iHi
I have already posted this under the technical section so ignore if you have already seen it.

I have had the dmrex77eb dvd hdd recorder since last summer (still under warranty) and have been using it ok with no problem, almost permanently on ext link. When the sky program comes on, the recording starts.

In the last couple of weeks, a problem has occurred, where the ext link will start recording from sky as soon as the sky box is switched on, rather than when "told so" by the timer.

Has anyone come across this problem before? I had another panasonic unit before and never had any such problems. Is it more likely to be a dvd problem or a sky box problem?

Your help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Ely

Have you perhaps inadvertently changed it to Ext Link Mode 2 in the menus? [ or changed you sky scart connections around? ]

Check in Functions / To others / Setup / Connections / Ext Link

Hi, no cables and setup were not changed. The problem actually started when I was away, my friend noticed, but no setting were changed. I also tried other menu settings afterwards. I changed the cable (just in case it got busted) and also connected the panny to a freeview box which is ext link enabled, with same result.

Having read a bit on this forum, from older models, it seems that it may be a known problem, ie ext link behaving oddly. I may just have to send it for repairs ... unless anyone has any other ideas.

BTW if I remember correctly it was always on ext link 2.

Do NOT send it for repair. There is nothing wrong with it.

If it is set to Ext Link 2 then it is behaving exactly as it should.

Ext Link 2 works by detecting the presence of Video on Pin 19 of the incoming scart from sky and records whenever it is present... ie whenever the skybox is on.

Ext Link Mode 1 operates by detecting an instruction signal from the skybox... and it is only available on the VCR scart of the skybox.

The problems that are known in regard of ext link are Sky issues - not the EX77

Hi, I will double check the settings again. However it was working well before (since july last year, and before that with another panny dvd hdd for over a year, and before that with a panny svhs recorder )

The problem started when I was on holiday and my friend was staying over, and he hasn't changed any settings. But funny enough just before my holiday there was a new software download so I wonder if the two are related.... I am very suspicious.

The software download could not possibly have anything to do with the problem as the download only deals with digital reception software which has nothing to do with the machine operation software.

There may be some corruption in the system preventing its operation.

Check all scarts are fully pushed home... and disconnect the unit from the mains for 5 minutes to clear it of such possible problems.

I have never used the Link mode as I thought it would boot the recorder into record every time I turned on Sky.

My Sky box is an old Panasonic (2001), it is connected to AV2 RGB on the EX77.

If I set a timer in Sky and set the link to Mode 1 will it record?

Do I need to set the timer button on the 77?

Will it record the RGB signal?

Thanks for helping.

Mode 1 cannot record the RGB signal as some of the pins are used for signalling.

If you wish to record RGB you must connect the AV2 scart of the EX77 to the Sky TV output scart and use Ext Link Mode 2.

For this to work, [assuming you have selected Ext Link mode 2 in the menus ] you then just put the EX77 into Ext Link standby.


When in that condition , it will come on and record WHENEVER the sky box is on.


Therefore you must timer programme the skybox and put it into standby.

Note that there is an old bug in skyboxes which they have no will to fix... Under certain conditions it will come out of standby and not send RGB.

To ensure you do not lose the recording completely, you must change an input setting on the EX77.

Goto Functions / To others / Setup / Connections and change AV2 input to RGB AND Video

Thanks Gavtech,

That has cleared things up, I go through the faff of just leaving the Sky box on and setting a recording on the recorder. Well I did on the HS2, change of job has allowed me to watch all the footy live. I will give it a try.

As I use a Harmony remote, I take it I will have to add a new button for link record?

Hey Gavtech

you were right. The recorder was on ext link 2, once replaced on ext link 1 it worked as designed, ie I can turn sky on and off but the dvd recorder will only start recording if I have a sky timer set.

My friend must have changed that setting when I was on holidays (he's a bit of a fiddler, he likes experimenting with menu options). As this is not a menu I change all the time (once it's set it stays) it never occurred to me the option was wrong.

I will monitor the machine just in case, but I am hopeful that that will be it.

My friend is already paying for his sins, since I got him to build my new pc (and iron out all the problems) so I think I will spare his life this time. Besides I still need a cat-sitter for when I go on holiday - but next time I will put some hand-chopping clause in place as a safeguard.

Thanks for your help.

Eleonora

That's good news.

The phantom fiddler is uncovered.