There seems to be something wrong with your kEybOArD, or maybe just its user !!!!

The only problem i've had with my toppy(no TAP's used yet), is the EPG. I've got a subscription to digiguide, so i'll try and use a TAP to import timer data, this should solve the gappy EPG problem.

DVD authoring is a doddle Video Redo pro will convert the .rec file to whatever you want and chop the ad's in one step.

I find that its very annoying that the topfield has to be 'on' (as in displaying the programme) for it to record. You cannot leave the topfield in standby when its recording like you can with sky plus. If the topfield is previously off then the box switches on when the timed recording starts (it does switch off again after its finished though). This becomes irritating as my boyfriend is often playing games on his playstation using the av function, and has to wait for the recording to finish in order to carry on playing.

Also, if the topfield is already on when a recording starts, the box cannot be turned off. If you turn it off it stops the recording. so If you happen to go out when the recording is in progress you have to leave the machine on until you return. There is probably a way to set a timer so the machine goes to sleep, but i havent found out how to do it. I find the user manual quite difficult to follow.

does anyone know if it is possible to set up an off time setting for the topfield?

Also is it necessary for the machine to be on for it to record? or is there a way to leave the thing in standby and still have it record?


I havent used any TAPs yet. Id love to try but would probably muck it up,lol

Ooh, now, that doesn't sound very nice. I don't like the idea of switching into and out of standby affecting the ability to record.

Does anyone know if this is TAPable?

Likewise (and sorry if I've missed a definitive answer in the above) is there a TAP fix for the "jumping to live when a chase-play programme finishes" problem I mentioned at the start of this thread?

Thanks for any and all info

Nic

Yes, you can set a sleep timer, hidden away on the Opt button, to make the box go to standby after a certain amount of time.

I agree with you that the Toppy's insistence on being fully up and running in order to record things is annoying. With my other DVR (Thomson) you don't have to worry about sleep timers and stuff like that, you just switch it off. If it's recording, it carries on recording.

Press Opt, select Sleep, and change the setting to 10 minutes. The box counts down and stops at 1 minute until the end of the recording.

There are a couple of TAPs that fix the jump - check www.toppy.org.uk for more useful info.

Nigel.

Do you have the PS connected thru the Toppy via Scart? Is so, you can just hit the TV/Sat button on the Toppy remote when this happens - the Toppy will carry on quite happily but the PS will be passed thru'.

Thanks for the tip the playstation is connected via scart through the toppy. where is the tv/sat button though? Is it the one next to the opt button? if it is that one it doesnt change to the ps2 screen for me. None of he other buttons do that either for me.

lol im so crap with this machine.

Hi Nic
I use mcgCYRResume (0.20 Beta) it is designed for the OZ version of the Toppy (5000 model) but works fine on Uk version. You can get it from here. There is unfortunately a brief flash of the live channel but it forces the Toppy back to the recording after a second.
I think you only get this problem at all when chaseing a live recording but like the Captain above it is so long since I used the Toppy without TAPS I am not sure.

Richard
PS Improbox has the same feature; but does lots of other stuff and it has a small reg charge.

Hi Coral

The manual is rubbish. I dont think it even tells you how to do this and it is not obvious.
OK you have a recording taking place and want the Toppy to go to standby when it finishes.
Press the power button to go to standby. A box comes up 'Recording not finished do you want to power off' Yes/No.
Do nothing! well turn the TV off obviously. Leave box on screen. When the recording finishes Toppy shuts down automatically.

Richard

Yes; unfortunately that is the TV/Sat button.

mmm..it is that one and it should toggle between what's being passed thru' the Toppy and the Toppy output itself. Out of interest, if you have a look under "Menu | System Settings | A/V Output Settings | VCR Scart Type" is it set to "Standard" or "External A/V"? Either setting works quite happily to switch between my DVD player (which passes thru' the Toppy) and the Toppy output, but I'm wondering if it might make a difference for you...

Hey Jon, I tried changing to both settings you mentioned, but neither made any difference unfortunately. When i press that button a little yellow light is lit on the display screen but the screen remains the same. How irritating

EDIT i have worked out what was wrong, i had my scart leads in the wrong sockets. So it works now. Thanks for all your help. Im such a girl when it comes to technology lol
Last edited by Coral_B : 05-12-2005 at 22:55

I am hoping to get my toppy this week.What are taps(not the ones by the sink).If I read it right do you not now need to plug the toppy into a pc for updates,will it automatically be thru the aerial now?

The first OTA update is scheduled to be broadcast 17th to 19th December.

TAPs are Topfield Applications - small additional programs that you can add, for example to change they style of the EPG, or add quick jump buttons for skipping ads more easily. They make the box very configurable.

Nigel.

Lots of similar posts on toppy.or.uk general wisdom is not to load any taps for at least a day til you get used to the machine bare. Then I'd say - JAGs EPG, UK Oz Surfer, Display TAP, Quickjump.

Hi,

I got my toppy today and had a little play with it before going to work.

When I went into the EPG it showed the TV channel in a small window and the EPG stuff over the rest.
When I went to look at the next channel's EPG info, the screen changed to that channel as well. I would rather it not do this.

Do I need a TAP do change this behaviour?

The EPG channel change is one of the topfields quirks, aparently theres a firmware update due at some point in the future that will stop that from happening.
In the meantime you cna change the EPG with a TAP, i use Jags EPG, although as a plain EPG it does have a few limitations, namely the programme description is somewhat short.
however if Jags has taken over the EPG button, you can also still access the standrad toppy EPG by pressing menu then Guide to access the standard toppy EPG ( that will change the STB channel as you browse)

Jags EPG can add quite a bit of aditional functionality to your toppy, and if your going to use it i would recomend taking a look through Richard Weins manual for the TAP.

if you look at the bit on setting up an automatic channel scan ( this will mean that Jags EPG will scan the EPG and update itself each night so that its always populated)
and setting up search events this means that recordings will be set automaticly if JAGs finds a match in the EPG scan, such as "Dr Who" that programme will automaticly be recorded.