>>>>To compprog : You are seeing the pattern that I saw (and probably others saw it as well) when the Gemstar problem first showed up. I would see “no listings” at first after a U99, but if I did something as simple as pressing “return” followed by the TV Guide button a time or two, the listings would reappear. The problem was that no new listings could be populated and so eventually everything went away; I just didn’t notice it at first because it was the listings a week ahead that were not being repopulated. What do you see 7 or 8 days ahead in your listings? >>> Thanks for your reply, acmetoyz. Lately, I haven't been programming ahead -- just programming for that day's listings. As you suggested, I checked my listings for +24 hrs and found that it had all "no listings." If I read you correctly, I should be running out of listings by tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.
Coyote24 It is 3 days and 1 hour since I reset by Ch-up Ch-dn then 30 sec unplug. As you stated it goes to only 2 channels for data now Ch 4 (local CBS Boston) and MSNBC. I now have 9 ads and listings for Channels 1-99, 201-299, 310-382 and 802 - 882 (802-882 are HD channels). That is a lot of channels. And they are fully populated with data for Sat, Sun, Mon, Thu and Fri, yet both Tue and Wed have no listings? When in Standby my E85H spends a lot of time on CH CBS and MSNBC. Is it possible that it gets ch 1-99 data from CBS and Ch 200 thru 882 from MSNBC? Also when I was getting daily U99s I actually watched at it switched to CH 11 (WENH PBS channel) and within a couple of minutes BAAM a U99. I would think that living in Boston if I am to download from PBS it would get PBS data from Ch 2 a Boston PBS and not ch 11 a New Hampshire PBS? Or maybe all PBS channels are an issue as far as correct data because now none of my data comes from PBS (exclusively get data from only 2 channels CBS and MSNBC). Thanks Bonus2
Just another thought. Is it possible that the E85H recorders that are having issues are because their memory chips may be faulty? Over 200 channels and ads is a whole lot of data so memory chips could be an issue? Also I wonder if PBS download of data is only necessary for those who do not have cable? I have comcast cable with over 200 channells and now that it is working correctly I get no data from PBS. I got at least one U99 when my E85H downloaded some data from WENH a New Hampshire PBS channel? Thanks Bonus2
Bonus2: Faulty memory chips? Maybe, but not here, as I only have Expanded Basic cable, well under 100 stations, and have set a good part of those to "off." I'm not sure what role PBS plays in the downloads in different areas. I'd like to collect data on what channels people around the country have on the first TVGOS diagnostics page (HOST channel, VBI channel, and LINEUP), converted from hexadecimal to what that channel is for that area (WB, CBS, MSNBC, etc.). I still think everyone who has not tried turning "other" download channels to "off" and/or sending them to the bottom of the listings (see posts by VideoBob) should; it seems to have worked for me, timothyg, and Bonus2 (via ZIP code change, though). Bonus2, when I last reset, I had a gap in the middle like you did, usually this will populate a night or two before the blank day. As RX7Fan stated, the download "series" is NOT linear; it populates days 1, 2, 3, and 8 for each day. After my last reset, it took FIVE nights to get lisitngs with no "holes." You will probably get Tuesday's listings on Sunday or Monday, and Wednesday's on Monday or Tuesday. Then, if you don't have any more problems (U99 or otherwise), you'll only be updating the "last" day (8) all the time, and don't have to worry about it anymore. As far as MSNBC goes, Cheryl stated that it just directs the TVGOS to the download channel, but doesn't directly transmit listings. My question is, if TVGOS already "knows" the host channel after the first download, WHY does it go back to MSNBC at all? I'm trying to reverse-fuzzy-logic the TVGOS algorythm out, as VideoBob suggested.
To re-state what Cheryl said from Skatter21's post on page 26: Ummmm...OK. I have a Guide+ on an RCA TV made in 1999, and it asks me to pick from multiple lineups. So HOW OLD ARE these "older versions"?! Doesn't make sense to me. I don't think MSNBC is passing data as much as passing gas. Heh.
Here's something interesting. Yesterday when I came home my unit had only the two basic TV Guide promos (listings were already well on their way to filling in since my last reset on Thursday). I returned the machine to standby and went about my business. Starting at 8PM I noticed that the cable box kept resetting to MSNBC every few minutes, then it stopped a few minutes before 9. When I turned it on and checked it again, the listings were still the same - no surprise - but now there were 12 promos. It looks to me like MSNBC is used for populating the promotions (maybe other things, too).
Skatter, you're probably right...that's what the generalized, non-specific and non-host (i.e., non-listings) "data" that Cheryl told you it was passing...ADS! *laughs*
Bonus2 wrote: In the AVS forum ChurchAVGuy has a theory similar to this about what is causing this problem. Pretty interesting! http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=592205
Bonus2 wrote: IMO, it is extremely improbable that a slew of E85H owners would encounter the U99 problem at or about the same time and it be a result of faulty memory chips. Furthermore, the data for the 200 channels and ads is, unquestionably, written to the hard drive as it is being downloaded. Thus, there is really no need to store large amounts of data in memory chips (RAM). I believe, as do many others, that the problem is not hardware-related, but is due to a download problem from the stations providing the TV Guide data.
compprog: Yes, given that it happened at around the same time for everyone seeing it, after the units worked OK for months. I guess I'm back at square one...not a U99, but a loss of scheduled recordings and ads, and the guide not populating beyond the day it had the error (Thursday, approximately). When I turned on the unit, none of the remote or unit buttons worked, so I did a power button hold reset, after which I had nothing but previously downloaded listings, no ads, and schedule was now blank. I went 12 days of using the guide normally before this happened. So now some of us are getting the same TVGOS error end results, just no U99 to alert us that it has happened. Cheryl can bet on another caller when she gets back from vacation. Has anyone else had this "lockup" (no buttons, remote OR unit functional, except for the unit power button) before? I'm using the 970 firmware, both downloaded from the Panasonic website and intstalled on 10/6. BTW, I did NOT go into service mode or do anything unusual on my part to cause this to happen other than the power button hold-down to reset, since the unit was locked up. Strange that now TVGOS is having problems [bold]WITHOUT showing a U99.[/bold]
Oh man, I hope they aren't just masking it. Hi look! The user won't see U99 anymore! Problem solved! It's been 21 days since I've seen a U99. Why? I dunno. I havn't seen anything screwy going on either (missing listings, no ads, etc.) In case anyone from TVG is reading, figure out why for 21 days the U99 has dissapeared for Time Warner Cable, 78154 for this long of a period. (Still think it was an ad that was giving me the U99s, at least for my area)
Skatter21 I think you are correct about MSNBC being used to populate Ads. Last night my wife was trying to watch a movie but the E85H kept switching to channel 53 Comcast Boston (MSNBC). She kept switching back to the movie but there where periods where MSNBC downloaded partial data. After about an hour of this I switched the E85H on so that it would stop switching to MSNBC. This morning when I checked, I have no ads. The Program listings which yesterday were Fully populated Sat, sun, mon, thur, Fri with Tue and Wed no listing Today Program listings are fully populated Sun, Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri, Sat and with Wed and Sun (next Sunday) no listings. So it looks like you are correct that MSNBC is used for Ads and Promotions; and for my zip code Ch 4 Comcast Boston (Local CBS) is used for downloading the Program listings. I just hope the no ads does not mean I am due a U99? Thanks Bonus2
Just to add to the discussion: I last did a reset early Wednesday, and, as of today, have fully populated listings, and ads. However, yesterday afternoon, I lost power on my E85H for a few seconds. When power was restored, the listings were still there as before, with some missing data for a few days from now, but all the ads were gone. The E85H, on standby, proceeded to scan through channels 02 to 99 over the next 90 minutes to 2 hours, then later started switching to MSNBC every minute or so for quite some time. At bedtime, however, there were still no ads. This morning, presumeably after a download during the night, the ads were back, and the listings were now fully populated. I live in Alabama 36066 and have Knology cable, and a cable box.
E85H. comcast cable. san francisco. after the service mode check last week i was getting u99s even more than before. every hour or more. last thursday i did a reset (ch up/ch dn, unplug power). since then, have all listing populated for a week except next tuesday and wedensday. on those days only channels that have info are the pbs stateions. have all ads. no u99s since the reset. i would have thought that tuesday and wednesday would have been populated by now. can't find a reason since the machine has been off a lot in the past few days and should have gotten all the download info. don't know why, but no u99s for a few days has been very nice. also have never experienced any lockups.
sfstan: Sometimes it's slow to populate, you should have at least Tuesday (if not both Tues and Weds) listings by tomorrow (Monday) morning, and Wednesday listings by Tuesday morning. In my experience, it seems that listings are usually ONLY populated during the overnight download (1:15AM EDT, would be 10:15PM for you, but I think it repeats 3 or 4 hours later). Bonus2: Uh-oh. Sounds like you MIGHT be having the problem others experienced: the loss of ads can put the unit in an "unstable" condition, preventing future downloads. Hopefully not, as daughn recovered from no ads after the power outage. Keep us updated and look and see if you get listings for next Sunday/Monday tomorrow. If not, it might be what acmetoyz and compprog just posted. Keep an eye on the "last" days of listings you have after being in standby tonight (Sunday), and let us know.
My E85H had been giving me U99s every morning for about two weeks or more. Yesterday and today I did not have the dreaded U99. Nor did I encounter the mysterious "no listings" upon first entering the listing section. (In previous message, I indicated that I would first get "no listings," but that day's listings would appear after I had entered the schedule menu and then went back to listings.) However, I checked for advance listings and found that I only had listings for Sunday (today), Monday, and Tuesday. I'm not particularly concerned about that since I rarely program much in advance. I have not touched [bold]ANY[/bold] settings on my E85H, so it appears that they have come up with at least a partial fix of the download on my cable system and I'm very grateful. I hope others who have been complaining about their Panasonic digital video recorders and find that they are now working will report it on this thread. (Note: All the ads are present.) Details: Unit: DMR-E85H Cable: Time Warner Cable ZIP: 92037 (La Jolla CA)
I inactivated the TVGOS using 00000 as my zip code as suggested by Cheryl from TVGOS in a quote from an earlier message in this thread. No more U99s, but all programming must be done manually now. At least the device is "somewhat" usable at this point. I definitely look forward to a more permanent and real fix as the device is not as powerful as it was nor convenient with the TVGOS to setup programmed recording with.
I haven't had a U99 since I disabled the TVOSG (4 days ago) I'll give it a few more days then reactivate the Guide and see what happens ... Vince
Update from OKC (73034). As of Sunday evening (10/23), still no U99s on my E85H since the "OKC fix" and have fully populated listings and promo ads. Many programs recorded this week, including one in the middle of the night (which of course disrupted listing additions for that night). Here is something that we should be concerned about for the future. I don’t think anyone in this forum has mentioned it yet. According to info at this link: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-218217A1.pdf The FCC ruled in 2001 that a cable company is not required to carry GemStar’s proprietary electronic program guide (EPG) in the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of over-the-air broadcast stations. The document goes on to describe what VBI material a cable company is required to retransmit as part of their “must carry” obligation. I think this means that any cable company could block GemStar’s EPG data and insert their own, thus forcing customers to rent a set-top box from them in order to see and use EPG info. Here is a link that describes PBS’ VBI scheme (follow the link at the middle of the page to see a diagram). http://www.pbsnationaldatacast.com/Analog_Network.htm Apparently neither GemStar nor Panasonic is too concerned about it. I would like to hear opinions from other forum members on this topic. Perhaps someone has more up-to-date information.
Well, I can't believe it. Not since August have I had program listings and lo and behold this morning I have programs and listings and no U99's. I keep waiting to see the U99 appear though. I have lots of ads too. I did a factory reset on Friday and still got an U99. I hadn't even got a channel lineup since last week. One thing is that I never got a choice for channel lineups it just appeared with a program lineup that is correct. I don't know if anyone else has had success yet, but good luck.
