have you had any recordings finish early using the auto setting since the 117r upgrade, or haven't you tried it on auto.

i think your back to back recordings may have failed because of the extra minute you have added to the end.

you shouldn't really have to add a minute to the end as it should record the whole programme without the padding, thats the point of the 117r software and how it should work.

is there any chance you could try a back to back recording on one channel whilst recording or watching another channel using the auto setting without any padding, thats the only way we will know 117r is working properly for sure.

Yes I'm sure the extra minute was the reason. I've got some programmes scheduled to record the series on Auto and some Timed. If I get chance to try a test I'll post the result.

ok thanks, or if anyone else watching gets some time would you mind trying it as its the only way we will know if 117r is working properly.

basically test test is-
record two programmes back to back on the same channel whilst also recording another programme on a different channel, but using the auto setting without any padding.

if anyone could find the time it will be much appreciated.


thanks

I set the box to record back to back episodes of Family Guy on BBC3 and a conscurrent episode of Rapture? on BBC4 (don't watch either programme) on Auto. A quick check this morning showed all three had recorded correctly. I thought I had also set a programme to record following Rapture on BBC4 but that didn't appear in the Library so that's my only doubt. For what it's worth I think any issues are relvatively minor and wouldn't put me off buying again - especially now they're £50 cheaper!

thanks for doing the test, it seems like all is well and 117r has worked, except for the possible failure of the recording after rapture that you are not sure about. when i had one of these before running the 112r software i often had recordings set to record in the schedule and they used to totally disappear without trace and it used to leave me wondering whether i had set the recording or not, you were probably wondering the same this morning.

anyway i think it is probably safe to give one of these another go now, especially with it now being £50 cheaper, i wonder if it will come down in price any more.

well i've took the plunge and just ordered one from amazon, it seems like the software problems have been sorted now, i just hope this one's a bit quieter than the last one. at least amazon have a good returns policy if not.

i think this is the best pvr on the market when its working properly, i did think about trying another panasonic dmr-xs380, but having thought about it the echostar is better in most departments and it is in a different league to the foxsat hdr, and now its only £299 its not that much more expensive.

Anything you buy online is covered by the Distance Selling Regulations. If you don't want it then all you need do is inform the seller within 7 working days after the day of delivery & you can return the item for a full refund less shipping.

i believe the nice people at amazon give you 30 days.

i have had my hds-600rs for two days now, its running the 117r software and works perfectly. i tried two back to back recordings on bbc hd whilst making two back to back on itv hd at the same time and all four recordings recorded perfectly, so looks like echostar have made a good job of the latest software release. they have also made a few more minor enhancements since the first one i had running software version 112r, the whole thing just seems a lot more complete and reliable now with no glitches at all. also this one is a lot quieter than my first one, i think it must have had a loose fan or something, this one just has a small amount of hard drive noise when you are close up about the same as the foxsat hdr and panasonic dmr-xs380 has.

i think this is easily the best freesat pvr on the market now that the software has been sorted out. as a basic pvr it is far better than the foxsat hdr, i think the foxsat may have a few more tricks up its sleeve as a media or file server but this is just superior in every other way. the design and ease of use and speed of the menus makes the foxsat seem about ten years old in comparison and the picture quality is excellent as well, the best of all the products i have tried. the whole thing looks great and is a joy to use and the remote is well designed as well.

if anyone is being put off by the looks of the box, i think once its in situation under my tv it looks great. it looks a little bit different which i think is a good thing as all other products look pretty much the same. its certainly a talking point and catches the eye as well people always ask what it is and say it looks good.

so if anyone is thinking of buying a freesat pvr and has been reading this thread and holding off till the software was sorted, i think i can safely say it is safe to buy one now. when you take in to account it has a sling box built in at £299 its not really that expensive, a decent pvr with a 500gb hard drive costs £250 anyway, and this is now the best on the market. even though i am probably not going to be using the sling features i still think its worth it just to get a freesat pvr that works like it should, and believe me its been hard work finding one, looks like fourth time lucky for me.

Glad you found something which ticks all your boxes in the end . I'm sorely tempted to try one out, the problem is that the HDR is performing well here and I'm not sure how I'd justify trialling yet another box at this point!

However, that's never stopped me before so could I ask a few questions about the Echostar just to see if there are any deal-makers or breakers before we get to that point?

1) Does it record from the buffer such that, if you are already part-way through watching something and decide to record it, it will record from the start (if it's in the buffer, that is)?

2) If you press Guide, does it pop up the genre menu first and, if so, can it be disabled?

3) Does it create folders automatically for series?

4) When you view the guide or recordings menu, can you still hear (or even view) the current program?

5) Is it quick to delete recordings, both in the time the machine takes and also the number of keypresses required?

I don't really find the HDR menus particularly slow to be honest and so this must be blisteringly fast in comparison! As you know, I also don't have a problem with the picture quality of the HDR and as most of my household will happily watch SD channels even though HD equivalents are available then the picture quality isn't likely to be a major selling point here but there are certainly areas of the HDR which could be improved upon providing we don't lose other functionality in the process.

Thanks for any feedback on this.

hi,

yes it records from the buffer no problem, if you are watching a programme thats half way through and you press the record button a box pops up telling you it will record the whole programme giving you the start and finish times and then you just press ok.

yes if you press the guide button the genre menu pops up first, i don't think you can disable this. doesn't bother me as i just press the guide button twice and am in the guide pretty quick. i have found myself actually using the genre menu sometimes as well.

i haven't actually done any series link recordings yet but have read in reviews that it does put them in folders, i will know for myself by tonight though as i have one set.

yes when you are in the guide or recordings menu you can still hear the programme you are watching, you can also see the programme if you have the menu transparency set to high, i use it on high and can still read the guide ok.

it takes two button presses to delete a recording, when in the library you press the red button then a box pops up asking if you are sure and then you press ok, i think this is a good idea as it stops you deleting a recording by mistake. the deleting of the actual programme takes 3-4 seconds for a half hour recording.

if you are watching a programme in SD a message will pop up in the top right hand corner and tell you it is also being broadcast in HD, press the red button to watch. might make the family watch more HD.



i would find it very interesting to hear your thoughts if you were to buy one, with you being a happy hdr owner. a lot of people on these forums seem to want an alternative to the hdr but don't seem to be interested in this box, maybe its the price. quite a few tried the new samsung box but that turned out to be a disaster so maybe they just think its safer sticking with the hdr now. or it could be the looks, i think it looks great it grows on you all the time, i think its my best looking piece of kit now.

i am chuffed to bits with this box now that the software has been sorted out, and i've also got a quiet one this time as well.

Thanks for the comprehensive info. I think I'll try to get to John Lewis to take a look at one of these. I don't know if they have them hooked up to play around with, I suspect not.

I'd be interested in the folders situation for series when you've tried it out as I couldn't find any reference to folders in the manual.

The HDR pops up the option to watch a HD channel as well but I think years of watching BBC1 as the first channel on the list has entrenched the behaviour! It wouldn't be so bad if there wasn't still the need to watch the local news on the SD channel, otherwise I could just delete the SD one and remove the option .

Thanks again.

Just to add to that.

Guide genres are now a freesat requirement.

If you press toggle record half way through a recording it adds the normal program details to the entry in the library.

You can turn off genres on the Humax Freesat box so while it may be a freesat requirement to have the capability there's no compulsion to display genres when calling up the epg.

There is, those who offered the turn off before can keep it. Freesat are adamant new box manufacturers have to have show genres. Although there has been complaints about this and freesat are considering taking it off. J

In that case I am glad I got an older design. If for some reason I do a factory reset the first change I make is turn off the genre display

i asked John Lewis if they had one set up when i was first looking for one and they said they were not allowed to. good thing about buying from JL though is that if you don't like it you can just return it, even after six months.

i am afraid it doesn't put series link recordings into folders, sounds like it might be a deal breaker for you, it doesn't really bother me but i think it would be better if it did. you never know its something that might come in a future update if owners start requesting it. there is definitely room for improvement in the library department like the folders thing and also marking programmes that have been watched and also telling you which channel you recorded the programme on. other than those things though i think it is superb and they are all things that can easily be implemented at a later date.

Folders: another freesat requirement for new manufacturers, so I beleive this will be sent in the next sw release.

So, I went back to the Humax after the recording failures with the old software.

Since 117R, I've been running them simultaneously - Humax as the primary unit, Echostar set to record the same programmes.

I've not had any recording failures with 117, which is a big improvement. However, last week it did start screwing up the guide - it lost virtually all of the series links.

And by that, I mean that the series link recording entries stayed in the planner, but did not pick up the next programme. If you went to the guide, the same programmes did not have any series link icons. A few didn't have HD alternatives marked.

I've performed a factory reset, and now the guide is showing series links correctly - and set up new recordings. I'll see how it goes over the next couple of weeks. It would be good if there was a way to reset the guide, and have it keep the planned recordings - matching them back up with the guide.

Whilst this software is an improvement, it still doesn't seem like it's ready for prime time yet.

I didn't realise that the John Lewis returns were that flexible, thanks for the info.

The double press on Guide to bypass genres wouldn't be a problem but the lack of folders may well be a bit of an issue here.

I asked Echostar about this and they confirmed that folders would be implemented in the next update which is expected about the middle of June. So that looks promising and they may mop up any other lingering quirks then as well.

those series links that were screwed up were they set before the 117r update, im just wondering if some of the info might not have transfered to the new software properly when you did the software update.

its a new policy JL started in february, might be for in store purchases only though, im not sure.

just out of interest, when you asked Echostar the question about the folders how long did it take them to reply. i am thinking of asking them if we can have recordings marked that have been watched, i think it will be really handy especially once we get folders, which sounds like it wont be to long.

I wouldn't have a problem buying in store with that sort of policy. I could have done with that for the replacement for my XS380 which I'm still waiting for!

They were very quick, which is always a good sign. I asked the question at 10:30pm last night and they replied at 10:15am this morning.

you seem to have been waiting a long time to get that xs380 replaced, i dread to think what JL would charge for it though.

that was a very quick reply from echostar, i think they are a good company and are determined to get this box right, they are very very close now in my opinion. then again i've only had mine since friday so it will be a few weeks before i know how reliable it is for sure, but it s fine up to now.

No - I had stopped using the Echostar weeks earlier. I had reset / reformatted the entire device, and then applied 117r. It was after that I set up the recordings.

The series links started off working, then after a few days it started to lose series information and alternate broadcasts in the guide.