maher11's profile

Contributor

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2 Messages

Tuesday, August 26th, 2014 1:23 AM

DVR Recording

When I set up to record programs, the schedule clearly shows each program to be recorded, but the programs do not record.  Help.

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Official Solution

Expert

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20.4K Messages

10 years ago

I'd do a hard reboot by unplug/plug in power after 30 seconds. This will fix many DVR problems, let us know if it worked, good luck. 😉

 

Chris
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Contributor

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2 Messages

10 years ago

Many thanks Chris.  That worked.  Thanks again.

 

Patrick

Expert

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20.4K Messages

10 years ago

You're welcome, just remember if anything else goofy occurs, just reboot it again. 

 

I actually reboot mine every 4-5 days as things get sluggy w/this replacement 1225, compared to the 2250 that died a couple weeks ago, and that speeds things up. 😉

 

Chris
__________________________________________________________

Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
Need Help? PM ATT Uverse Care (all service problems)
or ATT Customer Care (all other problems)

Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
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ACE - Expert

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34.7K Messages

10 years ago

I do a prophylactic reboot of my DVR every 2 or 3 weeks.

Tutor

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6 Messages

9 years ago

Now, hang on just a second -- Let me see if I have this straight.

The box, is a bit of hardware, not unlike a computer, whose specific job is to translate digital signals into various types of media playable on a multitude of televisions.  Regardless of how many televisions it can play on, the hardware in the unit is NOT going to change unless it is catastrophic in nature, and some magic blue smoke comes out of it, right? The only moving part in it is the hard disk (not unlike the ones in a PC), and that just spins on an unchanging axis (or wrecks the heads on the disk) at 7200 RPM, we hope, so wear should not be an issue either.

 

Secondly, the system is controlled by software, which can only be updated or changed by AT&T Uverse.  Now, "I might not be a smart man" (in my best Forrest Gump accent), but I have written my share of software, and mine always seems to do the same thing over an over, as was written to do. So, please, don't tell me rebooting the SAME hardware with the SAME software will fix ANYTHING.  One of the two is obviously flawed.  I might have fallen off the turnip truck, but it wasn't yesterday, and I was riding up front.

 

All that said, our original Uverse DVR (which I believe was a Scientific Columbus model of some sort), which worked flawlessly until it failed and died a most heinous death.  It was replaced very quickly and at no charge by AT&T UVerse with a newer (not Scientific Columbus) model, which got my hopes up, because newer is better, right?  NOT!!!!  The new one barely works at all as a DVR.  I'm not sure if it's a compatibility issue of the firmware and the hardware or if it was coincident with a firmware update that was pushed just shortly before the original DVR failed (hmmm, coincidence?).  Since we've had it, regardless of how I set a record schedule, it just decides to record when it darn well pleases, if  at all.  Not just one series, and not because of conflicts (It's supposed to be able to record up to 4 HD channels at one time), because most of the shows we want to record are either on the same channel, or on different days.  For example, I have "(sic) Heck on Wheels" set to record "First Run and Reruns" (because it just started ignoring the First Run altogether).  Sometimes, when AMC does a double play (which is very common for this show, I get the second showing.  Otherwise, I have to wait until it repeats.

 

There are some shows that we won't watch with younger children present, and one of our points of recording them is so that we can watch them without having to stay up too terribly late ourselves.  The second reason is commercials.  I HATE commercials because most of them insult my intelligence.  Know what else insults my intelligence?  "Reboot the machine and that will fix it."  NO, IT WON'T.  We were gone to another country for 3 weeks, during which time all the electronics in my home were powered off and unplugged.  This really should suffice as a reboot, and it occurred less than a month ago.  And, we've had some power failures that lasted 15 minutes or more since then as well, so I would probably count those as reboots as well.  Not one thing has this changed this DVR's behavior.

 

The FIRST program that was to record one week after we returned was "(sic)Heck on Wheels".  It recorded the second showing at 10pm, not the first at 9 pm as schedule, i.e. not the first run. and has done this since we powered it back up after returning from vacation.  When all 4 entire previous seasons were aired on July 18, it flawlessly recorded every episode of them.  The new season started on the 19th, and that's what I was pretty sure I set it to start recording. There is no space issue on the disk, and I have some of the things I record set to delete when I need room.  I regularly go in and maintain the things I want to delete after making sure all have seen what was recorded to make sure we always have enough space.  That it would record EVERY episode on the lead up to the new season in a single day, yet miss first runs indicates the firmware has an issue detecting first run or accurately scheduling it.  Strangely enough, this was a series that we'd recorded but lost when the original DVR stuck it's head in the dirt.  At least I got to review the series before starting to watch the new season again.

 

This DVR model hasn't worked a single time the right way since we've had it, so I would say that rebooting it probably isn't going to 'fix' it any more than putting a 20 lb sledgehammer through the middle of it.  I've tried deleting EVERYTHING on the schedule and manually re-entering it all, to no avail.  It still just records whenever it darn well feels like it, if at all.  I've missed big portions of ball games and other things that I really wanted to see because had to work or couldn't be home, and like a nitwit , I tried to rely on the DVR to capture it for me. 

 

If I have something that is supposed to do the same thing every time, and it doesn't, I'd call it flawed and defective.  Well, this one does the same thing every time, it just does it WRONG every time.  IT NEVER records the first run, as instructed.  The options for setting a specific time to record are long gone with all the updates, because apparently the programmers are too darn lazy to compensate for Daylight Savings Time and different time zones, and different airings due to time zones.  So, it doesn't work if whatever data source tells it when the first run will be is not available, or whenever it decides to look.  I may not be a rocket scientist, but I am an electrical engineer with a modicum of software engineering under my belt in industrial environs, and just MIGHT have enough experience (30+ years) to know how software and hardware are supposed to behave.  I'm reasonably adept at setting schedules, too.

 

I hate this piece of crap for a DVR, and wish I had the one that died back.  I've considered transferring the disk into the remote receiver to see if I can make it the DVR, because that was the model that worked correctly, EVERY TIME.  Unfortunately, I think it's been updated with the same software, so it'll probably be a piece of crap, too.

 

Tonight, I find myself either missing "(sic) Heck on Wheels" tonight, or waiting until midnight to see it because AMC did not do their usual double showing, and it won't record until midnight.   Thanks, AT&T, for a piece of junk.  Makes me long for the tuner card in my PC again.  That, I could FORCE to record when I wanted it to.  Is it REALLY that hard to read a clock?  Is it really so hard to admit when their software is broken?

 

Why not give me an option in the firmware to make a reset happen automatically, IF INDEED that is the official recommendation?  Why not FIX the junk hardware and software?  Oh, I know, that would cost a lot of money to roll out, OR, more true, perhaps, is that the software was subcontracted to the lowest bidder, and is therefore now unsupported because the lowest bidder wants a better paycheck from one of the richest companies in America.  Our bill would probably triple if we actually got something reliable.

 

Wow, this forum must be catering to 8 year olds that it can be nice to and convince that a reboot will fix all the problems in the world.  Amazing what's considered a bad word.  Wonder if it'll catch "dummy"

Expert

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20.4K Messages

9 years ago

@tstraughn   If the DVR functions are still not working, try a Non-Destructive Disaster Recovery.

Unplug the power cord of the DVR from the wall or from the back of the box and wait ten seconds. Plug the DVR back in.

When three white dots appear on the screen, unplug the DVR again. Repeat this process two more times.

Plug the DVR back in on the third time and leave in. Three white dots appear followed by a gear with a status bar at the bottom of the screen.

If the Disaster Recovery screen does not appear, repeat the steps above. If the Disaster Recovery screen appears, wait until completion.

If the Non-Destructive Disaster Recovery does not work, follow the steps for a Force Disaster Recovery

Re-downloads all the software. Will not erase recordings, takes a bit of time or so. Good luck 😉

 

Chris
__________________________________________________________

Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
Need Help? PM ATT Uverse Care (all service problems)
ATT Customer Care(billing and all other problems)
Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
I Call It Like I See It, Simply a U-verse user, nothing more

Tutor

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6 Messages

9 years ago

Didn't say it wasn't working.  Just not working RIGHT.  Either it doesn't, or I don't, understand what First Run really means. 

 

As it were, the schedule is showing the aforementioned program will be recorded at 2100 on Saturday, August 22.  As usual, I am quite positive it will not.  It will record the first re-run after that.  I tried the First Run only setting, only to miss several First Runs of "Game of Thrones".  Once I set it to First Run and Re-Runs, I started getting the recordings, but ALWAYS on the second showing, NEVER on the First Run.

 

I'll give the NDDR a shot and see what happens, but I do hope this is not going to hose up the programming for all the peripheral equipment, too.  Getting all of it to work together (right) is a royal pain.   It will probably be later this week before I can try this.

ACE - Expert

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14.1K Messages

9 years ago


@tstraughn wrote:

So, please, don't tell me rebooting the SAME hardware with the SAME software will fix ANYTHING.  One of the two is obviously flawed.  I might have fallen off the turnip truck, but it wasn't yesterday, and I was riding up front.


Why wouldn't it? Anytime any of my computers (including my smart phone) starts to act wonky,rebooting it to start with a "clean slate" almost corrects the issue. 

 

There's a reason that's the first thing tech support asks you to do. 

Tutor

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6 Messages

9 years ago

Why wouldn't it? Anytime any of my computers (including my smart phone)
starts to act wonky,rebooting it to start with a "clean slate" almost
corrects the issue.
Does the word "always" belong after "almost"? Either way, with or without
it, that word "almost" is the part I have trouble with and makes your
statement truer than you realize. Almost fixed is sort of like being almost
pregnant. Pardon me ladies if I offended, but I meant nothing personal.
Would you rather almost have a million dollars in your hand, or would you
rather have a million dollars in the bank? Rebooting fixes NOTHING, it only
occasionally hides the problem for a little while. Loose code, poor
electronics, hardware/software mismatch cannot be fixed by turning
automation equipment off and back on, and expecting it to behave differently
(correctly) on a permanent basis. It WILL go back to the misbehaving if
nothing is changed to actually fix the problem that required the re-boot.
I've done the warm boot (Restart System), I've done the cold boot (turn the
power off and back on) and NOTHING gives me any real control over the DVR to
make it record when I want it to, and program it to, other than the red
record button on the remote. If your car's thermostat is stuck, and the
engine's overheating, turning the engine off will stop it from overheating
for now (until you crank it back up again). The real solution is to replace
the thermostat, which costs a lot more than turning off the ignition.
Software and hardware in automation is NO different. Something is wrong
that will not be fixed unless something is changed, and rebooting changes
NOTHING. If I have to reboot once a year (if there are no updates, of
course), ok, maybe an electron turned left at Albuquerque because of a
little static or something. But having to reboot weekly? Umm, no, I think
not.
For the cost of what I'm paying for the entertainment, I would think that
something as simple as reading a database for air times and programming a
trigger to turn on the recorder should be relatively simple, and very
profitable because if you have the most reliable systems that do what
they're supposed to, you have happy customers. My old VHS VCR was more
reliable than this receiver. UVerse is getting paid by sponsors for the
advertisements, getting paid by me to be forced to watch the drivel (and
have about 300 useless channels to get the programming I do want), and
they're doing NOTHING to fix this problem except have their tech supports
preach the merits of rebooting. It is obviously a lot more complicated than
I think it is, but perhaps a little ownership of the problem and culpability
would help my attitude. For example, if the fiber goes bad in the box up
the street, AT&T credits my phone bill and internet service on a prorated
basis if I call them with a complaint. UVerse, on the other hand, basically
says "tough noogies". Perhaps if the contract required a $10 discount on my
bill (and every other UVerse customer's) every time the DVR doesn't do what
it's programmed to (after being rebooted several times, mind you, including
complete power downs) would be an incentive to correct the problem? The
setting up is easy, it's trying to figure out what "First Run" actually
means in Uversese that is complicated. It appears the meaning is more like
First Re-Run, the way this one behaves. And you're on your own if a
schedule changes by a quarter hour because of an overrun. One would think
the little box is capable of checking every half hour or so to see if it has
upcoming recording requirements, and if the schedule has shifted because of
a delay. But I guess that would probably be too much to ask..
SOMETHING provides the data that allows UVerse to post the schedule on the
web page, as well as on the receiver. After all, there's a reason it only
has 3 weeks worth in it, and cannot be searched past 3 weeks. I'm failing
to understand why ANYTHING could cause the DVR to miss the recording, short
of a power outage (which makes a really nice reboot with no Tech Support
involved) during the record time. If that something is the reason for the
failure, then from the bottom up, fix the problem. If the data source is
unreliable, then get someone else to provide the data. I'm sure someone's
getting paid to collect and concatenate the data for the schedule display.
Maybe someone new needs to be paid? If it's a server that's not doing it's
job, perhaps it's time to update that server? SOMETHING can be fixed to
solve this problem, wherever it is, and no amount of rebooting the receiver
is going to.
There's a reason that's the first thing tech support asks you to do.
You are exactly right, but probably not for the reasons I think you are
implying. Tech Support people have a script, and have no foggy idea what to
ask without it, and are typically too arrogant to think the person on the
other end of the phone line (or chat window) just might be smarter than
them. Tech Support people are cheap, compared to engineers or real
technicians, which is exactly why there are a lot more of them than real
knowledgeable persons. I won't say I am smarter than all Tech Supports, but
I will say it's a large number. So, please, I've seen the "Reboot the
machine" solution, tried it because the Tech Support would not read the next
line on his script, and it fixes NOTHING. Ok? I wouldn't be here if it
"fixed" the problem.
I hope I didn't any leave unhappy words in this. In this day and age of
political correctness, Common Core education, and "No child left behind",
few actually excel any more to become that tech you want on the other end of
the phone line. It took a while to sanitize this to prevent hurting
anyone's feelings with truth or fact. The forum word police won't even let
me put the name of the show I wanted to record in a message. I have to be
nice.
I got another suggestion for a software/OS reload (from another ACE) that I
will consider and perhaps try on Sunday, when I have nothing scheduled for
recording and time to re-enter all my scheduling, No idea how long it will
take, but suffice it to say, I'm in deep caca if I brick the receiver. I
will also have more time to pull my hair out completely when something goes
terribly wrong or if I brick my receiver. Strangely, THAT is the kind of
advice I come seeking, because as I said, I wouldn't be here if the normal
things fixed the problems. I come looking for others that have the same
problem, and are a little more adamant about really FIXING them, rather than
just hiding them for a few more days.

Expert

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20.4K Messages

9 years ago

@tstraughn  Don't worry about having to re-enter your Series', they are on an ATT server and repopulate each reboot. 😉

 

Edit:  In addition any manual recordings you set will also be there after any reboot.

 

Chris
__________________________________________________________

Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
Need Help? PM ATT Uverse Care (all service problems)
ATT Customer Care(billing and all other problems)
Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
I Call It Like I See It, Simply a U-verse user, nothing more

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