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Humax Foxsat HDR loses timer programs after mains interuption |
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#26 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,089
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Quote:
What is absent is only so because Humax either have not the wit or the willingness to provide it.
Unfortunately, retrofitting the required hardware (or BIOS equivalent) mod is not a practical proposition so we're stuck with it). I'm surprised they haven't made the change for newly manufactured models, though. It is a major cock up and one I would have thought they'd want affecting as few models 'in the field' as possible. It's a pity that no there's Humax representative who will explain the exact situation and their position. |
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#27 |
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Quote:
retrofitting the required hardware (or BIOS equivalent) mod is not a practical proposition
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#28 |
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Join Date: Jan 2008
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I have never had this problem, despite many powercuts.
Possibly because all my electronic equipment is protected by UPS units which keep them running and also protect them from any power surges. UPS units are less than £50 and are a worthwhile purchase. That said, Humax should still have fixed this problem. |
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#29 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
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Not at all. This needs a minor change to the loader and is retrofittable,
You'd need to know quite a bit about the intimate details of the Humax hardware to credibly make such a claim. Particularly as it seems at odds with their behaviour on this issue. I'll admit I should have said "is probably not a practical proposition". |
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#30 |
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Join Date: Jun 2010
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FYI, I have just written to Humax Head Office, NOT their Cust Service, complaining about no fixes for the box losing timer/program info and time slip recording ending at program's scheduled end time.
I have also referred them to this thread and asked if they will post a response to these issues for everyone's benefit - but I'm not holding my breath ............ |
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#31 |
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Join Date: Sep 2001
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I suppose if it can be fixed it would be in the boot loader part of the operating system which can be updated from a usb flash drive but not over the air.
http://www.humaxdigital.com/uk/suppo...tegory_seq=65# (current version 7.53). |
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#32 |
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: West Yorks
Posts: 6,180
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Quote:
FYI, I have just written to Humax Head Office, NOT their Cust Service, complaining about no fixes for the box losing timer/program info and time slip recording ending at program's scheduled end time.
I have also referred them to this thread and asked if they will post a response to these issues for everyone's benefit - but I'm not holding my breath ............ |
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#33 |
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Join Date: Apr 2005
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Just happened to be looking at the forum and thought it was pertinent that I comment:
I am currently in Korea and have had further discussions with the head of the development for the freesat products this morning. We discussed the request and he will look at the feasibility of it again while he is looking at some other issues as well. I am afraid this is another wait-and-see message but I can say the issue is not forgotten. Changing the boot-loader of a CE product *is* a significant act and so even *if* this feature is added it won't be part of any update which we broadcast over the air. It would be an additional manual update, which could be done in a simple process using a standard USB flash disk. If we were to broadcast an update to the boot-loader we would be risking "bricking" a portion of the population of products and many more customer would be in a much worse situation than we are now. Bob @ Humax |
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#34 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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Quote:
Just happened to be looking at the forum and thought it was pertinent that I comment:
I am currently in Korea and have had further discussions with the head of the development for the freesat products this morning. We discussed the request and he will look at the feasibility of it again while he is looking at some other issues as well. I am afraid this is another wait-and-see message but I can say the issue is not forgotten. Changing the boot-loader of a CE product *is* a significant act and so even *if* this feature is added it won't be part of any update which we broadcast over the air. It would be an additional manual update, which could be done in a simple process using a standard USB flash disk. If we were to broadcast an update to the boot-loader we would be risking "bricking" a portion of the population of products and many more customer would be in a much worse situation than we are now. Bob @ Humax So, from what you say, there is no hardware constraint that prevents the software being changed to overcome this problem. |
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#35 |
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Join Date: Jun 2002
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Quote:
... while he is looking at some other issues as well...
Bob @ Humax |
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#36 |
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Join Date: Oct 2004
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I thought the consenuse was that that was a broadcast problem?
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#37 |
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I thought the consenuse was that that was a broadcast problem?
There's a claim from a Panasonic PVR owner that it recorded first 3 episodes correctly. Also, if it is purely a broadcast issue (ie no start signal sent), I'd like there to be an option to record regardless. Actually what I'd like is the option to have it: - start recording at the EARLIER of scheduled start and AR start signal, with a bookmark automatically added at the AR start so a resume playback would start from the AR point - stop recording at the LATER of AR stop/scheduled duration, but never more than (say) 2 hours later than scheduled stop - to avoid a missing AR stop signal causing recording to continue till the hard drive has filled up (never had this myself but there have been seperate reports) [The above assumes that the AR system is rather naive and just sends a start and stop signal for each programme, I'd expect it to be a bit more sophisticated than that, for example being able to explicitly flag late-running/ overrunning programs, or change in schedule which ought to allow better automatic handling as the PVR could then revert to scheduled time if no flag telling it to delay the start was received - anyone know how the AR system is implemented on Freesat ? Can't find any specification for it online - I'm guessing it's in the DTG D-book but that's only available to members] |
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#38 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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I thought the consenuse was that that was a broadcast problem?
Similarly, on those occasions where people have reported a severely truncated recording a sanity check should determine that a programme that is listed in the EPG at, e.g. 60 mins and has only been recording for 3 should revert to the scheduled duration. |
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#39 |
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Actually what I'd like is the option to have it:
- start recording at the EARLIER of scheduled start and AR start signal, with a bookmark automatically added at the AR start so a resume playback would start from the AR point - stop recording at the LATER of AR stop/scheduled duration, but never more than (say) 2 hours later than scheduled stop - to avoid a missing AR stop signal causing recording to continue till the hard drive has filled up (never had this myself but there have been seperate reports)
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#40 |
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Join Date: Jun 2004
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I've only owned two pvr's - Topfield 5800 and Humax HDR. I believe both were designed and manufactured in Korea. Both machines were initially unable to recover from a power cut when in standby. Thanks to some very clever owners and the 'open' nature of the firmware, the Topfield eventually had this bug removed. We are still waiting for Humax. Perhaps another clever owner could reverse engineer the loader software?
Clearly, Korea never, ever, has a power cut else this bug would never have got past the initial testing stage during development. Perhaps in Korea, the people responsible for maintaining the national electricity system would be shot if they failed in their duties? Geoff |
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#41 |
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 121
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If it is really so hard for Humax to sort out some new BIOS code, perhaps they could release enough information to allow someone else to have a go?
New BIOS would at least solve the problem for future buyers and anyone who can install an update. It usually requires a link on the motherboard to be moved or removed to invoke a BIOS update on this type of product so it might be that Humax think this is too much of a risk. I for one would be pleased to take that risk. |
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#42 |
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Join Date: Feb 2004
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The problem can be fixed without anything as drastic as that. The loader can be updated via USB.
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#43 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,089
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Quote:
If it is really so hard for Humax to sort out some new BIOS code, perhaps they could release enough information to allow someone else to have a go?
New BIOS would at least solve the problem for future buyers and anyone who can install an update. It usually requires a link on the motherboard to be moved or removed to invoke a BIOS update on this type of product so it might be that Humax think this is too much of a risk. I for one would be pleased to take that risk. If the boot loader is activated at mains power on then they can sort out the problem with a revised boot loader. |
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#44 |
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Join Date: Apr 2005
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This issue requires a change to the mechanism that looks after the STB during standby ("micom"), also the boot loader in order to recognise this is a recovery from a power failure state and the STB application in order to do the business of checking everything is OK and then go back to sleep quickly. Every change has implications and this is a change on three levels. There are easy ways to do things and then there is the right way to do things any change should be done the right way.
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#45 |
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Join Date: Sep 2009
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Can these changes be made to the current Foxsat HDR, and if so will they?
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#46 |
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Cradley, Halesowen, W.Mids
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Quote:
This issue requires a change to the mechanism that looks after the STB during standby ("micom"), also the boot loader in order to recognise this is a recovery from a power failure state and the STB application in order to do the business of checking everything is OK and then go back to sleep quickly
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#47 |
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All the code to do all the functionality needed is already there - apart from the check to go back into standby if was woken up after a power cut (and as I have pointed out previously it is less a disaster if it stays on but with the the correct time than if it stays in standby without a scooby). It is just a question of leveraging it.
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#48 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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(and as I have pointed out previously it is less a disaster if it stays on but with the the correct time than if it stays in standby without a scooby). It is just a question of leveraging it.
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#49 |
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Join Date: Oct 2008
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Quote:
All the code to do all the functionality needed is already there
It does need fixing but at the same time I have never suffered because of it due to a power cut as they happen so infrequently. That said, it is a PVR and that is how a PVR should operate otherwise it risks being branded unfit for purpose. I'm optimistic that it can and will be fixed without too much trouble (no reason - just optimistic) and whatever others say Humax are very active in listening to customers concerns and actually responding to them which is a lot better than many other companies out there... |
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#50 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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I'm optimistic that it can and will be fixed without too much trouble (no reason - just optimistic) and whatever others say Humax are very active in listening to customers concerns and actually responding to them which is a lot better than many other companies out there...
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