Prem+ and Timer Recordings?

[hd fan]

Am I the only one who still is unable to set timer recordigs that acctually work properly? Ever since I bought it I have had to start the recording before leaving home and then stop it myself hours later after I came back just for a 1 hour show mid day. No matter how I set the timers , how long , which channels , wether it is on or in standby it is never reliable, hardly ever works. But the funny thing is the timer is on the reserved list and it even shows conflict if I set another timer within the same timeframe. On the other hand , manually starting the recording (by pressing rec key) always works and it never stops at the 2 hour mark , it keeps going until I stop it (by pressing rec key again)several hours later.

Last night on a chatroom someone told me his, work fine, and he even tested it. I retested mine later to no availability. Could using a 1.5 TB internal drive be the reason?. Anyone any ideas?

 

[hd fan]

A 500 GB extrenal USB HD does the same thing. Timeshifting works perfect BTW. I am using 5308 fw.

 

[hd fan]

Upgraded to 5309 , formatted the 500 GB USB HD with the stb to Linux and still nothing. Then decided to Factory default everything and then finally the timed recordings started working again!. But it is still flaky for some reason suddenly stops working and I have to factory default again to fix it. But in any case it is an improvement. Good thing that it comes on from stand by and then powers down at the end and also move the dish accordingly. I can finally use it as a true PVR.

 

[hd fan]

Well I think finally the Azbox is working as intended , PVR wise. I had to twice Format the Application Area but it now works great. I can finally set manual timers no matter for which channel or satellite or at what time. It even works with the 1.5 TB internal Seagate disk. I guess it was a small glitch on some piece of software that was hard to correct after several upgrades, defaults and even formatting. This one man thread can now be closed I guess.

 

[bobvick]

I have this same issue. I have been trying to record Perry Mason from MeTV at 9:00AM and 10:30PM. It did it for like the first two days I had the receiver. Now it sets the timer up, but doesnt record anything. I have a WD 1TB external HDD hooked up to it. I had used a 1TB internal drive but I thought it seemed to run hot, and I found that the external drive seemed to work just as good. I am running software version 5308, that is the one that Rick Caylor put on it before he sent it out to me. Do you think that if I reset the receiver and then loaded my saved satellite and channel list it would work ok, or would you recommend upgrading the firmware to 5309? After I do a "master reset" I am sure that it re-loads all of the european satellites and stuff. I can I just re-load my satellite list and channel list and will they overwrite the euro stuff, or do I have to delete all of it first?

 

[hd fan]

Well like I said I had to do the extreme after trying almost everything from several disks to several defaults and several firmwares, and that is , Format Application Area. But Beware and Do not make the same mistake I just made today , Back up all those 3 DAT files via FTP first as per AcWxRadar on the Sticky "How to Update Firmware". I forgot to back them up and now everytime it reboots it goes back to No Sats and I have to create one and then reinstall my backed up channel list.
So not only back up your channel list but also all those 3 DAT files. I think you need Filezilla , enable FTP on Azbox, and some AZbox editor or ACC to do that.
BTW if someone is kind enough to pm all those 3 DAT files so I can continue enjoying the Azbox I will appreciate it. Been trying finding those on the net for awhile to no availability.

 

[bobvick]

After I read how to do that, and after I back them up, I will send them to you if you haven't found them by then. It will be Friday before I can get to it. Thanks for the tip.

 

[hd fan]

Thanks for the offer Bobvick but I just finally managed to get it going once again. It took another full re-install cycle again , that is Format App Area then Upgrading to latest firmware 5309. The key for a full recovery is to always Reboot after the firmware upgrade (i just used the resolution key to set it on ntsc although my tv plays it a bit distorted on the Av2 input) that way the stb reboots and starts with the new sat list that has the c and ku separated. After that it is juts a matter of restore your channel list. I am finally a happy camper. If you have upgrade to earlier firmware maybe then you need that procedure that involves filezilla and FTP and so , but at least with latest 5309 , there is no need.

 

[hd fan]

Back to Square One again!. It was workng fine until I decided to Restore my Channel List. I had just scanned in 3 sats for testing and all was ok but a no go with my channel list. I guess I will have to start from scratch all over and create a new chhanel list and see if it fixes it.

 

[AcWxRadar]

hd fan,

The absolute best method to set up timer recordings is to use MaZEdit. Do you have this program application? Is it working for you?

Basically, what you do (if you have MazEdit set up and running) is FTP the channel list to your PC and select the channel you want to record the program from. You click on the channel and an option menu pops up and one of the options is to set up a recording event. When you click on this, it steps you through all the individual parameters to set up. Once all the parameters are set, you save the "event". At this point, it is only set up in the MazEdit program, but the AZBox doesn't recognize it yet. You have to upload the event to the AZBox. It will FTP the changes you made and the record event and store it in the AZBox. The AZBox will reboot and then you can use your remote to verify that the recording event actually registered there.

This procedure and the details are in the "sticky" provided by StarGaze above in the A-Z Guide for the AZBox. You should read that sticky for all sorts of great tips and tricks and instructions.
Stargaze compiled the guide from everyone's information and past experiences, so it is a valuable guide for you.

What is nice about using the MaZEdit application to set your recording events is that you can set the start and stop times down to the minute (and not 10 minute increments). Check it out.

RADAR

 

[hd fan]

Thanks once again Radar but I was fully aware of that procedure even over a year ago when I bougth the box when I first "cried" about this non-PVR thing over at the Ricks site and I was adviced to use Mazedit and I also read that very usefull compilation but .... I am stubborn ,I personally refuse to use anything other than the remote control to operate any stb. Thing is I want to make it work with the remote only , make it simple so anyone in any family can use it. I can not advice this stb to friends and family if it is a bit complicately to use. I do not mind the 10 min increments, I just want a PVR solution that can be used with only the stb remote control. I will keep triying though, He who insists wins ...... or dies while trying ... lol.

 

[AcWxRadar]

HD Fan,

I hear you JJ, and I comprehend what your desires are here.

I am able to do just as you dese with only the RC. I will step through the procedure that I use and you can compare what you are doing to what I am doing. This way, we can ensure that we elliminate any errors in the procedure that you are using (because it should work for you, too).

While in the TV MODE (watching the channel that your program is going to air on or at least being on the same satellite), I press the MENU button on the RC and scroll down the list of options to RESERVE RECORD/PLAY. Then press OK.

1] The next menu that opens lists the current channel at the top (but you may scroll up and down the list of channels available on that satellite.

2] When the desired channel is shown, I scroll down to the next line (PART) and select RECORD.

3] I scroll down to the next line (REPEAT) and select the frequency for recording. You will likely record the event or program in one of the following schemes:

a] ONCE (one specific program or a movie on a specific day)
b] DAILY (Mon - Fri)
c] DAILY (Mon - Sun)
d] USER SELECT (one specific day of the week, every week) or
e] USER SELECT (any one or more days of the week that you select, every week. This could be Mon & Wed & Fri or Fri & Sat or Tue & Thu, etc)

When using the USER SELECT, you highlight the day or days of the week that you desire and press OK to reserve them. After pressing OK, those days wil remain highlighted and those are the days when the recording will take place.

4] Once you have set the REPEAT parameter, scroll down to the next line (START TIME) and select the TIME and DATE of either the first or the only day that the program is to be aired and you will begin recording it. Then skip on down to the DURATION field.

5] In the DURATION field, scroll with the ? / ? buttons on the RC to set the duration of the recording as near as you can to the length of the program without going under the actual length of the program and cutting the end off.

6] Next scroll down to the TARGET and select HDD / USB1-1 / USB2-1 or whatever device you have available and want it to go to.

NOTE: If you have one USB device only plugged into either the front or the rear port, it will be displayed as USB1-1 regardless of which port you plug it into. If you have a USB device plugged into BOTH the front and rear ports, one will appear as USB2-1 and the other as USB1-1. Which one is which depends upon which one is plugged in FIRST or if you are rebooting the reciever, which port is scanned FIRST. Obviously, this is only applicable if you have two USB ports (and devices) available to use.

7] Now scroll down to the PROGRAM and you may type in a title for it if you wish. There was a glitch here previously and I do not know if it has yet been corrected, but it normally just assigns a numeric title to the program for you automatically. If you type in a title yourself, it would record the first program with that title, but if you were recording multiple episondes of say a series, the subsequent episodes would default back to numeric titles assigned by the AZBox itself. If you get this working, try recording a 30 minute series repeatedly and you will see what I refer to if they haven't corrected it yet (its on my personal "glitch" list).

8] Last step in setting up... Scroll down to RESERVATION and press OK. It will inform you that the schedule has been accepted and reserved and then you may CLOSE the menu.

9] To ensure that your recording takes place, leave the AZBox ON and not in STBY or SLEEP mode. Just turn your TV or entertainment center OFF.

10] After the recording has completed, press the MENU button on the RC and scroll down the options to highlight "RECORDED PROGRAM" and press OK. (NOTE: Do NOT use the FILE MANAGER option to try to view your recorded programs.)

11] Once the option box for reviewing your recorded programs has "popped up" on the screen, ensure that you press the ? or ? buttons on the remote so that you change the STORAGE DEVICE name to match where you put it (see the device name in lower left corner of screen).

12] Put a checkmark in the block next to the program title and press OK to play.

OK, is there anything here that you were not doing before or doing something different? Hoping that this works for you.

RADAR

 

[bobvick]

So far, knock on wood, my AZBox recordings have been doing fine. I reformatted the hard drive again, and since then they have been recording as they are supposed to. Maybe it will keep it up.

 

[AcWxRadar]

BobVick,

Is the procedure that you use identical to what I described above?

JJ,

The procedure that I outlined above is the only way that I know of to do it consistently via the RC. It leaves a bit to be desired (would be nicer if there was an EPG), but we all know that EPG is not available for FTA channels (for the vast majority).

This procedure works for me, so if it is not working for you, then either you are not doing the same things or your recordable media (internal HDD or USB memory device) is giving you trouble.
I am doubting that there is anything wrong with the device as I think you stated that you can record on it using the RC and pressing the RECORD button only. If it records and plays back when doing that, it should also function just as well when using the TIMER recording function.

I very much would like to see you obtain success with this issue, so I will try to help as best as I possibly can with every avenue that I am personally familiar with. Let me know what you have tried so far and let's go from there. We'll get your PVR functioning somehow!

RADAR

 

[bobvick]

I do mine the way that you described Radar.

 

[hd fan]

Thanks very much Radar, the only difference is that I put the box in Sleep mode or Standby, the rest is the same (but even when I have left it on it never shows any label saying it needs to record anything (someone posted it works that way I think). Not much time lately to test it , I am in the process of making a new channel list starting with the new sat list. Funny thing is when it works it even works in standby BTW. Like I said eventhough it makes no sense to me , last time it was working until I restored my backed up channel list , that is why I decided to do a new channel list.

Will update this thread when I have new info . To be honest with everyone I had been under the impression until recently that this PVR thing was a general issue affecting everyone , I had no idea it was only affecting me. That explains why I posted certain "comments and complains" on Azbox and Ricks websites about this stb, I guess I should have called my vendor at the time rather than assuming it was a general problem and would have found a solution long time ago. Maybe I also misinterpretted the answers I was given at the time but I "read" that the only solution was Mazedit and the likes. More updates to come , thanks everyone once again.

 

[bobvick]

I really like my AZBox as far as the feature set goes, and it has an amazing tuner. It can hold a weak signal really steady. But it is not a receiver for someone that is not very technologically inclined. It has a big learning curve, and I am still learning about it each time I use it. Over all, I would have to say I have been happy with it though. It certainly is not cheap in comparison to other boxes out there, but I guess you pay for what you get.

 

[AcWxRadar]

Thanks very much Radar, the only difference is that I put the box in Sleep mode or Standby, the rest is the same....

HD, that is the one thing that I never have relied upon (STANDBY or SLEEP mode). I just leave the box in the full ON state 24/7. In my own logic I think that it should work from STANDBY, but I just never really gave that a thorough testing.

Not much time lately to test it , I am in the process of making a new channel list starting with the new sat list. Funny thing is when it works it even works in standby BTW. Like I said eventhough it makes no sense to me , last time it was working until I restored my backed up channel list , that is why I decided to do a new channel list.

I sincerely do not think that the channel list would have any impact on the PVR function. Unless you had some duplicate channels that were confusing the AZBox. It is a wise idea to clean up your list, at least you have that issue resolved and you said that you needed to do it anyway, so by all means, continue with that (you'll have a better channel list at least).

Will update this thread when I have new info . To be honest with everyone I had been under the impression until recently that this PVR thing was a general issue affecting everyone , I had no idea it was only affecting me. That explains why I posted certain "comments and complains" on Azbox and Ricks websites about this stb, I guess I should have called my vendor at the time rather than assuming it was a general problem and would have found a solution long time ago. Maybe I also misinterpretted the answers I was given at the time but I "read" that the only solution was Mazedit and the likes. More updates to come , thanks everyone once again.

The main reason that I had for using MaZEdit is that it is much more "user adjustable". I did not like the 10 minute duration increments. That always would either cut off the end of the program or record 2-9 minutes beyond the end of the program. I didn't want that.

Overall, your PVR issue appears to be an isolated incident for you and maybe just a few others. Some folks are simply not using the proper procedure, but there may be incidents where an actual problem or "glitch" with the AZBox itself is causing them grief. Regardless of what the root cause of your issue is, we can eventually figure it out and make it work the way you want it to. Well, at least to your level of acceptance anyhhow.

Good luck and keep looking UP!

RADAR