Sounds a bit harsh of Humax to expect you to pay to fix something that so many people are having. It's either a fault with the software or hardware that Humax should fix.

I brought a humax because it was a brand name I recognised and read many good reviews but as my box is useless until they fix this issue I would never buy another Humax box again.
I don't know how true it is, but if you purchased on a credit card you can contact the card provider with evidence that the box isn't 'fit for purpose' as it's a PVR it should be able to record a program without skipping and being unwatchable.

I still have had no reply from Humax and my box should will be in warranty. If I don't get a reply soon I will be looking into my options for returning the thing before it gets a hammer thrown at it

This member on another forum cured his Family Guy problem with a Default Setting and Manual Search (post #14) which would make sure his 9300 was set up correctly.

But he was reporting problems with a 9200 and a 9300 and he doesn't say if he has tested both.

Reading posts #14 and #16 suggests he has cured the 9300 but had not done the procedure (at that time) on the 9200. Post #16 also confirms that he did have the problem on the 9200.

having read that thread on the other site it still makes no sense to me that it would only affect family guy or that it would also affect my digihome pvr.

My friend has been recording Family Guy on her 9300, I've checked several of the recordings and they are perfect, not a hint of the problem others are reporting.

My 9300 had an update a couple of weeks ago. My last two recordings of family guy and American dad actually worked!. I will have to wait and see if this update has solved the problem completely.

I also have problems with Family Guy and American Dad skipping forward on my PVR 9150T. I'm hoping a sw update tomorrow will fix it. Will post again later with an update...

The new software doesn't appear to make a difference on a 9150. My 9150 updated to the new software a while ago and I hadn't had any trouble - until today. I tried to record "Page Eight" on BBC2. It is unwatchable. There are so many of the usual skips of 20-40s followed by out of sync sound etc. etc.
I still suspect the problem is the BBC introducing something into the signal that the Humax software can't cope with.
It's about time either Humax or the BBC sorted this problem.

Following my last reply I tried recording the programmes on BBC3 that the majority of people are complaining about. I also tried recording from two different transmitters (admittedly only on one 9150 box).
Both Family Guy (00:30) and American Dad (2nd episode) skipped forward - and in the same place on both transmitters. (Waltham and Belmont)

This makes me wonder - has anyone noted the position of the first skip in any of these programmes? Do we all get them at the same time? Don't know what it would prove, but it might be interesting and provide some evidence that the fault isn't with individual boxes but with the software or the BBC (or both).

But why doesn't it affect all 9150/9300 machines? My friend's 9300 gets its signal from Waltham (the same as you) and she has no problem with Family Guy that we've seen.

Good point! Could it be different hardware or software version?

I don't normally watch Family Guy so I can't comment further on that point.

It just seems very strange that many people are reporting the same problem - mainly with that programme. Some people are reporting problems with newer episodes (I think) and not older ones. I've had problems with programmes on BBC2 and even Breakfast on BBC1 (but not BBC News) this morning. Trying lots of different BBC programmes today to rule out a problem with my disk. Never had this sort of problem on any non-BBC channel.
It goes without saying that there is too much stuff on my disk to try reformatting it. But other people's experiences suggest this doesn't help.

For the record: Current h/w s/w
Hardware Version: Rev 1.0
Software HPTTF 1.00.26
Loader a4.35
Update Date Jul 7 2011
Last edited by EEPhil : 29-08-2011 at 11:32

My friend's software is v26 but I didn't see any problem either with v23. Her loader is a4.38, hardware version I can't remember but is probably the same as yours.

9300: Gave up trying to record Family Guy on sundays because of the jumping problem, had the same trouble with Page eight, though it sometimes cleared when I could get it to rewind a little to play the part again, but of course, with the jumping problem rewinding is somewhat problematic. I get my signal from Caridon hill.

I spoke too soon. Current recordings are skipping. Not sure what the update was even for. I think I will contact humax as they really need to sort this out.

I gave up trying to watch Page Eight back.
Did your first jump occur near the beginning when our hero meets his neighbour putting out rubbish? I think she is about to ask him in for a drink then the picture hops and skips to some point about 30s later.

That might be it; but definitely later with the woman in red in the restaurant and just after photographing the workplace of bugging guy, might be the same bit..

Earlier tonight we watched the Page Eight recording made on our 9150. I think it had 4 glitches/jumps.

Rewinding played a little more of each missing bit of dialogue.

Previously only encountered on Family Guy

As EEPhil said, the software update didn't fix the problem. The skipping mostly affects Family Guy and American Dad but I have had it happen once on Wilfred too. Also, I recorded The Man Who Knew Too Much and it was impossible to watch. No picture or sound appeared when attempting to play it, and it skipped ahead repeatedly in around 45 min chunks. Trying to pause or use rewind had no affect. The film was over two hours long but the player skipped from beginning to end in about two seconds. I had to delete it.

I've recorded multiple instances of FG and AD episodes to see whether the skipping occurs at the same place each time, but it doesn't. It seems the skipping is specific to the recording, not the episode, but the skip points are consistent within the recording.

FYI: I'm on a Waltham relay transmitter which has completed the digital switch over.

I'm going to try recording some FG and AD on my pc to see if my computer has any problems playing them back. I doubt it shall, but if it does I'll post again with the results.

Can anyone suggest a good alternative to the Humax?

In case it's of interest to anyone, the Humax 9300T contains the same horrible "CapXon" capacitors that cause failure of the Thomson Sky Digiboxes. You've probably read about it already on this forum and others.

"Locking up" is a favourite symptom but they can cause various effects that aren't obviously attributable to the PSU. Capacitors are tending to fail after 15 months or so, just like those in the Thomson PSUs.

Replacement of the capacitors is straightforward if you can solder. If you can't solder, and don't have a friend who can, there's a list of local repairers who can do the work.

See http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/humax9300.htm

Mine jumped on Football Focus yesterday.

And I've noticed it on more programs.

tim

Not sure what you mean by "consistent within the recording"?
With "The Shadow Line" that was on BBC2 some weeks ago, the skipping happened in exactly the same spot in the repeat. With recent FG it didn't happen in the same place on a repeat showing. Still had no problems with anything on BBC4.

After full DSO at Waltham I've had the problem once on ITV1 - however, it did seem to coincide with a massive spike either on the mains or over the ether. With a bit of experimentation I suspect the signal was too strong so I've removed the aerial booster (put in to improve signal from Belmont). No problems on ITV1 (yet) but still problems with FG. (btw. booster not in use for Shadow Line). It is confusing because full strength on my box seems to be 78%.

I'll echo your final question - Is there a reliable PVR that actually works out there?
Anyone know whether Humax are actually looking into this problem or just fobbing everyone off?

I got a reply from Humax, not sure how long it will be till its fixed, if ever.

But at least they replied.


Dear Madam

We are currently looking into this problem as it has also been reported to us from other customers.

Many Thanks

Like the guy whose post you answered, I skip thro' adverts too, but I have found all adverts, on whatever channel, are either 3, 4 or 5 minutes (ITV 1 3 mins, ITV 3 usually 4, could be 5, channel 5 almost always 5 mins) and as a result of this I find setting the forward skip time to 60 secs and the back time to 30 secs makes life a lot easier than any other combination, and certainly more positive and rapid than fast forward. If you have inadvertantly gone too far forward, just go back 30secs and it's not far out.

Hi there,

I have registered on digital spy to add to the list of people experiencing the 'skipping' problem on the PVR9300T. I have been having issues with Family Guy and can confirm that there was also a skipping problem exactly as described above in Page Eight which also occurred a few times more in my recording.

I can also inform you that the Family Guy episodes that skip can be watched without any problem when transferred to a computer and watched using VLC Media Player. Yes, I'm talking about the same file.

I would like to suggest that there must be something in the broadcast data causing this problem if it occurs identically on separate equipment receiving a signal from different transmitters, but that the problem is only shown up on the PVRs. Maybe the way they decode the information needs to be more robust?