Humax did, at one point, say they were going to correct the bug but after waiting an inordinate amount of time the beta of the next release does not include a fix so it's now unlikely that it ever will be sorted out.

Some have suggested that the reason it can't be made to work is tied into the fact that the time-shift buffer is unencrypted.

The reason that some of us can praise the box very highly is that we simply never use the feature.

One mode of using a PVR is to set it to record everything you want to watch and only ever watch recordings. That way the 'bug' is not a problem. Unfortunately (as far as the bug is concerned), not everyone does limit themselves to that style of use.

The 'feature' is still there. Although, as pointed out earlier, if you schedule everything, you'll rarely encounter it. Depends on how you'll use the box - going through four different PVRs in my time, I can probably count the times I've used live pause on one hand.

That the time-shift buffer is unencrypted may be a reason why the buffer record feature never arrived. It cannot be a reason for not letting you timeshift to the timeshifted end of programme.

the reason i use it a lot is because i am often on my laptop while watching tv, then something will catch my attention and i will rewind then start watching the programme properly like i should have been in the first place. other times i just don't hear something properly or don't understand something so i rewind and watch it again.

i am glad i came across this thread, at least i can now cross the humax off my list. so im off now to see if the echostar hds-600rs and panasonic units do the same thing.


Thanks for the help.

Agreed, but I suspect that Humax thought that if they couldn't completely sort out the whole problem they weren't going to bother at all.

Did you see this thread http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...8&postcount=60

AS I understand it (not tried it recently) there are two conditions that cause you to lose the end of the time shift buffer.

1 If you are recording the programme, if you are simply view the recording in chasing playback.

2 If the tuner creating the time shift buffer has to be used to carry out a scheduled recording. In this event only a three tuner pvr will avoid this situation.

What you cannot do is back up the time shift buffer and record from there altough if you network the hdr using Raydons software you can transfer the time shift file 0.ts to a PC and in effect record the buffer this way (eliminating HD channel encryption in the process)

3. or if a recording is to follow on the same channel. IIRC

Thanks GC that's the one I always forget.

so are you saying that if there are no recordings about to start, i should be able to watch a full programme from the live buffer without any interruptions.

Yes if you wait till tomorrow I can check to be 100% sure .

I normally record everything I wan't to watch so it's not an issue for me I simply watch the recording in chasing playback which will always get the end (assuming the AR codes are properly sent). The hdr delays the start of the second recording till the first one finishes so overruns chop of the starts not the ends.

Just giving this a bit of thought Graham, I vaguely recall that I posted ages back that the buffer only gets dumped if you are actually timeshifting playback. Imagine you are watching a show in timeshift approaching say 5 o'clock and you realise that there will be a recording at that time on that channel but you desparately need to see the outcome of the preceeding show, you can press the stop button and return to live broadcast and as long as the following recording and the remaining previous output doesn't exceed the two hour buffer then you can wizz back prior to the recording and continue watching the first programme.

I think thats's right, it was a while back now..

yep it only applies if the following recording is on the same channel as long as you have enough tuners, recordings on other channels should have no bearing

Another check for tomorrow

I often watch my humax while using the netbook, I'm doing it now if I miss something I can catch up during ad breaks or even between programmes, as long as you aware of the issue you can quite easily get round it.

i am not even sure if its an issue anymore, it now seems that as long as i have no recordings about to start i should be ok. i am a little confused though as the thread starter seemed to be saying it happened all the time, he never mention whether he had recordings about to start or not.

It is an issue to some people, but as I say if you know it could happen in some circumstances you can be prepared for it. As mentioned in other threads about this instead of pressing pause just press the record button and then do a chasing playback.

Leave it till tommorow I will have a play and test without recordings scheduled. During the evenings the hdr works very hard

thanks very much, i may yet have to put the hdr back on my list , £215 was a very tempting price for the 500gb.

Test under way.

I have tied up one tuner by recording BBC-HD and BBC1-HD manually to cover the test period.

Tuned to Channel 5 to watch How Do They Do It.

I will pause the programme about 10 mins before completion (10:30). After the Gadget Show starts I will check If I can view the beginning and the end of How Do They Do It

hi graham,

rather than pausing it could you just live rewind a few minutes and see if it lets you carry on watching 'how do they do it' till the end without any interruptions.

No problem, now viewing about 5 minutes behind real time.

No problems now viewing Gadget Show about 5 minutes behind real time. I can also rewind to beginning of How Do They Do It and watch it all again from the beginning

I have been giving this a bit of thought - I don't doubt what you describe is happening but I don't see why.
At the end of the live programme all of the programme should be in 0.ts - chase play should not require a tuner - it should just play 0.ts.

thanks graham thats great news.

i am beginning to wonder if i have been misunderstanding some of this thread now, maybe there is only a problem if you pause it, which would not be a problem for me as i don't use pause much. i tend to use the live rewind because i have missed something, pause is for when you know you are going to miss something. if there was an issue when using the pause feature i would have thought you could get round it by just starting to record it properly. the main thing for me is the live rewind and you have confirmed that works fine so that is good enough for me.