Hi All,
I have been following some other threads on here, but not sure if connected to mine.

I had an old 9150T that the wife just uses for recording numerous freeview programs, she hates adverts.
I also have a Talk Talk Youview for her SKY programs.
So the loft areial comes down the outside wall into the Living Room, and straight into the 9150 first, loops into the Youview box, and then into the Sony Freeview TV.
So we watch mostly freeview on the Sony, Sky on the Youview, and recorded programs on the Humax. A few weeks ago, the Wife was watching some recorded programs on the Humax, and the picture jumps, and sometimes the sound comes and goes. I change the scart lead a couple of times, and change the TV with the Kitchen one, still doesit from time to time. I order a new Grade A 9150T from Humax, and still the same. Freeview on the Sony and Youview box is OK and has never been a problem. I also noticed after I bought the new box, that just playing the freeview on the Humax, actually has the same problem from time to time as playing back recorded programs???

Thanks.

Considering the YouView box will do exactly the same job as the Humax do you actually need the Humax any-more? Especially if it is playing silly beggars?

How can the Humax box be the problem, and sometimes more than two channels are being recorded, sometimes the Youview box is being used.!

To recap.
I have tried 2 x diferent 9150T including a brand new one.
2 x Scart cables.
2 x TV.s.

What sort of signal level are you getting? I've noticed with my (now retired) 9150 that it does need a fairly decent signal to work properly. I've had situations where the 9150 has been breaking up while the telly has been fine.

From my experience you need 40% or higher on the signal strength indicator to get any sort of reliable performance out of it.

Always worth checking out the aerial system for any faults that may be affecting the signal. For example the condition of the aerial itself, the cable and all connectors.

Also you mention it's a loft aerial. Have you rearranged the contents of the loft or added anything to it? That can have a real effect on the aerial, even if the aerial hasn't been knocked out of line.

There is a known problem with the 9150/9300 that affects the play back of certain programs (I would speculate that it is to do with the way the programs are encoded) and produces exactly the symptoms you are describing. Humax are aware of the problem but appear to have decided to leave the problem unfixed.

I get 80% and 100% signal & quality.

I have been getting the same problem both watching a recorded playback, and just watcing a live freeview program through the Humax.

Thanks

I suspect this is the well known problem that occurs frequently on BBC3's Family Guy and often on Points of View.

Up until very recently I thought this problem had almost gone away and was only occurring on the programmes mentioned.

However, I had a problem with this weeks HIGNFY on BBC1 and a film on Film4.

One way to check whether it is the "well known" problem is to use some form of trick play through the jump point (slow motion is best), or try switching to the second sound track (usually used for AD). If the Humax plays properly it is likely to be the problem mentioned in other threads. If it still jumps it could be that interference occurred (someone switching an electrical device on/off or lightning or a passing motor bike...).

Humax and the BBC have know about this problem for a while and have chosen to do nothing about it - so I'm afraid you're probably going to have to put up with this problem or use another PVR.

Just read your last post, and can't explain why this would occur on a live viewing - apart from local interference.
With the live viewing, does the programme stutter? (Does the picture stop and then jump rather than just jump about 30 seconds). I know the difference between a jump and a stutter is rather subtle, but it could mean interference rather than the usual problem.

The picture freezes and then jumps, never a long time, ususally 1-3 seconds only.

This is what I did this morning, remembering I have no picture problems with the Youview & Sony freeview TV, that are on the same aerial loop.

I cut 12 inches off the incoming aerial cable and fitted a new adaptor, the old one was a bit iffy and showing signs of corrosion
I also read somewhere on a forum about attenuators, so I have fitted a 12db one inline. I will see in the next few days if it helps.

Thanks to all for your help.

This sounds more like interference.

Just a note of caution. I've got the aerial routed into my 9150 and then out to a PC dongle. I've had freezes and jumps on the Humax (live), but no reported interference on the dongle. I suspect a fault on the Humax and have even resorted to watching the strength and quality meters and the dongle output to see what happens. I've had signal quality problems on the Humax which don't get through to the dongle. Some sort of internal interference or fault Needless to say I'm considering a replacement for my 5 year old 9150.
Last edited by EEPhil : 24-11-2013 at 10:49

I have found Humax Direct to be very poor in Customer Service, expensive 0844 numbers, I have now asked for money back. I will never use them again.
I will look elsewhere.
Any decent PVR I can get just for recording TWO programs at once the same as the Humax did.

Thanks.

A major number of the alternatives are the Chinese/Turkish clone units flogged by the likes of Argos, Currys and the supermarkets. Many are the same basic unit with a different badge glued to the front panel depending on who you buy it from.

Those will be names like Bush, Goodmans, Logik etc. Probably not much to choose between them.

Humax are one of the few quality makes left. I have a HDR Fox-T2 and that is perfectly fine. There is also the HDR-2000

http://www.humaxdigital.com/uk/produ...ct.php?gid=442

Your YouView box could well be a Humax.

http://www.humaxdigital.com/uk/produ...duct.php?gid=9

Panasonic do a couple of units

http://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer...nment/hdd.html

Update.

After numerous unanswered email and three phone calls, I have now had the offending 9150T picked up by Parcelforce (via Humax Direct) and returned to Humax. It should have happened a lot sooner, but still we are halfway there, probably just a row now about the amount of money to come back. Because of the problems and the length of time it has taken, I have already reported this to Trading Standards (Citizens Advice) beforehand, and have a Reference No. to fall back on if needed.

I will let you know the outcome with Humax Direct.

Regards

UPDATE

To be fair to Humax Direct, the wife received an email from them today, to say a refund has been given for the full amount of £75 paid (£69+£6 p&p), and it will take a few days to show on her account.
Apart from the messing about, the three 0844 calls, the late answering of my email, Humax Direct have come good in the end.

Thanks to all, especially for the info about other brands, we have reverted back to an old 9200T with a new Hard Drive fitted.

Regards

Is this only a problem with the 9150/9300 or does it affect new models as well? Really been put off buying another Humax box by this annoying problem but looking to upgrade soon.

Only the 9150/9300.


The HDR-FOX T2 and the more modern HDR-2000T are decent HD (and SD) Freeview recorders with no major problems,just some small niggles (which of course niggle some people more than others). The YouView boxes DTR-1000/DTR1010 are not as good as PVRs but adequate for many people but do have access to better catch up services. When I was recently in the market for a new PVR I opted for an HDR-2000T.

Re the HDR-2000T, I may upgrade my 1950T, but the comment below from someone who bought this seems to be a mistake surely? Can you confirm or deny?
From Amazon website, (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-HDR-20.../dp/B00FPLMRDC ), comment dated 10 December 2013:-

"Unlike the Fox T2 there is no option to allow the antenna signal to pass through the Humax into the TV when the Humax is in standby, therefore, you will either need a duplicate antenna feed for your TV or you will have to switch the Humax on to receive any channels on your TV".


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The comment is correct; Humax are aware of the problem and I would expect it to be fixed in a future software update. It isn't a major problem for us as a passive aerial splitter fixes the problem for a few pounds.

OK thanks, another comment the same person made was, "There appears to be no bookmark functionality." is this true? and if so are there any other omissions to this machine/remote that in effect take a backward step?

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I believe so but have never used bookmarks on the HDR-FOX T2 either.

No front panel display is the other obvious difference.

There are however improvements such as NTFS write support out of the box, some (but not all) of the IPTV channels work, faster CPU and the improved portal that is available on software version 1.03.06 for the HDR-FOX T2 but Humax have not made generally available.

Bookmarks is a facility I have made use of on my 9150T, especially welcome knowing full well that on some occasions,(notably the first time), that I stop a recording, when resuming it goes straight back to the beginning of the recording, and does this every time if I highlight some recordings and play them back from the "selected files" menu.

There is no front panel display on the 9150T except some led's, so I would not miss those.

Your last paragraph went straight over my head, but I doubt it would affect me as it is unlikely that I have them on my 9150T.

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Sorry I am probably being dense but what do you mean by "Selected Files" menu.

They are improvements compared to the HDR-FOX T2 on things that users have complained about.

If you press the Play List button it shows a list of video recordings, if you then press the right arrow button it shows you a list of Audio recordings, (if recorded), then press it again and if you have selected,(green button in the Play List menu), any programmes from the Play List it shows you them and you can play them from there.
You can also press the left arrow button and it gives you the menus in reverse.

Have no users complained about there being no Bookmarks?

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I think of "bookmarks" as being multiple resume points within a single recording, which is what this term means in MediaPortal.

If my PVR-9200t and HDR-FOX-T2 support this facility, I have never wanted to use it. All that I want from a PVR is support for a single resume point in each recording, i.e. the point in the recording at which I most-recently stopped viewing it. I would be really surprised if the HDR-2000T did not support this.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

This is a very useful feature. We use it at the end of an evenings viewing to select all the recording seen that day. They can all then be deleted with a single delete action using the Red button.

Colin

But is is nothing to do with bookmarks and similar functionality is available on the HDR-FOX T2 and HDR-2000T.