Does anyone know anything about this PVR? It looks like a Vestel T825 and has HDMI, CI Slot and is described as Low Power standby. Is it using software version 4.8 the same as the Wharfedale LP models or is this the first release of a later software version?

There is a 160GB version of the Hitachi here.

Colin

I'd posted some things about this in the main PVR section.

It is a Vestel T825 clone, and has the things listed as stated. Its running software version 11.3, which is dated 28/07/08.

I picked a 253 up on 19/10 and had to swap it the following day due to the picture jumping on the live channel everytime something was recording. The second one was better but still not perfect, so I removed the loop cable and connected the tuners individually, which did improve things, until I tried to record two channels!

This problem seemed to settle, but then the box would crash randomly if in the guide, or if viewing the timer list. Eventually on the 26/10 whilst watching a DVD, not on the HDR253, I noticed that the small screen had four dashed ---- on the screen instead of nothing, it was in LP mode. I tried to power it on but no joy, tried powering off from the wall still nothing so return for a refund.

I have to say that if I hadn't had these issues I would have kept it, it was an easy box to use and the picture via HDMI was excellent. Also if LP mode was used then the box was very quick after a reboot. Setanta also worked without issue.

Colin just read your other post.

No there's no USB.

It appears that the hardware is slightly different from the earlier LP/HDMI Wharfedale in not having the USB port.

The picture momentarily freezing on live TV is typical behaviour on all the Vestel PVRs at least the T816 and T825 variants. I have had that behaviour initially after purchase on all 4 previous units I have used. Maybe something to do with the intensive playing about that occurs soon after purchase. The odd thing is that it has always settled down to be infrequent after a while. So far the LP250HDMI Wharfedale I bought a couple of weeks ago has behaved very well. But then I have not been using (or abusing it ) to the same extent that I did on the previous units.

It seems from your experience that the new Hitachi's with 11.3 software has some new issues. Can I assume from your comment "Also if LP mode was used then the box was very quick after a reboot" that the unit was slow to respond if you did not do a frequent re-boot which as you have found occurs every time you come out of LP standby. On the previous T825's, response to Remote commands becomes very sluggish when you have more than about 40-50 events in the Timers List which is easily achieved if like me you record everything you intend to watch. Having a significant number of recordings in the Recordings List makes access to the list and deleting items from the list very slow.

Regarding deleting recordings did you notice after pressing Red to delete a recording the confirmation screen was displayed with "NO" as the default value, requiring an additional button press to change it to "YES" before pressing OK? I find this an irritating change from the T816 software versions which had "YES" as the default.

I'm wondering if there are any other significant changes in the 11.3 software. It may be that the software was changed to remove the Media Browser elements which were associated with the USB port.

Colin

Hi,

I've seen a lot of good reviews on this and was thinking of picking it up but from the above poster I'm not so sure?

I'm not sure if you are referring to the Hitachi HDR253 or the Wharfedale LP250HDMI mentioned in my post above. I have continued to use my Wharfedale for the last 8 months and I am satisfied with it. It behaves much the same as most Vestel T825 units.

Colin

FYI - Just bought a 250GB Hitachi HDR253 to replace my HDR162 (one of the tuners was definitely failing). Cost £120 from Argos. Software version is currently 12.4 built on 2009-06-22. So far no problems




John.

That's interesting. I've not heard of that software version before. From the build date of 2009-06-22 that suggests that this is a new production run of the Hitachi HDR253. I wonder if this is another variant of the T845R hardware used on the Alba ALDTR160 model recently added to "futaura's" website here. Is there any mention of T845 or T845R or even the older T825 shown on the small label on the underside of the unit or on the packaging? Can you also confirm that it does have an HDMI port but does not have a USB port or CAM Slot?

futaura:- Are you there to comment?

Colin

Hi,
I have recommended a number of my customers over the past few weeks to the Hitachi HDR163. These have been T825 units with V12.3 software dated 15-05-2009.....the last of the T825 Mohicans??
This software seems a little "wobbly" (sorry to use technical jargon) and needs a reset about once a week for something or other.
Chris

I'd guess it's still a T825, since the T845R isn't above v0.x in its software version numbers yet. Probably v12.4 is likely the last in the T825 software - with the T845R out there now, I don't see any reason why Vestel would want to continue building the T825 if only because SATA HDDs are cheaper. Perhaps the T845R is just a stop gap though, having seen the other model that Vestel have up their sleeves.

I have recently bought a Digihome DG250DTRA08 tutv pvr to replace my Digihome DTR80. I find the software very frustrating. Can someone tell meif it is possible to swop the T845 software for the T845R and am I right in thinking that the software in the pvr80 is similar to the T845R. Thanks.

AFAIK, it's not possible to install Vestel's non-TUTV software on the T845 . And the software in the T845R is pretty similar to the Digihome DTR80's. Your DTR80 was probably a T816, which lacks series record, split recordings and alternatives/conflicts, which the newer T825/T845R software has.

Ok. Thank you for the help anyway.

Just bought one of these from Argos to replace my Sky+ this morning for £94.49.

Its got software version 12.4 dated 11/06/2009.

Not had chance to put it through its paces yet but no problems after half an hour so we'll see how it goes.

It's interesting that there has now been 3 different software versions for the Hitachi HDR253. I guess owners of the earlier versions 11.3 dated 2008-07-28 and
12.3 dated 2009-05-15 will be wondering what the differences are? I not also that futaura's site here quotes the date of 12.4 as 2009-06-22. Have you converted the date you posted to the UK format i.e. dd/mm/yyyy or have you left it in the Vestel format yyyy-mm-dd? i.e. is the month in your post November or June? Or is there an error elsewhere?

Colin

Sorry, got the date wrong.

Should be 2009-06-22 (no idea why I put 11 instead of 22).

No picture stutter. Only slight hiccup I noticed was a frame drop when Merlin was on but I need a new aerial cable (had to cut it as the end got damaged so its running into a booster/splitter) so I've been surprised how good its been

Thanks for the correction. Glad we got that sorted.

It's not un-usual for the Vestel PVRs to have some picture and sound hiccoughs especially when they are first used. It's an odd phenomenon but they seem to settle down after a week or so.

Colin

Well after 3 days, it has performed far beyond expectations.

No further frame drops since the two I had on Saturday and the one sound hiccup on Sunday.

It handled recording 2 channels at the same time and one was a back to back recording (on the same channel) last night.
All played back without a hitch.

Sound takes a few seconds to come through after fast forwarding at X32 but not a problem as had this occasionally with my Sky+.

One minor gripe I have is the Timers list doesn't seem to have a system for placing recordings (maybe because of the Freeview 8 day EPG) next weeks program on a series link goes under the one to be recorded that day (I have a program to be recorded tonight at the bottom of the list and one to be recorded next Monday at the top).

Its not a problem though as the program to be recorded is highlighted in the EPG.

I've noticed the EPG does get slow when you have more than a page of programs to be recorded in the Timers list (I was expecting this as I read the Digihome thread before I bought it) but the features of the EPG and the box in general make the Sky+ box look ancient.

Five day report.

The sound on mine mutes when in the EPG until I press the volume button and it stutters when on, so I'm wondering if its a problem.

Its now started to switch the display off when left. especially overnight (its not on the low power setting) and when I switched it on this morning, I was looking at a blank screen even though the display showed BBC1. I had to change channels to get a picture.

I was expecting the EPG to get slow but it became agony yesterday and I had to unplug the unit for a power cycle. It has speeded it up but wondering how long it'll last.

Anyone know if these are normal for a Vestel based unit.

The EPG slow down is normal, unfortunately. It gradually gets slower over time, until rebooted, but it takes longer to get slower with less channels, so it may be worth deleting any unwanted/unused channels from the channel list. That said, it will still slow down eventually.

The point you make about the sound being muted when entering the EPG is presumably intentional, to hide the audio stuttering that you get from live tv with the EPG open. This stuttering goes hand-in-hand with the EPG slow down - you should notice that there will be no stuttering after a power cycle / reboot.

Cheers for the info Futaura.

I've deleted all unwanted channels (1st job when I got it).

I can handle the (hopefully) occasional power cycle.

Just curious as to why the display turns off, so I'll have to test it to make sure it records when I'm away.

Probably it is rebooting at 3am while checking for software updates, hence leaving the display blank, if you have automatic updates enabled. On the flipside, the rebooting will speed up the EPG again (normally I'd advise switching automatic updates off, as there has never been an OAD for a T825 box). If not caused by the 3am reboots, it'll be a software glitch.

Presumably when the display goes off (with the LP mode switched off) the unit comes out of standby immediately without the re-booting delay? i.e. it is not actually going into LP mode. Have you tried the Low Power mode to see if that works as expected? I had an issue with my Wharfedale LP250HDMI which developed the problem of losing the LP setting in the Menu. If I re-set it to LP Mode and activated it immediately it worked OK but if I used the PVR for a while it lost the setting. I did a First Time Installation about a couple of months ago and that cured it. I assumed some data had become corrupt and the FTI had cleaned things up. You could try a FTI although you haven't had the unit very long for it to develop issue like that. Having said that, I'm sure you have given the Remote Control a busy time in the last few days.

Colin

I've noticed recently that my Wharfedale LP250HDMI randomly comes out of Low Power standby into a semi-standby state. It occurs maybe once or twice a week. In this state the power light changes from red to green and the clock is displayed. Also it must be outputting the SCART switching signal as my TV screen goes blank with no video or sound. I have the LP250 daisy-chained into my Humax PVR and then through a DVD/HDD Recorder and then the TV. So the LP250 overrides my Humax to take control of the SCART feed to the TV. This mode lasts for about 30s before returning to full LP standby mode. I spent weeks investigating potential problems with the Humax, the DVD/HDD Recorder and my wiring before noticing what was happening down stream.

I've just realised I haven't checked to see if it always occurs 15min or so before a recording is scheduled to start. I must do that next time.

Colin

Ahh. That would explain it as it does only happen overnight.

I've switched the auto updates off now, so will see what is displayed in the morning.

Thanks again.


Yes, the unit comes out of standby straight away, except I didn't have a picture this morning on BBC1 and its just froze on Sky Sports News. It also didn't show a picture on BBC1 when I swapped over.

If LP mode is selected, their is a loud click when it switches everything off and takes about 90 seconds to power up when switched on.

Might try a power cycle in case anything went wrong overnight.

I've not been giving the remote a busy time (yet) as I've been watching the recorded programs on my sky+.

It has just changed channels to 4Music on its own as I type this but the display still shows BBC1. Bad times.

Think a power cycle is needed.