Buffer Questions - ViP622 & HDMI

[DavidZ]

I just got a Scientific Atlanta 8300HDC (Time Warner cable) for my new HDTV. I noticed a strange behavior when I hooked up the HDMI cable.

If I turn the TV off and then turn it back on a few hours later, the rewind buffer is gone. Even though I haven't changed the channel on the 8300, there's no rewind buffer. Also , if I change the TV input, the buffer is deleted (sometimes).

When I'm connected with component cables, the buffer is maintained regardless of whether the TV is connected. Apparently, with HDMI, the 8300 knows when the TV is connected and, for some unknown reason, deletes the buffer when the TV is disconnected.

I'm thinking of getting Dish with the ViP622. So my questions about the ViP622 are:

(1) When the ViP622 is connected using an HDMI cable, is the buffer maintained when the TV is turned off? Or is it deleted when the TV is turned off?

(2) Is there a way to toggle between the tuners on the ViP622 while maintaining the buffers intact for later viewing?

Thanks, David

 

[Jim5506]

Cannot speak to #1, because my HDMI does not work (everything else is great), but when you run in single mode u can use the swap button to view either output TV1 or outputTV2 and the buffer is preserved on both.

 

[garys]

The buffer on the 622 is only one hour.

 

[waltinvt]

The buffer on the 622 is only one hour.

That's not what he asked.

 

[waltinvt]

I just got a Scientific Atlanta 8300HDC (Time Warner cable) for my new HDTV. I noticed a strange behavior when I hooked up the HDMI cable.

If I turn the TV off and then turn it back on a few hours later, the rewind buffer is gone. Even though I haven't changed the channel on the 8300, there's no rewind buffer. Also , if I change the TV input, the buffer is deleted (sometimes).

When I'm connected with component cables, the buffer is maintained regardless of whether the TV is connected. Apparently, with HDMI, the 8300 knows when the TV is connected and, for some unknown reason, deletes the buffer when the TV is disconnected.

I'm thinking of getting Dish with the ViP622. So my questions about the ViP622 are:

(1) When the ViP622 is connected using an HDMI cable, is the buffer maintained when the TV is turned off? Or is it deleted when the TV is turned off?

(2) Is there a way to toggle between the tuners on the ViP622 while maintaining the buffers intact for later viewing?

Thanks, David

I can answer some of this and speculate on some more.

The 622 does have a one hour buffer and it works on both tuners. When it first came out it did not hold the buffer while switching tuners.

After one of the software downloads it gained the ability to hold the buffer on both tuners while toggling back & forth. I don't remember exactly when that was but I announced it here and got no response what-so-ever.

Unfortunately that same download caused other problems and the unit lost the ability on one of the rushed fixes - which I also mentioned here.

The last time I checked, the 622 would hold the buffer on one tuner when switching but would NOT hold it for both tuners while toggling. My guess is this wasn't announced as a feature because they were still experimenting with it. I had mentioned it because I wondered if it was in fact causing some of the other problems.

 

[tnsprin]

I can answer some of this and speculate on some more.

The 622 does have a one hour buffer and it works on both tuners. When it first came out it did not hold the buffer while switching tuners.

After one of the software downloads it gained the ability to hold the buffer on both tuners while toggling back & forth. I don't remember exactly when that was but I announced it here and got no response what-so-ever.

Unfortunately that same download caused other problems and the unit lost the ability on one of the rushed fixes - which I also mentioned here.

The last time I checked, the 622 would hold the buffer on one tuner when switching but would NOT hold it for both tuners while toggling. My guess is this wasn't announced as a feature because they were still experimenting with it. I had mentioned it because I wondered if it was in fact causing some of the other problems.

Not sure which condition you have that it is not working for.

It was announced when they fixed it and still works on both my machines. Even worked when one of them went to l409 (for a week).

 

[DavidZ]

Thanks for the responses. It sounds like you can "use the swap button to view either output TV1 or output TV2 and the buffer is preserved on both."

Can anyone who connects their ViP622 to their HDTV with an HDMI cable say whether the buffer is preserved when you shut your TV off and then on again?

 

[elbodude]

Thanks for the responses. It sounds like you can "use the swap button to view either output TV1 or output TV2 and the buffer is preserved on both."

Can anyone who connects their ViP622 to their HDTV with an HDMI cable say whether the buffer is preserved when you shut your TV off and then on again?

The buffer is preserved if you turn off your TV with HDMI. But not preserved if you turn off the 622. Hopefully this will be "fixed" with a future update. Ideally, the 622 should hold a buffer even when it goes into standby mode.

 

[Jim5506]

Same here, buffer is preserved on 622 when TV is turned off.

 

[waltinvt]

..... Hopefully this will be "fixed" with a future update. Ideally, the 622 should hold a buffer even when it goes into standby mode.

Just press the record button before you shut it off.

 

[DavidZ]

The buffer is preserved if you turn off your TV with HDMI. But not preserved if you turn off the 622. Hopefully this will be "fixed" with a future update.

Thanks. That's exactly what I wanted to know.

Ideally, the 622 should hold a buffer even when it goes into standby mode.

When does the 622 go into standby mode?

 

[waltinvt]

Thanks. That's exactly what I wanted to know.

When does the 622 go into standby mode?

Unless you physically unplug it, the 622 never really shuts off. When you turn it off with the power button, it goes into standby mode. What is nice about this, is if you happen to be recording, turning it off with the power button will not mess it up. Try it - you'll still see the red record light indicating that even though the receiver is "turned" off, it's still recording. Shutting your TV off will not affect this either