Thread: SonicView 8000HD: Recording and Tuner Questions

I have been struggling with using the PVR functions of my new SonicView 8000HD. Thanks to info from this forum, I downloaded and installed the old factory software (4.42) instead of the current, very buggy 2.57. This appears to have solved 90+ percent of my problems with the PVR. It's not crashing anymore and losing my recordings as it was doing with the current factory software. Generally, I am very happy with the box. The HD quality is fantastic, even on replay, and its very easy to download the recorded video to my PC. (VideoReDo handles it without any problem.)

However, I have found that when recording a new program from the same channel (e.g., PBS-E), it over-writes the previous recording from PBS-E, instead of starting a new file called "PBS-E-02" or something like that. I'd like to be able to do a daily recording from PBS-E and keep each recording, instead of over-writing the old one every time.

I notice that when I schedule an event, I have an option to select "Lock". I haven't done this as I figured it pertained to parental lock which I don't need. However, I'm wondering now if selecting "Lock" perhaps keeps the unit from over-writing the old file "PBS-E" file and will make it start a new file with a modified name. Does anyone know if this is true?

If not, how can I get it to stop over-writing the last recorded program from the same channel?

Also, a separate question, is it just my tuner or is the SV UHF over-the-air tuner pretty insensitive? I find I can pick up many more UHF DTV stations on my TV than are found by the DTV search on the SV. Is this typical behavior. I'm thinking maybe an antenna pre-amp will boost the signal to the point even the DV can find it.
Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks in advance.

Also, thanks Iceman and moderators for a great forum--its been a font of information for me as a new true FTA'er.

welcome

Originally Posted by FriscoJohn

However, I have found that when recording a new program from the same channel (e.g., PBS-E), it over-writes the previous recording from PBS-E, instead of starting a new file called "PBS-E-02" or something like that. I'd like to be able to do a daily recording from PBS-E and keep each recording, instead of over-writing the old one every time.

I'll ask a dumb question but is there any way for you to rename the file when setting up the recording? I know on my azbox I can either name the file or it will just log the recording as the channel (in this case PBS-E)

In the timer settings is there a option to do that? As an example, I recorded 2 hockey games. When I set the timers I labeled one 031310 and one 031410 so in the list of programs it said
_________ (channel) 031310
_________ (channel) 031410

thats weird it overrides the existing file.

Iceberg,

Thanks for the quick reply (and sorry I glitched your name in my original post). There is an option to change the default name of the file in the event set-up menu but this didn't work in the old (2.57 software) and it simply reverted to the default channel name (e.g., PBS-E) or, even worse, sometimes crashed the box and lost all the files on the HD. I haven't had the courage to try this on the new firmware (4.42) but I will back up my HD and try it and report back.

Even if I can use a custom name for each recording, this doesn't help with the series recordings where it automatically records each days program. If it can't recognize that a given file name is already used and work around this, say by appending a number to that file name, it is still going to over-write the previous day's recording.

I'm away from home for a couple of days but I will report back soon. I'm also trying the "Lock" option in the record event set-up screen to see if this makes any difference.

Regards.

Rename the file after it records. I know it's not the perfect solution but, until you find a better one, it'll prevent the recordings from being deleted the next day.

I think the issue is he is out of town for a couple days at a time so he cant rename them...unless I misread

Originally Posted by FriscoJohn

Is the SV OTA over-the-air tuner pretty insensitive? I find I can pick up many more DTV stations on my TV than are found by the DTV search on the SV. Is this typical behavior. I'm thinking maybe an antenna pre-amp will boost the signal to the point even the DV can find it.
Anyone have experience with this?

Here's a couple of citations from other sources useful for all SV8000HD owners catching OTA ATSC signals:

"The Sonicview is NOT ready to scan UHF USA channels. You MUST set the correct frequencies that you need to scan.

When you are connected to an external TV antenna, here is what you MUST do to receive your locals.

When you scan your VHF DTV channels, make sure you scan from 57mhz to 213mhz wih a 6 mhz spread between channels.

Now for UHF, set the scan from 473mhz to 803mhz with a 6 mhz spread between channels.

You will NOW receive ALL your local channels with your Sonicview HD receiver.

It IS an excellent sensitive over the air ATSC receiver."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"If you can receive channels on your TV but NOT on the SV you will need to OFFSET when you scan. And yes you can add DTV channels manually if you want, you will need to know the frequency but most TVs supply that info along with alot of other stuff.

When you do a DTV scan the SV does it in blocks of 6000. So whenever you scan you will need to scan each band 5 times to cover all the frequencies available in that band.

Heres what you need to do.
1. Select a Band VHF, UHF etc.
2. Don't change anything just Scan example freq is 174000
3. Reselect the same band.
4. Change the scan freq up 1000 174000 becomes 175000
5. Scan again
6. Reselect the same band.
7. Change the scan freq up 2000 174000 becomes 176000
8. Scan again.
9. Reselect the same band.
10. Change the scan freq up 3000 174000 becomes 177000
11. Scan again.
12. Reselect the same band.
13. Change the scan freq up 4000 174000 becomes 178000
14. Scan again.
15. Reselect the same band.
16. Change the scan freq up 5000 174000 becomes 179000
17. Scan again.
18. Restart at 1 and change to a different band. UHF takes the longest.

This will cover all the possible freqs that the SV can scan. If its out there you will find it.

I've found a few that the TV's don't even pick up. Sometimes they are only available at night. The problem with a DTV signal is that it must almost be perfect for a TV to pick it up. With analog you could get a snowy picture and audio from weak signal like walking down a hill, the closer to the bottom the worse the signal but you could receive it. With DTV its just like dropping off a cliff there is no hill to walk down (its called threshold). Even if you receive a part of the signal unless enough information is there you're not going to see anything, but when you do receive it its usually an excellant picture. Essentially they are sacrificing distance for better picture quality."

on the OTA portion cant you just change the steps to 1000? The CS8000 does the same thing by setting the default to 6000. I changed it to 1000 and it works fine scanning in the channels

First the good news. Using the 4.43 firmware, by selecting "Lock" on the recording-event set-up menu when you set up the recording, you can make the receiver preserve that recording so it won't record over it in the future. Lets say your first program in the sequence is named "PBS-W" on the HD. (It uses the name of the channel you recorded if from as the name of the recording.) When you record the next day's installment, instead of naming it "PBS-W" again and over-writing the original on the HD, it will record the new program as "PBS-W_01". The next recording from that channel will be named, "PBS-W_02", then the following one will be "PBS-W_03", and so on. That way, nothing gets recorded over. Of course, you have to figure out which one is which from these unhelpful names. (See below).

Also, it is now possible (again using the 4.43 firmware) to change the name of a recording on the HD without crashing the box and losing everything on the hard disk. (With the 2.57 firmware, trying to do this inevitably crashed the box and wiped the HD.) So you can rename all those "PBS-W_01", 02, etc. to something meaningful, but only AFTER they are recorded.

Now the not so good news: Yes, you can change the default name of the recording to be scheduled (the default being the channel name--e.g., "PBS-W") to a more descriptive name, e.g., "Mr. Rogers" when you set up the recording event. However, when it comes recording time, guess what, the box merrily ignores your new name and uses the old default channel name anyway (e.g., "PBS-W"). Of course, after it is recorded, you can change it to whatever your heart desires (although I suspect there is a length limitation on the new name).

Well, I'm 95% happy, I won't lose any more recordings and it is sure nice to be able to set up a daily or weekday or weekly recurring recording event and have it work, even if you have to put up with cryptic file names. On the other hand, what a small task it would be for SonicView to fix this sort of stuff and have a product that even the non-experimenter type could love.

I'm still futzing with trying to get the tuner to find all the UHF signals from my transmitter site, all of 1.6 miles away. I tried adjusting the DTV scan step size--apparently can't be done--it is set at 6 Mhz and there is no way I can find to change it. I also tried incrementing the starting frequency by one Mhz each time. No joy on this either so far. Tomorrow I'll try the preamp and see if it amps the signal up enough to get through to the tuner--I must have gotten the first generation one, it sure isn't nearly as sensitive as the one in my 2 year old Phillips LCD.

I'll report back my results.

Again, the bottom line for new SonicView 8000HD owners--run, don't walk, away from the current factory firmware 2.57. It will drive you crazy. 4.43 is far, far better, and only a little crazy-making.

Hey, FriscoJohn,

Anyway you can send me a copy of 4.43?

Also, has anyone found a way to get the 8000hd to see all the OTA channels? I still can't get channel ABC-7 in the Los Angeles area no matter what I do.

Thanks in advance.