Is it just my machine or are others finding the Series Link update to be less than impressive?
All of my SL recordings have started to record late between 30 seconds to about 2 minutes after the program has begun. What a shame Humax didn't include any auto padding to this feature alone, Whereas manual settings nullify this, but keeping it within it's own 'On Time' criterea without losing SL, auto tracking (Is this Humax speak for PDC?)etc. Perhaps by doing so it would allow you to also manually change the padding settings for other recordings not required for SL. Hmm it's abit like having the triple Mr Whippy with flake and sauce only to have the lot fall off before you get to eat it!!

You're not the first person to say this and you won't be the last. Humax have really shot themselves in the foot with this one and I am also really disappointed with this new feature.

I suspect people buying a new Humax will feel especially disappointed at the random way it carves up your recordings. Not good enough in my book.

I can only speak as I find, but everything has recorded perfectly so far, both as far a series links and accurate recording are concerned. With comments some people had made, I was worried about the accurate recording but, it has worked perfectly every time so far. The series link is a godsend for recording the Sopranos and again it has worked perfectly.

I have so far used series link to record
'Damaged' on BBC1
'Pop on Trial' on BBC4
'Sopranos' on More4

Accurate recording
'CSI' Channel 5
Criminal Minds Virgin 1 and Channel 5

All the have programs have a beginning, a middle and an end.

I am therefore a bit perplexed that people are saying they are having problems with both these features. I wonder whether it could be in some way down to the broadcaster, rather than the Humax. It might be helpful if people said the program name and time and the channel, to see if particular programs or times are causing the problem.

The only problem I have had since the upgrade is one lock up when pressing the red button on BBC 1 to watch Match of the Day Xtra.

The problem is simply this - in order to use series links you have to use accurate recording. Accurate recording is far from perfect and can cock up your recordings (I've had a few programs record without the opening credits as a mild example - others have missed recordings completely).

So what we need is series linking with auto padding which the likes of Sky + has done for many years. Why Humax chose not to do this is fairly baffling.

I'm afraid that a lot of the blame has to lie with the muppets who came up with the Freeview Play specs and the broadcasters who, for the most part, still aren't sending out the correct information with their tv programmes. Personally, I think you're right in as much that it was 'short-sighted' of Humax to not allow us to have auto-padding AND series link. Hopefully the situation will improve as broadcasters get their acts together.

The explanation which has been repeated several times is that Humax initially attempted to implement series link plus padding. However it was proving so difficult to get it bug free that it was decided to go for the simpler option of either series link or padding. What is baffling about it? Note that some other PVR manufacturers only offer accurate recording; at least Humax give you a choice.

Is it early evening programmes on BBC1?

I've noticed that in order to accommodate the Eight O'clock News Summary the BBC start everything after the 6 early! However the EPG and Now & Next show the RT billed time.
Further EPG and N & N don't have the Eight O'Clock (or rather 1957) News Summary.

For example :
RT, EPG, N & N Programme Actual Start
1900 The One Show 1857:30
1930 Eastenders 1928

Sorry guys but as far as I am concerned, since updating to .21 from .06, and testing out series link on all channels that support it, I have had absolutely no problems. Great idea from Humax in identifying by colour in the EPG which programs are tagged as series. Makes sure that you don't get it wrong.

Don't understand why people keep harping on about linking series recording and auto padding. Remember, it is up to the broadcasters AND NOT Humax to get the timings right!! If you have a concern then switch off series and auto pad the old fashioned way. YOU COULD ACTUALLY EMAIL THE BROADCASTER - IF ENOUGH PEOPLE DID THAT THEN MAYBE THEY WILL GET IT RIGHT!

Rock on Humax - 5 out of 5. And I have a life as well......

Well it's the first time I've heard such an explanation and I must say I'm not impressed. If the explanation was 'the Hummy conforms to the Freeview Playback standards which don't allow series linking and auto padding' then I'd be more understanding. Just to say 'oh yeah we tried that but it was too hard' is nothing short of a joke. I can imagine the look on my bosses face if I said that to him!

Me: ' Yeah we need to implement this feature so that this bit of software is usable but it's too hard and so I'm not going to bother.'

Boss: 'That's fine - you can leave early tonight then.

Oh, one last thing - COLLECT YOUR P45 ON YOUR WAY OUT YOU ARSEWIT.'.

You may change your happy tune when your first 'must have' recording screws up. Only time will tell

As a business how much money do you keep spending trying to get one feature thats never been advertised to work which is taking resources away from other projects?
Auto Padding was never part of the original software for 9200T which I think only happened due to the wish list thread.
At least we are given an option of using AR/SL or Auto padding or even going back to an earlier software version.
Some other PVR's dont even give you an option of not using AR let alone changing to a previous software version.
Personallly I don't have a problem with my 9200T.
Ok AR doesnt produce very good results all the time on ITV,Channel 4, but BBC is spot on which says to me that its not a Humax problem.
So as someone has said before, why not complain to the broadcasters.
I emailed C5 and got a reply saying "that although we have no plans at this time to support AR/SL, it is something our Engineering Department are looking into. Your interest has been noted in our Viewer Enquiries Report, which is circulated throughout the company".

If the broadcasters get more complaints about their lack of AR support then hopefully they may get it sorted.

Moggsy I suggest you get a life. I have owned Humax models since they first appeared and yes I have had the occassional problem but overall I can only repeat I have a life and don't worry about what may or may not happen. Nowadays most programs are repeated so even if I do lose a recording (which I never have), I won't lose any sleep over it.

If you don't like how the Humax operates try going back to VHS!!!

Do Humax not advertise Freeview Playback on the box of the 9200T?


Not because Sky +, a clear rival, had this option then?


Not one that I would own.


I might well do that. In the mean time though it would have been great if Humax had allowed us to use auto padding with series linking (as Sky+ always has) until the broadcasters get their arse into gear - especially as some of them probably never will.

Obviously I won't be doing that.

I may jump ship to a Toppy though...

Can someone explain exactly how autopadding + series link works with Sky+, please? Does it also use AR?

If the box is relying on the broadcaster to tell it when a programme is actually starting, how can autopadding, which is based on the schedule, work?

I can understand it working at the end of a programme, as a fallback if the broadcaster fails to send the appropriate signal, but not at the start.

Personally, I would never use AR or series link until I can be sure that (a) every channel uses it on every programme; and (b) there is a failsafe method to ensure that the broadcaster cannot fail to include the appropriate signals; in other words, I'll wait until it's truly set'n'forget.

To support my case, m'lud, I refer the court to PDC.

Moggsy, good luck with the Toppy!!

Just remember, things could be much worse, Microsoft might get into the PVR market!

My wish for 2008 - complain to those responsible and not Humax! Channel 5 would be a good start.....

Where exactly do the Freeview Playback specs or advertising even mention Auto Padding?
Freeview Playback advertising doesn't even mention use of AR or Series Link.
So what doesn't the Humax 9200T series offer that Freeview Playback advertise or even what the freeview Playback specs say it should do?

You like to compare Freeview Playback to SKY+, but SKY make their own money through subsciption and charging you to use some of the same features Freeview Playback boxes can use for free. So SKY can put that money into maintaining the SKY+ box with feautures and maintaining the EPG.
PVR's that support Freeview Playback are only getting money off sales of the set top boxes they sell and not through subscription like SKY.

No, it doesn't do 'accurate' recording, just padding. 99% of the time though this works fine.

As far as im aware SKY are in total control of the SKY EPG, Series Link.

Hi


Humax never included autopadding, it wasn't their problem TV companies didn't stick the schedule, but they added it after feedback as it made their product better.

Emailing the broadcaster will make little difference, they don't care about viewers, you only have to witness the on screen graffiti of next banners or DOGs to know that. I complained a lot about the failures in PDC (all the same issues people report now with AR) and was told time and time again the BBC didn't recommend using it and that adding 10 minutes to the recording length was the most reliable method to cater for later running programs. That's the BBC, commercial channels never bothered replying!


I've used media center on Windows Vista and it's pretty slick. 14 day EPG, series link with auto-padding, pretty nice interface into the system.


Accurate recording is just auto-padding by the broadcaster. The broadcaster can start the recording up to 10 minutes earlier, or pad at the other end by up to 2 hours to cater for slippages in the schedule.

Accurate recording doesn't do anymore than auto-pad at the very last minute. You still need the correct scheduled time set as the start time in the recording schedule for example.

There are 3 main parts of the system:

1) Accurate Recording - i.e. padding by the broadcaster
2) EPG schedule tracking.
3) Series link

It's 2 and 3 that are the real benefits to the system.

Number 3 means an ID is given to identify a series, and the Humax can use that to find the next episode in the EPG and when it does, it sets the timer for it. This is essentially the same thing as us going into the guide and searching for next weeks episode after the current one has finished and setting a schedule for it, just automated by the box using a more reliable (well should be) ID.

Number 2 also important, because the next episode is up to a week away when it's set, then the time it's on could easily change. So 2 is used to track those changes where periodically the Humax checks again what time the next episode is on and if different, updates the schedule recording. This is equivalent to us spotting the time change later in the week and deleting the schedule and resetting it for the new time.

Point 2 means the schedule recording is always for the correct time slot.

So for task 1 autopadding can be used in place of accurate recording, 2 and 3 work fine without accurate recording as that has no involvement in the process until 10 minutes before the start.

The reason accurate recording isn't always reliable is it has to be the correct data sent in real time! This costs money and errors happen. The majority of TV channels will not send the data accurately as they will not want to invest in new play out equipment, so it will always mean cut off ends or starts. Points 2 and 3 need no new equipment, just a few extra IDs adding when they submit their TV schedules for inclusion in the EPG and will be better support in time.

Regards

Phil

Series linking is a key feature of Freeview Playback Group 2. If they're not advertising it now then I'm sure they soon will be. What the Humax 9200T doesn't offer is the ability to use series linking without randomly losing sections of or whole recordings.


Sky no longer charge to use their PVR and haven't done for some time (as long as, of course, you subscribe to at least the minimum Sky package). I'm sorry but I don't get this 'it's free so you shouldn't complain' argument. People who buy a new box with v21 software preloaded will be even less inclined to agree with this argument.

If I could have paid for an upgrade which features series linking with auto padding then I would have gladly done so but I wasn't given the option.

I could simply not have upgraded to v21 but series linking is a feature I greatly missed from my Sky+ box and I have been eagerly waiting over a year to use since it was first announced - hence the reason for the disappointment.

Way back in December, 2006 the Freeview Playback spec for retailers was published :
http://www.freeview.co.uk/docs/retail_licence.pdf

Schedule 4 covers most points raised here.

In particular,
---------Schedule 4, 2.7, page 10:-----------------
"In standby, a recorder shall monitor the EITp/f
sufficiently frequently and for sufficient duration to
allow a programme to be recorded successfully even
when the start time is brought forward by up to ten
minutes and the schedule information is updated at
least 5 minutes before the new start time."

= check actual start for Accurate Recording.

and

---------Schedule 4, 2.9, page 10:-----------------
It is permissible for a recording to start before the start
of an event and to finish after the event, but this may
create unnecessary conflicts with the requirement for a
back-to-back recording capability.

= Auto Padding!

So the Hummy should already meet these as Freeview state that the Digital Tick is only granted if these condition, amongst others, are met.

Ive never lost a whole recording so for me not a problem.
And most of the time I never miss sections either. (like everything these days everyone will have a different experience)
Follow the link and you will see what Freeview Playback are promoting and that is what we are getting with using either Auto Padding or AR/SL. www.freeviewplayback.co.uk/


So you still have to hand over cash each month to use the SKY+ features of recording, pause etc. If you drop your package to just use Freeview services then you have no features to use.
Just because its 'free' to use on Freeview Playback machines doesn't mean you shouldn't complain, you just need to complain to the correct people.
Humax followed specs that they had to apply to be a Freeview Playback device, surley they can't be held responsible for the broadcasters not getting it right?

Note that the extract you quoted from Schedule 4 Par. 2.9 says "It is permissible....." This means what it says. i.e it is permissible. It does not mean it is a requirement.

The previous part of that paragraph says :-
"The start of an event is indicatedby its transition to the present event for the specified service. The end of an event is indicated by
the event being replaced by a different event as the
present event for that service".

I take this to mean that ideally there should not be any padding applied but if the designer cannot achieve this then padding is permissable.

Colin

i have found the new series link very good
we have only had 1 programme that the start was missed
i am very pleased with the new updates