Hi

Bought the above Freesat+ yesterday and all seems to working OK apart from not being able to order favourites (which I've seen on another thread) but the series link function doesn't appear to work either.

Series linked EastEnders last night as a test and it recorded fine but in the scheduled recordings list it is there but with no channel, date or time displayed although it does have the series link icon at the end of the row but in the guide for Tuesday (the next time it is on) the programme is not highlighted in red.

I'm thinking of changing over from Sky+ so I'm used to the way that their series link works and shows in the planner and as I work strange hours I always series link all programmes and watch them when convenient.

Does anybody know how the series link is supposed to show on the Echostar or has anybody had a problem with it?

Think I'm running the latest version of the software (121R) as it prompted a download and install last night (which I did) when initially setting it up.

Thanks

121R removed certain features such as manual record so you need the new instruction book

http://www.myechostar.com/~/media/Ne...al_web_3b.ashx

I cant explain why all I know echostar confirmed that feature has been removed.

The Series link feature does appear to have a life of its own and some will link correctly and others will appear with no date or time so you need to double check - it may be at a later date the link will reappear but as I just delete the entry and then reset it { if you don't delete the entry it will not allow you to set the next recording }

you will find a large discussion at http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/digital...star-hds-600rs

but its not clear if the people who claim they don't have any problems are using 121R or a previous version.

I am testing it out - last week it recorded The One Show BBC1 but it does not show a entry for Monday so I am leaving it on the list { even although there is no time or date } and see what it does and will post again tomorrow .

I tried mine again today (after a factory reset) with 4 in a bed on More 4 just as a test. Recorded the first one ok but ignored the next 4 episodes. Tried to set them to record again and it says they are already set to record.

As I said above only bought it on Friday so Echostar have a week to resolve or back to the shop it goes!

Please let me know what happens with The One Show and I'll do likewise if I can get it to work!

I was speaking about daily or weekly links - it has never been able to handle consecutive links hence why manual record of a specific time frame would be ever so handy but Echostar thought it best to remove that feature which makes no
sense at all .

if there is a film split in two such as Channel Five does on a regular basis - if the EPG shows the whole film then it will record it but if it shows it split in two then only the first part will be recorded.

If I want to record so many hours I just set my DVD recorder to record direct from the freesat box so skipping its timer.

they clearly have some work to do with the software.

the daily link does work but not for every advance link hence why you need to check it every night

I only use my one as a backup.

re BIB - that is not how they sell it on their website with the wording: 'Series link ensures that all your favourite programmes are recorded at the touch-of-a-button.'

It's horses for courses I suppose but personally I don't see the point in having the functionality of a PVR and then manually having to set a DVD recorder (if I still had one) to cover it's short comings.

Thankfully I haven't cancelled my Sky subscription and while it might erk me to pay their fees for the minimal number of subscription channels I use (which I am happy to live without) after my experience with the Echostar box this weekend I think I'll carrying on shelling out my monthly subs for the convenience of the Sky+HD functionality - far superior!

Unless, of course, those in the know on these forums can recommend a comparable alternative.........

I suspect that previous versions of the software were less flawed than the latest one hence why some owners don't report any problems and why I fired out a few e-mails to Echostar to let them know that its not performing as claimed.

Have a read at the comments at http://www.amazon.co.uk/EchoStar-HDS...cm_rdp_product

but check the date they were posted { as many are before the latest update }

I can live with its flaws until they bring out a patch to solve the main problems.

Below is the email I sent to Echostar. Some of the scenarios relate to series links but also dual recordings. (I hope they come up with a new patch soon as I still like what the box can do.)
<=========>

Hi,

I am experiencing some 'glitches' with my HDS-600RS. I only have the box a few weeks. I have the latest software release 121R.

(1) After adding/deleting programmes from the Library and Schedule, I sometimes get a Timer Name called 'Unknown event' which I can't delete other than turning the box off & on.

(2) 2 recordings: watching 1. Switch channel: "Do you want to cancel recording?" Press 'OK'. Programme deleted from Library but series link for programme also deleted. I don't think that is right?

(3) 2 programmes scheduled for recording. Through the Progamme Guide if I select a new programme to record that is in the timeframe of the 2 exisiting scheduled progammes, the box deletes one of the exisitng programmes without warning me first.

(4) This is the more serious one which happened last night.

This problem revolved around having set multiple recordings and switching between them: 7-8pm (forgot which channel); 7.30-8pm ITV1 HD; 8-9pm BBC1 HD; 8-10pm ITV1 HD; 9-10pm BBC HD.

At 8pm I switched to BBC 1 HD - I was asked if I wanted to cancel the current recording - this deleted the programme from the library while always removing the series link (is this a bug?). Watching BBC 1 HD, the screen went blank after 1 minute. I checked the Library and the programme at 8pm on ITV1 HD 'Failed'. I reset this to ITV1+1. Continued to watch existing programme.

Just before 9pm I turned the box off. I rechecked at 10.30pm. The 9-10pm programme on BBC HD recorded OK. 'Lewis' on ITV+1 at 9pm seemed to be recording away.

I noticed that was 2 Eastenders in the Library. Yet I deleted it earlier and the series before I turned the box off. The first Eastenders was recorded in full. A same epsiode was recording again. So I deleted the recorded one. I couldn't delete the one currently recording. I played the recording 'Lewis', came back out to the main Library menu: 'Lewis' now became ;Eastenders' in name on the Library menu. I couldn't delete it. It seemed to be in a loop: everytime I played it, stopped it, came back to Library menu, the 'recording' Eastenders was starting again!

After trying a few different things (I can't remember what), the recording stopped. I thought I was going to have unplug the box as I was afraid the recording was going to continually loop around and fill the hard disk.

(5) According to the user manual in the 'Settings' icon there should be a sub-menu in the 'TV, Audio & Library setup' under the 'Library Setup' menu called 'Auto Conflict Resolution'. This sub-menu does not exist in 'Settings' on my box. I wonder would that fix some of the problems above?

Regards,

Thanks for posting here as well, as I said..
look forward to their response, as I just ordered the box (from Play as Amazon was OOS - I just hope Play are as good).

You should have mentioned that you asked around on websites and that you were going to post their response to help others. By doing that they should also realise that if they do not reply, we get to see the standard of their service!

I think theres serious problems with the series link now on a lot of programmes.

i emailed echostar a few days ago, got this reply.

Thank you for sending your query concerning your EchoStar SlingLoaded® HDS-600RS.

Im still having problems with my box missing recordings using 121R, it will record bbc breakfast on bbc1 hd all week, then miss the saturday one.
Also it will record the first half of this morning on itv hd then miss the second part.
Now ive set it to record all euro 2012 matches on bbc1 hd and itv1 hd, it should record them all, but just records the first match, when i try and highlight a second match on the same channel it say its set to record, but the programme isnt highlighted , and it doesnt record it.

We are aware of this issue as we have noticed that there has been a change to the broadcaster signaling and are currently analyzing. For now we recommend you to set each recording separately instead of using the series link recording option.

Also why was the manual recording removed, when you could set manually program recordings? a huge loss.

We understand that you would like to see some of the HDS-600RS current behavior changed/optimized or add new features to this device. Your input is valuable to us, it will be forwarded to the relevant department and considered for future updates for the HDS-600RS platform. However by improving our software we sometimes need to re-evaluate previous behavior and in worse case need to ‘sacrifice’ some minor functionality.

New software versions will be communicated via our website: www.myechostar.com/support , so we would ask that you look here for future updates.

Thanks for that post re Echostar the series link problem.

Hopefully they'll have a fix soon. Despite the problems I still like the box. I could return it but I am going to take a chance and hope they fix the software quickly.

Hmmm, lucky you. I emailed them late on Friday, it's now Wednesday and apart from the automated email response not heard a thing.

The series link problem is the biggest issue for me as I could have probably lived with not being able to re-order the favourites list, selecting library on the remote muted my sound bar, adjusting the volume on my sound bar changed the channel on the Echostar box, poor reponse times (comapred to Sky+), etc., so mine is off back to the shop for a refund on Saturday. The Sky box will be back under the TV this evening until I find a comparable alternative.

this bit kills me as owners are not asking for new features they are just asking for the claimed features to work 100%

as to ' sacrifice’ some minor functionality ' I and I bet there is many like me who would not call manual record a minor functionality.

its interesting on http://www.myechostar.com/~/media/Ne...es%20121R.ashx

they rabbit on about what they have added but not a word of what has been removed.

I reckon there was a bug and to get around it they decided to use a hatchet rather than a scalpel and they are trying to bluff it out.

I already contacted them and got the same bullshit so perhaps if it more of us battered them with e-mails then they may do something about it

this is their direct e-mail support@myechostar.com

its bloody daft they spend ages replying to e-mail rather than correcting the issues - its not rocket science to get manual record and series link to work.

I will give it a month, if it's still dodgy , its going back to amazon

It is good to know that they reply.
Are there certain channels or certain programmes that it does not work on, or is the problem so bad that there are only certain programmes or channels that it actually does work on.

at first the series link was working but then all of a sudden they were not.

It can affect any channel as far as I can see.

Now it may be that when the drive gets fuller it starts going wonky.

I only use it as a backup so for now I have ditched series recordings as I don't have time to mess about.

Whatever is causing the problem Echostar will have to sort it out otherwise they will lose out on sales.

I am hanging on just now in the hope they get it sorted out pronto otherwise I will claim under the 12 month guarantee as its not working 100%.

The whole advantage with PVR's is series record so even although its not a mechanical fault its still not doing what it should be doing.

BIB: Not sure that is the case. Mine was brand new out of the box so nothing at all on the hard disk.

It failed on BBC1HD, ITV1HD, E4 and More4 so don't even think it is a problem with some channels.

Still no response from the Echostar support team either.

oh dear now I am worried.
How many ppl reading this thread have contacted EchoStar and how many have heard back?
I will test mine once I get my installation.

Just to say I got a reply from Echostar this morning re: the problems with series link. The email is similar to user 'Balb0wa' post/email above and mentions a change in broadcastor signal as possible cause. I think that Echostar bothered to reply is a good indicator - I know many companies who wouldn't even reply.

The thing is, if it is broadcaster signal, or the codes for each program, should they be failing on all freesat recorders ?

They would be if that was so. There may well have been a minor change to the codes that would make no difference if the freestat spec have been followed exactly.

Or followed with more anticipation of minor obvious errors in the broadcast stream which can be corrected for even if such error-handling is not mandated in the spec?

There appear to be other problems to.
For example yesterday in Secret Millionaire on Ch4. It was in HD, but the box did not offer the option to switch to the HD channel like it did for the football and other HD programmes (even quiz shows on ITV...)
So it does not even know when the same programme is on at the same time!

I don't think that's ever worked for Channel 4/HD, only for the BBC and ITV HD channels.

I wonder how much of this due to schedule changes to accommodate the sports events such as Euro 2012.

I also had similar problems with my Sky+ box in the past but not as profound. I have experienced the same problems as above and decided to delete all scheduled recordings. I took a photo, of the scheduled recordings list, on my phone as a record to save having to write them all down.

I then deleted them all. I the turned the box right off by putting it in stand-by and then unplugging from the mains and left it for at least 30 seconds.

I used to have to do a complete power down fairly regularly with my Sky+ box when it would completely lock up.

After powering the box back on I re-scheduled all my programmes. So far this has solved the problem but will update here after a week or so.

I have had another problem regarding the clock freezing, after accessing the unit from my iPad, which I solved by powering off.

I would suggest this method of solving most problems prior to resorting to a factory reset. If your unit is plugged into a switched socket its best to switch off from there rather than pulling the power lead from the back of the box.
Last edited by mezzmuzz : 20-06-2012 at 16:27

I have the same thing, series link has stopped recording pretty much anything. Programme doesnt show red in the guide. Trying to re-set the programme to record from the guide results in "already set to record". The scheduled rec page shows no channel/date/time for any of the series links.

Also another couple of bugs IMHO, pressing OK on the scheduled rec page just has the same effect as pressing blue (for Daily Schedule) and therefore doesn't show any information at all about the scheduled item. And the Daily Schedule page is erratic and sometimes shows a lot of info, sometimes almost nothing. It also doesn't mention any of the failed recordings at all.

I have recently updated to 121R and cannot work out if this has happened as a result of the update. While I was not 100% confident series link always worked, it was pretty reliable. Obviously now it's exceptionally poor.

I've said before whatever device I have series link absolutely must work! I spend as short time as possible setting my box to record everything we might be interested in, and may not look at it for weeks at a time, expecting to see a massive list of stuff we're interested in available when we DO come to watch the TV.

I don't believe "something's changed in the signal" and even if it has, it's not an excuse, echostar's software should comply with the standard, and if they've made a cock and it doesn't, a version that works should be out by now.