Cyberhome DVD/RW nightmare

As reported in another post, my 1500 now skips on ALL discs, including the CyberHome +RW. Always within the last 10 minutes of the disc, and always worse at the HQ setting. I tried to return my unit to Wal-Mart, but they don't have any more to exchange. I don't want my money back.....I just want a unit that works! We pay for these products, is it asking too much that they perform as advertised? I will be trying to work with CyberHome on this....yeah, I know.

On another note, concerning the generic Sonic brand +R discs I purchased at this address:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...&category=44929&sspagename=STRK:MEBWN:IT&rd=1

Because my recorder skips on ALL discs toward the end, these do as well. However, the image quality is great, and these generics play in my Sony NS300 player. It is not fair to judge these discs using my defective recorder. I would say they are probably ok. The discs are the same thickness as Sony, and they have the purple color dye on the recording side. The top side of the disc is kind of a clear and shiny silver, with no markings. Too early to recommend these discs at this time......I hope CyberHome will exchange or repair my recorder.


Bob

 

Bob,
Ok This is what I have found, I have the CH2500, but I beleive the only difference between the 1500 and 2500 is the color and the passthrough connector onboard,no splitter needed, why I say this is, when the first firmware update for the 1500 was put up on the cyberhome website, I emailed them to ask if that firmware could be applied to the 2500, there answer was yes, so I believe the internals are the same,
now getting back to the recording modes, on my recorder,
[bold] if I record a 1 hour movie on HQ, I have serious problems, when I finalize my recording I either get an error reading and can go no further and have lost the use of the disc, or like you the the movie skips, but if I re-record that same movie on another disk at the SP mode, now it is fine, I have also tried this with a 2 hour movie recording it at SP, and have the same problem, but if I now record that same 2 hour movie on LP I don't have a problem, and playback is fine, Is this a media issue or a recorder issue?, I somehow beleive it is a recorder issue, it seems that if you record on the exact time, lets say 1 hour on HQ when the recorder gets to the end of the disc it skips, it seems like it needs that extra time on the disc, it can't burn to the end,[/bold]

I don't have a reason for this only that these are MY findings, I have lost a few discs in the process, since most movies I am backing up are under the 2 hour mark, about one and a half hours or a little more, I am satisfied with the quality of the recording at the SP mode, in fact the quality to me is great up to EP then it becomes like a VHS tape at SLP.

I have also recorded a four DVD music video set which took me approximately 6 hours, 4 discs, each at the SP mode, since each disc was a little over an hour and a half long. I did this without cooling down my recorder during that time, I just kept going and I had no problems, the discs were HOT, but I wanted to put this recorder through as many tests as I could, before returning it to HSN, I have had some problems, but all in all I am happy as of now, how long this recorder will last is the real question.

There are some real issues, but since I can get around them and still be happy is ok with me.

Someone also had a lock up problem, I have had that happen the DVD door won't open, I just turn off the power and wait a few seconds and turn it back on, wait a few seconds more and open the the door.

So far I have used CompUsa, K-Hypermedia and Memorex, I have lost out of ten CompUsa 6, not good, K-Hypermedia out of ten, 3, not bad, out of 11 Memorex 1,Great! I lost this one due to the recording time, the others were just the media compatibility with the recorder, some would record some would not, but I need consistency, I want to back up a movie only once if possible. I am willing to try other media, since I have many many Backups, I would like to find a lower cost media at a higher quantity, but I want Quality of recording.

I hooked up my recorder as follows:
S-video out of my satellite receiver into my s-video in of the recorder, then out of s- video of the recorder to the s-video in to tv, I am recording DVD to DVD with composite video cables out of my Samsung 709 into my recorder, which gives a great quality picture, we did pay a lot for those cables,( Gold Tipped) but we have also had them for a long time, as soon as I get some s-video cables I will use those for recording from my samsung to recorder and in turn hope to get an even better quality.

If I record from the tv tuner lets say my soaps on my local channel which is 6, the audio is of lower quality, than it would be from the satellite receiver.

I must say that I do not have a good quality antenna for my local channels, which gives me a lesser quality audio and video output, I don't access local channels from my satellite company. I only use the tv tuner of my recorder when I want to record from tv.

When playing back my my tv programs I use the input button on my remote, and the picture quality and audio get better.

I always use the input to play back any of my recordings from whatever source, be it composite cables or s-video, since the inputon my tv is my s-video.

I hope some of this has helped you with your problems, if it does let me know!
For now,
See 'Ya
Missy

 

About DVD color, I have read from a reputable website (can't remember which) that color doesn't matter-- it's merely different dyes they use. About thickness of the DVD, I have not seen any difference in thickness between Memorex and the generic kind I use (from Meritline off eBay). About failure rate on media used, I have found that the Meritline (so far out of 10) has been about the same as the Memorex-- I don't know if this is because Meritline sells a good product, or if I just have had good luck. About the lockup on the Cyberhome door, I wasn't able to get the disc out no matter WHAT I did, so I returned the unit to Walmart with the disc inside-- I told customer service the problem and they seemed to acknowledge that that is fairly common with the 1500--don't know about the 2500. Just before that DVD lockup, I had the problem where the disc recorded just fine, but then on read-back wanted to re-format-- it couldn't and came back with an error message (circle-and-slash). After trying to get that DVD to play a number of times, my unit just locked up. About the firmware download, I wrote it to CD-R (I don't have a DVD burner in my computer) and played it on the 1500. I got a menu that popped up, and it looked like it was playing, but the screen didn't go blank, nor did any other the steps that Cyberhome said would happen, happen-- so, I gave up on that-- any help here? About stuttering and skipping on the various speeds, I haven't experienced that, but then again, I haven't checked every single DVD and...lol...I don't think my heart can stand the strain if they WERE faulty...all that work! I pretty much only record at SP and LP-- I use LP for better masters and SP for most VHS since, if you do A-B test between the VCR playing and DVD playback, you can see the difference is fuzziness...same concept as digital music recording, except, with video, it's more noticeable, IMO. About the "error" message when you try to record certain videos, this is Macrovision preventing recording. Hope these tips help. I'm still wondering if anyone knows why I can't "finalize" every video-- I think it's a media problem because I tried to finalize an un-finalized DVD from my FIRST 1500 with my NEW 1500-- no luck. Happy recording!

 

Hi Missy and everyone else,

Here is my update on my recorder:

Last nite, recorded 2 more generics at SP. No Problem. Recorded another CyberHome +RW as well, No Problem. ALL these discs play fine in my Sony NS300 player. Tried 2 more +R generics and another Cyber +RW at the HQ mode....PROBLEMS! ALL discs skip toward the end using the HQ mode! When I play these HQ discs in my Sony player, they all freeze up at various points! All the SP recorded units work fine in my player.
I DO NOT feel that media is the problem, since the included +RW disc have problems, too. Why is there problems with the HQ mode? This is really starting to piss me off! No answer, of course, from CyberHome.

I can live with the low audio from tuner issue, but disc skipping cannot be tolerated, as I had planned to distribute these in multiple quantities for my video clients. The last thing I need is playback complaints from my customers....I need equipment I can rely on, plain and simple. Who has the time to play and test each recorded disc? This whole thing is stupid, and is an insult to all of us who gave CyberHome a chance.
I am embarrassed that I had previously posted positive reviews on this piece of crap!

I am thoroughly pissed off and disappointed in this machine. To avoid complaints, I am forced back to the slow process of burning -R on my pc! Yes, this process is slower, but ALWAYS reliable. Don't know what else to do??

BTW, all discs recorded in other machines play just fine in the CyberHome, including rented movies. What gives with this thing?

I suppose the answer is a cash refund from Wal-Mart, and to purchase another brand of recorder. I will not do that just yet....somehow, I want to FORCE CyberHome to fix these problems, and deliver a unit that works properly as advertised. TOO many users are having problems, but returning units to the place of purchase does not solve these issues.

These units seem to have potential to be great machines, AND THAT IS WHAT I WANT!!!!! The image quality is superb! Why won't the darn things work???
All of these random problems with various Users is a serious issue that is the responsibility of CyberHome. We have all wasted TOO MUCH TIME trying to make this defective equipment perform properly. Sure, we can all get our money back, but is that the answer? At the moment, I cannot afford a more expensive machine. I was enticed by the CyberHome price and the features touted. These units are nothing but crap, and it's too bad we must field test a product for a company that appears to care less....How do they stay in business??

I personally feel a class action suit against CyberHome is in order. I AM SERIOUS!! At the very least, all of us can claim stress and aggravation!! Is a class action suit a viable alternative? Is anyone interested in going this route? How do we do it? I WANT WHAT I PAID FOR, AND I WANT IT NOW!!!!!!

When I finish this post, I am going to send CyberHome a nasty e-mail they will never forget! Also, Wal-Mart does NOT deserve the negative publicity concerning all the returns.....

I solicit responses and suggested solutions from everyone who cares to do something about this outrageous situation!! Boy, am I xxx, xxx, and xxx about this! As Users, I don't think we should be required to have engineering degrees to operate and understand these things! Rocket Science? I don't think so.

Sincerely,

Bob Brumbaugh
Yucca Valley, CA
bob@pyramid-video.com
(760) 228-1750

 

hey, renderman, I think Cyberhome is out of Germany or Austria. I mught be wrong.

 

I believe CyberHome has distribution from Freemont, California. At any rate,

THIS SITUATION IS OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!!!!

I am so pissed about this.....I want EVERYONE affected to participate in a recall. PLEASE contact CyberHome Support AND Sales and tell 'em what you think!

For what it's worth,I am going down to my local Wal-Mart and discuss this piece of sxxt with the Manager....


Bob

 

For the record, these units are manufactured in China.

Get what you pay for?.........I guess so.

What to do? Just sent a NASTY e-mail to CyberHome...
They are probably laughing!!


Renderman

 

Another Update:

The manager at Wal-Mart called us and said they suddenly found 6 more un-opened units, and for us to exchange ours. They had told us last nite that they didn't have any more.....hmmmmm!

Will report back on testing the replacement.

Thanks to all for letting me vent and rant about this!

Renderman (Bob)

 

I have already sent CyberHome about three or four E-mail that were very nasty. I think CyberHome just does not really give a ****. When i first got my CyberHome recorder sent them about four E-Mail asking them how to do something, lastweek i just got a reply. Pretty sad company. Well, i had only one problem with this unit. I left the unit on with a disc in it for about two day, It got so hot i think it messed up the disc. Is any one having problems with it getting really hot? I only time the disc skip for me is when i play it back in the PS2, Will not play back in Apex DVD player but i think it skips cuz i was recording off the satellite dish. When i record from DVD play to Cyberhome I have no problems at all.I let my friends use the DVD disc i record with the CyberHome all the time.I asked them if there was any problems with the play back and thay all said no. I think i just lucked out with my CyberHome 1500. The problems everyone is having would uselly happen to me first.

 

Hello Adambomb and others,

OK, here is an update on MY CyberHome 1500 nightmare....Thursday, 12/04 1:45 pm

1. Unit #1 went back to Wal-Mart right away because there was NO power cord in the box! ('bout a week ago)

2. Unit #2 thought it was OK, but started skipping in HQ mode on ALL media after several days....back to Wal-Mart she went went...

3. Unit #3 inspected and fresh from Wal-Mart, testing this afternoon. Going to have lunch and a few beers or something to prepare myself for another failure....this is absolutely the last unit I will try. If it is bad, will somehow make CyberHome eat it!

Will report back my findings this evening. Check back for my results this evening, and PLEASE pray for me! It is disgusting that we should endure all this hassle.

Renderman
(Bob)

 

OK everyone, here is the latest....

I forgot to say in my last post that when I got the replacement 1500 at Wal-Mart, I saw that 2 other machines had been returned to the service desk. I asked the clerk about them, and she said the people wanted refunds....I'm like this doesn't look good. After my nasty e-mail to CyberHome, they quickly responded with a RMA number as well! If this unit also fails, I will send it to them. Their response was a total surprize!

Anyway, here are my tests so far:

As expected, discs recorded on the returned machine also skipped toward the end. I'm all ok, lets move on.
Tuner output volume is low, but we all know about that issue. I hooked up my old "black box" between the recorder and my hi-fi vcr. I popped in a Macro VHS tape, and made a test recording using one of my low cost generic discs, and in the HQ mode.....I about fell on the floor when it played back just fine! The test disc also played correctly in my Sony player. Well, it is too early to tell. I need to make further tests, and apply the 2 upgrades from the web site. My new unit is an X model, manufactured 11/03. At any rate, the cheap generic +R discs I bought from ebay are ok, so far.

This unit seems to run much cooler that the other. I will burn several discs one after another to get the unit as hot as possible, then we shall what happens.

I will report more on this later....BTW, the 3 beers I had at lunch time were great! So far, no stress....but?

renderman
(Bob)

 

Well, as I said, I bought mine at eBay, which means I can't return it. Turns out to be no problem. It does almost everything I expected, and for the price, the picture quality is excellent. No problem with the sound either.
I recorded from the Tuner, from my Sony Camcorder, no problems.
Now, I am "backing up" a DVD movie (one I own). No problem on +RW. So, now I am recording the whole movie on +R.

I am using a little black box that I bought 15 years ago for 20. bucks to back up my VHS movies.
There is no name on the box, just "patent pending".
Of course it only works with a regular RCA connector. Let me know if there is one with S-video.

But, as I said earlier, the recordings do not play on my old Toshiba, and Cyberhome never claimed they would. I'll take my disks to BestBuy and try them on a few new players. New players are cheap.
I'll report back when i come to the end of the movie.
Kurt

 

PS: about the updates.
I guess, it's like chicken soup. It Can't hurt. Maybe it helps.
For the firmware update, just follow the instructions. Unzip the file, burn it on a CD and insert it in the Cyberhome. Worked for me.
For the servo update, you must figure out how to convert an ISO file to your disk, with your specific burning software. On my Roxio Easy CD&DVD Creator, its called record disc from image.
Hope this helps. Still recording my movie.

 

Finished recording my movie.
The recording is as the original: excellent.
For the money, I like my Cyberhome.
kurt

 

I still don't understand why I can't finalize so much. The ISO file download for the servo won't burn through my WIndows Media Player or Real One Player, so I don't know if that helps. I'm going to contact Cyberhome and see what happens.

 

Hi All,

For anyone interested, here's what's up with my deal...

The replacement unit has been burning and playing for several hours now. This unit runs cooler than my other recorder, which is good. I applied the updates and reset all the parameters. Burned another cheap generic +R disc with no problems yet. HQ setting was the problem in unit #2, ok on this one. Will burn another +R in the worst quality to see if it stays cool, etc. The +R generic discs recorded on THIS 1500 play ok in my Sony player. Auto chapter works good.
Tomorrow, will experiment with the +RW's and see how they do. Fortunately for me, I have a home based business, which allows me the time to play with these unit.....

Will report more tomorrow....Just maybe, this one's a winner!....just maybe. We shall see.

Renderman
(Bob)

 

Well.......here we go again!

Burned another generic +R at HQ and got an error message this time when I tried to finalize. first time ever for any error message, even on the returned unit. Could it be that applying the updates from the web site are causing problems? I hope it's just a media problem and not the machine. Will burn another, and if it fails, I will buy some name brand media. I have yet to try the +RW's that Cyberhome provides...

More testing....I think CyberHome should pay all of us for field testing their products!


Bob

 

Whoever titled this thread "CyberHome Nightmare", that certainly has been the case for me.

My returned recorder would play all discs (including generic), but it skipped using all media. Now having some problems with the new machine...

So far, I have burned 4 coasters with generic +R's. Each one says 99% free after format. This recorder refuses to record generics, where the returned unit would. The Cyber RW+ discs say 100% free...huh? The coasters would display error message when trying to play after recording. At this point I would say that these Sonic generics ARE NOT compatible, at least not on this machine. I appologize for recommending them....don't know why they would play on the returned unit? I have learned a lesson here....DO NOT USE CHEAP GENERIC DISCS!! Looks like I wasted 45 bucks! Get what you pay for? I guess....
The CyberHome +RW's work ok....I am so confused, I don't know what to do?? I don't think this recorder is bad....

More testing after I buy some name brand R+'s later today.

See'Ya,
Renderman (Bob)

 

Hey Bob: go this website and check out all the threads for Cyberhome. Some are really insightful, some way above my head. nerd-out.com/forum. Use "search" for "Cyberhome." Let me know how you make out there.

 

Hi tommyzax

Thanks for the link! Lots of goodies about the 1500. I will read them all, trust me.

Bob