Recording Twice Issues

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by monkeyonamoped

Does anyone have any idea if it's the box, or a problem with the EPG?

See post 12

[charlieannear]

Same here. I am convinced it is mainly due to EPG data.
True Blood FXHD doubled up and with us also trying to watch a recording at the same time- the box locked up and wouldn't respond to the remote.
So I just left it and all was fine in the morning. The two recordings of True Blood were different lengths!

We had it do something similar the other night (can't recall exactly what shows/channels) where we had two recordings planned, each on HD channels and both doubled up, and all four recordings failed! (I think the box crashed and rebooted)

You have to be careful deleting the failed recordings of the doubled up shows. If there is one good recording and one failed one of the same thing, deleting the failed one can cause the good one to go too! So watch the good one before deleting both.

Last night I had a recording clash which I sorted out (Chris Ryan Ep1 & Ep2 pn Sky1 and Supernatural on Living+1 (changed it to Living to resolve the clash) and Human Target on SyFyHD) but then, with watching a recording at the same time, the box couldn't cope at the switchover time (10pm) with changing from 2 recorded shows, to 2 other recorded shows whilst simultaneously showing a recording. It locked up, crashed, and rebooted itself.
After the reboot it showed Supernatural to be OK (partial recording but got to the credits so OK). Chris Ryan had the end chopped off Ep1 and it wouldn't record Ep2 as it was series linked but had already started. (The planned recording wouldn't delete because it had already started, so I couldn't just delete the planned one and then set it going manually). Human Target behaved the same as Chris Ryan Ep2, but was able to get it on the SD channel.
The EPG issue here is where you have 2 episodes of the same show on right after each other. The EPG will often stop the first recording, thereby missing the end of the show, in order to start the second recording (sometimes you will be lucky enough to get the end of first show on the beginning of the second recording!) For instance, it did this with V on SyFy HD. Add in a 'double up' and the box doesn't know what to do first.

I think the main problem does lie with what is in the EPG data (and the extent that some channels stray from the schedule), but occasionally this 'overloads' the box (I have a SA V+), which worsens the issue. The second example illustrates this with a normal 'overload'. I think the extra load of HD especially tips the box. Bring on the new one!

(Yes, we do watch a load of old tripe on our telly, but the problem is the EPG not the content! )

Hope this helps!

[monkeyonamoped]

I'm starting to think that this is an issue with the EPG & the Scientific Atlanta box. I had a similar issue again last night - had Outnumbered set to record & tried to set the Alternative Election programme on Ch4, the box wouldn't let me. This morning I have 2 recordings of Outnumbered on the box, both different lengths. I've noticed people on the Digital Spy forum with the same issue with the same programmes & I think they're all using the Scientific Atlanta box, as am I. I've also noticed that Eastenders is in my planned programmes list twice for tonight - I don't usually get this advance warning.
Has anyone actually reformatted their box & has this fixed the issue?

[charlieannear]

I set Timothy Spall to record on BBC Four on a series link the night before last at 02.55 and it recorded a whole load of programmes on the theme of sailing and the sea!
Definitely an EPG thing!
I think the SA boxes are struggling a bit .

I don't want mine reformatted though, there's loads on the HDD that I haven't watched yet!
(I think a tech ought to be able to back up a customer HDD before reformatting, or box swapping- even if a customer isn't allowed to.)

[kgollop]

Originally Posted by lyra

I've been having this problem for a couple of weeks. Last night's was a doozy: four recordings of True Blood on FXHD, one OK, two 'failed', one 'recovered content' - that one also showed up in 'planned programmes', to be recorded 'yesterday'. So that's three channels it's happened on so far, BBC, ITV and FXHD. I'm reluctant to reformat at the moment too as I've got a lot of unwatched recordings at the moment. Can it just be coincidence that several of us are getting this issue only recently?

I had the same on FXHD last week too. It caused the box to reboot a couple of times when the recordings started, and I've still got a recording in my list that tells me it is recording "Now" on an Unknown Channel, which keeps coming back after I delete it. I had a recording clash for this coming weekend, and noticed it was down to Match of the Day being set to record twice.

Mine is a SA V+ if it's relevant.

[Horace]

Same problems as above, I've deleted old recordings and removed and re-added series recordings since it seems to affect those those the most but still getting it. Football focus, Match of the Day, Question Time and a couple of other BBC programs seem to be affected. None of my Discovery series records seem to have been though. By the way, this seems to have started at the same time as BST though that could be just a spurious coincidence.

[absthechatter]

Mine has got to the stage where it records everything three times, because it's using all three tuners, we can then not watch anything, we just get a blank screen. We cancelled all future recordings and all series links, but it still decides to record things, QI is this weeks favourite. Unfortunately it decides to record this three times at once, for approximately 20 hours a day.

So box has now become useless and I have gone back to using my old Freeview box. This happened to last three SA V+ boxes too. This problem has so far led to me taking six days off of work (admittedly the engineers did not bother to turn up for three visits, so the three visits I actually got, I had box replaced each time).

I really cannot afford to take more time off of work, so will wait until this problem is sorted before I even attempt to get another engineer.

What with this, broadband only working a few hours a day and a phone line I have never used, I don't feel like much of a VIP with my recently price increased VIP tariff!

Abs

[Ben B]

Abs, try formatting your box, you will lose all your recordings but since you are not using the box anyway I'm not sure you'd be that bothered by this.

If STOP or QUIT appears you will need to start the process again

1. Press the HOME Button
2. Press down the Play button for 5 seconds (E-00 Will appear on the display)
3. Press the TV Drive Button. (E-01 Will appear on the display)
4. Press the CH - button 4 times. (As you do this hdd1, hdd2, hdd3 and then hdd4 will appear on the display)

Reformatting will then begin and rFt will appear on the display.

The process can take between 5-8 minutes depending on how full the hard drive is, and once complete the V+ drive will reboot.

Hope this helps

Ben

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by absthechatter

Mine has got to the stage where it records everything three times, because it's using all three tuners, we can then not watch anything, we just get a blank screen. We cancelled all future recordings and all series links, but it still decides to record things, QI is this weeks favourite. Unfortunately it decides to record this three times at once, for approximately 20 hours a day.

So box has now become useless and I have gone back to using my old Freeview box. This happened to last three SA V+ boxes too. This problem has so far led to me taking six days off of work (admittedly the engineers did not bother to turn up for three visits, so the three visits I actually got, I had box replaced each time).

I really cannot afford to take more time off of work, so will wait until this problem is sorted before I even attempt to get another engineer.

What with this, broadband only working a few hours a day and a phone line I have never used, I don't feel like much of a VIP with my recently price increased VIP tariff!

Abs

You do not have to take the first slot offered if you work pick a slot that suits you as we always have Saturday slots or you can book at least 2 weeks in advance to account for your next rest day.

[absthechatter]

Many thanks Ben

Have tried the format a couple of times, but the same happens as when boxes are replaced, after a few days the same starts happening again. I guess it is something to do with EPG as it's happening to a few friends too.

Abs

---------- Post added at 17:05 ---------- Previous post was at 16:59 ----------

Originally Posted by Masque

You do not have to take the first slot offered if you work pick a slot that suits you as we always have Saturday slots or you can book at least 2 weeks in advance to account for your next rest day.

Thanks Masque

Unfortunately the only day I get off is Sunday. I work in London and it takes me two and a half hours to get to work and the same back. I have missed quite a few days pay already from engineers not turning up and don't really want to take the risk again. Quite a few friends have the same problem, so I guess Virgin will sort it out soon, (although it has been going on for four months).

I am too busy at work at the moment to watch any tv at the moment, but it would be nice if the problem was fixed so I could actually record something. At least the internet connection has worked all day, it's the first time that's happened in months.

Abs

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by absthechatter

Have tried the format a couple of times, but the same happens as when boxes are replaced, after a few days the same starts happening again. I guess it is something to do with EPG as it's happening to a few friends too.

Ahem

[absthechatter]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Ahem

Thanks spiderplant

I knew I shouldn't do it, but at least when I did that I could actually watch TV programmes for a day or two before it all locked up again. All that happens now is that is continually shows it is recording QI three times at the same time. If I delete them all, they just show as recording again immediately. The QI they are recording is from 5 weeks ago.

Because it is using all three tuners to record, I just get a blank screen if I try to watch any live TV. So I get choice of never being able to watch anything, or get a new box and get to watch channels and record for a few days before the same happens again, or format and get a couple of days vieving.

I understand I should not be formatting, but also believe that after four months this EPG problem should be fixed.

But never mind, after three non shows from the engineers causing a loss of over £1,000 in wages, I was offered £10 for my inconveniance. I never actually got it, but at least it was offered!! Sorry for sarcasm, but getting a little fed up with it now.

Abs

[anap]

I've been having similar problems, Eastenders recording 3 times and I still can't delete one of them! Also the V+ will go back to TV after watching a recording whatever option I choose, 'Recordings', 'Live TV' or 'Delete'. I can confirm however that reformatting doesn't help a jot!

[Hom3r]

Our V+ box seems to have copied a few programs twice. (CM20)

[Griz]

Spiderplant,

My box has started this behaviour as well, double recordings of some programs and also recording some programs that I never set up at all. Is there a fix in the pipeline?

Thanks mate