Hello all, first time here so be gentle

Well, where do I start. Coming from SkyHD, or at least, trying to, but my first experiences of the HDR is making the transition harder than I thought. Let me expand a little.

Vers. U7.53 on both boxes

Bought 1st HDR 3 days ago. Plugged it in, entered postcode and went through the wizard. Great says I. Then it started, entered the guide screen and tried to input Lark Rise and Dancing on Ice, both as series links on Sunday night. Conflict says the HDR, but there's nothing in the schedule I gently explained to it. Deleted everything from schedule and tried again - conflicts everwhere again. Gave me alternatives ITV 1 Lon for some reason. So I said -Ok, get it from there then and pressed the "other alternative" button, but nothing happened. Whatever I did, didn't make any difference. Had this with every other prog I tried to schedule - even when there was nothing else reserved for that day. Hmmmm, as they say.

Took it back. Got another yesterday.

Same thing happened this evening, conflict after conflict with nothing in the planner ( sorry, schedule). So I did a system reset .....and..... and..... bingo. It actually let me input stuff when and wherefrom I wanted it.

Now, my questions and concerns are these:

1. Are system resets something I need to get used to ?

2. I want to series link progs like Corry, Top Gear etc. When pressing "record" from the Guide plate, it sets the record flag and I see the multiple square boxes up in the top-right of the screen but when checking in the Schedule tab, theres no series-link boxes to be seen. Is this normal and will there indeed be a series link set ? Funnily enough, if I go to the "Find" tab and set the prog to record from there, it asks me if I want to record the series or not and it puts the series-link symbol in my schedule. I don't get this question-box in the guide screen ever.

3. "Receiving programme info". Top-right of screen, had it for 4 hrs this afternoon and keeps coming back intemittently. Is this normal ?

4. Laaagggg in the guide screen. I mean to say I press a button on the remote and wait a full 2 seconds at times. Not always, but it's not instant by any means ever.

I don't mean to be negative, I'm really trying very hard to like this box and ditch Sky, but basic stuff like setting a series link easily and not getting conflict nag screens isn't conducive to a peaceful transition.

Please tell me I'm doing something wrong, or at least... please tell me something...

Regards to all....
Phil

*edit* I have twin LNB's ( 2 cables ) and iI'm getting full or near full strengths and quality's everywhere according to the menu .

*edit 2* With regard to point 4, I have removed both plastic strips and also have the front panel down. I am approx 8-10 feet from the box.

Hi Phil,
1. I have never had to do a system reset. Cant explain why you have had to but I wouldnt expect these to be a regular thing. People who have used Sky and moved to the Foxsat do say that the firmware/box is more stable than the Sky one. Open to opinion of course.

2. Not sure about pressing record. Press the OK button in the guide and you'll get the series link options. I'd guess the record button just records that one episode but never tried it so cant be sure.

3. Can't help on this one, I've never noticed it to be honest.

4. LLaaaagggg, yes I experience this. It's not great bu I guess you get use to it!!

I really like the Humax but I can't compare it to Sky as I cancelled with them about 10 years ago. Hopefully you'll grow to appreciate the box as you get use to the controls of the remote and behaviours of the firmware.

All the best and welcome to the forum. There's people far more knowledgeable than me on here who will be happy to help.

James

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s....php?t=1424696

had the same troubles with series records (see thread above)

not sure if this is the answer but sometimesthis happens (mostly on ITV) and confuses the HDR...

Not receiving program info and lots of conflicts sounds like a cable fault, check both cables and signal levels again on various transponders. The system reset probably selected the 2 cables which were working at the time but then the fault occured again and you lost one.

If you press schedule then press red you go to the program guide without any delay. Picture and sound are not lost either.

Dan

ITV have screwed up the series recording codes for some of the ITV-regions for Dancing On Ice (there's a thread on here about it) which causes the hdr to try and make multiple HD and SD recordings involving 103 119 977 and 112. Whether you get the problem depends on your postcode (a Manchester one works).

To check you have two working connections tune to 108 and press the record button (starting an instant recording), now tune to 109 and start a second instant recording. Tune to a selection of 3rd channels and try live pause on all of them. If that works you have two working tuners.

To set a recording from the guide you use the OK key not the record key.

The schedule list only contains the next due episode although future ones are flagged in the epg.

Persistant receiving prog guide info is usually fixed by a freesat retune (you don't have to save the results if you don't want to). It should only take about 30 seconds for a new guide but you really only need to use the guide button after a reset.

The epg is slow after pressing guide as it's building a new one, as already said Schedule/red solves this one as it displays the already buffered epg.

Well, what a mine of info on this forum. Thanks to all who replied.

Janes and Dan, thank you. pressing select insreaf of the record button certainly does bring up the "record series" bos as I wanted, Excellent!

Calidron, Seems the 2 cables are ok and Graham, I tried the 108, 109 and pausing a third channel and that works fine, so it seems I do have 2 cables with good integrity. Thank you for the heads up there. I deleted some channels I didn't need ( like all the +1's) and which seemed to be causing the conflict anomilies and now it's working fine. Excellent again.

My two last decisions to make are:

1. Should I have gone for the freeview version ( HDR T2 ?) being as it receives the same channels as I would watch on freesat and is a later box so I would assume a "better" EPG and firmware or stay with this Freesat box.

2. Should I go back to "cough" Sky, pay for the minimum package, get the channels I miss like Discovery, History, Crime etc and wait for a newer Freesat offering from Humax, which I presume can't be too far away given the HDR is coming up for 3 years old.

Any offerings greatfully accepted.
Phil

The channel line up is different between Freeview and Freesat (for instance Freeview currently has CH4 HD which is promised for Freesat in April) with some channels on one platform and not on the other and vice versa. You need also to check that Freeview-HD is available where you are as it's far from offering a near 100% coverage at the moment.

The freesat box also allows access to hundreds of channels not on the freesat epg and the ability to record HD without encryption.

Only you can say if Sky's subscription channels are worth the money, bear in mind that the Sky box will cost around £15.00/annum in additional energy costs and even using the Freesat From Sky option will cost a minimum of £10.00 monthly to record.

I think you are being very optimistic to assume Freeview+ boxes will have better firmware, being new it's going to take a while for them to shake the bugs out. The hdr firmware is now pretty mature although we are waiting for an update to fix the power cut bug and enable time shift buffer recording

Humax are not know for speedy releases - or even releasing things when they say they will.

It would not be in the least surprising if they hadn't released the new box by the end of the year.

They haven't even managed the release of the expected update for the current box.

Just work out how much you will pay sky if yo go back to them for a year.

Compare with the cost of a box now less what you could get for it in a years time. I think it's pretty obvious which would be the better deal.

Of course, whether you think 'Discovery, History and Crime' are worth ~£240 a year is entirely up to you.

It must look really bad to a new user getting all these conflicts, they never used to be there until a few months back - as others have said its the broadcasters broadcasting the wrong id codes for their programs. Suggest we all complain to both the broadcaster and to freesat - since the broadcaster must be in violation of the EPG agreement with Freesat.

I spent a fortune on aerials, masts, masthead amps, new cables, 5 different makes of Freeview box, 3 different transmitters (I spent that much time on the ladder I had grooves in my feet) and that was just to get SD consistantly. Since my move to Freesat 30 months ago, sheer bliss (except for the 2 ft of snow on the dish that is!), Freesat rules!

Well, thanks again to everyone. I've decided to stay with the Foxsat HDR and ditch Sky. I can wean myself off the channels mentioned I expect. I'll just look around the EPG and record other progs that interest me.

I've also treated myself to a Harmony 300i remote, and with a bit of quiet explanation to said remote, have now got all four of my main devices working as I want them to. Panny Plasma, Pioneer PVR, Panny Home Cinema and the Humax. This has made things so much easier all round and it actually works ! And works well. It's pretty amazing how technology comes on over the years, my experiences with a Harmony remote some years ago was a different kettle of fish. Thanks to Jepson in another thread here for the heads up on that.

Thanks all. I expect I'll be here asking for more info and help before long. For now, I'm going EPG hunting.

Phil.

Good luck.

Read with interest as i am awaiting the delivery of my Harmony 300 and I too have a Panny Home Cinema...and a very dated Panny DVD/Ram machine..
However in our house the FreeSKY has to over-rule everything for the missus..to enable her to watch her progs also around the house..I have no grumbles with that..At the last count we had four SKY remotes.. all working.. so the Harmony will not be swimming in those waters ..

Another question if I may. I had a magic eye in another room connected to RF 2 on the Sky box and now need to make that work with the Humax. Being that there is no RF 2 out on the Humax, I was wondering if this is possible. I have a friend who reckons he can make up a box to this. Has anyone here been there and done that?
Regards
Phil

PS. To stanandjan, the 300i is working just dandy. Makes life easier and very easily customisable using the interactive tool at www.myharmony.com.

You need a box to power the magic eye and convert the coax remote control signals back to IR by the hdr

eg

http://www.bluedelta.co.uk/smart-blaster.html

You also need an external modulator to send the pictures

You should also consider a video sender solution.

If you want full control in the second room then this is the way, but picture will not be that great. I have this setup but don't use it as all I need is to be able to watch old recordings upstairs, you can do this and get a pixel perfect picture by using a replacement firmware on the HDR and a network media player in your second room. We're awaiting a new unofficial firmware in next few days that will make the streaming from the HDR easier to achieve - its a bit too techie right now to install it.