I have been playing with this for about an hour and a half so far, just wondering whether you turn your box into standby, because every time you turn it back on you have to wait for the EPG info to load. Should I leave my box in standby or on all the time? (because I don't want to wait for the EPG every time)
New user of 9200T
i've left my box on for 2 years without a problem.
I do though keep it on channel 303 because apparently the hummy does not continually record live tv
I do though keep it on channel 303 because apparently the hummy does not continually record live tv
I always put mine into standbye when not in use.
The EPG loads alot quicker with v.21 software.
To be honest though, most of the time im sure most people only turn on their TV's a certain times of the day when they know that certain programmes are on anyway and unless you want to view the whole 7 days of EPG every time you turn on then I don't see much point in leaving the hummy on all the time.
The EPG loads alot quicker with v.21 software.
To be honest though, most of the time im sure most people only turn on their TV's a certain times of the day when they know that certain programmes are on anyway and unless you want to view the whole 7 days of EPG every time you turn on then I don't see much point in leaving the hummy on all the time.
Originally Posted by Catch-22:
“according to marc davis channel 303 is not recorded and the disc will not spin.”
“according to marc davis channel 303 is not recorded and the disc will not spin.”
The disk will spin; unfortunately there is currently no way for the 9200 to stop or start its disk other than going into or coming out of standby. Marc may be right that no recording will take place but there is still power consumed and wear on the bearings. Personally I prefer to put our box into standby each night.
it would be interesting to find out of all the people who have reported disc failure, how many use standby ?
with over 2 years without a hint of failure, no missing recordings or hint of file corruption I'll stick with leaving it on
with over 2 years without a hint of failure, no missing recordings or hint of file corruption I'll stick with leaving it on
I tend to turn it on when I get home from work (or when I get up at the weekend) and turn it off when I go to bed. This means there is only a single wait for the EPG to populate each day - I always have something to watch when I turn it on (having The Simpsons on series link sees to that - 
) so that initial loading time doesn't matter.
) so that initial loading time doesn't matter.
Originally Posted by kev:
“I tend to turn it on when I get home from work (or when I get up at the weekend) and turn it off when I go to bed. This means there is only a single wait for the EPG to populate each day - I always have something to watch when I turn it on (having The Simpsons on series link sees to that - ) so that initial loading time doesn't matter.”
“I tend to turn it on when I get home from work (or when I get up at the weekend) and turn it off when I go to bed. This means there is only a single wait for the EPG to populate each day - I always have something to watch when I turn it on (having The Simpsons on series link sees to that -
) so that initial loading time doesn't matter.”
That is what I do as well.
why not make use of the auto stand by feature?
i have mine set to turn off at midnight and to start up again at 07:00 when the kids get up.by the time theyn switch on the telly the epg is ready
i have mine set to turn off at midnight and to start up again at 07:00 when the kids get up.by the time theyn switch on the telly the epg is ready
Originally Posted by -GONZO-:
“I always put mine into standbye when not in use.
The EPG loads alot quicker with v.21 software.
To be honest though, most of the time im sure most people only turn on their TV's a certain times of the day when they know that certain programmes are on anyway and unless you want to view the whole 7 days of EPG every time you turn on then I don't see much point in leaving the hummy on all the time.”
“I always put mine into standbye when not in use.
The EPG loads alot quicker with v.21 software.
To be honest though, most of the time im sure most people only turn on their TV's a certain times of the day when they know that certain programmes are on anyway and unless you want to view the whole 7 days of EPG every time you turn on then I don't see much point in leaving the hummy on all the time.”
Ah but then they are missing the whole point of a PVR. What you should do is keep the library as full as possible and watch recordings not live TV. That way you can watch what you want when you want. It will change the way you watch TV for ever.
Unfortunately a couple of Hummy features make it a little awkward but it's still possible. Series link helps a lot.
Was that your argument for not using standby... 
Originally Posted by Andrue:
“Ah but then they are missing the whole point of a PVR.”
“Ah but then they are missing the whole point of a PVR.”
Originally Posted by Andrue:
“Ah but then they are missing the whole point of a PVR. What you should do is keep the library as full as possible and watch recordings not live TV. That way you can watch what you want when you want. It will change the way you watch TV for ever.
Unfortunately a couple of Hummy features make it a little awkward but it's still possible. Series link helps a lot.”
“Ah but then they are missing the whole point of a PVR. What you should do is keep the library as full as possible and watch recordings not live TV. That way you can watch what you want when you want. It will change the way you watch TV for ever.
Unfortunately a couple of Hummy features make it a little awkward but it's still possible. Series link helps a lot.”
Yes you are correct and is yet another reason why there is no need to keep the hummy on 24/7 just to keep the EPG fully loaded.
I would say abot 90% of the programmes we watch are all pre-recorded unless we are around at the time its shown and we are not watching anything else.
So we only turn the hummy on if we know a certain programme is on or we want to watch what we have recorded earlier as like you say we watch what we want when we want to.
And yes it has changed the way we watch TV. I wouldn't say forever as im sure something else will come along that will change the way we watch again and we all go WOW!
Over the 2 years we have had it, we have always put our 9200T into standby when not in use. It doesn't appear to have affected the hard disk in any way. Getting the EPG to load in order to set reservations has rarely been a problem - especially with a little bit of planning.
There are also economic and environmental benefits to using standby. Humax quote operating power of 28 watt (max) and 11w standby. I haven't verified these though they appear reasonable for the type of equipment. If we assume the difference is about 12 watts and it is on standby 16 hours per day, that is an avoided consumption of approximately 70 kWh per year which is about £7 - plus 30 kg of CO2 at the usual conversion factor of 0.43 kg CO2/kWh.
I haven't looked at the power factor when operating and on standby but computers etc. often have a PF worse than 0.8. So whilst we aren't paying for it explicitly (as we are metered on kWh not KVA) a fair bit more CO2 is being produced heating up the distribution cables.
My vote goes for standby.
There are also economic and environmental benefits to using standby. Humax quote operating power of 28 watt (max) and 11w standby. I haven't verified these though they appear reasonable for the type of equipment. If we assume the difference is about 12 watts and it is on standby 16 hours per day, that is an avoided consumption of approximately 70 kWh per year which is about £7 - plus 30 kg of CO2 at the usual conversion factor of 0.43 kg CO2/kWh.
I haven't looked at the power factor when operating and on standby but computers etc. often have a PF worse than 0.8. So whilst we aren't paying for it explicitly (as we are metered on kWh not KVA) a fair bit more CO2 is being produced heating up the distribution cables.
My vote goes for standby.
Originally Posted by aps2011:
“Over the 2 years we have had it, we have always put our 9200T into standby when not in use. It doesn't appear to have affected the hard disk in any way. Getting the EPG to load in order to set reservations has rarely been a problem - especially with a little bit of planning.
There are also economic and environmental benefits to using standby. Humax quote operating power of 28 watt (max) and 11w standby. I haven't verified these though they appear reasonable for the type of equipment. If we assume the difference is about 12 watts and it is on standby 16 hours per day, that is an avoided consumption of approximately 70 kWh per year which is about £7 - plus 30 kg of CO2 at the usual conversion factor of 0.43 kg CO2/kWh.
I haven't looked at the power factor when operating and on standby but computers etc. often have a PF worse than 0.8. So whilst we aren't paying for it explicitly (as we are metered on kWh not KVA) a fair bit more CO2 is being produced heating up the distribution cables.
My vote goes for standby.”
“Over the 2 years we have had it, we have always put our 9200T into standby when not in use. It doesn't appear to have affected the hard disk in any way. Getting the EPG to load in order to set reservations has rarely been a problem - especially with a little bit of planning.
There are also economic and environmental benefits to using standby. Humax quote operating power of 28 watt (max) and 11w standby. I haven't verified these though they appear reasonable for the type of equipment. If we assume the difference is about 12 watts and it is on standby 16 hours per day, that is an avoided consumption of approximately 70 kWh per year which is about £7 - plus 30 kg of CO2 at the usual conversion factor of 0.43 kg CO2/kWh.
I haven't looked at the power factor when operating and on standby but computers etc. often have a PF worse than 0.8. So whilst we aren't paying for it explicitly (as we are metered on kWh not KVA) a fair bit more CO2 is being produced heating up the distribution cables.
My vote goes for standby.”
I have had my 9200 switched on for over 2 years, never had a glimmer of a disk problem.
On the environmental issue, it's worth pointing out that most power consumed by domestic devices is released as heat. Given that most of the year we have our central heating on I would argue that if the 9200 wasn't left on I would expend the same amount of energy in extra gas for the central heating.
Originally Posted by tdenson:
“I have had my 9200 switched on for over 2 years, never had a glimmer of a disk problem.
On the environmental issue, it's worth pointing out that most power consumed by domestic devices is released as heat. Given that most of the year we have our central heating on I would argue that if the 9200 wasn't left on I would expend the same amount of energy in extra gas for the central heating.”
“I have had my 9200 switched on for over 2 years, never had a glimmer of a disk problem.
On the environmental issue, it's worth pointing out that most power consumed by domestic devices is released as heat. Given that most of the year we have our central heating on I would argue that if the 9200 wasn't left on I would expend the same amount of energy in extra gas for the central heating.”
So watt's needed
is an alternative to silicone which runs cool, ie. as a flourescent tube is to a filament bulb.
Originally Posted by tdenson:
“On the environmental issue, it's worth pointing out that most power consumed by domestic devices is released as heat. Given that most of the year we have our central heating on I would argue that if the 9200 wasn't left on I would expend the same amount of energy in extra gas for the central heating.”
“On the environmental issue, it's worth pointing out that most power consumed by domestic devices is released as heat. Given that most of the year we have our central heating on I would argue that if the 9200 wasn't left on I would expend the same amount of energy in extra gas for the central heating.”
This is a fair point and worth making. The cost/efficiency/controllability of gas heating is such that I reckon it is probably better to use that to provide heat rather than rely on heat from appliances designed for other purposes. With electricity, the current flowing through the mains cables also produces heat (about 8% to 10% of the energy used in the appliance in the domestic situation) that goes straight into the environment. The energy lost in power production depends on the type of generation - wind, nuclear, gas, coal and so on.
There is never an easy answer to questions like this and I suppose it is a matter of individual judgment how the costs and benefits pan out - 'you pay your money and takes your choice'.
Have never had any disk problems with a couple Humax 8000T's in four years of use, turning them on and off completely several times a day.
I'd have thought that a drive running continuously would reach it's potential run hours sooner than a drive not being used continuously, unless starting/stopping causes excessive strain/wear that offsets continuous running.
I'd have thought that a drive running continuously would reach it's potential run hours sooner than a drive not being used continuously, unless starting/stopping causes excessive strain/wear that offsets continuous running.
Originally Posted by JAK99:
“Have never had any disk problems with a couple Humax 8000T's in four years of use, turning them on and off completely several times a day.
I'd have thought that a drive running continuously would reach it's potential run hours sooner than a drive not being used continuously, unless starting/stopping causes excessive strain/wear that offsets continuous running.”
“Have never had any disk problems with a couple Humax 8000T's in four years of use, turning them on and off completely several times a day.
I'd have thought that a drive running continuously would reach it's potential run hours sooner than a drive not being used continuously, unless starting/stopping causes excessive strain/wear that offsets continuous running.”
I'm sure it does, but my experience with computers over the years left on permanently is that you are very unlucky to lose a disk drive within a couple of years even if permanently on. Do you really think you won't be hankering after a 9200 replacement in 2 years time. In fact this is one of my biggest (semi-facetious) arguments for deliberately reducing the life of hi tech equipment - it gives self justification (or even wife justification) for a replacement when broken
Originally Posted by aps2011:
“This is a fair point and worth making. The cost/efficiency/controllability of gas heating is such that I reckon it is probably better to use that to provide heat rather than rely on heat from appliances designed for other purposes. With electricity, the current flowing through the mains cables also produces heat (about 8% to 10% of the energy used in the appliance in the domestic situation) that goes straight into the environment. The energy lost in power production depends on the type of generation - wind, nuclear, gas, coal and so on.
.”
“This is a fair point and worth making. The cost/efficiency/controllability of gas heating is such that I reckon it is probably better to use that to provide heat rather than rely on heat from appliances designed for other purposes. With electricity, the current flowing through the mains cables also produces heat (about 8% to 10% of the energy used in the appliance in the domestic situation) that goes straight into the environment. The energy lost in power production depends on the type of generation - wind, nuclear, gas, coal and so on.
.”
Yes, I didn't mean to argue that it was a completely balancing equation, there's also summer time to consider. However, it is closer to the truth than the statistics that say "if everyone switched their video recorders to standby we could heat a city the size of ..." etc.
