Have had this box for a few years now and recently when I try to turn the box on in the morning with the remote it will not turn on. Have to pull the plug. This doesn't happen every morning though. Also there appears to be no programme information for channel 5 and bbc 2, this has been for a few days now. Is it time for a new PVR?
Thomson DHD4000
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Originally Posted by Ryan F:
“Have had this box for a few years now and recently when I try to turn the box on in the morning with the remote it will not turn on. Have to pull the plug. This doesn't happen every morning though. Also there appears to be no programme information for channel 5 and bbc 2, this has been for a few days now. Is it time for a new PVR?”
“Have had this box for a few years now and recently when I try to turn the box on in the morning with the remote it will not turn on. Have to pull the plug. This doesn't happen every morning though. Also there appears to be no programme information for channel 5 and bbc 2, this has been for a few days now. Is it time for a new PVR?”
Hi Ryan
Firstly I am assuming that you are running the latest software V2.3.9
In the morning does the box have a red or orange light showing? The last thing a successful overnight programme download does is to perform a re-boot – so a red light should be showing. An orange light would indicate that it has fallen over during the download. Also the fact that you are missing programme information points to a download failure.
What do the log files show? The default setting is ‘OFF’ so unless you have previously enabled log file writing, then they will be empty. To enable log file creation carry out the following.
Navigate to ‘setup’ and then to ‘technical help’
Then enter the numbers 1004 in fairly quick succession – this will take you into the ‘engineer information menu’.
Take care whist in the ‘engineer information menu’; it can be a dangerous place!
Next select ‘logging’ and if it is ‘disabled’ change to ‘enabled’
When you have a log file available, you will see that it spends some time preparing itself to carry out the download. Then at 03.18am it will start downloading programme information.
If that is the last entry then it shows that it has fallen over in a bad way.
Post back your log file details and I’ll see if I can help further
HTH
--John
Hi John,
The box has the normal red standby light showing in the morning. I enabled logging when the engineers menu was discovered a while back. The logs seem to look ok, the log from last night stated the EPG download was deemed to be successful and the set the machine to reboot and start download the next morning. Surely it is strange that only bbc2 and channel 5 have to programme information? I am on the black hill transmittor btw. I have deleted the logs today and will check tomorrow to see what they say. I am kind of reluctant to buy a new PVR just now as HD freeview is on its way and dont want to buy a machine which will be out of date shortly. Although I may consider a cheap PVR to tide me over, couldn't be without one now.
Thanks for your help.
The box has the normal red standby light showing in the morning. I enabled logging when the engineers menu was discovered a while back. The logs seem to look ok, the log from last night stated the EPG download was deemed to be successful and the set the machine to reboot and start download the next morning. Surely it is strange that only bbc2 and channel 5 have to programme information? I am on the black hill transmittor btw. I have deleted the logs today and will check tomorrow to see what they say. I am kind of reluctant to buy a new PVR just now as HD freeview is on its way and dont want to buy a machine which will be out of date shortly. Although I may consider a cheap PVR to tide me over, couldn't be without one now.
Thanks for your help.
Hi Ryan,
I don't know if this is related, but sometimes when my other half leaves the box switched on at night, the next morning it can be in a 'difficult' state, even after the EPG update and soft reboot.
Sometimes the hard drive and fan can be clearly heard as if the unit is on, even though the red light suggests it is in standby, and other times it will not wake up from the remote. In both cases a mains off/on will sort it out. I haven't noticed any associated EPG issues though.
Pop
I don't know if this is related, but sometimes when my other half leaves the box switched on at night, the next morning it can be in a 'difficult' state, even after the EPG update and soft reboot.
Sometimes the hard drive and fan can be clearly heard as if the unit is on, even though the red light suggests it is in standby, and other times it will not wake up from the remote. In both cases a mains off/on will sort it out. I haven't noticed any associated EPG issues though.
Pop
I think I might try erasing the EPG data too to see what comes back - that's an option in the engineers menu too isn't it?
Matt
Matt
Hi Ryan
I would second Matt’s suggestion, since it would appear that something has messed up your EPG. By flushing out the entire current one, hopefully it will allow the next download to give you a full clean EPG
As Mat said the EPG delete function is in the engineers menu, within ‘factory defaults’
A few weeks ago I had the same problem as described by Pop and also had no EPG issues, so it’s possible that this is a different problem.
Let us know how you get on.
--John
I would second Matt’s suggestion, since it would appear that something has messed up your EPG. By flushing out the entire current one, hopefully it will allow the next download to give you a full clean EPG
As Mat said the EPG delete function is in the engineers menu, within ‘factory defaults’
A few weeks ago I had the same problem as described by Pop and also had no EPG issues, so it’s possible that this is a different problem.
Let us know how you get on.
--John
I don't have my DHD4000 plugged in at the moment but a number of other makes and models of freeview boxes have been hit by a bug to do with the way that the EPG is transmitted - the so called split NIT issue. It is possible that the old DHD4000 might not understand the way that the new EPG data is being delivered and unless Thomson broadcast a fix, then it'll be broken 
That would be a real shame as it's one of the best PVRs around even now.
That would be a real shame as it's one of the best PVRs around even now.
My Sony TV is affected, but only if you rescan. Not brave enough to re-scan the DHD4000 to see if it's affected!
Thankfully Sony are releasing new firmware to fix it - though having read the publicity about this change I wasn't expecting the TV to be affected. Would be really disappointed if the DHD4000 also had a problem since I don't expect Thomson would release an update to fix it now, and there's still nothing around that comes close to it
Thankfully Sony are releasing new firmware to fix it - though having read the publicity about this change I wasn't expecting the TV to be affected. Would be really disappointed if the DHD4000 also had a problem since I don't expect Thomson would release an update to fix it now, and there's still nothing around that comes close to it
I'm reasonably confident that I've rescanned since the split NIT issue and had no problems either with accessing live programmes or having a full EPG. In fact, I have definitely done that scan; I did it this weekend, and despite the box falling over at the end of the update, a quick reboot sorted it out with no adverse consequences it seems.
Matt
Matt
I've got two DHD4000's, and they've both started playing up recently - missing recordings, or even more strangely missing parts of recordings. E.g. I set the box to record a 1 hr programme the other night and it only recorded 33 mins of it!
Originally Posted by Redrenojohn:
“I've got two DHD4000's, and they've both started playing up recently - missing recordings, or even more strangely missing parts of recordings. E.g. I set the box to record a 1 hr programme the other night and it only recorded 33 mins of it!”
“I've got two DHD4000's, and they've both started playing up recently - missing recordings, or even more strangely missing parts of recordings. E.g. I set the box to record a 1 hr programme the other night and it only recorded 33 mins of it!”
You haven't got a recording set up for repeat have you? I am not sure about the current software, but that used to lock up one of the tuners and, as it left you with only the other one, caused all sorts of problems.
Well I follwed advice and cleared out the old EPG data from the engineers menu and did a channel rescan as well. All seems to be working ok, full EPG now.
Still having issues with the box not functioning properly in the morning. Today I woke up and the box had no lights on the front and the remote or front panel buttons wouldn't turn it on. A quick reboot sorted it.
Don't mind doing this now and again but its happening several times a week and don't know whether I can rely on the box now as i'm sure if there was a scheduled recording the recording wouldn't take place with the box in that state.
Just need to check the box each morning to make sure
Still having issues with the box not functioning properly in the morning. Today I woke up and the box had no lights on the front and the remote or front panel buttons wouldn't turn it on. A quick reboot sorted it.
Don't mind doing this now and again but its happening several times a week and don't know whether I can rely on the box now as i'm sure if there was a scheduled recording the recording wouldn't take place with the box in that state.
Just need to check the box each morning to make sure
My DHD4000 had a surprising "pale lilac screen of death" the other day, but power cycling cured it.
Still a fine machine, we have two.
Still a fine machine, we have two.
I still haven't needed to do a new channel scan since the "Split NIT" fiasco started. When that time comes, has anyone confirmed that the DHD4000 is not adversely affected by it?
Yes, I've rescanned mine and also bought a box off ebay (which I've then scanned) and had no problems with either. Split NIT doesn't seem to cause any problems with channels, performance or EPG data.
Matt
Matt
Originally Posted by larkim:
“Yes, I've rescanned mine and also bought a box off ebay (which I've then scanned) and had no problems with either. Split NIT doesn't seem to cause any problems with channels, performance or EPG data.
Matt”
“Yes, I've rescanned mine and also bought a box off ebay (which I've then scanned) and had no problems with either. Split NIT doesn't seem to cause any problems with channels, performance or EPG data.
Matt”
That's a relief. TVM
Originally Posted by slimgym:
“Just goes to show what a great bit of kit it is. Brilliant news
”
“Just goes to show what a great bit of kit it is. Brilliant news
”
Its such a shame they stopped production. I have to admit I've not used any other PVRs, but I still reckon its an almost flawless machine, even without Freeview Playback (or whatever its called) functionality.
With the latest software, Thomson gave us a stable, upgradeable and fully functioning box, something that most of the other providers are still struggling to do. If they'd all worked off the same platform for the last 3 years......
Matt
Originally Posted by Ryan F:
“Have had this box for a few years now and recently when I try to turn the box on in the morning with the remote it will not turn on. Have to pull the plug. This doesn't happen every morning though. Also there appears to be no programme information for channel 5 and bbc 2, this has been for a few days now. Is it time for a new PVR?”
“Have had this box for a few years now and recently when I try to turn the box on in the morning with the remote it will not turn on. Have to pull the plug. This doesn't happen every morning though. Also there appears to be no programme information for channel 5 and bbc 2, this has been for a few days now. Is it time for a new PVR?”
I've had the the "not responding" thing happen but it still works fine overall. It's obviously a glitch but not a sign of impending failure - mine's been doing it for around a year, albeit only from time to time.
Originally Posted by larkim:
“Its such a shame they stopped production. I have to admit I've not used any other PVRs, but I still reckon its an almost flawless machine, even without Freeview Playback (or whatever its called) functionality.
With the latest software, Thomson gave us a stable, upgradeable and fully functioning box, something that most of the other providers are still struggling to do. If they'd all worked off the same platform for the last 3 years......
Matt”
“Its such a shame they stopped production. I have to admit I've not used any other PVRs, but I still reckon its an almost flawless machine, even without Freeview Playback (or whatever its called) functionality.
With the latest software, Thomson gave us a stable, upgradeable and fully functioning box, something that most of the other providers are still struggling to do. If they'd all worked off the same platform for the last 3 years......
Matt”
Pretty spot on - I'm dreading the day something happens to mine as I'm pretty sure any kit I buy to follow it won't match up to the ease of use and stability of it. Had mine pretty much from day one and, as you say, it never looked back once the final firmware was fired into it......
Originally Posted by Carpathian:
“Pretty spot on - I'm dreading the day something happens to mine as I'm pretty sure any kit I buy to follow it won't match up to the ease of use and stability of it. Had mine pretty much from day one and, as you say, it never looked back once the final firmware was fired into it......”
“Pretty spot on - I'm dreading the day something happens to mine as I'm pretty sure any kit I buy to follow it won't match up to the ease of use and stability of it. Had mine pretty much from day one and, as you say, it never looked back once the final firmware was fired into it......”
I too, am wondering what will match the DHD4000s (we have two). Nothing else seems to have the range of features and reliability. And the latest TopUp/Thomson box seems to be riddled with faults in its firmware programming.
My other half had Sky+ installed very recently. It has some good points, such as stutter-free rewinding, but it annoys me due to the lack of a 30 second skip button.
I also meant to add, that a week ago, I checked the Engineering logs and came across an anomaly that I've never encountered before.
The log for the 10th September was listed, but there was nothing in it at all. Instead of the fourteen or so pages of data, in the style of "Tuned to data pipe, etc.", the page was totally blank. Yet the EPG seemed to be intact for that particular day.
The log data for days preceding and following seemed to be intact.
Maybe it was one of those strange 3am gremlins!
The log for the 10th September was listed, but there was nothing in it at all. Instead of the fourteen or so pages of data, in the style of "Tuned to data pipe, etc.", the page was totally blank. Yet the EPG seemed to be intact for that particular day.
The log data for days preceding and following seemed to be intact.
Maybe it was one of those strange 3am gremlins!
I think (hope?) the only parts that will wear out or fail are the power supply, hard disc and fan. The PSU kit is freely avaialble (I've changed mine already after it became sluggish to power up). We all know how easy it is to change the hard disc, and the fan might not even be necessary.
The only other thing that might kill it off would be the EPG data disappearing. Hopefully it uses exactly the same data as the newer models, so that's unlikely to happen for a while yet.
Hopefully it will go for many years to come
The only other thing that might kill it off would be the EPG data disappearing. Hopefully it uses exactly the same data as the newer models, so that's unlikely to happen for a while yet.
Hopefully it will go for many years to come
Originally Posted by trilobite:
“My other half had Sky+ installed very recently. It has some good points, such as stutter-free rewinding, but it annoys me due to the lack of a 30 second skip button.”
“My other half had Sky+ installed very recently. It has some good points, such as stutter-free rewinding, but it annoys me due to the lack of a 30 second skip button.”
Are you saying your DHD4000 doesn't have stutter-free rewinding?
That's not a problem I have - but I have a vague memory that a bug was introduced in the final firmware upgrade, whereby something like that happened if you chose to record subtitles. Switch that option off and the problem goes away (at a slight cost).
Got a problem with my DHD4000.
The problem is that the second and subsequent channels selected after power-up results in a blank screen and no sound. The initial channel after power up works fine as does its live pause channel buffering. It is possible to play back hard disk recordings normally and also to make new recordings. The problem is that as soon as you try changing to a different channel the screen goes blank and the sound stops. If the box is then set to standby and turned on again the new channel becomes the one displayed and it works normally - this is the only way to change channel at present.
The tuners both appear to be working normally as the "technical help" screen (menu-6-9) shows them both operating and showing signal strength.
The context is that the PSU board failed recently resulting in the hard disk failing to spin up. The PSU has been fixed by me using a generally-available repair kit (RELKIT 33e from satcure.co.uk) and the hard disk now spins up again, the only remaining problem being the one described above.
A spare hard disk has been connected in place of the original and the box then works perfectly in every way (so the core functionality of the box is fine and undamaged by the PSU failure), but then the existing recordings on the main hard disk are obviously no longer accessible so this is not a permanent solution.
I have enabled logging via the engineering menu (menu-6-9-1004-4). When I try changing channel to get the blank screen the error "PIPEHAL_StartRecord - Failed to open file BUFF001.PES for writing", so it looks like the software is failing to create the rolling buffer file for the second tuner when you change channel, hence the blank screen. There is about 6 hours of free space on the drive so space for the buffer is not the issue. I have run both the short and long hard disk tests on the engineering menu and these report no problem, I have also tried reverting back to v1.7.7 firmware but the problem occurs with that as well, and it also still exists having reverted back to v0.3.9.
Any suggestions folks? Has anyone had this before and fixed it?
The problem is that the second and subsequent channels selected after power-up results in a blank screen and no sound. The initial channel after power up works fine as does its live pause channel buffering. It is possible to play back hard disk recordings normally and also to make new recordings. The problem is that as soon as you try changing to a different channel the screen goes blank and the sound stops. If the box is then set to standby and turned on again the new channel becomes the one displayed and it works normally - this is the only way to change channel at present.
The tuners both appear to be working normally as the "technical help" screen (menu-6-9) shows them both operating and showing signal strength.
The context is that the PSU board failed recently resulting in the hard disk failing to spin up. The PSU has been fixed by me using a generally-available repair kit (RELKIT 33e from satcure.co.uk) and the hard disk now spins up again, the only remaining problem being the one described above.
A spare hard disk has been connected in place of the original and the box then works perfectly in every way (so the core functionality of the box is fine and undamaged by the PSU failure), but then the existing recordings on the main hard disk are obviously no longer accessible so this is not a permanent solution.
I have enabled logging via the engineering menu (menu-6-9-1004-4). When I try changing channel to get the blank screen the error "PIPEHAL_StartRecord - Failed to open file BUFF001.PES for writing", so it looks like the software is failing to create the rolling buffer file for the second tuner when you change channel, hence the blank screen. There is about 6 hours of free space on the drive so space for the buffer is not the issue. I have run both the short and long hard disk tests on the engineering menu and these report no problem, I have also tried reverting back to v1.7.7 firmware but the problem occurs with that as well, and it also still exists having reverted back to v0.3.9.
Any suggestions folks? Has anyone had this before and fixed it?
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