed 3 times. Sometimes it crashes even when I'm not using it. I can go to bed and it's fine and get up in the morning and the screen is frozen and the only way to get it to do anything is turn it off at the mains. I was given the 9300T as a replacement for my 9200 but i'm in two minds to take this back and demand a full refund and go and buy another model. If I was looking to buy a new PVR now I wouldn't recommend Humax to my worst enemy. It's been the biggest headache I've ever owned. I'm about one step away from taking it outside and jumping on it and smashing into tiny bite sized pieces. It really winds me up that much. DON'T EVER buy one of these things unless you want to spend the rest of your life ramming your head into the living room wall in sheer frustration at the fact it constantly refuses to work.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,190
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    The Wizard wrote: »
    I returned my 9200T as it was still under warranty and they replaced it with a new 9300. It's slightly more responsive but since getting it home the EPG still won't load up properly and today it crashed 3 times. Sometimes it crashes even when I'm not using it. I can go to bed and it's fine and get up in the morning and the screen is frozen and the only way to get it to do anything is turn it off at the mains. I was given the 9300T as a replacement for my 9200 but i'm in two minds to take this back and demand a full refund and go and buy another model. If I was looking to buy a new PVR now I wouldn't recommend Humax to my worst enemy. It's been the biggest headache I've ever owned. I'm about one step away from taking it outside and jumping on it and smashing into tiny bite sized pieces. It really winds me up that much. DON'T EVER buy one of these things unless you want to spend the rest of your life ramming your head into the living room wall in sheer frustration at the fact it constantly refuses to work.
    Have you installed the new software on the 9300, which is specifically to address these freezes?

    Rgds.


    Les.
  • The WizardThe Wizard Posts: 11,071
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    savvy wrote: »
    Have you installed the new software on the 9300, which is specifically to address these freezes?

    Rgds.


    Les.

    There is no new software update. It was supposed to be released by the end of this month but we're still waiting on it.

    I am running version .15 but not sure how to update the box without the OTA update. I checked the OTA schedule and there's nothing for this month.

    Edit: just checked the website and I see version .18 was released on Nov 18th but I don't have an RS232 cable to do a manual update.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,190
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    The Wizard wrote: »
    There is no new software update. It was supposed to be released by the end of this month but we're still waiting on it.

    I am running version .15 but not sure how to update the box without the OTA update. I checked the OTA schedule and there's nothing for this month.
    It's on the website to download and install via PC whilst waiting for an OTA slot.

    I've tried, but since I upgraded to Win7, I can't get a driver for my Usb to Serial converter to work, and I've tried loads that supposedly do work. It all worked perfectly under XP :mad:

    Rgds.

    Les.
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