Strange pop-up message about DVR

[TheForce]

This evening I was about to watch a recorded show and a popup message appeared stating:

"You have selected a High Definition program recorded to your DVR. HDCP has restricted this program from playing in High Definition. If you wish to view this recording you will need to disconnect your HDMI cable and connect analog cables to watch in standard definition."

What was that all about? I never saw that before. Yes, I know what HDCP is all about and what an HDMI cable is.

Anyway, the show was still recording and I only tried to watch from the beginning, So I selected view live and it did play. Then I hit fast reverse to the beginning and it played with no problems, I could even skip past the commercials. So when I was done, the recording was listed in my DVR so I tried to play it again and now I can't watch it at all. My other recordings play fine.

Anyone know what that was all about? Is Dish Network trying to restrict our use of the DVR now?

 

[harshness]

Is your TV HDCP compliant?

What do the info screens say about the HDMI connection?

Have you tried a direct HDMI connection from the DVR to the TV?

What channel was the program in question on?

DISH probably isn't doing anything that your setup doesn't demand.

 

[Frank Jr.]

Curious, what program, and channel was it on? If it is provided again I'll record it and let you know.

 

[SomeDishGuy]

What model receiver? Is it TV1 or TV2 (if non-Hopper/Joey). What all is connected to the outputs on the back of the receiver? If using HDMI on TV1, how is TV2 connected? Anything connected to the Component/Composite outputs and also connected to the HDMI output?

I have often seen the problem come about when a customer is mirroring, where they use HDMI for TV1 and are also using red/green/blue from the TV1 output to go to another TV. If not, reset the HDMI connection on both ends, then if no go, reset the TV. Beyond that, I can tell you Dish has no other options, other than to refer you to your TV manufacturer. I am assuming you have an 890 code when trying to watch, correct?

 

[primestar31]

I've had that happen. Reseat your HDMI cable on both ends, and it should go away. If not, replace your HDMI cable with another one.

Two things were happening here: 1: The program is encrypted. 2: the receiver can't verify the encryption from the receiver to your tv set is good, because of something wrong with the HDMI signal return.

 

[TheForce]

I've had that happen. Reseat your HDMI cable on both ends, and it should go away. If not, replace your HDMI cable with another one.

Two things were happening here: 1: The program is encrypted. 2: the receiver can't verify the encryption from the receiver to your tv set is good, because of something wrong with the HDMI signal return.

This is the most logical explanation. Disruption in the connection in the cabling, but it doesn't explain why it happened with just one program on a channel where that same program is recorded every day for the past several years. On a channel CNBC, that has all other programs recorded before and after this one with no issues. Yet one program refuses to play. Anyway, I was able to watch it from the beginning to the end, test it again after the recording had completed and it failed. I was able to delete the program. Frank, these shows air live, daily so it isn't that it was some prerecorded special.

I rarely watch live TV, always watch from the DVR and time delay. Once I watch I usually delete except when I decide it is worth keeping and then I transfer to an external USB hard drive.

For those who think of this as a simple TV set, it's not. It's a home theater setting with fairly high end equipment.

VIP744K to a Denon AVR4311ci receiver to a Sony VPL VW90ES projector. I think anyone would be hard pressed to suggest these devices are not HDCP compliant, but a loose cable is possible, but then I would suspect this to be true of every program on the DVR on that channel.


It appears this was some fluke in the system. Hopefully it doesn't happen again. The only other explanation may have been a developing hardware failure with my 722K and it's HDMI circuit, that malfunctioned on just one show.

 

[DishSubLA]

There is an HDMI Test option buried in the menus. That provides SOME useful info.

 

[harshness]

This is the most logical explanation. Disruption in the connection in the cabling, but it doesn't explain why it happened with just one program on a channel where that same program is recorded every day for the past several years.

HDCP doesn't have anything to do with whether or not a program will record. It has everything to do with whether your TV configuration can view it.

 

[TheForce]

HDCP doesn't have anything to do with whether or not a program will record. It has everything to do with whether your TV configuration can view it.

Of course! It only happened once so I have to now assume it was a fluke in the HDMI connection ( to the Projector) for that one event. Only mystery is why switching to other recordings of the same show on different days it worked fine. Do you understand the problem now? The really strange thing is the same show could be played live with "rewind" then commercial 30 second skip as well. Just playing off the DVR list popped up the message.

Yes, I'm still baffled by this and obviously no one here has an understanding either. Even the bad HDMI connection would have to coincidentally show up for one type of playback on one program and not others.

 

[harshness]

Of course! It only happened once so I have to now assume it was a fluke in the HDMI connection ( to the Projector) for that one event. Only mystery is why switching to other recordings of the same show on different days it worked fine. Do you understand the problem now?

When you explain the whole of your observations, it becomes clearer.

Why you immediately blamed DISH for restricting your ability to view recordings still remains somewhat of a mystery.