I've been using my HDR Fox T2 in the Oxford area for about 10 months without any issues until this last week when I noticed that several new recordings had suffered fragmentations, blocking, etc and were basically unwatchable. On investigating I've found that this seems to happen when I try to record two channels at once - I have also experimented with test recordings of various combinations of channels and this doesn't seem to make a difference to the fault.

The signal strength and quality of each channel during these test recordings is good, at least 80% and in the majority 100%. In addition to this the Fox T2 in the lounge shares its roof aerial (with booster) with the 9300T in my bedroom which is still performing all tasks without any problems (and thus stopping me going *completely* round the bend).

Just in case this wasn't odd and annoying enough, a film recorded from Channel 4 was fine for the first 24 minutes, then was afflicted by the fault despite it being single channel recording until a full 60 minutes in!

Nonetheless I have checked every cable into and out of the box/tv/aerial and rescanned my channels. I have also checked for any software updates and even restored factory settings, though stopped short of formatting the disk so far. I might also add that I haven't fiddled with the box in any way, it is still as shipped.

Does anyone have any tips, tricks, or words of wisdom, or do we think that this will be a "return to Humax" job?

Many thanks!

This sounds to me like a hard disk problem. Options are format the disk, install the custom software and look at the SMART data/try fix-disk or return it to Humax.

By coincidence I logged on because I'm having a similar problem , the picture breaks up and skips, it's worse on the HD channels (almost unwatchable) but also happens on the rest to a lesser degree,I assumed it was the weather.
I had a similar problem a few weeks ago and it was OK after formatting, I'll probably try that again even though I don't want to delete my current recordings.
Grateful for any advice.

What's the SMART data/try fix-disk?

They are features of the custom firmware. SMART data tells you about the health of the drive; of particular interest are the reallocated sector count and the current pending sectors. fix-disk is an automated set of tools for repairing common faults in the file system typically caused by hard drive problems.

The strength should be below 100%. When the strength approaches 100% the signal is in danger of overloading the Humax.
The quality should be 100% or very very close anything else indicates a probable reception issue and that includes possibly having too strong a signal.

To enable a better view of what is happening please would you report individually on the strength and quality. What is good for one is not always good for the other.

Youhave implied but not actually stated that the picture is still OK when watching live. Is the picture still OK when watching live?

I'm not sure who you are replying to, in my case the picture occasionally breaks up when viewing live, I'm not sure without checking, if it's only the HD channels.

Strength between 22 and 24, Quality 100.

Having the same problem myself all of a sudden. Seems to be the HD channels which suffer most. Mine is connected to aerial amplifier in the loft too, as is my 9150 which records the same programs without any of the blocking and jumping. Have no idea why this is suddenly happening. Anyone know?

I'm also having issues with recordings in that every time I have set up a recording which follows on from 2 simultaneous recordings, I then keep getting the pop up box asking me to choose 2 of the 3 programs to record. Is this because either one or both of the previous recordings haven't finished at their allocated time? I only started getting this around a month ago. I'm getting this message at least twice a day and would appreciate any insight guys, thanks in advance

Edit- I'm running the custom firmware too, could that be the problem possibly?

That strength is very low and leaves you little margin in the event of any interference. We worked for quite a while with a signal strength just below 30% and it was OK but prone to an occasional breakup. Is there any possibility of increasing the signal strength in your case?

I don't know, I don't know if this figure is recent; I shouldn't really have a problem I'm only two miles from Winter Hill.
I formatted the drive yesterday and apart from one or two jumps the picture seems OK now.

To enable a better view of what is happening please would you report individually on the strength and quality. What is good for one is not always good for the other.

Youhave implied but not actually stated that the picture is still OK when watching live. Is the picture still OK when watching live?[/quote]

Sorry, at the time of first posting the strength was in the low-to-mid 80s and the quality is 100%. At this time also the live TV was perfectly fine.

Since then however, things have deteriorated and now the live stream is affected. Strength is still mid 80s and quality 100% but the latter now flickers down to 50% perhaps once a minute? The tv /9300t in the bedroom from the same aerial remain unaffected, as does the signal direct to the TV the faulty fox t2 is hooked up to (HD and SD).

Touch wood, I'm not having problems at the moment, perhaps it was the weather.
Signal strength is still 20ish on BBC/ITV and 30 on C4

Well, in the end I gave up and formatted the hard drive. Test recordings this morning all came out OK so fingers crossed all is well...?

When the signal quality varies quickly like that it, I have found it it is often because the signal is being interfered with by a distant transmitter on the same frequency. This is often worse during high pressures. In my case, my signal strength is quite low, but the quality is usually OK, but as I am so high up in the Mendips, I can get same channel interference from distant transmitters.
It is also well worth experimenting moving the aerial forward or backward a few inches - if the aerial is in a relative null for that frequency, it can make it susceptible to reflections or same channel interference and moving it a little can make an enormous difference. It is why aerials should always be mounted on cranked arms to allow this adjustment..
Have you checked if there is is work being done on the transmitter?
Another thing I think I have discovered with Mendip is that the BBC multiplex seems to be broadcast on a main aerial, or on a reserve aerial. My rooftop aerial works fine on the main aerial, but seems to be in a null for the reserve aerial so I have an in-loft second aerial which is adjusted so as not to be in that null.
If you are getting reflections (eg from hills or buildings), these too can interfere and reduce signal quality. They can easily vary.
If you are in or close to being in a null, and your aerial is moving with the wind, it can vary the signal strength and quality.
Strength is far less important than quality. Be careful about adding an amplifier - it can make matters worse by overloading the Humax. And of course, if it is interference causing the problem, the amplifier will amplify the interference as well as the signal.
I spent a useful afternoon playing with an aerial mounted on a broomstick at ground level. Moving the aerial forward or backward a few inches, or moving it sideways a few inches, made an enormous difference to the signal quality.

See also Post 8 at http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showt...671&highlight=

Likely the weather on hot days here on the SE Essex coast regularily pick up Belgium & Dutch TV

The breaking up and skipping picture now seems worse than it was before, I am managing by using the non HD channels,(which still break up occasionally.

I am going to borrow another Humax to see if that suffers the same problem, otherwise it looks like another machine,

Signal strength on HD is at 10%, is there any way to improve it?
Transmitter Winter Hill.

There is something very odd going on if you are two miles from Winter Hill but only have 10% signal strength. I would carefully inspect the aerial cabling looking for water ingress or badly made joints. If that doesn't find anything then try a local aerial installer.

You are probably overloading the tuner front end. Try a UHF signal attenuator.

Hi Graham, What is a UHF signal attenuator?

Something like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TV-Aerial-...item2314d9ed1a Given how close you are to the transmitter too much signal is more likely to be the issue than too little. An attenuator reduces the signal strength.

Thanks for the help, I've now ordered one from Amazon £2.89 inc P&P.
Weirdly the HD channels are perfect today signal strength 21, yesterday it was down to 10, I'm beginning to think it's weather related.

Quite possibly weather related but 21% is very low when you are close to a main transmitter; I would have expected more like 80%.