People needed for a DR bug test

[Deleted User] · 07/07/04 - 11:25

I've been having a few issues with DR recently failing to record.

Did a test this morning

Bewitched PLUS 8am
Bruce's Price.. Challenge 8am
Ever Decreasing... PLUS 8.30am
Play your cards.. Challeng 8.30am

Then turned the box into standby.

When I returned, I expected it to work fine and record all four programmes. However I got:

Bewitched - to be recorded
Bruce - FAILED Cancelled
Ever D - FAILED Cancelled
Play - FAILED Cancelled

Not a particularly good result if you ask me!

Now, I'm almost sure this has only started happening since the C2 release.

So, I'm looking for someone who wants to do a test.

Tonight I'm going to set the following programmes to record, then leave the box in standby.

The Jasper Carrott Trial - Bravo 2am
John Thomson Stands Up For - Bravo+1 2am
Rory's Commercial Breakdown - Bravo 2.30am
Comedy from Merton to Enfield - Bravo+1 2.30am

I will post what happens in the morning. If anybody else would like to try the same test and post the results, that'd be great. Might help if you say what version box etc. I'll then take it up with Sky.

[Deleted User] · 07/07/04 - 12:36

how long are these programs on for..

30 mins i presume if you expect them all to work..

will do the test for you tonight and let you know the results

[Deleted User] · 07/07/04 - 12:43

I've set my SKY+ to record those programs.
I'll post the results tomorrow AM with details of my box.

[Deleted User] · 07/07/04 - 13:16

OK I'll give it a try

[Deleted User] · 07/07/04 - 13:33

Will give it a go.

Results given PM tomorrow

james payne · 07/07/04 - 15:03

Will also give it ago.

Regards James

Dan the Van · 07/07/04 - 15:10

All,

when you post your results could also please report your Padding settings and your current model number.

Thanks

Dan.

[Deleted User] · 07/07/04 - 15:10

Been testing some more. First test failed, but I have just successfully recorded 2x2 programmes back to back. Even played both the second recordings whilst still recording.

So it can definitely work, but something is behaving strangly!

Disclaimer: Tonights programme choices were just intended to be away from normal viewing/recording so that it didn't inconvenience anyone will to test and are be no means an indication of my viewing preferences

[Deleted User] · 08/07/04 - 08:03

Did the test last night.
SKY+ Version2 orignal disk
2.057B1
1.3.0BF
sky+ 1.26.v2
auto paddings

70% free space before test
all four progs recorded fine with no problems

The Jasper Carrott Trial - Bravo 2am 31mins
John Thomson Stands Up For - Bravo+1 2am 32 mins
Rory's Commercial Breakdown - Bravo 2.30am 31 mins
Comedy from Merton to Enfield - Bravo+1 2.30am 31 mins

[Deleted User] · 08/07/04 - 08:08

Same as Vinnie

Software and padding the same etc

All ok

[Deleted User] · 08/07/04 - 08:15

Well, just as is always typical when you want it to fail, it all worked absolutely fine. That's with a 1min start 2min end padding.

I had it fail for me Sunday eve, Tuesday eve, and twice Wednesday morning when I was testing. So it must have been something else causing the problem. I have not reset the box or anything since the problems, so who knows!

Thanks a load to everyone that took the time to set those programmes for me. It's much appreciated and shows what sort of community we have here!

[Deleted User] · 08/07/04 - 08:29

They all recorded on mine without a hitch, during pretty awful weather as well:)

Model.... 8.2.0
Padding. Auto

The Jasper Carrott Trial - 32mins
John Thomson Stands Up For - 30 mins
Rory's Commercial Breakdown - 31 mins
Comedy from Merton to Enfield - 31 mins

[Deleted User] · 08/07/04 - 09:10

SKY+ Version2 40gb disk
2.057B1
1.3.0BF
sky+ 1.26.v2
auto paddings

all recorded fine..

[Deleted User] · 08/07/04 - 09:35

The New Skykid wrote:

I'm guessing that Ramsey's clashed with Dead Famous coz it over ran by 3 mins and INPUT2 was recording Wife Swap.
Big Bro probably failed coz it was scheduled in CH4's data after Wife Swap but it over ran causing a confussion of EPG Data. Please remember I'm just guessing here so if I'm talking rubbish don't yell at me!

Pulled this off another thread that I had going from my failure on Tuesday night. Maybe it's the EPG upsetting things?

If it was due to overuns, maybe the handling of overuns has changed on the C2 release. Like I've said, I've never had this problem before I upgraded - always doing DRs and back2backs and can't recall ever having a failed recording.

I'll test again at primetime on majors channels that do overrun slightly - presumably situations where the EPG will be kept pretty up to date.

Thanks again.

james payne · 08/07/04 - 09:38

Good morning to you all.

Results from the James Payne Jury

Pace V2

Model Number.....2.057C2
Version Number...9F2101
OSV.....1.3.OBF

Padding set to Automatic (start & finish)

All recorded fine with no problems.

........................................................................................

Pace V1

Model Number........8.2.0
Version Number.....9F2023
OSV....1.3.OBF

Padding set to Automatic (start & finish)

All recorded fine with no problems

Regards James

Roger G Cam · 08/07/04 - 09:59

Jasper Carrott Trial..........Recorded.....31 mins
John Thomson stands....Recorded.....32 mins
Rorys Commercial...........Recorded.....31 mins
Ben Elton............................Recorded.....31 mins

Pace V1

Model number 8.2.0
Version number 9F2006
Operating System 1.3.OBF
EPG version sky+1.26.v2

Settings - all Automatic - and Instant rewind at 60 minutes.

Weather - blowing a Gale!

Absolutely useless this Sky+ thing, isn't it? We should all write and complain to Watchdog......etc...

Roger

Dan the Van · 08/07/04 - 11:19

petergillett wrote:

Pulled this off another thread that I had going from my failure on Tuesday night. Maybe it's the EPG upsetting things?

If it was due to overuns, maybe the handling of overuns has changed on the C2 release. Like I've said, I've never had this problem before I upgraded - always doing DRs and back2backs and can't recall ever having a failed recording.

I'll test again at primetime on majors channels that do overrun slightly - presumably situations where the EPG will be kept pretty up to date.

Thanks again.

Peter, details of what the padding setting do:- (extracted text from user guide pdf file)

• Automatic – your Sky+ set top box will automatically calculate the
best way to record the whole programme, even if it overruns;

• 0, 1, 2, 5 or 10 minutes – the extra recording time that will be
added to the scheduled start time of recordings.

From this it would suggest 'auto' is the best padding setting. If you read all the above posts they are all using 'auto' padding.

Dan

[Deleted User] · 08/07/04 - 16:25

Another thing to consider is the Keep setting which (for me at least) makes a big difference when dual recording.

I get very bad results with Keep ON when dual recording, and nearly perfect results with Keep OFF on both programmes.

Padding settings doesn't seem to make a difference to the results for me.

Roger G Cam · 08/07/04 - 16:33

Joe Beard wrote:

Another thing to consider is the Keep setting which (for me at least) makes a big difference when dual recording.

I get very bad results with Keep ON when dual recording, and nearly perfect results with Keep OFF on both programmes.

Padding settings doesn't seem to make a difference to the results for me.

Thats an interesting point - I never add Keep to a recording until after it has successfully recorded. I have no problems with dual record.

Roger

[Deleted User] · 08/07/04 - 17:11

Dan the Van wrote:

Automatic – your Sky+ set top box will automatically calculate the best way to record the whole programme, even if it overruns;

From this it would suggest 'auto' is the best padding setting

I think I will follow your advice on this one and change it to "auto". But my point was it's always been set to 1min/2min and I've never had problems before - just several in the last two weeks since I updated to C2! It may be just coincidence, but who knows!

Wouldn't it be nice if Sky documented what has changed from one version to another. Ok, it's admitting there were bugs, but the software industry is moving towards this. I deal with the Pharmaceutical industry and they are very sharp when it comes to what has changed and why between software versions. It's no direct reflection on our ability to produce bug free software, but it ensures they understand what has been fixed, what has implications, and more importantly what they need to do to validate new versions before installation.

james payne · 08/07/04 - 17:30

Roger G Cam wrote:

Thats an interesting point - I never add Keep to a recording until after it has successfully recorded. I have no problems with dual record.

Roger

Likewise Roger. I record something, and then upon successful completion, then set it too Keep.

Whether this bears any significance to Dual Recording I don't know, however can someone tell me the need for setting Keep to a progamme before it has recorded anyway.

The only reason I can currently think of, is if the disc is nearing full and you don't want that particular programme being automatically deleted. But cant you change this option in the Services & Set Up section.

Regards James

[Deleted User] · 08/07/04 - 19:09

I always use Keep on the majority of programmes before recording - especially those I've series linked - and have never had any problems with dual recording.

The reason I use Keep before recording is that horrible danger of accidently pressing Delete afterwards when you actually meant Keep. At least afterwards if I press Delete by mistake I get a warning first.

[Deleted User] · 08/07/04 - 19:13

james payne wrote:

Likewise Roger. I record something, and then upon successful completion, then set it too Keep.

Whether this bears any significance to Dual Recording I don't know, however can someone tell me the need for setting Keep to a progamme before it has recorded anyway.

The only reason I can currently think of, is if the disc is nearing full and you don't want that particular programme being automatically deleted. But cant you change this option in the Services & Set Up section.

Regards James

I thought a programme set to record with KEEP was supposed to take priority over one set without KEEP. So using KEEP on only important programmes should mean they are recorded in favour of other programmes where there is a clash. Wonder if this is still true though ( if it ever was).

[Deleted User] · 08/07/04 - 19:25

SKY+ Version2 original disk
2.057B1
1.3.0BF
sky+ 1.26.v2
2min paddings start and end

all recorded fine

james payne · 08/07/04 - 23:16

apwood wrote:

I thought a programme set to record with KEEP was supposed to take priority over one set without KEEP. So using KEEP on only important programmes should mean they are recorded in favour of other programmes where there is a clash. Wonder if this is still true though ( if it ever was).

Well if this is true, then yes I fully understand why users would want to set it up as Keep before it has recorded. I hadn't thought of that simply because I'm one of those users who record, Keep, watch and delete.

Another valid point is what Wizross makes. With the Delete & Keep buttons so close together I can see why users would want to apply this before the programme recorded.

Regards James

planetf1 · 09/07/04 - 07:37

2.057C2 Auto (Pace v2)
Not done the test, but DR working fine here. Not had a failure for a month or two.
I do use KEEP on important programs - usually I try to ensure at any timeslot only 1 prog has KEEP set.

Hey there!

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