I was thinking of getting a DVR-530H-S and did wonder what people think of the Guide Plus and G-Link which some Pioneer models use, can the end of tv programs be missed or is it reliable? can time be padded on the end if this is the case? Any info would be helpfull, thanks.
Zetor

I've had a DVR-630H-S for 2 days and so far it seems to work well! If you find it's missing the beginning or end then you can edit the scheduled times in the Guide+ system to add a bit of padding if you want.

The only problem I've found with G-Link (as you may see on another thread) is that it doesn't take the Sky box (or whatever external box you want to control) out of standby. It just sends a channel change command. So if you're unlucky enough to get a software update while you're on holiday or a random reset or a power cut which is then restored, you will miss some or all of your scheduled recordings.

This is probably the wrong forum to post this in but we are having a problem installing the Pioneer 530-H through an NTL Cable box. We cannot get the Guide Plus to work when the machine is on Standby overnight. We have followed the instructions for connecting up in the manual (or we think we have!) but we have to us the Output Source L1 to be able to view the Cable output. We are real amateurs so any help you could give would be much appreciated.

I assume it will be the same to set up an NTL Cable box as it is to set up a Sky box...

You shouldn't connect the Pioneer through an external box. The Pioneer should go directly to the TV. The TV should be connected to AV1 and the external box should be connected to AV2/L1.

Make sure that Power Save is set to Off in order for the external box to be passed through to the TV when the Pioneer is in standby. Also make sure the AV Link setting is Pass Through not This Recorder Only.

When you set up Guide Plus, did it change the channel on the external box correctly during the test stage? And have you got it to download the EPG data correctly?

Finally, to record via Guide+, the external box must be switched on and not in standby as the Pioneer is unable to turn it on.

Hi Chris

Thanks for your quick reply to our post. We have been trying to set this brand new Pioneer DVD up since Wednesday with no success.

We have just tried what you suggested but no luck.

When we first tried to set the Pioneer up, by plugging in the Terrestrial aerial and running the Setup process, we were able to get the Terrestrial channels. The unit also downloaded the EPG overnight. What we can't do is get the channels from the Cable Box onto the Pioneer (although the Cable works independently).

As I said above, we are complete novices and we are just not sure what we are doing. Just to make it clear, the Cable from the wall comes into the NTL box and is permanently connected. From the Cable box (TV plug) the Scart Lead is connected to the TV. The second Scart is connected from the VCR plug to the Pioneer HD at Connection AV2. From the Pioneer Scart connection from AV1/TV to the TV.

We also have the G-Link connected from the Pioneer across the front of the Cable box, as per the instructions in the manual.

Any help you could give would be much appreciated.

Kind Regards
Pam

Actually, I seem to remember that some external boxes can't be controlled from Guide+ because they use different types of IR signal. When you set it up, did it change the channel correctly?

You seem to have everything set up correctly I think.

When you said you can't record when its in standby, which machine did you mean is in standby - the cable box or the Pioneer?

PS. Just to confirm, you've got 2 SCARTs on the TV then? One is the cable box, and you then have to switch to another input to view the Pioneer output?

When you go into Guide+, go into the Editor and check that the cable channels are listed with a source of Ext Rec1 and that the channel numbers against them are correct.

One thing I am unsure about is how it differentiates between the same channels on terrestrial and cable. For example, presumably it will have two occurrences of BBC1 - one with a source of Tuner P01 and the other coming from Ext Rec 1? Is it only recognising the internal tuner ones and not listing the cable ones? It looks like you've downloaded listings for terrestrial via the aerial lead, but to get the channel listings for an external box you have to tell it you've got a cable box on AV2/L1 and ,in my case, I had to manually tune to Eurosport on the Sky box to download the EPG data.

I can't test this because I don't actually have any terrestrial reception where I live! The only TV I've got is via the Sky box, so I don't know how it deals with the situation where you want to get EPG data for the internal tuner AND an external box.

I've got a DVR-530H working fine with NTL.

You don't say whether your problem is
A) You can't get Guideplus to download the listings for your cable channels
or
B) You can't get the G-link cable to change channels on the NTL box.

If your problem is A), then you need to
1) Set up the terrestrial channels
2) Enter the guideplus set-up
3) Tell it you have NTL
4) If BBC1 is channel 101, then you have NTL Langley, if BBC1 is channel 1, then you have NTL Bromley
5) Tell it the make of your cable box
6) It should then try to change channel, on the cable box. It will try a couple of dozen codes, until it changes correctly.
7) Tell it to download the listings from ANALOGUE ITV (not cable ITV)
8 Leave the Pioneer on standby overnight, to download the cable channels

If your problem is B) then you might need a red-eye converter to get the G-link cable to work www.redremote.co.uk

I just joined the Forum and have been reading with interest the "troubles" with getting the Guide Plus system
wory king....I too bought a the DVR 530 Recorder this past week and had a fellow install it but the guide plus didn't seem to work...the guy came back the next day saying that he would have to "take" my recorder and put manually put in all codes from the stations. ...I did not find this in the manual.....and thought if it is true, then I can do it at the house here....Everything else works fine on the recorder but actually, one of the reasons I bought it was for the
"simple" guide plus system. I will re-read all posted comments....just would be interested to know if I need to put in the stations into the recorder...sounds a bit backward for such a super machine....Susan

I had no problem getting guideplus working at all. Don't forget that you need to set it to get the channels from ANALOGUE ITV, not digital ITV, and that you need to leave the recorder on standby overnight, in order to download the channels.

Thanks for the reply...I going to go through the set up once again and see if everything is where it should be...
Will post later this week. susan

Susan, did you get your problems sorted? I am looking at getting the 530 and using with NTL (Samsung box).

Some advice please, the recorder will be a Xmas pressie, I was thinking of setting up at 12.01 and leaving overnight to download ready for Xmas day. Will it be ready? Initial setup could take up to 24 hours according to manual. Should I skip the guide+ and go for manual recording on xmas day (too many good things on!).
Oh, and what is the opinion on is the 530 worth the cost over the 433, mainly for guide+?
Any advice apreciated.

My 630H-S took two goes to get a complete EPG listing I think. The first overnight download got all the channels but the listings were blank. However it does do several downloads a day if you leave it alone - I've seen mine doing it at 11pm, 3am, and 2pm at least!

I have been brought a Pioneer DVR530H for christmas. It should be turning up today.

What I would like to know is:

How does to guide plus work with a BT i-player+ Freeview box that also has Top Up TV.

Has anyone had any sucess getting guide+ to control this box? It is coming xmas day and now I am worried it will not change my box

Happy to report all systems go including EPG download for terrestrial/digital channels and STB programme change control . Terrestrial aerial connection for analogue ITV used for downloading the epg.

Above is using a Sharp DV-HR480H DVD/HD recorder - pause live TV etc - magic! Samsung SMT-2100C box emulated as Pace (not red-eye). G-link transmitter hooked over top of Samsung box - to right hand side of black panel above channel number. Good luck!

Had my 530hs a few days now and wow. Guideplus works fine. Annoyed no Sky 2 or 3..but can just set that manually. Tried copying to a dvd r today but it won't play on other dvd players even though it's been finalised.

Simonlewis, when you did the copy was the dvd-r initialised in video mode. If you did it in VR mode it probably won't play in another DVD player even when finalised. Video mode will give you compatability with other DVD players and PC's.

Yep, tried it in video mode.

Tried it again and it worked fine. I wonder if I finalised it after it copied before rather than setting it to finalise before it started the copying process.

Yogicat

1/ Despite the marking on the back of the NTL tuner - you would better connecting the Recorder to the scart marker 'TV' and vice versa:

NTL (TV=RGB OUT) > (RGB IN) Recorder (RGB OUT) > (AV1=RGB IN) TV = RGB picture quality for viewing/recording & playback

NTL (Recorder) > (AV2) TV = good quality picture albeit not as good as RGB


2/ Download Guide+ via "ITV" on your recorders built-in tuner - you still get all sky channels + ITV updates more frequently +++++ it wont tie up your digibox every night (as Eurosport will)

Set up the guide - Service/Region/Digibox
Leave it tuned to ITV (on the internal tuner) overnight to populate the grid

It should remember to use ITV in future

The problem I am having with Guide Plus & the Pioneer 530 is when I tell Guide Plus I have Sky Digital after the EPG download it changes ITV on Guide Plus from receiving it via the tuner on channel 3 to External Receiver on channel 103. I then change it back in the editor area but after the next download it changes again.

In the Guide Plus settings screen though it shows the host channel as ITV channel 3.

Any ideas how to stop it changiging ITV?

Why do you tell it you have Sky Digital after the EPG download. I set mine up first time as Sky Digital and it left it as Channel 3 on normal tuner ever since.

I did the initial set up as having Sky that is when it changed it to channel 103 for ITV

Happy to report I got Guideplus working fine with my Samsung NTL box (first chance I have had to get on here over Xmas ).
For anyone having a problem, it will not change channels correctly on first setup. Wait for first download which includes more codes, choose Pace (non-redeye) and one of the first codes works fine.
Not sure it is 100% on channel with 3 numbers due to speed of sending numbers.
A tip - you can let Guideplus wake up your STB if the channel you want is 1 or 2 numbers i.e. my STB BBC1 is 1 and Gude sends 001; 0 wakes up the box, 01 changes channel to 1 on STB. Works good for my most used channels, but I guess I am just lucky.