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General => Technical Help => Topic started by: ann255 on Thursday 02 February 12 11:11 GMT (UK)
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Not sure if this ok to put here, but knowing how many clever people are on this site wondered if anyone could help.
Have a tv and separate DTR connected in bedroom. Had to unplug and move and leave off in another room for a couple of days while decorating. Re-instated equipment etc, and now having problems.
Main problem seems to be the DTR - it keeps freezing/seizing up. When it does work it does record as it should, however every few hours it seems to switch itself off (evident by the time on the front). I have to switch off the wall socket and then switch back on and it then begins again. For example last night watched a recorded programme and all ok, switched off at remote at approx. 11.45. when tried to switch on (via remote) this morning nothing happening, time said 2.55.am. Did the switch off at socket, on again and now working.
Other problem is the picture on tv. Very dark on recorded programmes, especially on indoor scenes (despite trying to lighten, brighten, contrast, colour etc) Hair in particular looks really bad, black hair looks like in negative photos - ghostly.
Can anyone help please, or have any suggestions as to what I can try..
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Don't know the answer to the first problem - mine is doing the same and I am solving it just as you are. Very inconvinient so if anyone has a cure I'd be pleased to hear it!
I also had the same problems with darkness- go into your setup and alter the brightness and contrast. I'd been living with this for years now I come to think about it and the lighter picture does take some getting used to!
sallysmum
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Have you tried contacting the manufacturer and requesting a software upgrade?
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You could try a search for the problem - trying something like
Make + problem + time
Some manufacturers have their own forums, so you may find that the problem has been reported on these (perhaps with a solution), again a search for make + recorder + forum may turn these up.
Failing all else the manufacturer may have a help line or you could call upon the guarantee if applicable.
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thanks for suggestions, have tried a search as mshrmh suggests but nothing has come up.
I see Sallysmum you are having the same prob. How long has yours been going on? Main nuisance of it all is that you can't rely on setting the DTR to record something in case it freezes beforehand and the instruction just stays in the timers and does not do it.
Any more thoughts/suggestions just keep them coming please.
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Ann - if you're willing to post the make/model perhaps another user will be able to help. You could also try asking a mod (on the report to mod link) to move this to the Technical forum - that seems to cover all sorts of Tech. problems not just computers.
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thanks for that, the make is a Hitachi and I will ask mod. to move to technical forum (thought it was only for computers)
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Oops,cant do that, message has come up 'you can't report your own post to the moderator, that does not make sense'!! It is only for reporting abusive posts I suppose.
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If you look at the top of the page, the mod is Berlin-Bob. Click on his name and it will allow you to send him a message. It would be a good idea to copy and paste this thread title so he knows what you are talking about!
Linda
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Wonder if it's anything to do how old your DTR is? Mine suddenly stopped working after a few years. It kept saying there was no signal.
Checked everything but still no signal, the TV still worked ok so I knew it wasn't the aerial - which was new but the cable to the set isn't and I had thought it may have been that - so I ended up buying a new one box and it works perfectly. I don't know how long these machines are supposed to last but as it had only cost just over £100 when I bought it I put it down to being a cheapie.
Jean
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Ann - you can use the report to mod link on another post on the thread (mine if you like) if you haven't already done the PM Linda has suggested.
Here are links to forums that cover digital records - all have some threads on Hitachi:
http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl?board=recorders
http://www.avforums.com/forums/pvrs-vcrs/
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?s=08d5f89fc2367a787212aefe7c73481f&f=90
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Thanks everyone again. Have asked Berlin Bob to move topic for me, and am exploring the forums recommended.
Moderator Comment: moved :)
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Wonder if it's anything to do how old your DTR is? Mine suddenly stopped working after a few years. It kept saying there was no signal.
Checked everything but still no signal, the TV still worked ok so I knew it wasn't the aerial - which was new but the cable to the set isn't and I had thought it may have been that - so I ended up buying a new one box and it works perfectly. I don't know how long these machines are supposed to last but as it had only cost just over £100 when I bought it I put it down to being a cheapie.
Jean
If the machine has a time/date built in, it may have come to the end of it's calendar. The life of our last one was 15 years.
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There should be a way of re-formatting the hard drive. This should be done "clean" ie without the ariel connected. Our Thompson boxes does the same every so often. It's just like de-fraging a computer. You record programs of different lengths, then over write them with others. This leaves the hard drive fragmented. This in turn leads to problems with recording and playback.
If this does not work, then there is the possibility of the hard drive packing in.
If you do a clean reformat, then when it is done, just plug in the ariel and do a scan for programs. This should reset the unit to the latest software.
Regards
Malky
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Sounds to me like its probably "broke" but it might be worth looking in the setup menu for an option to "restore to default" and start again and, if you're having problems with the time setting, make sure you are using the option to set the time and date automatically. If you don't, and you switch the thing off/unplug it it won't know what the date is or what time it is when you switch it back on again. (I have an old laptop with a dead battery - every time I plug it in and fire it up it thinks we are somewhere back in the 1970s until I tell it otherwise.)
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Its been pretty cold of late, was the bedroom you left it in heated? Could be that it got a little cold/damp while switched off and needs to warm up slowly before use.
I know that if you have a new SKy+box installed, the Skyman advises that they are left on Standby for a few hours to aclimatise before constantly switching channels etc because the boxes have been stored in a cold warehouse for quite sometime.
It would be interesting to see if it "stops" at the same time for the same length of time each night, could be just the digital clock screen is broken if the rest of it appears to work ok and it records ok. I gather the DTR doesn't have its own freeview card and user guide, because if you set the record for the program from the guide, the recording is initiated by codes sent out by the program rather than time, which is why you also always get a few minutes before and end of a programe. Try testing by recording a very early morning programe, if the box does actually lose power then it wont record. Personally I think that if it turns itself off, it would stay off!
Have you tried unplugging the DTR and moving to another room, ie plugging it into your living room setup to test its not the aerial connection playing up or sockets. If it loses a few hours overnight it sounds more like a software gliche or poor connection than a hardware error. I would also go along with Bigcol and see if there is a firmware update, though as we don't know the model, I'm not sure if your particular DTR can connect to the internet or has a USB port, depends on the age.
Jenny
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Its been pretty cold of late, was the bedroom you left it in heated? Could be that it got a little cold/damp while switched off and needs to warm up slowly before use.
I know that if you have a new SKy+box installed, the Skyman advises that they are left on Standby for a few hours to aclimatise before constantly switching channels etc because the boxes have been stored in a cold warehouse for quite sometime.
Or is it just to give him time to get to the next job before you phone Sky to complain ? ;)