Hey, howie14w, I'm in suburban Maryland and things have been pretty quiet over Comcast for quite a while now. They did add an additional lineup to my area a few weeks ago that confused my machine for a few days. But no U99's (knock wood).
I'm actually OTA, guidewise. I've had a couple fof U99s lately and the guide on my plasma set doesn't want to download at all, although I think that's a separate problem..
I have to share with you my excitement about my great success. I'm finally able to switch hard disks back and forth on my Panasonic DMR-E80H and DMR-HS2!!! On 17. February 2005 rtjoby posted in this thread his way of tricking the firmware under this link in the event that the Panasonic displays UNFORMAT and requests a mandatory formatting of the hard disk. Starting from his findings, I added another step to it and here's what I found: Whenever I replaced a hard disk in one of my Panasonic DVD Recorders (I have three DMR-E80H and one DMR-HS2), I had to format the hard disk before I could do anything with it. Here is rtjoby's way to trick the firmware to accept a hard disk containing recordings that were done previously with the same unit: 1. Replace the hard disk 2. When requested to format the hard disk, unplug the power cable from the hard disk 3. Push the Enter Button on the remote twice to have the unit start to try to format the hard disk 4. After a few seconds (like 5) either unplug the main power cable from the unit or press the power button for 10-12 seconds 5. When the unit is off connect the hard disk power cable and then the unit main power cable 6. When you turn the unit on, it may work from the new hard disk and show all the information from that new hard disk Here come now my new findings: The Panasonic DVD Recorders write also a number, unique per unit, to the hard disk. So the above works that easily only when the disk was last used in the same unit. If the hard disk was used last in another unit of the same model, then the following will do the trick. You will need a hard disk editing program like WinHex: 1. Find the unique number of your unit. On each hard disk the following 10 bytes are relevant: the 6th byte is 0x53 (S) the 7th byte is 0x48 (H) the next 8 bytes represent the unique number 2. Once you know the number for your unit, write the correct bytes to the hard disk you would like to use in that unit (with WinHex) 3. Then do the above steps with unplugging the power and you should get the new hard disk working One more note: To prove that this technique works, you should actually record just a little bit on the hard disk, because without that you might be able to switch hard disk back and forth without formatting... I tried all of this with 4 hard disk and it works. I also took out the hard disk of one E80H, backup it up with WinHex, Restored it to a new hard disk with WinHex, changed the unique number for the new unit on the new hard disk, did the unplugging thing, and actually had two units with exactly the same recordings and was able to watch all of them and also add more recordings!!! I spent hours searching the internet for this solution and couldn't find a success story. So I'm proud to share my findings. May it give some of you hope to prove it.
I've finally been able to get my Panasonic to download listings. Forget PBS. I was recording FOX News channel one night and few days later I checked the guide and it had downloaded the channel lineup. Man, talk about a pain in the butt editing it. Anyway, I kept it set to that channel, shut it off and like clockwork, the next day I had listings. I don't know if there is a better thread that I could post this on. I have Mediacom cable in Iowa. I should say that this was done with the Pansonic set to the channel. I have yet to try getting the info to download with the pansonic setup for my cable box.
Is there anyone on this thread from Manhattan, NY? My E85 has stopped downloading its program guide from Time Warner Digital TV a few weeks ago, and has not returned. Is it my machine or is it Time Warner, trying to sell their PVR?
After months, maybe even a year already of no problems with TV Guide, etc., I lost the entire guide a couple of night ago. Machine went into a Self-check mode when I inserted a DVD to dub to.....this is does on a not too frequent basis and I am used to it. However this time, after it did it's ritual of self-check two times and return to the TV screen, the entire TV Guide was gone. Two days later, it has still not appeared but I am able to perform all other functions. Strange......but since I manually set time recorder, it does not matter. Recording all previously timed shows okay so far. So happy that screen with all "timed shows to record" did not get lost. That is a lot of work to input all that data!!!
My TVGO listings were down for about a week. I changed my ZIP code to that of the PBS station, after a couple of days I started getting downloads again. I don't know if changing the ZIP helped or if it was just some glitch in the system. The odd thing is that all of my listings were gone overnight. In the past, when TVGO had problems, I would just stop getting updates. This time I lost everything at once.
OK, I read the last 58 pages of fixes for U99. I have seen the same question asked , but never really answered to the point where I can understand. (may be the Panasonic help desk senerio is catching on) The unit was reset as the clock is flashing 12:00am on startup, wheather a soft of hard boot, the unit displays TEST *L1 then goes to U99 and hangs. I cannot even get the unit up long enough to load the new firmware. What, in simple 1 to 10 steps, fixes the TEST *L1.
Hi from Oz, I bought 2 E85H's about two years ago ( one for a friend ), and they have been one of the best devices ever; but recently mine has started exhibiting problems when powering up. It comes up with "self Check" as if starting up, then blinks off. This then goes on for approx 15-30mins. Once it is going, it works ok, though sometimes when you switch from HDD to DVD and vice versa, it powers down then goes thru the start up sequence again! This thread talks about firmware updates and reformatting the hard drive. I have downloaded the new firmware but not loaded it yet, as mentioned in this thread, but my question is - will this set the player to Region 1 ( Australia is Region 4 ). I have never had the U99 error as in this thread I suspected the power supply, but once it is going, it works well. I also suspect the Hard drive, because if it has gone to sleep, it power cycles when you try and use it. Is it worth losing all the data currently on it, and reformatting or try a new hard drive? I have tried to get into the Service Mode, but have not been able to due to this start up problem. Any suggestions would be greatfully received.
wre46 & Bigev, I have not personally seen the symptoms that either of you have. Have you tried a power-down and unplug reset? It's a two step process: 1) hold down the front panel power switch until the timer icon disappears, leaving only the time display; 2) unplug the unit for 30 seconds. Plug back in and try to power up. Listen to what the hard drive is doing. I usually wait for the sound of it turning off (goes "wheeeee" and gets quiet) before I push buttons. You might try powering back off as soon as the picture is displayed on the attached TV, before the TVGO guide screen comes up. Power-down and unplug seems to fix most thing that are not hardware related. You might also try some of the service mode commands and see if they work. Search this thread for "service mode". Cal
for 2 years now I have used TDK DVD-Rs in the 100 spindle that I buy from COSTCO, most recently the 16x. About 2 weeks ago, a friend gave me some DVDs to burn some shows for her. The Recorder would not even read them...said cannot read disc..no disc....absolutely NOT. I continued to use the spindle I had (16x made in India) with no problems. Even tried using the 8x (made in Taiwan) I had with no problems. I opened a NEW 100 spindle today (16 x made in Taiwan) and the darn DVD recorder will not recognize NOT 1 single DVD. I have tried from the top, the middle, all over - NOTHING. Ssys, no disc, cannot read disc and even got 1 message saying disc not compatible. I called Panasonic and they insist I need to get a "DRY cleaner" - not a DVD cleaner but a DVD recorder cleaner. I said last time I tried to clean my VCR, I totally messed it up. She insists the machne is dirty and must be cleaned. My warranty does not cover cleaning. Any advice re either the discs not being recognized ot the use of such a cleaner. Much thanks.......rather disgusted cause I think I have 4 of these 100 DVD spindles from Taiwan! YIKES!
soju, There was a discussion of DVD problems well back in the thread. I recall there was something about the DVDs made in Taiwan versus Japan (or some other country). I believe the Taiwan manufactured DVDs were not recommended, but I could be mistaken. Happy searching.
Tayo Yuden DVD-R: Usually Great+++ (Rarely Great- to Good) - Have to drive 73 miles to purchase Most Verbatim DVD-R: Great - always available @ SAMS Club Junk No-Name White Printable: Sometimes Good (Sometimes Sh*tty, flip the coin you saved by buying 'em to see if they are any good) - CircuitCity Memorex: Usually Sh*tty (Occasionally Ok) - Not worth crossing the street to purchase Sony: Usually Sh*tty (Occasionally Ok) - See Memorex 4/04 date, purchased open box return 6/04; one lockup first day, upgraded Japanese firmware next day. 1,174 disc burns and counting (knocks on wood). Love my DMR-E85H!
I have used 50 or so 16x Verbatim DVD-R's and have not had a problem. I bought a spindle of 50 Verbatim DVD-R's at OfficeMax in San Antonio last week for $0.756 each (i.e. $35 + tax). I have used the same two Panasonic DVD-RAM's at least 50 times each and never had a problem. I imagine most of us posting to this thread never treat a DVD like your average Blockbuster customer. I really get tired of having to clean them when I rent them. Grrrr....
Dear luvshisex, you wrote Are you saying that you downloaded the firmware from the japanese website? And your menus are still in English?? If so then I will give it a try too!
thanks to those who posted info. on different brands of DVDs. Someone else told me that the Verbatims at Sam's Club are good. Just confusing since the TDKs always worked best before. Vulcanusa, I will also go look for the earlier posts here about DVDs. Has anyone ever "cleaned" their Panasonic recorder like how Panasonic is telling me to do now? I am really leery of this. Need to know if anyone had problems AFTER they cleaned the machine. I am the only one using my machine and I don't rent DVDs too often. Just dub and burn a lot!! Thanks again.
You mean everyone who's ever viewed this page hasn't found their way to the page about the Great DMR-E85H Snafu page and downloaded the firmware that was on Panny's Japanese (domestic) page way back before Panny USA ever even admitted there was a problem? <DUMB-LOOK> Ok, check it out, I do not have the link any more, computers don't seem to hold up like DVRs <GRIN> but it is referenced in this thread somewhere near the beginning. Menus are still in english, region code is either still region 1 or "unblocked" - I have read reports both ways, not sure any more what I decided way back when. That plus carefully testing out & changing the settings it came with to give me quality over absolute recording time on disc have made me very happy. Just wish it recorded to that last little bit (outer ring) but am guessing that they had their reasons... I later read that there was an update on Panny's USA site "to handle faster rated media" but I never tried it as I'm unsure if I could go "back" to the fw that I have in it now. Have used 8x and 16x rated media with no problem and if the time comes when they become scarce I'll lay in a stockpile. L
Take a TDK that worked and one of the newer ones to your computer and check the media information on them, maybe they just changed manufacturers. It happens, hopefully that is your problem. Yes, I get my Verbatims at SAMS Club. I was skeptic hundreds of discs ago - last time I used their media was 20+ years ago when I was notching 5 1/4" single-sided floppy discs so I could format the other side and found them to be wanting. But of course different media, different manufacturer. There are wet and dry cleaning discs. I have used both but never on my Panny. I guess I probably should - I regularly have to clean nicotine off of everything else around here, we've got long-hair cats shedding for all they're worth, and two years in a row there was a 24,000 btu kerosine heater running within six feet of it all the time for most of the winters. I am somewhat surprised that it even powers up but it works like a charm. Maybe your environment is worse than mine. If so I would be more concerned with your lungs than with your DVR. To be honest with you I've been afraid to take a chance on scratching or otherwise hurting the lenses/laser. I've had friends who had good and bad experiences and the ones with problems bought new $59 dvd players but I couldn't get another DMR-E85HS for that and they are getting very scarce at any price, all I see are refurbs and used ones on fleabay. L
I went to download the firmware from Panasonics website for my E85H. When i go to download it it says the name of the file is dmr-e55.exe I'm fairly sure this is the wrong file. Is there someplace else i can download the correct firmware from panasonic?
I'm glad violetfi had this good fortune as posted well over a month ago. Just wanted to say I couldn't work the hard disk interchange on my DMR-E95H, though I tried to trick it. I only use the two drives in the one E95 unit (or was planning to) so didn't embark on the hard disk editing, apparently not applicable to my situation. If anyone does have a solution for the E95H on switching disks without losing data and having to reformat (as I ended up doing), would love to know.
