DTR160. I'm a new owner, so a couple of Questions. Do Operating Systems Updates auto download and install when they become available ?

If the DTR160 is unplugged completely if away on holiday etc: Will the EPG Auto update when unit is next powered up ?.
EPG appears to update now approx 03.00 hours each day.

Firmware update behaviour is as specified by you in the menu.
I was under the impression the boxes use the live Freeview EPG and do not download overnight.

Correct. The EPG is updated constantly - not at 3am. If automatic updates are enabled, new software will be downloaded at 3am when it is available (not a regular occurance).

When updates are broadcast, they are usually in a 2-3 day timeslot, so if your PVR is unplugged at that time, you're going to miss the update. It might have a repeat slot a week or so later, but that's not necessarily going to be the case. Bottom line: check http://www.dtg.org.uk/retailer/download_schedule.pl to see if an update is scheduled, and if so you might want to leave your box plugged in when you go on holiday .

futaura. According to my DTR160 manual....

AOD ( Over Air downloads) STG will automatically powers up at 3.00 am each day for any new broadcasts and will download.

Yes, I should perhaps have been clearer. At 3am the box will download and install any available OAD, and this means the software/firmware on the box. Those kind of updates are relatively rare, and are the ones broadcast by the DTG in 2-3 day timeslots booked by the manufacturer.

The EPG is a completely different thing, and will update itself frequently at all times of the day (e.g. when the BBC changes schedules at the very last minute, for sports/news overruns, etc, the EPG will more or less instantly update on the PVR to reflect those changes).

futaura QUOTE. BBC changes schedules at the very last minute, for sports/news overruns, etc, the EPG will more or less instantly update on the PVR to reflect those changes).

Yes, That would explain why the box occasionally boots live during the day.

Actually, no it doesn't explain that . EPG updates do not require reboots. The only time the box should ever reboot is if you hold the power button on the front panel for 5 seconds, or at 3am with the auto update feature on. It should never spontaneously reboot while you are watching TV on it or if you are recording - if it does then that is a bug in the software. If this is non random, and something you are doing is causing the reboot unintentionally, let me know and I'll make sure Vestel are informed.

Is this behaviour only typical of some PVRs or even just the Vestels? For example some PVRs notably the Humax 9200 lose the EPG data (or at least it did until a recent software update) completely when the unit is put in to standby. Humax owners have complained about this often. Some PVRs do store the EPG data on the HD so it is immediately available when coming out of standby. I was not aware that any PVRs actively maintain the EPG whilst in standby. Do you think the behaviour of the Vestels accounts for the relatively high power consumption of 11W whilst in standby. If so do you think this may change when the Low Power versions become available?

Colin

I'm not sure if the EPG updates during standby - possibly not (unless a recording is active, and 15 minutes before a scheduled recording start). The EPG behaviour certainly varies between manufacturers. On the Vestel units the EPG is stored in DRAM, whereas, as you say, some store the EPG data on the HDD (this can be slow though, compared to storing the EPG in DRAM). As you've probably noticed, even if you pull the plug on the Vestel or reboot, the EPG is completely wiped, but it does repopulate very quickly. And those using the 4TV EPG, and not the Freeview one, get their updates at 3am which in my experience is a real pain (obviously, you don't get live EPG updates and if box fails to update for some reason you're left with no EPG or an out of date one).

Being a recent new PVR owner, all this is new to me so I'm on a learning curve.
Are there other forums like this one or can you suggest any websites links to read to increase my knowledge ?.

So far we are impressed with the DTR160 performance and quietness. As I have mentioned before this is a bedroom set-up, so it was a suck it and see situation.

Certainly the EPG data is lost if the unit is powered down. Also when operational but with the HD idle the EPG data can be accessed quickly, quicker than it takes for the HD to spin up to speed, so I had assumed that the EPG must be stored in RAM of some sort. However, the EPG data does not appear to be lost by setting the unit to standby so I had assumed that it was also stored on the HD. Unless of course the EPG is repopulated so quickly after coming out of standby that I havn't had time to scan through to check any ommisions? If the EPG is updated in standby this would be an alternative explanation.

Colin

EPG repopulation is quick but it isn't that quick . The EPG definitely stays in memory during standby which is why the full 8 days are immediately available when coming out of standby.

Also, there must be a certain amount of updating of the EPG whilst in standby to keep an eye on Accurate Recording data.

Not really, as Accurate Recording relies on the now/next data instead. I think the PVR starts monitoring the now/next info 15 minutes before the scheduled start time of a recording, since at that point the scart passthrough output flickers briefly (same when recordings stop).