I have a Wharfedale 250DTR and am having an annoying problem with skipping. It seems to be the case that watching live TV is fine, but recordings or timeshifting causes skipping. That is, the skipping affects live TV if the unit is recording (same channel or another channel) and obviously the recordings themselves skip too. In fact live TV only really returns to normal once the Hard Disk has spun down. This is a bit of a flaw for a hard disk recorder - the tuner only works properly when the disk isn't spinning! Does anyone else have this?

It doesn't happen all the time on all channels, but most of the time! On another thread someone recommended pulling the mains plug to get the machine to restart - that sometimes works, but I wouldn't want to do it too often. Is there a way to force a reboot without physically pulling the plug?

I think if you hold down the On/Off button on the front-left of the box for a few seconds, that should do it.

I've been getting skipping too but I've got a T810 and a T816 both connected to the same TV so I've got to figure out which one is causing the problem - easy enough, I know, but I just don't think about it at the time, being a dizzy cow

parthena

I'm confused as to what you mean by "skipping"? I interpret "skipping" during playback as suddenly jumping forward missing sections of the recording. I can't see how this could happen on a live broadcast. If you mean picture "freezing" either for a few milliseconds (I'd refer to that as a "blip") or for much longer periods then that is a common problem with the T816. For me it's nothing like as frequent as the OP described though.

Colin

Colin, I'm talking about recordings (I watch nearly everything via recording), and, TallyHo, it is on my T816.

parthena

Ah I see. That fits in with normal behaviour. I should really have addressed my comment to TallyHo77 who describes the behaviour he/she is getting on live TV as "skipping". It is that which puzzles me. Freezing on live TV is common on the T816 but skipping I don't understand.

Colin

Hi
Fair point Colin - I guess I'm getting both phenomena! On recordings there are often skips, such that it jumps forward (past the missing milliseconds) with stuttering sound and picture - millisecond freezes as it skips to the next bit of recording. When watching live TV while the unit is recording (or indeed while its HDD is spinning) I get blips, which also result in stuttering sound and picture - millisecond freezes. The viewing experience is the same (although obviously in the case of watching live TV it can't jump forward into the future!).

I think it must be a signal strength thing (although the signal strength bar shown when you press Info seems to have little correlation with the problem). Basically it happens much more on BBC1 and 2 (and BBC3 and News 24) and doesn't really happen on ITV, C4, E4 More 4 etc) but according to the signal strength, the BBC channels have a stronger signal.
My parents have the same model and aren't having this problem at all though, so I do think it's probably something to do with reception.

I noticed it last night on Channel 4 progs, including 7 o'clock news. My signal is not as good on UHF22 as other Muxes, but I'm not certain at the moment if the skipping is confined to UHF22.

Don't nobuddy tell me to get a roof aerial, it ain't on

parthena

I think it must be a signal strength thing (although the signal strength bar shown when you press Info seems to have little correlation with the problem). Basically it happens much more on BBC1 and 2 (and BBC3 and News 24) and doesn't really happen on ITV, C4, E4 More 4 etc) but according to the signal strength, the BBC channels have a stronger signal.

I wonder if this is connected with the comparatively larger size of data throughput on these channels. I get the impression that the T816 may well have been built with the minimum hardware to 'get by'.

Thanks for the clarification.

I have very occasionally had a failed recording where large sections of the programme have been missing or even in a couple of cases where parts of the recording were from a completely different channel (even on a different MUX). I have a suspicion that this particular issue is connected with the basic "middleware" that these units use. I had similar problems on Technotrend (Tevion/Technosonic) PVRs I have used. The middleware on both is provided by Cabot Communications. The blips and freezes are more common. I have not noticed any correlation with Channels.

Colin
Last edited by creddish : 05-12-2007 at 15:52

Note that the bar in the info panel shows the progress of the current programme, and not the signal strength. Signal strength can be viewed by selecting the manual channel scan menu item in the installation menu.

Thanks for that - I have an earlier Wharfedale (Argos) set top box with almost identical on screen displays, where there is a signal strength bar when you press info - guess I should have actually read the instructions for my PVR

I'm not sure it's even mentioned in the instructions

Hi,

I'm having a similar problem that appeared today after having the unit for about a month. I have 2 units both the same model (Onn branded T816, 160 gig each).

Today, one of the units started acting up a bit. First of all, I was watching Virgin1 and it started to freeze intermittently although this did not at first affect the sound, then it froze completely.

I then looked at my other unit and it was working fine. I then changed channels on the affected unit and then back again and it was o.k. for about 10 seconds then started freezing again. I then put it on BBC1 and the same happened there.

I then started to watch a recording, and it was o.k. for about 20 minutes then it started jumping, at first only milliseconds then it started jumping several seconds at a time.

I decided to turn the mains off and reboot (I found a great way to do this by using one of those wireless mains sockets; Saves having to unplug the unit), and it was o.k. for about 10 minutes and then it started acting up again.

A few hours later and it is really is acting up on the channels as all channels freeze within a few seconds, but for some reason recordings seem to be playing o.k. now.

At first, I thought it must be overheating, but the other unit is o.k. and I have felt the heat on the top of the unit (very scientific !!) and if anything, the working one feels hotter !

Before I take it back to Asda and lose all my yet to watch recordings, has anyone any idea what is wrong with it; Is it a common problem, in which case I will take both units back, or is it something simple, as it needs a fan fitting (which I can do).

By the way, it is not a signal strength problem as they are fed by a very high gain distribution unit which feeds 6 items and all are working fine, and in any case, I checked the signal quality when this problem happened and it was fine.

Please can anyone help with this as I really don't want to take them back as I wouldn't know what to buy instead.

Thanks.
audio.fi

Hi.

The 'freezing' or 'skipping' is most likely due to poor signal strength or quality. Sometimes you can have a good signal, but poor quality. Reception is most definately linked to changes in weather conditions - remember that until switchover, the transmitters are still biased towards the Anologue signal, not Digital. I have found that frequently changes in the weather makes for a poor Digital reception.

Also, too strong a signal will also cause the picture to momentarily freeze, in which case, an attenuator is needed on the aerial.

Hope everyone has had a good Christmas!

Regards,

Tim.

If its on your strongest signal channels (BBC) then it could be that your signal is too strong and you need to fit an attenuator.

GG You can suffer just as many problems with a signal that is too strong as you can from a weak signal. (As I have found out in the past!)

This is a jolly good idea - I have to unplug my Asda Onn T816 quite regularly as it locks up and unlike my Tevion and Technotrend PVRs, as you know, it doesn't have a mains power switch on the back and to reach the mains plug and unplug it (which is one of many on a trailing socket) is a right pain. I've seen these remote units advertised in either Aldi or Lidl and thought "that's a good idea but what would I use it for?"- now I've got a use for one so I can justify buying one to myself thanks to your posting! Cheers mate