What's the latest on viewing recordings without the sat connections?

[mtnagel]

I will be moving tomorrow, but I don't actually close on our old or new house until next week, so I don't want to do the mover's connection until after I close, just to make sure everything goes through smoothly before I install a dish on my new house. It would be great if I could still watch the recordings on my box even though I won't have the satellite up and running, but is that possible? I seem to remember they tried to do it, but I thought there were issues, so does it currently work or not?

(I'm on the CE before this past weekends if it matters, but I'm pretty sure there has been no development on this for awhile, at least based on the release notes of the last few CE's).

[Michael D'Angelo]

I believe it works now.

[techm8n]

Test it yourself now and unplug your Sat cables and try viewing your recordings. After you verify, plug the cables back in and reboot if needed.

[mtnagel]

I believe it works now.That would be awesome if true. I will report back.

Test it yourself now and unplug your Sat cables and try viewing your recordings. After you verify, plug the cables back in and reboot if needed.Wow, big sig. I am recording now, but I'll try it tomorrow as I start my probably week plus long journey without tv :( (Looks like I'm going to a bar for the SB).

[mtnagel]

And the verdict is a big fat NO! This is really ridiculous because I know the TiVo units allowed you to watch the recordings. I don't even get any signal to the TV. I hooked up the HDMI cable and plugged everything in and all I get is no signal. This is sad as I don't have the installer coming out until Sat Feb 9th. Guess I'll be watching a lot of DVDs and downloading all the shows that I'm missing.

[bpratt]

It will be a problem for me too. I have an installer comming tomorrow to replace two HR10-250s with two HR2x.
So far this month my dish has been covered with snow 4 times. The dish is mounted 2 1/2 stories up on side of a chimney. There is no way I will climb a 25 foot ladder to clear it off in a snow storm and it usually takes 12 to 20 hours to clear itself.
Will I not be able to watch any recordings while the satellite signal is lost due to snow on the dish?

[mtnagel]

It will be a problem for me too. I have an installer comming tomorrow to replace two HR10-250s with two HR2x.
So far this month my dish has been covered with snow 4 times. The dish is mounted 2 1/2 stories up on side of a chimney. There is no way I will climb a 25 foot ladder to clear it off in a snow storm and it usually takes 12 to 20 hours to clear itself.
Will I not be able to watch any recordings while the satellite signal is lost due to snow on the dish?I'm not sure in that case. Do you get absolutely zero signal from the snow? I've had rain fade or whatever and I could still use the box, but now I get nothing without the satellite lines connected.

[bpratt]

I'm not sure in that case. Do you get absolutely zero signal from the snow? I've had rain fade or whatever and I could still use the box, but now I get nothing without the satellite lines connected.
When the dish is covered with 3 or 4 inches of snow, all the readings are zero.

[tecman]

I am on D*'s schedule for new installation of two HR20/21's. The fact they won't let you watch recordings without sat connection is very disappointing news. It makes no sense from a customers perspective. My feeling is as long as I am current with my bill I should be able to view what I've recorded with or without sat connections. Does this only apply to the HR20/21 or all of D* DVR's. Surely this has been a complaint to D* and hopefully something they are working on to correct.

[Shake Well]

Hmmm... I just moved (still in boxes, anyone have a pair of socks I can borrow?) and I watched no less than 10 recordings I had 'taped' prior to moving. Furthermore, while trouble shooting some freezing issues on one of the new HR21's, I unplugged it from the sat cables and was still able to watch three shows I had it record yesterday for testing purposes.

I noticed it would take about 5 minutes to come up to a 721 screen where I could hit "List" and view a show.

Cheers

[mtnagel]

Hmmm... I just moved (still in boxes, anyone have a pair of socks I can borrow?) and I watched no less than 10 recordings I had 'taped' prior to moving. Furthermore, while trouble shooting some freezing issues on one of the new HR21's, I unplugged it from the sat cables and was still able to watch three shows I had it record yesterday for testing purposes.

I noticed it would take about 5 minutes to come up to a 721 screen where I could hit "List" and view a show.

CheersHmmm... Are you still connected by HDMI? I was thinking that might be an issue, but hell if I know where a component cable is.

[finaldiet]

When the dish is covered with 3 or 4 inches of snow, all the readings are zero.

Right now in chicago we have about 8-10 inches of snow and still coming down. When I left this am, i checked and everything comes in great so far and dish has snow on it. I'm surprised OTA my locals are coming in as I'm about 25 miles SW of Chicago and its snowing hard.:D

[Steve]

And the verdict is a big fat NO! This is really ridiculous because I know the TiVo units allowed you to watch the recordings. I don't even get any signal to the TV. I hooked up the HDMI cable and plugged everything in and all I get is no signal. This is sad as I don't have the installer coming out until Sat Feb 9th. Guess I'll be watching a lot of DVDs and downloading all the shows that I'm missing.Without the SAT cable attached, I can't play back recordings on an HR20-700 either. I get an "expired access card" message. Unit was in standby, I removed the sat cables, turned it on and went to the PLAYLIST. Once I saw this, I didn't even bother to try testing it by unplugging it and powering it up without SAT attached.

This is a change from last August, when it was apparently fixed (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=95496&highlight=signal+present). /steve

[Steve]

We should probably list which software release we tested on, since mtnagel and I can't watch without a signal and Shake Well can. I just tried it on the latest CE, 0x1f4. /steve

[mtnagel]

Without the SAT cable attached, I can't play back recordings on an HR20-700 either. I get an "expired access card" message. Unit was in standby, I removed the sat cables, turned it on and went to the PLAYLIST. Once I saw this, I didn't even bother to try testing it by unplugging it and powering it up without SAT attached.

This is a change from last August, when it was apparently fixed (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=95496&highlight=signal+present). /steveWell that's a little different than my situation. I unplugged the unit and then removed the sat cables (or maybe in reverse). Packed it away overnight. Moved the next day and that was one of the first things I hooked up. I just plugged the HDMI cable into both and then plugged it in and I get no signal. Nothing. I think I tried plugging and unplugging the HDMI cable and nothing changed and I tried unplugging the unit too and nothing.

[Steve]

Well that's a little different than my situation. I unplugged the unit and then removed the sat cables (or maybe in reverse). Packed it away overnight. Moved the next day and that was one of the first things I hooked up. I just plugged the HDMI cable into both and then plugged it in and I get no signal. Nothing. I think I tried plugging and unplugging the HDMI cable and nothing changed and I tried unplugging the unit too and nothing.What s/w release are you on? /steve

[mtnagel]

What s/w release are you on? /steveWhich ever one happened on Jan 25th.

[Steve]

Downloaded the latest CE last night (0x1f8). Pulled the SAT cables and got the "Searching for signal" error. Unlike yesterday, I was able to play a program from the PLAYLIST.

Pulled the power plug with the SAT cables still disconnected. Long wait during restart while "Searching for satellite signal..." When I got control of the HR20 back, went to the PLAYLIST and was able to play back shows with no problem.

Looks like whatever was temporarily broken is now fixed under 0x1f8. If you didn't already get it, it should be in the stream again tonight. :) /steve