Soju, When you say you have not been using the TV Guide, do you mean you haven't been using it to program but are still downloading it, or have you stopped downloading it altogether? What I've read on this board is that if you COMPLETELY DISABLE the download from GemStar (by entering 00000 ZIP code or by using Auto Channel Scan after factory reset) then the timer recordings should always work. If you've disabled the DL of the Guide, done a reset and it STILL won't always record with the timer, then that makes me REAL nervous. I don't want to disable the TV Guide on my machine just yet because IF GemStar does another broadcast patch, then my machine probably wouldn't get it. Tim Columbus, OH, DMR-E95HS, no cable
I don't want to disable the TV Guide on my machine just yet because IF GemStar does another broadcast patch, then my machine probably wouldn't get it. Does anyone understand how patches broadcast by Gemstar are distributed? They would need to broadcast these updates periodically at different times of the day over a long period of time to get all machines patched. Machines that are either busy or maybe not even set up yet would not get the update until the next broadcast cycle. Also, I wonder when the upgrade Gemstar did that created the U99 mess that they eventually backed out will be attempted again. I assume it had a purpose of some sort?
Well, believe it or not.....got home yesterday with a FULL list of shows recorded for 18 days!! But get this....when I went to check, the first thing i saw was that my CABLE BOX had GONE OFF - so immediately thought that shows were not recorded from whenever it went off. Turned everything on and to my astonishment, all shows were recorded (manually set timer for each show, each day)! What can I say??? In the past, when the cable box went off, nothing would record. Just checked, TV Guide is downloaded too! I have stopped even looking at the Guide because on my listing, the channels are so mixed up, it takes too long to even find a channel I want (example.....lists channel 4, 6, 11, jumps to 28, then 99, then 637, back to 9, etc, etc) Also wondering now, the channel I record comes in on BOTH an analog channel (listed in the TV Guide) and a digital channel (NOT listed in the TV Guide - but I added it). For this trip, I MANUALLY set everything to record the analog channel since the color on this channel is better. Wondering if it recorded all the shows since this analog channel exists in the machine for TV Guide??? More and more confused now..... BUT happy that the panny came through! Like I said, the cable box was off but all shows on and NO U-99 flashing! (left machine on 11/17 so kind of a record for my panny now) ------------------------------------- kossello, thanks for the remindeer about finalizing discs - which I always do....but hee, hee, who knows...maybe I forgot to finalize that disc. On 2nd thought, she was able to dub it to a VHS tape...so it had to be finalized...I think????? -------------------------------------- toconnor, I continue to DOWNLOAD TV Guide as I have NOT disabled it (for the same reason you state - in case something comes in that the machine needs - slim chance). Anyway, success on this trip away from home so just have to see now! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ just another note, arrived at my destination (2 wks. ago) with my iPod missing. But initially thought perhaps I left it at home. As soon as I got in the door, checked and nothing at home. I realized I left it at the airport when I was departing. Can't believe NO ONE turned it in to the lost and found! Are people that dishonest? I would have turned in any iPod I found! Kind of a downer!
soju, You can rearrange these however you like. I'm at work, not at home, but I think it's under the channel setup or somewhere. Tim
So, I decided to turn back on the TV Guide data about 11 days ago and all is good and we are still going strong. Recording everyday for 2-3 hrs, editing, burning, and ads. So until things go down hill again...
Well, here in Boston they did some electrical work outside and we lost power (I was away) when I got home the Panasonic was still in standby with the correct time. A day later we lost power again for 24 hours. During that time the power would go on and off for a couple of seconds, I finally pulled the plug (because I didn't want it to surge, no I don't have it on a surge protector) We were on generators via the electric company so I didn't want to plug it back in. HOwever, I wanted to record last night so I plugged it back in. I still had my programs to record listed AND I still had listings for about 5 days. During the night they must have stopped the generators and put us back on the power grid. This morning, it was still in standby with the correct time and recordings scheduled. It never went to a U99 throughout all the power outages.
Well it looks like my cable days are gone for now at least. I switched over to Direct Tv for two reasons, which were picture quality and a cheaper monthly bill. Can anyone with satellite tell me the best method to hook up the satellite receiver to my DMR-e500? Right now, I have it directly hooked up to my receiver box, but to record a show I have to put the receiver on the channel to be recorded. The receiver has two tuners but I still need to get a 2 way switch for it to work in that mode. I still haven't had any U99's since the TVGOS roll back. Everything is running smooth like it did before the infamous U99's. I have done several divides also with my unit and no trouble there either.
I've been away from this thread for a while. But I've been having trouble for the last couple of weeks (since Thanksgiving). My DVR couldn't find a "host channel" - it's always used the Washington, DC ABC affiliate. I tried waiting, soft resetting, and finally factory resetting. Nothing worked; it kept ending up with ch. 79 as its host channel - which is not even available on my cable lineup. Eventually the previously downloaded listings ran out, and I continued to try everything you all have taught me to get the TVG working. Then two nights ago I did my usual evening factory reset and when I got home from work yesterday, I had my lineup back - it had finally decided that Baltimore Public TV had what it needed. By this morning, I had days 1-3 and 8 with a full set of movies/sports/kids. I put a call in to Cheryl at Gemstar a few days ago and sent her screenshots. But no information or resolution yet. I was kind of hoping that when I got back here I would find that everyone was having the same trouble I was. I guess I was on my own on this one - I'm actually glad there wasn't a widespread problem. But I hope someone somewhere can provide a reasonable explanation.
With the Guide up, scroll to messages, press enter. With the remote type in 753159852, you won’t see these numbers as you enter them. This brings up the diagnostic screens (there are 30 of them - but mostly unintelligible to me) However, on page 1 you can see a listing for the host channel which is where the machine is going to switch to look for listings. The number starts with 0x28... but you're only interested in the last 2 digits. Those are listed in hexadecimal format - that means numbers 0-9, then letters A-F so A=10, B=11, etc. Start with the next-to-last digit, take the value and multiply it by 16 then add to it the value of the last digit (ex. 3C would be 3 x 16 = 48 plus C which is 12, so 3C is channel 60) The other things I usually look at on this screen are the date/time values about 2/3 down the left side - the Next D/L TIme is when the box is going to go check for listings (assuming it is in standby mode). If all the date/time values say N/A, I know something bad has happened. (Times are in a universal format (UTC), so they won't match your real time - it's easiest to look at the time in the upper left corner and compare the listed times to that). Hope this helps a little.
Skatter, could you tell us how to get in touch with Cheryl? I have been fetting no TVG information (in NYC) since August. Thanks,
Skatter, I followed your advice, and found that my Host Channel is listed as 0X0. What does that mean? Can I change that? I think it used to get the TVG information from channel 51 in NYC.
faure, That only means that what you said is true - your machine cannot locate a valid host channel from channel 2 - 99. There's no way that you can change it. Your dvr should search channels 2 - 99 every time it goes into standby until it thinks it has a good host channel. Cheryl gave me this information - Here's how to contact Cheryl at TV Guide: Phone 800-386-7380 option 2 (for customer service) option 5 (for Cheryl) (if you have to leave a message, she'll call you back) faure, she's going to ask you to send her digital camera pictures of Screens 1,2,7,11, and 30 from the diagnostics (or optionally to record certain information from each one of those screens)
Thanks, Skatter. That is most helpful. I finally have SOME hope or getting back the TVGOS that I used to have until August... It is odd, however, that no one else in the NYC area seem to be having this problem. I cannot believe that I am the only one with an E85! Perhaps I should reset the machine again to "factory defaults".
Thanks to all you who have posted here. I have been following the postings and checking my unit (DMR-E95H). I found that I don't have any host located and so I called Panasonic again (probably the umptenth time) and talked to three different people. They all said it was TV guides problem because the cable carriers are switching to a digital signal. Like we didn't already know that. They upped my call status and said they would forward it to the TVguide people. I can't believe that these companies can't get it together. They all know the world is moving to digital so why can't they engineer a product to work. I am so frustrated. I think I might try calling tvguide myself and see what they say. But, thanks again to you all.
Please, I need help from everyone who understand these "boxes".Thanks. Yesterday, I tried to divide a chapter, with my DMR-E85H, which can't burn in a DVD-Disk. After 10 minutes "bloked" I turned Panasonic-DVD off. When I turned it on, only read in display "Self-Check"....... till now :-(( I have tried with Commands that I have found in http://www.dxcc.com/dmr-e85h.htm, but it continue "Self-Check". When I press ("Stop" and "Time Slip" and "Open/Close" for 5 seconds), it don't show me "SERVICEMODE 00". I read "Self-check". I need become to do something to repair it, or at least, something to view DVD-Disk in DVD-unit, because my little child doesn't understand of "unit broken". Thanks and sorry but my English. J.C.
praga, I'm sorry. I don't recognize this problem. You may have already done this, but: Remove DVD from the DVD drive. Turn off the machine and unplug it for several minutes then start it again. The "self check" should not show for more that 10 minutes. If that doesn't get it restarted, you should call Panasonic Service (but don't expect them to help too much - they can tell you where to take your E95 for service (Your problem could be bad DVD's) Good luck.
Praga , it sounds like the problem that started all this , the divide problem, ... try this file ftp://applezap.com/PANA_DVD.zip , download it, unzip it, burn it on a CD, and update the "firmware" on the unit. if you're not sure how to update the firmware, check in the other web site you mentioned (Roger Amidon's)
Now, after my two weeks of "can't find a host channel", and one week successfully using the public TV station as the host, and Cheryl hypothesizing that Comcast had gone totally digital on me, my host channel switched back to the ABC affiliate yesterday and continued to download listings and promos without missing a beat. Go figure.
